The crown chakra is the seventh and highest chakra, located at the very top or crown of the head. Its purpose is to connect us to the spiritual world or a larger divine presence and help us understand that all beings are interconnected as pieces of the same whole.
The crown chakra serves many purposes -- it controls inner and outer beauty, spirituality, consciousness and awareness, emotions, hormones within the body and our overall presence in life, whether we are here and aware or disconnected.
It is most connected to the pituitary gland, then the pineal gland and hypothalamus. The pituitary gland is a tiny pea-sized gland in the brain that is responsible for controlling bodily functions and other hormone secreting glands as well as our overall well-being. It analyzes the body’s needs and sends signals to organs and other hormone glands to regulate and maintain certain environments.
The pineal gland, also located in the brain, secretes and controls levels of melatonin in the body. Melatonin is a serotonin derived hormone that controls sleep-wake cycles. The main function of the hypothalamus is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland. This is to ensure released hormones find their intended target within the body.
When the crown chakra is out of balance we feel disconnected from the world, each other, nature and sometimes even question our purpose in life. This leads to feeling down and depressed. However, occasionally an out of balance crown chakra can have reversed feelings. We may become overly aggressive and judgemental of others and their actions thus forming a type of superiority complex.
We can see that an out of balance crown chakra can have serious implications on our body functions and general well-being. Therefore, we will discuss.
As we have discussed, the crown chakra regulates energy dispersal throughout the body. So, we can actually have an overactive crown chakra and an underactive one.
Certain life events can disrupt the flow of energy throughout the body and throw the crown chakra out of balance. Some of these triggering events are stress, illness, trauma, emotional upset and personal conflict. When life events lead to a blockage or imbalance in the flow of energy from the crown chakra, we can suffer emotionally, physically and spiritually.
Beginning with an underactive crown chakra -- this is actually a blockage in the flow of energy and can trigger negative emotions such as greed, jealousy, lack of motivation and inspiration and materialism. To understand that all beings are interconnected on the same level is to rid ourselves of greed and desire for people or things.
An overactive crown chakra occurs when too much energy is flowing to one place. This is why we can feel disconnected from the world, other people and even ourselves -- because the extra energy throws our mental state and the rest of our chakras out of balance.
Some signs of an overactive crown chakra are:
It’s very easy to live in our minds -- meaning we fixate on a certain thing and cannot stop thinking about it. This is the root of overactivity. So, now the goal is to regain that connection to the whole.
There are a number of ways to restore the balance back to your crown chakra. Whether you have too much energy -- overactive -- or a blockage of energy --underactive-- it is always possible to work towards achieving an open crown chakra.
Since the crown chakra is connected to the pineal gland -- responsible for controlling melatonin release and sleep-wake cycles -- you may need to better regulate your sleep. We may be experiencing disruption in sleep for a number of reasons -- stress, overactive mind, or something that may require us to be awake when we are normally asleep and vice versa.
But when possible we need to better connect with our circadian rhythm or 24-hour internal body clock. This may mean going to bed at an earlier time or waking up earlier -- maybe even with the sunrise.
Meditation is a great way to get in touch with your emotions. There are many types of mediation. One type -- mindfulness meditation -- helps the practitioner become aware of their own thoughts and feelings while remaining conscious and in the moment.
During this type of meditation we can become aware of our breath and stay focused in the present as opposed to dwelling on experiences from the past. This form of meditation is great for reducing negative emotions and improving focus.
It is also possible to meditate on a specific question. For example, if you are attached to earthly things -- like materialistic items -- you may choose to meditate on the reason why. This will help you let go of attachment and focus on the connectedness of everyone and everything around you.
While we’re on the topic of letting go and cutting attachment to earthly things. You can try another method by simply writing it down. Write down why you think you are attached and what things are holding you back.
You may also be fixated on a past experience or negative emotions from situations that may be holding you back. Write down the experience and all of the emotions you are feeling towards it. Then get rid of the paper. This will help you let go.
Truthfully, letting go of something is as easy as holding a tissue and dropping it. Visualize what is holding you back as the physical tissue and simply let it go. Do this as many times as you need until it starts to sink in.
Once you are able to accept and move past whatever it is that is holding you back, you will be able to bring balance to the crown chakra.
Physical exercise is great for the body because it releases endorphins. Endorphins are a group of hormones that interact with receptors in the brain and reduce the feeling of pain. It also has an effect similar to morphine and triggers positive feelings within the body. This will help especially if one of your symptoms is depression.
Yoga is also a great form of exercise for the crown chakra. Yoga for the crown chakra should focus on inversion and restoration. Headstands, poses where your head is down or inverted-- like rabbit post and poses such as tree pose, cow pose, meditating in lotus pose and savasana are all good for restoring energy to the crown.
Aromatherapy using essential oils can restore and balance your crown chakra. Use an oil diffuser to envelop the entire room in a fragrance and enjoy inhaling it. Essential oils can also be applied directly to the skin.
Some of the top essential oils for the crown chakra are -- Lavender, Jasmine, Rose, Sandalwood, Cedarwood and Frankincense.
Made from the resin of the Boswellia tree, Frankincense is described as having an, “Earthly and uplifting aroma that’s perfect for grounding and spiritual connectedness.”
The crown chakra is associated with the color purple. Amethyst is a violet, semi-precious stone that helps improve communication, identify the causes of any imbalance and reveal negative behaviors.
Quartz Crystal is a clear mineral that brings clarity of the conscious as well as balancing and healing previous emotional wounds.
Selenite is a milky white variety of the mineral gypsum. It promotes mental clarity, insight and awareness.
When our crown chakra is balanced we will be able to have gratitude for life. This comes after we have realized that all beings are interconnected on the same level and accept that there is a larger divine presence at work. We should be able to put aside our own self-interest to move toward the whole. Likewise, we must also accept the suffering and injustices in the world.
Development of an open crown chakra occurs around the ages of 42-49. This is because we need to have life experiences and cultivate wisdom and an understanding of ourselves to be able to see the interconnectedness of the world. Because once we come to the realization that all of nature is connected, it can never be lost.
When the crown chakra is in balance you will feel grounded -- well balanced and sensible. You will be in control of your emotions and connected to the divine world.
If you are not between the ages of when the crown chakra begins to develop -- start now with the practices of balancing the chakra, eliminating earthly or materialistic desires and understanding the interconnectedness of all beings. Or use these practices if you feel your crown chakra may be out of balance and you want to restore your emotional and physical well-being.
