THE CROWN CHAKRA

(Part 8 of a 9 Part Chakra Series for Beginners)

Greetings dear reader. I hope this finds you healthy and happy. I am amazed that we have already arrived at the seventh and final chakra in this series. Next week will be the final portion where we weave the whole series together. I will be sharing information I have not yet shared in any other post in this series. I am very excited. I am equally excited to delve into the crown chakra today, so let’s jump right in.

Note: This is part eight of a series. In former posts, I have introduced Sanskrit vocabulary and terms. If you are not familiar with the terms in this post you may want to refer to Parts 6 or 7 and review the Sanskrit terms at the end of each post.

The Crown Chakra Yantra

The Thousand Petalled Lotus

The crown chakra yantra is a thousand petalled lotus which encircles an om sign. The thousand petalled lotus represents the convergence of all the subtle body channels (called nadis in Sanskrit). As we have discussed there is also a nerve plexus at each of the seven junctures of the spine where the seven main chakras are.

Also interesting to note is an acupuncture point called DU 20 at the top of the head in the same location of the crown chakra. The DU or Governing channel is one of many meridians that run throughout the body. Meridians are channels of energy. Some of those channels are yin and others are yang. The Du or governing channel runs along the spine and up over the head. Du 20 is a point where all yang meridians of the body converge.

“The thousand petals of the lotus symbolize the link of the crown chakra to the infinite and the divine, as well as the full bloom of enlightenment and spiritual realization.”

BIJA ( or seed syllable)

“While the crown mantra doesn’t ideally have an audible bija mantra, it is the silence or the ‘sound’ of silence that deeply resonates with this chakra. You chant OM silently, in your mind, the silence will allow your higher conscience to open to the divine. By chanting it silently, the vibrational frequency will surround your mind and make it easier to open the chakra.” Om is the sound of supreme absolute consciousness.

A Review of Bija Mantras

The Bible states, “ In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God”. This indicates the first utterance of sound. In other words, sound is as primordial as it gets and has existed from the beginning of time. Working with sound assists us in connecting to that which is within us, which is part of all of creation and has existed throughout infinite time and space.

A WORD ABOUT SOUND

Before there were any stars or galaxies, our universe was just a ball of hot plasma -- a mixture of electrons, protons, and light. Sound waves shook this infant universe, triggered by minute, or "quantum," fluctuations and created our universe. (*)

“As these sound waves propagated through the young universe, they left imprints on the matter and light, much like patterns made by waves (think cymatics) on the surface of a pond into which a stone has been dropped. These patterns were imprinted as slightly brighter and darker patches in the light. By mapping this ancient light that has traveled to us through space and time, Planck can essentially see the sound echoes of the early universe.” (Source) I highly recommend listening to the sound file on their page. It sounds very similar to what a baby hears in the womb - a heartbeat.

“ A bija mantra is the essence of all mantras which grants special power to them, also called ‘seed mantras’. A bija mantra is one Sanskrit syllable used to chant and invoke a specific frequency sound that channels cosmic energy through our bodies. A bija mantra is an instrument to access higher levels of consciousness. All Sanskrit, but particularly in the use of bija mantras, is thought to constitute divinity in the form of a sound.”( *Source)

Bija Mantras for Each Chakra

• Lam – muladhara (root) chakra

• Vam – svadhisthana (spleen or sacral) chakra

• Ram – manipura (solar plexus) chakra

• Yam – anahata (heart) chakra

• Ham – visuddhi (throat) chakra

• Sham – ajna (third eye) chakra

• Om – sahasrara (crown) chakra

Other Helpful Bija Mantras

• Krim – believed to awaken the lower chakras.

• Shrim – correlates to the goddess Lakshmi and is thought to promote health, joy and beauty.

• Hrim – associated with creativity, purification of the heart and healing.

• Hum – energizes the body and eliminates negativity.

• Lung – associated with the earth element and is used as a grounding chakra

• Vang – associated with the water element and is used to ground and increase sensuality

• Rang – associated with the fire element and is an energizing mantra

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An Overview of the Crown Chakra

Known as Sahasrara, the seventh or crown chakra represents the highest point in human evolution. It is known as the seat of cosmic consciousness. “The crown chakra, or sahasrara, is the energy center within our bodies that is responsible for thought, awareness, wisdom, and our connection to the Divine.” (Source) It is where the finite and the infinite meet. When all other chakras are ignited and awakened, and the knots of Brahma, Vishnu and Rudra have been untied, when the Kundalini (seated in the root chakra) awakens and can freely move up the spine (unimpeded by anything) via the ida and pingala and make its way to the crown chakra - is when we have reached our highest potential as a human being. This is known as attainment of supreme consciousness.

