ORANGE you glad?

Today I continue a series of posts about the seven chakras and their colors.  Last week I wrote about the Root Chakra and the powerful color red.   I now move upward to the 2nd chakra — the Sacral chakra and its governing color ORANGE.

The Sacral chakra (sometimes called the Spleen Chakra) is located in the abdomen, below the navel and is associated with the reproductive organs, kidneys, spleen, lower back, and bladder.  This radiant, orange-colored chakra aids our ability to enjoy life and to make contact with our passions.  If you desire more enthusiasm, creativity, vitality and sensuality in your life, then you will want to energize this chakra.

A mantra that is related to this chakra is “I Feel.”  That simple statement is a pretty good summary of what our Sacral chakra is all about.  When this energy center is balanced, you will experience life’s sensations — both physically and emotionally — with ease.   If you are lacking in orange energy, however, you are likely to feel disconnected, inhibited and unable to relax.  An inability to enjoy natural pleasures, being emotionally distant or unfriendly, and not taking care of oneself are all signs that you need to awaken your Sacral chakra.

Wearing colored clothing is an easy way to enhance the energy of a chakra.  For the sacral chakra, consider wearing orange.  Now, I realize this may be one of the more difficult hues to wear, but you don’t have to wear a lot of the color to receive some benefit.   Simply wearing the color in your intimates is a great trick, which is why I created Color Me Balanced undies.

In my last post, regarding the root chakra, I mention gemstones and how to utilize them for balancing your chakra energies.  For the sacral chakra, use orange-toned stones.  Some great options are Coral, Moonstone, Jasper, and Citron.

Aromatherapy is very beneficial to your sacral chakra.  Enjoying a scent requires that you use your senses, and embracing your sensations is directly related to this energy center.   Just as color is energy, scents provide vibrational healing and each color has essential oils that relate to it.  Some oils that you can use for your 2nd chakra are Mandarin, Orange, Cinnamon, Clary Sage, Fennel, Sandalwood, and Cardamon.  Purchase quality oils and don’t substitute with perfumes.  There are such a wide variety of ways you can use the oils (great ideas are at  www.aromaweb.com).

Enjoying a meal is a wonderfully-sensual pleasure that will awaken your sacral chakra.  If you tend to eat in front of the television, make it a point to have more meals at the table without the distraction.  Food feeds all of our senses – sight, smell, touch, and taste.  Make an attempt to really enjoy the entire experience.  Experiment with new flavors regularly and be sure to introduce plenty of orange colored items into your diet.   Some great options are carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, oranges, and cantaloupe.

Water is the element that is related to the Sacral chakra.  For that reason, I highly recommend that you linger from time to time in a wonderful, warm bath.  It is an ideal setting for creating a Sacral Chakra retreat that is hard to beat.  Candlelight, soft music, aromatherapy salts, a healing stone tossed into the water, and after 20-30 minutes, you will be completely revitalized!

For many of us, really “feeling” our lives is something that we fail to do.  It’s not hard to become numb to the sensations and experiences that we encounter.  Becoming present in the now is really essential if we are to open up to the pleasures in life.  By introducing some of the tips I’ve mentioned, you will be restoring and balancing your Sacral Chakra and opening yourself up to the pure pleasure that can exist in living.

Live each day colorfully…

The Powerhouse Color – RED

Today is the first in a series of  posts dedicated to the seven major energy centers of the body and their corresponding colors.  We start with the root chakra, which sits at the base of the spine and vibrates at the energetic frequency of RED. 

Just as its color would denote, the root chakra powers your energy, passion, strength, self-confidence, and courage .  It can fuel your determination to achieve your goals and is your energetic powerhouse.   This is the chakra related to survival instincts and helps one to feel grounded and safe.  It is a very dynamic energy center with strong qualities to help you in living a successful life.   This is the ideal energy center to focus on first in your balancing regimen, as an awakened root chakra will also help to draw up energy to all the other chakras.

Physically, the root chakra supplies the pelvic regions and the large and small intestines with energy.  It is also associated with the skeleton, which stabilizes the legs and feet – connecting us to the earth.  The teeth, nails, digestion, and the sciatic nerve are all governed by the root chakra, as is the functioning of the adrenal gland.

