Ready to learn about the white aura meaning? Some of the most popular articles on this site are my drawings of the colors of energy I see during healing work like Reiki, meditation, or acupuncture. Judging from the comments pouring in on “Seeing Purple and Yellow During Meditation,” people who experience this phenomenon are hungry to understand why it happens — but also what it means.
To continue this investigation of seeing chakra colors (following my recent article about seeing red), here are my illustrations and thoughts about the experience of seeing white light during healing energy work, and the meaning of a white aura. As for my qualifications to write and illustrate this, I’m a trained Reiki Master who has been practicing for several years, and who truly sees these colors, as evidenced by my attempts at recreating them through my digital drawing tools.

Seeing White Light in Energy Work
While the usual colors I see during my solo meditation and energy healing are purple and yellow, those meditation colors are tinged with a white glow. That said, I REALLY see white light when I’m doing Reiki or other touch healing work with a person who has what I would call strong white aura energy. What does that look like, and what is the white aura meaning?
White Aura Meaning and Chakras
The color white is correlated with the 7th Chakra — the Crown Chakra — which is located on the top of the head. That Sahasrara Chakra is also indicated by purple or violet light. This 7th Chakra is the energy center on the human body which connects with the wider mystical world, universal energy, and divine “Source.” (This is similar to the unity symbol in Reiki, Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen.)
The white light chakra is about spiritual surrender versus earthly attachment. It is also sometimes linked with the Soul Star Chakra, which is located above the head.
When I see white during work with Reiki clients, I usually experience it as a sparkling vision that moves like stardust, as I tried to show in the illustration above. In contrast to the medium-sized blotches and designs I see with a purple aura and yellow aura, the white I see is very delicate and intricate, like lace or netting, and I can see the darker colors behind it.

What Does Seeing White Light Mean?
In our popular culture, seeing white light is closely connected to the idea of healing, especially with some divine or spiritual intervention, and an acute experience of the liminal space between life and existence. Indeed I believe that in general, seeing white light indicates a positive shift and cleansing.
For example, a recent Reiki client just shared that when my hands were on her, she saw a vividly bright white light. This must have been something in her energy field shifting, because she told me that that night, she slept better than she has in years. Surely it would stand to reason that the color of the “highest,” spiritually-connected chakra would bring positive results. Thank you, white aura!
VIDEO: Seeing White Light
Concerns with a White Aura
I don’t want to say that seeing white or having white energy is always positive, though, because everything has a shadow side. In the case of people I know with very clear white auras, their issue is that their “heads are in the clouds” a bit much, and they might benefit from grounding practices. In other words, they might have perfectionistic streaks, or be so focused on the broader world that it’s challenging for them to connect with people on an earthly, centered level. They might come across as wispy or nebulous in spirit.
Think of white light as the opposite on the spectrum (chakra-wise) to red energy, the second orange chakra, or the black energy of the Earth Star Chakra. Red is the First or Root Chakra, which is about being powerfully grounded in the earth, literally and figuratively: safety, base needs being met, and freedom from fear. Tactilely, red would feel solid and firm, while white energy is airy and floating.
Seeing White with Eyes OPEN
Now, this article is about the pleasant experience of seeing white sparkles with eyes CLOSED during energy work or meditation. However, if you are curious about the phenomenon of seeing white with the eyes OPEN (which frankly can be much less enjoyable, and only questionably spiritual), do read my article, “Seeing Sparkles in Vision.”
White Aura Meaning, in Closing
Have YOU experienced seeing white light, chakra energy, or white aura, either as an energy worker, or someone experiencing healing or bodywork? Have you seen other colors of auras during meditation or bodywork, like a blue aura or green aura? What do you make of the meaning? Do share!
Related Posts on Color Energy:
Here is my overview diagram of which colors correlate with which chakras, energy centers, and meanings in the body.
This is my original article which many people have written in about, saying that they also see purple and yellow during energy healing!
I wrote this article about seeing red after several Reiki sessions in which a client's red chakra energy was highly visible -- sometimes mixed with black or orange.
The 5th or blue chakra is located around the throat, and is associated with speaking one's truth effectively. This helps understand what the meaning of a blue aura is -- read on to learn!
Don't be worried if you or someone you do energy work with has a black aura or sees black! It's actually a very exciting and useful color. Learn more here.
If we're to examine beyond the Seven Chakra System to the 12-Chakra one, the opposite side of the spectrum from seeing white energy (a very high chakra) would be Chakra Zero: the black Earth Star Chakra. Learn more about its power here.

The author and artist, Lillie Marshall, is a National Board Certified Teacher of English who has been a public school educator since 2003, and an experienced Reiki practitioner since 2018. All art on this site is original and hand-drawn by Lillie. She launched DrawingsOf.com Educational Cartoons in 2020, building upon the success of her other sites, AroundTheWorldL.com (established 2009), TeachingTraveling.com (founded 2010), and ReikiColors.com. Subscribe to Lillie’s monthly newsletter, and follow @WorldLillie on social media to stay connected!

