Balancing Your Crown Chakra: the Essential Spiritual Practice
Sahasrara: the 7th or Crown Chakra at the top of the head, Sanskrit for “the lotus flower of 1000 petals.” This chakra is the gateway to all things spiritual, such as The Divine, Our Father, the Universe, and your Higher Self.
The Crown Chakra is thought of as our bridge between the gap of the Divine and Humanity, connecting us to both the physical and non-physical realm of our existence. It’s because of this chakra that enlightenment and our connection with Divinity is possible, as well as compassion for all life, bliss and wisdom. Slowly, we become aware that our life is but an extension of our own consciousness; that we are the dreamer, dreaming the dream. We understand that all manifestations (good and bad) are a result of our thought patterns that become subconscious beliefs – and in knowing this, we can begin to change the dream.
Sahasrara Self-Diagnosis
As you can see, the Crown Chakra’s balance is critical to any person’s spiritual life. Having it out of whack can seriously throw off your spiritual progress. Here’s the self-diagnosis you will need to see what your Sahasrara’s state is:
Balanced Sahasrara:
When everything is well with your Sahasrara is in balance you will have a great intuitive knowledge, and will be very wise. You will be aware of your spiritual self and be selflessly devoted to the well-being of others because you see them as a part of you, rather than as separate.
Over-active Sahasrara:
You probably will not be able to control your encounters with other realms of existence. Other people may consider you too far out there and you will have trouble grounding yourself. It will be hard for people to take you seriously. Because of an over-activity in this chakra, you may possess a god-complex and consider yourself better than others in the world around you.
Under-active Sahasrara:
If under-activity or a blockage is happening in your Crown Chakra, you will probably feel like you lack a purpose in life. You may think that it is all meaningless, and in this thinking, will develop a mental “disease.” You may feel unloved, or angry at God, and blame life circumstance on something that is outside of you. Coordination difficulties, clumsiness, or poor balance may result from an underactive crown chakra. New ideas or newer, positive out-looks on life will be hard for you grasp, if you accept them at all. You will probably lack spiritual exploration and have no desire to discover your inner self. You may also be excessively afraid of dying.
Physical Symptoms of Sahasrara Imbalance:
Yes, your chakra’s balances do indeed affect your body! Body and spirit are intimately connected in a way that doctors can’t quite pinpoint medically. If your Sahasrara is off, some of your physical symptoms will include: muscular disease, chronic exhaustion that has no medical explanation, sensitivity to light, certain sounds or environment (commonly found in autism).
The body parts that are associated with the Crown Chakra include the muscular system, pineal gland, and pituitary gland.
Balancing The Sahasrara
There are all kinds of ways that you can begin to balance your Chakras, from foods to meditation to yoga. Here are just a few methods that are particularly useful for the Crown Chakra:
Yoga Pose: Half Lotus, Ardha Padmasana
Sitting Crown chakra yoga poses are the gateway to higher consciousness. It is through meditation that much transformation occurs. Half Lotus is easier than Full Lotus and offers the almost the same stability for meditation.
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Sitting on a mat or a cushion, place one foot on the opposite thigh and the other foot on the floor beneath the opposite thigh.
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Both your knees need to be on the floor, otherwise your spine will be out of balance (see picture to the right – left knee is off the floor – should be on the floor).
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If you can’t manage both knees on the floor, then you might want to practice Burmese position where you place both feet on the floor, one in front of the other.
Affirmation:
“I trust my inner knowing to guide me through life. All people in my life are here to teach me something about myself, so that I can grow. I trust that everything happens for a reason and that what I do makes a difference. I am balanced between Heaven and Earth and all areas of my life are in balance too.”
Color Therapy
The Crown Chakra is associated with the color violet (or white, which is made up of all colors in the spectrum). Try lighting these colored candles while focusing your attention on the top of your head. This will indeed start to bring balance to it! You can also try wearing the color violet and surrounding yourself with flowers of this color, as it will greatly help it begin to vibrate in harmony.
Crystal Therapy
Crystals have powerful properties that mesh well with your chakras. Using certain crystals in particular will aid your efforts greatly, such as amethyst, celestite, obsidian, selenite, blue sapphire, peacock ore, clear quartz, apophyllite quartz, spirit quartz, moldavite, danburite, goshenite, petalite, fuchsite, stilbite, sugilite, cacoxenite, cavansite, and phenacite.
Nutrition
Choosing pure foods, that are grown in nature that absorb sunshine are great foods to help purify the crown chakra. Instead of going for sweets, choose dried fruits, such as dates, that are dried out by the sun. Start a gentle detox, drink plenty of water and avoid food with additives, generally found in processed, packaged food.
Aromatherapy/Essential Oils
Essential oils also have powerful effects on your chakras. Try cedarwood, elemi, frankincense, galbanum, gurjum, helicrysum, jasmine, lavendar, myrrh, neroli, rose, rosewood, sandalwood, spikenard, or vetiver in your baths, as perfume, or sprinkled on your pillow before you go to sleep.
Using Nature as Chakra Therapy
The Sahasrara’s element is inner-light, or thought, and is considered the most subtle element from which the Cosmos were created. It is Divine, it shines through creation, connecting all and is everywhere in Nature. Sitting or meditating outside and allowing yourself to feel this great energy that is in everything, will help awaken the deepest part of your being.
Sound Therapy
The seed sound of the Crown Chakra is “OM” – believed to be the creating sound of the Universe. It resonates in “B” note. Chanting OM in “B” will allow it to vibrate properly.
