Colour Therapy

Origins and historical development :

Many of us may have experienced colours affecting our feelings, mood and state of mind generally. A favourite ‘T-Shirt’ may draw you to it in the morning as you feel good when wearing it – and this may be as a direct result of its colour (whether you realise it or not at the time). Colour therapists take this influencing power a stage further.

Full spectrum white light was first broken down in the 17th Century by Isaac Newton, when he discovered that light is made up of different wavelengths and frequencies. Each wavelength has its own vibration frequency which the brain interprets as a colour; and these primary colours of the ‘rainbow’ spectrum are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. In the 19th Century, the Indian scientist Dinshah Ghadiali pioneered the Spectro-Chrome system where he wrote of light spectrum and electromagnetic waves, with colours transmitting healing vibrations. ‘Light gives life’.

Practitioners of modern day Colour therapy believe that the body’s cells and organs also have vibration frequencies and colours can be used to encourage harmony within the body. A variety of all different colours, tints and shades have various healing values and properties that practitioners may use in treatment. For example, red, orange and yellow are typically colours of stimulation; while green and blue are emotionally calming. Colours can, of course, be given to the client through the eyes; but it may also be administered through the skin. Other practitioners also incorporate the meridian channels and chakra points. Each chakra is said to relate to particular parts of the body and also act as an entry point for light to be absorbed into the body. Light is then circulated round the body in the meridian channels to find and correct any imbalances. Chakras typically have one particular colour that is most suitable for its corresponding body part. The third chakra point up in the body is said to relate to the pancreas and adrenal glands around the solar plexus area; and yellow can be used here to help with mental and emotional well-being. In addition, each vertebrae of the spine is believed to represent a body organ and have a significant representative colour.

Some practitioners also use the body’s energy fields, or auras. The body’s state of well-being is reflected as different colours within this energy field. Invisible to most, gifted people claim to be able to see, read and use auras as a diagnostic tool to determine which colours will counteract negativity that may be present and restore the auras natural balance.

Colour therapy has most support from the new age community, particularly in Europe, America, Australia and Japan.

What to expect during a treatment :

The initial consultation will typically begin with a medical history and discussion around colours and the feelings the client gets from them. The colour reflection test with coloured cards may also be used, where clues as to the body’s health can be gained from the client’s choice of 3 from a possible 8.

The actual treatment will then be administered, sometimes lasting from just 20 minutes to possibly an hour. Light is shone through filters or from quartz-tipped crystal torches to specific parts of the body, or diffused to illuminate the whole area around the client. For each main healing colour used, its opposite will often also be shone to a lesser extent so as to ensure a healthy balance of colour in the body can be maintained. Another way of getting colour into the body is with the use of ‘solarized’ water; water that has absorbed sunlight through stained glass of a particular colour. Blue solarized water, for example, is used to treat insomnia.

The practitioner may also advise on self-help aspects, such as which colours to incorporate into diet, clothing and environment.

Conditions suitable for treatment :

Particularly effective for emotional and behavioural problems, such as stress (inc. PMT), depression, headaches and insomnia; Colour therapy is also used for high blood pressure, skin conditions and babies born with jaundice where blue light breaks down the chemical build up of bilirubin.