HISTORY OF COLOR HEALING
Healing with color has been used for centuries.. Color healing was both spiritual as well as physical. .
“ Enlightenment” was synonymous with health. The art of color healing was founded by Hermes, (the god Thoth). Ancient Egyptian and Greek cultures worshiped the sun, and used colored stones, crystals, minerals, dyes, and clothes to treat diseases and restore body balance and healing. They grouped concepts of the elements as: air, fire, water, and earth. The qualities of cold, heat, wetness, and dryness were also incorporated in healing. They felt all of this origiated from for organs: in the heart, liver, brain, and spleen.
Avicenna, a disciple of Aristotle (circa 1037) observed the symptoms of an illness and used color to treatment the disease. He found the color red moved the blood, while blue and white cooled the blood. Yellow was found to reduce pain and inflammation. Paracelsus(circa 1520), a renaissance was a great exponent of alchemy. He prepared effective medicines using liquid gold to treat many ailments. By the 18th century, the word “enlightenment” took on a new meaning.
In the 19 century science and rationalism became very material rather than spiritual, and medicine came under its umbrella. The mind and spirit had no role, as the emphasis was now on the physical body. All knowledge had to be certain and backed by evidence, and anything uncertain became rejected.In 1876, Pleasanton claimed certain diseases could be affected by exposing them to blue light. Blue light was effective in treating human disease and pain. In 1877, Pancoast also advocated the use of color in healing, especially red light.
A pioneer in the color field, Babbitt, identified the color red calling it a stimulant of blood and nerves; blue and violet light were found soothing to all inflamed areas. Yellow was used as an anti asthmatic treatment and as a laxative. The color blue was used in the treatment of inflammatory conditions as headaches, and meningitis. Babbitt used colored glass and natural light to produce colored lights, which he called the chrome disc. There were special color filters that localized lights into various parts of the body. He radiated water with sunlight by filtering them through colored lenses. This potentiated and energized the water. India in the first century used colored glass cups, filled them with water, and after 24 hours, the energized water containing the frequency of the color of the glass , was consumed.
In 1940, a Russian, Krakow, found that the color red stimulates the sympathetic system while the blue light stimulates the parasympathetic system. Gerard in 1958 confirmed his findings. Red produced feelings of arousal while blue generated feelings of calmness. Blood pressures under red light rose ,and decreased under blue light. The color blue has great therapeutic benefits and is used it as a supplement for many conditions. It is used as a tranquilizer and relaxant, and to lower blood pressure.
During the 50s, neonatal jaundice in America affected two thirds of premature babies. This was successfully treated by sunlight exposure. This was replaced in 1960 by white light which resulted in the elimination of blood transfusions in these premature infants. Later, blue light was found to be even more effective and less hazardous for neonatal jaundice. in Russia during the 60s, researcher Kulesheva, discovered that people could recognize color with their fingertips after only 20 minutes of training. Even when the colors were put under glass, aluminum foil, tracing paper or copper plates, sensations occurred that helped them distinguish colors accurately.
Another Russian, Valentine Kurlian, finally discovered that energy fields around living forms around streams became visible. Using a lifeless micro photo polaroid film, he found objective evidence for the existence of an Energy system. Recently in acupuncture, MRIs have also shown the objective evidence of body electromagnetic flow. A Japanese, Motoyama, in the 60s, developed measuring devices to measured subtle electromagnetic energy field around the body and the workings of the chalkas. A Californian, Dr, Hunt, using Kirlian photography, mapped out the psycho physiologic chakra system. A German, Michael Webber, in 2005, found that blue laser lights oxygenate tissues, and green light aids heart muscle recovery.
Color therapy today
To reduce levels of medication, bright full spectrum white is used now for cancers, seasonal affect disorders, insomnia, jet lag, alcohol and drug dependency, and anorexia. Blue light was also found effective for rheumatoid arthritis and is used to heal injured tissues, skin and lung conditions, and cancers. In 1990, blue light began to be used for addiction problems eating disorders, depression, and impotence.
Color is now widely accepted as a therapeutic tool for various medical applications. Photosensitive chemicals accumulate in cancer cells and selectively can be identified under ultraviolet light. When activated by red light, they penetrated and destroy the cancer cells with the longer wavelengths. Red light has is used to help athletes who needs short bursts of energy. Blue light is better when performance requires a steady longer duration of energy output.
The color pink has a tranquilizing and calming effect. It reduces muscle strength and aggression, by sapping energy from the body..
The color yellow is very stimulating and resulted in violent crime when yellow street lighting was present. Color tinted eyeglasses are found effective in learning disabilities, Oprah in her movie 25 years ago, Color Purple, showed the importance of the color to produce peace and harmony in the face of suffering.
Serotonin, is a stimulant produced during the day, while melatonin is released at night and linked with good sleep. Under light conditions, melatonin becomes very sensitive. High levels of melatonin were found in infertility and low sperm counts. and Seasonal affect disorder has different wavelengths of
Acupuncturists use color therapy with acupuncture to enhance their treatments.color that interact with the endocrine system and stimulate or reduce hormone production
