The crown chakra, named “Sahasrara” in Sanskrit, connects us to the celestial energies of the highest plane of existence. The crown is the targeted chakra of the most important energy channel – the Sushumna Nadi.
This is the Nadi that the Kundalini energy, symbolized by a snake, ascends and causes the awakening of your power and realization of your full human potential. Such manifestation is known as the ‘Kundalini awakening’.
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Crown Chakra Meaning
Sahasrara is in close connection with spirituality and enlightenment. It is the gateway to higher levels of awareness.
The central theme of the seventh chakra is tied to the greatest level of consciousness within reach of a person.
A healthy crown chakra brings the feeling of deep inner peace and harmony, which transcends all dualism. It can lead to the experience of eternal happiness and can establish contact with the reality that is beyond rational thinking.
The energy of the crown chakra is crucial for the transformation into Mahatma – the Great Soul.
The seventh chakra is also related to growing up in the sense of being able to escape the confines of one’s ego and develop the ability to think of others as well. It relates to assuming responsibility in life and distinguishing between what is real and what is imaginary.
It is also the link between consciousness and the Universe.
Through meditation techniques and yoga we can aspire to raise our awareness and expand our consciousness.
Existential questions such as “Why am I here?” or “Where do I belong?” will suddenly be less of a daunting thought and more of an exciting prospect to ponder when your Sahasrara chakra is open and balanced.
The Crown chakra animal symbol is a snake.
The serpent represents the kundalini energy which sleeps in the lowest chakra. Once all chakras are awakened, the kundalini energy rises to the crown chakra and causes the spiritual awakening in a person.
Crown Chakra Symbol
The lotus flower that grows in the dark and springs a bright, clean flower from the mud in which it grows symbolizes the development of a person’s consciousness.
The crown chakra symbol with thousand petals depicts the story of a blooming lotus flower. From the animalistic characteristics of the lower chakras to the glowing light of the pure soul.
Crown Chakra Location
Crown chakra is located at the crown of the head, at the top of the skull.
In the traditional view, the seventh chakra is at the top end line of the seven chakras system.
Its position is just above the brow chakra. In Sahasrara, the Ida and Pingala channels meet and connect with the Sushumna channel.
When both Nadi channels are fully open and all other chakras are balanced, the energy flowing from the root chakra all the way to the crown connects us to our highest self.
The Effects of the Sahasrara Imbalance
Crown chakra imbalance can be the cause of the following problems:
- Depression,
- lack of will,
- detachment from reality,
- headaches,
- mental disorders.
All things connected with consciousness, awareness, and mental health are related to the seventh and/or sixth chakra.
Crown chakra represents our connection to the universal and celestial realms.
You need to balance your crown chakra to develop a strong connection with the consciousness of the universe, which affects your trust in life.
If your crown chakra is balanced, you are protected by the guidance of spirits from higher energy realms, and you have a distinct intuitive feeling that you are on your right path.
Psychological and Spiritual Aspects of the Seventh Chakra
It is not without merit that expert sources often warn against awakening the seventh chakra since it would be hazardous to fully activate the crown chakra before making all the previous six chakras active and well balanced.
It is also well known that the development of the crown chakra can bring about unprecedented happiness, which comes from reaching the highest levels of consciousness and having an understanding and experience of being one with the universe.
But this can have negative implications as well when one is too focused on the seventh chakra, and the subsequent development is too limited.
The consequences of this can be very harsh and manifest as the need to escape reality and withdrawal. Sometimes a person would try to seek isolation, become a misanthrope, or become self-destructive.
It is rather hard to find such problems in India, but in the Western world, they are quite common.
Many Westerners understand spiritual development in an insufficient and short-sighted way. They go about spirituality and higher consciousness the wrong way and do not put in the effort to develop and balance all the chakras.
Such uneven development can stunt the wholesome evolution of a personality.
It is also important not to overdo things, especially in the beginning stages of spiritual development. But at the same time, it is important to maintain constant and intensive contact with spirituality.
Psychological Manifestations of Crown Chakra Imbalance
If you:
- do not feel the joy of life,
- feel like you are without energy and always exhausted,
- cannot shake bad moods,
- have difficulty making decisions,
- have the desire to be more connected to the Universe,
- want to be more spiritual, are certain that death is the ultimate end,
Properties of the Sahasrara Chakra
- Common names: crown chakra, seventh chakra, Sahasrara, crown center, a thousand-petaled lotus, crown lotus
- Name meaning: Sahasrara comes from Sanskrit and translates to “a thousand times” or “a thousand”
- Corresponding gland: pituitary gland
The pituitary gland, associated with the sixth chakra, is the gland that controls growth, blood pressure, sex organs functions, functioning of the thyroid gland, metabolism, and some functions of other body organs.
