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The chakras represent and merge certain parts of our physical body, as well as distinct parts of our consciousness. Our conscious mind is responsible for how we perceive our reality and represents everything that is possible and available for us to experience. Chakras interact synergistically, as energy transmitters and healers, helping you digest and process life experiences. As our lives change, experiences shape us, so too our chakras are in a constant state of flux digesting these changes both positive and harmful. Understanding the chakras and their role in our overall health is vital to support physical and mental wellbeing in the long term. Adopting daily practices to maintain overall chakra health should be part of our lifestyle, allowing us to continually benefit from deeper levels of healing. Today we’re concluding the series on chakras with the highest, and most spiritually connected, the crown chakra, which is also the seventh and final primary chakra. If you’re interested in the preceding charkas, check previous posts for a thorough run down of the last six (it’s highly recommended reading).

The crown chakra, known in Sanskrit as ‘Sahasrara’, literally translates to “a thousand petals”. As the last of the higher chakras, and thanks to its location at the top or slightly above the head, it grants us access to higher states of consciousness. In fact, the function of the crown chakra is driven by consciousness and provides us with the opportunity to get in touch with the universal energy. It’s no surprise that it is also considered the most spiritual in nature of all the chakras, acting as our center for enlightenment, wisdom, and connection to higher guidance. It literally represents our highest potential that we should strive towards.

Not surprisingly, given its incredibly spiritual nature, the crown chakra governs interaction and communication with the wider universal energy around us. It also serves as our center for inspiration and devotion to supporting spiritual health. When the crown chakra has an imbalance, it can manifest in persistent feelings of depression, stubbornness, narrow-mindedness, restlessness and boredom. If you’ve tried to meditate and faced serious roadblocks, frustration and fidgeting, you may need to address an imbalance in your crown chakra. Imbalances in the crown chakra can manifest in physical symptoms such as migraines, chronic exhaustion, hair loss, amnesia, or impaired cognitive function. Conversely, a balanced crown chakra opens our consciousness, supports access to wisdom, and helps us realize our goals and potential. If you’re a regular meditator, you’ll be familiar with that blissful feeling of being fully present in the moment, observing instead of being involved. Through meditation, this chakra grants us precious access to clarity and enlightened wisdom. So how can we take steps to reach this level of pure bliss?

While incorporating certain foods into your diet is a solid practice for the other six chakras in the system, the crown chakra presents a slightly unique concept: fasting. Fasting acts as a form of spiritual nourishment rather than simply physical nourishment. The practice has been around for centuries and practiced by just about every religion known to man during some of the holiest times of the year. A period of refraining from food gives the body a break from worrying about physical demands so that the entire focus can be directed towards one’s spirituality and higher consciousness. There is a wide range of fasting methods available to gain incredible health and mind benefits. Try a beginner’s fast by waiting thirteen hours between your dinner and breakfast the next day. Always consult a medical professional, especially if you suffer from any underlying conditions such as low blood pressure or diabetes.

It’s not all about abstaining, balancing the crown chakra calls for its own food prescriptions. After all, food remains one of the most important ways we receive and process energy in our bodies.

In fact, the best way to support this chakra is by eating balancing foods that promote cleansing and optimized cell function. Think avocados, kale, lemons, blueberries and cabbage, the ultimate super foods. Understanding how to eat for your chakras allows you to connect deeper to your wellness.

Remember that everything around us is energy. Whenever we put things in our body it is going to affect us profoundly. On that note, avoiding highly processed, junk food and refined sugars -a recipe for disaster both energetically and physically.

Yoga connects your body to a higher state of spiritual awareness, hence its relevance in balancing the crown chakra. Poses that open and balance the crown chakra include inverted, seated, and restorative yoga poses. Beginners can reap major energy balancing benefits with poses like seated forward fold, which stretches the spine and shoulders, soothing the nervous system. Reclined bound angle pose, especially performed in the evening or at the end of your practice is the perfect restorative pose to open and balance the crown chakra. Tree pose is a great beginner’s balancing pose, requiring concentration and self-awareness, while teaching patience. Let go of judgement and enjoy the path to success as you practice this satisfying pose. More experienced yogis can practice headstand and shoulder stand to nourish the head with oxygen and blood flow, ultimately soothing the crown chakra. When it’s time for stillness, lotus pose or savasana are great for practicing the art of detachment, sitting in stillness and observing.

During your relaxation you may want to incorporate some pranayama in the form of alternate nostril breathing. Using your right hand’s thumb and forefinger, close the right nostril with the thumb as you inhale through the left. Then as you exhale close the left nostril as you open and exhale through the right. Now inhale through the right, keeping the left closed. Close the right and exhale through the left. So, you’re alternating the nostrils with each cycle. Within minutes you’ll feel more centered and calmer.

The crown chakra is associated with thought and silence, and its mantra is, ‘I know.’  Since the elements which correlate with the crown chakra are thought and silence, it can be useful to seek out an environment which is conducive to both of those things. The nature of sahasrara chakra as our seat of intuition means meditation is widely considered the best practice for opening and balancing the crown chakra. Beginners may find visualization, a form of meditation which controls the focus, a less daunting tool for achieving balance. For the crown chakra, imagine bright white or violet light pouring into the top of the head. Use vibrations of the verbalized seed syllable ‘om,’ to target the crown chakra. Or try a guided meditation designed for the crown chakra you can find online. Make meditative practices a part of you day by practicing intentional stillness.

Affirmations are another great way to bring the crown chakra into alignment and can be used in conjunction with yoga and meditation. If neither are your jam (yet), try incorporating mantras into your daily routine to create consistent spiritual mindfulness. For example, after brushing your teeth, take a moment to look yourself in the eyes at the basin mirror and repeat: ‘I am connected to the Universe and to everything around me. I am guided by something greater than myself. I have wisdom and peace.’ You can repeat them when going to sleep, preparing your morning tea, or even driving (as long as you also remain focused on the road!).

As with the other chakras, our body responds on a conscious and subconscious level to scent. Diffusing or applying essential oils like lavender and jasmine can be calming and soothing for the crown chakra, while oils like cedar wood, sandalwood, frankincense and myrrh can be stimulating.

Stone and crystal collectors rejoice, there are certain beauties that support the crown chakra and assist in clearing any blockages related to spirit and enlightenment. As the chakra most connected to spirituality, white and clear crystals are used for addressing problems with this chakra. Clear quartz is a popular stone for clearing any negative energy, as are diamonds (like we needed an excuse), which are purported to release energy and bringing illumination. Lastly, purple stones are also connected with the crown chakra, with the most popular being amethyst. Lastly, don’t discount the crown chakra healing powers of apophyllite, selenite, lavender quartz, and sugilite.

Our chakras teach us how our connection to something greater allows us to approach our lives with purpose, divine inspiration, wonder, and a broader perspective. In particular an aligned crown chakra serves as a powerful reminder of our connectedness to each other and all things, encouraging us to live from a place of unity and compassion. We are responsible for creating and contributing to the beautiful world we live in.