What is color?  Color occurs when a light ray hits an object and bounces off, traveling at a particular frequency.  The frequency at which it travels determines the color you will see when this light ray enters the eye and is translated by the brain into a visual image.

Seems simple enough.  Most people do not realize, however, that the frequency with which this light enters your body determines how it will effect your body.  Yes, different frequencies of light (and therefore, different colors) effect the bodily differently.  We see color as something static....as something flat and lifeless on an object.  It is actually something very active, not static.  Color moves into your eyes on light waves every second that your eyes are open.  And different frequencies effect your body and mind differently.

What effects do they have?  Color energy can not only effect our mood and the way people see us, and it can effect our health as well.

Here are a three well known examples of what light can do.

When babies are born, their livers' ability to break down and eliminate bilirubin is often compromised.  Therefore, physicians now place babies under special lights.  As the light touches the skin, it breaks down the bilirubin so that the baby's body can dispose of it.  Actually, special lights are not really necessary, the sun's rays touching the baby's skin will do exactly the same job.  But nevertheless, this shows that the capacity of light to heal is known and accepted.

During the winter months, when the number of hours and amount of light available during the day is less than during the summer months, many people experience depression.  It has been determined that the lack of enough light can produce this effect.  It is called Seasonal Affective Disorder.  The cure for it is to have the person sit in front of a special set of lights that gives them the right amount of light in the full spectrum (because they don't know yet which frequency of light or color seems to be helpful, so they use the full spectrum).

Vitamin D is an essential vitamin for our health and well-being.  But Vitamin D utilization within the body is aided when sunlight hits the skin.  In other words, the more you are out in the sun, the more Vitamin D is converted to a form that the body can utilize.  Because our lifestyles involve working inside much more than ever before in history, many people are showing deficiencies in Vitamin D and need to get outside to enjoy nature more.

Although the above examples involve full spectrum light (light that includes all frequencies and is not broken down into colors), colored lights also have individual effects upon people.  The properties of foods are also influenced by their colors.  In the next series of lessons, we will examine the role that each color has in our lives and health.

RED - The color of power, vitality, motivation, strength

ORANGE - The color of confidence, energy, joy, warmth

YELLOW - The color of strength, intelligence, joy, happiness, optimism

GREEN - The color of balance, harmony, caring, tenacious self-reliance, and healing

BLUE - The color of calmness, concentration, healing, relaxation, loyalty, and trust

INDIGO - The color of soothing, power, connection with knowledge, idealism, introversion.....and martyrdom?

VIOLET - The color of creativity, intuition, spirituality, self-awareness
 
 

Copyright 2001-8  Judie C. Rall and The Center for Unhindered Living
 

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