By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS
New Delhi : When one thinks colour, one thinks of Holi and the artist’s canvas. But colours can weave their own magic – they heal, predict the future and warn of impending pitfalls, going beyond the realm of art.
Colours, says Delhi-based colour reader Gayatri Manga, are psychic and have the ability to talk to humans because they work on the mind.
Individual affinity to different colours, especially the seven shades of the rainbow which represent seven energy “chakras” in the body, indicate personality traits and can point out biological and chemical imbalances in the human body.
“Sometimes the fascination for a particular colour can mean the particular shade is either in short supply in the body’s natural energy field or in surplus that can be balanced with other shades. A mentally and physically fit body requires a balance of all the seven colours of nature,” Manga told IANS at an art exhibition in the capital recently.
The exhibition showcased 28 colourful works by two young artists, Chennai-based S.K. Mani and Delhi-based Suchit Sahni, on the eve of Holi, the spring festival of colours. It was a little more than an ordinary art show. It stressed the importance of colours in human life and the bio-chemical link between the seven shades of the rainbow and the human body with the help of colour readings by Manga and the artists’ personal interpretation of the colours used on the canvases.
“I have a personal liking for colours because they heal,” said self-taught abstractionist Suchit Sahni, whose cubic compositions in basic shades were uplifting. “The bright blues, red, orange and green are mood elevators,” the artist said.
The seven basic colours of the rainbow – purple (violet), indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red – represent respectively the head, brow, throat, heart, stomach, lower abdomen and the ground (earthly or basic instincts of man).
Colour healing or chromotherapy is rooted in ayurveda, the ancient healing system practised in India.
It was also used in ancient Egypt and China.
According to ancient Chinese texts, each organ is associated with a colour. In the Qigong province, known for its ancient natural therapies, healing sounds are also associated with a colour corresponding with a specific organ and emotion.
Sometimes, chromotherapy is also used together with hydrotherapy (water therapy) and aroma-therapy (healing by fragrances) for a heightened effect.
Explaining the personality code of each colour, Manga said, “Those with an affinity to purple, which is all about the head, are spiritual beings and are into religion. They usually face adversities, which gradually drives them to spirituality. My advice to them is to open up, communicate and let go.”
White, for instance, is a higher colour, associated with highly evolved souls. “Usually healers and mystics have an affinity for white,” explained Manga, the 32-year-old mother of two, who took to healing at the age of 19 after learning the mysteries of herbs in the hills of Hardwar.
Green, the colour of the heart “chakra”, represents growth, fame, prosperity and also jealousy. Those who lack the green aura in their bodies should supplement it with more intake of green vegetables, green clothes, green jewellery and even green drinks.
“It is not that all vegetarians have abundance of green in their bodies. People may survive all their lives on vegetarian meals and salads, but may not like the colour green at all. That is when they should take to loving everything green. Advice from colour therapists helps restore the body’s balance,” the therapist said.
Blue facilitates communication. It works on the throat “chakra”. Blue enhances romance and stands for love and friendship. “One should wear blue to meetings and important assignments,” Manga said. Those low on blue aura in their bodies should try out blue food- like blue fruits and blue drinks, the therapist recommended.
Yellow represents the stomach. “Almost 80 per cent of us are bad with the yellow colour. It represents communication, career, creativity and travel. Use of yellow brings success. But it is not the colour of everyday use. The only way to keep the stomach chakra spinning right is to increase intake of yellow food, those rich in turmeric and yellow fruits,” said Manga.
Orange represents femininity, emotions and balances female hormones. An orange drink or orange flowers at the end of the day can cure work-related stress and keep tempers in check. Red on the other hand stands for everything earthy. “People with a fascination for red are very grounded and earthy,” she said.
Red “imbalances”, which can make people whimsy, prone to sudden impulses and impracticality, can be restored with frequent use of the colour in daily life. “But one must remember that each colour acts differently on individuals depending on their constitution and temperament,” the therapist said.