Religions teach us that light was God’s first creation. Even if you don’t believe it, we all learnt that light stimulates life. To have life on the Earth it is necessary to be exposed continuously to the life-giving rays of the Sun. 

If we aren’t exposed to Sun, soon the Earth would be transformed into solid block of ice, where life will cease to exist.

It is a Sun or better to say the solar energy which enables life to exist; grass to grow, stimulates herbs and vegetables to flourish, the fruits to ripen, so that man as well as animals may have food to live on.

Chromotherapy is a method of treatment that uses the visible spectrum (colors) of electromagnetic radiation to cure diseases. It is a centuries-old concept used successfully over the years to cure various diseases.               

Solar ray’s spectrum consists at one end of deep infra-red radiations, and on the other ends of deep ultra-violet radiation.

Rainbow is a great example of solar spectrum. It is caused by the passing of white sunlight through mist or raindrops and broken up into the seven visible colors of the solar spectrum, which are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.  The same solar spectrum can be obtained by passing a ray of white sunlight through the refracting surfaces of a glass prism, where it is split up into its components and can be seen as a beautiful band of seven colors if allowed to fall upon a white screen. White sunlight is a combination of seven visible colors as well as other kind of rays which are invisible to the human eye.

Each color of the spectrum has a wavelength of its own named the “Angstrom Unit”.

Sunlight is the total sum of the visible spectrum, and every color vibration is only a part of solar energy.  

Let us look around and we will find different colored fruits, vegetables and herbs.

The solar spectrum influences all living beings and foods and receive certain solar rays’ spectrum and influence, which in its turn will have a similar effect or influence upon the human system if absorbed as food. 

Certain fruits, vegetables and herbs are charged with the ray which they are most capable of absorbing. As it is the nature of grass to absorb only the yellow and green rays, it not only is green to look at, but it also transmits the qualities of the respective rays to the animal which uses grass as its food. 

Therefore, we will find that every food that we eat represents an original color which has been absorbed from the sun, of which it is a part. To exist, we must breathe, eat and drink, so that our body can transform the various color rays of the sun into blood, and is again transformed into other vibratory forces which build bone, flesh, tissue, hair, etc., as well as into a series of electrical vibratory forces which enable us to see, hear, smell, taste and touch.

The vibratory rate of a substance determines its density or its form as matter. A slowly vibrating substance is referred to as physical matter, whereas the subatomic matter-vibrates at or above the speed of light, is pure light energy. 

Light is electromagnetic radiation, which is the fluctuation of electric and magnetic fields in nature. Light is energy, and the phenomenon of color is a product of the interaction of energy and matter. The wavelength, frequency and quantity of energy of every colorful ray are fixed for each color; that is, a specific wavelength, a certain frequency and a particular amount of energy in that wave have been denominated as a distinct color. The human eye is sensitive to electromagnetic radiation only at wavelengths roughly between 380 and 780 nm. This small segment is called the visible spectrum or visible light. Visible light can be broken down into numerous electromagnetic frequencies, and frequency relates to a color of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet and all the vibrations thereof.

According to the Eastern teaching, man is composed of seven different series of vibrations, which is in close relations to so called chakras, and the three main forces of body, mind and spirit.

Firstly, the body, directly or indirectly absorbs the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. The energy thus absorbed from the air and sunlight is direct, but from the food and water it is indirect.

The second is the mind. If its vibrations are out of tune and are discordant, as is the case in a weak or diseased body, then the mind does not feel at home or at rest, and worry, fear and constant anxiety are the result. Nervous system simply could not stand it very long without being shattered and, likewise, the dynamic forces of the mind can only operate peacefully in a body whose vibrations are harmonious and warring smoothly. Only then can the mind take charge of the body and assist and guide it safely and peacefully through life.

The third series of vibrations is obtained if mind and body work in perfect harmonious co-operation and then will be given the full conscious awareness of the spiritual forces within him, and through it gain wisdom and understanding.

