Vibrant colors of every hue exist in our world. Without color, the world would be much less interesting. But what is color? How can all of these beautiful shades exist in nature, and how are they created?
Sharp green blades of grass poking out from the earth. Brilliant pink and orange streaks of clouds in the evening sky. Cheery yellow petals of fall sunflowers dancing in the wind.
When we speak of color, we mean energy waves.
Every color, each with its own frequency, is a form of energy. The electromagnetic spectrum describes all kinds of light in the universe: gamma rays, x-rays, UV, infrared, microwaves and radio waves, many of which the human eye cannot see due to our biological limitations. Visible light is the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that is perceived by the cone shaped cells in the human eye- and it includes all of the colors we associate with a rainbow- red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
Aristotle developed the first known theory of color in Ancient Greece. However, it was Isaac Newton, a budding young scientist experimenting with light in 1665 that demonstrated that white light was actually composed of seven different colors. When light passes through a prism, the light refracts (bends) into separate colors due to the different electromagnetic wavelengths of each color. Violet has the shortest wavelength, at around 380 nanometers, and red has the longest wavelength, at around 700 nanometers. Newton laid the groundwork for scientific analysis of color in optics, physics, chemistry, perception and color in nature.
So while we can see all the colors of the rainbow, can they help or heal us in any way?
Color therapy is known to have been used to aid healing in ancient times well across the globe. Ancient Egyptians used chromotherapy in temples with colored rooms for healing. Ancient Greeks and Romans used sunlight for phototherapy or heliotherapy, and they incorporated colored stones, minerals, crystals, salves and dyes as remedies. India and China also have documented use of light and color therapies in historical texts. Each culture had their own ideologies, but light and colors were used to treat mental, emotional and physical well-being.
Modern science has proven that our body has reliable and recordable physiological reactions to colors. Color is shown to impact mood, feelings and behaviors. Colors generate electrical impulses and magnetic currents of energy that activate biochemical and hormonal processes in the human body. When an organ or process in our human body is out of balance, or not at the vibrational frequency it should be (diseased), the specific frequencies of colors can be used to help bring the body back into its natural state of well-being. Color therapy can be applied by direct lighting, drinking water or breathing air that has been charged with the frequency of a particular color, or even color visualization.
The chakra system of seven energy centers in our body has each been assigned to a color on the visible spectrum.
For example, the base or root chakra is associated with the color red. We can help balance our chakras by using colors that complement them. Wearing red clothing, eating red foods, using red crystals, literally visualizing red color, will help balance the energy of the root chakra. Colors can complement nearly every other vibrational or energy healing therapy. Next time you have the sun’s rays shining on you, visualize the rainbow of color and healing energy that surrounds you.
