Colors
Welcome to the healing with colors page. If you’re like me, I have always loved color! The richness and vibrancy of different shades and hues can be breathtaking. Each color is so beautiful in its own unique way and each has powerful healing advantages! Please join me on a color journey. Each week for 7 weeks, I will be sharing about a specific color and its health benefits. I will explain to you what that particular color of the week signifies, which organ it supports, what energy point or chakra it benefits, and how to use the color for healing and creative purposes. With each color week, I will share 3 recipes with you on how to incorporate theses specific health-giving colors into your diet.
Let me, O let me bathe my soul in colours; let me swallow the sunset and drink the rainbow.
Build Your Healing Rainbow With White
“White is not a mere absence of colour, it is a shining and affirmative thing, as fierce as red, as definite as black…God paints in many colours; but He never paints so gorgeously, as when He paints in white.” G.K. Chesterton “The first of all single colors is white…we shall set down white for the representative of light, without which no color can be seen; yellow for the earth; green for water; blue for air; red for fire; and black for total darkness.” Leonardo Da Vinci This is our last week talking about colors and we’re concluding our series with the bright illuminative color White. What do you think of when you think of white…a peaceful snowfall or maybe something pristine?
Build Your Healing Rainbow With Purple/Violet/Indigo
“Purple is the color of my life” Delors C. Walker Purple, Violet, and Indigo are colors that are interrelated that we will be discussing in this week’s rainbow therapy article. These beautiful and rich color hues embody the balance of red’s stimulation and the calming effects of blue. Indigo and Violet are the last two colors of the rainbow. The violet hue has the highest vibration in the visible spectrum of light and has the shortest wavelength. Violet, Indigo, and purple all symbolize the union of the body and soul. They assist in the balance of our physical and spiritual energies. They also embody the joy of transformation and assist in balancing polarities, such as; male and female, day and night, hot and cold, heaven and earth, and right brain and left brain. These shades of colors, especially purple, symbolize royalty, nobility, prestige, wealth, stature, religion, creativity, mystery, and sexuality. In ancient times, the color purple in stained glass was seen as justice and royalty. In Japan, purple symbolizes wealth and status. In Christianity, purple is associated with Advent and Lent. In Egypt, it stands for virtue and faith. Purple Hearts are given to soldiers in the US military for bravery, courage, and strength. This noble award is given to those that were wounded or killed while serving our country. Purple was said to be Cleopatra’s favorite color. People who drive purple cars are thought to be creative, original, and embody individuality.
More about Build Your Healing Rainbow With Purple/Violet/Indigo
Build Your Healing Rainbow With Blue
“There is no blue without yellow and without orange” Vincent Van Gogh This week’s rainbow color is blue/ indigo. Blue is known as the color of the ocean and sky. Blue is a calming color. It also stands for serenity, truth, trustworthiness, loyalty, wisdom, and focus. Blue is called a collective color of the spirit. It helps to invoke rest and can cause the body to produce chemicals that are comforting and soothing. Indigo (another shade of blue) helps us to turn inward, which can assist us in our thought processes, insightfulness, understanding, and intuition. Here are some interesting facts about the color blue: *Biblically, blue stands for the healing power of God (Word of God)-the very fact that the entire sky is blue stands for the presence of Yah Weh (the Name of our Heavenly Father- I AM)! *In Catholicism, blue is associated with the Virgin Mary *“Feeling Blue”- sad or unhappy *“True Blue”- to be loyal or faithful *“Once in a Blue Moon”- an event that occurs infrequently *Blue Blood- an aristocrat *Blue Print- a detailed design of an object or idea *People are usually more productive in a blue room *Blue brings a soothing element to the garden because of being a cooler color in landscape design *Blue’s complimentary color in the garden is orange *People that drive blue vehicles are thought to be credible, confident, dependable, faithful, calm, and usually quiet
GREEN
GREEN “Love is Evergreen” “To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance” Oscar Wilde “Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises” Pedro Calderon dela Barca The lovely color of green! We see it all around us every day. Green is the color associated with the beautiful scenery of nature that is all around us. The lush emerald green hills and green leaves hanging from the trees are just a few things that this color expresses. A study performed by Dr. Robert S. Ulrich, PhD, Director of the Center for Health Systems and Design at Texas A+M University found that nature can help in healing the body. His study concluded that patients in intensive care units could reduce their anxiety and need for pain medication by viewing nature or looking at pictures of trees and water. When we are in nature, we are grounded to the earth. Our natural energy and vibration is properly balanced and flows freely. This beautiful color of green is seen by the human eye, better than any other