The crown chakra (Sahasrara) is located at the top of the skull and is associated with the Universal identity and has no colour, or rather is transparent. This chakra usually develops or opens later in life when psychological maturity and spiritual development are happening. This chakra is about our connection to cosmic consciousness, Spirit, awareness, oneness, grace, serenity, enlightenment and understanding. It is everything and nothing at the same time. These qualities only exist as potential until it is activated, or realised. The midlife crisis era of life is where we might question who we've become and wonder where do we turn to from here. In challenge, we are forced to look inwards and question ourselves. A spiritual path puts a higher power at the centre of life where the divine force flows through your being. It is a "relationship" that takes you deeper into the understanding of consciousness itself.

When this chakra is not in alignment, there is a tendency to believe that you are a separate entity from the greater whole and that your own efforts alone carry you through life and determine the outcome of your life.

The world has lost its sense of meaning and purpose because we have lost our sense of Source. Developing a sense of spirituality is about being grounded in the reality that we long for love, peace and harmony and it is available to us all right here and now. It's like realising your glasses were on your head the whole time you were looking for them.

An early stage of spiritual development would be to renounce the world, and seek refuge outside of the chaos of the world, and become disconnected. But as we mature in spirituality, we can live in the world but not be of the world (I know that is a Bible quote, but not sure which one).

So by having a spiritual context , we can digest our life experiences not from our ego point of view, but from a greater picture. The ego is isolated and singular and can be disconnected. But the spirit is unified and connected to a higher power so we can feel that we are truley loved even in times of loneliness. We have limited personalities, but the dimension of awareness that is in all humans is vast and infinite.

There are all sorts of religious traditions that are designed to connect to the one-ness and unity of God but religion has a bad rep at the moment because of the dogmatic belief structures. But spirituality is beyond religion because it is the thing that all religions have in common. Yoga practice is not a religion, but a way to find a sense of spirituality in this material world.

Reflect:

Do you feel like you must "do" something in order to feel spiritual?

What rituals empower you to be at One with the source of consciousness itself?