To keep the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual forces within us properly balanced we should endeavor to follow our natural instincts by surrounding ourselves, as well as clothing ourselves, with the colors which appeal to us most now. 

Chromotherapy provides colors to the electromagnetic body or the aura (energy field) around the body, which in turn transfers energy to the physical body. 

When we speak of color, we mean energy waves. Every color, each with its own frequency, is a form of energy. Colors onto the skin acts as a form of feeding color to the body. Light is the closest thing to pure energy that we can identify. Color as pure vibrational energy is the rational therapy for maintaining health and overcoming disease. When applied to the human body, light will provide all deficient energies since every color is associated with a quantity of energy. 

Colors have a profound effect on us at all levels—physical, mental and emotional. 

These interrelating systems of subtle forces recharge or rechannel energy into diseased areas where it is blocked or deficient, for disease is nothing more than a restriction of energy flow. As we know energy or vibrational flow along the path of least resistance and through the extra energy associate with the use of vibrational healing, the appropriate energies seek out the needed areas, freeing blocked energy where it is most required. The interaction between the dense physical energy of the body and the subtle energy, which controls many of the body functions or activities, is the key to understanding relationship between energy and matter.

This energy body can also be proved through photography, as described by Perry in scientific documentation of chromotherapy: in 1939, Kirlian discovered that if an object on a photographic plate is subjected to a high voltage electric field, an image is created on the plate. The image looks like a colored halo or a coronal discharge. This image is said to be the physical manifestation of the electromagnetic radiation around the body (aura), which allegedly surrounds every living thing.

History of Light Therapy

Many ancient civilizations of the past bad a thorough understanding of the healing powers of sunlight and color and established special places where the patients were exposed to the required color rays, under the capable supervision.

Light therapy was practiced in ancient Egypt, Greece, China and India. The Egyptians utilized sunlight as well as color for healing. Color has been investigated as medicine since 2000 BC. 

In Egyptian mythology, light therapy was discovered by the god Thoth. Ancient Egyptians and Greeks used colored minerals, stones, crystals, salves and dyes as remedies and painted treatment sanctuaries in various shades of colors.

In Ayurveda sunlight was recommended as treatment to a variety of diseases from at least sixt century BC. In ancient Greece were used direct exposure to sunlight and indirect healing. In the indirect method, they used such materials as stones, dyes, ointments and plasters as the medium. 

In ancient China was developed Five Color Healing Therapy as a healing method derived from the traditional Chinese medicine. At its core, it is based on the theory of Yin-Yang, Five Elements and Eight Trigrams of Chinese medicine. 

Avicenna (AD 980) was certain of vital importance of color in both diagnosis and treatment. He developed chart of diseases and syndromes with associated color and believed that ‘Color is an observable symptom of disease.’ 

Pioneer of modern chromotherapy American doctor Edwin Babbitt from 19^th century researched the effects of the reflection, absorption, transmission and polarization of light. He used color healing devices created by him. 

Ghadiali (1927) discovered the scientific principles that explain why and how different color rays have various therapeutic effects on the body and published first Spectro-Chrome Encyclopaedia.

   In 1951 Takkata discovered that different lights affect different enzymatic reactions for healing purposes.

Applications of Chromotherapy

During the 1950s, studies suggested that neonatal jaundice, a potentially fatal condition found in two-thirds of premature babies, could be successfully treated by exposure to sunlight. This was confirmed in the 1960s, and white light replaced high-risk blood transfusions in the treatment of this condition. Blue light was later found to be more effective and less hazardous than full-spectrum light. Bright white full-spectrum light is also now being used in the treatment of cancers, winter depression, anorexia, bulimia nervosa, insomnia, jetlag, shift working, alcohol and drug dependency, and to reduce overall levels of medication. 

Blue light is also used in healing injured tissue and preventing scar tissue, as well as for burns and lung conditions. In 1990, many researches reported successful use of blue light in the treatment of a wide variety of psychological problems, including addictions, eating disorders and depression. At the other end of the color spectrum, red light has been shown to be effective in the treatment of cancer and constipation and in healing wounds. 

