Your April Chakrastrology Update

What is Chakrastrology™?

Editor’s Note: Chakrastrology is based on the principle that each of our chakras (energy centers) is ruled by a planet, and that by working with both, we experience greater health and well-being. This wisdom is rooted in ancient texts and brought to life in a modern context. By looking at our chakras in terms of the planets, we get a major advantage in working with them and in seeing what’s influencing them now. For more information on Chakrastrology, scroll to the bottom of this article.

April 2018

Hot on the heels of the March 31 full moon, April begins with powerful cosmic influences over our greater ideals, dreams and inspirations. Mercury is still in retrograde through April 15, and until then, use the first part of the month for introspection into the insights delivered to you by the cosmos, specifically around your communication habits, and whether it is reflective of your highest aims.

This month’s Chakrastrology focus is the crown chakra, as there is major activity with the outer planets: Pluto, Neptune and Uranus. These outer planets affect our relationship to the source, and the deeper reaches of the psyche. They connect us to the universe, and provide insights that come only when we are focused on transcending consciousness and letting go of old ways of thinking and being.

The crown chakra mediates our connection to the source—whatever we may call it. Fundamental to this energy center is recognition that something bigger is at play, and that it nourishes our soul. Similar to the way we plug in our smartphone at night, we must also recharge our batteries with the right energy. If we don’t, we feel depleted and rundown, unable to operate properly in our lives. While the physical parts of us are nourished through physical activity and healthy foods, the spiritual parts of us are nourished in different ways. Communing with our higher selves is key to creating a balance of mind, body and spirit.

As we move toward the new moon in Aries on April 15 (and Mercury finally slips out of retrograde), Uranus is in the mix to throw flashes of insight our way. If you’re inspired to meditate or try yoga, do it. If reconnecting with a former spiritual practice is of interest, give it a shot. If exploring new ways of thinking through a self-help book has been on your list, this is the perfect time.

Pluto is also giving us some major pushes to do the work around resolving our baggage from family and early childhood. This is never easy work for anyone, but ultimately it improves our outlook and frame of mind. Everyone benefits from these shifts, including those with whom we are in relationship.

By the time the full moon in Virgo rolls around on April 29, our attention to insights and inspiration in the earlier part of the month culminates in a deeper spiritual connection. Spirituality is a main priority at this time, and using the body to connect with the spirit is a practice that is full aligned with the energy of the Virgo moon. One way to do this is through a physical yoga practice called asana. By moving the body and coordinating the breath, states of meditation are achieved that help to calm the mind, relax the muscles and soothe the psyche.

If yoga is a new practice, this is the optimal time to dive in. If a once-committed yoga practice has fallen by the wayside, recommitting to it ignites the deeper connection to spirit this time calls for. We are all spiritual beings. Whether we feel connected to our spirituality or not, it consistently calls to us for attention. Exploring this aspect of our being is a way for us to get to know ourselves better—to see what makes us tick, what remains unresolved, discover the source of our dreams and realize our true potential.

The crown chakra helps us negotiate our spiritual connection, by whatever means or method we choose. The technique is less important than the commitment to it. Make the time to commit to spiritual practices this month, anchor the spirit to the soul and watch the energy of life effortlessly flow through the body as a result!

Recommended activities

With the focus on connecting to source throughout the month of April, it’s a good idea to focus on activities that rest and rejuvenate you, and put you in a mental state of calm and relaxation. Try a yoga or BODYFLOW class at your local 24 Hour Fitness.

Classes like these help to put you in tune with your physical body’s sensations, and the deeper meanings behind them. This is called a somatic experience, when you take the time to listen to the deeper messages of the mind and spirit that come through the physical body. Often, we hold tension or tightness for mental or spiritual reasons. Exploring the release of tension helps us to relax the underlying patterns that started them.

Another powerful activity to balance the crown chakra and connect with the source is deep relaxation. In yoga, this is called shavasana, a period of rest after activity when you take the opportunity to simply let everything go. Try doing a 10-minute shavasana after a long work day.

• Turn off all digital distractions, dim the lights and play soft music or light an aromatherapeutic candle.
• Lie on a yoga mat or in bed.
• Prop up your knees with some pillows, and turn your palms up by your sides.
• Set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes. Lay down, close your eyes, focus on your breath and let the stress and tension of the day melt away.

This powerful practice activates the crown chakra and is a way to recharge your body, mind and spirit with cosmic energy.

April Chakrastrology meditation

The outer planets dominate this month, keeping our focus turned to the crown chakra and the way we connect to our highest selves and the source. Doing practices that help you to tap into this energy will keep your vitality lifted throughout the daily mundane tasks of life. Use the following meditation practice as a way to keep the crown chakra open and let energy flow through the body to energize you.

• Sit in meditation and light a candle.
• Close your eyes and chant the sound of “Om” out loud three times to recalibrate your internal energy and awaken your chakras.
• Visualize the crown chakra opening and imagine a waterfall of white light pouring into the crown of your head.
• As you breathe, watch the white light drip down the body, saturating every cell with illumination. Leave no dark place unexamined.
• Continue to breathe and send the light into places in the body that need extra attention: a stiff joint, tired muscle or place of tension. Make sure that every corner of the mind is reached by the white light.
• Spend as much time as is necessary here, letting the light completely transform your physical body into a light body.
• When you feel completely illuminated from the inside out, close your meditation by taking three deep breaths, silently feeling the vibration of Om inside you.
• Slowly open your eyes, and consciously keep the light flowing through you for the rest of the day!

Mantra of the month: I am connected to soul, spirit and source through the cosmos.

Crown Chakra smoothie recipe: Coconut milk, pineapple, lime and coconut water

April’s Chakrastrology focus

Crown chakra + universe
Focus: Connection
Location: Crown of the head, pituitary gland, brain
Core mantra: “I am.”
Sanskrit name: Sahasrara (meaning: “thousand-petaled lotus”)

The crown chakra is not ruled by one thing, but everything.

It symbolizes our connection to others, the world around us, and the universe. Cultivating connection is at the heart of creating a joyful life.

More on Chakrastrology

The ancient wisdom of the chakras reveals that there are “energetic hot spots” within the body where we store our experiences, emotions and beliefs. When we don’t examine these deeper elements of the self, then eventually imbalances in these areas manifest as physical sensations like tension or chronic pain. This is the inherent link between mind and body, and the chakras provide us a road map for unlocking it!

To take this understanding further and to see how our chakras are being influenced by the outside world, we look at their connection to the planets, which are yet another ancient body of wisdom. In alignment with the alchemical idea “As above, so below,” we watch the planets above us for insight into what’s happening within us. For millennia, astrologers have witnessed the influence of the planets on our day-to-day lives.

By recognizing the intrinsic links between the planets and areas of our body (the chakras), we also get invaluable information about how to optimize our health and well-being. This comprehensive system, known as chakrastrology, bridges the gap between outer and inner, and helps us make sense (and greater health).

Photo credit: Benjamin Davies, Unsplash