Sahasrar (crown) chakra

In this post, I will write about sahasrar (crown) chakra.

Introduction

The sahasrar is Sanskrit word meaning ‘thousand fold’. It is the seventh and the last chakra of human energy system. It is the most subtle chakra of energy system. It is also known as crown chakra due to its location on the body.

Location

The sahasrar chakra is located at the crown of head, beneath the fontanelle or a little above it. It is located above brahmrandra, the cave of brahm. The brahmarandra is a hole on the crown of the head, which bursts open when yogi separates himself from physical body at the time of death.

Structure

Sahasrar chakra is solid soft ball of energy rotating anti-clockwise. It has violet or while colour in its clear state. There are thousands of nerves emanating from here. Scientifically examining the transverse section of the human brain, you can see that all these petal like structures of the brain with striking resemblance to thousands of petals of lotus flower. The lotus flower has 960 outer petals and 12 inner petals. There are different opinions about exact number of petals. The number 1000 is not literally meant, instead it implies nature of this chakra. It is quite sufficient to know that innumerable nadis procede from this centre.

The endocrine gland associated with it is pineal gland. The pineal gland is responsible for the production of certain hormones, including melatonin, which regulates sleep and awakening cycle. The body organs associated with it are brain, pineal gland and nervous system. It covers limbic area of brain. It encompasses the crown of the head, where all chakras of the subtle system are integrated. All other chakras emanate from here and have intimate connection with this centre.  Its element is thought. It is related to pure consciousness or supreme consciousness, god. It is sit of parabindu (supreme dot). Seed mantra to activate this chakra is aum or silence.

Working

The sahasrar chakra is the upper most energy centre of our subtle system. When rising kundalini pierces this centre, it awakens all the nerves thus enlightening every nerve centre and the person becomes an enlighted soul. This is the place where feminine energy unites with masculine energy. This is the place where jeevatma and paramatma unites, Individual consciousness unites with universal consciousness and union of shiv and shakti. The shakti is situated at the muladhar and shiva in the sahasrar. The union of shiva and shakti occurs when the stream of energy in the two main nadis, ida and pingla unites and rise through sushumna nadi.

This chakra symbolises the highest state of enlightment and facilitating our spiritual development. Enlightment come in pieces. It happens little by little every day. This chakra is associated with the highest functioning state of mind. All activites of mind such as feelings, emotions and desires are dissolved. The yogi is in the state of sat-chit-ananda, truth-being-bliss, the original or pure state of soul. It is the last milestone.

This chakra is our link to the universal or infinite consciousness, God. It is connection to the source. It acts as a operating system for the rest of the chakras. Here we are tuned to the universal wavelength of the vibration. Your ability to feel vibration will increase. This vibration will help you to make right decisions, to feel conditions of others, to feel nature, to heal oneself and others, solve problems and more. This chakra is said to be the ultimate and the epicenter of the soul. As no other light comes close to the brilliance of the sun, same way the energy and radiance of all other chakras pale in the radiance and energy of this chakra. On this chakra, exists an important power, medhashakti. The medhashakti is a hormone that influences brain function such as memory, concentration and intelligence. Certain yoga practises can activate and strengthen medhashakti.

The element of this chakri is aditattva or ishvartattva. It is a source of creation, the pure light and one reality God. The divinity of this chakra is in the form of pure superconsciousness, the supreme spirit tattva. This element is adi-anadi, meaning without beginning and without end, therefore infinite. The enrgy of this chakra helps us to experience the divine, to open to higher or divine power. The yogi enjoys the supreme bliss, paramananda. One attains the super conscious state and the highest knowledge and unites with supreme power.

This chakra is called the door to pure consciousness or door to liberation. Immortality is achieved within this chakra. Our human awareness is united to the divine. The awakening of this chakra means revelation of divine splendor and attainment of super consciousness. When this chakra is opened and balanced, the brain power of human body is intensifies to great level and has the capacity to remove all the darkness of ignorance from the mind and soul and take the soul with connection to almighty supreme soul God. With this awakened chakra, one is liberated from all the karmas and achieves moksha, liberation from the cycle of rebirth and death. The illusion of individual self is dissolved. The person who has this chakra opened and balanced is feeling one with universe, open minded, intelligent, and thoughtful, understand and learn information more easily.

The physical symptoms of this dysfunctional chakra are chronic exhaustion, sensitivity to light and sound, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, nervous system disorders, insomnia, headache etc. Emotional symptoms are sense of fear, major depression. Spiritual symptoms are narrowing of religious beliefs, religious fanatism, excess earthly attachments, feeling like there is no God etc.

Overactive ajna chakra causes over intellectualisation, spiritual addiction, confusion, dissociation from body etc.

Meditation on this chakra brings about some occult powers transforming one into divine being, able to do whatever one desires. Meditation and other yogic techniques provide some opportunities to clear and cleanse the chakra enabling more strands of kundalini energies to rise.

This chakra can be activated and balanced by certain yogic practises such as meditation, concentration, visualization, aum chanting, silence etc. Certain yoga asanas such as head stands are helpful to open this chakra. Meditation is best suited yoga practise to open and balance this chakra. All the various forms of meditation, including concentration and insight practises allow the mind to become more present, clear and insightful.