Invite in Universal Intelligence with Sahasrara Chakra

Sahasrara Chakra, the seventh chakra, has not always been considered a main chakra. It was thought of as an elevated energy center that was closely connected to the lower six chakras. When Sahasrara chakra is open, you feel connected and can access universal intelligence.

What is a Chakra?

A chakra is a subtle body energy center. In the physical body, they are bundles of nerve ganglia that connect to certain areas in your body. They are said to rule our behaviors and emotions. The word chakra means “wheel” or “disc”. There are many chakras in the body but there are seven main chakras. Six sit in front of the spine starting at the base up to the mid brain with the seventh above the crown of the head.

Chakras can get blocked due to childhood traumas, the belief systems you grew up in, as well as physical and emotional injuries. When a chakra is blocked, energy cannot flow properly in the body. When your energy can flow freely through the chakras, they can be used as a road map to reconnect with yourself and to the piece of the divine inside you.

Sahasrara Chakra

The seventh chakra is located at the crown of the head or floating 4 finger widths above the crown. This chakra manages the head, brain, and nervous system.

Sahasrara’s purpose is awareness. It can connect you to the Divine and its intelligence to reach a higher understanding and meaning. You can access this current of manifestation to bring the wisdom from your higher power down into the chakras below. This can help you work through your dharma and assist you in your life on earth.

This chakra does not relate to an element since it is beyond the elements. Sahasrara can mean “void” or “dwelling space without support”.

The color related to this chakra is white or violet and sometimes even gold.

Sahasrara chakra activates in early adulthood and beyond.

Some associate this chakra with the pineal gland while others say the pituitary.

The Thousand Petal Lotus

Sahasrara means “thousand” which refers to its symbol of the thousand petal lotus. It is said that the lotus petals contain all powers, all Sanskrit letters, and all mantras. Hindu numbers with 0’s and 1’s designate infinity which suggests the thousand petals as a metaphor for infinity. Others say there are 960 petals which is the first five chakras added together (4+6+10+12+16) multiplied by the two petals of chakra 6 times 10. Ancient texts say the petals are turned down to hug the skull, but others say the petals turn up toward the Heavens.

Consciousness

Sahasrara relates to consciousness. Consciousness is the ability to be aware of your internal and external existence. According to Anodea Judith, a renowned chakra expert, there are two types of consciousness. Cognitive consciousness which thinks, reasons, learns, and houses information. It helps to organize details into a bigger picture of information. This type of consciousness is helpful for manifesting. The second type of consciousness is Transcendent consciousness. It lies in meta-awareness. Transcendent consciousness can bring more focused attention as you empty the mind. When you empty the mind and create more space, you make room for joy and bliss. Without the boundaries of your beliefs and ingrained thoughts, your consciousness is open to receiving more than what’s available to you in the material world. The material world has restrictions of space and time.

A Place of Order and Meaning

The crown chakra is where you perceive order and the meaning of all things. You are always taking in information based on what you are seeing, hearing, feeling, and doing. You create your beliefs based on these past interactions, experiences, and information you receive. For example, if you asked a question as a child and someone told you that you were stupid then you may create the belief that you are stupid and will not ask a question again in class. Your ingrained thoughts, or beliefs, will control how you behave and create distortions in your reality.

Challenge What You Know To Be True

Because some of these ingrained beliefs and old stories are outdated, you must question whether they are still true. Using the information you learned about the sixth chakra, Ajna, you can become the witness or take the bird’s eye view to examine what you believe to be true compared to what really is true. Your brain is trained to look for what is wrong (thanks survival instinct) so you will find something to support a limiting belief. A limiting belief is thinking life is unfair or you never get what you want. When you begin to question these limiting beliefs and old programming, you open yourself up to new possibilities. Including the possibility to create new neural pathways.

Deficiencies in Sahasrara Chakra

People who are deficient in the seventh chakra have a lack of purpose, ethics, joy, and trust. They are selfish, materialistic, and believe there is only one right way to do things. Being deficient, they can fear religion, spirituality, and death. They tend to ignore their own bodily needs.

Excess in Sahasrara Chakra

Someone who has excess energy in the crown chakra can be overly intellectual. They stay “in their head”. This excess energy can lead to them feeling superior or having hysterical behavior. The exact opposite from being deficient, in excess people can have a spiritual addiction. They are unable to deal with reality.

Balance in Sahasrara Chakra

Being in balance in this energy center means being able to release your ego driven desires. You are empathetic, selfless, and have grace. You can live in the present moment with peace and satisfaction.

Sahasrara in Practice

Yoga helps you to focus your attention which directs your consciousness. One way to tap into this chakra is through meditation. Meditation helps to slow down and empty your mind. When you become still, you can ask for guidance from a source higher than your own understanding. You can move beyond formal language to receive an answer to a question or guidance to a challenging situation. Meditation can give you an opportunity to rest and feel refreshed.

Thoughts will come up in meditation and that is totally normal. To help slow down your thoughts and anchor your mind to the present, you can:

• Focus on controlling your breath.
• Use a visualization technique like focusing on a color or yantra.
• Recite a mantra.

Your need to cleanse the mind just like the physical body. Meditation will help cleanse the consistent chatter of your mind, old stories, and limiting beliefs.

For a physical yoga practice, you can do dancer pose, headstand or any inversions, wheel, standing forward fold, and savasana to tap into your crown chakra energy. Additionally, you can also explore yoga nidra, or yogic sleep with awareness.

Conclusion

Working through the chakra system, you begin to realize that you are part of something bigger. You can surrender to something greater than yourself. This is Ishvara Pranidhana.  You realize on this yoga journey that part of the divine is within you and that you are not separate but part of a larger whole.

If you would like to explore chakras one through six, you can go to the search bar and type in chakras.

Stay connected with me by joining our Shifted Arrow Yoga and Wellness Newsletter. It’s FREE! You will receive exclusive yoga practices and insights every Thursday in your inbox. Enjoy!

Much love and health,

Carrie

Resources: