The moon orbits the earth which is spinning on its axis as it revolves around the sun bringing days and seasons filled with light and warmth, dark and cold. All in a systematic and timely fashion. As these light and temperature levels change our bodies dynamics undergo emotional and physical changes. Using chromotherapy after massage and bodywork can support the process.
Our skin serves as a protective shield against the environment.
It also acts as a two-way antenna between our inner and outer world.
Learn more: Spiritual Light Therapy is Light Alchemy
Color My World
European studies suggest that sunlight charges the core of our essence as our skin absorbs, processes, and distributes the information contained in the light now within us. This so-called internal lighting system helps regulate our bodily functions.
As well, our skin enables our body to store light photons allowing us to function properly and have energy during low light seasons such as winter.
And we all know that when we don’t get enough sunlight we may feel depressed, sad, withdrawn, or be more susceptible to catching a cold or the flu. We’ve all heard of the winter blues, which really means our light reserve is running low in the northern hemisphere.
By the time spring arrives, we’re ready to charge up in sunshine and take in brilliant natural colors all around us. For instance, while you might expect the energy of late spring and the summer sun to be beneficial for our wellbeing, we still routinely avoid and substitute daylight with artificial illumination, even during these brighter months.
Above all hundreds of years ago, humans spent ninety per cent of their waking time outdoors. Now when we venture outside, we shield ourselves from sunlight by wearing hats or wear special glasses to interact with device screens.
We also apply sunscreen and shade ourselves as much as possible.
Maybe it’s OK to take off your hat once in a while.
Learn more: This is a great place to begin your light journey
Color Illuminates Life
The world around us is constantly illuminated by the sun. It’s what enables us to see and perceive our lively and fascinating world the way we do. Sunlight gives us our color spectrum ranging from red to violet. And these colors appear in many shades and hues, which is an essential energy basic to life.
Color is a true and honest sensation that playfully stimulates our senses and affects our psychological and physical state of being. Studies have shown that light is an essential ingredient to a healthy metabolism in all creatures.
The more we study color the more we understand its true beauty and power as its frequency, vibration, and wavelength deliver information we need for nourishment and survival.
In addition, the ability to harness the sun’s luminous gifts has evolved throughout history—from the ancient Egyptians using light and prisms to heal people to ancient Greece, where heliotherapy, or curing sickness by sun exposure, was born.
Color and light continue to help the healing process in many ways.
Learn more: Discover the science of chromotherapy as healing light.
The Aura’s Light Body
On a physical and emotional level we’re affected by many types of artificial light. The meridian system moves subtle energy throughout the body and supports bodily movement. Unnatural light sources can impede its energy flow which impacts our circulation.
Massage therapists and bodyworkers are at the forefront of guiding people into a place for self-healing and rejuvenation through a multitude of disciplines.
When you begin to understand the benefits of energy-based modalities such as Reiki and color light therapy you understand the cascading piezoelectric effect when the body receives vital information only color can offer.
When used in a massage session including acupressure, color light applications can have a significant effect on the recipient by sending call-to-action messages throughout the body’s networking system.
While reflex zones are being worked on, color can help release old memories trapped, on an energetic level, in body tissue.
Although there may be serious underlying causes of a person’s pain, their pain may be the last link in a reverberating chain of events. It may only be a signal of, and not necessarily a source of trauma, which of course should be ruled out first with their medical team.
Learn more: Uncover ancient yet timely uses of light language
A Multitude of Uses and Benefits
Another reason to use color to enhance these healing methods is the physical space it can give to a seasoned massage therapist. Because the penlight doesn’t directly touch the recipient your hands and fingers, your most important tools, can take a bit of a break while the light takes charge.
Although there isn’t an array of clinical scientific studies of the complete spectrum of light’s benefits, the truth is that the sun will always be a necessary part of our lives as are water, food, and air, life’s basic ingredients for a well-balanced existence.
Acupuncturists and massage therapists have used color light methods to enhance results in their practices as it encourages self-healing and releasing painful memories of past traumas as it works on the subtle energies in the aura––the so called non-physical “untouchables”– and hopefully gives the “pain” the space to dissipate and clear away.
As a noninvasive, non-touch modality this is a powerful tool. And it’s simple to use. You just select a color filter, clip it to the penlight, and shine light two or more inches away from the body.
Learn more: Our furry and feathered friends need light nourishment too.
Color Life Meaning
Furthermore, there are many informative books on the psychological and therapeutic uses of various colors. But here’s a few simple guidelines in color selection during a bodywork, massage, or reflexology session.
- Red to nourish and stimulate
- orange to encourage and vitalize
- yellow to warm and purify
- green to calm and balance
- sky blue to cool and relax
- indigo blue for its peaceful and calming quality
- violet for inflammation and anxiety
- magenta for balance and support
In addition, there are spiritual colors such as crimson that address emotions; gold for circulation; turquoise for relaxation and rejuvenation; and light green to harmonize energy systems. And, as in most cases, you’ll intuit the timing of shining the light. Remember, less is always more, as time is needed for the information carried in light to integrate into the energy system.
Learn more: The art of reflexology and chromotherapy
© 2017 Spectrahue Light & Sound Inc. No medical claims are made or implied in this article and the information does not replace the advice and care of a medical professional. Our original article printed in Massage Magazine (2013)