Chromotherapy is now used to improve the performance of athletes; whereas red light appears to help athletes who need short, quick bursts of energy, blue light assists in performances requiring a steadier energy output.

Melatonin is known to be the crucial chemical pathway by which animals respond to light and synchronize their bodily functioning with diurnal and seasonal variations. Serotonin is a very important neurotransmitter in the brain, whose action has been linked with mental disturbances such as schizophrenia and hallucinogenic states. Serotonin, a stimulant, is produced during daylight whereas the output of melatonin – which is linked with sleep – increases when it is dark and has a generally depressive effect. This is reversed when it is light and the production of melatonin drops. Its main site of action appears to be the hypothalamus, the part of the brain involved in mediating the effects of various hormones and in regulating emotions. However, changes in the output of melatonin in response to light influence every cell of the body, notably the reproductive processes, which are sensitive to such variations. High levels of melatonin have been found in women with ovulation problems, in men with low sperm count and in people suffering from winter depression, which usually occurs during winter. Research also confirmed that certain parts of the brain are not only light sensitive but actually respond differently to different wavelengths; it is now believed that different wavelengths (colors) of radiation interact differently with the endocrine system to stimulate or reduce hormone production.

Light is responsible for turning on the brain and the body. Light enters the body through the eyes and skin. When even a single photon of light enters the eye, it lights up the entire brain. This light triggers the hypothalamus, which regulates all life-sustaining bodily functions, the autonomic nervous system, endocrine system, and the pituitary (the body’s master gland). The hypothalamus is also responsible for our body’s biological clock. It also sends a message, by way of light, to the pineal organ, which is responsible for releasing one of our most important hormones, melatonin. The release of melatonin is directly related to light, darkness, colors, and the Earth’s electromagnetic field. This necessary hormone affects every cell in the body. It turns on each cell’s internal activities, allowing them to harmonize with each other and nature. The pineal gland is believed to be responsible for our feeling of oneness with the universe and sets the stage for the relationship between our inner being and the environment. If that relationship is harmonious, we are healthy, happy, and feel a sense of well-being. An imbalance in this relationship makes itself known in the form of disorders or disease in our physical, mental or emotional states. The Pineal is our “light meter”, and receives information from the heavens above, to give us that sense of oneness with the universe, and from the Earth’s electromagnetic field below to keep us grounded. A perfect balance is necessary to maintain our health and to keep us in harmony with the environment.

Color Therapy

Unlike phototherapy-light therapy, color therapy is scientifically partially approved because of little scientific evidence, but because of great history and health usage is widely studied. 

Every creature is engulfed in light that affects its health conditions. All organs, cells and atoms exist as energy, and each form has its frequency or vibrational energy. When various parts of the body deviate from these expected normal vibrations, the body is not functioning properly.

For every organ there is an energetic level at which the organ functions best. To restore the appropriate energy levels to the physical organs results in a healed body.

Scientist Klotsche in 20^th century correlated colors with chakra, where each chakra energizes and sustains certain organs. The body has seven major energy centers known as chakras, each center is responsive to a different color. Chakra located at the sites of the major endocrine glands, corresponds to states of consciousness, personality types and endocrine secretions.

Color Therapy Properties

Red color

Red color has a rousing and stimulating effect upon the body, especially the vital and metabolic functions. The red ray increases the temperature, quickens the action of the heart and speeds up the circulation, especially of the arterial blood which is brought to the surface of the skin. Red is a most valuable color to use in all chronic conditions such as paralysis, chronic rheumatism, consumption, even up to the third stage, or complete physical exhaustion as well as anemia.

Red has also been found most beneficial for the treatment of anemic people who will obtain more blood and vitality from a 10 to 15 minutes’ exposure to the vitalizing rays of red. 

Red is stimulant for the male sex glands. Red can only be used for the male sex glands, whereas violet must be used for the stimulation of the female sex glands.

