MONDAY ART MISSION: Color Therapy Altar + Guided Meditation

4/30/2020

Good morning Wildcat Artists + May the Fourth Be with You!

With all of the Spring flowers and colors popping up around us I through we would tap into this powerful energy through Color Therapy and Meditation!

We are going to address our metal health and learn one way to cope during COVID-19 and Remote Learning/Distance teaching… The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 may be stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about a disease, social distancing and the isolation of being in quarantine can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in all of us – from children, to teens, as well as adults. Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.

Using our knowledge of Color Theory we are going to channel more confidence, creativity, and joy into our lives with a basic understanding of our body's energy centers.

Colors are all around us. They're in the natural world, in the homes we live in, the cars we drive, the clothes we wear, and the entertainment we watch. Colors aren't just meaningless parts of our environment, either. They can change the way we feel and react to different situations. Color therapy uses these powers of color to heal, energize, and soothe us.

COLOR THERAPY

Color therapy is an alternative therapy that uses colors and their frequencies to heal physical and emotional problems. Color therapy is also known as chromopathy, chromotherapy, or color healing. The goal of color therapy is to correct physiological and psychological imbalances.

or instance, if you are feeling stressed or have anxiety, color therapy can help soothe you so that you can regain your psychological balance. If you're depressed, color therapy can be used to invigorate you and give you increased energy.

COLOR THERAPY HISTORY

Color therapy has been around at least since the time of Ancient Egypt. Egyptians believed in the power of light and used different colors of light to promote healing. Color therapy has continued to be important in some cultures. Even in Western societies that tend to prefer modern, institutionalized medicine, natural healers have continued to use colors to help people improve their physical and emotional health.

Although Western medicine doesn't accept color therapy as much, Western researchers are studying the scientific properties of colored light and the light frequencies within it. Color therapy hasn't 'earned' a place in Western medicine yet, but there's a strong possibility that it might when all the research results come in.

MEDITATION

Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.

We are going to use COLOR and focused-attention or mindful meditation which is where you focus on one specific thing—we will use our breathing, sensations in our body or and visualizing color fields and objects. The point of this type of meditation is to focus strongly on one point and continually bring your attention back to that focal point when it wanders.

Learning to meditate is like learning any other skill. Think of it like exercising a muscle that you’ve never really worked out before. It takes consistent practice to get comfortable.

BREATHING - BODY SENSATIONS - VISUALIZATION

Meditation has been practiced since antiquity in numerous religious traditions, often as part of the path towards enlightenment and self-realization. The earliest records of meditation (Dhyana), come from the Hindu traditions of Vedantism. Since the 19th century, Asian meditative techniques have spread to other cultures where they have also found application in non-spiritual contexts, such as business and health.

Better focus, less anxiety, more creativity, more compassion, better memory, less stress, more gray matter in your brain - more gray matter can lead to more positive emotions, longer-lasting emotional stability and heightened focus during daily life. Meditation has also been shown to diminish age-related effects on gray matter and reduce the decline of our cognitive functioning.

COLORS AND CHAKRAS BASICS

The seven chakras are the main energy centers of the body. You've probably heard people talk about "unblocking" their chakras, which refers to the idea that when all of our chakras are open, energy can run through them freely, and harmony exists between the physical body, mind, and spirit. Chakra translates to "wheel" in Sanskrit, and you can imagine them like wheels of free-flowing positive energy

Chakra is a Sanskrit term and it means “wheel” or “disk” and is derived from the root word “cakra”. Chakras are spinning wheels of energy/light. Chakras have the loving responsibility of taking in, incorporating and emanating energy to keep us functioning at optimal levels.

Eastern medicine is the source of many of the so-called alternative therapies in the Western world. In Indian philosophy, the chakras are considered the centers of spiritual power and energy within our bodies. There are seven chakras, and a different color represents each:

The Root Chakra, located at the base of the spine, is represented by red. This chakra has to do with our grounding and connection with the Earth.
The Sacral Chakra, located 2 or 3 inches below the navel, is represented by orange. This chakra is said to be associated with reproduction, the kidneys and adrenals, and pleasure. It is the mind-body chakra.
The Solar Plexus Chakra, located between the navel and sternum, is represented by yellow. This chakra is associated with the pancreas, liver, digestive system, and gallbladder, as well as positivity, empowerment, and well-being.
The Heart Chakra is associated with the heart, lungs, and immune system. It's associated with energy, the nervous system, mental focus, compassion, and empowerment.
The Throat Chakra is represented by blue and is associated with the thyroid and metabolism as well as peaceful expression.
The Third Eye Chakra, located between the eyebrows is represented by indigo and associated the pituitary gland and pineal gland and influences our sleep cycles, self-esteem, clarity, wisdom, and intuition.
The Crown Chakra, located at the top of the head, is represented by violet and associated with the pineal gland, light sensitivity, sleep cycles, dreams, clarity, and spirituality.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT CHAKRAS

PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT COLORS

Colors affect our mental processes and can change our mood. Each color has a different effect, so different colors are used for different mental conditions and mood problems. The following list describes how each of the main colors used in color therapy affects us and what they can do for you.