Georgia
Monday 2nd of September 2024
A few months ago I had a Reiki session. I was the client. As she moved down my left side I saw blinding white light. My eyes were closed and I had to squeeze them tighter. For some reason I kept thinking she picked up a lamp and was shining it in my eyes! When the session was over she told me the things she experienced and asked if I had anything. I told her about the bright light but she hadn't shown anything in my eyes and had no explanation. This was not my first session.
Lillie Marshall
Friday 6th of September 2024
Fascinating! Thank you for sharing this powerful experience. If we go by chakra theory, seeing the color white is correlated with the Seventh (Crown) or Eighth (Soul Star) Chakra, which is associated with Universal Energy. This would mean that what you experienced could be interpreted as a beautiful and beneficial connection with those high vibrations! The intensity of the color you saw would connect with the level of power being high.
Bonnie
Monday 5th of August 2024
I experienced vibrational healing by a Balinese woman and amazingly saw the vivid lacey white light embracing my closed eyes when she pressed on my third eye. It lasted a while and I still wonder what it was about that location that released the color associated with a higher chakra.
Lillie Marshall
Wednesday 7th of August 2024
Thank you for sharing this beautiful experience! There are several interpretations for it, but how I'd see it is that the woman was helping draw Universal Energy (seen as a white aura) down from your 7th (Crown) Chakra (or even the Soul Star Chakra above you) into your 6th Third Eye Chakra and the rest of your body -- a profoundly energizing experience that I would guess has supercharged your powers of intuition and more!
RoccosMom
Saturday 8th of June 2024
I have so many questions for you! A few months back I was getting cranial acupuncture in addition to my regular. What transpired during that session was something only those who experience can understand … addicting quite honestly. She was gone from the room about 5 minutes when I began to see black swirls fade into purple that would get deeper and then a white light (almost like the center of a flower) would appear with little dots all in it and then explode. Soon after another black swirl fading into purple and that AMAZING white light explosion. Was this opening my pineal gland. My last session I had approximately 10 more of the swirls & explosions. My acupuncturist is from China and this is truly her medicine (mine as well - I will no longer see drs!). She didn’t understand what I saw because I don’t believe she’s into the chakras but I wish I would happen every time like the first! It eas the most beautiful and amazing experience. Praying for it to happen again.
Lillie Marshall
Wednesday 12th of June 2024
Thank you for sharing this beautiful experience! The purple and white colors do indeed suggest you were tapping into that powerful universal energy which is so integrating for our body's system. Good job! With regards to wanting to see it again, I would suggest starting a daily meditation practice (here's one resource: https://www.aroundtheworldl.com/starting-daily-meditation-insight-timer-review/ ) and also consider doing a Reiki training (see tips here: https://reikicolors.com/reiki-certification/ ) , as it was during my Level 1 certification course that I began to access more chakra colors. Finally, I do want to urge you not to give up Drs -- it is recommended to use energy work in conjunction with mainstream medicine, not as a full replacement. Sending you great energy, and thanks again for taking the time to leave your thoughts!
Jennifer
Thursday 19th of October 2023
I'm new to meditating and hadn't seen anything until last night, I saw black and a white dot appeared and got bigger like it was coming towards me and in the middle of the circle was white swirling around.
Lillie Marshall
Monday 23rd of October 2023
I have been seeing that, too, and am in the process of researching and writing about it. In the meantime, I can refer you also to my article about seeing the color black: https://drawingsof.com/seeing-black-aura-meaning-healing/
Angela
Wednesday 23rd of August 2023
While I was asleep, I felt an evil or maybe it was a spirit with bad intentions. While praying in my sleep, I awoke to see a dark shadow. I closed my eyes and saw white waves, almost like a flame would flicker or wave in motion, but waving very slowly. It calming and I went back to sleep. What does this mean? I have always known I could feel things others couldn’t but as I get older I seem to be getting more sensitive to spiritual experiences. I’m also more courageous to know the meaning behind the feelings I get and why.
Lillie Marshall
Wednesday 23rd of August 2023
Hi Angela, Thanks for sharing your experience! I don't have a definitive answer for you, but rather encourage you to follow your intuition. You are certainly not alone in this sensation of battling difficult energies while half-asleep, and it seems like you're doing a great job of tapping into that universal energy (often visualized as white light) that brings us calm and strength. Keep discussing, journaling, and reflecting, and nice patterns and paths forward may start to emerge. The one piece I might emphasize, however, is to remember that dark colors do not necessarily indicate negativity, as explained in this black aura article: https://drawingsof.com/seeing-black-aura-meaning-healing/