People with a strong root chakra have an abundance of energy and a strong will to live.  This stamina helps them to see things through and they are, therefore, more successful in accomplishing the goals they set for themselves.

When you are experiencing a blockage in this first chakra, you will likely feel lethargic and lacking in self-confidence.  You may also experience worry and doubts and have an inability to trust that life will unfold in a positive manner.   By awakening your root chakra, you can overcome these negative feelings and influences.  Following are some methods for bringing balance and harmony to your root chakra:

The element that is linked to the root chakra is the earth.  I find that one of the best ways to bring energy up to the this energy center is to walk barefoot on earth’s natural surfaces.  It is so invigorating to walk on fresh grass or a sandy beach.  Try to do this every day if possible.  Simply throw of your shoes and savor the experience of the earth beneath your feet.  You’ll feel grounded and connected in the most wonderful way.  Now, clearly this is not so pleasureable when it is icy cold outside.  But, when it is nice out, don’t miss this energizing treat.  

Add red into your wardrobe for an immediate boost.  Even small touches in your accessories will impact the energy of your outfit and will project the confidence and power of the root chakra.  Wearing red underwear is also a great way to energize the root chakra.  When you are putting the items on, give thought to the positive influence that the color will have on your vitality and strength throughout the day.  This mental appreciation for the color benefit will increase the result you have.

Crystals and Gemstones store and provide energy and are great tools for chakra healing.  I  recommend cleansing your stones after you buy them.  A quick and easy method is to place them in a bowl of Sea Salt Water and leave them for a day.  This will rejuvenate the power of the stone and will wash away any negative energy that it has absorbed.  Once it is cleansed you can put it to use in your life.  Here are some ideas:

• Wear as jewelry
• Carry them with you in a pouch or pocket
• Place the stone on your chakra point while lying down
• Put it in the water while you bathe
• Simply hold it in your hand or set it in front of you

Some great stones to use for your root chakra are: agate, bloodstone, hematite, red coral, red garnet, and ruby.

Physical exercise is great for strengthening the root chakra, as is listening to strong, rhythmical music. 

Eat red foods, such as red peppers, red radishes, red apples, cherries, berries, pomegranates, tomatoes, kidney beans,  and red meat for their red energy as well as the great vitamins and minerals they give your body.

Spending time with family is essential for your root chakra.  Your family is your personal foundation.  If you have poor relationships, it will have a negative effect on your root energy.   If you don’t have a close family and have no way to improve the situation, you can focus on your friends and community and build those relationships.  Having the security of trusting relationships is a key part to having a strong root chakra.

A last tip is to bring red energy into your home.  The living room and/or family room are ideal rooms to enhance with the color red.  This is the place meant for time with family and friends and having red in these rooms will be a great way to put a positive spark into your time spent with them.  You can paint a wall or simply add some decorative touches, such as pillows, pictures, candles, flowers, etc.

I realize that this was a lot of information to share with you about RED and the Root Chakra.  I could have probably written on and on, as there are so many ways to enhance your root energy.  Hopefully, this post has provided you with a few ideas that you can grab and use.  Every color of the rainbow is essential to our wholeness and red is a wonderful place to start!

Live each day colorfully…

The Color Key to Wellbeing

The Rainbow is our color key.  It shows us all the colors we need in our lives for our inner light to shine bright.

One of the most uplifting images we get to experience is the rainbow.  It appears naturally in the sky when the mist and light bring to our view the seven primary colors of the spectrum.  It’s an amazing vision that connects heaven and earth, offering us a color key to a brighter inner light for ourselves.

For those who follow a practice of yoga, you are likely quite familiar with the chakra system.  For many, it is an unfamiliar concept.  In translation, the Sanskrit word chakra means “wheel” and that is exactly what each chakra is – a spinning wheel of energy.  The purpose of the chakras is to distribute the flow of energy to the body.  There are seven major chakras that run through the body, located from the base of the spine up to the top of the head.  Each chakra governs a specific set of nerves and organs, as well as mental and spiritual attributes and each creates an energy vibration that matches that of one of the seven rainbow colors.

Although the chakras are essential to our physical wellbeing, they are non-physical in their own structure.  No one has ever found a chakra during a physical examination of the body, so the vision and experience of this system is purely of the mind and spirit.   Whether or not you fully grasp the idea of the chakras, it is scientifically proven that color affects our bodies and minds in very specific ways.  Color is a visual expression of light and light is the most important energy that sustains our life.  Each color has a measurable wavelength and we experience a change in our bodies and minds when we are touched by color’s energy.