GREEN is the most balancing of all the colors. Color therapists usually consider green the safest color and typically start color therapy with it. When you're feeling sad, hopeless, or depressed, green can improve your mood. However, it's important to have a pure green color, as a light green can cause you to tip into anxiety.

Green is said to enhance the emotions of love, joy, and inner peace. It can bring you hope, strength, and serenity. Green is said to increase your wisdom and facilitate change and independence.

BLUE is a color that must be used with extra care, as it can zap your energy if you're feeling low. Blue does help you express your feelings, though, and is related to your inner truth. Blue is a cold color that can be used to help you become more peaceful and relaxed. Primary blue is often used in therapy settings used for meditation and relaxation.

Blue can also be associated with wisdom, creativity, loyalty, and spirituality. Too much blue or blue that is too dark can lead to sadness, depression, and a feeling of emptiness. Light blue promotes serenity. It can also be used to help with insomnia.

Yellow can be used in color therapy to bring energy and encourage action. This color can make you feel happier. It can bring out your intelligence and wisdom. Too much or too-bright yellows are associated with betrayal, cruelty, and deceit. It can remind us of our mortality. Yellow is the most intense color in the spectrum.

Orange signifies abundance, pleasure, well-being, and sexuality. Orange may be used to stimulate different organs in the body for physical healing. It revitalizes you and gives you increased mental energy. It can increase your feeling of connectedness between your mind and body. However, color therapists usually avoid this color for you if you're prone to anxiety.

Red is even more stimulating than orange. It influences emotional issues like financial independence and physical survival. It's mostly used for physical healing because its emotional effects can be extreme. Color therapists avoid shining red on your head, as this can cause intense agitation. Infrared can also be used by a skilled color therapist if done so with caution. Neither red nor infrared is used for someone who has severe mental conditions.

Purple is most strongly associated with beauty, spirituality, and bliss. In color therapy, violet is often used on the forehead and neck to initiate feelings of calm and relaxation. However, it's recommended for use anywhere on the body.

ASSIGNMENTS + VIDEO

Read through the text of this post
Watch the video – my recommendation is to sit or lay down in a dimly lit room. Get super comfy and use a speaker or headphones so you get the best sound quality. Close your eyes and listen and focus on the words and visualize the prompts throughout the video.
Answer the questions using the videos, your visualizations during the mediation and the text
Create an color healing altar or shrine – see below for details - take a picture to email [email protected]

DURING THE MEDITATION

DIRECTIONS + QUESTIONS

Dedicate 25 minutes to listening. Exercise mindful listening = without judgment, criticism or interruption, while being aware of internal thoughts and reactions.
Create pictures in your mind from the prompts the speaker gives you.
AFTER YOU FINISH the meditation write down the answers to these questions:

1. What did you imagine for each color? You can have more than one answer!

Red –

Orange –

Yellow –

Green –

Blue –

Violet –

2. What color did you enjoy imagining the most?
What color do you feel drawn to?
What color(s) do you feel you need right now?
(kind of all the same questions just asked in different ways)

3. Tell me about your meditation experience and/or if you have a regular practice!

There are no wrong answers!

ACTIVITY/PROJECT – create and altar or shrine of the colors that spoke to you most with objects from around your home. Through the days and weeks use this “sacred/special” space to rest, relax and recharge. Use it as a quiet space to contemplate and gain balance.

You can use any types of objects as long as they are school appropriate - there are some examples below - it can be color specific, nature oriented, organic, stones, figurines, flowers, keepsakes, man-made, newspaper or magazine clippings, mementos, photos, books, your favorite items from around your room/home just make sure its meaningful to you!

>>> Also get your family members involved! If you have other people in the house you want to meditate with or create your healing sanctuary with the more the merrier!

DUE DATE
Submit answers and image to me via Google Classroom or email by Sunday May 10th 12/midnight

I look forward to hearing about your Color Therapy Guided Mediation Experience!

Earth Magic is the most powerful. The Earth is our Mother, she holds us and sustains us, holding us close and protecting us. Letting the Sunlight land upon our face, the wind in our hair, the water around our body, and the dirt between our toes.

May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that’s always blue.
And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through.

Have a most magical week my artists and I will talk to you soon – please contact with any questions or if I can help in any way!

Happy Star Wars Day!

Thinking of you always,

Nicole Webster Clark

COLOR THERAPY GUIDED MEDITATION

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