| Tantricchakras |
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Sahasrara (Sanskrit:सहस्रार,IAST:Sahasrāra, English:"thousand-petalled", withmany alternative names and spellings) or thecrown chakra is considered the seventh primarychakra in Sanatan yoga traditions. The chakra is represented by the colour violet.[1]
The Sahasrara is described in a few medievalhatha yoga texts including theŚivasaṃhitā and theTirumantiram, but not within thePaścimāmnāya andNath traditions; theKubjikamatatantra describes only the six lower chakras. The scriptures vary in the position of the Sahasrara; theShiva Samhita states that it is beyond the body, whereas others place it at thefontanelle or brahmarandhra on the top of the head where the soul leaves the body at death.[2]
Sahasara is located at the top of the cranium.[3]
Sahasrara is described as a lotus flower with 1,000 petals of different colors. These are arranged in 20 layers, each with approximately 50 petals. Thepericarp is golden and within it a circular moon region is inscribed with a luminous triangle, which can be either upward- or downward-pointing.[4]
According to some Tantra traditions Sahasara chakra has no seed syllable, but rather silence, because it is perceived as beyond audible sound. Some take this to mean Visarga, the sound following the utterance of a sound, but not the sound itself. Others connect it to Om, like Ajna Chakra.[3]
Compared to the other chakras, due to the quantity of the petals, there are no Sanskrit syllables inscribed.
Often referred to as athousand-petaled lotus, it is said to be the most subtle chakra in the system, relating to pure consciousness, and it is from this chakra that all the other chakras emanate. When a yogi is able to raise theirkundalini (energy of consciousness) up to this point, the state ofNirvikalpa Samādhi is experienced.
Exercises for the Sahasrāra Chakra are:[5]
There are also special Meditations on the Sahasrāra Chakra.[6]
In some versions of thesubtle body, there are actually several chakras, which are all closely related, at the top of the head. Rising fromAjna,[7] we have theManas chakra on the forehead,[8] which is closely associated with Ajna. Above Manas there areBindu Visarga at the back of the head; Mahanada; Nirvana, which is located on the crown;[9] Guru;[10] and the Sahasrara proper, located above the crown.[11]
The Bindu Visarga is at the back of the head, at the point where manyBrahmins keep a tuft of hair. It is symbolized by a crescent moon on a moonlit night, with a point or bindu above it. This is the white bindu, with whichyogis try to unite the red bindu below. It is said to be the point through which the soul enters the body, creating the chakras as it descends and terminating in the coiledkundalini energy at the base of the spine. It is often described as the source of the divine nectar, oramrita, though this is sometimes said to come from either ajña chakra or lalita chakra. This nectar falls down into the digestive fire (samana) where it is burnt up. The preservation of this nectar is known as "urdhva retas" (literally: upward semen). The white drop is associated with the essence of semen, while the red bindu is associated with menstrual fluid.
This chakra is sometimes known as the Indu, Chandra, or Soma Chakra. In other descriptions, it is located on the forehead - white, with 16 petals - corresponding to thevrittis of mercy, gentleness, patience, non-attachment, control, excellent-qualities, joyous mood, deep spiritual love, humility, reflection, restfulness, seriousness, effort, controlled emotion, magnanimity and concentration.
The name of this chakra means "Great Sound", and it is in the shape of a plough. It represents the primal sound from which emanates all of creation.
This chakra is located on the crown of the head. It is white in color and possesses 100 white petals. It marks the end of thesushumna central channel. It is responsible for different levels of concentration:dharana,dhyana andsavikalpasamadhi.[9]
The Guru Chakra is located above the head, just below Sahasrara proper. It is white, with 12 white petals, upon which is writtenguru. It contains a circular moon region, within which is a downward pointing triangle containing a jeweled altar, with the crescent moon below and circular bindu above. Inside the bindu is the seat, near which are the gurus footstools, upon which are the gurus feet.[10]This position is considered very important inTibetan tantric practice ofdeity yoga, where the guru or deity is often visualized as above the crown, bestowing blessings below (for example in theVajrasattva purification meditation).
Within Sahasrara, there are yet more levels of organization.[12] Within the triangle begins a series of ever higher levels of consciousness: Ama-Kala, the First Ring of Visarga, Nirvana-Kala, and Nirvana Shakti, which contains the Second Ring of Visarga. From here,Kundalini becomes Shankhini, with 3-and-a-half coils. The First Coil of Shankhini wraps around the Supreme Bindu, the Second Coil of Shankhini wraps around the Supreme Nada, the Third Coil of Shankhini wraps around Shakti, and the Half-Coil of Shankhini enters into Sakala Shiva, beyond which is Parama Shiva.[11]
Ama-Kala is the experience ofsamprajnata samadhi.
Visarga is symbolized by two small rings, one of which is inside Ama-Kala, and the other of which is below Supreme Bindu, which represents the transition from samprajnata samadhi to the oneness of asamprajnata samadhi.
Here Kundalini absorbs even the experience of samadhi, through the power of supreme control (Nirodhika-Fire).
Here Kundalini passes into the supreme void, which is the experience of asamprajnata ornirvikalpa samadhi, and becomes Shankhini. Shankhini wraps around and absorbs the Supreme Bindu, which is the void; then the Supreme Nada; then Shakti; and then unites with and absorbs Sakala Shiva; before finally being absorbed into Parama Shiva, which is the final stage ofnirvikalpa samadhi.
Sahasrara or Sahastrar is related to the crown of the head. It is typically associated with thefontanelle and the intersection of thecoronal andsagittal sutures of the skull.
The crown wheel is important within theAnuttarayoga Tantra tradition ofBuddhist Vajrayana. It is triangular, with 32 petals or channels that point downwards, and within it resides the white drop or whitebodhicitta. Through meditation, the yogi attempts to unite this drop with the red bodhicitta in the navel, and to experience the union of emptiness and bliss.[13]
It is very important in the Tantric practice ofPhowa, or consciousness transference. At the time of death, a yogi can direct his consciousness up the central channel and out of this wheel in order to be reborn in a Pure Land, where he can carry on his tantric practices, or transfer that consciousness into another body or a corpse, in order to extend life.
In the West, it has been noted by many (such as Charles Ponce in his bookKabbalah.) that Sahasrara expresses a similar archetypal idea to that ofKether, in theKabbalisticTree of Life, which rests at the head of the tree, and represents pure consciousness and union with God.
Within the Sufi system ofLataif-e-sitta there is a Lataif calledAkhfa, the "most arcane subtlety", which is located on the crown. It is the point of unity where beatific visions ofAllah are directly revealed.