About the Author
Balance Your Chakras with a Pendulum
Pendulums come in all shapes and sizes. They are quite simply tools that help us detect our energetic field. They are tuned to subtle vibrations and a good chakra pendulum can help us clear, balance and heal our bodies.
A pendulum is a weight hanging from a fixed point. When pulled and released, the forces of gravity and inertia create movement. However, when no force is inflicted on the weight, something begins to happen naturally; energy moves the weight with a little help from the unconscious mind. Pendulums feel magical, for even when held completely still, they begin to move in detection of the invisible energy around us.
The chakra system is the field of gentle subtle energy that animates our physical bodies. When these are out of alignment, we can be pulled in several directions and feel off center from our most natural state of well being.
When placed over the 7 chakra centers (the 7 primary centers are most used) the pendulum will move, showing us both the direction and size of the energy the chakra is emitting. The energy level will reveal balance, imbalance, or energy blocks.
The pendulum for chakra balancing is a tool of diagnosis to help us better maintain our energy, spirit and physical body.
Choose Your Pendulum
Choosing a pendulum is a very personal task and I prefer having hands on access.
Allow yourself the chance to be drawn to one. Is there one that catches your eye or calls your attention? Don’t touch at first, just observe. Look at the shapes and colors. Some are made of wood, metal or crystals. I find crystals work best for me, but the choice is solely yours and yours alone. Which one are you drawn to? When you do choose one, hold it it to feel its energy. What is the message coming from the pendulum before you do anything at all?
Hold the string between your thumb and forefinger. Extend your arm so the pendulum resides at the level of your heart for this first encounter. When holding the pendulum, ask it if it is willing to assist you. Taking a moment to link psychically with the tool is not only good manners but sets the stage for a productive working relationship. If you feel a lift in your spirit, a clear yes has been given. If you feel any pull or resistance, kindly move along and choose another.
Once you have connected with a pendulum, clear your mind and hold it still at the level of your heart. Ask it to show you your “yes” then wait for it to stop. The ask it to show you your “no”. We always want the pendulum to stop moving on its own for this indicates it has shared all it has to reveal.
When you have found a pendulum that responds, you may also ask if this pendulum is willing to work with you in an ongoing partnership. This would be a final step to honor its wisdom and cultivate respect before your purchase.
Discover the Direction of Yes and No
My yes and no tend to be the same regardless of what pendulum I use. While mine move side to side and front and back, others may see the energy move in circles or diagonally. This will be the work of partnership in creating a relationship of trust. Once your pendulum “sets” yes and no, it shouldn’t change over time. A change in directions may indicate a deeper block in your own field.
How to Cleanse Your Pendulum
As this is a tool of the sacred, please cleanse your pendulum before putting it to work. You may choose to keep it under your pillow, on a window ledge to absorb the sun and moon, or outside in the earth. As you would cleanse crystals, also cleanse your chakra pendulum to ensure it maintains a clean working field.
How to Find Answers With Your Pendulum
I have one shiva lingham stone pendulum I use exclusively on clients while others are purely for my personal work.
Pendulums will be affected by our thoughts, so it is imperative that you first be in a clear space, without attachment, so that you may rely on this tool’s unbiased response. The pendulum, as an extension of the person using it, may be influenced both consciously and subconsciously making the responses accurate, as well as inaccurate. Wishful thinking or a preconceived outcome, however slight, can be magnified, making the use of the pendulum in that instance ineffective.
Trust your pendulum and the ability to clear your mind when asking questions.
Your mind can play heavily on responses, so you must be neutral when asking and be sure not to ask questions that elevate your own energy field.
Pendulums are excellent at finding things that are lost (and therefore neutral) but can get a little muddy when relying on it to make big decisions. I once was at a workshop where a woman was using her pendulum to validate everything the teacher was offering us. This level of reliance to me feels unfair and out of balance. These are tools to assist us: they are not material things upon which we rely too heavily.
So please, don’t let your pendulum make life choices for you. While it may offer one avenue of knowingness, it is your own heart and the truth within that should direct final decisions.
How to Use the Pendulum to Balance Chakras
When you are ready to embark on your healing work, pendulums are excellent at balancing the chakras.
Place the pendulum over the chakra center (3rd eye for instance would be over the center of the forehead whereas the 2nd chakra would be at the center of the body just below the navel). Wait for the pendulum to begin moving on its own to show you the size and direction this wheel of energy is moving. Start at the root or crown and one by one, make your way through each chakra simply gathering information at first.
Ideally you should notice the direction and size of each chakra to be the same. An erratic swing of the pendulum will show you where someone is off balance. If no movement is detected, there is a block in the energy field and it will need to be addressed. Once you’ve checked all the fields, go back and invite each one to come into harmony.
Harmony is the natural frequency of the universe and needs to be restored gently.
You are not making anything happen, you are simply asking the wisdom of the body to correct itself.
If working on another person, you may ask them to invite this harmony while talking with them about the colors and functions of each center. This empowers others to know they can heal themselves and need not rely on a healer to “fix” them. The chakra pendulum is a tool for diagnosis but the healing will occur by simply asking the body to realign itself. When you have addressed all the kinks, go back and ensure the chakras are all moving in the same direction and are about the same size.
We are wise beyond our remembrance at times and come to rely on tools and others to make us better. The beauty of a pendulum for chakra balancing is that is so accessible. It is an easy tool of self care and one that requires little investment and minimal effort.
