DO YOU USE COLOURS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE?
Up until a couple of months ago I don’t think I’ve done it. At least not consciously. I paint colourful dot Mandalas and dot paintings. Previously I used to pick colours randomly. Sometimes I picked a couple of colours at the beginning to give a theme or feel to a certain painting and sometimes I picked each colour after finishing a circle of dots. But this has changed. (Not in every case of course) Not long ago my wonderful husband surprised me with a short course about chromotherapy. I did not know exactly what it was about so I was keen to start learning and I have to say it was worth it! It has changed my perspective of colours and colour pairing completely.
So let’s see what chromotherapy is all about. Or maybe you’re more familiar with the term: colour therapy. In the course I’ve done I have learnt that you can use colour to your advantage and I found it really fascinating! What do you think? Many people associate certain colours with certain feelings. For example blue is a cold colour just like ice or water and yellow is a warm colour just like the sun. Red is the colour of passion and love. I’m sure you’ve all heard these sayings: I feel blue today. Green with envy. Red carpet treatment. See? You’ve been using colours in your everyday expressions as well! And as you can see putting a colour in a certain context adds extra meaning to it.
Now let’s look at how colours are used in chromotherapy. It uses electromagnetic energy relating to each of the seven spectrum colours of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. It might sounds complicated but don’t worry, I’ll explain it in simpler terms in the next chapter. Colour therapy goes back thousands of years and has been documented in many countries and areas of the world. I will not get into great detail but if you would like to know more of the history behind it please click here, it’s a very interesting read.
It’s all great but how does chromotherapy work? Let’s see: Colours consist of energy. Out of the 7 colours of the colour spectrum some are transmitted (go through) objects, some are absorbed and some are reflected. If we look at a red apple for example, red colour reflects off its surface but all the other colours are absorbed. That’s why we see a red apple. When you see a white object, it means all frequencies are reflected. Nothing is absorbed, so the object is white. On the other hand, if all frequencies are absorbed by an object then it appears to be black. If you’d like to know more about it please click on this video link. It explains reflection and absorption really well.
Colour healing can be implemented in several ways. For example coloured lights can be used on the body. Another way to implement chromotherapy is through the help of a spiritual healer or energy healer. While they heal a certain body part- they can mentally direct certain colours to that area. You yourself can also use colour therapy directly or indirectly in your life. For example you could use colours within your meditation. You can envision a colour while concentrating of each corresponding chakra. (E.g. imagine an orange light and concentrate on the area underneath your belly button which is your sacral chakra) I attached a wonderful Colour Therapy Meditation which I love doing. If you meditate regularly you’ll love this 22 minutes of bliss and relaxation. If you have not meditated yet I would highly recommend you to give it a try. As soon as you start the video the resonance of sounds will calm your mind down. I’d suggest you to listen to this meditation with earphones. You’ll be able to listen to the sounds travelling in your ears and your mind. Find a quiet spot, dim the lights (or you could even turn them off). Lie down or sit in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and the meditation will do the rest. But before you start it let’s see a couple of colours, their meanings and their benefits. There are many colours with meanings. This time I’ll mention the ones corresponding to all the chakras.
RED
It stimulates the root chakra which is the first chakra. It is located at the base of the spine. Its energy is based on the earth element. It’s associated with the feeling of safety and grounding. It has healing properties, energizes heart and blood circulation. It stimulates sexual desire and ovulation. It is associated with passion, strength and power. In nature it’s a warning sign for danger.
ORANGE
This colour connects to the sacral chakra which is two inches below your belly button. It is a warm colour and it helps achieve great abundance and comfort. It has a freeing action upon the mind and body. It will show you new opportunities in life. Helpful when you’re doing some creative thinking and helps bring out new ideas. It stimulates digestion, respiration and the lungs. It also increases the activity of the thyroid which is great news for a lot of women I think! It also decreases muscle cramps.
YELLOW
It’s the colour of the solar plexus chakra which is between the naval and sternum. It strengthens the mind and nerves. Yellow is all about confidence, self-esteem and personal power. Focusing on the colour yellow in the upper part of your abdomen can help you feel strong, confident, motivated, and powerful. It’s a great colour for nerve related issues. It can be great for stomach, intestines and liver problems and it also helps the pores of the skin. This is a great colour for depressed and melancholic people, it would bring happiness and positivity in their lives. It’s the colour of cheerfulness, progress and curiosity.
GREEN
It’s the colour of the heart chakra witch can be found in the centre of the chest. Even though you might think of red when you’re thinking of the heart, actually green is associated with the heart chakra. It increases compassion and the ability to give and receive love. It helps to be kind hearted and it is associated with health and healing.
BLUE
This colour is connected to the throat chakra. It is all about self-expression and good communication. It is a relief for migraines and headaches. It helps with fever, blood pressure and strong emotions such as aggression or anger. This colour brings tranquillity. Blue is associated with truth, wisdom and guidance. It encourages patience, healing and sincerity.
INDIGO
This colour is related to the third-eye chakra which is at the centre of the forehead, between the eyebrows. It is all about connecting to your intuition and inner vision. Indigo is a wonderful help for mental problems and great purifier of the bloodstream. It could help with both physical and spiritual perception.
VIOLET/ PURPLE
This colour is in connection with the crown chakra which is 2 inches above the top of the head. It is about purity and enlightenment. Using these colours will bring spiritual insights and renewal. They heal melancholy and delusions, soothe emotional and mental health and help with sleep problems.
There are other colours as well which would promote certain feelings or help with the prevention of certain illnesses. Also they’re great to enhance your mood and give positive energy which you could use in your home.
So what’s the conclusion? It is certain that we all love colours- or I think most of us do. Throughout our lives we experience the joys of colours and colour combinations and appreciate the visual effects of them. But we should consider that the experience of colours in our everyday lives could truly help us bring serenity, calmness and peace. Certain colours can also give us more energy when we need it. They can facilitate the practical aspects of our lives such as work, practicing sports or hobbies. This happens even when we do not look at the colours directly. So my final advice is: let’s be conscious of these precious elements that can positively support our daily life, health and existence.
The next blogpost will be about how you could use certain colours in your home if you’d like to enhance certain feelings such as joy, gratitude or tranquillity. I’ll also give advice on how you’ll be able to practice basic chromotherapy in your home on a small budget or even for free!
Dear Reader,
I’d be very happy to hear your thoughts and comments on this article. If you have any questions relating to colour, dot art or resin art please let me know and I’ll do my best to answer you.
I’m wishing you a wonderful day,
Nelly
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