I will be devoting my next seven blog entries to the seven chakras and the rainbow colors that they represent.  I’ll write one blog related to each of them and dive deeper into their purpose and potential.  I’ll include  information on how to decide if you are lacking in energy in that particular area of your life and offer tips and inspirations to balance and harmonize your life with the chakra color.  Color is a wonderful, natural power that we can use for positive transformation.   I truly hope you will enjoy these upcoming posts and that they will be helpful in your journey to live each day colorfully…

Bright Light City

Elvis sang “bright light city gonna set my soul on fire.”  The lyrics were geared toward Las Vegas and the bright neon lights that excite visitors.  If you’ve ever flown into Vegas at night, you’ve seen first hand how energized the passengers are as the strip becomes visible from above.  Bright, colorful lights can fuel our dreams and stand as a visual representation of our hopes and desires.

During the holiday season we all get to enjoy the fun and excitement of a bright light city.  Residents all around are stringing up lights for our visual enjoyment. 

In my city there is a neighborhood called Winterhaven.  This group of homes is known for their over-to-top decorations and displays that celebrate the holidays.  In weeks to come, there will be hay rides and tours going through these streets to enjoy the scene.  It’s amazing how much enjoyment the colors and lights of the season can instill.  Perhaps there is a similar setting in your area that you can seek out.  It’s a wonderful way to spend an evening with family and friends — and, especially great enjoyment for kids.

Take time now to enjoy the colors and lights that are all around.  Before we know it the holidays will be over and the lights will come down once again.  Let the season’s festivities and colors fuel your passions while the time is here.

Enjoy your holidays!

Live colorfully…

Floral Gifts of Color

This past Friday was a Hallmark-imposed holiday–  Boss’s day.  Luckily, I benefited from the day and was gratefully surprised to get a special delivery of a beautiful bouquet of flowers.  The pink and violet colored arrangement smelled as sweet as it looked.  I placed the vase on my dining room table and couldn’t help but wonder why I don’t make a point of bringing in flowers more often.  They immediately lift up the entire spirit of the room.  Perhaps this is why they make such a fabulous gift that has never gone out of style.  It’s a luxury to purchase fresh flowers on a regular basis — a luxury we are very likely to reason against for budgetary purposes.  I probably will continue to go without fresh flowers on a daily basis.  But, I sure am enjoying this lovely floral gift for as long as it is fresh.

Flowers each have a symbolism that they are known for.  It’s fun to consider the meanings as you are making a decision on what flowers to give.  Here are some of the most common varieties and the best occasions and emotions to provide them for:

Baby’s Breath is a traditional filler flower for bouquets.   These delicate clusters of white flowers are associated with everlasting love, pureness and innocence.

Bird of Paradise is a striking, colorful flower that is spectacularly shaped like a bird’s beak and plumage.  The bright colored flower represents freedom, joy and paradise itself.  It is also the 9th wedding anniversary flower.

Calla Lily is a beautiful and majestic flower that is trumpet-shaped with large leaves, making it really stand out in a bouquet.  A single calla lily in a long stem vase makes a wonderful decoration.  The flower is associated with magnificent beauty.

Carnations have a long history that dates back more than 2,000 years and are rich with symbolism.  Today, they can be found in a wide range of colors and each color has its own meaning.  White is for pure love and good luck; light red stands for admiration; dark red represents deep love and affection;  pink stands for a mother’s undying love.  Carnations are the 1st wedding anniversary flower.

Daffodil is most commonly golden yellow in color.  A symbol of new beginnings and spring, they are thought to bring good luck to your home.  A gift of daffodils is said to ensure happiness.  Always give daffodils in a bunch, as a single daffodil bloom is considered to be unlucky.

Rose is a flower that has long been a symbol of love and passion.  As with carnations, there are many varieties and the color offers a specific meaning:  Red is the lover’s rose, symbolic of enduring passion and most symbolically impactful when given as a dozen; white is for humility and innocence; yellow expresses friendship and joy; pink means gratitude and appreciation; orange conveys enthusiasm and desire, purple roses tell of enchantment and love at first sight. 

