You will most probably agree that you seem to feel better and are more cheerful on a bright, sunny day than on a gloomy, dull one.

Our own subconscious knows what colour it needs for the bodies own well-being.

Light and colours, which are the different wavelengths of light, are perceived by the eyes and absorbed by the body through the skin and the optic nerves. They penetrate into the brain, where they are processed and utilized by the hypothalamus, the region of the brain that links the central nervous system to the hormonal system, and the light that penetrates to it at various wavelengths triggers a complex biochemical transfer within the body.

This is why people who are subjected to prolonged periods of darkness, during which their body cannot absorb any light, suffer from vitamin deficiencies, hormonal disorders, disturbances of the normal body cycles, particularly sleep and metabolic functions and depression.

In Victorian times people classed as ‘mad’ were put into dark rooms to keep them calm, but what it did in effect was to make them even more ‘mad’ as their bodies were no longer getting the light they needed.

Hospital rooms are often painted in pale green as its deemed to be a healing balancing and soothing colour, I can remember as a child my mother deciding to paint the bedroom I shared with my sister pale peppermint green as she thought it would soothe and calm the sisterly fights that my sister and I often had, I am not sure it did do that but I do remember the room being very calming and never had any problem falling to sleep at night.

Green is the most relaxing on the eyes and in turn the mind..

Colours at work

Stress in offices is often enhanced by the colour the office is painted.

Whilst Red may seen a wonderful warm and vibrant colour, it would not be a good colour to have in an office where there is a lot of pressure to meet deadlines etc as it cause more stress and tempers to fray much quicker than normal, remember the saying ‘red rag to a bull’. Red would have to be toned down with added white and plenty of green plants etc. Red Crystals that can be used to bring the colour into the body : Garnet, Ruby

Blue is the colour of communication and can also be very cooling and soothing and calms the mind, however it can also sometimes make a room feel very cold if the colour is too intense, but this could be a good colour to use in hot climates, blue also helps you to think more clearly.

Orange is the colour of creativity, so it enhances creativity in the office and of people in general. It’s a wonderful colour to wear when doing a presentation, or teaching for it holds the audience attention more than any other and is very motivating. It is a very warming and soothing colour.

White is the colour of peace, its always makes a room feel light and peaceful, but can also make it feel sterile, so some colour ideally should be added even if its just plants or brightly coloured rugs or blinds. White is composed of all the colours of the rainbow intermingled.

Yellow also can have a tremendous effect on the workings of an office, yellow is associated with the solar plexus, the seat of personal power, gut instinct, and ego! It is also the brightest colour of the spectrum, it will uplift you and bring laughter and joy. I recently had a client who decided to paint her company office’s yellow and blue, as soon as the dominant colour of yellow started to be painted on the walls, the office started to irrupt into a battlefield, everyone arguing with each other, personal attacks on people, tears, tantrums etc. The colour was bringing their personal power, ego’s and control into question, during the few days that followed much anger was released but also much personal deep healing also took place, once the blue and white colours were added the mood changed dramatically and then the plants were added, the whole atmosphere changed and the whole feeling of the office is now very relaxed and happy and the staff motivated in what they are doing and business is also picking up.

This was an extreme case of colour affecting people’s personal behaviour as well as the work place but a good example of how colour really does affect us.

We are not totally dependent on our eyes to perceive light and colour. The ability to see without the use of one’s eyes is known as eidetic ability. This means that ‘looking’ and ‘seeing’ take place exclusively in the brain, which creates strong mental images without the assistance of the optic nerves. Experiments conducted in the former Soviet Union even investigated the possibility of perceiving colour solely with the sense of touch.

What seemed impossible was actually achieved, several of the people tested were able to feel and ‘see’ and correctly identify, colours through their fingertips. That the human body is equipped with two ‘safety systems’, eidetic sight and the sense of touch, to help it perceive light and colour without eyesight shows how important these elements are to our physical and emotional life. Even if we should become blind, we retain the potential to avail ourselves, with some training, of the various qualities of light by these means.

How to de-stress using colour:

PAINT A RAINBOW

Calmly painting a rainbow every day is a simple colour therapy that may have remarkable beneficial effects. Set aside ten minutes a day when you will not be disturbed by anyone or anything. Have a set of watercolours or felt-tip markers ready to use. Then start to paint a rainbow. You will notice that you practically thirst for some of the colours. If your mouth literally waters when you are using a particular colour, it is a clear sign that there is a deficiency of that colour vibration in your body at that time. Take your time in painting enjoy and relax. If you continue to paint daily, you will begin to feel emotionally stronger and calmer; later, you will experience additional inner harmony and clarity, and your physical energy will increase. This very simple method is well worth trying. Adults and children respond to it equally well, and children particularly derive immense pleasure from creating a rainbow every day.

Meditate with the SEVEN RAYS Of Colour

Meditating with the seven colours is powerful, easy and peaceful and can be done at any time, by just sitting or lying quietly for a few minutes and visualizing each colour in turn, breathing it into the body. Start with the first ray, and continue to visualize the others in order. Practice this every morning for about three minutes before getting up, or any time during the day.

These are energies that work in and of themselves, they are powers of the soul. Every one of us relates most to one of these rays, which, in turn, reveals a great deal about our spiritual state, and about which mental and spiritual principles we have realized most thoroughly in our life.

Red, the first ray, is creative and animating, and stands for spiritual power.

Orange, the second ray, expresses and represents creative energy.

The third ray is yellow. It completely transforms purely mental power, and it signifies understanding.

Green, the colour of the fourth ray, brings the ability to transcend one’s baser self, and represents harmony.

The fifth ray is blue, and brings inner peace. It stands for peace.

Indigo, the sixth ray, carries the ability to seek one’s true self, and signifies wisdom.

And, finally, violet, the seventh ray, creates a link between all of these abilities and the higher powers. It represents the perfect harmony of the entire spectrum of the six lower rays, and is marked by transcendental powers.