Beginner’s Guide to Chakras: Crown Chakra

Before I tell you more about the crown chakra, let me first clarify what a chakra is. Have you ever heard someone mention chakras but never really knew exactly what it meant? Well you’re not alone, many people find them esoteric and elusive, and unfortunately miss out on all the benefits of knowing about chakras and how they work. Chakra literally means wheel, and represents energy “wheels”, along the spinal column. Ultimately the 7 chakra system is a philosophy related to human consciousness, behavior, and enlightenment. Each chakra represents a wheelhouse of propelling life energy (also called pranayama), going in and coming out, focused on 7 different domains of human psyche and existence. Chakra philosophy originates back 4,000 years ago in India, and has been incorporated into many traditions and philosophies including yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, and most recently within western psychology. This blog series serves to give you a beginner’s guide to the 7 main chakras most widely acknowledged. Now let’s take a look at the crown chakra.

 

Chakra Seven: The Crown  Chakra, Sahasrara

“Know Yourself and Set Yourself Free” – Tiff

OVERVIEW

The seventh chakra is called Sahasrara, or The Crown Chakra. This energy force is located within our cerebral cortex; which is the part of the brain that is responsible for consciousness. Each chakra is represented by a color, and the seventh chakra’s color is white (some texts refer to designate the color as violet).

 

Transcend My Friend

The seventh chakra is composed of our ability to be conscious of our true divine selves. Furthermore the seventh chakra’s energy is fueled by the transcendence that arrives as a result of that consciousness. Symbolized by the element of thought, balancing this chakra means using your mind and awareness to progress towards self-fulfillment. As we journey from seeing ourselves in the sixth chakra, the seventh chakra incorporates what the sixth chakra sees in the mirror. It is this self-knowledge that allows us to realize that the image we see of ourselves in the mirror, is indeed divine. We realize that not only does the Highest Spirit live inside of us, we know that we truly ARE that Higher Spirit. This consciousness allows us to transcend the mundane and align with the universal.

After achieving self-preservation (first chakra), self-gratification (second chakra), self-definition (third chakra), self-acceptance (fourth chakra), self-expression (fifth-chakra), and self-reflection (sixth chakra); we begin to know ourselves in new ways. Seeing patterns and recognizing archetypes and complexes, we transcend labels and suffering and experience freedom. Balancing this chakra ultimately leads to the rare “enlightenment”, and our work is stay conscious of divinity and our connection to the universe. Staying present with this knowledge allows us to detach and awaken.

“The universe is exactly the way we think it is and that’s why.” – John Woods

The Crown Chakra allows us to examine our relationship to self-knowledge, divinity, transcendence, and intelligence. Balancing this chakra will help you harness your ability to know your true self and progress towards self-fulfillment. The Crown chakra is heavily influenced by our ability to see ourselves and use that information to go deeper within and transcend.  

Each wheel can either live in balance or imbalance, and this is reflected by our behaviors, thoughts, emotions, and traumas related to each chakra’s wheelhouse. Take a look at how our lives are affected when the Crown Chakra’s energy is in balance (meaning the energy going into the wheel is balanced by what is coming out) versus when it is imbalanced.

Balancing the Chakras

If you find that you identify with some of the qualities of the sixth chakra when it is imbalanced here are some things you can do to bring balance to this chakra:

Meditation:

• Use the mantra “Divinity resides within” during practice
• Set an intention for your meditation to expand your ability to connect with your inner spirit
• “Stimulate Your Mind” – learn something new, expand your thinking, and open your mind. A great way to do this is to explore a philosophy that you are interested in but know little about.  

Yoga Poses:

• Shoulder Stand Pose (Click here for demo) 
• Plow Pose (Click here for demo) 
• Corpse Pose (Click here for demo) 

Psychotherapy:

• Reconcile spirituality issues, and work towards embracing your own personal view of your Higher Power.
• Confront issues where you experience rigidity, and work towards opening your mind and not closing it.
• Work with your therapist on creating a life that honors and aligns with your true divine self.

 

*** I offer an 8 week Mindfulness Based Therapy Program that addresses such issues, click here for more information ***
– Tiffany is a holistic psychotherapist providing counseling in Woodland Hills (West Valley). She specializes in women’s empowerment related to self-esteem, self-confidence, and relationship issues. Her writing, public speaking, and teaching endeavors are dedicated to helping others elevate consciousness and well-being. Find out more about Tiffany by clicking here

 

References for this chakra blog series:

Eastern Body, Western Mind: Psychology and the chakra system as a path to self by Anodea Judith

Yoga Teacher’s Toolbox by Joseph and Lillian Page

The Chakra Energy Plan by Anna Selby