Improve Your Divine Connection with These 5 Yoga Asanas
“From within or from behind, a light shines through us upon things and makes us aware that we are nothing, but the light is all.” – Emerson
The Crown Chakra – Sahasrara in sanskrit – translates as “thousand-fold”. The Crown Chakra is the transcendence of consciousness. It is our innate wisdom and connection to something greater than ourselves – Source, God, the Universe, nature, Gaia, intuition, highest self… different identifying words as we attempt to grasp the unseen, yet felt, force that seems to guide us.
Do you feel it in your day-to-day life?
Before we begin a deep dive into the Crown Chakra, let’s take a moment to tap into the space at the top of our heads.
Sensing Sahasrara
Begin lying down and allow a few moments to find complete comfort as you find stillness.
Bring your attention to the very tip top of your head.
First just notice, as you bring awareness to this area, do you feel any sensations?
A feeling of cool or warm,
Tingling or soothing.
And then begin to visualize a bright white orb of light.
As you concentrate on this orb a little more, you notice it is actually shaped like a lotus flower.
And the color is more iridescent than white.
Take a few moments to bring this visual to your mind’s eye,
And on your next exhale, watch as this lotus flower begins to open its petals.
Notice as the iridescence of the colors move, flow, and ever so subtly change colors with each movement.
As the lotus opens, this light begins to cascade down your head,
Enveloping your head, throat, shoulders
Cascading further down your arms, and chest, and abdomen,
Extending into your pelvis, your legs, and each of your feet.
As this light cascades down, feel the warmth that begins to radiate from within and around you.
As you are completely enveloped in this iridescent light, you see this light form a bubble around you… like a warm hug.
Watch as your energetic body finds a seat within this warm bubble.
Find stillness here.
Find quiet.
And allow whatever comes, to just be.
Your only job here, is to be a witness.
Remain here as long as you feel called.
Sahasrara: Your Divine Connection
Your crown chakra resides at the top of your head, and is your constant connection with the divine and your intuition. Many of us seek a higher connection, a higher purpose, and a deeper understanding of what is past this physical life.
Think of this chakra as your direct line, and bridge, between this physical world and the spiritual world beyond.
This is also where a connection with, and alignment of, all the other chakras come into play in order to tap into your Crown Chakra. If you are opening up the Crown Chakra without grounding through your lower chakras, this can give a different perspective of the information received from the Crown.
The Crown Chakra wants you to remember there is more beyond this physical life, while also enjoying and embodying the physical world. With its element being consciousness, the Crown encourages you to expand through your own consciousness and be open to all possibilities.
Balance vs. Imbalance in the Crown Chakra
As you work toward opening and balancing your Crown Chakra, you’ll notice a more positive outlook on life and an ability to view things from different angles and perspectives.
You may experiences a decrease in anxiety, and an increase in empathy and compassion. Additionally, you may notice experiencing more mental clarity and improved mental health, heightened intuition, and a greater sense of purpose.
Conversely, when this chakra is imbalanced, you may notice some of the following symptoms:
Lack of purpose
Depression
Inability to focus
Confusion and indecisiveness
Disconnection from your spiritual self
Migraines and headaches
Sensitivity to light and sound
Insomnia
Fatigue
An addiction to the spiritual, while disconnecting yourself from the physical world
Closed-mindedness
Rigidity
Clear Out Your Super Highway to the Divine
If you’ve gone through that list of imbalance symptoms and found yourself disheartened, there’s great news: balancing and opening through your Crown Chakra is simple… maybe not easy, but simple:
Meditation and stillness.
Did you find yourself groaning after reading that?
I get it.
Meditation and setting aside the time for it can be a challenge. There’s something that feels so uncomfortable about allocating time to just sit there, especially in a society that praises constant busyness and productivity.
It almost feels like… you’re wasting time.
But I can assure you, you are not wasting time, by any means. If you need to reframe it in your mind: human beings need rest. And they in fact, do not thrive with a constant barrage of information and stimulation and busyness. That actually hinders your own growth and development… which definitely affects your level of productivity in the future.
Did I convince you?
If not, I still get it. So here’s some other options you can incorporate into your practice to assist you in opening up and balancing that Crown Chakra… maybe even try repeating them while sitting in a quiet room with your eyes closed … 😏
Affirmations to Awake the Crown
Divinity resides within.
Information I need comes to me.
I am guided by a higher power.
I am guided by inner wisdom.
I trust my intuition.
5 Yoga Asanas to Activate the Crown Chakra
Within your physical yoga practice, focus on asanas that bring energy or bloodflow to the top of your head. This doesn’t necessarily mean your typical inversions, though they are effective. They can also include asanas that simply ask you to find stillness, like our beloved savasana.
Check out the poses below, and let us know which you find most activating for your Crown Chakra!
Headstand
If you’ve never practiced headstand before, you can practice against a wall or use a headstand bench. Begin in tabletop and come down to your forearms. Cup your elbows with opposite hands & then without moving your elbows, open up your forearms & clasp your hands. Bring the crown of your head down to the mat, your clasped hands at the back of your head. Tuck your toes & lift your knees — straightening your legs. Begin to walk your feet toward your face, engaging the core. Stay here, or begin to lift one foot as you tuck your knee close to your chest. Alternate sides & see if you can extend your legs straight into headstand.
Rabbit Pose
Begin in child’s pose with your arms alongside you rather than extending to the top of your mat. On your exhale, roll onto the crown of your head, allowing the back of your neck to lengthen. Keep your core drawn in and your hips reaching upward, while your feet and knees stay planted on the mat. Hold here as long as you’d like.
Fish Pose
Begin lying on your back and bring your hands under your hips, framing your tailbone. Zip up your legs and point your toes. As you inhale, press your elbows into the mat as you lift your back and head off the mat completely. Turn your gaze behind you as you release your head back and place the crown of your head back down onto the mat. Breathe deeply into your chest as you feel your heart center open and expand. Hold here as long as you’d like.
Plow Pose
Begin on your back and draw your knees into your chest. Bringing your hands to your lower back, begin to extend your legs over your shoulders and over your head and allow your toes to either touch down to blocks above your head, or down to the floor. Hold as long as you’d like.
Savasana
Lay your back down on your mat. Find comfort here, using as many props as you’d like: a blanket for warmth, a pillow under your head, a bolster under your knees, an eye pillow to block out light. You can play some soothing music or enjoy the silence. Focus on deepening into the breath, and elongating the breath to help you find relaxation. Remain here for at least 5 minutes.
Find Stillness to Connect
Finding stillness, and allowing yourself the time to do so, while it may seem frivolous, is absolutely essential. It’s essential for opening your Crown Chakra, yes, and it’s also essential for your own personal health and well-being. Down the road, you’ll be thankful you took the time and instilled the discipline.
If you’re seeking a community to help you along this journey, we’re here with you along the way.