Chromotherapy

Chromotherapy, sometimes called color therapy or colorology, is an alternative medicine method. It is claimed that a therapist trained in chromotherapy can use color and light to balance energy wherever our bodies are lacking, be it physical, emotional, spiritual, or mental.

Chromotherapists claim a scientific basis for their practice, proposing that colors bring about emotional reactions in people. A standard method of diagnosis is the use of "Luscher’s color test", developed by Max Luscher (*1923) in the early 1900s. When performing chromotherapy, color and light is applied to specific areas and acupoints on the body. Because colors get associated with both positive and negative effects in color therapy, specific colors and accurate amounts of color are deemed to be critical in healing. Some of the tools used for applying colors are gemstones, candles, wands, prisms, colored fabrics, bath treatments, and colored glasses or lenses. Therapeutic color can be administered in a number of ways, but is often combined with hydrotherapy and aromatherapy in an attempt to heighten the therapeutic effect.

History
Several findings indicate that color and light have been used for health treatments since the beginning of recorded time. Color therapy is possibly rooted in Ayurveda, an ancient form of medicine practiced in India for thousands of years. Other historic roots are attributed to Chinese and ancient Egyptian culture. In traditional Chinese medicine, each organ is associated with a color. Ancient Egyptians built solarium-type rooms, which could be fitted with colored panes of glass. The sun would shine through the glass and flood the patient with color. As late as the nineteenth century, European smallpox victims and their sickrooms were draped with red cloth to draw the disease away from the body.

Today, some therapists have a box with a mechanism that flickers light into the eyes. They report success in speeding the recovery of stroke victims and those persons who experience chronic depression. Some therapists recommend the wearing of eyeglasses with colored lenses. Specialized shops also sell baths equipped with lamps that emit the wanted color to induce the desired effect. Chromotherapy is not bound to medicine: practitioners of Feng Shui bring specific colors into our homes and workplaces, trying to achieve optimum balance of energy.

In the United States, color and light therapy is beginning to be recognized as a complementary system to other treatments. In Europe, Dr. Peter Mandel, a German acupuncturist, developed a system to apply color and light to acupuncture points on the body. This so called colorpuncture is now being taught in many countries.

Meaning and use of colors


Health is contingent upon balancing not only our physical needs, but our emotional, mental, and spiritual needs as well. In India, a group of healers known as Ayurvedic healers associate colors with the seven main chakras, which are spiritual centers in our bodies located along the spine.(Parker, 2001)

Chakras store and distribute energy and information. Much of the information on chakras comes from the yogic teachings in India. According to these teachings, each chakra is also associated with one of the four primary elements: earth, air, fire, water.(Simpson, 2002)

There are seven of these chakras and each is associated with a particular organ or system in the body. Each chakra has a dominant color, but these colors may become imbalanced. If this happens it can cause disease and other physical ramifications. (Parker, 2001) By introducing the appropriate color, these maladies can be fixed. Below is a description of each chakra, its corresponding color, location, and physical/emotional association.

Red
First Chakra: Located at the base of the spine

This is the earth element. It can be used as a natural therapy to keep yourself healthy. The first chakra affects the legs and feet and influences walking, the anus, and elimination. Positive qualities associated with this elements are steadfastness, courage, loyalty, and perseverance. Negative qualities of a person with excess red energy could be that they are stubborn and bigoted. (Simpson, 2002)

This chakra can affect blood disorders, bone marrow, and energy depletion. It can also have an emotional impact on feelings of safety, survival, and security. (Parker, 2001)

In Chromotherapy, red is considered to be the color of life, of the glowing sun, and of fire. Red is said to increase the pulse rate, to raise the blood pressure, and the rate of breathing. Red has also been called the color of desire. Red would generally be applied to support the circulatory functions and is claimed to be used with success to combat anemia, asthma, diseases of the larynx, certain skin diseases, and chronic coughs. A person with an excess of red could express domination, physical cruelty, anger, and vulgarity.

