Light and colour have been investigated as medicine since 2000 BC. Phototherapy (light therapy) and Chromotherapy (healing with colours) were practiced in ancient civilizations in Egypt, Greece, China and India.
According to the Chromotherapy knowledge, the human body consists of colours and its particular energies and frequencies. When various organs in the body deviate from these expected optimal vibrations, the body is either diseased or at least not functioning properly.
Color is Light and Light is Color
The sun emits light at different frequencies. These frequencies can be separated by a process called refraction. When the light goes through a crystal prism, it refracts and divides into the seven colors of the spectrum. Each color has its own frequency.
If the separated colors go through another prism they will form white light. The first person to demonstrate this phenomenon at the end of the 17th century was Isaac Newton, the great British physicist.
Color Wavelengths and Frequencies
Energy is considered to travel in waves. The distance between successive waves is called wavelength and the number of times a wave oscillates in one second is called frequency. As per general rule: the longer the wavelength, the lower the frequency. Each color has its own specific frequency and its individual wavelength. Only a small part of the electromagnetic spectrum is visible to the human eye.
Violet has the shortest wavelength while red has the longest.
Beyond violet lies ultraviolet which, although invisible to the human eye, can pass through our body. Ultraviolet provides us with a suntan and kills bacteria.
The longest wavelength at the other side of the spectrum is red. Beyond red lies infrared followed by microwaves, radar, radio and television wavelengths, all invisible to the human eye.
Red, orange and yellow, carrying longer wavelengths, seem to reach the eye faster than the colors on the other side of the spectrum. They are called warm colors as we associate them with fire and sunshine.
Green, blue and violet are perceived as cool colors. They travel in shorter wavelengths, so they seem to take longer to reach our eyes; they bring to mind the water of the sea and rivers, the sky, the winter dawn. They are also called receding colors, because of the long time their energy takes to reach our eyes.
Each warm color has its complementary cool color: red – blue, orange – indigo, yellow – violet, green – red (magenta). Violet has the shortest wavelength while red has the longest.
Red
Red represents health, fire, heat, blood, passion, will power, survival. It stimulates, excites and acts as an irritant. It gives man a sense of power. It is used to energize, and encourage movement, instant response, passion. It is used for red traffic lights, the Red Cross, etc.
Courageous, confident, humanistic, strong-willed, spontaneous, honest and extroverted.
Yellow
Yellow is the color of intellect and perception. It was the color that symbolised life and joy. It is the color of the personality and ego. It is sychologically good for despondent and melancholic conditions. It is the color for clear thinking, detachment, brightness, confidence, charm.
Good-humoured, optimistic, confident, practical and intellectual.
Blue
Blue is psychologically more soothing than green, in emotional conditions. It is the color for meditation and spiritual expansion, as it relaxes the mind. Blue is the color of truth, devotion, calmness and sincerity. It is the color of higher mental qualities.
Loyal, tactful, affectionate, inspiring, inventive, caring and cautious.
Violet
Violet is psychologically related to self-knowledge and spiritual awareness. Always considered to be a healing color, it encourages the union of ego and spirit. It is a powerful color and should not be used with children. As a relaxing, spiritual color it is used in churches, therapeutic rooms.
Inspirational leaders, humanitarians, visionary, creative and mentally strong.
Orange
Orange is a happy, joyful, creative and warm color, combining physical energy with mental qualities. It is the color of creativeness and adaptability. It induces a general sense of well-being and cheerfulness. Orange symbolises warmth and prosperity and relates to self-respect.
Enthusiastic, happy, sociable, energetic, sporty, self-assured and constructive.
Green
Green is the color of love, progress, youth growth, inexperience, fertility, hope, balance and new life. It is also the color of jealousy, envy and superstition. It has calming and quieting effects. It fight stress and promotes relaxation.
Understanding, self-controlled, adaptable, sympathetic, compassionate, generous, humble...
Indigo
Indigo is psychologically a good color for discipline, structure, faith and efficiency. It is also considered to help clear away addictive emotions. Indigo brings up fears, encourages and inspires self-responsibility. It symbolises structure, focus and duty.
Intuitive, fearless, practical, idealistic, wise and a truth seeker.
Health depends not only on how we balance our physical needs, but also our emotional, mental and spiritual ones. The color chakra therapy principle is based on the assumption that colors are associated with seven main chakras, which are spiritual centers in our bodies. Each is associated with a specific organ or system in the body and has a dominant color. If the chakra point becomes imbalanced it can cause a disorder which can have physical ramifications. By introducing the appropriate color the balance is reinstated.
Color theory has a lot in common with astrology.
Colors are ascribed to each sign of the zodiac, so it´s easy to learn which color you will need more in your lifetime.
Aquarius
20 Jan - 17 Feb
electric blue
Pisces
18 Feb - 19 Mar
electric blue
Aries
20 Mar – 19 Apr
red
Taurus
20 Apr – 20 May
green
Gemini
21 May – 20 June
yellow
Cancer
21 June – 22 July
white, silver
Leo
23 July – 22 Aug
gold
Virgo
23 Aug – 22 Sept
light green, pale yellow
Libra
23 Sept – 22 Oct
blue, pink
Scorpio
23 Oct – 21 Nov
black, wine red
Sagittarius
22 Nov – 21 Dec
purple, megenta
Capricorn
22 Dec – 19 Jan
deep blue, deep green, black