Colour me red

If you look at the blue sea, what does it connote immediately?  Serenity .  Or if you come across a deep red poppy  nodding in the breeze even if feeling a bit down the sight lifts up the mood with its vivacity. Why do people often opt for painting the bedroom a light green? Because it exudes a feeling of calmness and ensures a good sleep.

Colour has this effect on people. Is it a surprise that Wordsworth wrote that whenever he was in a vacant or in pensive mood the memory of a field of sunny yellow daffodils he had come across on a walk made his heart fill with  pleasure and made it dance.

Psychologists and therapists have long known the effect the right colour acting as a mood changer on a patient. The reason, practitioners say, is that colours create an electrical impulse in our brain, which stimulates hormonal and biochemical processes in our body.

“Chromo therapy is an alternative remedy that uses colour and light to treat physical or mental health by balancing the body’s energy centres, also known as chakras,” says Richa Chawla, grandmaster Reiki,  Kolkata, adding, “This concept dates back to ancient Egyptians who used sun-activated solarium rooms constructed with coloured glass for therapeutic purpose.’’ She informs that in Reiki and Pranic Healing method each chakra has a dedicated colour .

Jyoti Gupta, an acupressure practitioner in Kolkata, uses green and black sketch pens on knees and the hands to treat different ailments like acne and arthritis. “Pineal gland, liver, headache - all have their respective colours which need to be activated should there be a related problem.’’ She also recommends eating different coloured vegetables and fruits like beetroot, orange, pomegranate and melons. 

Gupta believes that “Astrology also works on the same principle as people are asked to wear different coloured stones based on the kind of problems one faces. Topaz, sapphire, emerald and ruby have different colours and have different energies.”

Says Chandni Arora, Delhi, “Vibrant colours brighten up the dark gloomy winter season while pastel shades are preferred hues in hot summers to create a cool  feeling .”

Interior designers and fashion designers who launch  ‘Summer’  and ‘Winter’ collections at different times of the year are well aware of it and design accordingly.

In countries where the light fades early during the onset of winter, as in Scandinavia for example, a seasonal blue mood called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is quite common. It causes depression and mood swings in many people. No wonder many vacationers from these countries come to countries in Asia  or South America where sunshine is abundant.  Bright colours, floral drapes and curtains and the glowing fire places also help to lift the gloom.

Roshni Jamwal, a teacher from Jammu, finds that colour blue has a calming effect on her on stressful days, wearing white coloured clothes keep her away from anger and red can agitate if she is already disturbed about something .

“Alternative therapies also believe that a person’s aura contains different layers of light which can be used for cleansing and balancing. Knowing the colours in your aura can help you better understand your spirit, and thus help you better understand how to heal,” says Jamwal.

It is not without reason that festivals also have symbolic colours.

In India, yellow and red are the two colours that are considered to be auspicious and common to all festivals lending vibrancy and a note of festivity and cheer . We hardly come across colours like black, blue and violet used in festive decorations.

Karishma Thapa, special educator and therapeutic movement facilitator, and founder of KRayonz Pune, an online studio for remedial movement therapy, finds that “Colours do have an impact on individuals with special needs in a learning environment, and can help improve visual processing and stimulation as well as reduce monotony. Soothing and warm colours  can help in getting a positive change in academic performance, aggressive behaviour, attention deficit hyperactivity, dyslexia and learning disabilities .”

However, she warns that more than four or five colours in a learning environment can strain cognitive abilities and hamper development.