Am I Visualizing Energy Flow?
I’m writing this article in the hopes that others who experience the same phenomenon will connect to try to make sense of it: Why do I see colors — almost always purple (indigo) and gold-yellow — whenever I’m in a certain meditative state??? What’s the meaning of this purple aura, and seeing colors during meditation? Let’s go into the details.
Seeing Purple Color… When?
What spurs me to see indigo and gold? It happens whenever I’m in a certain relaxed and connected state: sometimes during deep meditation, by the middle of a professional massage, during a very deep conversation, and always during acupuncture or Reiki.
The Colors I See Move in a Specific Way
With my eyes closed, I can watch the purple and gold swirl and play. The direction and type of movement the colors do always reflects what’s happening with my energy.
An Example from Acupuncture Energy Work
The moment I realized that the colors moved with purpose was when I was in my third trimester of pregnancy and went to an acupuncture appointment to ease discomfort. As I lay on the table with the needles doing their work, I closed my eyes and wondered if the colors would come.
Indeed they did: Indigo and greenish gold popped up in blobs, bobbing and weaving. Then they began a distinct downward movement. I watched as the purple and yellow alternated pulsing downward, from my head towards my feet. This is what it looked like:
At the end of the half hour, my acupuncturist came back into the room and explained that the needles she’d placed were on the specific pressure points to move my energy from my head downwards, in order to prepare the flow for birth.
I was shocked: this confirmed that the flow I’d been distinctly seeing behind my eyes in color form mirrored the exact energy direction my acupuncturist had created — even though she hadn’t told me, or placed the idea in my mind. The colors were saying something and were moving with purpose. Whoa!
What Does Seeing Colors Mean?
Over the years I’ve been researching what this phenomenon could indicate. We’ve already discussed the direction they move mirroring energy flow, but what about the meanings of these meditation colors? Each hue might have a purpose…
Do Colors Mirror Chakras?
The day I did one of my first Reiki healing touch treatments on someone and suddenly saw the color RED then began seeing orange, I realized that each person must have different energy colors. It was an odd moment seeing this new color — I was so used to always purple and gold, that I though that’s all I’d ever visualize. It got me thinking about the meaning behind each color, and why some people might have more of one than another. The answer might be found in reading about body chakras… especially the purple chakra.
Which is the Purple Chakra?
According to body chakra teaching, purple light correlates with either the 6th (Third Eye) or 7th (Crown) chakra at the top of the head or above the body. Both are about higher consciousness. Perhaps when I’m seeing purple, indigo, or violet, I’m tapping into the purple chakra, and thus the wider universe of human energy?
My guess is the color I’m seeing is more the 6th (purple chakra), because the 7th chakra is both violet and white, and one day when I was doing Reiki on someone, I distinctly saw his white sparkling light, which was very different than my purple. Another time I saw black, which might be connected with the Earth Star Chakra in the 12-Chakra system.
VIDEO: Seeing Colors During Meditation
What Do Yellow, Green, or Gold Light Mean?
Seeing purple light makes sense with chakra theory, but why would I also then also always see yellow-green? That color likely correlates with the 3rd (Solar Plexus) Chakra which has a yellow aura, and maybe slightly with the 4th (Heart) Chakra which has a green aura — both in the center of the body. The third chakra is about strength, confidence, and willpower, and the fourth about love and healing. It might also correlate with the 8th or Soul Star Chakra, which has a white and golden hue.
It’s interesting to me that my soul would select the colors purple and yellow, and always only these two — unless I’m doing Reiki meditation with someone else. The one time I was able to generate different colors within myself was during my first Kundalini Reiki training years ago, during a group meditation. At that point I distinctly saw green and several other colors I hadn’t seen before, perhaps because of the powerful energy of others present in the room, and the high level of training of the Reiki master teaching us. (If you’re near Massachusetts, I now run my own Boston Reiki practice, so feel free to connect.)
Seeing Colors During Meditation and YOU
I’m thankful to the wonders of digital art that I could finally draw and make tangible and visible what I see behind my eyes on a weekly basis, so perhaps I could find others who resonate with this experience that happens in the liminal space of energy work, so we might make sense of it together.
Do see my NEW article on chakra colors and healing, which grew from your messages from this post! If any of this rings true for you, feel free to reach out in the comments section, or by the social media contacts below.
Seeing Colors During Meditation
See all my articles about seeing colors during meditation, Reiki, acupuncture, massage, and healing. What's the meaning and purpose, and how does it connect with chakras? Learn here.
