The Evolution, Principles and Global Practice of Colour Therapy

Ancient Origins of Colour Healing

Colour therapy is a captivating and holistic healing tradition that has fascinated humanity for centuries. Its history forms a vibrant tapestry woven from ancient knowledge, cultural practice and growing scientific insight. At its centre is the idea that colour is not only a visual experience. It is a dynamic influence that can affect physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. The development of colour therapy across cultures and eras reflects a deep and enduring interest in the relationship between light, colour and human health.

The origins of colour healing can be traced to the ancient world. Early civilisations understood that colour held significance beyond decoration. In Ancient Egypt, colour shaped medical practice, sacred ritual and architectural design. The Egyptians believed that colours carried energetic qualities that could support healing and emotional balance. Blue was linked with calmness and restoration. It was often used in healing spaces where its gentle presence encouraged tranquillity. The Egyptians created treatment rooms with coloured glass panels that filtered sunlight into specific shades. These rooms bathed patients in coloured light that was believed to ease illness and replenish vitality. Red light was used to stimulate strength while blue light encouraged rest. Colour was equally important in ceremonial life. Pharaohs and priests selected garments and pigments for protective and symbolic purposes.

Ancient India contributed a significant and highly detailed system of colour healing through Ayurveda, the science of life. In this tradition, colour was used to bring balance to the body’s energies known as the doshas. The chakra system associated each energy centre in the body with a particular colour. Colour influenced diet, clothing, surroundings and visualisation practices. Its purpose was to create harmony in body, mind and spirit.

Colour in Classical and Traditional Medical Systems

Other cultures recognised similar principles. In Ancient Greece, Hippocrates noted the therapeutic value of coloured environments and observed their influence on physical and emotional well-being. In China, colour became embedded in Traditional Chinese Medicine and was linked with the movement of Qi, the life force. Each of the Five Elements corresponded to a colour. Green represented wood, red represented fire, yellow represented earth, white represented metal and blue or black represented water. These colours were used to diagnose patterns of imbalance and to guide treatment. They were also linked with emotional states and with the principles of Yin and Yang which recognised the warming or cooling nature of each colour.

Ideas about colour developed further through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The Persian physician Avicenna recorded the relationship between colour and body temperature. He used red to warm conditions associated with coldness and blue to cool conditions linked with heat. Later, Isaac Newton’s prism experiments revealed that white light contains a full spectrum of colours. This discovery created a scientific foundation that encouraged a more analytical study of colour and moved it beyond purely mystical interpretation.

Scientific Renewals and Modern Investigations

The nineteenth and early twentieth centuries saw renewed interest in colour therapy. The work of Dr Niels Finsen showed that ultraviolet light could inhibit bacterial growth. He used coloured light to treat tuberculosis and smallpox scarring. Around the same time Dr Edwin Babbitt proposed a comprehensive system of colour healing. His ideas were not supported by modern scientific standards but they influenced public curiosity about the healing potential of coloured light. Psychologist Max Lüscher developed a colour test designed to reveal emotional states. Philosopher Rudolph Steiner explored the ways in which colour affects mood and energy. His ideas helped guide many contemporary approaches to colour therapy.

Several key principles lie at the heart of colour therapy. Each colour in the visible spectrum carries a unique vibration which is determined by its wavelength. These vibrations interact with human energy systems and can influence both physical and emotional states. Balance is another essential principle. Just as the colours of a rainbow form a harmonious whole the body seeks its own equilibrium. Colour therapy aims to restore this balance when it has been disrupted by stress, illness or environmental influences.

Each colour is believed to produce characteristic effects. Red invigorates. Blue soothes. Green restores equilibrium. Yellow encourages optimism. These traditional associations align increasingly with scientific studies that show how colour can affect heart rate, stress levels and emotional responses. Colour therapy also acknowledges the interconnectedness of body, mind and spirit. It recognises that each individual responds to colour through personal experience and cultural background.

Global Practice in the Contemporary World

Today colour therapy is practised worldwide in many forms and continues to reflect the influence of ancient traditions. In India colour remains an essential part of Ayurveda and chakra-based healing. In China colour is used within acupuncture, dietary practice and herbal medicine through the Five Elements model. In Japan and other regions colourpuncture combines coloured light with the principles of acupuncture while avoiding the use of needles.

Across Europe especially in Germany and the United Kingdom colour therapy has found a place in modern healthcare settings. Hospitals use calming blues and greens to reduce stress. Warm colours encourage vitality in rehabilitation spaces. Light therapy is used widely to support those experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder in countries with limited winter sunlight. Chromotherapy which uses coloured lights to create specific therapeutic effects continues to grow as a complementary approach.

In the United States colour therapy appears in wellness centres, spas and art therapy programmes where colour is used to support emotional release and relaxation. Australia and New Zealand integrate the natural colours of the landscape into ecotherapy practices. The greens of forests, the blues of water and the earthy tones of natural environments help reduce anxiety and support mental health. Traditional healing systems across Africa, the Middle East and South America also continue to use colour in symbolic and therapeutic ways blending ancestral knowledge with contemporary perspectives.

A Holistic Practice for the Modern Age

Colour therapy today is understood as a complementary practice rather than a replacement for medical treatment. It is valued for its ability to enhance mood, reduce stress, encourage emotional healing and contribute to a sense of overall well-being. Its long and varied history, from ancient Egyptian healing rooms filled with coloured light to modern research into the psychological effects of colour, reflects humanity’s enduring belief in the power of light to influence health. Colour therapy sits between the ancient and the modern and between the intuitive and the scientific. It offers a holistic approach that continues to inspire study and to support healing and harmony in human life.

An easy and effective way to introduce dominant colours into your environment is to use visual art. Contemporary abstract art offers a 'clean' visual palette to deliver colour. Large abstracts with a singular dominant colour can charge a room with frequency to influence mood and instigate physiological responses, such as healing and stress relief. Landcapes and seascapes can also work in a similar way, as long as they have a domiant colour. In fact, research has found that images of nature are in themselves of therapeutic value, so combining natural shapes, natural scenes and colour is highly beneficial, both emotionally and biologically.