The Metaphors In Chakra Colors

We are very affected by the colors in our homes, work environment and by the colors of food we eat and the colors we wear. Color permeates our very existence.

In Kundalini yoga, it is the tradition that teachers wear white outfits made of natural fibers, with a white covering over their heads. Just like the color white deflects the sun and black absorbs it, white also deflects negativity and the color black attracts and absorbs it.

Teaching Kundalini can attract students who are very evolved, and also many who are really struggling and sometimes even emotionally unstable. Wearing white can protect a teacher from the negative energy that may emanate from a person in class and is sometimes directed toward, or projected onto the teacher.

I think the names of colors are at the edge, between where language fails and where it’s at its most powerful ~ A.S. Byatt

The covering of the head protects the seventh chakra from negativity and depletion. The seventh chakra is located on the top of the head and it is our ‘spiritual umbilical cord’ that connect us to the Source.

While the color black can be dangerous while doing spiritual work, it can actually be advantageous to wear when exercising, since it grounds the body.

Here are some examples of common color metaphors that can be linked to the colors of the chakras.

Red – Seeing red (intense rage or anger). The first chakra is red and it represents the most primal aspects of human nature, as well as anger, rage and pure animal physicality.

Yellow – Yellow-bellied (cowardly, weak). Yellow is the color of our third chakra which is where our strength, determination, will power and drive is centered.

Green – Green-eyed monster (jealous, envious). Jealousy and envy resides in the lower fourth chakra which is associated with the color green.

Pink – Rose-colored glasses (optimistic). Pink is the color of the higher fourth chakra. It is the center where we love and fall in love.

Blue – Feeling blue (depressed, sad). Blue symbolizes the fifth chakra, which is located in the throat area. This is where we get sick, especially if we don’t speak the truth or express ourselves, and instead repress our thoughts and emotions.

Purple – Purple passage (a brilliant or inspired passage in a piece of writing that is otherwise dull, commonplace, or uninspired). Purple symbolizes the sixth chakra which is the base of our intuition and inspiration. This is also similar to the term “purple prose” referring to an especially flamboyant or attention getting piece of work.

White – Whitewashing (covering up the truth). White is the color of the seventh chakra, our connection to the source, the light.

All the other colors are just colors, but purple seems to have a soul — when you look at it, it’s looking back at you ~ Uniek Swain

Black – Black market (system of commerce where items are sold illegally). Black is the absence of light and color. While the color white normally has a meaning of something good, the color black often means something bad, since evil things are thought to happen in the dark or absence of white light.  A black market is a system of commerce where items are sold illegally. So too is the black-hearted. The absence of light. Black birds and cats are thought to be evil, when in fact they are both symbols of good luck.

The American flag is red, white and blue. Red represents the first chakra, which represent courage, white represents the seventh chakra, which symbolizes freedom of spiritual expression, and blue represents the fifth chakra, which is freedom of communicative expression.

Traffic lights are red, yellow and green. Red represents the first chakra, which is fight or flight, fear and survival. Yellow represents the third chakra, which symbolizes having a gut feeling or warning. Green symbolizes peace and safety.

Many fast food restaurants will paint their restaurants in red, orange and yellow. These are the colors of the lower chakras, since they tend to energize people, increase appetites and get people to eat more and faster. The lower chakras are very primal, physical, masculine and energizing energies. These lower colors are energizing. The upper chakras colors, green, blue, purple and white are calming.