One of our favourite things about working in the floral industry, surprisingly enough, is our flower cooler. Aside from the perfectly controlled temperature and humidity, every time you walk in, your eyes are overwhelmed by the plethora of colours coming at you. Lush purples, fierce reds, jubilant yellows, and the whole rainbow at the tip of our fingers. It's like walking into a living paint store. This area of our workspace actually has a profound effect on our quality of life, and in many ways, it allows our creativity to blossom.
What's in a color? Why, love of course!
Colour therapy has a profound impact on our day to day here at Ottawa Flowers, and subconsciously it is one of the drivers for clientele as well. Yellow mums to spread cheer, red roses to display affection, white lilies to signify sympathy, and the list goes on and on. So, let's explore the role that colour therapy has in people's lives, as it already plays a significant part in ours.
Colour, as perceived by the human eye, is simply light at varying wavelengths, with each colour having its own wavelength and energy. This is referred to as the electromagnetic spectrum. Going through the rainbow, which is holds all the entire range of colour that can be seen with the human eye, Violet is has the highest frequency, followed by indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and lastly red.
Theses wavelengths have an effect on our bodies as light is absorbed in a myriad of ways. We see light, and therefore colour, with our eyes primarily, but we also receive light through our skin and hair. And it is this interplay between the outside world and our physical selves that inspired the Hindu, Buddhist, and Jainist religions to develop the concept of a human being's chakras.
Let me, O let me bathe my soul in colours; let me swallow the sunset and drink the rainbow.
The basic belief behind chakras are that we exist in two worlds, the physical world that our bodies inhabit, and a spiritual plain where thoughts, emotion, and the spirit exists. The portals between these two realms are located within the body at seven key points aligned along the spine. Each chakra has a colour, and governs specific parts of a person's spiritual life.
At the top of the head is the crown chakra, which represents purest spiritual connection one can have with the universe. Its colour is Violet which has the highest frequency wavelength of all the colours.
In between the eyebrows is the guru chakra, or the third eye. It represents the perfection of the intellect, and pure thought. Climbing down the colour wavelengths, it is symbolized by the colour indigo.
At the base of the neck is the throat chakra. It symbolizes correct speech, and enjoyment. The throat chakra is the colour blue.
In the middle of the chest, is the heart chakra. It represents a person's true nature and their purpose in life. The heart chakra is the colour green.
Over the solar plexus, or the area where the ribs meet the stomach, is the fifth chakra, the navel chakra. This chakra holds a person's motivation, drive, and energy. It is the engine room of the spirit and is the colour yellow.
The pelvis holds the sacral chakra, which reigns over a person's reproductive and procreative nature. Its colour is orange.
And finally, at the base of the spine, is the root chakra. This is the portal that connects a person to the world and stores energy. It is symbolized by the colour red, as it has the lowest frequency on the colour wavelength.
Colour is a power which directly influences the soul.
Colour therapy is the intersection of where science meets with eastern spirituality, as both sides are concerned with the effect that colour has on the human experience. We start our lives in the womb surrounded by the comforting colour pink, and as we grow we associate colours with different feelings and experiences, some very personal, and some universal. So, when we express our emotions to others through flowers, and the vibrant colours and palettes they provide, the impact is more than a visual one. It resounds, and is absorbed on every possible level of perception. The giving of flowers can mean so much, not only as a polite gesture, but as an action with a holistic result on someone's life. We experience this every day, as we build gorgeous arrangements for all sorts of occasions. And we'd love to build one for you.
