Introduction to Color Healing

Color symbolism and color therapy has had a long history in many societies and is closely intertwined with cultural associations with various colors. Some modern color therapists take a purely biological approach to color therapy and healing art.

See the information below about color symbolism and common health conditions. Links to additional articles on color symbolism, color meaning, healing with colors and colors psychology can be found at the end of this page.

Introduction to Color Therapy

Color can be introduced to the body through colored light therapy directed at the organs or through light shone on energy meridians in much the same manner as needles are used in acupuncture. Other practitioners use color to adjust the energy field, or aura, around the body.

Water can also be magnetized or charged with various color frequencies. By placing water in a colored jar or wrapping a jar with a colored piece of cloth or paper and placing in the sun for one to three hours, the color can be activated in the water. Alternately, you can place your hands around a plain jar and visualize color flooding the water. Imagine breathing the color into the water. This process should take 3-5 minutes. Placing colored gems or stones in the water will also charge the water.

The Power of Color Breathing

Color breathing can also be used to introduce the influence of a color into the body. Visualize breathing in the color you have determined will be most beneficial, then hold the breath for three to six seconds as you visualize the color penetrating through the affected area of your body or even throughout your entire body. Exhale and repeat for a total of three breaths.

Healing with Colored Light

You can also bathe yourself in healing light through projecting colored light on to specific areas of your body or the entire body.

Some practitioners use light pens with colored crystals to focus on acupuncture points. Others use a flashlight or a slide projector for more generalized colored light.

Choosing Healing Colors: Neutral Colors

For healing purposes, white is stimulating and cleansing for the entire body. Black is a protective color that can be used to calm someone who is agitated. However, too much black can cause depression. Silver activates intuition and imagination. Too much silver can result in a disregard for common sense. Brown, on the other hand, awakens common sense and a practical approach to health and life in general.

Choosing Healing Colors: Warm Colors

Red warms and actives, strengthening the desire to live and clearing the body of stagnation. Too much red can result in aggravation of conditions like high blood pressure. Orange is linked to both the muscular system and emotional health. Orange can help to increase sociability and gregariousness. Yellow relates to the mind, enthusiasm and increasing confidence. Green is soothing and balancing. Green stimulates growth and is counter indicated in cases of cancer or other tumors.

Choosing Healing Colors: Cool Colors

Blue is cooling, relaxing and antiseptic. Indigo and deeper shades of blue strengthen the lymph system, glands and immune system. Too much indigo acts as a sedative. Violet helps with problems of the skeletal system including arthritis and mineral absorption. Pink awakens compassion and love and stimulates the thymus gland. Lemon yellow is revitalizing for the brain. Purple is purifying for the whole body.

Color Therapy and Common Health Conditions

Colors can be used to alleviate many common conditions. This can be done as an adjunct to any other forms of medical treatment. For a full listing of colors and conditions, please see How to Heal with Color by Ted Andrews.

Color Healing and Color Energy in Food

The way food looks is clearly a high form of art. Plates covered with brown, drab foods are certainly less appealing than a plate covered with rich and vibrant colors. If you think about food as a rainbow, you'll be sure to includes foods from many food groups to attain the maximum nutritional benefits. Try to choose foods from each of the following categories:

Color Energy in Food: Red

Red food symbolizes energy and movement. People with lots of red energy have a great deal of physical stamina and tend to be lean and muscular. Red foods include tomatoes, cherries, raspberries, red bell peppers, radishes, beets, red plums, red apples, strawberries and red meat. Too much red food can cause tension and anger.

Color Energy in Food: Orange

Orange food energy is related to good digestion and appetite, joy, happiness and a healthy sex drive. Orange foods are often high in vitamin A. Orange generally indicates a balanced person with a good immune system. An extreme excess of orange foods will give an orange tint to the skin from beta carotene. Orange foods include papayas, oranges, mangoes, apricots, nectarines, peaches, pumpkin, carrots, yams, butternut squash, winter squash, egg yolks and ginger.

