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»Colour in history »What can light do for our health? »Is ultraviolet dangerous? »How can colour assist health? »What colour therapy systems are there? »How to use the Colours? »The Psychiatric and Holistic Meaning of Colours »Download these topics |
Color in history Since the earliest known civilisations, colour has been used to communicate aesthetic ideas. The use of colour in the monumental works of Egypt and then Greece was extended into the Christian iconography of early oil painting where colour was used as a rich symbolism in its own right. Medieval stained glass made a huge impact on worshippers of that time because vivid colour speaks to our intuitive and feeling capacities. Coloured light as a treatment was introduced in America in the nineteenth century, but it has remained obscure until the present day revival. It is now seen to fit into the expanding field of vibrational medicine which works on the whole energetic level of living beings. Top What can light do for our health? In northern climes, winter often brings the blues. A simple and proven remedy is the use of powerful light. Seasonal Affective Disorder is readily cured by sitting in front of bright light (10,000lux) for about half an hour morning and evening. The effect is brought about by regulation of the pineal gland in the brain which modulates the production of melatonin and serotonin - the molecules responsible for sleeping and waking. Darkness results in the production of melatonin which is a healthy state of affairs during the night time sleep cycle as it is conducive to healing and longevity, but, if melatonin production is not turned down in the morning by the effect of light on the pineal gland, lethargy and depression can arise in the presence of unusually high levels of melatonin during the day time activity cycle. The opposite condition of reduced melatonin caused by the modern use of prolonged artificial light is likely to have the knock-on effect of reducing the sexually inhibitive effect of melatonin and lead to the earlier onset of puberty. The power and importance of natural rhythms is not to be taken lightly! Until the 1960s babies born prematurely suffered a life-threatening condition of jaundice, which may have necessitated a blood transfusion. Now, thanks initially to an article by R.J. Cremer in 1958, all that is required is exposure to light. This cure results from the chemical breakdown of bilirubin by full spectrum or blue light. Dyslexia sufferers are now enabled to read comfortably with tinted glasses or overlays; black and white is often too harsh for them to see clearly. Specialist optometrists use the Intuitive Colorimeter, invented by Dr Arnold Wilkins, to evaluate the individual colours of the tinted glasses which improve reading and help to prevent migraines. Another recent use of light therapy, developed for the military, involves shining light onto a non-visual part of the retina to prevent sleepiness over a period of forty-eight hours. Curiously, the use of strobed light in a sleeper's eyes has been found to stop snoring. These, and other distortions of the use of light are hardly to be applauded as they will lead to other imbalances in the body. There are very many impressive medical uses of light, but we shall focus on its application in the complementary field. Top Is ultraviolet dangerous? It is important to note that there are three divisions of UV light: A,B and C. It is UVC which is the most dangerous radiation. It is almost entirely filtered out by the ozone layer of the atmosphere, when that is intact. UVB is useful for vitamin D production but it is not good to get too much exposure. UVA results in skin tanning but fair-skinned people need to protect their skin from over-exposure. The healthful benefits of sunlight are usually thought, in temperate regions, to outweigh any danger of skin cancer. Advice varies as to how much sunlight is healthy, but an hour's exposure to sunlight early and late in the day cannot do anything but good. Top How can colour assist health? The psychological effects of colours in our built environments are quite marked. Colour needs to be understood to be applied in a way which supports activity or rest, agitation or calm. The psychological colour language is universal as it would appear to be rooted in our biology. Red stimulates the sympathetic nervous system which raises our readiness for action. Blue stimulates the complementary system, the parasympathetic, which lowers blood pressure and induces calm. Other colours partake to various degrees of these extremes of action. Colour is understood by the unconscious mind whether the stimulus is applied directly to the skin or through the eyes. In this way, bodily response patterns can be shifted, and harmony can be restored by the judicious use of coloured light in therapy. Top What colour therapy systems are there? Theo Gimbel (England) re-awakened interest in coloured light therapy in the 1970s and remains a powerful international lecturer and teacher. Theo Gimbel founded the International Association of Colour in 1984. In Gimbel's Hygeia Colour Therapy Method, colour is always accompanied by a lesser amount of its complementary in a harmoniously timed sequence; and appropriate shapes are built into the masks of the stained glass filters which are used. Gimbel's approach is based on spiritual principles concerning the effects of Angels and Elementals. He adds, 'Healing is Love in action.' Top How to use the Colours? There are a few ways of using colour to benefit from their properties. 1-One way is to stare at the colour. You simply sit comfortably and stare at the colour you would like to benefit from. In this site all the colour plates are provided to begin any of the processes talked about. 2-Here is another way; look through stained glass in the colour you have chosen. To do this take your stained glass, place by the window and reap the benefits. 3-Another way is to pour some water into a glass of which colour you choose and let it sit by the window in the sunshine for around one hour or more and then drink the water. 