- Color: white, violet, gold
- Mantra: OM
- Number of petals: a thousand petals
- Corresponding deities: Shiva
- Animal Symbols: snake (Kundalini)
- Element: All
- Symbol: lotus flower
- Sound: Eee
- Frequency: 480 Hz
- Corresponding sense: cosmic consciousness beyond the perceptible world
- Corresponding natural phenomena: top of a mountain
- Planet: Neptune
Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun. Neptune’s trajectory around the Sun lasts for 164.8 Earth years. The name Neptune comes from the Roman god of the sea.
- Key themes: spirituality, spiritual world experience, cosmic union, self-actualization, enlightenment
- Affected body parts: midbrain, eyes, the whole organism
- Positive spiritual aspects: connection with the universe, spiritual power, orientation towards the spiritual world, religiousness, faith, all-encompassing knowing, inner gaze
- Negative spiritual aspects: leanings towards black magic, superstition, lack of interest in earthly life, withdrawal, an accelerated dissolution of the self.
- Physical signs pointing to abnormal functioning of the Brow Chakra: headaches, chronic illnesses, breathing disorders, nervous system disorders, weak immune system, cancer, multiple sclerosis, mental illnesses, all deadly diseases, paralysis, fainting spells.
- Mental issues pointing to abnormal functioning of the Brow Chakra: lack of joie de vivre, escape from reality, spiritual exhaustion, depression, trouble making decisions, chronic despondency, mental confusion, insanity.
Crown Chakra Healing and Balancing
The challenges brought upon you when you are balancing and healing your crown chakra are connected with releasing your ego and gaining trust in the guidance of the universe.
The Sahasrara is believed to be the home of Shiva, a deity that represents pure consciousness.
The goal of balancing your seventh chakra is to locate Shiva and achieve the union with Shakti, which represents power, as it travels from the lower chakras all the way to the top. Once both divine forces are unified, the ultimate awakening from the world of illusion (Maya) can be achieved.
Crown Chakra Imbalance: The Impact on Your Physical Health
The crown chakra is associated with the pineal gland and also the pituitary gland and the functioning of the seventh chakra impacts the entire organism.
If there is a weak flow of energy through Sahasrara, chronic illnesses, nervous system issues, and incurable diseases that often prove fatal might appear.
Given the location of the seventh chakra, it is not surprising that it is closely connected to the brain and the limbic system as well. As such, it impacts body functions such as the regulation of temperature, balance, sleep, heart rate, breathing, coordination, and many other critical processes.
The most common problems associated with imbalanced seventh chakra are headaches, lack of concentration, sleeping disorders, fainting spells, and depression.
The latter is more common in people who had already worked on their lower six chakras and balanced them sufficiently to reach the threshold of their spiritual potential. It is important to know that health issues most often stem from inadequately balanced lower six chakras as from the crown chakra imbalance.
Physical Manifestations of Imbalanced Crown Chakra
If you:
- suffer from frequent headaches,
- are afflicted with a chronic disease,
- have a compromised immune system,
- have cancer,
- have difficulty calming down, shutting up, or being still while meditating,
- are dyslexic,
- have reduced motoric skills,
- have trouble with coordination, balance or posture,
How to Heal Your Crown Chakra?
A healthy crown chakra means that you will be better equipped to receive impulses from the world around you and tap into the universal sources of information.
If you balance your seventh chakra, you may start experiencing happy coincidences or keep finding yourself in the right place at the right time.
These are just some of the positive consequences of being more in touch with your surroundings and the Universe.
9 Easy Techniques for Seventh Chakra Balancing:
- Take up mountaineering and be sure to take time to appreciate the view from the top.
- Retreat into silence. The crown chakra development depends on doing yoga, zazen meditation, Christian meditation or other types of meditation, which require silence.
- Turn your attention to spiritual development and growth. Find appropriate teachers by relying on your intuition and its ability to separate the wheat from the chaff.
- Wear white clothes. Choose white and light violet tones to furnish your apartment. Pick appliances of such colors, throw pillows, bedspreads kitchen towels, towels, rugs, walls, and other accents.
- Make sure you always pick white or light violet flowering plants or cut flowers for your apartment.
- Take one of the following herbal extracts before your three main meals: rosehip, chestnut, or clematis.
- Essential oils of myrrh, geranium, or rosewood stimulate the seventh chakra. Use them with a diffuser, or mix eight drops of a chosen essential oil with milk and add this mixture to your bath.
- Relax and slowly repeat the following crown chakra affirmations every day, at least ten times:
- I am aware.
- I am opening myself to experience pure being.
- I am connecting with light and divine peace.
The Benefits of Balancing Your Sahasrara
By investing time and effort into restoring balance to your seventh chakra, you can look forward to the remarkable benefits of an active and healthy crown chakra.
You will be able to feel immense happiness, a profound inner peace will set in, and you will be able to experience the connection with the entire Universe.
Consequently, you will be able to be very relaxed and profoundly content. Those who reach this highest level of consciousness are also a source of power and inspiration for people around them.
By balancing your seventh chakra, you will be able to get rid of the unhealthy emotional baggage and move forward unburdened.
You will shake off all sorts of unhealthy attachments and pursue your freedom in a way that is still mindful of others. You will be capable of fully acknowledging your responsibilities while not being servile or in danger of being exploited.
