Tips for Using Color as a Healing Therapy
I don’t believe I have to convince anyone that color has an impact of our lives. Color has long been researched, especially by those in marketing, for the impact it has on us. But did you know that it has also been researched as a healing art. Let me tell you more.
Human beings have been using light and light color sources for healing since time has been recorded. However, the foundations of our modern color theories are attributed to Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727) with his famous prism experiments. By shining white light through a prism we can see the seven color band of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. Each of these colors vibrates to a different frequency and the brain interprets this vibration as color. Pretty cool stuff!
We actually record color as sensation. Light falls upon the light receptor cells of the retina in the eye, which convert the light into electric pulses. The hypothalamus in the brain is then stimulated by these pulses and sends instructions to the pineal and pituitary glands; which then send messages to the other endocrine glands. For example, it has been scientifically proven that the color red stimulates the adrenal glands, raising blood pressure and pulse rate. Therefore the color red is considered to have an ‘exciting’ effect on the nervous system.
In the 1920s Darius Dinshah developed colored filters and lamps which he matched with his scientific research to apply color to the body for healing physical disease. At the same time Charles Butts was applying color through the eyes to affect healing of imbalances in the nervous and endocrine systems.
We now in the Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) or Holistic health field recognize that color therapy can be applied in three ways:
Psychological
o Identifying states of mind and negative stress through color preference and then using color to make positive changes
Eastern or Mystical Influence
o Briefly, this assumes that we are all bodies of light and is prevalent in Hindu, Tibetan and Chinese teachings. Using chakras (energy centers of light in the body) and intuition the therapist uses color to make positive changes holistically: body, mind, spirit and emotion.
Physical
o By directing colored light or using colored swatches of fabric color is introduced to diseased or imbalanced areas of the body to promote healing.
Want to add more color to your life?
There are a number of ways you can add the healing vibrations of color to your life, including through your clothes, the colors on your walls, using light application of color and even taking baths in colored water! Here are a few simple tips to get you started:
- Feeling overly stressed and anxious? Choose to wear a green sweater and bring in the calming and soothing vibration of green.
- Need a pick-me-up? Then get some orange cellophane, wrap it around a glass of water and leave in the sunshine for about ten minutes. Drink the water and take in the vibration of uplifting and energizing orange.
- Don’t want to get into an argument with your boss, your spouse or the kids? Then wear the color pink. Pink is non-confrontational and promotes compassion.
- Taking an exam? Wear yellow to stimulate your mind and intelligence.
- Difficulty sleeping Paint your bedroom blue. Blue is the color of peace and protection. Use blue in your bedroom to create a peaceful and serene room to sleep in.
- Suffering from psoriasis? Try shining a blue or green light on the affected areas to counteract the rash.
Hopefully I’ve tweaked your curiosity and you’d like to learn more! We have distance learning color therapy courses available, which are fun and informative. Start with Level One and learn about your own responses to color and learn about traditional uses of color for healing. Level Two takes you into more exploration and a deeper knowledge and then Level Three teaches you how to apply color therapy to others. Start NOW! If you’d like to learn more or have some questions before you begin your journey into Color Therapy please contact me.
