How colour therapy boosted my mood

As January made me feel a little drab  - cold days, long nights, dark mornings - I decided to try some colour therapy to lift my mood, so one wet Thursday afternoon I met with Mary Gold.

Mary is a Training Colour counsellor and healer with the Iris International School of Colour Therapy, Totnes, Devon, as well as being a Reiki Master and Reflexologist and a recently qualified teacher of holisitc therapies.

Just the woman I needed as I was feeling skint, tired, tetchy and frustrated - the usual gamut of January emotions.


What to expect from colour therapy?
Mary assured me she wouldn't tell me what to wear, but would allow me to choose colours that reflect my present state of being, then guide me as to how to move forward.

In her own warm way, she made me feel relaxed while she spread out a white blanket and laid several swatches of coloured fabric onto it. Without thinking too much, I had to choose colours that appealed and one that repelled. The swatches that jumped out at me were red; dark blue; green and gold, and I rejected grey beige.

The meaning

• Red - represented my outer self - strength, stamina, force and leadership - which I  relate to generally although on that day I felt about as forceful as lettuce.

• The dark blue reflected my inner self - high ideals with a need to acknowledge my own power and learn to trust more (hard if you're a leader with control issues).

• Lessons  to learn are represented by the third colour green - I need space, freedom and harmony or balance - very true.

• Finally, the outcome of present situation and course in life is revealed in the fourth colour - gold.  If I take heed of my strengths, learn my lessons and get the space I need to create the life I want - I will be on track to success, to feel good about my body, to be blessed with wisdom, and be glowing with joy.

Hurrah, I said. As for the beige, the rejected swatch of drabness? Mary consulted her sources and told me I need to be a little more cooperative and let other people in. Beige doesn't strike me as a cooperative colour at the best of times, but as Mary had won my trust with her down to earth (if slightly quirky) take on things I listened.

The Outcome
Analysing the colours and their position,  Mary evaluted my overall healing vibration and supplied me with a list of foods to eat, shades to wear and oils to use.

I was violet
Drink red grape juice
Eat blueberries, aubergines, purpled sprouting broccoli and red cabbage
Massage or bathe in juniper, lavender, frankincense and sandalwood oils
Wear amethyst or purple flourite crystal
Visualise and breathe violet during  meditation


Spooky
I'm a believer in the power of intuition -  however unbeknown to Mary, a week before my session, I'd had a wardrobe clear out and 'discovered' lilac, purple and dusty dark pink.
I had also developed an urge for red grapes and blueberries (but not aubergine as it's too sluggy).

Practical healing
Mary concluded our session with a grounding reflexology.   To avoid going home with a head full of ideas, Mary felt I needed to be centred and I left with a practical summary of the process, a couple of affirmations to adjust my mental outlook and a list of foods and colourful contributions I could make in my life. And very happy feet.

Benefits
A couple of weeks later, I noticed my mood had lifted. I've massaged oils into my skin; drank plenty of blueberry juice; breathed in violet and repeated the affirmations until I really do believe a violet cosmic ray is healing every cell in my body and I'm back on top rather than lagging behind.

So overcome the most depressing day of the year, aka, Blue Monday, (when Christmas cheer really has waned and credit card bills arrive) with colour therapy. Put Spring back in your life even if the clocks haven't gone back yet.