C O L O R S

Color therapy is applied in many contexts with the basic premise that exposing a person to particular colors stimulates the brain in a certain way. We know that the basic exposure to light verses darkness changes the body chemistry. This can be demonstrated by the upregulation of Melatonin production during extended periods of darkness and the upregulation of Serotonin and Acetylcholine in extended periods of light. This feedback system is what signals for most seasonal behaviors within vertebrates, including the changing of skin color or fur according to the season, breeding behaviours, migratory patterns, etc.

Similarly, upon prolonged exposure to a certain color, the body will respond in a particular way. This may be applied as a therapy for a medical condition, as a Feng Shui cure, or simply to improve mood or disposition. Generally the change must be dramatic and applied for an extended period of time for the treatment to be effective. This may mean painting walls, changing curtains, bedsheets, buying a new wardrobe, etc.

In the context of medicine, color therapy is studied according to the Five Element Generating and Controlling Cycles.

Within the Generating Cycle:

Water Creates Wood

Wood Creates Fire

Fire Creates Earth

Earth Creates Metal

Metal Creates Water

So the stimulation of an element will in effect generate more of the consecutive element within this cycle. This can be demonstrated with the example of a person who has heart disease; their arteries are in a state of inflammation because they are ravaged by free radicals due to smoking and drinking. They have what we could call Heart heat in Chinese medicine. A Feng Shui therapist might suggest this person expose themselves to green colors for a period of 1 year to correct this problem. So the person would go home and paint their walls green, they would buy green shirts and pants to wear, they would change the curtains and bedsheets to a green color, and they would get green plates for the kitchen. Now in a constant state of exposure to this color, the Liver will be continuously stimulated. Since the Liver is the organ with nourishes and engenders the Heart, this will work to cool the Heart fire and correct the problem (unless the Liver also happens to be deficient, in which case we would go to the Kidneys).

Within the context of the Controlling Cycle:

Water controls Fire

Fire controls Metal

Metal controls Wood

Wood controls Earth

Earth controls Water

So the stimulation of one organ will restrict the organ system which it controls. In the same example of the patient with heart disease, exposure to black in this case will produce the effect of controlling the fire and cooling down the inflammation. So perhaps the person would be instructed to wear yellow three days out of the week and black four days out of the week in order to produce a more well rounded treatment (and also to be more fashionable).

blue - green

This is the color of the wood element and the Liver / Gallbladder; it stands between the axes of Water and Fire. The darkness of water, as it moves toward wood, first becomes deep, rich blue like that of deep indigo. This color stimulates the movement of qi from the Kidneys to the Liver. It then progressively moves toward a cobalt or lapis color to resonate strictly with the liver, followed by a turquoise and into the greens as the energy moves into the heart. A wood-type environment is filled with plants and it is situated near a forest setting. The application of this color in your life is most often to either nourish the Liver yin & blood or the Heart yin & blood. An environment of deep, dark blues will work to nourish the Liver yin. Brighter blue colors will regulate the Liver qi and relax constraint. Turquoise to greener colors will stimulate the Gallbladder and nourish the Heart yin. If you are experiencing frequent signs of Liver blood or yin deficiency such as tension headaches, stress, insomnia, anxiety, chest oppression, and frequent feelings of anger and frustration, you would likely benefit from this color. Across the generating cycle this color nourishes the Heart and across the controlling cycle this color restricts the Spleen / Pancreas.

red

Reds are the color of fire and stimulate the Heart, Small Intestine, Pericardium, and Triple Burners. A fire type environment is one which is highly stimulating; it is filled with music, art, the tv is on, the computer is on, it is filled with people. This type of environment stimulates the Heart. Deeper reds will work to nourish the yin aspects of the Heart while brighter reds will stimulate the yang functions of the Heart. This means a dark red like mahogany will nourish the Heart blood and gently regulate the Heart function. This is most appropriate for someone who has symptoms of blood deficiency like: Pale face, difficulty sleeping, anxiety, palpitations, fatigue, poor memory. A bright red like crimson will be helpful to improve circulation and warm the Heart yang. This is more appropriate for someone with signs of Heart yang deficiency like: Cold hands, difficulty speaking (including stuttering or similar conditions), shortness of breath, sweating easily, feeling cold in general or having poor circulation. The Pericardium and Triple Burner are related mostly with the metabolic system and the distribution of heat throughout the body and these channels are often in poor function when there are signs of metabolic deficiency such as hypothyroid, weight gain, coldness, edema, etc. Red colors are helpful for these type of patterns as well.

Yellow - orange

Yellows, oranges, and earth tones stimulate the earth element - the Spleen, Pancreas, and Stomach. An earth element environment is one which is very nurturing; there are snacks, someone is supportive of you, your loved ones are there, there is a heated blanket and a lifetime movie. This is the type of environment which nourishes the Spleen. The Spleen and Pancreas are conventionally both considered under the single title of the Spleen organ system. Dark oranges like ochre are the most stabilizing and grounding colors for the Spleen. This is going to nourish the Spleen blood and be helpful for all patterns of blood deficiency. Brighter oranges and yellows like gold are more warming and helpful to invigorate the qi of the Spleen and Stomach. This is helpful in the case of disorders like indigestion, insulin resistance, fatigue, edema, etc.

White - silver

Colors on the spectrum of white to grey to metallic sheens are associated with the metal element and the organs of the Lung and Large Intestine. This is the organ system which is related with the concepts of refinement and abstraction and this is reflected in the metal type environment. An environment with a lot of silver and white colors is generally one which is filled with glass, mirrors, exposed metal surfaces, porcelain, bright lighting, etc. Essentially hypermodern architecture is a very metal-type environment. There is a very high level of organization and attention to detail. This is the type of environment which will stimulate the Lungs and, by virtue of the elemental transformations, generate the Kidney Qi and restrict the Liver Qi.

black

The color black is associated with the water element and the Kidney and Urinary Bladder. A water type environment is one which is really the opposite of the metal environment; it is dark, with curtains drawn, candle-lit, very few reflective surfaces, and with black-colored walls and rounded surfaces. This type of environment encourages the movement of energy internal and down, and it will strengthen the Kidney Qi. Black is a very useful color therapy to nourish the Liver and to restrain the activity of the Heart. This type of environment is the one classically associated with monks and mystics because they are seeking to develop a stronger relationship with their internal landscape in order to get closer to the divine.