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Colour Therapy: Living in Full Colour

RHA Member Thea van der Merwe, Ph.D., explores the healing ways we can tap into the power of the light spectrum with colour therapy.

What is Colour Therapy?

Colour is part of our everyday lives, and we make conscious and subconscious choices on which colours to incorporate through what we wear, what we eat and what we surround ourselves with. Through the use of colour we express and even heal ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

One of the simplest ways to charge and balance the energy body, for a short while at least, is to simply stand or sit outside in the full sunlight, allowing ourselves to be charged with the full colour spectrum.

Sunlight is naturally soothing, balancing, and rejuvenating… even healing, but it is not always possible to sit or stand out in the sun. We can however tap into the power of the colour spectrum through colour therapy – where we can consciously use colour to change our energy – to lift a mood, to relax ourselves or to energise ourselves. And although colour therapy is a field of study and method of healing in its own right, it can easily be used to complement any Reiki healing session.

Each colour has its own benefits…

White

White is the colour of purity and heals all aspects of our being – body, mind and spirit. Use white to increase and maintain energy levels, especially in times of depression and lack of motivation. White is also effective to alleviate chronic and acute pain. White also reminds us that where there is light, darkness is kept at bay, thus protecting us from negative energy.

Red

Red is associated with the base chakra and all aspects related to this chakra – survival, passion, warmth, strength and vitality. Use red to energise the entire energy body and increase vitality. Red is supportive of increasing enthusiasm and interest in life and also helps to alleviate feelings of insecurity, fear and anxiety. It is a good colour for stimulating the immune system.

Orange

Orange is a gentler energising colour than red and is associated with the sacral chakra and emotions of joy and hope. Use orange to alleviate feelings of depression, shock, stress, bleakness, boredom, resentment and an inability to let go of the past. Orange is a good colour for bringing relief to aching limbs and muscles.

Yellow

Yellow is the solar plexus colour and associated with intellect, self-esteem, self-worth and personal power. It is the go-to colour for optimism and sociability, balancing emotions and supporting clarity of thought. Use yellow to stimulate the immune system when suffering from minor but frequent illnesses and allergies. Yellow calms and balances the nervous system, and is a good colour for nervous exhaustion, “burn out”, poor memory, anxiety and stress-related ailments.

Green

Green is associated with the heart chakra and all aspect that relate to the heart – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It is the colour of balance and renewal and supports us in our relationships, pursuing new ideas, and embracing change without being restricted by fear of the unknown. Use green to strengthen the heart, lungs, and respiratory system.

Blue

Blue is associated with the throat chakra and the ability to communicate with integrity and truth. Use blue to calm feelings of agitation and chaos and create feelings of peace, tranquillity, detachment and rest. Blue naturally soothes and cools the physical body. Use blue to alleviate aches, pains and discomforts related to the head, neck/throat, ears and eyes.

Purple

Purple is associated with the crown chakra, spirituality and wisdom and is known as the all-healer of body, mind, and spirit. Use purple to rebalance life, remove obstacles hampering the easy flow of life and to integrate new skills into everyday life. Purple supports healing of the spirit, healing the past and banishing what no longer serves our higher selves. Use purple to support relief from sleep disorders, allergies, asthma and ailments related to the head, eyes, ears, nose and skin. Purple can also be used to ease addictions and phobias.

Pink

Pink is usually associated with the heart chakra and unconditional love. It is a calming colour that can be used in aggressive or threatening situations to bring serenity and balance. It reduces tension and helps to calm the mood. Use pink for relief from ear problems, gland problems, and headaches.

This is just a glimpse and colours such as brown, turquoise, black, grey and silver have their own characteristics and contribution to the health and wellbeing of body, mind, and spirit.

Colour therapy can be a wonderful complementary tool to Reiki healing by providing clients with practical advice on incorporating colour into their every-day lives to support their health and wellbeing and to extend the effects of the Reiki treatment.

What are the Benefits of Colour Therapy?

Here are some examples of how you can support and extend the benefits of a Reiki treatment using colour:

Insomnia is a widespread problem. Apart from relaxation techniques and practicing healthy sleep-routines, sleep enhancing colour therapy techniques can be incorporated into daily life. Avoiding “red” foods and focussing on “blue” foods, particularly during an evening meal, is a good starting point. Bedrooms should be calm spaces and using colours such as pale green, pink, blue and lilac can create a sleep-enhancing environment.

Healing from low self-esteem and feeling “blue” can be supported with incorporating yellow and orange into an office or home environment. Encourage clients to buy themselves a yellow or orange flowering plant – it is uplifting and a good step towards self-care rolled into one.

We often feel ungrounded and grounding can be facilitated by incorporating brown, black and red into everyday life – underwear and socks in these colours have the desired grounding effect and are easy, doable fixes.

Life can be stressful and chaotic, throwing us off balance. Sometimes it is difficult to regain and maintain balance. Reiki is supportive of regaining balance. Maintaining this new balance can be reinforced by focusing on green. Being in the middle of the colour spectrum, green is balancing, calming and soothing. On an instinctual level it reminds us of our ability to evolve and survive because where there is green, there is water and food… sustenance. Incorporating green in our diet and décor is a good place to start focusing on balance.

Colour can bring energy into our space and energy body to support healing, balance, and a sense of wellbeing. It can easily and effortlessly be incorporated into our diets, our fashion and our décor. Take note of the colour of the soap you use to wash your hands, the colour of your underwear and the colour of your coffee mug… colour is everywhere and in the simplest things of our everyday lives. To support the health and wellbeing of body, mind, and spirit we need to be aware of colour and the power of these colours.

Author Bio: Thea van der Merwe, Ph.D. is a nationally and internationally trained holistic energy and spiritual healer, shaman and teacher, qualified in many therapies such as Crystal Healing, Colour Therapy, Holistic Dowsing, to name but a few. One of Thea’s greatest passions is Reiki – she is a certified and experienced Reiki Master Teacher, qualified in Usui Reiki, Reijukido, Karuna Ki Reiki, Gendai Reiki and Crystal Reiki. Thea is also certified in Transformation Life Coaching, Shadow Work and Akashic Records.

Instagram: @viterrahealing

Website: v iterra.co.za

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