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History
of Colour Therapy
by
Kohai Jo-Ann Valentine,
Colour Harmonics Practitioner
Its
earliest beginnings
The use of colour as a vibrational therapy goes back
many centuries. The Atlantans are said to have used
light and colour not only to treat physical diseases
but to heal relationships, to assist in childbirth and
to assist the dying in their transition from earthly
to spiritual life. They built circular temples with
a domed roof constructed from interlocking crystals.
These crystals refracted the sunlight, filling the temple
with the spectral colours. Around the circumference
of the temple were individual healing rooms which resonated
to the required colour frequencies. Archaeologists have
discovered that the Egyptian healing temples were similarly
constructed. In ancient Egypt the use of colour in healing
was attributed to Thoth, patron god of physicians and
scribes.
In Ayurvedic medicine treatment has included the use
of minerals and gemstones which were believed to be
a concentration of the cosmic rays. Classical Chinese
medicine is based on the great medical compendium, the
Nei Ching, which outlines five methods of treatment;
cure the spirit, nourish the body, give medication,
treat the whole body and use acupuncture and moxibustion.
Colour was applied in the form of herbs, minerals and
salves.
A common practice amongst the Greeks and Romans was
treatment by sunlight, known as heliotherapy, which
Herodotus is supposed to have introduced. In ancient
Greece Pythagorus established a philosophical medical
centre where students worked with the science of numbers,
establishing scientific theories of sound and musical
octaves which they used for healing in conjunction with
colour. Their deep knowledge and understanding of the
healing powers of the colour rays was nearly lost when,
later on in history, the Greeks considered colour only
as a science. Hippocrates, amongst others, abandoned
the metaphysical side of colour, concentrating only
on the scientific aspect. Fortunately, despite this,
the knowledge and philosophy of colour was handed down
throughout the ages by a few.
From
the first century A.D.
During the early part of the first century, the early
Christian Church tended to equate disease with punishment
for sin and healing with grace and divine intervention,
deeming pagan those medical practices involving colour
and other unorthodox methods of treatment. This drove
such practices underground, where the ancient knowledge
was passed on orally.
Although many Greek and Roman writings on procedures
were lost, many were preserved and translated, first
into Arabic and later into Latin. Colour was restored
to medical practices by the outstanding Persian physician,
Avicenna.
In the Middle Ages, Paracelsus reintroduced this knowledge
using the power of the colour rays for healing along
with music and herbs. Unfortunately, he was ridiculed
for his work and most of his manuscripts were burnt,
but now he is thought by many to be one of the greatest
doctors and healers of his time.
By the nineteenth century the use of drugs was growing
and the concept of treating the whole person was lost,
emphasis being placed on diseases of the physical body.
With the exclusion of the spiritual, emotional and mental
aspects colour fell into disuse. It's re-emergence during
this time was attributed to Dr. Seth Pancoast and Dr.
Edwin Babbitt.
At the beginning of the twentieth century colour was
investigated by the occultist, philosopher, teacher
and religious leader, Rudolf Steiner. He related colour
to mathematical form, believing that form had the power
to amplify colour's effect. Two great twentieth century
pioneers of colour therapy were Dinsaha Ghadiali and
Dr. Harry Spitler. Although Ghadiali, a qualified physicist,
had no medical training he was awarded four honourary
medical degrees for his research into colour. Spitler,
a doctor and optometrist, originated a system of colour
treatment called syntonics which applied light directly
through the eyes.
Heliotherapy
and science
Sunlight treatment (heliotherapy) involves the absorption
of the full colour spectrum present in sunlight. It
was re-introduced towards the middle of the nineteenth
century by Jakob Lorber who maintained that any part
of the body suffering disease should be exposed to the
sun's rays. Another pioneer, Danish physician Niels
Ryberg Finsen, used artificial light, through the instrument
known as the carbon arc, to treat skin tuberculosis.
At this present time the medical profession is using
various forms of light treatment. Studies carried out
in the 1960's suggested that blue light was able to
rid jaundiced babies' bodies of the biliruban that the
immature liver was unable to cope with.
