The Crown Chakra – Understanding The Deeper Meaning Of Life
Published 10 September 2021
Muladhara

The Crown Chakra – Serenity, Joy, And Peace

The Crown or the seventh chakra is located at the top of the head. In Sanskrit, the name of the Crown Chakra is Sahasrara or the ‘thousand fold’ Chakra, hence it is pictured as a lotus having a thousand white petals.

In connection with the physical body, the Crown Chakra is the entry point for the life-force which pours abundantly into the body energy system from the greater universe. It is this force that nourishes the body, mind, and spirit, and it distributes this energy throughout the physical body and down the lower chakras.

This is why activating the Kundalini energy is vitally important. It not only encourages energy from the base to rise up, but also enables the Crown Chakra energy to freely flow around the body and into the lower chakras.

There is no intellectual knowing at the level of seventh chakra, but there is serenity, joy, and deep peace about life. You have a sense of knowing that there is a deeper meaning of life and that there is an order that underlies all of existence.

If you are unfamiliar with the concept of the Chakras and the five different bodies according to yoga philosophy, you can read my blog The Chakras Explained.

What Does The Seventh Chakra Represent?

Sahasrara is all about spiritual connection and transformation. It lifts and inspires you, connecting you to the divine energy. Moreover, the Crown Chakra gives you a sense of your own divinity, the awareness that you are a soul in a human body. 

Sahasrara acts as the individual’s centre of spirit, enlightenment, wisdom, universal consciousness, and connection to higher guidance. In a sense, the crown chakra is our highest potential. As such, it governs interaction & communication with the universe, one’s senses of inspiration & devotion, union with the higher self & the divine, and deeper understanding; simultaneously, it is responsible for a healthy spiritual life.

Crown Chakra Basics

Name in Sanskrit: Sahasrara meaning “thousand petalled lotus”

Location: Crown of the head

Element: Thought

Colour: White or violet

Symbol: Thousand petal lotus

Corresponding gland: Pineal

Parts of the body: Head, brain, ears, eyes, nervous, skeletal and muscular systems as well as the skin.

Pineal Gland

Signs Of Balance In The Crown Chakra

When the seventh Chakra is balanced we have spiritual understanding and peace with a clear perspective. We experience feelings of joy, peace and serenity; a sense of oneness with everything and everyone.

If  Sahasrara is in equilibrium, the energy around it feels clean and clear, like mountain air. We might feel a deep sense of trust that we are connected, and that the universe is looking after us. Moreover, we might feel a benign detachment, as though we can rise above our earthly problems. We also experience a sense of euphoria, wonderment and calm around us.

Unbalanced Crown Chakra Signs 

UNDERACTIVE CRWON CHAKRA

When the crown chakra isn’t open enough, we feel disconnected from our spirituality, and nothing much inspires us. Consequently, we may think spiritual people are a bit odd or deluded, and congratulate ourselves for being in the real world. For example, if our lower chakras are also highly developed, then making money, having sex and buying stuff may seem to be enough for us. But without the crown chakra energy, to lift us beyond ordinary existence, our life can also feel a bit flat and meaningless.

OVERACTIVE CROWN CHAKRA

On the other hand, too much energy flowing through the crown chakra can make us daydreamers or airheads. Particularly if we aren’t rooted and grounded by our lower chakras. This can happen if we spend a lot of time thinking, but don’t take care of our physical body. Or if we are sensitive and easily hurt, and find it easier to stay up in our head, than engage with the messy business of being human.

Physical imbalances in Sahasrara include depression, inability to learn, sensitivity to light, sound, environment. Exhaustion, epilepsy, cerebrum, Pineal gland problems, headaches, neurological issues, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, paralysis, multiple sclerosis, senility, dementia etc are also linked to imbalance in the seventh Chakra. 

How To Balance Sahasrara

Three of the best practices to use to help you open and balance this chakra are meditation, visualization and maintaining silence. Like the rest of the chakras, we can stimulate Sahasrara with yoga postures, breathwork, affirmations, crystals and essential oils, all of which we’ll touch upon below. 