The union of Shiva (masculine, celestial, electric, consciousness) and Shakti (feminine, earthly, magnetic, nature *) occurs when the stream of energy in the two main Nādīs, Idā and Pingalā , unite and rise through the Sushumnā Nādī (or central channel). This is the meaning uniting heaven and earth - to unite the two within oneself. By uniting heaven (the celestial realm) and earth (this earthly plane of existence) we free our self from samsara - the endless cycle of death and rebirth. *Note: here nature means our nature. The five main faculties of our nature are: the mind, breath (prana), speech, hearing, and sight.

Here we drop the illusion of an individuated self, seperate from Source (or God) and realize that we are infinite, boundless pure essence. It is the atman (the universal or self-existent self). The Realised Ones and Saints of all ages have reached this level of consciousness, which cannot be described with words.

“The element of the Sahasrāra Chakra is ĀDI TATTVA or ĪSHVARA TATTVA . It is the source of creation, the pure light and one reality – God. This Tattva is Ādi Anādi. Ādi means “without beginning”, Anādi means “without end” – therefore infinite. As soon as this Tattva unites with a quality (Guna) it is bound and therefore limited – just as pure water has no taste of its own, but is modified by and takes on the taste of whatever is added to it. In the Cosmos there are diverse manifestations of this one Tattva with various qualities and functions – such as fire, water, air and earth – but the basis is always the same, the pure essence.” (Source)

“The most important thing in life is that our spiritual practices are always performed with Bhakti – love and devotion. Through Bhakti, Ātma Chintana (constantly thinking about the Ātmā), mantra and meditation, the Chakras are awakened. Sāttvika Bhakti is a safe and certain pathway to God, because while the flame of pure love and devotion burns within us no shadow or destructive forces can approach us. Allow the river of love to flow within, and hold the candle of wisdom firmly in your hand. Be a light to anyone you meet and help them on their path. In this way you will continue to progress and develop further on your spiritual path. (Source)

KOSHA & VAYU

In previous posts I have discussed the importance of the five koshas (sheaths or bodies) and the five vayus - subdivisions of prana that flow throughout the body. In the last post on the third eye or Ajna chakra I reviewed the five koshas. You can find the review here. In short, the sixth and seventh chakra share the same kosha and vayu.

“Anandamaya kosha is the name given in yogic philosophy to the fifth of the five layers, or sheaths, of the body, which are referred to collectively as pancha kosha. From Sanskrit, ananda means “bliss” and kosha means "sheath." Anandamaya kosha is the bliss body, or bliss sheath. It is said to be the most spiritual, or subtle, of the five layers of the body as it is the innermost layer.

Although anandamaya kosha is said to pervade all the outer sheaths, yogis believe it cannot be perceived until the illusions of the outer sheaths are peeled away. Anandamaya kosha is the yogi's true nature, lying underneath all of the illusions.” (Source) Anandamaya kosha is also known as the sheath of experiences. This is the deeper mind, containing the memory, subliminal mind, and superconscious mind.

VAYU

To recap, “ Vayus are the five different directions in which prana flows through our bodies. Each vayu is responsible for an aspect of our physical and mental well-being, and understanding and balancing them is vital to achieving optimal health and consciousness.” The Prana Vayu is the vayu associated with Sahasrara chakra.

“Prana vayu is the first and most important of the five vayus or vital winds that govern the physical and energetic functions of the body.  It is associated with receiving, and all around movement of energy in the body.  In the practice of yoga and Ayurveda, prana vayu is associated with the breath and the heart and is considered to be the primary source of vitality and life force in the body. Prana vayu is responsible for the inhalation of breath, which brings oxygen and vital energy into the body. It is also responsible for the circulation of blood and the movement of energy throughout the body. When prana vayu is balanced and flowing freely, it promotes good health and vitality, while imbalances or blockages in this vayu can lead to various physical and emotional problems.” (Source)

THE CROWN ROOT CONNECTION

We may tend to think of the chakras in linear fashion, but if we remember that their energy flows throughout our torus field, it is easy to see how the root and crown connect. It may also conjure in your mind the ouroboros - the snake eating his own tail, that represents wholeness and infinity. Here we might consider our connection to the ancestors in a never ending circle of life.

The first chakra is our connection to our physical body and to the elementals and our seventh chakra is our connection to our ancestors and to the divine. Is it any wonder that it is often through the elementals that we receive messages from the Angels, from Source, from Ascended Masters and from our Ancestors?

