Colour Therapy: Get Playful with Colour

Many of us have probably experienced a time when we are suddenly drawn to a particular colour and seem to be buying lots of it, so we can wear it as much as possible. A point in time then arrives and we no longer need that colour in our daily lives and we need something different, hopefully for our bank balance a colour we have craved in the past!

There is no denying that colour has a very powerful impact upon us, with each colour bringing different properties which significantly impact our immediate experience and energy levels. Colours have been used for thousands of years to heal, for entertainment, to create beauty and appear everywhere in our daily lives through the clothes we wear, the food and drink we consume, how we decorate our homes and where we spend our time in buildings or in nature. Colour is also used cleverly in marketing to sell us products, ideas or to try and fill us with company confidence.

Colour can affect our behaviour, moods and thoughts so it’s important for us to pay attention as our reactions to colour can help us to understand what our bodies or minds may need. Our reaction to different colours may vary between cultures and be deeply personal and rooted in past experiences. Some of these past experiences we may be conscious of and others may be buried deep in our unconscious from experiences we no longer recall.

Colour healing has a long history and was used in ancient Egypt to bring balance and healing. It has been the traditional way of working on the chakras, our energy conductors, for thousands of years and is still used today. The colours of the rainbow are the same as the colours in the chakras of the human energy system, with each colour linked to a particular chakra; the root chakra is red, the abdomen chakra is orange, the solar plexus chakra is yellow, the heart chakra is green (can become pink or gold), the throat chakra is blue, the third eye chakra is indigo and the crown chakra is violet or white. Again, this can be helpful to understand which colour may assist with clearing a particular chakra and opening the chakra to greater energy fields, to avoid physical and psychological imbalance.

Whilst colours are linked to chakras, they are also often linked to attributes which it can be helpful to have an awareness of and consider alongside our own personal feelings towards the colour, drawn from your experiences. Colours can also bring negative responses, so too much of a particular colour can potentially bring an imbalance.

Internet searches bring a wealth of information on colours, different shades and likely responses they may bring. Here are some of the positive associations you may find with some of the key colours:

• Yellow- can bring optimism and youth, helping to purify the body and think more quickly and clearly.
• Red-can bring energy, vitality and power and is equated with joy, good fortune and success.
• Blue- can bring healing and calm.
• Green -can bring revitalisation, growth and calm
• Purple- can bring clarity of thought, releases negativity and soothes and calms.
• Black- can bring glamour, strength, power and protection
• White- can bring purification, peace and comfort, enhancing clarity and understanding
• Pink- can bring romance, tranquillity and the energy of unconditional love.
• Orange- can bring happiness and confidence, improving immunity, vitality and stamina.

There is a rich, colourful world out there with the power to heal and bring energy, so take time to stop, reflect and take action to bring colour into your life. Colour’s power will help you become healthier, more joyful, energetic, calm and playful.

“Colour is a power which directly influences the soul.” Wassily Kandinsky

 

Takeaway Tasks for Reflection

1. Think about what you would describe as your favourite and least favourite colours and reflect on why this may be. Has there been any change to this during your life and if so, what may have been going on in your life at that time?
2. Look at the colours that seem to dominate your wardrobe and home. Are there any colours you have been recently drawn to and any that may have recently repelled you?

3. Play around with bringing in different colours to explore the healing and energy qualities they may bring you by:

• Surrounding yourself with that colour through your environment or spending time in nature.
• Wearing that colour
• Painting or drawing to connect you to colours
• Eating or drinking foods that contain that colour
• Thinking or meditating with a focus on a particular colour(s) and immersing yourself in that colour                                                                                                                                             

 

Liane Low's Bio

As a Play Therapist and Consultant for the development of specialist services for children, young people, families and adults, Liane is committed to providing opportunities for people to thrive. Liane understands the benefits of staying playful and is always on the lookout for opportunities for laughter and lightness as she moves through her day. 

 

 

Liane’s articles will offer an opportunity to increase your awareness of play and creative mediums and tools, to support reflection and increase self-awareness.