Color. It’s what ignites our lives. It’s what creates the wonders of the world, gives us vitality, excites us, inspires us and…heals us? Yes, you read that right. Color therapy is a useful tool to introduce into your holistic, natural wellness routine. Start bringing awareness to how you interact with color in your everyday life, and notice the effect that it has on your wellbeing. Let’s get started.
Energetically speaking, the body is composed of powerhouses known as chakras. These energy centers rule different aspects of our lives, each corresponding to different anatomy, health, and behavior. We can think of these as many individual parts of ourselves that need their own care and nourishment. Collectively, they create a happy, healthy human.
But the world is not perfect and nor are any one of us. We are three-dimensional journeys of experiences. Some of those good and others bad. When we experience something painful or traumatic, it affects one of these “powerhouses.” Without true acceptance of the experience and–more importantly–understanding, one or more of our chakras can either become over or underactive. And just like anyone with a thyroid condition knows, over or underactive anything is never good.
As well as all your other healing tools like talk therapy, yoga, and a plant-based diet, color is a really easy way to give things a nudge or help them along, as it were. Most of us probably don’t think very much about why we like the colors that we do, only that we do. You might like gold because it brings out your blue eyes, or emerald as it complements your auburn hair, but what is the fuel behind the fire when you wake up in the morning wanting to wear blue? Or why do some want to wear a bright, yellow floral dress and others an all-black outfit?
We can introduce color (chromotherapy) in several different ways. The most obvious is via our clothing choices and (optionally) makeup that we wear. Then there are our accessories and jewelry. We can also incorporate color and other healing properties through crystal work. Next up, our diet. Eating the rainbow is important for more than the vitamins alone. And finally, the spaces we live and work in. As well as keeping spaces clean and tidy, the colors we surround ourselves with are immensely important for stimulating different desired effects.
So, let’s talk a little bit about the different colors and what they can offer for you in your own unique situation.
White is the purest “color” because it consists of all wavelengths combined into pure light. It can be used for any kind of healing and when the desire to start afresh has bloomed. It represents purity and simplicity.
Purple is the color of our crown chakra and introducing it into our lives can help with contemplations of higher self, mysticism, and spirituality.
Indigo is the color of insight and intellect and is excellent when working with the third eye chakra for clairvoyance and understanding.
Blue is the color of serenity, tranquility, calm, and relaxation. It is an excellent choice for the over-stimulated and anxious. It is linked to the throat chakra and excellent to use if wanting to boost self-expression and speech.
Green is the ultimate healing hue. It is the color of the heart chakra and it can be used for total balance in any aspect of life. It is also the color of nature and therefore a source of calm for the stressed and anxious.
Yellow represents the solar plexus and is a great color to use if you’re struggling with confidence, self-worth, and identity. It provides vitality. People-pleasers who place value in superficial relationships will want to avoid yellow.
Orange is in-tune with the sacral chakra and as well as helping us in any area to do with our sexuality, it also promotes healthy digestion. Use orange to stimulate new ways of thinking and creative self-expression.
Red is the color of passion, desire, and growth and is associated with the root chakra. Over-active root chakra-bearers dealing with aggression, impulsive behaviors, and a short temper will want to avoid this color. On the other hand, those who have lost the drive to meet their own needs or become complacent can use red to ignite the flame once more.
Brown represents the earth, our home and our interaction with nature. It can be used to stimulate family-bonding, coziness and feeling grounded.
Grey is a neutralizing color and great at dissipating high energy emotions. Sometimes, emotional chaos gets in the way of being able to think logically. Grey can be used to calm a situation or feeling.
Black is the absence of light. It can open up our unconscious, unleash life’s “magic” and stimulate deep healing. It is the color of the fearless in that it represents the unknown and therefore not all are ready for it.
With all of these colors and everything in between, we have a multitude of tonal tools to use at our disposal. Remember, doing activities with those colors is a great way to experience their benefits. too. For example, if you need green, go walking in the park. If you need blue, go for a swim in the sea. Color therapy is about getting in tune with what your body is asking for and responding with love.
What colors are you gravitating towards these days? Have you ever used intentional color healing?
Also by Kat: How to Break Free from Your Life’s Story
Related: Years Of Therapy Couldn’t Heal My Anxiety Until I Tried *This*
How You Can Benefit from Narrative Therapy
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Photo: Unsplash, Wikimedia Commons
