This month, we’re discussing the seventh chakra, Sahasrara, or our Crown Chakra.
A Recap of the Chakras
Chakra is the Sanskrit word for “wheel.” The seven chakras as we know them are a modern Western interpretation of an ancient concept from Hinduism. However, there are parallel ideas and observations from healing systems and healers across cultures and time periods. The chakras are energy centers in and around the body. Each corresponds to a color and specific parts of the body. It also corresponds to particular mental and emotional experiences. These beautiful wheels of color are a brilliant way of illustrating the inseparable mind-body connection in human health and wellness. In this series, we’ll be exploring each chakra and holistic approaches to caring for them.
Sahasrara
Sahasrara, or the Crown Chakra, is the highest chakra we associate directly with the human body. This energetic center is seen as our opening point to the beyond and a symbol of consciousness itself. As we move up the body from our grounded, earthy roots which connect us to the physical cycles of our world, we approach the lofty heights of the crown which connects us to the unifying spirit of the world. Just as we may find the divine – and our connection to it – difficult to define, the Crown Chakra can be one of the most challenging chakras to understand.
In the U.S., we’ve long eschewed the idea of royalty, but in the case of Sahasrara, it can be a useful metaphor. In both spirituality and traditional concepts of royalty, we draw a connection between ourselves and the divine. We reach up and out. Likewise, the divine reaches down and through. We believe that we can act as representatives of some higher power or order, just as we believe we can receive inspiration from that higher power or order. Rather than some external person, our Crown Chakra serves as the intermediary between us and something greater, the physical body and everything beyond it.
The Crown Chakra is usually represented with a beautiful violet shade. For those from Western backgrounds, we can think of the association between the colors and crowns of kings and queens. We may also associate Sahasrara with the color white, which connects with notions of purity and enlightenment. It is the sum total of all the different colors on the spectrum, just as the Crown Chakra is the sum total of all the energetic centers below.
The symbol of the Crown Chakra is the thousand-petaled lotus. This flower represents all of the different pieces of ourselves that we’ve seen expressed in the lower chakras coming together. Crucially, as a representation of consciousness itself, this lotus also demonstrates the unity between us and everything else that is. We are all part of a greater whole, just as each petal is part of the flower.
Body
As we move up the chakras, we may find them less and less “embodied.” The Crown Chakra is located at the crown of our heads and is associated the least with our physical experiences. Nevertheless, it is still within the realm of the human mind-body complex, and a well-tended Crown Chakra has benefits to our physical and mental health.
Sahasrara corresponds to our brains and the hormonal systems there including our pineal gland, which is also frequently discussed with the Third Eye. Many associate this pinecone shaped gland with our ability to have profound spiritual experiences. It’s responsible for our bodies production and release of melatonin, the chemical that governs our sleeping and waking cycles, or circadian rhythms. Some associate it with a chemical called DMT that is connected to dreaming and psychedelic experiences, which often closely mirror religious ones.
Because of its association with our sleep and wake cycles, imbalance in the Crown Chakra is believed to have a major impact on our mental health. Imbalance is also connected to headaches and fatigue. Problems with Sahasrara may be associated with sensory overload and a tendency toward overstimulation.
When we talk about being stuck “in our heads” or when we feel disconnected from our physical bodies, it doesn’t necessarily follow that we have too much focus on the Crown. In fact, the chakra system can largely be thought of as a bottom-up one. Each of the earlier building blocks needs to be stable before the lotus can fully bloom. That means, taking care of the mind may first demand we take care of the other areas of physical health.
One problem we often have with this part of our lives is avoiding it. For this reason, distraction and addiction are often associated with Crown Chakra imbalances. If you find yourself stuck in a cycle of escapism, there’s a good chance you’re being called to turn your focus toward mental and spiritual health.
There are some physical practices that can improve the health of your Crown Chakra.
- Fasting is a great way to shift your attention away from consumption and toward connection. Many say that they feel a lightness of being or a clarity of mind when engaging in a fast. Others say they learn from the discomfort they feel. Before embarking on a fast, make sure that you are healthy enough to do so. If an illness, medication regimen, or other circumstance might make it dangerous, consider something different. You could try eating very plainly or giving up a favorite treat.
- Yoga and tai chi are great practices to balance your energy and clear the way for a healthy Crown Chakra. If they aren’t your style, consider any kind of exercise that makes you feel lighter mentally when you’ve completed it. Think of yourself as an engine you want to burn clean.
- Sleep is essential. Dysfunction in this department can become a vicious cycle, so try to be proactive about getting the sleep you need. To help your brain know when it’s time to amp up the melatonin, avoid screens and blue light before bed.
Mind and Spirit
Aligning our minds and spirits to create a healthy Crown Chakra is truly a life’s work. After all, it’s the Crown Chakra where we may find our sense of ennui, our human urge to answer the question “why,” our sense of existential dread or ecstatic joy. This is the ineffable place where the One meets the All. In that regard, we can safely say that any of the mental, physical, and spiritual practices we undertake to support the other six chakras are excellent ways to support our Crown Chakra.
We may think of our “consciousness” as an intellectual pursuit. We may think of fully enlightened people as monks and aesthetes who stay solitary and hidden away. In fact, much of what these figures are often trying to do involves discarding the sense of the individual self in favor of seeing the collective whole. Connecting with other people can be our route to connecting with a higher power.
When Sahasrara is at its best, we are filled with a sense of empathy and compassion. This isn’t just derived from being able to imagine someone else’s situation but through the deep understanding that we are all connected, that when one suffers we all suffer. Therefore, an excellent way for us to improve our own vibration is to seek to reduce the suffering of others. Look for ways you can serve your community. Think of your own skills and talents and see if you can apply them to a cause. Think outside the box. Our opportunities to help others are limitless.
The word “religion” comes from the root “to bind.” Organized religion may not be for everyone, but “binding” together with others in pursuit of something greater has been a part of human life for as long as we have records. Whether it’s group meditation, attending church, or choosing to be fully present at a concert with friends, you can foster activity in your Crown Chakra by coming together.
Meditation is always a great option when we’re focusing on our lives as spiritual seekers. Certain stones are believed to help focus on the Crown Chakra. They include quartz and selenite, which are said to cleanse and improve clarity. The structure of these crystals gives them unique properties. Consider quartz’s function in timekeeping. Imagine this grid extending out of the stone. See it expanding outward and enveloping you, enveloping the world around you. Think of the way we connect to each other and to all things just as the molecules in the stone connect.
Additional Support
Calming our nerves and improving our sleep habits can be really useful for supporting the Crown Chakra. When struggling with sleep, it’s tempting to supplement melatonin from an external source, but we encourage you to instead build practices that allow your body to correct itself. We have compiled a list of helpful, gentle herbs that can assist you to do so. Because an imbalance of the Crown Chakra lends itself to dependence, however, it’s important to keep checking in with when you use a substance and why. Even a harmless herb can become a psychological crutch when we aren’t being mindful about how we use it.
- Valerian is a great herb for assisting with insomnia, possibly by increasing levels of GABA in the brain.
- A soothing cup of chamomile tea is a wonderful way to relax before bed. It can also provide a time to develop a mindfulness ritual to get in touch with your spiritual side.
- Use lavender for aromatherapeutic benefits to help you relax at bedtime. Consider adding a helpful meditation on the flower’s purple shade and the violet Crown Chakra center.
Head to our apothecary for more information about herbs and elixirs that might suit your specific needs as you seek to strengthen your Crown Chakra.
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