We are made up of the colours of the rainbow, the earth, sea and sky. Each colour has a vibration. The colour spectrum ranges from red, orange, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
An acronym that’s easy to memorise is “ROY G. BIV” for the order of the colours of the rainbow. This short-form name was something my late father helped me memorise when I was 8 years old.
What our eyes are able to sense as colours are only a limited spectrum of what we can see of the infinite range of colours.
Insects, birds, fish and animals are able to sense a different range of colours than us. Animals who hunt at night like lions have night vision, the ability to see in the dark. Insects like butterflies can see ultraviolet light which we cannot detect easily. However, the lower end of the colour spectrum,which starts with red, is invisible to their eyesight. Most fish species have colour vision and some have the ability to detect ultraviolet light and polarized light.
Colour is created by light and its interaction with darkness, light together with darkness creates a whole spectrum of colours.
Going back to our school days and spending time in science labs or doing physics, do you remember doing experiments with crystal prisms and white light? We were able to create rainbows almost like magic where none existed by positioning the crystal prism in front of the white light.
You may be wondering – how come black and white aren’t mentioned as colours of the rainbow? If we used the definition of colour that we get from physics then those two are not colours because they don’t have wavelengths. Black is where all the colours get fully absorbed by an object. White is where all the colours are reflected out by the object. What we see as the colour of an object is actually that object reflecting out that particular colour’s wavelength and absorbing all the other colour wavelengths.
Colours dominate our life. When do we start seeing colours?
Before we are even born. We have a sense of sight developed from when we are in our mother’s womb. When we are born, we do not see very clearly. But we are able to see better if objects come in contrasting colours like black and white, and in the three primary colours – red, blue and yellow. By the time we reach our first birthday, our eyesight is fully developed to see all the colours of the world. Think back to your childhood, do you remember the colours of your favourite toys? Were they very colourful?
How well aligned are you to colours?
We add colour to the world around us by our moods, the colours we choose to decorate our spaces and ourselves. Every colour has a vibrational level and can affect our emotions and senses. They may calm, energise, or balance depending on what colours are used. They can be an effective and powerful therapy to heal and balance the mind, body and emotions.
Colour has been used for centuries to inspire emotional and physical responses. We can consciously choose our feelings and our moods. Colours are a great way to help us be conscious of a feeling and to maintain it long enough until it becomes a mood.
Do you want to know what the colour you are wearing says about you and your mood?
Violet – Promotes intuition, imagination, universal flow of energy, meditation and artistic qualities.
Indigo (a combination of blue-purple) – Induces spiritual growth, helps in the development of intuition and understanding of oneself. It dissolves inner fears, inhibitions, and frustrations and helps manifest love within us. Those who wear it love beauty and see life as a harmonious state. They are understanding and balanced.
Blue – A peaceful, relaxing colour. It helps to calm upset nerves and mental anguish. It creates a feeling of security and inner peace. On a spiritual level, it can help uplift and help one to better understand oneself. Those who wear blue tend to be understanding, calm, and seek the truth. Blue helps us get in touch with ourselves more, creating inner peace and tranquillity. Light blue can help in promoting inner confidence in our ability to communicate effectively and peacefully. Royal blue and dark blue can help protect us from negative energies and disturbances to our inner wellbeing from the outside world.
Pink – Light pink and magenta are the colours of unconditional love. Light pink is a soft, nurturing colour while magenta mixes the feeling of love with spirituality.
Green – Light green is the colour of physical healing. When paired together with light pink, it is a representation of healing at all levels of our being. An emerald or dark green represents the colour of nature and the earth. It is relaxing and refreshing. This colour soothes muscles and nerves. It promotes determination, efficiency, poise and patience. People who wear green are more likely to be orderly, dependable, and attentive to detail. Green can be used to bring harmony into your life by promoting patience, peace and balance.
Yellow – This colour connects with the intellects. It awakens and stimulates the mind. It can be used to help dispel depression and anxiety as it promotes optimism and joy. Using the colour yellow will help one to communicate more with those around them, be more expressive and mentally sharp.
Orange – This is a balancing colour. It is similar to red. It has an enlivening energy. It stimulates the nerves and creativity. It balances out the emotions. As a cheerful, warm colour, orange can be used to help remove fears and bring back the ability to enjoy life more. It helps to expand the mind and allow for new ideas. People who wear orange tend to be confident, peaceful, and considerate. They will be open-minded and graceful.
Red – This is the colour of passion. It has a revitalising effect on our bodies. It stimulates the body and the nervous system. When you are tired and feeling run down, wear something red or focus on that colour to give you more energy. People who wear red are most likely to be extroverts. This colour promotes living one’s life to the fullest, being more assertive and confident.
Red and orange are linked to boosting one’s appetite. You can add in more orange in your dining room or kitchen if you would like to naturally increase your family’s appetite and energy.
Black – Represents power, authority and protection. As I mentioned earlier, it is not a colour based on the definition from physics but more a representation of something that absorbs all the light and does not reflect any out. It is also a colour that connects to the colour of stone and the earth. There are many who prefer to wear black as it is supposed to give a slimming effect. However, be careful of wearing too much black and having a mood that is as dark!
White – This again is another ‘colour’ which is not strictly a colour as it is essentially reflecting out all of the wavelengths present in light. It is commonly used as a colour to represent purity and spirituality.
Surrounding ourselves with colours when we go out in nature or through colouring and doing art can help us shed old, unneeded thoughts and feelings and connect with more positive, uplifting ones.
When time permits, you can connect to your intuition, spend time in nature and connect to the vibrance of the world around us. Or, find a mandala or an adult colouring sheet and colour away.
Interested to find out more on how you can increase your intuition with colours, join the Colours Workshop!
Blog post courtesy of Sumitra Sundram