The stimulating effect of red light is also a most valuable factor in the treatment of cataract, paralysis of the external eye muscles and detachment of the retina, where it can be used to rouse the blood and lymph current to increased activity.

Never use red alone for longer than about 10 minutes per treatment, as the use of too much red may cause an over-excited nervous system and can produce dangerous fevers.

Orange

The orange ray is nerve-animating as well as warming to cold, negative and dormant conditions, it will be the proper force to use for the treatment of all paralyzed conditions. Orange is also a wonderful stimulant to the emotions, as it increases the pulse rate, strengthens the etheric body and promotes a general sense of cheerfulness and well-being.

Orange is prohibited to use in all over-active and nervous conditions such as delirium, fever, sleeplessness, inflammations and palpitations of the heart.

Yellow

Yellow, in its mystic meaning, according to the teachings of the ancient sages, is the color of wisdom, whose attributes are moderation in all things, attention to detail, which includes the gaining of understanding concerning the laws of life and nature, and self-control, which is probably the greatest and most needed attribute in our world to-day.

The yellow ray is the most powerful light-ray of the solar spectrum. As yellow is a great nerve stimulant and very exciting to the brain, it is most beneficial in cases of melancholia and can be used for the treatment of all lethargic mental as well as physical conditions

Yellow is also very beneficial for the treatment of inert tumors, and stagnation of liver, bowel, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, etc., as it increases metabolic action and acts as a very gentle and yet most powerful purgative and laxative. 

Yellow color enhances functional recovery, and it is found beneficial for the treatment of bad hearing.

Yellow is contraindicated in all nervous and exciting conditions such as insomnia, sciatica, neuritis, etc.

Green

Green is the color of Nature, the color of strength and progress in body and mind. Green is the color vibration which loosens and relaxes the etheric body. As it affects mainly the nervous system, it acts as a sedative, and is of great value as a healing force in cases of nervous irritability, nervous exhaustion, nervous breakdowns and sleeplessness. It has a wonderfully calming effect on the mind and the nervous and physiological functions generally.

As green is very soothing it is a most useful color to apply for the treatment of inflamed stomachs, livers, etc. It has also the power to reduce blood pressure, decrease vitality and metabolic action and is therefore used in all cases of nervous disorders, neuralgia and headaches, associated with blood pressure.  It is one of the best color rays to use for the treatment of shock and hysteria.

A day in the country is an actual tonic to our body, mind and spirit, and because of this action upon the three constituents of the human being, the green color ray is of such vital importance to us as a medicine.

Blue

Blue ray has a wonderful power to cleanse and calm and bring peace to mind and body.

The blue, indigo and violet end of the solar spectrum is refrigerant, astringent, nervine and very soothing to any system in which inflammatory and nervous conditions pre dominate. The blue ray is the harmonizing and balancing principle in all cases where the red arterial blood has become very active or has caused inflamed conditions. 

When nervous conditions prevail, blue is a most suitable color to use, as it is a nerve tonic and acts very favorably on the nervous system by calming and steadying the nerves. It remedies all nerve disorders and reduces hyper-sensitivity, tension, nervousness and insomnia.

Blue has a pain-relieving property. The blue ray should never be used for more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time, as its action will otherwise result in a feeling of tiredness and utter depression. 

Violet

Violet is the most suitable color to use for the treatment of all pulmonary troubles.

Violet, being even more powerful than blue, is the most suitable color to use to put people to sleep, but as it also produces melancholia if used too freely, it should only be applied in very small doses. Violet has also been found a most suitable colour for the treatment of dyspepsia, inflamed or ulcerated stomach and bowel, inflamed kidneys and so forth.

Violet and purple are even more powerful than blue if used for the prevention of falling hair and the destruction of dandruff. 

Violet color is not recommended to use in all cases of melancholia, depression, sleepy sickness, gout or general low vitality.

