The eighth chakra is located 24 inches (61 cm) above the crown of the head and functions as the energy epicenter of the entire chakra system. The purpose of this chakra is to protect the physical, emotional, and spiritual body. Also known as the aura, it serves as the root of all the divine energy and compassion that course through the system.
From a physical perspective, the eighth chakra, unlike the other seven major chakras, does not reside on the body. Instead, it hovers over the top of the body, above the crown chakra located at the highest point of the head. Chakra healing experts believe that this chakra can be glimpsed through the third eye and resembles a light-filled orb with a slightly orange radiance.
During the eighth chakra opening, the individual experiences a powerful spiritual shift. This brings with it a new spiritual awareness that encompasses everything in an individual's life and can bring about great personal, professional, mental, and emotional changes. An open chakra of this type helps the individual to see his or her interconnectedness with all life and opens a portal to deeper spiritual and creative understanding.
Those with a closed chakra will experience the opposite effects. They will feel disconnected and cut off from the rest of the world, not feeling a part of any larger community. The individual will also suffer emotional, spiritual, and creative blockages that hinder his or her growth. A closed chakra separates a person from his or her true calling.
Chakra treatments for the eighth chakra include several different healing options. The chakras benefit greatly from exercise, just as the physical and emotional body does. One popular exercise for chakra balancing or opening entails standing with the feet slightly more than hip-width apart, arms stretched to the sides at shoulder level. With the left palm facing upward and the right palm downward, an individual imagines himself or herself absorbing all the sun and light of the universe, taken in through the navel and radiating out through the limbs.
Neroli, the essential oil of the bitter orange tree blossom, is the flower essence most associated with the eighth chakra. Gemstones such as clear quartz, clear citrine, and selenite also accompany the eighth chakra and can work seamlessly with its energies. Chakra meditations, like visualizing the body as a radiant mass of white light, are additionally helpful in opening and balancing this chakra.
