Soul Star Chakra - Meaning, Location and the Singing Bowl Used for It
The Soul Star chakra is a point that modern teachers place above the head, beyond the Crown, and it is most often called the 8th chakra. It is not one of the seven classical chakras, and the singing bowl used for it is the highest bowl in a set, usually the smallest one.
Key takeaways
- Location: above the crown of the head, outside the body.
- Number: usually the 8th chakra, and the 9th in a row counted from the Earth Star.
- Origin: a later addition, used in the nine and twelve chakra systems.
- Bowl: the highest bowl in the set, above the Crown bowl in pitch.
What is the Soul Star chakra?
It is an extra chakra placed above the head. Teachers who use it describe it as a higher step beyond the Crown, a link to a wider awareness.
It is not in the classical texts, which describe seven major chakras, and four in Buddhism. It belongs to later systems, and our 9 chakra system guide shows where it fits.
| Soul Star chakra | What teachers say |
|---|---|
| Other names | Star chakra, 8th chakra, and Vyapini in some modern books |
| Location | Above the crown, from a few inches to about 12 inches |
| Colour | White or gold, depending on the teacher |
| Meaning | A step beyond the Crown, linked to a wider awareness |
| Part of the classical seven | No |
| Singing bowl | The highest bowl in the set |
Where is the Soul Star chakra located?
Above the head. Teachers place it from a few inches to about 12 inches above the crown, so it sits outside the body.
It is the partner of the Earth Star, which is placed below the feet. Together they mark the two ends of the nine chakra line, and our post on the Earth Star chakra covers the lower one.
Is the Soul Star the 8th or the 9th chakra?
Both numbers are used, and that is why people get confused. It depends on where the teacher starts counting.
| How the teacher counts | Number given to the Soul Star |
|---|---|
| The seven first, then the points above | 8th chakra, the most common answer |
| A row of nine from the ground up | 9th, because the Earth Star is counted first |
| Systems with more than nine | 8th, with a separate 9th above it, such as the Stellar Gateway |
So when someone asks what the 9th chakra is called, the honest answer is "it depends on the system". Our comparison of the nine bowls in a 9 chakra set uses the row from the ground up.
How is the Soul Star different from the Crown chakra?
| Soul Star chakra | Crown chakra | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Above the head, outside the body | Top of the head |
| Which system | Nine and twelve chakra systems | All systems, including the classical seven |
| Note | No agreed note, often a high C | B in the Vedic mapping |
| Bowl in a set | The highest bowl | The seventh bowl |
If the Crown is new to you, start with our Crown chakra and B note guide. The Soul Star only makes sense once the Crown is familiar.
Looking for a chakra set?
See our sets of 3, 5 and 7 bowls in one place. Each set is put together by selection after your order arrives.
Which singing bowl is used for the Soul Star chakra?
The highest bowl in the set. In a graded set that is usually the smallest bowl, and it sits above the Crown bowl in pitch.
There is no single agreed note. Many sets of nine use a high C, the next note above the Crown's B, and other teachers choose differently.
A hand-hammered bowl's note is discovered, not made. So a Soul Star bowl is found by selection: Sunita plays the small bowls and chooses one that sits above your Crown bowl.
Which bowls and sets should you look at?
- A single high bowl: the palm size singing bowl or the smallest singing bowl gives a bright, light tone.
- A set of 7 to build on: the 7 chakra hand-beaten set, the 7 chakra colour set or the full moon set of 7.
- A set of 9: the seven plus the Earth Star and Soul Star bowls, made to order.
- A bowl made your way: on the custom singing bowl page you choose the size and finish, ask for the note, and add free engraving.
How do you add a Soul Star bowl to your set?
Use our custom singing bowl set builder. It is the way to ask for a set of nine, or for one or two bowls to join a set you already own.
- Tell us your tradition, Vedic or Tibetan, because it decides which note sits on which chakra.
- Tell us the notes you own, so the new bowl is chosen to sit with them.
- Send the request, which is free and carries no obligation to buy.
Can you order one custom bowl for the Soul Star?
Yes. If you need one high bowl and not a whole set, use our custom singing bowl page.
- Choose the size, and pick a small one for a high, bright tone.
- Ask for the note, such as a high C, and it is met by selection after your order arrives.
- Add engraving, which is free, such as a star, a name or a short mantra.
Use the custom singing bowl page for one bowl and the set builder for a set. Both are free to request.
How do you use a Soul Star bowl in a session?
Play it last on the way up, after the Crown bowl. Strike it softly and let the sound fade fully.
Then come back down to your lowest bowl to finish. Playing order depends on the tradition, Tibetan or Vedic, so follow the one you were taught.
What are the common mistakes with the Soul Star chakra?
- Calling it ancient: presenting it as one of the classical chakras, when it is a later addition.
- Arguing over the number: insisting it is the 8th or the 9th, when both come from different ways of counting.
- Expecting one note: looking for the official Soul Star note, when makers and teachers differ.
- Ending up high: finishing a session on the highest bowl and never returning to the lowest.
- Skipping the seven: working on a point above the head before the seven feel familiar.
What should you do next?
Learn the seven first, then the larger systems. Our free singing bowl healing course teaches them in that order.
When you want the extra bowl, design it on the custom singing bowl page, send your notes through the set builder, or start from our chakra singing bowl sets.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Soul Star chakra?
The Soul Star chakra is a point that modern teachers place above the head, beyond the Crown. It is described as the link to a wider awareness, and it is not one of the seven classical chakras.
Where is the Soul Star chakra located?
It is placed above the crown of the head, from a few inches to about 12 inches above it. That puts it outside the body, over the top of the chakra line.
Is the Soul Star the 8th or the 9th chakra?
It is most often called the 8th chakra, because it comes after the classical seven. It becomes the 9th point when a nine chakra row is counted from the Earth Star upward.
What is the 9th chakra called?
It depends on how the teacher counts. In a nine chakra row counted from the ground, the ninth is the Soul Star, and other teachers give the name ninth chakra to a separate point above it, such as the Stellar Gateway.
What colour is the Soul Star chakra?
Teachers most often give it white or gold. There is no single agreed colour because it is not part of the classical system.
Which singing bowl is used for the Soul Star chakra?
The highest bowl in the set, which is usually the smallest. In a set of nine it sits above the Crown bowl in pitch.
What note is the Soul Star chakra?
There is no single agreed note. In many sets of nine it is a high C, the next note above the Crown's B in the Vedic mapping.
Want a Soul Star bowl matched to your set?
Tell us your tradition and the notes you own. The request is free, and Sunita reads every one herself.