Chakra Colors and Meanings
In this follow-up article to this first one about seeing purple and yellow during meditation, I dig deeper into the research, and also drew a diagram of each of the chakra colors and energy centers in the body.
More About Seeing a Purple Aura
Here is my most recent article with more information about what seeing a purple aura means, expanded upon with stories from my Reiki energy work sessions and meditation.
Seeing Red Chakra Energy
After opening my own Reiki practice, I have had the opportunity to see the colors of other people as I do sessions with them. Most recently, I've seen a lot of red in people, so this new article is an investigation of what seeing red might mean.
Seeing White Aura and Chakra Energy
What does it mean to see white light or a white aura during energy healing work like meditation or Reiki? See my exploration and illustrations here.
Seeing Black Aura Energy
Don't be alarmed if you see inky black during energy work! A black aura is actually really exciting and useful. Read this to see why.
Earth Star Chakra
My investigation into seeing the color black led me to research the 12 Chakra System which has other energy centers besides the traditional seven: Including the Earth Star Chakra below the body!
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!
Vy f
Saturday 9th of March 2024
You articulated an experience I had today while undergoing an energy healing session for the first time today. It was so interesting of an experience that I was googling and came across you post.
Lillie Marshall
Saturday 9th of March 2024
Glad to be able to help articulate it! As you can see, you’re not alone at all, and it’s a very powerful and healing experience.
N. Purdon
Tuesday 6th of February 2024
I have FINALLY found a place that fits with my experiences. When I did a meditation workshop with several others, I experienced what I call the rainbow flow of colors. Think of how a giant American flag flows in almost folded layers when the wind is gently blowing. That's how my rainbow or colors were flowing. One color flowed into another color. The instructor said it was a once in a lifetime experience. It was beautiful. while I still experience colors when doing deep breathing and I'm by myself, one-two colors flow - one flows into the next but the two colors stay on repeat. For example if I see orange it gets reilly bright then flows like the wind is blowing it into red which is bright and stays and deepens. When I ask other people about what they see during breathing exercises, they look at me like I'm crazy.
Lillie Marshall
Wednesday 7th of February 2024
You're not alone at all, and I disagree that your experience was "Once in a lifetime" -- with practice, it's possible to learn the patterns of what helps access the colors. Sending good energy from this community!
Erin
Saturday 27th of January 2024
Hi, I am so glad I found your article. I started seeing these colours swirling when I had my reiki training. I thought that was just my imagination or maybe light from outside penetrating. But sometimes it can change colours: green, blue, yellow, red, orange, purple, white. All chakra colours. My reiki trainer can download images but all I can see is just colours! Glad to know I am not just imagining things. Hopefully I can someday download more images or messages other than just colours.
Lillie Marshall
Saturday 27th of January 2024
Thanks for sharing your experience -- it's not just you! I invite you to explore the idea that the colors ARE the message. Each correlates to a chakra that's a different topic. Notice which colors come up when, and in which direction or shape they flow. See my articles about individual energy colors for more on how to do this. Sending you good energy!
Amanda
Saturday 11th of November 2023
Hi, I found your article when googling about seeing purple and yellow when receiving reiki. I always only see these two colours, sometimes separately throughout the session, but sometimes the two colours swirling together . The patterns of the colours can be very different, sometimes as of someone has dropped a drop of paint into water and it expands and spreads, sometimes a large blob of colour will appear and then seem to disappear down a tiny hole, and sometimes both colours will move around like a kaleidoscope or will be big swirls mixing together. The yellow is sometimes verging on lime green. The purple is sometimes quite dark and other times very pale. So mesmerising and relaxing when it's happening.
Lillie Marshall
Saturday 11th of November 2023
Thanks for taking the time to share your experience! I agree that it's so mesmerizing and relaxing!
Rachel
Monday 23rd of October 2023
I stumbled onto a post you wrote about colors you see while in deep meditation. I’m reaching out, because I also see those exact color hues. At first I thought they were the auras of my spirit guards. Now I wonder if it’s actually the aura of our higher self, that we connect with in that meditative state. For me these aren’t the only colors I see. During reiki I’ve had many other colors come to me, usually reflective of my current aura state. I can also see other people’s auras. Except went I meditate, I always always see the same indigo/purple and gold/greenish yellow swirling. Another question? My numerology life path also seems to connect back to these colors. Maybe yours will to.