You’re probably at least a little familiar with the concept of chakras, but to recap, chakra roughly translates to “energy center” or “energy field” or “subtle body” — pick your favorite term. Teachings of the chakras can be traced all the way back to the Vedic texts of ancient India, and there are thought to be seven of them whirring around in the human body, from the root chakra (located around the tailbone) to the crown chakra (at the top of the head). When a chakra is out of balance, it’s said to cause physical or emotional issues related to the area where it resides: A low-energy solar plexus chakra, located in the gut, is associated with both sluggish digestion and low self-worth. On the flip side, a healthy chakra has a positive emotional and physical impact: An abundant sacral chakra, in the lower abdomen, leads to a high sex drive and boosted creativity. 

 

The crown chakra — which governs your connection to a higher power (or your higher self) and is a center for “pure bliss” — is the only one that isn’t explicitly paired up with a corresponding body part. In illustrations, it’s often depicted floating just above the head… you know, where your hair is. Spiritually-minded stylists Andi Scarbrough of CrownWorks and Stephanie Padilla of La Tierra Sagrada are starting to call attention to this connection — and honestly, they make a compelling case.

 

“The function of the hair is said to act as an energetic antenna between the physical and spiritual world,” Scarbrough tells Mane Addicts. “Evident in stories as old as the biblical Samson, to more recent accounts of Native Americans recruited as military scouts who lost ‘supernatural’ tracking abilities after their hair was cut into standard military style, there is a deeply rooted cultural understanding that hair holds power.” She goes on to describe how traditional Celtic priests would have their hair combed during service in order to maintain a “clear channel to speak to God,” and how long hair has long been a symbol of vitality and longevity in the Far East. “In many cultures, hair is also purposefully cut or not cut to release or retain memories or power, and piled high on the head or worn loose in an effort to protect the expansion of the crown chakra,” the stylist says.

 

Scarbrough and Padilla both aim to educate clients on this energetic aspect of haircare — while also delivering aesthetically-pleasing results, of course. Scarbrough does this through her “Crown Chakra Hair Cuts” and CrownWorks Crystal Combs; Padilla by charging her La Tierra Sagrada products under the new moon and hosting “hairemonies,” or hair rituals. The lesson: In mindfully tending to your mane, you have to power to bring your crown chakra into balance and strengthen your connection to spirit. “Part of this work is about developing a relationship with your own intuition,” as Scarbrough says. “The crown chakra is, after all, our source of divine guidance.”