Orange
Second Chakra: pelvis area

Being a color mixed from red and yellow, according to chromotherapists orange stands for kind-heartedness and warm-heartedness of an individual. Orange would symbolise the rising sun, and make us alert and cheerful. It is believed to affect both our bodies and our minds. Astonishing results are ascribed to the use of the color orange to treat mental illness, depressions, discontent and pessimism. Orange could be applied for the treatment of arteriosclerosis, sclerenecephaly, cardiosclerosis, loss of appetite, anemia, anorexia and digestive system discomforts (e.g., flatulence, cramps). A person with an excess of orange could express confusion, tiredness, and pessimism.

Yellow
Third Chakra: solar plexus - just above the belly button

In color therapy, yellow is the symbol of the sun at the horizon. Yellow is the brightest of the colors that are commonly used in color therapy. Yellow reflects light in all directions, and could therefore be able to create an impression of detachment and liberation. In naturopathy yellow is applied when trying to combat glandular diseases and diseases of the lymphatic system, and to strengthen the nervous system. Yellow is said to have effects that greatly assist metabolism and glandular activity. A person with an excess of this color could express lack of concentration, malice, and deviousness.

Green
Fourth Chakra: heart

The color green is located in the middle of the color spectrum and is associated with a harmonizing effect. It would not make us quiet, but calm us in a neutral, positive sense. Green is called the color of possession and of the will to possess. Green is also considered to be the color of concentration. Among other things, the color green is applied for the naturopathic treatment of bronchitis, whooping cough, inflammations of the joints, and swellings. In addition, green is thought to have a positive influence on the treatments of cysts, eye diseases and diabetes, generally promoting the secretion processes. Green is supposed to promote relaxation of the organs and stimulate general detoxification of the body. A person with an excess of green could experience lethargy, lack of motivation, insecurity, and jealousy. Pink is a secondary color that can also be associated with the Heart chakra.

Blue
Fifth Chakra: throat

In chromotherapy, blue is the color of peace and infinity. Blue is claimed to profoundly calm and relax us. Our bodies and minds are believed to be conveyed to a state of peace, repose and softness. This acclaimed relaxing and tranquilizing property of blue is applied for relieving headaches and migraines, the pains of stomach, muscle cramps, and even liver disorders. As a general rule, the color blue is said to have a very positive effect on all kinds of pain conditions. An excess of this color in a person could bring about doubt, distrust, apathy, and melancholia.

Indigo
Sixth Chakra: lower part of the forehead

Indigo is believed to be a cooling color that develops psychic perception and intuition. It is applied in health treatments for eyes, ears, nose, and mental problems. It is also used in attempts to treat addiction. Indigo is also ascribed to have sedative and calming effects. Some chromotherapists say indigo may be useful in controlling bleeding, and treating abscesses. Sometimes the color violet also gets associated with this chakra, depending upon the practitioner's training.

Violet
Seventh Chakra: top of the head

Practitioners name violet to be the color of the emotions and it is considered to be a meditative color. In color therapy and in particular in color acupuncture, violet is applied for treating the lymphatic system and the spleen. Violet is also used in attempts to soothe organs, relax muscles, and calm the nervous system. A person with an excess of this color could express fanaticism and domination. The color white or magenta can also be associated with this chakra, depending upon the practitioner's training.

Chromotherapy and pseudoscience
Chromotherapy has been highly controversial, due to the fact that it does not follow the scientific method and can be categorized as a pseudo-science. At best the idea that chromotherapy works could be described by the scientific community as a hypothesis, but it has not been tested or proven that introducing colors is actually healing these people.

Chromotherapy doesn't satisfy either the falsifiability or verifiablity conditions needed to deem an experiment valid. There are many other things besides a color of a chakra being out of line that could cause an illness and therefore cause the chromotherapy treatment not to work. There are also many other reasons why someone would get better, such as proper rest, relaxation, use of other forms of treatment simultaeously etc, that would make the chromotherapy appear to work when it actually doesn't.

In order for chromotherapy to be proved as scientifically viable, there would need to be some sort of control used in these experiments. Chromotherapy ignores cases that don't work and treats any successful case as proof that it does work. In a scientific experiment this kind of reasoning would not work. The cases that don't work must be given as much weight as those cases that do in proving the effectiveness of chromotherapy. Having a control group would also prevent against the placebo effect, which could definitely be a contributing factor in patients using chromotherapy. (Carey, 2004)

Books

 * Edwin D. Babitt: “The Principles of Light and Colour”, 1878
 * Max Lüscher: “Heilkräfte der Farben”