Colour Your Chakras
The pandemic has put most of us in a mood slump, and the second round of quarantine is something none of us are looking forward to. But instead of sitting between four white walls staring at a screen, add some colour and meditation to your life with chromotherapy. Here, we look at the effects of colour therapy and how it affects your physical and mental states through your Chakras.
Why live in black and white when you can live in colour? It’s quite the norm to associate colours with emotions; when we’re sad we feel blue, when we’re happy we see yellow and we even feel green with envy. Our entire lives are surrounded by colours and the meanings that they carry, so it’s not too surprising when we learn that colour can also be used to influence our moods through colour therapy, also known as chromotherapy.
Colours are all around us and stand as an integral part of the world while having a profound influence on us in every phase of our lives. We don’t know about you, but we’ve felt this effect most during quarantine when we craved the hues of mother nature and opened our windows for some vast blue and lush green ambience. We might have even bought an indoor plant or two to lift our spirits.
Let’s also not forget the amount of time new homeowners or renovators spend on selecting paint for their living rooms and the umpteen shows on television focusing on which room should be painted what kind of colour depending on its use. So, if one plant or wall colour can bring such a change in our moods and behaviours, then imagine what an array of carefully selected colours can do when applied with mindful techniques. “Colour has immense affects in the most profound ways, especially on our emotions, moods, what we communicate to our subconscious mind and what we communicate to others about us and how we feel,” says Walaa from Walaa’s colorways, an author, qualified interior designer and colour therapist. She holds space for spiritual practices and women’s circles, both online and in-person, to help detach from black and white thinking and glow from within.
Colour therapy is the use of colour in a variety of ways to promote health and healing, a technique that has been used for centuries. So, before we go into how to apply colour therapy into your own lives, let’s look at where it comes from. This form of healing has been around since the ancient Egyptians, where patients were treated in rooms specifically designed to break up the sun’s rays into the colours of the spectrum.
Such rooms were known to balance the body’s energy centres, also known as Chakras, as sunlight shone on them through coloured gems. Each colour of the spectrum affected a specific Chakra to heal. In India, specialists of Ayurveda explained that specific colours linked with each of the seven Chakras; energy centres that represent organs, emotions, and aspects of the spirit. Now Ayurveda, being one of the oldest health-care systems in the world, still uses colour to treat a wide range of cerebral and physical imbalances today.
All these techniques have now been modernised to create patterns of harmony in one’s mind, whilst still keeping the nature of the practice intact. “Colour therapy is the use of colour psychology, colour energies to help us reach wellbeing and get us to understand ourselves better because colour is a language of the subconscious mind,” adds Walaa. Basically, when you’re attracted to colour, this is your subconscious mind talking to you, telling you what you need. And colour therapy aids you in understanding those relationships. This process allows you power over your behaviour and moods, helping you to find and reap change.
Used to treat both physical and emotional troubles, colour therapy may comprise of exposure to coloured lights, massages using colour-saturated oils, visualising colours, even wearing coloured clothing and consuming coloured diets. If we get a little scientific, then we could say that the human body absorbs light that is made up of the colour spectrum, the seven colours of the rainbow to be exact.
Each colour in the spectrum has a frequency, wavelength, and energy associated with it. And these colours have an affect on our specific Chakras when absorbed through the nervous system and endocrine system, and consequently on hormone release. Thus, affecting our mental, emotional, psychological, and physical states of health.
Colour therapy can be combined with a range of other treatments and disciplines such as sound therapy, yoga, meditation, and art therapy, as Walaa mentions. “Colour therapy can be combined with many different modalities because every colour is connected to a certain vibration that also connects to the number vibrations, to the sound vibrations and to different body parts as well.”
Colour therapy is often used with reflexology, with massages using colour visualisation, and even colour acupuncture. It’s important to note that if the addition of these colours can add balance to our life, then their absence can also create an imbalance. This is why factors such as our environment and lifestyle need to have just the right amount of colour. Too much or too little can cause unease. For example, the colour blue can have a comforting effect which can then result in lower blood pressure, whereas the colour red might have the opposite effect.
