Seeing Colors During Meditation: Purple, Yellow, and More
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. Upon request, I now also offer remote distance Reiki sessions online, from the comfort of your own home!)
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!
I've been seeing the colors of purple and gold for years. I've always perceived them to be healing colors. I first began seeing them during craniosacral therapy and myofascial release therapy. If I see red, it was always associated with pain, unfortunately. Now during either of those therapies or meditation I always see purple and gold. It's very soothing. I am glad to hear that others experience this too.
So glad to hear from another person who has seen this! I really agree with you that the colors must be something having to do with healing. I've been doing some reading about chakra colors and meanings and am planning a follow-up article soon. Thanks for taking the time to write!
Hi Lillie ~
I'm a 5-foot tall (lol) Accredited Financial Counselor (AFC via AFCPE.org), Licensed Religious Science Practitioner (RScP), and Reiki Master who has been pursuing a spiritual path since forever. =)
Guess what? I'm also grateful to find your two-sense along with all the comments. Thank you for posting! Wow!! We're in it together!!!
I started noticing that I was seeing colors the other day. They look like the colors you drew and others described.
When I saw the patterns today during Meditation I just had to see if it was happening to anyone else and what the colors might mean:
We are One, in all-ways, All-One, never "alone".
peace
~ pj
Wow!!! Thank you for taking the time to write this lovely comment! Sending you the best as we investigate this magical mystery.
@PJ Gunter,
Sounds like you're opening to an expanded experience of God, the Universe, and Spirit...
Thank you for this! I've seen the color yellow many times during meditation. At my first reiki session, my practitioner mentioned my 3rd chakra is prominent. I concluded its my dominant chakra as I sometimes struggle or thrive within it! Today was the first time I saw purple in my mediation. I released myself to the universe with love and excitement asking for any messages - nothing in particular. I learned so much in those 10 minutes. It's as if I was having conversations with myself. When I noticed the color purple it was reassurance that I was touched by the universe as it sent me messages and advice. I then started to see yellow as well, and your pictures help describe just how it looked! I googled "seeing purple in meditation" and this is the first article I read and my, how it resonates with me. Thank you so much!
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience, Aileen! I really agree with you that the color that shows up is correlated with the type of healing that's happening and dominant, and have been realizing that my yellow might be connected to my dominant 3rd chakra confidence trait. I hadn't figured out the purple as much (I'm still in the middle of a chakra healing course and haven't gotten that far yet), but what you describe of purple being love and healing from the universe -- third-eye chakra correlated with wisdom -- is so well put!
I tend to see mainly purple, but also often the greenish gold you mention when doing breathwork and somatic practices. They swirl in a constant movement, like passing through veils and seem to be mostly emitting from the are of the third eye. If I let them be there, without consciously thinking about it too much, they tend to spread projecting outwards. I always thought its just my own perception, but reading your article I related very strongly to the experience you describe. I‘m super curious if this perception is related to visual perception or tapping deeper into neural networks inside the brain.
WOW!!!! I'm so curious too!!!! Thank you for taking the time to comment. I certainly feel less alone!
I struggle with debilitating anxiety and these color meditations help me tremendously, especially during a panic attack. Thank you for shedding light on this important issue. Our mental health is everything.
It's been fascinating reading research about how meditation and mindfulness exercises (including visualizations and breathing) can help with anxiety, depression, and more.
As I went through the article and the comments I am stunned. There was a time when i did meditation regularly and saw eyes, angry at first then slowly calm down. So much that the prefect asked me if I see eyes. Now I rarely meditate so your article is telling me to start regularly. Thanks
WOW! Thank you for sharing this mindfulness experience. I'm curious to hear what happens as you get back into meditation. Our bodies really have a way of healing and caring for us, sometimes in surprising ways.
Come to think of it, I don't remember focusing or noticing or even aware of any color while meditating. I am usually concentrating on breathing and absorbing the energy in my environment. I also have a busy mind so maybe that is distracting me from colours.... Anyway, you are making me think I should try and be more aware of it next time I meditate...
I think we all have different areas of deep insight or superpowers. My spouse has an intense level of auditory processing, so when he meditates he doesn't see things visually, but rather hears music and other beautiful and insightful things. Every person is unique!
@Lillie Marshall,
Agreed!
How interesting! Meditating more is one of my goals for 2021!
A worthy goal! This article from my other site might help: https://www.aroundtheworldl.com/starting-daily-meditation-insight-timer-review/ . It explains what finally helped me get into the daily meditation habit after years of not being able to stick with it.
Such a lovely article! I absolutely loved your story on how you first realized the purpose of color movements!
Glad you enjoyed reading!
Woah this is so interesting! I didn't know that seeing colors had any purpose. I also see purple quite frequently!
I'm so excited to see I'm not alone in seeing indigo!
This is so interesting, thank you for sharing your experiences! I love the combination of purple and gold!
It's a very pleasing combination of hues. I've been noticing where I see the indigo-yellow combination out in the world, because when brands or artists use it, it makes me wonder if they also experience this phenomenon.
This is so interesting! I'm not sure if I've ever been relaxed enough to have this happen. But, a few years ago I was having ongoing problems getting to sleep, so I decided to try valerian tea. I did see swirling colors whenever I opened my eyes as I was trying to fall asleep. I was so disconcerted that I never tried the tea again - but maybe I WAS just relaxed!
Whoa! I don't know much about valerian tea so I'm googling it now... fascinating!
I'm only just beginning with mindfulness meditation. I do see colors occasionally, though mine are usually blue and yellow. I had never puzzled out what that might mean. This is really fascinating!
Ooo -- another blue seer! Check out the earlier comments by readers who've also experienced that, along with info on which chakra it might represent, and meaning.
Cool. I see blue. Like a cobalt blue color. Usually in a dot that moves and sometimes cycles out like a cyclone.
Haven’t been able to find out why. Some people said it was called a blue pearl but didn’t elaborate on the real significance. Just said I was tapped into a higher state of meditation.
It’s cool that yours followed the direction of that treatment. Fascinated by this.
So interesting that you and Stephanie both posted about blue color! I'm searching "blue pearl meditation" now and finding a whole world of energy analysis out there. Thank you for sharing your experience!
After a month of consistent meditation, I have began seeing purple and blue and for some reason visualize these colors "above me" from my head onward. I do feel like I am reaching a point of clarity in my life at the same time that these colors arrived
Fascinating! Blue would be the fifth chakra: Throat Chakra. So cool that the color seems to come when thoughts or energy shifts for you.