4-There is meditation of colour as well. This procedure involves you to imagine the colour and keep it in your mind; do not get distracted. 5-One other way to reap the benefits of colour, is to wear the colour as clothing. So you see there are many ways to involve yourself in the psychological benefits of colour therapy. Try them all to see which works best for you. You may see results within seconds, minutes or approximatly an hour depending on your intent. Top The Psychiatric and Holistic Meaning of Colours: RED VITALITY, COURAGE, SELF CONFIDENCE Use when you need to meet a demanding day, or when you feel drained of energy. The colour red provides the power from the earth and gives energy on all levels. It connects us to our physical body. Everything that is to be commenced needs the life vitality of red. Personality Traits: Courageous, confident, humanistic, strong-willed, spontaneous, honest, and extroverted. ORANGE HAPPINESS, CONFIDENCE, RESOURCEFULNESS Brings joy to our workday and strengthens our appetite for life! Orange is the best emotional stimulant. It connects us to our senses and helps to remove inhibitions and makes us independent and social. Personality Traits: Enthusiastic, happy, sociable, energetic, sporty, self-assured, and constructive. YELLOW WISDOM, CLARITY, SELF-ESTEEM Gives us clarity of thought, increases awareness, and stimulates interest and curiosity. Yellow energy is related to the ability to perceive and understand. The yellow energy connects us to our mental self. Personality Traits: Good-humoured, optimistic, confident, practical, and intellectual. GREEN BALANCE, LOVE, SELF CONTROL Helps relax muscles, nerves, and thoughts. Cleanses and balances our energy, to give a feeling of renewal, peace and harmony. Green connects us to unconditional love and is used for balancing our whole being. Personality Traits: Understanding, self-controlled, adaptable, sympathetic, compassionate, generous, humble, nature loving, and romantic. BLUE KNOWLEDGE, HEALTH, DECISIVENESS This is a mentally-relaxing colour. Blue has a pacifying effect on the nervous system and brings great relaxation. Ideal for sleep problems, and hyper-active children. Connects us to holistic thought, and gives us wisdom and clarity enhancing communication and speech. Personality Traits: Loyal, tactful, affectionate, inspiring, inventive, caring, and cautious. INDIGO INTUITION, MYSTICISM, UNDERSTANDING The indigo energy connects us to our unconscious self, and gives us the experience of being part of the whole universe. Strengthens intuition, imagination, psychic powers, and increases dream activity. Personality Traits: Intuitive, fearless, practical, idealistic, wise, and a truth seeker. VIOLET BEAUTY, CREATIVITY, INSPIRATION Purifies our thoughts and feelings giving us inspiration in all undertakings. The violet energy connects us to our spiritual self bringing guidance, wisdom and inner strength. Enhances artistic talent and creativity. Personality Traits: Inspirational leaders, kindly and just, humanitarians, self-sacrifing, visionary, creative, and strong mentally. Pink Is emotionally soothing and calming, and gives the feeling of gentle warmth and nurturing. It lessons feelings of irritation and agrression, surrounding us with the a sense of love and protection. It also alleviates loneliness, despondency, over sensetivity, and vuneralability. Turquoise We associate blue green with the refreshing and cool ocean. It is therefore invigarating, cooling and calming. Like green turquoise is good for mental strain and tiredness or feeling washed out. It is an elevating colour that encourages us to make a sparkling fresh start. Turquoise is also helpful for feelings of loneliness, sense it heightens communication, sensitivity, and creativity. Magenta When we are feeling despondent and worried about our condition, or feeling angry and frustrated, magenta draws us out of this attitude and lets our spirits soar. It is a spiritual colour but also with practical overtones, associated with compassion, support and kindness. From a negative prospective, magenta, like violet, make us desire to be lifted out of the demanding world and avoid challenges. It can also be too relaxing. So avoid magenta if you are chronically depressed or introverted. White The colour of utlimate purity is white. It is an all-round colour of protection, bringing peace and comfort, alleviating emotional shock and despair, and helping inner cleansing of emotion, thoughts, and spirit. If you need time and space to reflect on your life, white can give you a feeling of freedom and uncluttered openness. Too much white, however, can be cold and isolating because white separates us from other people. Black This colour is both comforting, protective, and mysterious. it is associated with silence, the infinate, and the feminine life force-passive, unchartered, and mysterious. Black can also prevent us from growing and changing. We often cloak ourselves in black to hide from the world. Grey Associated with indepedence, self-reliance, self-control, grey acts as a shield from outside influence. However, grey generally has a negative feeling ie; thick grey clouds, fog, and smoke. Grey is the colour of evasion and non-commitment since it is neither black or white. It relates to walling everything off, remaining seperate, uncommited, and uninvolved, inevitably leading to loneliness. It also denotes self-criticism. Silver Silver is the colour of the moon, which is ever changing. It relates to the feminine principle and the emotional, sensitive aspect of the mind. It balances, harmonizes, and is mentally cleansing. Gold Like yellow, gold is associated with the sun and is therefore related to abundance and power, higher ideals, wisdom, and understanding. It is mentally revitalizing, energizing and inspiring, and helpful for fear, uncertainty, and lack of intrest. Pale gold is excellent for depression and sharpens the mind. Brown The colour of Mother Earth, brown brings a sense of stability, alleviating insecurity. However it also relates to bottling up of emotion, a retreat from and a fear of the outside world, and also narrow-mindedness. This often results from a lack of self-worth. Top Download You can download all the topics on this page from here.(txt file) file 1 |