Yellow, on the other hand, may be used to help revitalise people who might be suffering from depression. The shades of colours used in your colour therapy session will vary depending upon the type of ailment you are trying to correct.
The most popular being the connection of colours to our Chakras. Your favourite colour can also say much about your emotional state, along with the colour you are attracted to and wear daily. Walaa says that a favourite colour is depictive of a person’s current needs, challenges and how their body and mind can work to overcome such obstacles in the best way for them.
Know Your Chakras
Your energy already sits inside of you within the seven Chakras of your body. Here, we explore each Chakra’s meaning and colours, and how you can link these elements to your surroundings.
The word Chakra translates to the word ‘wheel’ in Sanskrit, a simple manifestation of seven distinct energy points that start at the top of your head and end at the bottom of your spine. If you’ve ever attended a yoga class or group meditation, your instructor or practitioner most likely spoke about your Chakras. These centres regulate all parts of your body and affect everything from emotional processing to resistance to disease.
“A Chakra is an energy centre in the body that governs [connects] different emotions, different body parts and different energetic elements,” says Walaa from Walaa’s colorways. She explains that the body has hundreds of these, but there are seven main ones along the spine that practitioners focus on. She adds that every Chakra connects to a certain vibration and wavelength of emotions and thoughts, so each Chakra is connected to colour on the same wavelength.
Typically, most meditation techniques focus on keeping these Chakras open and aligned. Blocked Chakras can negatively impact your physical and psychological health, as energy can no longer run freely through your body. These focal points have been the subject of meditations and breathing techniques for centuries, all of which aim towards healthy minds and bodies. Each of these seven main Chakras has a corresponding name, colour, and specific area on the body.
The Root Chakra — Muladhara
Physical Location: The base of the spine, the pelvic floor, and the first three vertebrae
Colour: Red
Element: Earth
Crystal: Hematite
The Root Chakra is the base of our being, as it sits on the base of the spine. It’s our connection to nature and is characterised by a sense of security, stability, and self-reliance. When this Chakra is out of balance a person might feel no control over their life, a lack of purpose, and instability. However, when it is aligned you exude confidence, energy, independence, and strength. Be careful of having an overactive Chakra as it may cause an overindulgence in food, intimacy, attachment to money, and an obsession with feeling secure.
“Being attracted to red can also be an indication that a person is looking for vitality and energy and must achieve that by being grounded and finding balance from activities and getting in touch with the Earth. Red is also a great colour to let go of old pain.” – Walaa, Walaa’s colorways
The Sacral Chakra — Svadhishthana
Physical Location: Lower abdomen, about four fingers below the navel
Colour: Orange
Element: Water
Crystal: Tiger’s Eye
This Chakra is responsible for our creative expression and intimate passion. This is the most fun of the seven. It’s also linked to how we relate to our emotions as well as the emotions of others. When this Chakra is aligned, we feel like we’re on top of the world. You’ll be sociable, zealous, outgoing, and content with life, while oozing smiles all day. This also gives us courage for change in most aspects of our life. It’s a high on creativity, so be sure to keep those juices flowing to keep the wheels of the Chakras turning. When they’re not, it can lead us to feel uninspired creatively, and be down in the dumps emotionally, with no vision for the future.
“Being attracted to orange is also an indication that you might be going through some sort of loss, could be a breakup. Orange is a colour that asks you to get in touch with your emotions and release what no longer serves your joy.” — Walaa, Walaa’s colorways
The Solar Plexus Chakra — Manipura
Physical Location: Upper abdomen in the stomach area
Colour: Yellow
Element: Fire
Crystal: Amber
The third Chakra Manipura, meaning ‘lustrous gem’, is said to be responsible for our source of personal power, and our ruling over our confidence, and happiness. It’s also illustrated by energy and emotions like ego, fury, and anger. It makes us believe in ourselves and our ability to do whatever we put our minds to. If there’s a blockage here, then it may aid in shattering your confidence. It can range from a small insecurity to larger sweeping self-esteem problems, depending on how big the block is. Your thoughts might be haunted by not being good enough, pretty enough, or strong enough while comparing yourself to unattainable standards. Such discomfort can also affect the stomach with nerves and discomfort.