A healthy crown chakra will endow you with a sense of balance, peace, clarity, and belonging that reverberates through your entire being and makes this powerful energy movement through the rest of the chakra system.
In the end, a free flow movement of energy through the crown chakra is essential for the health of other chakras and consequently for your general well-being.
Signs of a Healthy and Open Seventh Chakra
An open and well-balanced crown chakra is crucial for establishing a connection with your higher self.
The benefits are noticeable on many psychological and mental levels.
- Happiness,
- inner peace,
- trust in life,
- emotional stability,
- clarity of mind,
- a feeling of being guided by the universe,
are just some of the signs that your crown chakra is open, healthy, and balanced.
How to Open Your Crown Chakra?
The best time to start working on your crown chakra is when you feel that you are physically fit and emotionally stable.
As with other chakras, you will find methods such as yoga, mudras, working with gemstones, and meditations very valuable tools for opening your crown chakra.
Find the method of meditation that works for you and be sure to take time to relax and keep thoughts, emotions, and outside impulses at bay for a while.
The more you meditate, the more you will find yourself able to break free from the physical world and explore spirituality and other plains of consciousness.
You just might find the answers to the questions you crave most.
1. Crown Chakra Yoga Pose: Parvatasana
Parvatanasana is also known as the ‘seated mountain’ pose.
Assume the “seated mountain” pose:
- Sit up straight and cross-legged.
- Close your eyes, lift up your arms and bring your palms together above your head.
- Your fingers should be pointing up, the spine slightly stretched.
- Hold this position for a few breaths before you conclude it.
In time you should try and hold this position for a few minutes.
‘Purvottanasana’, is a yoga position for balancing your solar plexus chakra.
2. Crown Chakra Mudra: -----
Third Chakra Mudra: Matangi Mudra
Sit on the floor in an upright position.
The following hand position will help you strengthen your crown chakra:
- Bring your palms together and straighten both ring fingers. The rest of the fingers should be interlocking, and the right thumb should be resting underneath the left thumb.
- Hold the hands in line with the stomach.
- Close your eyes and take a deep breath through the nose.
- Upon exhale express a long “ooooh” sound.
Repeat the whole sequence seven times as you keep concentrating on your crown chakra.
3. Crystals for Opening the Seventh Chakra
Crown chakra stones and crystals:
- diamond
- amethyst
- quartz
- rainbow obsidian
- spinel
- transparent tourmaline
- azurite
- gold
Choose a stone for your crown chakra instinctively, pick it up, hold it, and keep it close. Visualize your crown chakra soaking in the energy from the stone.
Strengthen the beneficial effects of the stones by keeping them on your person at all times. Wear them as pendants, bracelets, earrings, or rings, keep them in your pockets, or in a satchel you keep about your person.
It is especially important to have your stones close when you meditate, repeat affirmations, or do yoga. You can even place them directly on top of your head.
Take time when you are choosing your stone or a combination of stones. Relax and follow your intuition.
It might take you some time to find the combination of stones that works best for you but the benefits of the healing power of stones justify are well worth the investment.
You can arrange your stones in different formations or stick to just one, in time you will find the application that benefits you most.
4. Crown Chakra Meditation
Meditational harmonization of your seventh chakra:
- lie down on your back, close your eyes and relax the muscles.
- Gently place your left palm on top of your head and place your right hand over your left hand.
- Take relaxing breaths.
- Make your breathing deeper and imagine you are soaking in cosmic energy with each breath and sending this energy to your crown center with each exhale.
- Repeat this exercise seven times while you imagine and visualize this life energy as a light violet beam of light or pure crystal radiating light pouring from your hands into your head and the entire body.
- Maintain this position for seven breaths.
- At the end of the exercise place your arms on the floor beside your body and enjoy the relaxing benefits of the meditation for a while longer.
- Open your eyes.
Crown Chakra Opening Symptoms
The feeling of your crown chakra fully opening is a highly profound spiritual experience. This is often also referred to as ‘Kundalini awakening’.
The symptoms are therefore mostly of spiritual nature. One effect is the loss of your ego – which means that you still keep your consciousness, control, and awareness, but your mind chatter is silent and the awareness of ‘self’ transcends the physical limits of your body.
You might feel telepathically connected to people around you, be able to ‘read their minds’ and moreover to ‘feel their feelings’. You might even control the energy of the space and people (and animals) around you with your own feelings. How your ‘mood’ changes, everything around you will change – you have telepathic control originating from the ‘feeling’.
You can expect to have visions with your eyes open or closed. You could be seeing the energy flowing to and from your body, especially the cone of bright light shining from the Universe through the top of your head and then downwards, dissolving your physical body.
Feeling of being connected with everything, all the creation, supported by universal love in a place where no time and space exists is a definitive symptom suggesting that your crown chakra is fully open and that Kundalini is flowing freely through all of your chakras and Nadis and is burning the Karma patterns away.
The experience itself, if only lived once in a lifetime, is motivation enough to start working on your chakras and energy.