Additionally, other simple methods to help you resonate with the energies of this chakra are:

 

  • Being outdoors at high altitude, in places with fresh air, sunshine and expansive panoramic views. This will naturally cause your body & mind to vibrate at higher frequencies and help open your Crown Chakra
  • Challenging your thinking and questioning your beliefs. Try to imagine the opposite of what you think is true. Seek out radical new perspectives! 
  • Performing acts of kindness – first of all towards yourself, then towards others, nature, all living and non living forms. All these acts connects us and bring us closer to the concept of Oneness which is one of the main elements of the Crown Chakra 
  • Seeking out things that cause you to feel inspiration – listen to your favourite music or spiritual teacher, watch your favourite programme or movie, talk to people that you find inspiring, write affirmations that you believe in.
  • Practicing appreciative attention towards all things that cause you to feel gratitude. It might help to write a list of everything that makes you feel grateful in your current circumstances.

Yoga To Support And Balance Sahasrara

As the highest and most subtle of all energy centres, this chakra is less physical and you will find that the poses suggested to open and stimulate it are not as abundant as the ones for the lower chakras. In general, recommended poses are those that that stimulate the top of the head, like Headstand. Also stimulating for the Sahasrara are poses that lengthen and align the spine, therefore aligning all the chakras. Restorative and rejuvenating balancing poses like the tree are also beneficial, working from the root to the top of the head, strengthening the body and quieting the mind. See some examples of Yoga poses for the Crown Chakra below.

Stimulating Yoga Poses For The Crown Chakra

 

  • Ardha Padmasana (half lotus pose)
  • Ardhe Anuvittasana (standing backbend)
  • Uttanasana (Forward Fold)
  • Vrksasana (tree pose)
  • Ustrasana (camel pose)
  • Sasangasana (rabbit pose)
  • Shirshasana (headstand)
  • Supta Baddha Konasana (reclining bound angle pose)
  • Halasana (plough pose)
  • Savasana (corpse pose)

Further Yogic Practices To Stimulate Sahasrara

SEED MANTRA CHANTING

We have mentioned seed mantras previously. Sounds which cannot be translated into a literal meaning but have the power to create great transformative growth and expansion in humans at the physical, emotional and spiritual levels are known as “Bija” or Seed Mantras. Each chakra is related to a different seed mantra.

The Crown Chakra mantra is Om, regarded as the universal sound. When said aloud, Om (or Aum) actually sounds like a three-part word. The A represents creation, U – manifestation, and M – destruction. Therefore Om is basically all-encompassing —the whole universe joined into a single sound. It represents the union of the mind, body, and the spirit. 

We find the syllable at the beginning and the end of chapters in the Vedas, the Upanishads, and other Hindu texts. It is a sacred spiritual incantation made before and during the recitation of spiritual texts, during puja and private prayers, in some ceremonies and during meditative and spiritual practices like yoga.

If you are not ready to chant, you may do so silently or listen to someone chanting. Here is a beautiful video explaining the meaning, techniques and benefits of chanting Om.

NADI SHODHANA PRANAYAMA

Also known as psychic network purification breathwork technique, this pranayama has numerous benefits and stimulates both the third eye and the crown chakra. To perform the breathwork follow the linked video below starting from 1min 50sec.

Alternate Nostril Breathing

This type of breathwork nourishes the whole body by an extra supply of oxygen and purifies the blood of toxins. It stimulates the brain centres to work nearer to their optimum capacity. The practice will help you induce tranquillity, clarity of thought and concentration to help with your mental work. Nadi Shodhana increases vitality and lowers levels of stress and anxiety by harmonising the various energies in the body. Additionally, this breathwork technique clears energy blockages and balances the right and the left brain hemispheres. As a result, this causes energy to flow up the spine, which leads to deep states of meditation. Perform daily early in the morning on an empty stomach.

Yoga Video For The Crown Chakra 

This is a slow calming yoga routine, making use of chanting, meditation, inversions and other yoga asanas that will help you get in touch with your higher self. Done to peaceful yet stimulating music, like the Flute piece by James I used as background, this sequence will definitely touch your seventh energy centre. 

Light a candle or an incense, tidy up your room and use the colour white or violet to enhance your experience. 

Om!

Food For The Crown Chakra

As you might have rightly guessed, this chakra’s recommended foods are less dense. Surrounding yourself with the aroma of incense and smudging herbs like sage, copal, myrrh, frankincense, and juniper is nourishing for Sahasrara.

Fasting and detoxifying will be highly beneficial for the development of this chakra as they both purify the body and as a result the mind. This in turn awakens us to higher forms of spiritual communication. This is the reason why fasting is such a big part of many religions. Fasting helps open the crown chakra and brings greater insight, clarity and solutions.

That being said, those feeling a lack of connection to their crown chakra can also benefit greatly from a gentle detox taking in nourishment from the cleanest and highest quality vegetables and fruits possible. You should focus on a clean, whole-foods based diet that is natural and wholesome. 

A wonderful fruit to help with your detox endeavours is the grapes. Note that the best time to perform this detox is when grapes are ripe and in season which is between the end of August and end of October. Here is an extract on grape detox from the book Tao of Health, Sex And Longevity by Daniel Reid.  I highly recommend this book to all of you walking the path of health & conscious living.

This may surprise you, but grapes rank among the most potent of all medicinal foods when properly used for therapy. Raw grape juice has been called ‘vegetarian milk’ owing to its ability to sustain nursing infants deprived of mother’s milk, and it is a far superior option to pasteurized cow’s milk. The sugars contained in raw grapes are precisely those used in cellular metabolism: mostly pure glucose, with some fructose and levulose. These natural sugars are immediately absorbed into the bloodstream, ready for metabolic use.

Among the most effective therapeutic applications of grapes is to cure constipation and gastritis, which are common complaints for those who live on Western diets. When severe gastritis strikes, simply stop eating and drinking everything else for a day or two and start eating fresh raw grapes. The black variety of grapes are by far the most potent. Start with a pound or two and work up to three or four pounds per day. In the case of gastritis, the seeds and skins should be spat out and only the juice and pulp swallowed. This therapy usually eliminates all symptoms of gastritis within 24–48 hours. If thereafter you avoid the denatured foods and improper combinations that cause the problem in the first place, gastritis will usually not recur.

Black grapes are wonderfully effective detoxifiers, especially for the digestive tract, liver, kidneys and blood. When used for this purpose, the seeds and skins should be carefully chewed and swallowed along with the juice and pulp, for they contain potent bioactive agents with specific detoxifying properties. They also alkalize the digestive tract and bloodstream, a highly desirable benefit in this day of chronic acidosis. The diarrhea and discomfort one often experiences during the first few days of grape therapy are due entirely to the powerful detoxifying properties of grapes: the worse you feel, the more toxic you are.’

More Techniques for Balancing The Crown Chakra

There are more recommended techniques which can help us balance the seventh Chakra optimally. The key here is to open the Chakra not too much and not too little.

Meditation

Sit or lie down in a comfortable position and after a few rounds of mindful breathing, focus your attention on the top of the head. Visualize a funnel of violet or white light entering the crown of your head and extending upward and outward connecting you to the universal life force.  Gratitude and contentment are the simplest ways of strengthening this Chakra so in your mind list all the things you are grateful for in your life!

And here, I’ll offer you a tip on meditation. Don’t struggle and fret if you can’t stop thinking. That’s normal! Give yourself enough time to enter a meditative state, allow your mind to go through the things it wants to think of and after all that chatter, there will be a point when you can concentrate and find stillness. And then, concentrate on that violet light, keep your unwavering focus there.

For those who find it easier to follow someone else’s guidance and voice I suggest you try this Crown Chakra Meditation by the Roaming Yogi.