When we think of ascended masters like Jesus and Mary, Buddha and the innumerable others, we should consider that they too once had a human body. Though no longer in human form, we can still connect with them and they with us, just as with the ancestors. This connection is not in the mind, it is beyond mind. It is beyond mind and connected to heart. It is via our heart, third eye and crown chakras, that we are able to connect to the Divine, to Source, to our higher self, to the Ascended Masters and to our ancestors. This is a fine example of the human body shealth and the bliss body sheath interacting.

The Pineal Gland

As we have discussed, each chakra has an associated endocrine gland. The pineal gland is responsible for the production of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone responsible for regulating sleep cycles and also our circadian rhythm. “Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. These natural processes respond primarily to light and dark and affect most living things, including animals, plants, and microbes. One example of a light-related circadian rhythm is sleeping at night and being awake during the day.” (Source)

Melatonin is responsible for far more than just sleep cycles however. “Neuroendocrine control of sexual maturation is influenced by the pattern of melatonin secretion as a consequence of the light-dark cycle, and in some species the photoperiod via melatonin secretion determines the timing of puberty. It has reported effects on anxiety, cognitive function and memory. Knowing the wide distribution of melatonin receptors in the CNS, melatonin seems one of the promising neuroprotective agents to be tested in humans.” (Source)

“Antioxidant and anti-aging properties have also been attributed to melatonin. Melatonin acts as a potent free radical scavenger and antioxidant in vitro, protecting lipids, protein and DNA from oxidative damage. It is more effective than glutathione in reducing oxidative stress under many circumstances, being highly concentrated in the mitochondria.” (Source)

The pineal gland plays a large role in our awakening and certainly deserves it’s own post at a later date. The pineal gland is often referred to as our third eye, not to be confused with our third eye chakra, which is associated with the pituitary gland. The pineal gland contains both rod and cone photoreceptor cells just like the retina of the eye - they are responsible for our sense of sight. Hence you can see why the pineal gland is called the third eye.

CRYSTALS IN MY PINEAL GLAND?

There are two types of crystals on and in the pineal gland. These crystals are tuners, or resonators. They are stimulated by sound and release a positive charge. Under a positive charge people will sometimes see a blue light. This is the effect of sound waves in the pineal gland being converted into blue light. The crystals are rhombohedral (also called a rhombic hexahedron). It is the shape of a cube.

Using breathing techniques (called pranayama) we can electrically activate these crystals, which will begin to shimmer like a radio receiver. If you can suppress the neocortex by dialing down the brain waves into a low level of alpha and even theta and become conscious in your subconscious mind, you can learn to tune this antenna. (Adapted from a YouTube video with Dr. Joe Dispenza - you can find the video here. )

In short as we learn how to work with the pineal gland we can self regulate our brain waves which in turn affects our body chemistry and therefore our reality. The pineal gland has the ability to interact with frequencies which are faster than the speed of light ( i.e. quantum). Here is a link to another YouTube video on the crystals in pineal gland.. It is a four minute excerpt from a Gaia T.V. video.

THE EYE OF HORUS

The Eye of Horus is also a symbolic representation of both the pineal gland and the third eye, and hence the logo for my website Creators of New Earth. If you look at the logo carefully, you will see that the graphic of the eye contains a pinecone where the pupil would be. The pine cone is also a symbol for the pineal gland.

SPIRIT MOLECULES

One way to generate melatonin is to practice gratitude. Each night before you go to sleep and every morning upon waking, say to yourself, “ I am grateful”, or “I am grateful for this precious human life” . Say it twenty one times. The regular practice of this will increase your melatonin levels.

High levels of serotonin are also found in the pineal gland during the day. Serotonin is the hormone that plays a role in our connection to spirit, just as dopamine is the hormone that plays a role our connection to self and oxytocin is the hormone that plays a role in our connection to others. It is no wonder that the Taoists called the hormones “spirit molecules”.

A great way to increase serotonin levels is to repeat twenty one times in the morning and at night, “I surrender”. Surrender does not mean to give up, but to give yourself over. You are giving yourself over to love, to Source, to God, to something bigger than the ego identified self. You are surrendering to the self with a capital S - the Self. This self is also the innermost essence (or soul) of each individual, also known as the supreme universal self - called the Atman.

LAST MINUTE MIRACLES

Just after I scheduled this to be published, I noticed that my friend had written a fabulous article on the pineal gland, so I will include the link here. My friend is an excellent writer with a lot of clout, as you can see. ”Srijana, aka Jane Barthelemy, is a medical intuitive, healer, and author with decades of experience in meditation, Kundalini, Buddhism, Qigong, Taichi, and Daoist sexuality. Her article Brain Synchronization the Pineal Gland and the Soul ,can be found here. Man oh man am I excited about this synchronistic timing! This article is sure to knock your socks off!

