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You’ve probably heard about chakras, the seven wheels of energy in the body that start at the crown of your head, and travel down the body to the base of your spine. When spinning properly, each chakra allows energy to flow through the body. If these wheels of energy become blocked by stress, anxiety or emotional upheaval, your well-being can suffer. The seventh chakra, the crown chakra or sahasrara, is located at the top of the head. “Sahasrara” means “thousand-petaled” and represents a thousand-petaled lotus flower.
Here, we walk you through everything you need to know about the crown chakra: its natural element, signs it may be blocked, and ways you can align it to ensure your energy is flowing freely.
See also: A Beginner’s Guide to the Chakras
The crown chakra in its natural element: thought
Associated with the element of thought, this energy center controls your connection to spirit, as well as your sense of universal consciousness, wisdom, unity, and self-knowledge. Its associated color is violet, reflective of its connection to spirituality and enlightenment.
Signs of blocked sahasrara energy
Physical signs
If your crown chakra is blocked, you may be feeling a bit unstable in your physical body. Some of the physical signs of a blocked seventh chakra include:
- Imbalance
- Overall poor coordination
- Low ability to function physically
Mental signs
When working with the crown chakra, spend time thinking about the world around you—drawing some attention away from yourself. Some of the questions you may want to ask include: How am I connected to the world? How can I become a better version of myself? How can I let go of confusion about my place in the world?
When your crown chakra is blocked, you may experience some mental signs, including:
- Confusion
- A lack of connection to the world
- Hyper spiritualization (i.e., too much meditation)
- Poor mental functioning
- A lack of focus
Why you should align your crown chakra
When you’re working with this energy center, you’re indicating your interest in a higher purpose and an elevated way of being. Working toward enlightenment? That’s a pretty worthy endeavor. The crown chakra is also the gateway to super-consciousness—a state of being where it is no longer possible to experience yourself as separate from anything or anyone. When your crown chakra is aligned, you are ready to let go of misunderstandings about who you are and why you are here.
How to tune up your crown chakra
Yoga asana for the seventh chakra
To start aligning your seventh chakra, try this Crown Chakra Tune-Up Practice, which includes some head-activating and balancing poses—a great option if you want to set your sahasrara energy in motion.
Looking for some additional crown chakra-focused practices? Try this 45-minute Crown Chakra Vin to Yin class from Yoga with Kassandra:
Pranayama for the seventh chakra
Reenergize your crown chakra with Nadi Shodhan or alternate nostril breathing—a pranayama technique that releases tension and anxiety in your head, while boosting your concentration.
To practice Nadi Shodhan, sit comfortably and close your eyes. Start by taking a few deep breaths. With your right hand, take your index finger and middle finger and drop them against your palm. Place your right thumb on your right nostril. Inhale through the left nostril and pause. During this pause, remove your thumb from the right nostril and place your ring finger on the left nostril. Exhale out through the right nostril. Then, repeat the same process starting with the right nostril. You can learn more about Nadi Shodhan in this video from Yoga with Adriene:
The benefits of aligning the crown chakra
As you start to balance the crown chakra, you may feel more at ease. Mentally, you’ll feel much more relaxed and clear-headed—gaining the ability to situate yourself in the world around you. You may also find increased synergy between your physical body and your mental state, and feel more connected with the spiritual realm.
See also:
Chakra-Balancing Yoga Sequence
Wake Up Your Chakras With This Bija Mantra Meditation
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