Chromotherapy
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There is not a lot of hard evidence that colour can exert specific physiological effect that can be used therapeutically. Colours certainly do evoke affective response, and have some influence on a person's emotions, just as one's emotions are evoked by other aesthetic aspects of the environment, for instance by sounds, perfumes, shapes and textures ; and while each of these might have some therapeutic effect there is a good likelihood that when all these are appropriately tuned and combined with coloured lighting, the holistic effect may in some cases be strong enough to trigger a powerful psychosomatic chain reaction. |
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A popular nineteenth century method of healing was that of Dr. Corning who cured headaches amongst other maladies by using changing colours and shapes projected from a 'stereopticon' together with soothing and harmonious sounds from a 'phonograph' through to the patient's 'acoustic helmet'. This was supposed to heal the patient eventually as if by a process of sympathetic magic. |
One of the most impressive and successful experiments with coloured lighting was conducted in the Sunfield Homes for mentally handicapped children at Hagley, Worcestershire. A swimming pool with blue and orange-pink lighting was constructed in 1967. When the children entered the water they saw their own bodies illuminated in brilliant colour. |
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It was only then that some of the brain-damaged children realised for the first time that they had limbs. Spastic children, who were tensed up, opened out and blossomed in the pink light, whereas the hyperactive children were calmed and relaxed in the blue light. Michael Wilson was one of the founders of the |
establishment, which is at present run by Ralph Brocklebank.
(Above) Pink subaqua lighting. Photo: Rado Klose
There is now no doubt that coloured light can influence human tissue. Experiments were conducted in Japan by research scientists K. Menju and E. Yogo, writing in the Japanese Journal of Obstetrics as long ago as the 1940's, showing the effect of red and blue light on the endocrines, lactation and the vegetative system. |
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© Micro Academy 2004.
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