Overactive or Underactive

“If the crown chakra is deficient, the rising energy is blocked from ascending upward. It also prohibits kundalini from descending downward. When deficient, there is a disconnection from the spirit and we become close minded. Think of know it alls or people who need to be right all of the time. When deficient, people have limiting beliefs, difficulty learning, or are skeptical of anything considered spiritual.” (*)

“With all of the qualities associated with the crown chakra, it can seem strange that there is even the possibility for excess. However, the imbalance means that we are overly focused on this chakra or attributes, and not aware of the lack of energy in other chakras. When in excess, there is an addiction to spirituality, gross intellect, and a disconnection from reality. There can also be dissociation from the body. People tend to feel overwhelmed by day to day living.” ( *Source)

DISTINGUISHING EXCESS FROM DEFICIENCY

(An excerpt from Lonerwolf website - source cited below)

While a deficient crown chakra is passive or energetically “numb,” an excessive crown chakra is energetically aggressive or manic.

Here’s a breakdown of the difference between the two:

Deficient = lifeless, sluggish, passive, blocked, inwards (not enough energy flows in).
Excessive = lively, agitated, reactive, aggressive, outwards (too much energy flows in).

Therefore, if you have a deficient crown chakra, you will be more prone to issues such as apathy, loneliness, and chronic fatigue. On the other hand, if you have an excessive crown chakra you will be prone to egotism, greed, and mental confusion. (Source)

Balance, Growth, Connection

Prayer, meditation, silence, connection to source, enough sunlight and also sufficient time in complete darkness are all powerful ways to keep the crown chakra balanced. Fasting and detoxing are also helpful, not only for this chakra, but for all chakras and for your body in general.Neroli essential oil on the crown chakra or in a diffuser will also establish your connection to the crown chakra. Fluorite is the perfect stone for working with the crown chakra which you can either place directly on your head, or hold in your hand while meditating. Lotus, Angelica and Star Tulip are the perfect flower essences for the crown chakra.

Affirmations for Enhancing the Crown Chakra

1. “I am connected to the divine

2. “I am open to spiritual wisdom and guidance”

3. “I trust in the universe and in myself”

4. “I am one with the universe”

5. “I am in touch with my true self”

6. “I am at peace with the world”

7. “I am in alignment with my spiritual purpose”

8. “I am open to receiving spiritual guidance”

9. “I am in touch with my inner wisdom”

10. “I am in harmony with the universe” (Source)

A Brief Summary

In summary, the crown chakra is an energy center where the finite and the infinite meet. It is where we meet our innermost essence - the supreme universal self or Atman. It is also the place where all nadis converge and the home of our pineal gland or third eye - which literally has photoreceptors!

In balance, we have a sense of belonging and a connectedness to all things: ourself, others, community, the earth, nature. In extreme imbalance we can feel disconnected and burdened by life. The crown chakra has a strong connection to the root chakra which , when out of balance poses some of the same threats. “The crown chakra is linked to every other chakra (and therefore every organ in this system), and so it affects not just all of those organs, but also our brain and nervous system. It is considered the chakra of enlightenment and represents our connection to our life’s purpose and spirituality.” (Source)

Thank you so much for reading this. I hope you have found inspiration here, or learned something of value. I look forward to Part 9, where we complete this series with an explosive bouquet of lotuses, bound to emit a fragrance that will linger with you, and beckon you to continue to return again and again to the path of exploring your chakras.

Crown Chakra Toolkit

This is a great overview of the crown chakra with information we have not discussed in this post. The author goes deep into the meaning of the color violet which is fascinating. There is also information on how to tell if the chakra is unbalanced and how to balance it. You can find it here.

Here is a link to a website that I have frequently used while writing this series. This particular link will immediately pull up articles on: affirmations for each chakra, meanings of colors of each chakra, mudras for each chakra, crystals and essential oils for each chakra as well yoga poses and meditations appropriate for each chakra. You will also find an article on the endocrine system and the seven chakras. Here is the link.

CROWN CHAKRA HEALING GUIDE: In almost every chakra post in this series I have added this website as a guide. This link is a one stop healing tool kit all in one place. You can find it here. The author has pragmatic and sage advice, and puts very practical tools in the reader’s hands. She is well versed in the chakras and it shows. Though I only know her from her writing, if she were a healing arts practitioner in my town, I would go to see her. All of the shadow prompts (like the one below) come from her.