Color Energy in Food: Yellow

Yellow food symbolizes a strong intellect and sunny personality. Yellow foods encourage high spirits and good humor. Too much yellow food may have a purgative effect. Yellow foods include yellow lentils, whole grains, pears, bananas, pineapples, butter, corn, and honey.

Color Energy in Food: Green

Green foods are related to balance, harmony and health. Green foods generally are alkalizing for the body and remove toxins. Green vegetables can be eaten in unlimited quantities.Green foods include green bell peppers, green leafy vegetables, green grapes, kiwi, limes, lettuce, celery, cucumber, green peas, green beans and zucchini.

Color Energy in Food: Blue

Blue food energy symbolizes peace, calmness and a cooling or soothing effect. Blue is related to a good night's sleep. Blue foods including blueberries, plums, blackberries, boysenberries, seaweed, black cherries, black soybeans, black olives, raisins, prunes and some freshwater fish.

Color Energy in Food: Purple and Violet

Purple and violet foods have an energy related to creativity, spirituality and inner wisdom. Too much purple energy can lead to suspicion and jealousy. Purple and violet foods include purple grapes, eggplant, purple plums, purple onions, turnips and purple cabbage.

Color Symbolism and the Zodiac

According to medical astrology, the signs and planets can indicate a propensity for problems in certain parts of the body. There are colors corresponding to each astrological sign that can be used to strength these organs as indicated.

Symbol	Sign	Part of Body	Color
	Capricorn	Knees, joints, skin	Black, brown, green
	Aquarius	Calves, ankles, eyes	Blue, yellow, green
	Pisces	Feet, toes, lymph	Green, silver
	Aries	Head, face, brain	Red
	Taurus	Neck, throat, thyroid	Light blue
	Gemini	Hands, shoulders, arms, lungs	Blue, lemon yellow
	Cancer	Stomach, breasts	Silver, green
	Leo	Heart, back	Orange, gold
	Virgo	Intestines, digestion	Deep blue
	Libra	Kidneys, ovaries	Soft pink, blue
	Scorpio	Sex organs, bladder, nose	Yellow, red
	Sagittarius	Hips, thighs, muscles	Deep blue

Capricorn (Dec 21-Jan 20); Aquarius (Jan 21-Feb 19); Pisces (Feb 20-Mar 20); Aries (Mar 21-Apr 20); Taurus (Apr 21-May 20); Gemini (May 22-Jun 21); Cancer (Jun 22-Jul 22); Leo (Jul 23-Aug 22); Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22); Libra (Sep 23-Oct 22); Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 22); Sagittarius (Nov 23-Dec 22)

More Information About Color Symbolism

For more information about color symbolism, please see the following recommended Amazon books:
Symbolism of Color
Color Synergy: Power of Color, Creative Visualizations, and Affirmations to Transform Your Life
The Symbolism of Color
Color and the Edgar Cayce Readings
Color and Meaning: Art, Science, and Symbolism

©2007-2010 Living Arts Enterprises LLC

RESOURCES:

Books
Peterson, L.K. and Cheryl Dangel Cullen. Global Graphics: Color, Designing with Color for an International Market. Couscester, Massachusetts:Rockport Publishers, Inc, 2000.

Andrews, Ted. How to Heal with Color. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2006.

Chiazzari, Suzy. The Complete Book of Color. New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 1998.

Sloane, Patricia. The Visual Nature of Color. Blue Ridge Summit, PA: TAB Books, 1989.

Chevreul, M.E. The Principles of Harmony and Contrast of Colors and Their Applications to the Arts. New York: Reinhold Puyblishing Corporation, 1967.

Websites
http://www.colorassociation.com
http://www.colormarketing.org
http://www.colorpuncture.com
http://www.colourenergy.com

Kathleen Karlsen, MA is a symbolism expert, professional artist and marketing consultant specializing in products and services related to natural health and personal growth. Find out more at Living Arts Media, Kathleen Karlsen Art, and Kathleen Karlsen Writing or contact Kathleen at kathleenkarlsen@msn.com.

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