color in the spectrum. Green is a secondary color, a combination of yellow and blue. Green embraces the mental clearness and cheerfulness of yellow with the emotional calm and insight of blue. This combination inspires hope and offers generosity that is not available from other colors. Green represents harmony, balance, growth, hope, anticipation of things to come, prosperity, abundance, vitality, endurance, and offers strength in times of adversity. This color also encourages a nurturing spirit for ourselves and others and inspires within us, a love of nature, gardening, and home. It is the color of the peacemaker, the counselor, the good listener, the social worker, and the charity worker. It is obviously a very friendly and loving color. Green is a calming and soothing color. It is the color of choice to look at when feeling stressed. It can also help to restore depleted energy. This is the color of renewal, rebirth, and the color that represents the spring (new growth). Biblically, the color green symbolizes immortality and is a symbol of resurrection. In Japan, the color green symbolizes eternal life. In China, jade green stones represent virtue and beauty. Green is the color of hope in Portugal and it is the color that the Scotts wear as a mark of honor. To the Irish, green is their emblem color that represents the lovely green hillsides of their country and St. Patrick, (Ireland’s saint). Green is the middle color of the rainbow, which stands for health, wealth, fertility, and balance. There are wonderful foods to eat that are green too! God has given us so many delicious green foods to choose from that are rejuvenating, revitalizing, nourishing, and healing. Some of these wonderful foods are; cabbage, broccoli, brussel sprouts, celery, lettuces, dandelion, kale, cucumbers, spinach, peppers, asparagus, green apples, limes, sprouts, green beans, peas, chard, mustard greens, collards, zucchini, bok choy, cilantro, basil, mint, parsley, dill, avocado, and green tea. These dark leafy greens and green veggies are all alkalizing to the body (restoring a balanced ph), potent detoxifiers, rich in minerals, vitamins, and chlorophyll (a dark green pigment in plant foods) and very powerful antioxidants. They also are chock full of carotenoids, flavonoids, anti-cancer properties, omega 3 fatty acids, iron, folate, and fiber. We should try to have several servings of these nutrient dense greens daily.
Build Your Healing Rainbow- YELLOW
YELLOW This week we are discussing the color Yellow. When I think of Yellow, I think of happiness, sunshine, and cheerfulness! Actually, this color embodies all of these definitions and much more. Let’s dive deeper into knowing more about this bright color. Yellow is known as the brightest color on the visible spectrum. It is a color of vibrancy, joyfulness, and radiance. It is actually called the happiest of colors! The color Yellow encourages communication, spirituality, and enlightenment. This color also embodies feelings of self-worth, self-confidence, intellect, judgment, and mental activity. Yellow stimulates concentration and can boost learning capabilities. You should wear or use this color if you need to concentrate or keep your mind alert and attentive. Some say this bright color has an affinity for the left side of the brain, where our deep thinking skills, perception abilities, and logical thinking capabilities are housed. Some of the other positive attributes that this vibrant color encourages are; alertness, concentration skills, broad-mindedness, humor, and wisdom. It also can boost energy for those suffering with fatigue. The color Yellow has been shown to relieve depression and can also reduce feelings of melancholy and gloominess. It has also been helpful for lifting the emotions of sadness and grief. Yellow lifts the spirit and can awaken a zest of life within us. Imagine picking yellow flowers in a meadow on a sunny day. What kind of emotions do you feel inside thinking of this mental picture…happiness, warmth, joy? What foods are associated with this color? Like the Orange foods we learned about last week, the yellow foods have very similar health benefits and nutrients. These nutrients and phytonutrients include: bioflavonoids, carotenoids, beta carotene, lutein, hesperidin, zeaxanthin, and quercetin. The yellow foods are nutritional powerhouses that boost the immune system, heart, vision, and digestion. They also assist in wound healing, skin hydration, eye health, and aid in the formation of stronger bones and teeth. What are the Yellow foods? They include; bananas, pineapples, corn, spaghetti squash, plantains, summer squash, passion fruit, lemons, pears, star fruit, papaya, yellow tomatoes, yellow apples, yellow figs, yellow beets, and yellow watermelon. Ghee, quinoa, millet, and amaranth are all considered yellow foods. The herbs in the yellow family are ginger, goldenseal, dandelion, burdock, and yellow dock. These herbs are strong digestive aids and liver/ gallbladder stimulants. Positive physical symptoms of using yellow foods and herbs are; stimulation of the motor nerves, strengthening of the muscles, digestion support, stimulates and purifies the liver, an appetite stimulant, cleanses the bloodstream, assists with nutrient assimilation, and aids in brain function. Some health concerns where you would not want to use or wear yellow include; fever or inflammatory illnesses, diarrhea, over-excitement, heart palpitations, fear and anxiety, insomnia, feeling aggressive, jealousy, and over stimulation.