Sunflower is among my very favorite flowers!  They have such a brilliant and distinctive appearance that I simply cannot resist.  Sunflowers turn their heads to the sun, which is the origin of their name.  This flower is associated with adoration and no other flower can lift spirits quite like a sunflower can.  Bright and cheery, this is the ideal choice for sending happiness and sunny thoughts.

As I enjoy my beautiful gift of flowers over the next several days, I’m going to let it be my reminder of how important it is to “stop and smell the roses” as I move along my path.  I also will be sure to pay it forward in the near future and send a heartwarming bouquet to someone special in my life.

Live each day colorfully…

Color Coordinated

For many of us, bringing more color into our lives can feel intimidating, if we are not sure how to mix and match color schemes.  It’s a safe bet to match blue with blue, but it’s not always interesting to the senses.  If mixing and matching colors is an area that you want to be more skilled at, then a great tool to familiarize yourself with is the color wheel.  This easy to use reference item is a great friend to anyone looking to create beautiful designs with color.  The wheel makes it very easy to know what colors work best with one another for a variety of impacts.

Primary colors are where it all begins.  These colors are Red, Yellow and Blue.  As we learned early on in school, you can make pretty much any color by mixing combinations of the primaries.  Every color is linked back to one or a combination of these three colors.  Primary colors are bold and bright.  For decorating, they are normally reserved for children’s rooms because they are very playful and child-like.  Most adults prefer a toned-down version of a primary color for a more sophisticated appearance.

Secondary colors are those hues that are made by combining two primaries.  These shades include orange (combination of red & yellow), green (combination of yellow & blue), violet/purple (combination of red & blue).  It’s always complimentary to combine the secondary color with one or both of it’s parent primary colors.  For instance, orange is going to work well with red and also with yellow because of the fact is has both of those colors in it’s makeup. 

Tertiary colors are a wide array of shades and hues that you can then get through creating further combinations from the colors already mentioned.   One visit to a paint store to look at paint chips will tell you everything you need to know about how great the variety is that can be achieved.  It’s no wonder we tend to get confused on what colors to use together for a great look!

Following are four color schemes you may want to consider when putting together a design idea.  These are each easy ideas to follow and are a great place to start with your designs. 

• COMPLEMENTARY:  This style is achieved by placing colors together that are exact opposites on the color wheel.  For instance, yellow with violet or red with green.  When colors are opposites on the color wheel, they have a tendency to make one another appear more vivid.  This design technique results in a look that is striking and bold and can be done with primary colors or any secondary or tertiary colors.  The color wheel is very useful for finding the right shades to complement one another.
• MONOCHROMATIC:  This technique uses varying shades  from the same color.  For instance, a room may be designed using numerous shades of blue ranging from very pale to deep hues.  By mixing up the intensities of the same color throughout the room, the effect is clean and elegant.  The colors clearly go well together which has a soothing effect.  It’s very easy on the eyes and extremely simple to achieve.  Neutral tones of black, white or grey can be integrated for assuring there is variety in the design while maintaining the monochromatic impact.
• ANALOGOUS:  This technique uses several colors that are neighbors on the color wheel.  Generally, one color is selected as the most dominant within the color scheme and then colors that are adjacent on the wheel are pulled in to complete the look.  This is still an easy effect to create, but offers more nuances and richness than the monochromatic design.
• TRIADIC: This color scheme uses any three colors that are equally spaced around the color wheel.  This provides a strong contrast visually while maintaining great balance and harmony in the design along with a lot of color richness.  As with the analogous design technique, it can be good to have one of the colors be used as a primary.

These design ideas are a great place to start.  Once in the process of selecting your colors and shades, trust your own senses and instincts to determine if the colors are right together.  Using the color wheel helps you to get more comfortable with the idea of mixing completely different colors without over questioning yourself about if they can go together.  Once you get the basics of the color wheel down, then it is about feeling for yourself how the colors are working together and if they are providing the energy you are after in your design.  This ensures that you are bringing in the right colors for your own personal tastes and desires.

Start mixing up the colors in your life.  Have fun with your designs.

Live each day colorfully…

Cool & Refreshing Blue Water

I live in Arizona.  It is just plain HOT here in the summer months.  With temperatures above 100 degrees, there is little that one can do for relief except to stay indoors with the air conditioning cranked up.  One thing that can entice some outdoor activity is water.  Cool, refreshing blue water.

