We are continuing our journey through the seven main chakras finally reaching the end of the line at the top of the head. What we know as the crown chakra is not considered a chakra because it does not function the same way as the lower six chakras. This seventh entity is better described as the power source that energizes the six chakras below.

Sahasrara Chakra means “thousand-petaled” referring to the one-thousand-petaled lotus flower that is its symbol. Its theme is Unity, uniting opposites like masculine/feminine, spirit/matter and consciousness/creativity. But here’s the interesting thing: it’s not as if the Unity didn’t always exist, because it has; it’s just that now we are aware of the Unity that has always held everything together.

In the physical body, the Crown Chakra relates to the whole brain and the whole body. The endocrine gland associated with this chakra is the pituitary, known as the master gland. It’s located at the base of the brain. And although it’s very small—about the size of a pea—it has a powerful job: to control the functions of almost all the other endocrine glands. When you consider all the different types of hormones the glands release, and how they are being released at different times and for different purposes, you can see how important it is to have a healthy pituitary gland.

Here are some ways we can support our Crown Chakra and pituitary gland through Yoga:

• Skull shining breath: The name says it all, right? This is Kapala Bhati pranayama, a powerful breath practice that draws energy upward to the skull. It’s best practiced when the stomach is empty. Sit on the floor or on a chair with elongated spine. To prepare, breathe slowly in and out through the nose for five breaths. To practice, inhale through the nose with relaxed abdominal muscles, then exhale sharply through the nose while pulling the belly muscles in. Start with 20 repetitions gradually building up to 100 repetitions. Take your time to learn it well before trying to speed it up. 

• Yoga postures that emphasize the head: Headstand, Rabbit pose, Shiva twist, Dancer pose, Cow face, Standing forward bend (legs together or apart) with head resting on a block or chair, Child pose with head resting on a block

• Aromatherapy: The best essential oils for this chakra are frankincense and sandalwood. They’re also the most expensive! More affordable alternatives are lavender, cedarwood, tulsi and palo santo. Always dilute in a carrier oil before you massage into your temples and back of the neck.

• Meditate with crystals: The best yoga practice to cultivate unity consciousness is meditation. Using crystals—energetic gifts from Nature—can create calm and focus. Three of the best choices are amethyst, clear quartz and howlite. Rinse them in cool water to clear away any negative energy. Charge them in the sun for a couple of hours. Hold them in your hands while you bring your focus upward. Set a timer for 5 minutes, gradually increasing to 20 minutes.

We finally reach the Crown Chakra in our series on the Chakras and Unity Consciousness. Sahasrara means “thousand-petaled” and it refers to a lotus flower that blooms at the crown of the head. A lotus stem grows from the mud deep below the surface of the water and rises up to blossom at the top, just like spiritual energy that rises from the root chakra in the tailbone to the crown chakra at the top of the head. Also, the lotus opens to the sky, which symbolizes Universal Consciousness.

Unity may feel like an impossibility in today’s culture of difference and division. But aren’t there also times we experience unity with others? For example, here in the U.S. we saw an amazing pulling together of resources when the eastern states were deluged with a 1000-year flood. And most of us have had the experience of going through a tough time like an illness or death in the family only to be surrounded by love, prayers and tangible support.

So which is it, are we divided or are we unified?

It really depends on your perception, or what you are looking for. If you are looking for division and only talk to people who think the same way you do, then your perception of division will be strengthened. And if you look for unity and are willing to be open and curious with people who live, think and act differently than you, then your perception of unity will be strengthened.

Yoga teaches that we exist in Universal Consciousness. We are born in it, live in it, nurtured by it and are always trying to connect with it. It’s why we seek out lasting friendships, are passionate about caring for the earth and its critters, and why we may be drawn to follow a spiritual path.

This is where Yoga and the chakras can be very helpful in perceiving and strengthening our own connection to Universal Consciousness. All the practices we’ve explored over the past several months in this blog have led us to this place of Unity.

One of the best practices to activate Sahasrara Chakra is chanting AH and OM. AH is an open sound and you can easily picture the thousand-petaled lotus flower opening above your head. But because it is so open, AH can make you feel spacey and ungrounded. In that case, follow up with the mantra OM, the universal sound that unites all things in the material and spiritual realms, past, present and future. Try chanting AH for 3 minutes, OM for 3 minutes, then sit quietly to feel the vibration. This will give you 10 minutes of Unity to bless your days and shift your perception moving into the New Year.