Build Your Healing Rainbow- ORANGE
ORANGE “Orange is red brought nearer to humanity by yellow” Wassily Kandinsky “Orange is the happiest color” Frank Sinatra What do you think of when you think of the color Orange? The color orange represents warmth and happiness. It is a color that helps us to look on the bright side of life, inspires us to be more creative, and encourages new beginnings. Orange is a combination of red and yellow, with red representing energy and stimulation and yellow representing happiness and cheerfulness. It is the color of fall and letting go. Letting go of the old things that do not serve or help us anymore and making room for the new things that are there to heal and benefit us. People that love orange are usually optimistic and on the go. It is a color that can offer emotional strength in hard times and inspires us to recover from grief and despair. Orange is a very social color that can encourage communication and a cheerful mood. One of orange’s deepest needs is to be with people and socialize with them. Placing light or pastel shades of orange in the atmosphere when having a party or a gathering can inspire these social interactions. This color also stimulates the appetite. Interestingly, it is the color that represents gluttony in Christianity. American Indians associate orange with kinship and in China and Japan, this color symbolizes happiness and love. The Eastern monks wear orange because it is the color of freedom and wisdom. . Orange is a rejuvenating color, boosts positive energy, increases our energetic vibration and restores balance to our physical energies. Orange is a sensual color. It stands for courage, vitality, and enthusiasm. It has been shown that people that drive orange cars tend to be trendy, talkative, and fun loving. Even the color of the cars we drive can be an extension of our personalities. Orange is a color that is the most understood and not a very popular color among most. Hopefully, by the time you’re finished reading this article, you will appreciate and understand this beautiful color more than ever! When I think of the color orange, I think of a warm sunset filling up the evening sky with its fiery glow. So beautiful and captivating! I also think of all the delicious fruits, vegetables, and spices that are beaming with this lovely color. Orange fruits and vegetables consist of; peaches, carrots, squash (winter, butternut, kabocha, and acorn), pumpkins, apricots, sweet potatoes, yams, oranges, tangerines, clementines, mangoes, cantaloupe, orange bell pepper, nectarine, persimmons, turmeric, and curry powder. These foods are chocked full of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, carotenoids, bioflavonoids, and mostly known for their beta carotene content. They are also very high in Vitamin A and C, which are immune system boosters and are nutrients that benefit the eyes, heart and cardiovascular system, and skin health. Orange foods have been shown to have powerful anti-cancer properties too. These beta carotene rich foods also have been shown to help balance hormones and boost fertility in women.
Build Your Healing Rainbow- RED
BUILD YOUR RAINBOW SERIES Welcome to Building Your Rainbow Series! I’m so happy you’re joining me for this creative and educational journey into the world of colors. Each week we will learn how each color represents certain organs and energy points, what the color signifies physically and emotionally, how to use the color in your world, and recipes to incorporate these beautiful healing colors into your body. Did you know that colors can be very healing physically, emotionally, and spiritually and did you know that every color in the rainbow contains its own unique healing properties? Colors affect our whole being. The first memory I have regarding color was when I was a little girl going outside after a storm to spot a colorful rainbow. What glee I felt when there was one in the sky smiling down at me in all its glory! Another fond memory of color was also as a very young girl going to Bible School in the summer. The minister would have all the children come to the front of the sanctuary and he would give a child-like presentation about a Bible story or something Biblical. My favorite one that I still remember today and loved the most was a little talk about how different colors were associated with the life of Jesus. He did a little skit with a walnut shaped toy that you could wind different colors of ribbon in and out of. All the ribbons were attached to each other but there were many different colors. I remember sitting there listening to him wind the colorful ribbons down to the floor and tell a little story about each one. The bright colors were mesmerizing and beautiful to me. They grabbed my attention back then and still do today. Each color is lovely in its own way and each one represents something different. How does color make you feel? What mood and/or emotions do you feel inside when you see different shades of colors? Why are some of us drawn to certain colors and others are not? There are so many questions when it comes to color. My goal is to answer some of these questions for you in this series. First, let’s talk a little bit about color therapy and how it has been used for centuries in healing and restoration. Color Therapy or Chromotherapy was used and is still used today as a healing modality using different colors to create a positive effect on our overall well- being. The earliest recording of color therapy was over 2500 years ago in China and Ancient Egypt. Sir Isaac Newton created the world’s first known color wheel but it was Johann Wolfgang Goethe (a German poet and artist-1749-1832) who began studying the healing effects of color. One hundred years later, he divided colors into two groups: happiness and sadness. He found that specific colors or shades evoke a certain mood or emotional state. This explains why we hear statements such as, when we feel sad, we’re blue, or beaming red when we’re angry. I love this quote from him: “Colors are light’s sufferings and joys.” The founder of color therapy was Edward Babbitt, who treated various ailments with the use of water that had been infiltrated with the sun’s rays. He found that certain days of the week related to certain colors of the color wheel, as well as to different vibrations and herbs. There are so many fascinating things we can learn about color.
