In vogue since ancient times, colour therapy has now come of age as a holistic method of treatment. Global research justifies the application of colour in many disorders. Administered by a trained practitioner, colour therapy is safe, complementary to other systems and relatively inexpensive in India.
Modern man spends most of his life cooped up within homes, offices or automobiles. Thanks to the odd hours they keep, some people even spend a few months without being exposed to sunlight. The body and mind are casualties when we miss out on the invigorating colour vibrations present in nature. The good health of the ancients was partly because they allowed all colours in nature to energise their bodies by being outdoors during the day. Having a proper balance of healthy colours in the interiors of our homes and offices can partly rectify this shortcoming.
The Magic Therapy of Colours outlines the history of colour therapy, modern methods of utilising colour and the areas it is beneficial in. The book is an invaluable guide for those seeking holistic benefits from colour therapy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A.R. Hari is an engineer by profession and has studied colour therapy for over a decade as a science. He has successfully projected the methodologies of the working of colour therapy in a scientific manner in this book. According to the author, colour therapy is basically a science dealing with various energy fields inside the body.
He has written books on alternative systems. His earlier books, Vaastu Crrections without Demolitions and Water A Miracle Therapy, published by Pustak Mahal, were highly appreciated.
PREFACE:
Colour therapy has been in vogue since ancient times. Hindus have always considered different colours as manifestations of the Supreme Lord.
The following lines succinctly outline the relationship between colours and God:
Evamesha mahadevo deva deva pitaamaha
Karomi niyathakalam kalatma eiswari thanuhu
Vishwame rasamayo vipra sarvaloka pradeepakaha
Thesham shreshta punanha
Saptarasamayo tanayee namaha
Kurma Purana
The Lord is supreme and is the God of gods. He controls time and time rests in Him. He illumines the world with His brilliant hues. Of these, seven are most important and I bow
to them.
It is quite clear that much before Western scientists proved through the prism spectrum that white light was made up of seven colours, ancient Indian sages were well aware of this fact.
From the early stages of human evolution colour has aroused the interest of man. This is quite natural as nature is filled with colour. Everywhere we look around us, greenery is predominant in nature.
There are other rich colours in nature, too.
The sky is blue, but takes on breathtaking hues when the sun s rays play with the clouds during sunset. At such times, one can see red as well as violet, which lights up the entire sky. The rainbow is another beautiful phenomenon where all the seven colours in the spectrum stand out brilliantly across the sky.
Flowers are another example of nature s bounty seen in innumerable colours. Almost all permutations and combinations that man can ever think of already exist in nature. The colour preference of nature indicates that nature is fully aware of the beauty associated with colours and utilises it to the maximum to make God s creations appear even more spectacular.
Apart from flowers, beautiful birds with kaleidoscopic shades inhabit various parts of the globe, contributing their mite to making the world more beautiful. It is therefore not surprising that man noticed colours and has enjoyed their beauty since ancient times.
This interest in colour must have goaded the ancients to examine the impact of colour upon the mind and body. There is little doubt that given its past heritage, India is the birthplace of chromo-therapy. However, the scattering of light into various colours through the use of prisms, the advent of coloured glasses and other advances by the West helped colour therapy take giant strides.
Colour therapy has come of age and is today recognised as a respectable, holistic method of treatment. Research on colour therapy is being conducted around the world. The current findings are sufficient to justify the application of colour therapy in many disorders to which the human body is prone. Significantly, in the hands of a trained practitioner, colour therapy is safe, harmless and relatively inexpensive in India.
This book aims to enlighten the readers on the latest research and breakthroughs in this field. The book is therefore unique as it updates you on the latest research findings.
The application of colour in modern times is more important than ever before. Earlier generations had the good fortune of being exposed to nature, when they could enjoy its beauty and receive vibrations from various colours. This helped them have a cheerful mind and healthy body.
Today, this is no longer true. Modern man spends most of his life cooped up either in a drawing hall, in the office or in an automobile. He rarely looks up at the sky or has any time to enjoy nature. Thanks to the odd hours they keep, some people even spend a few months without being exposed to the sun.
In such a situation, the body is the casualty, missing out on the invigorating colour vibrations present in nature. There is no doubt that the high energy levels and the good health enjoyed by the ancients was partly due to the fact that they allowed all colours in nature to work on them by staying out in the open during the day. The body is blessed with inherent intelligence and knows what colour is required to repair which organ. As all colours are freely available in nature, the vibrations were absorbed effortlessly, resulting in vibrant health for everyone.