“Yellow could also be a sign that you are spending too much time in your head and that you need to use meditation or some other calming practices to learn to calm your thoughts.” — Walaa, Walaa’s colorways
The Heart Chakra — Anahata
Physical Location: Centre of the chest, just above the heart
Colour: Green
Element: Air
Crystal: Rose Quartz
It’s no surprise that this Chakra deals with elements of love and balance. By harmonising this Chakra you’ll spread love, friendliness, and care in all aspects of your life. All the words that make our hearts glow, a feeling we all know well. Located at the heart centre, this Chakra also lies in the middle of all seven and unites the lower Chakras of matter and the upper Chakras of spirit. It’s the bridge between the mind, body, and emotions, uniting them all to work together in harmony. When closed off, it often erupts in feelings of anger, annoyance, jealousy, or hatred towards yourself and others. And a little too much of it might make you too co-dependent — a lack of boundaries in a relationship.
“Being attracted to green could mean that it’s time to let go of grudges, grief or anything that you are holding on to that’s holding you back from reaching your goals and growing in your life. Green also asks us to open up to the world and lead through our hearts.” — Walaa, Walaa’s colorways
The Throat Chakra — Vishuddha
Physical Location: In the middle of the throat
Colour: Blue
Element: Ether (Space)
You might have guessed it, as the location of the Chakra conveys it all. The focus is on conveying words and having strong communication and knowledge. This is a person’s source of verbal expression and the capability to declare the utmost truth in the clearest way possible. When balanced you will have no problem in saying what you feel, so shout from the rooftops or whisper in the alley; people will hear you loud and clear. You’ll also be able to listen and understand, you’re not only heard but you hear. However, someone with a blocked throat chakra will feel like they have trouble finding the words to say about how they truly feel while finding it hard to pay attention and stay focused. Physically, this blockage can manifest itself as a sore throat, thyroid issues, neck and shoulder stiffness, or tension headaches.
“This colour always asks us to show our true colours, be authentic and speak from who we truly are. Being attracted to sky blue is often a calling for you to be visible as who you are.” — Walaa, Walaa’s colorways
The Third Eye Chakra — Ajna
Physical Location: On the forehead in the centre of your brow
Colour: Indigo
Element: Light
Crystal: Amethyst
The Third Eye Chakra is a powerful energy source when working at its peak. It is often used as a focal point during yoga practices to bring more concentration and awareness and is often associated with intuition; the gut feeling you get. We all have a sense of intuition, but we hardly heed its warnings. A focus on opening the sixth Chakra will help you hone this ability and trust your instincts with ease — strengthening your sixth sense. Think of it as the eye of the soul, serving as a bridge between you and the outside world, allowing you to see beyond illusions. When this Chakra is out of balance, one might have trouble trusting their inner voice, be afraid of success, or, on the contrary, be egotistical.
“Being attracted to indigo could mean that you are spending too much time being wrapped up in the drama of others and not listening to your own intuition. It is a calling to sit in silence and connect with yourself. Listen to you and to the universal energy inside of you.” — Walaa, Walaa’s colorways
The Crown Chakra — Sahasrara
Physical Location: The very top of the head
Colour: Violet
Element: Thought
Crystal: Clear quartz
The Sahastrara Chakra or the ‘thousand petal lotus’ is the centre of spirituality, enlightenment, and energy. It makes way for the inward flow of wisdom and brings the gift of cosmic consciousness. It symbolises our spiritual connection to our higher selves, others, and the universe. This Chakra is linked to every other (and therefore every organ in this system), affecting not just all those organs, but also our brain and nervous system. When all is well, you will be in tune with the beauty of the world around you, experiencing a feeling of profound happiness. Unfortunately, a traumatic life experience can move the Crown Chakra out of positive. When out of balance, one might suffer from a constant sense of frustration, no spark of joy, and negative feelings.
“Being attracted to violet is a call to explore this creativity and uniqueness within you and around you. A calling for self-acceptance and self-love.” — Walaa, Walaa’s colorways
