Find
a Colour Therapist
Colour Therapy
What Is It?
How Does It Work?
What Happens During Treatment?
What Is It Used For?
Side Effects/Cautions
Recommended Books
What Is It?
Colour therapy is the use of colour to promote healing
by balancing energy in areas of the body where
it is lacking. Also known as chromotherapy or light
therapy,
colour therapy is used to treat both physical and
emotional problems. Therapists use tools such as
coloured light
bulbs or fabrics, crystals and prisms.
The colours
that we see are a result of light vibrating at different
frequencies,
and it is thought that these unique frequencies can affect our health in
different ways. Scientists recognize that colours bring
about emotional reactions, both
positive and negative, which differ in each individual. Our reactions to
certain colours may indicate where energy imbalances
lie. The origins of healing with
colour can be traced back to ancient times, when Egyptians and Greeks used
coloured minerals, stones, crystals, and dyes as
remedies, and in India, practitioners of Ayurveda linked different colours
with the seven
chakras, the energy centres that represent organs, emotions, and spiritual
aspects. Modern colour therapy was established with Edwin Babbit’s
publication of The Principles of Light and Color in 1878, where he described
his work in
chromatotherapy
(healing with coloured lights), suggesting it as a treatment for a variety
of ailments. More detailed work on coloured light therapy was carried out
by Dr.
Dinshah P. Ghadiali (1873-1966) who researched the effects of colour on disease
and developed coloured filters. In 1947, Swiss psychologist Dr. Max Lüscher
introduced the Lüscher Colour Test, a form of colour therapy still widely
used by many psychologists. Support for Luscher's theories on colour therapy
was provided by the Russian scientist S. V. Krakov, who established that
the colour red stimulates the adrenal glands while blue and white light has
a calming
effect.
More recently, variations of colour therapy have arisen,
including Aura Soma, a therapy that uses coloured bottles
of essential oils and extracts
to bring
about a deeper understanding of oneself, and the Liley system which matches
the wavelength of a colour to that of a disease, virus or infection, and
employs
a machine that uses high frequency electronic vibrations. top How
Does It Work?
Light consists of electromagnetic waves
of energy, with different wavelengths creating different
colours.
Light
falling on the retina is converted into electric
pulses which then travel to the brain. Research suggests
that
parts of the brain respond differently to these varying
wavelengths of light (colours) which interact with
the endocrine system to stimulate or reduce hormone
production.
Research into the hormones melatonin and
serotonin have shown the effects that the presence
or absence of light can have on a person’s moods and
behaviour. Serotonin, a mood-lifting hormone, is produced
during the day, while melatonin,
which has a depressive effect and is linked to sleep, is produced more at night.
It is well known that a lack of bright sunlight during winter months can cause
depression in some people. This is thought to be a result of lower levels of
light triggering increased production of melatonin while levels of serotonin
are suppressed.
Advocates of colour therapy suggest that if the presence or
absence of light can have such strong effects on health, then individual
colours that make up
light must do as well. However, there have been few clinical studies to support
or refute these claims. top What Happens
During Treatment?
A variety of methods are
used by colour therapists. Some use special instruments which shine coloured
light onto
specific parts of the body. Some will provide coloured
swatches of cloth or coloured stones for you to
focus on. Because colours can have both a positive and
negative
effect, specific colours and accurate amounts of
colour are critical in healing.
Your therapist may suggest
techniques to try at home, for example wearing clothing
in the appropriate
healing colours, or draping a coloured cloth
over a sunny
window and sitting in the light this creates. You can also visualize or imagine
yourself bathed in the colours you need. Coloured light bulbs can be
used to beam light onto your body and into the surrounding area.
In your everyday
life pay attention to the colours that attract you and take
notice of any colours that you strongly dislike as well. Sometimes
the colours you dislike can indicate areas where there are blockages.
The
length of treatment required will depend on the methods used and the
type of ailment you have. What Is It Used For?
Colour therapists treat a wide variety
of ailments, both physical and emotional, including allergies,
viruses,
arthritis, bacterial infections, skin problems,
digestive disorders, colds and flu, aches and pains, nervous
disorders and sleeping problems.
top Side
Effects/Cautions
Colour therapy should not be used as a replacement
for conventional medical treatment for serious health
problems.
When coloured lights are used in therapy,
avoid looking directly at the light. Instead, look
at an object which reflects the coloured light.
References
Find
a Colour Therapist
top
Recommended Books
Prices are in US Dollars
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Discover Color Therapy
Helen Graham
This book is the first step
to learn how to heal with colors, either in clothing,
decoration of furniture, or wall colors. Some
examples of color therapy go from cheering a
blue day, to
the increase of the immunological system. This
is an excellent book to learn how to help heal
yourself
with colors. Carolina Mendez - Amazon Reviewer. Learn more... |
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Healing with the Rainbow Rays: The art of color
energy therapy
Alijandra
Alijandra's wonderful new book
fills a void. Missing from our lives has been a
book that has both information
and techniques on color healing, multi-dimensions,
hyperspace, alchemy and advanced psychic arts.
Until now! 'Healing with the Rainbow Rays' does
that and more. Further, it is simply written,
well-explained and well-illustrated. More than
that, it is practiced
(and tested) by the author and others in a classroom
setting. Alijandra carefully and cogently explains
the philosophies and basis of color healing,
and coordinates them with the practical exercises
to
put this integral therapy to good use...It carries
the reader to a deeper understanding of your
own life and your possibility of growth by presenting
a mirror that exposes imbalance...'Healing with
the Rainbow Rays' is a key that can open your
door
to betterment! (Richard Fuller,
Metaphysical Reviews) Learn more...
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Color Therapy at Home: Real-Life Solutions for
Adding Color to Your Life
Mark McCauley
Color Therapy at Home presents an imaginative
investigation into the subtle yet powerful effects
of color in our everyday lives. Mark McCauley,
an accomplished interior designer, explains why
we associate certain emotional, physical, or intellectual
traits with reds, yellows, greens, or blues. Blues,
for example, provide feelings of restoration and
clarity. Reds, on the other hand, lend an active,
dynamic energy to a room. Dozens of dramatic photos
illustrate how colors work alone and in combination
to achieve desired effects. A clear vase of vibrant
red cherries, for example, forms a witty complement
to a wall painted a nurturing pale green.
Practical designer tips, such as how to test your
color choices, tint ceilings, or dress your interiors
in colors you love to wear, enhance the inspiring
photographs and engaging text. The book closes
with a chart of 264 traits one may wish to increase
in one's life - such as healing, trusting, or understanding
- then keys each trait to specific colors. For
anyone
planning to redesign an entire home or simply repaint
the kitchen pantry, Color Therapy at Home is provocative
guide to color's profound effects on our interior
well-being. -Mary Ribesky
Learn more... |
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Colour Therapy Books
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