This luxury is largely denied to us today. To some extent, having the right healthy colours in the interiors of our houses and offices can rectify this shortcoming.
The Magic Therapy of Colours deals with the history of colour therapy, the modern methods of utilising colour therapy and the areas where it is beneficial. The book will therefore be a valuable guide for those who wish to benefit from colour and colour therapy.
A.R. Hari
CONTENTS:
The History of Colour Therapy
The Basic Principles
Application of Colour in Modern Medicine
How Colours Affect Us
Colours and Chakras in the Human Body
Methods of Administering Colour Therapy
Spot Application of Colour Therapy
Sources of Colour
Colour Breathing Techniques
Colour Combination Treatment
Colour Therapy Through Chakras
Acupuncture and LED Light Colour Therapy
Energy Colour Healing
Octagonal Colour Pyramid
Use of Colour Pyramid Water
Pyramid Healing Through Chakras
Colour Crystal Cards
EXCERPTS:
Application of Colour in Modern Medicine
Modern research has shown that colour indeed has an effect on our mood and health. Lack of natural daylight impairs our mood and if one is exposed to artificial light for most part of the day, the quality of life will be greatly affected.
Ordinary, cool, white fluorescent lamps have an unbalanced spectral distribution and distort other colours, straining the eye and the system. Now, full-spectrum fluorescent lamps are manufactured abroad, which give light in the same colour temperature as that of sunlight. This exactly matches the bright, white sunlight one sees during the day. Exposure to this light has reportedly brought relief in various types of glandular disorders, insomnia, fatigue, depression, Alzheimer s disease and other ailments.
Blue light is found to be effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, a joint disorder that has so far remained elusive to cures by modern medicine. There is no proven medicine except a recommended regimen of vitamins, painkillers and physiotherapy to check the progress of this disease.
Further, once the disease sets in, the progress cannot be stopped, but only slowed down. Painkillers are not without side effects and after a period of time, immunity develops, with the result that stronger and higher dosages are required for the same effect. The disease continues its relentless march towards total incapacitation and leads to a condition where the patient will not be able to carry out his daily activities.
According to Dr SF McDonald, blue light brought significant relief from pain in such cases. Blue light is also used in the treatment of non-malignant tumours and cancers.
At the annual conference of the American Association for Advancement of Science in 1990, scientists reported that blue light could be used successfully to treat psychological problems and other diseases. Migraines, headaches and certain forms of cancer respond positively to red light.
Modern medicine is slowly looking at colour as another therapeutic tool. Photodynamic therapy is an offshoot of such experiments, wherein certain photosensitive chemicals are injected into the body. They only accumulate in cancer cells, identify such cells and destroy these when they are activated by red light.
More than 3,000 people have responded favourably to treatment by this technique.
The colour pink has been found to be a tranquilliser and has a calming effect within minutes of exposure. Hostile and aggressive people can be turned into more agreeable types and it is almost an acknowledged fact that in pink surroundings, people cannot be aggressive, even if they want to, because the colour saps their energy.
By contrast, yellow light encourages violence. In fact, an increase in violence all over the world is attributed to some extent to the wide use of sodium vapour lamps, which emits a yellow hue.
Similarly, people suffering from the learning disorder, dyslexia, respond favourably to colour therapy. Doctors have found that having these children put on tinted glasses could make them see letters properly. The British Medical Research Council has confirmed this in 1993. In Britain, an Intuitive Colour Meter is developed to select the right colour glass for people suffering from dyslexia.
The paranormal effects of colour have also become a subject of study. Scientists are hard put to explain phenomenon like eyeless sight of persons who are totally blind, yet able to recognise colours.
A new term, Dermo-optic Vision, has been coined to explain this phenomenon according to which even skin on the human body is capable of responding to colour stimulations. It is believed that almost one in six persons has this unique ability of identifying colours even when blindfolded, although most are not aware of this faculty.
Similarly, such subjects were able to identify colours correctly when coloured objects covered with various materials like brass, copper and aluminium plates were given to them.
It is believed that the pineal gland may be behind the manifestation of this unique ability. The pineal gland produces two hormones called melatonin and serotonin. Melatonin is an important chemical which helps animals respond to light and synchronises their body reactions to the daily cycle.
