--- title: "Crown chakra: meaning, blockage signs and the body" description: "The crown chakra (Sahasrara): where it is, its colour, the body parts and emotions linked with it, and what a 'blocked' crown chakra means." canonical_url: "https://www.body-hemisync.com/guides/crown-chakra" --- The crown chakra is the seventh and highest of the main chakras, the energy centres of yoga and of modern spiritual practice. It sits at the top of the head, and in the modern Western system it is violet or white. Spiritually it is the centre of meaning: a sense of peace, of being connected to something larger than yourself, and of being glad to be here. This guide covers where the crown chakra is, which parts of the body and which feelings it is linked with, what people mean when they say it is "blocked", and a few gentle ways to tend it. For the whole system in one place, start with [chakras and the body](/guides/chakras-and-the-body). ## Where is the crown chakra, and what is it called?
Crown chakra
Sanskrit name Sahasrara (Sahasrāra), "thousand-petalled"
Position in the system Seventh of seven, above the third eye chakra
Location The top of the head; some texts place it just above the head
Colour (modern Western system) Violet or white
Element None; it is described as beyond the elements, pure consciousness
Traditional symbol A lotus of a thousand petals
The thousand petals are a way of saying "beyond counting". In the traditional texts the crown is the highest spiritual centre, where the energy that rises from the base of the spine is said to reach union and stillness. It is the one chakra that is often placed partly outside the body, and it closes the circle that opens with the [root chakra](/guides/root-chakra) at the base of the spine: one centre roots you in the earth, the other opens you to the sky. The violet colour belongs to the modern Western version of the chakras. The rainbow colours were added in the twentieth century, largely through Charles W. Leadbeater's 1927 book *The Chakras*. Many descriptions give the crown as white. ## Is a "blocked crown chakra" real? It is worth saying this once, clearly. Chakras are a spiritual and symbolic map of the person, not part of anatomy. There is no scientific evidence that they exist, and there is no way to measure whether one is open, closed or "blocked". The seven-chakra system reached the West in the 1880s; in the 1920s each chakra was paired with an endocrine gland, and emotions, colours and illnesses were added to the lists later still. So when people talk about a blocked crown chakra, they are describing an inner experience in spiritual language: a loss of meaning, feeling cut off, or a life that has gone flat. That language can be a useful way to reflect. It cannot explain forgetfulness, confusion, headaches or depression. Those need a doctor, and the two do not compete. ## Which parts of the body are linked with the crown chakra? The crown chakra is usually linked with the top of the head and with the systems that govern the whole body from there.
Body area Why it is linked Read more
Head and brain The control centre beneath the crown The head
Nervous system The brain's messages to the whole body Tingling , neuralgia
Memory and thinking The brain at work Memory loss
Pineal gland The small gland deep in the brain paired with this chakra The glands
Hair and scalp What grows from the crown Hair loss
### The pineal gland The pineal gland is a small gland deep in the brain. Pairings of chakras and glands vary from one author to another; on this site, the pineal goes with the crown and the pituitary with the [third eye chakra](/guides/third-eye-chakra). Spiritually, the pineal gland is the main mirror of the self. It is said to gather the energies of the six other centres, and it is linked with the sense of "I am", your inner voice, your spiritual search and your questions about why you are here. When it is out of harmony, the themes are self-pity, feeling divided against yourself, losing the capacity to wonder, fear of making the wrong choice and being judged (a career is a typical example), and a spirituality that has drifted away from the body and the earth, so that everything starts to look dark. In harmony, it brings calm, serenity and an open mind, a sense of being in the present, and simple happiness at being alive. The inner step is to move: to make the decisions that let you live your life fully, rather than watching it from above. ### The brain and nervous system Spiritually, the brain is the command centre, linked with your autonomy and your sense of directing your own life, and it is joined to the crown chakra. Its two halves are read as two ways of knowing: one that feels, perceives and sees the whole picture, and one that analyses, plans and counts. A balanced path uses both. This is a reflection, not neurology; the brain's two hemispheres work together in everything you do. ### The hair Spiritually, the hair grows close to the crown and is sometimes called an antenna that links the physical and the spiritual. Its state is read as an image of the power you feel you have to direct your own life. The questions are simple ones: what do you really want, and do you feel that others are running your life? Hair loss has medical causes too, most often heredity, and is worth mentioning to a GP if it is sudden or patchy. ## Emotions stored in the crown chakra In this approach, the crown chakra is where the feelings of a life that has lost its meaning are held. These are the ones most often named, each with its own page: - **Depression**: a life stuck in the past and cut off from desire, often with self-devaluation and guilt. - **Apathy**: a numbness adopted after events that question your reason for being here, so that you will not suffer again. - **Withdrawal**: a pause that can be healthy, until it will not end and closing off becomes a way of life. "Stored" is a figure of speech. Feelings are not kept at the top of the head. What the image captures is that these states are felt as a loss of connection: to other people, to what you used to care about, and to any sense that life is going somewhere. ## Signs people describe as a blocked crown chakra In the chakra tradition, a crown chakra that is closed or out of balance is described through feelings and habits. People often name: - feeling that life has no meaning or direction - a sense of being cut off from others, from nature or from anything sacred - cynicism, or seeing the negative in everything - difficulty feeling wonder, gratitude or joy - the opposite pattern: living "in the clouds", so absorbed in spiritual ideas that daily life, the body and other people are neglected - fear of choosing wrongly, so that no choice is made - a foggy, heavy feeling in the head These are things to notice and reflect on, nothing more. They are not a diagnosis, and none of them is caused by a chakra. **Physical and mental symptoms deserve a doctor.** The NHS advises seeing a GP if memory problems affect your daily life or keep coming back; stress, anxiety, depression and poor sleep are common causes, and dementia a less common one. If you think someone may be having a stroke, remember FAST: face, arms, speech, and time to call 999. Sudden confusion or a severe headache also needs urgent help. If you have felt persistently sad for weeks or months, the NHS says not to wait: see a GP, as the earlier you get help, the sooner recovery can begin. If you need urgent help for your mental health, call 111 and choose the mental health option. If your life is at risk or you cannot keep yourself safe, call 999 or go to A&E. You can talk to Samaritans at any time on 116 123. ## A gentle practice for the crown chakra None of these needs any belief in chakras. They are simple ways of giving the feelings above some room. They are not treatment for any condition, and they do not replace help for depression. - **Sit in silence.** For five minutes, sit with your back upright and imagine a thread gently lifting the crown of your head. Breathe naturally and let thoughts pass without following them. - **Feel your feet as well as your head.** The crown is balanced by the root. After sitting, stand, feel the floor under your feet and take a few slow breaths before you get up and go on with your day. - **Hum or chant.** A soft hum or a long "Om" on the out-breath can bring a sense of stillness to the head. - **Write about meaning.** Three questions, one page: what gave me a sense of meaning in the past? When did I last feel wonder? What small thing could I do this week that matters to me? - **Look up.** Spend a few minutes outside looking at the sky, the trees or the stars. Awe is one of the simplest ways back to a sense of something larger. - **Rest.** A tired brain finds meaning harder to reach. Regular sleep and time away from screens help the head clear. ## Where to go next Go back down to the [third eye chakra](/guides/third-eye-chakra), or return to the start of the system with the [root chakra](/guides/root-chakra). The [chakras and the body](/guides/chakras-and-the-body) guide shows all seven together. This guide is for reflection and general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition. If you think someone is having a stroke, or you cannot keep yourself safe, call your local emergency number (999 in the UK). ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.