We look at the art of chromotherapy, which uses colour to boost mood and promote wellbeing
WORDS: GILLY PICKUP
Believe it or not, colours can have a profound effect on us, both mentally and physically. Therapy focusing on this phenomenon, sometimes called chromotherapy, is a method of using colour, not only for its healing qualities but also to enhance our physical and emotional wellbeing.
Colour therapy isn’t a new trend. Papyrus scrolls dating back to 1550BC show that the Egyptian people of the era understood the therapeutic power of different colours. Nature’s various shades were particularly important to them so temple floors were usually green and they liked to surround themselves with blue, the colour of the sky.
The idea that colours can affect our moods or wellbeing may seem far-fetched, but therapist and teacher Agnes McCluskey of Colour Energy Therapies (colourenergytherapies.co.uk) believes otherwise.
“Colour surrounds us in our everyday lives, in our homes, environments and nature,” she says. “It has an important effect on us physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
“Each colour carries its own vibration and frequency, and each has its own specific meaning and healing properties, which enhance our health and wellbeing.”
In the mid-1600s, Sir Isaac Newton – who discovered the laws of gravity – used a prism to prove that white light bends and splits into a visible rainbow of colours. In his spectrum, he initially identified the colours red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. In 1704, Newton published his book Optiks, which contained a diagram to map out the distribution of the colours – the first colour wheel.
The concept and names of different colours are one of the first things we learn as a child. We identify favourites, and decorate our homes – and ourselves – with hues that we like, and that complement each other.
But colour can do much more than just look nice. We can influence our emotions with this powerful tool, whether to induce a state of calm, soothe our mind or cheer us up. Therapists even claim that colour’s healing power can aid sleep, anxiety and depression, as well as help us find clarity and peace.
For instance, the colour pink helps to soothe nerves and suppress anger, and generally has a calming effect, which is why it is sometimes used in mental health care institutions to help create an overall feeling of tranquillity.
Colours also send certain messages.
Many fast-food
