by Cindy VanDyke
Today, I would like to bring our awareness to colour and how it affects is knowingly and unknowingly. How we use it to describe emotion or in everyday conversations such as:
"I am in the pink today"
"She was green with envy"
"The business was in the red last year"
" He has blue days"
"That is the golden boy"
And so on.
I want to share with you how we can use colour to enhance our lives.
When it comes to colour, most people have an attraction or an aversion to certain colours.
When you become consciously aware of colour you may begin to tap into the basic psychology of colour and how it is used to influence us with its own language.
Colour therapy has been used and recognized for many years, not only in ancient cultures but here and now. Depending on brightness, shade, and tone, colours can be stimulating and constructive, or depressing.
We have warm colours like red, orange, and yellow, or cool colours like blue, green and purple. Happy colours that are bright and light. Sad colours that are dark and muted. Calming colours that are pastel and neutral. Energizing colours that stand out and refresh like magenta and turquoise.
All of these amazing reflections of light bring either cheerfulness or irritation to us mentally or emotionally, depending on our experiences, culture and sensitivities.
In yoga, each area pf the body has an energy center or chakra influenced by a colour and its balancing colour. The seven main chakra are located from the base of the spine to the top of the head.
The first chakra has an emanating colour of red, and a balancing colour of green.
The second chakra has an emanating colour of orange and a balancing colour of blue.
The third is yellow with a balancing colour of violet.
The fourth is green and the balance is red.
The fifth is blue and a balance of orange.
The sixth is indigo and the balancing colour is deep yellow.
The seventh is violet and the balancing is pale yellow.
If the chakra or energy center is underactive, the emanating colour is beneficial. If the center is overactive, the balancing color would be beneficial.
In the upcoming presentations, we will go into each chakra and look at their location, as well as how colour, sound, movement, activities, diet, elements and breath (prana yama) affects each one. Likewise we will look at how each one effects our physical, mental, emotional and social well-being.
Perhaps then there may be a conscious awareness as to what colours you gravitate to and why.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in blog entries are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Heart Niagara.