Today I would like to talk about my effort to combine Energy Therapy and art. For a long time, I have considered Art as one of the Biofield therapies. Biofield therapies could create an environment or conditions for physical, psychological, and spiritual healing. I am not an Art Therapist, and the art that my clients create is not art therapy. I use the art for some of my clients as additions to my sessions to minimize stress and anxiety. Additional tactical and sensory input helps relax, especially for kids and adults with disabilities or difficulties with communication.
We all remember a school experiment when a light beam goes through a prism and becomes a rainbow. We can see different colors because they all have different wavelengths. Different wavelengths mean different energies. Colors are an important part of the human psyche. Our ancestors choose different colors for each chakra. People associate emotions with specific colors. There is a reason why some people see colors during the Reiki session. Every architect and interior designer knows that colors can affect our moods, feelings, and emotions. Pablo Picasso once said, "Colors follow the changes of the emotions." We know that several ancient cultures practiced Chromotherapy. It is a practice of using specific colors to heal. We try to restore this ancient wisdom and knowledge by practicing light therapy. Colors are also an essential part of our diet. When we hear "eat the rainbow," we realize our ancestors' wisdom behind this phrase.
In my "Reiki + Art" sessions, I use the mandala as part of the session. Carl Jung, a Swiss psychologist, introduced the mandala to the west during his therapy sessions. He saw it as a tool that helped his patients make the unconscious conscious.
My clients create (color) two mandalas, one before and one (same pattern) after the Reiki session. I use blank, printed outline mandalas (structured art) for the art part. Clients have the opportunity to choose one. That gives them a sense of control. The blank mandala gives them freedom of expression with colors. Any other shape, like a flower or animal, will force our minds to rely on preconceptions or memories. For example, a rose is red, or a bear is brown. A blank mandala allows us to express emotions, feelings, and thoughts in colors. Clients are asked to choose a few colors that represent their current physical and emotional stages. What colors will best describe you right now?
After the session client is asked to evaluate his physical and emotional stage and what colors will reflect it, the same blank mandala pattern will be offered to be colored. Sometimes colors show a more significant shift than a person realizes. It is a starting point for a conversation about stuck emotions and feelings.
If the client desires, they can take home the second mandala they colored. It creates a sense of accomplishment from completing the project. We ritualistically destroy the first mandala with some clients as a healing process, as a representation of our old selves, and as part of letting go of old attachments.
I never interpret the colors' meaning. The same color in different cultures has a different meaning. Red represents happiness and prosperity in one culture yet anger and danger in another. Color White could be a color of purity and innocence or a color of grief and mourning. My role is never to assume.
Different colors motivate us as consumers, reflect our emotions, and could help us heal. Working with young kids, I always ask parents to pay attention to what colors their kids use when they are upset and the colors they use when they are happy. Using "happy" colors in room decorations or clothes could reduce negative behavior. I recommend that some clients use coloring or scratching books at home as part of the healing regimen. I found it incredibly beneficial as a self-soothing and relaxing activity in the evening. Structured art activities are great for lowering stress, blood pressure, and distraction from negative thoughts and emotions. I saw positive affect on people suffering from depression, and anxiety, even survivors of sexual violence. It may apply to adults and kids with autism. Some clients report entering a meditative-like state.
What colors please you? What colors bring you peace? We can inspire, uplift, and heal with colors.
Disclosure: I am not a licensed medical doctor or therapist. Reiki or any Energy treatment is not a substitute for medical treatment or medication.
With love and light,
Roman
February 2021