Color Psychology 

Color psychology research relations and different effect of colors to emotions and behavior depending on age, gender, and culture. Color psychology is widely used in marketing and branding, as medical therapy, sports, and in hospital settings. 

In 1810, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe published “The Theory of Colors” and created his own color system. This important work on the psychological nature of color, linked colors with emotions, opening the door for modern color psychology. Goethe found that his ideas were best expressed within an equilateral triangle. Goethe divided all the colors into two groups: colors that produce excitement and cheerfulness. Colors that associated with weakness and unsettled feelings.

According to Carl Jung who pioneered stages of color psychology in the 20th century, “colors are the mother tongue of the subconscious”.

In 1916 Howard Kemp Prossor, a British art connoisseur, advanced a “color cure” for shell shock. At around the same time, architect William Ludlow began to advocate pale pastel blues and greens in hospitals for therapeutic purposes and advising that “white is negative”.

In the 1940s, the work of K. Goldstein and others further researched how colors affect human physiology and actions, and were developed into the practices of art and color therapy.

Basic Principles

Color psychology are based on following principles: Color individually or in mixture carry a specific meaning. Meaning of color is based in biologically innate or learned meaning. The person perceiving color has unique perception and automatic evaluation. The color motivated behavior is caused by different evaluation processes. Color automatically influence certain behaviour, and understanding its meaning and effect changes according to context as well. 

For example; flushed or pale skin is the synonim for excitement or sickness. Color strongly affects people’s perception of edibility and flavor of foods and drinks. For example, in food stores, bread is normally sold in packaging decorated or tinted with golden or brown tones to promote the idea of home-baked and oven freshness. Also, if a person receives a brown drink in the USA, he might have expectations for the taste of coke, while someone from China may expect a grape-flavored drink.

Meaning of Colors

The principles of color psychology are used in designing optimal work, school, hospitals and living spaces. Color influences our emotions and behavior. Colors can stimulate, excite, depress, tranquilize, increase appetite and create a feeling of warmth or coolness. 

Certain physiological changes take place when people are exposed to certain colors. Exposure to red color results in the higher blood pressure, respiration, heart rate, and eye-blink frequency, while blue color causes lower blood pressure. Red is often used in restaurant decorating schemes because it is an appetite stimulant.

Human reactions to colors are led by a combination of biological, physiological, psychological, social and cultural factors. For example, people will gamble more and make riskier bets when seated under a red light as opposed to a blue light.

Colors often have different symbolic meanings in different cultures. For example, white is the color for weddings in western societies, while white color is usually used for funerals in Chinese culture. Red color is by default associated with rage in the USA, but with happiness in China.  

Color therapy and light

Light and the color of an object can affect how one perceives its positioning. Blue light causes people to feel relaxed, which has led countries to add blue streetlights in order to decrease crimes and suicide rates. 

Lighting color also have a strong effect on perceived experience of time. For example, time seems to pass more slowly under red lights and time seems to pass quickly under blue light. Casinos take full advantage of this phenomenon by using color to get people to spend more time and hence more money in their casino. A sampling of the health characteristics claimed by color therapy are numerous. In general:

Warm Colors produce warm, cozy, and inviting feelings. These colors are associated with excitement, happiness and comfort. Yellow, orange and red are associated with the heat of sun and fire.  

Cool Colors  are associated with emotions of different range; from calm and peace to sadness, withdrawal and repression. Blue, green and violet colors are associated with the coolness of leaves, sea and the sky.

Red color stimulates and increases appetite. It is the most emotionally intense color. Red is perceived as a strong and active color which may influence both the person wearing it and others perceiving it. Red color may signal health as opposed to anemic paleness, or indicate anger due to flushing instead of paleness due to fear. Primate studies have found that some species evaluate rivals and possible mates depending on red color characteristics. Facial redness is associated with testosterone levels in humans, and male skin tends to be redder than female skin. In daily lives red cars are often targets for thieves. Decorators say that red furniture will attract attention. Since it is an extreme color, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations.

