Color therapy, now backed by scientific principles, is gaining renewed status and credibility. Ancient cultures dating back to 2000 B.C. used the healing powers of color and light. Color was woven into all aspects of their culture, including health. According to Faber Birren’s “Color Psychology and Color Therapy: A Factual Study of the Influence of Color on Human Life,” ancient Egyptians used specially made solariums with colorful glass ceilings, as well as colored silks, colored waters and gels to provide treatment for disease. Although people were not aware of the scientific basis behind color as medicine, they had faith in its healing powers. With the rise of holistic medicine there has been a resurgence of these age-old methods.
Practitioners of chromotherapy believe that all beings are surrounded by energetic fields that interact fluidly with outside energy sources, such as color and light. We are composed of colors, and colors are responsible for the proper function of our systems. All our organs and limbs have their own distinct colors. We are made of the same basic universal substance — atoms. Each of our organs is connected to an energy center, also called chakras, and vibrate at a frequency corresponding to a specific color. When parts of our bodies diverge from these normal vibrations, imbalance and ultimately disease can occur. Exposure to a light source, combined with color that matches the afflicted organ or system, can provide the necessary healing energy for the body, according to a study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Applying color that vibrates at the correct frequency to an area that does not oscillates at its ideal level allows the diseased area to recalibrate, harmonize and begin to function correctly.
Today color therapy is being practiced in many forms, as a complementary treatment to restore balance to the emotional, physical, mental and spiritual systems of the body.
Crystal healing involves placing stones based on color, quality and geometry to restore alignment of the chakras.
Color silk therapy places cloths of any natural fabric directly on the body, typically at the chakra centers, to release healing vibration to the physical body. Silk is most commonly used because it has the highest vibration and can best radiate specific color frequencies for healing.
Hydro color therapy incorporates water with color to transfer healing energy into and onto the physical body — either by consumption or immersion. Consuming light infused water simply requires placing filtered water in the sunlight for a 24-hour period before consumption. Immersion involves bathing in colored water, typically the water is colored by LED lights.
Molly O'Brien
Molly O'Brien is a freelance writer based in Gainesville, Florida. She specializes in community and personal health topics. Born in Huntington, New York, she graduated from SUNY Farmingdale with a Bachelor of Science in biology. Molly has a passion for literature, language and art in all forms. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in English with a specialization in creative writing.
