The Crown Chakra (Sahasrara Chakra)

Infact in the Hindu scriptures, we often come across the term "Shat-chakra" which means Six chakras. That means the concept of chakras includes the chief six chakras within the human realm of consciousness which are The Root Chakra, Sacral Chakra, Solar Plexus Chakra, Heart Chakra, Throat chakra and The Third eye Chakra.

Above all these we have Sahasrara Chakra which is the chief of all the Chakras. All the Chakras have a intimate connection with this centre. Hence this is not included as one among the Shat-Chakras. This is situated above all the Chakras.

The ultimate aim of any type of yoga viz hatha yoga, bhakti yoga, mantra yoga etc. is to awaken kundalini power. The awakening of the kundalini is complete only when the kundalini meets the crown chakra.

The word "Sahasrara" means 'one thousand' which denotes that this center has 1000 petals. There are different opinions about the number of petals but it is sufficient to know that innumerable nadis originates from this center.

It also tells about the importance of this center. The word 'sahasrara' implies that its magnitude and significance is vast, infact unlimited.

A Great Experience! Individual Self Dies!

When the kundalini shakti meets the crown chakra, it leads to the beginning of a great experience. With this union, the moment of self-realization or enlightenment begins.

At this point, the individual dies. I do not mean that the physical death occurs but I mean the individual awareness or consciousness. It is the death of the experience of individual name and form.

At this moment, you forgets the 'I', the 'you' or the 'they'. The experience, the experienced and the experiencer are the same and one. Everything is unified.

In short, there is no multiple or dual awareness remaining. There is only one, single awareness.

Every religious system of the world has its own way of describing this experience. Some calls it nirvana, others samadhi, self-realization, enlightenment etc.

If you go through the religious poems and scriptures of many cultures, you will find many descriptions of sahasrara but you have to read and analyze them with a different state of consciouness to understand the estoric symbology and terminology.

When kundalini is ascending through the different chakras, the consciousness evolves and the awareness experience higher things but still it is not free from ego.

You cannot transcend ego at the lower stages of awakening. This transcending of ego starts only when you reach ajna chakra i.e. The Third eye chakra. Here the individual awareness starts dying and upto the time till when you reach sahasrara you become one pointed and unified with the "Supreme Power".

Only few persons have been able to reach this level of awakening. In Lord Buddha, Sahasrara was completely active. Also in Swami Vivekanada, sahasrara was awakened. There are many other examples also.

In a nutshell, the Crown Chakra or sahasrara is the ultimate of a Yogi. When kundalini is united with sahasrara, the yogic aspirant enjoys supreme bliss.When Kundalini is taken to this centre, the Yogi attains the superconscious state and the Highest Knowledge.