Yellow color cheerful sunny yellow is an attention getter. While it is considered an optimistic color, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms, and babies are more exuberated to cry more. It can be overpowering if overused. Yellow enhances concentration, hence its use for legal pads. It also speeds metabolism.

Green color symbolizes nature. It is a calming, refreshing color. People waiting to appear on television programs sit in “green rooms” to relax. Hospitals often use green because it relaxes patients.  

Blue is the color of the sky and the ocean.  Blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals; is often applied in bedrooms. It can symbolizes loyalty. People are more productive in blue rooms.  Weightlifters lift heavier weights in blue gyms.  Blue is also one of the least appetizing. Blue food is rare in nature; when food dyed blue is served to study subjects, they lose appetite.

Violet is the color of royalty, purple connotes luxury, wealth, and sophistication. However, because it is rare in nature, purple can appear artificial.

Black is the color of authority and power. It is popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner. It is also stylish and timeless. Black also implies submission. Priests and Nuns wear black to signify submission to God. Black outfits can also be overpowering, or make the wearer seem aloof or evil.  

White  color: Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity. White reflects light and is considered a summer color. White is popular in decorating and in fashion because it is light, neutral, and goes with everything. Doctors and nurses wear white to imply sterility.

Physiology of Colors

The human visual system is a remarkable apparatus. It provides us with a three dimensional perception of the world. Light is reflected from the objects around us. When the reflected light enters the eye, it is measured by the retinal cells. The information processing starts inside the eye. However, most information processing is done inside the brain.

Color is actually not an attribute that can be attached to the objects around us. It is basically a result of the processing done by the brain and the retina. The human visual system is able to determine the colors of objects irrespective of the illuminant. This ability is called color constancy. Mechanisms for color constancy also exist in other species, ranging from goldfish to honeybees. Color is an important biological signaling mechanism. Without color constancy, objects could no longer be reliably identified by their color.

Colors and Behavior Pattern

Pharmacology firms very thoroghly pay attention what color psychology research says about the therapeutic values of pill colors. Red pills are associated with stimulants and blue are associated with relaxation. The right color choice can create a placebo effect that enhances the effectiveness of the medicine. For example: in research, changing the original color of an antiepileptic pill increased the risk of in-adherence to the medication in patients diagnosed with a seizure disorder. 

People tend to like or dislike colors based on their associations of the color to other objects or situations that they have strong feelings about. For example, if someone associates the color blue with clean water, they would be more likely to favor blue. On the other hand, people’s dislike of the color brown could be due to associations of it with feces or rotten food.

A light’s warmth or coolness can be described by its color temperature. Neutral and soft white is a friendly and clean light best for kitchens and bathrooms or any kind of workspace; cool light is adequate for offices, hospitals, and other commercial uses; and warm light creates a cozy, calm, inviting atmosphere that is ideal for bedrooms, living rooms, family rooms, dining rooms, and other spaces requiring an intimate, personal mood. 

Color Psychology in Marketing

It has been has shown that color can be used to communicate brand personality. Everyone perceives color differently. The physiological and emotional effect of color in each person is influenced by several factors such as past experiences, culture, religion, natural environment, gender, race, and nationality. 

Customers generally make an initial judgment on a product within 90 seconds of interaction with that product and mostly that judgment is based on color. People often see the portrayed colored logo of a brand or company as a representation of that company. 

The names of colors matters. These names are often called visual color descriptors. For exampple instead of the brown color could be used mocca color in order to attract customers.

People make decisions when a favorite color is present because of consciously focus on it. This implies that products can capture someone’s attention based on color, before the person willingly looks at the product. Warm colored store displays are more appropriate for spontaneous and unplanned purchases, whereas cool colored displays and store entrances may be a better fit for purchases where a lot of planning and customer deliberation occurs. 

Blue, a cool color, was rated as more favorable and produced higher purchasing intentions than orange, a warm color. However, all negative effects to orange were neutralized when orange store color was paired with soft lighting. This shows that store color and lighting actually interact.