Serotonin is another very important chemical of the brain that is responsible for behavioural patterns. During a span of 24 hours, serotonin is produced during the day and melatonin during the night. Depression appears to be linked with melatonin levels. Naturally, sunlight alleviates this problem by controlling melatonin release.
Specific colours appear to affect specific diseases. Eruptive diseases respond better in a room with red windows. Similarly, people under stress or depression recover rapidly when they are placed in rooms with red light. Pain is relieved when patients are subjected to flashing and coloured lights.
Scientists believe that the brain itself is colour sensitive and responds to different frequencies of various colours. Using blue colour, for example, can effectively cure sleep problems. Violet light induces relaxation, reduces stress and chronic pain.
Research on colour therapy is continuing in various parts of the world and several university hospitals abroad have allowed their post-graduate degree students to conduct their thesis research on colour therapy projects. A section of modern medical practitioners believes that colour therapy has a bright future.
Dr Harry Riley of the United States documented that profound physiological and psychological changes were induced in patients when the colour of light entering their eyes was changed. These experiments have made the scientific community look more closely at the spectrum itself.
According to current research, the spectrum is believed to contain eight colours (instead of seven as believed earlier): Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Turquoise, Blue, Violet and Magenta. Modern colour therapists put all these colours to use in curing various ailments.
How Colours Affect Us
Colour can affect us on the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual planes, since man exists in all the four states simultaneously. An illness can be attributed to a disturbance in any one plane, although the effect may be seen in other planes as well.
For example, if a person has an upset stomach, it may be due to a physical disorder but he will also be emotionally disturbed and mentally tense. The same effect can be perceived when a person is emotionally upset, as it can again cause disturbance at the physical level, resulting in loss of appetite or indigestion.
In the first case, the cause is physical and, therefore, colour therapy is to be administered at the physical level. If the cause is emotional, the treatment is to be administered at the emotional level. This factor is very important because the choice of colour in each case is different.
Let us see how colours affect us on the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual planes.
On the physical plane
Green and light blue make us restful.
Orange is revitalising.
Red stimulates.
On the emotional plane
Sky blue and turquoise are restful.
Peach is revitalising.
Orange is stimulating.
On the mental plane
Indigo is restful.
Emerald green revitalises.
Yellow stimulates.
On the spiritual plane
Blue is restful.
Gold revitalises.
Violet and purple stimulate.
On the physical level, green and light blue relax, orange has a revitalising effect and red stimulates. These colours can affect us on the emotional, mental and spiritual levels also.
Therefore, the colour combinations for restful sleep are sky blue or turquoise, whereas for revitalising emotions one has to use peach. Emotions are also stimulated by the colour orange. At the mental level, indigo induces restfulness, whereas emerald green revitalises. Yellow stimulates mental acumen.
If one is looking for spiritual progress, then purple appears restful, whereas the colour gold revitalises. Violet acts as a stimulator. Those engaged in meditation should use violet in the meditation room.
It is important to recognise at what level the therapy is required, whether physical, mental or emotional. If the therapy is required at the physical level, then it has to be decided whether it is required to stimulate or to shake off lethargy and revitalise one to counter the effects of excessive strain.
Similarly, on the emotional level, if the therapy is to be administered and a person is emotionally not responsive, he needs the colour orange to revitalise him.
However, if emotions have drained the person, he needs a more restful colour like peach to revitalise him. On the mental level, if the person is mentally tired by excess work, one should use indigo to induce restfulness.
A person who feels drained of ideas can be revitalised with emerald, whereas indigo should be selected if a person has a mind clouded with thoughts. If the person has a disinterested outlook towards life, the colour yellow can change his attitude.
On the spiritual level, one has to be very relaxed to secure any result and, therefore, blue is recommended. If meditation practices are taxing, the colour gold is recommended to revitalise oneself. Again, during meditation there can be frustration and lack of interest if the desired progress is not achieved. In such cases, one should use violet.
The above information is very important while selecting a colour for therapeutic purposes. The job of the colour therapist is indeed complex, as he has to identify the seat of the disease and determine whether the cause is physical, emotional, mental or spiritual. Any mistake here will result in a wasted effort.
Therefore, the role of a colour therapist in curing ailments is becoming more important as the popularity of this system grows.
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