More
recent uses of light
Scientist Peter Mandel has recently re-introduced colour
to the ancient art of acupuncture healing in the form
of "colourpuncture". He discovered that focusing
coloured light on acupuncture points triggered powerful
healing impulses in the physical and energy bodies.
His technique involves administering the appropriate
colours to those points needing treatment.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is being treated with
full spectrum light. SAD is caused by high levels of
the hormone melatonin in the blood during daylight hours.
This condition can be treated by having the client sit
in front of a light box which houses full spectrum,
flicker free fluorescent tubes.
Treatment with lasers is another fairly recent use of
light. The great advantages of lasers are their potency,
speed of action and ability to focus on a minute area
allowing great advances to be made in microsurgery.
In surgery they have two main uses: photo coagulation
of bleeding vessels and the incision of tissue. Other
uses include the removal of small benign tumours, removal
of unwanted tattoos and the treatment of detached retinas.
Soft laser light is used for the amelioration of burn
victims pain and the acceleration of wound healing.
Research
into light therapy
In Budapest Dr. Marta Fenyo, a biophysicist, laser specialist
and inventor, began researching the component in laser
light responsible for healing leg ulcers and varicose
problems and discovered polarized light. Polarized light
was found to boost the immune system and have a dramatic
healing effect on varicose ulcers.
Several other forms of light treatment are presently
being used by the medical profession. In Russia, Professor
Kira Samoilova is working with ultra-violet irradiated
blood retransfusions and intravenous visible laser light
irradiation of blood.
A recent development in Britain is "interstitial
PDT" (photo dynamic therapy). Developed from the
research of Professor Stanley Brown, it is used with
large and deep-seated tumours and on skin cancers.
Learning
about the latest research on light therapy has led me
to believe that treatment with all aspects of light, which
include colour, will be the medicine of the future.
How Colour Therapy Works
Colour can be applied by various means such as shining
light on the body through coloured filters or lenses,
through drinking or bathing in solarized water, and
visualization. Even the colour of clothing worn and
foods eaten have an affect upon the body. The colours
in one's environment and the type of lighting used also
have a profound effect.
We are energetic beings. Within our physical bodies
is a natural system of lights which is generated within
the DNA of each cell and is amplified and broadcast
by the cells as a way to communicate with other cells.
Groups of cells create electro-magnetic fields which
reflect the status of the organs. These electromagnetic
fields both store information and guide how the body
grows and develops. This information can be perceived
as coloured light.
The information in these fields is easily changed with
applications of coloured light. Colours are a way of
transferring information and energy into matter. The
cells communicate with each other through photons, light
waves. This process is called bio-communications.
When colour reaches a cell, the electrons in the cells
re-organize. Some absorb photons and jump into higher
frequency orbits. Others release photons, and the electrons
settle back down into less excited states. In both occasions,
the photon-electron activity sets up energy and information
impulses that travel instantly through the body. These
impulses interact with the other regulatory systems
of the body, especially the endocrine and nervous systems,
and thereby take effect to harmonize whole body activity.
Also, as the cells absorb energy, they set the stage
to later release this same energy. When the energy is
released, it is released as a weak electro-magnetic
field. In colour light therapy terms, this means that
the cells will resonate to certain colours of light,
and then release this energy back as a weak colour field.
Colour therapy using coloured light beams can be performed
easily. The client does not have to remove any clothing
and the procedure is painless.
Colour
Light Protocols
There are many colour light protocols available. Colour
sessions take from 10 to 45 minutes depending upon the
protocol(s) being used. They may be sold as individual
treatments or in combination. A partial list follows:
- Energizing
colour facial
- Balancing
energy
- Immune
building technique
- Lymphatic
drainage
- Nurturing
women's health
- Calming
energy
- Colour
harmonics balance
- Clearing
energy
- Raising
energy
- Colour
foot reflexology
For more information about Colour Harmonics or to book
a session, contact:
Jo-Ann Valentine by telephone 905-272-8378 or via e-mail
to joannv@sympatico.ca
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