Crystals

Use crystals that stimulate and heal the Crown Chakra. Crystals and gems like amber, diamonds and moldavite may be used when activating the seventh chakra. Below are some more examples of crystals that can help balance the Crown chakra:

    • Amethyst – amethyst can help cut through the illusion in life and helps in improving your channelling abilities. Amethyst is also an excellent stone for meditation thanks to its sedative and calming attributes while enhancing your psychic abilities.
    • Clear quartz: A crystalline mineral linked to enhancing energy, you can use clear quartz to boost your spiritual attunement. It is a particularly good choice when you’re looking to get more clarity on what you want from life.
    • Moonstone – A lovely stone that holds the power of the moon, moonstone is a gentle healer of the crown chakra as well as your other chakras that works more powerfully under the gentle brightness of the moon. he moonstone is also famous to travellers, thanks to its protective capabilities when traveling during the night
    • Sugilite: Sometimes known as a love stone, this lavender crystal is better used for spiritual grounding and for guarding you against negativity.
    • Selenite: Another mostly clear mineral, selenite is a lovely stone that is said to help open not only the crown chakra but also the third eye chakra. It can be useful in pushing you past stagnation and in propelling you forward.

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy with floral essences such as lotus, angelica and white tulip when applied to the pulse points can aid the meditation process.

Pure essential oils such as Pure Frankincense, Myrrh, Neroli, Rose, Spikenard, Sandalwood and Vetiver are known to encourage deeper focus, meditation and a higher consciousness. 

CROWN CHAKRA DIFFUSER BLEND RECIPE

Use the recommend amount of water for your machine.

  • 2 drops Lavender
  • 2 drops Cedarwood
  • 2 drops Frankincense
  • 2 drops Lemon
  • 1 drop Vetiver

CROWN CHAKRA ROLLER BLEND

  • 3 drops Lavender
  • 3 drops Frankincense
  • 2 drops Sandalwood
  • 2 drops Rose
  • 10 ml Roller Bottle
  • Jojoba Oil

Roll behind the ears and at the base of the skull.

Use Affirmations

  • I am constantly connected to my highest self
  • I know deep inner peace
  • I know my own spiritual truth and I live in accordance with it
  • I honour the Divine within me
  • I am open to new ideas

  • Information I need comes to me easily

  • The world is my teacher

  • I am guided by a higher power and inner wisdom

  • I am open to letting go of my attachments

  • I live in the present moment

  • I am an extension of the Universe, and The Universe is kind and loving

  • I am connected with the wisdom of the universe

  • My body is a beautiful home for my radiant soul
  • I am connected to a limitless source of creativity, abundance, health, happiness, and love
  • Eternal peace flows to and through me
  • I am my highest, most authentic self

Sound Healing For The Crown Chakra

The last Chakra piece that James composed, featuring my ukulele sound is something different. Listen and experience the joy of music, of dancing and living life without a care in the world. For what is the Sahasrara energy but one of trust, divinity, joy and ease!

The second part of the sound healing piece reminds me of the music at the ecstatic dance events I frequented in Koh Phangan. Dancing to the tribal beats in the middle of the jungle – free, careless, releasing body, thoughts, inhibitions, connecting with the beat inside me. Dancing until everything in me disappears except the pure joy of being alive!

CROWN CHAKRA (963 Hz Solfeggio Frequency)

Original music composed by James Molloy

A Journey Back To Yourself

What is the Crown Chakra really, if not our connection to the infinite life and wisdom that we are. In an externally focused society like ours, it might sound strange, but taking time to turn our attention inwards, will bring us much more reward than looking out. While in this quiet space, we can realign our thoughts to resonate with the energy of love, peace and joy. And if we persevere, we will eventually find ourselves on that big winding road back to our true selves!

Unalome – A Buddhist symbol representing our path in life. Winding and convoluted in the beginning, turning into a straighter line as we reach freedom & enlightenment 

Writing this blog and all of the previous ones, dedicated to the Chakras, brought quite an expansion to my life. It made me connect certain dots and understand better my strengths and my weaknesses. My aversions and desires.

I hope that diving deeper into the energy body has given you a clearer perspective of the mind-body-soul system and shown you how intertwined all these aspects of ourselves are. If one suffers, the other two reflect it.

Love & Light!

Evelina

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