Colors As a Healing Mechanism

Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008

Wellness 101: Using Colors As A Healing Method

In today’s Wellness 101 we bring you color therapy…

I recently came across an article on Color Therapy. Not knowing a thing about it, my curiosity got the best of me. I began reading with an open mind and avid interest, and found that color therapy is a bit more complex and involved than you might think….

Everything in life is comprised of vibrating atoms that are connected to the energy within us (also referred to as chakras), and our energy reacts and responds to other energies in the world. As a result, we end-up feeling better or worse, depending on what we happen to be exposed to. Colors, as you may know, hold energy. Color is a visible form of light and electromagnetic energy, and all of the colors of the rainbow carry their own healing properties. Different colors can alter our moods, help cure our ailments, and make us feel better or worse both emotionally and physically.

Think of the bright, yellow sun, a positive healer that always seems to make you feel sunny inside. Now imagine a gray, cloudy day and notice how you instantly feel dejected. In fact, countries that experience long, dreary winters often report higher rates of suicide during bleaker months.

In an actual session of a color therapy, the practitioner uses a variety of different “tools of the trade.” These can be crystals, light boxes, lasers gemstones, candles, colored fabrics, and prisms. The therapist locates the area or areas on your body that are out of balance and applies the color in various ways.

Want to know which colors benefit which symptoms? Here’s a short list of hues that can help alleviate illness, pain, moodiness or discomfort:

• Red is warm, awakens the body, stimulates brain waves, and increases heart rate. Red is good for heart conditions and circulation problems.

• Orange is the color of joy and wisdom. It gives energy, stimulates appetite, and is good for digestion.

• Yellow is known as the energizer. It relieves depression, improves memory, stimulates appetite, and helps with digestive problems.

• Green is calming, balancing soothing, and relaxing. It is a good color for heart conditions and it stimulates growth (note that it should be avoided for cancer patients with tumors)

• Blue is calming and cooling. It is good for respiratory illness and throat infections. It also counteracts hypertension.

• Indigo is the “brow” color. It is great for healing sinus trouble, but be careful as too much indigo can cause depression

• Violet is cleansing, strengthening, and awakening. It improves cancer conditions and helps with migraines

Color is a powerful tool and can be used to help and heal many ailments. Stay in tune with the colors around you, and if you’re interested in utilizing color at a deeper level, seek a color therapy practitioner .

~Jennifer Rosen