Reflecting the blue sky from above, water offers an immediate relief that the summer months would be unbearable without.  Pools are a very common luxury in Arizona.  Lakes are another attraction that get plenty of visitors in the summertime.  For many, a trip to the beach is an annual must.  There is just something so inviting about the water.  I think it is not only the cool feel against the skin.  I believe a major part of the appeal is the beautiful blue hues that water gives off.

Blue is a cooling color.  Just looking at shades of blue will immediately provide some relief from the heat.   Blue refreshes the spirit and calms the mind.  It’s so often a color of choice in spa environments for this very reason.  There is a sense of escape and enjoyment that this color stirs within. 

Think about it… would you really feel the same about jumping into the water if it were the color red?  I think not.

Seek out blue water this summer and live each day colorfully….

Pow! Color!

As I head out to enjoy a fun-filled 4th of July Celebration this evening, it is the fireworks that I am most excited about! Explosions of Color are such a wonderful way to display our joy for Independence. 

The loud sounds and massive size of the fireworks are grand.  But, imagine how much of the excitement of the show would be sapped away if it were not for the amazing, bright colors that we get to see in the sky.  I, for one, am very grateful for the colors!

Happy 4th of July!

Live colorfully….

Play with Color

Can you remember a time in your life when pulling out the finger paints and crayons was all you needed to have a great time?  Certainly there was.  To children, it feels so natural to be expressive and to play with color and art.  But, for too many of us we were either told or taught at some point that there is a specific way that things need to look to be considered good and right.  Left-brained thinking may have taken a strong hold and perhaps you started to believe that you were not artistic and therefore you turned in your paints for good — never to put your inner vision onto canvas or paper again.  If that is the case then it’s high time that you let your inner artist out to play.  You may not think it is a worthwhile use of your time, but it can make a huge impact on your wellbeing.

There is great therapy in being artistic.   Through the process of creating a piece of art you can increase awareness of yourself and cope with many stresses and even tramatic experiences and illnesses.  Art Therapy, as it is called, has made a great impact on the lives of many.  There is a life-affirming pleasure to making art and enjoying your creation.  Even if you never plan to show another soul, take out some time for this important and worthwhile pleasure.

If you have a child at home, that’s a fabulous excuse to make the time.  Children are always looking for someone to join their fun and they are rarely concerned about the realism or technicalities of what is created.  There’s little chance you will have your art judged by a child and you should by no means judge theirs. After-all, each person’s expression is worthy of being admired.   

Spending time on an artistic project is very likely to jolt you out of left-brained thinking and move you rapidly into your right brain mode.   You’ll probably lose track of time and become unaware of anything else going on.  It’s a wonderful release from the everyday grind and can be an effective form of meditation. 

Give it a try.  It’s a really great way to live colorfully…

sweet, succulent color

If you want to find color therapy heaven, head to the fruit section of the grocery store.  How can we doubt the importance of color in our lives when nature has so clearly chosen to point it out to us?  An entire rainbow of healthy treats is all right there in front of us.  There’s no better time than spring and summer to develop a full appreciation for the colorful, delicious goodness that fruits provide.

Beyond tasting fabulous, fruits have vital elements that strengthen our immune systems and impede against the development of diseases like cancer and heart disease.  They are also important for our skin, hair and digestion.  Maintaining a healty diet means eating more nutrient-dense foods — such as fruits and vegetables.

Be adventurous this season and try a few fruits that you may have never had the pleasure of tasting before.  Farmers markets are a great place to find some exotic varieties.  Become very present as you savor the flavors.  Know that your body’s cells are just as excited by the juices as your taste buds are.  Taking care of yourself never tasted so good!

On a hot day, a fabulous alternative to ice cream is frozen fruit.  Two really great fruits for freezing are bananas (especially indulgent when dipped in some dark chocolate) and grapes (which freeze up into perfect bite-size snacks).

Other great ways to enjoy fruits are by juicing, making smoothies, adding to salads, topping ice-cream, adding to cereal, eating dried fruits, adding to meals (think pineapple on pizza or apricots with pork).  There are hundreds of ways to work fruit into your day.  So, have fun and experiment.

See how many colors of the rainbow you can add to your diet this season.

Live each day colorfully…