Services
Functional Medicine
Functional medicine has its roots in natural medicine.
Many prescription medications are made from herbs that have been used by many cultures around the world for centuries.
Functional medicine combines volumes of herbal wisdom with the most up-to-date forms of testing. Testing by specialty laboratories can reveal such nutrient deficiencies and excesses, nutrient absorption, hormone disruptors, aberrant detoxification pathways, allergic substances, and hidden food sensitivities.
Blood, urine, and saliva can provide valuable information about a person’s metabolism. Biochemical individuality forms the cornerstone of functional medicine. Specialized laboratories examine, for example, nutrient absorption, detoxification pathways, and genomic SNPs.
Depending upon findings, you can discover if genetics, lifestyle, and targeted nutrition might benefit your overall health. If you are addressing specific issues or want improved well-being in general, a few tests could make a difference for you. Cardio-metabolic nutrition, such as CoQ, offers promise to improve cardiovascular health and overall well-being.
Physical characteristics, however, are not the only factors in well-being. Emotional health, a person’s mindset, and attitudes play a critical role in their personal satisfaction and happiness. Ultimately, optimism translates as a “medicine” of sorts. Conversely, a pessimistic outlook can keep one in a depressed state and adversely affect physical health.
Functional medicine offers a holistic perspective: by examining family medical history, personal traumas, and emotional wounds from childhood, marriages, divorces, or any significant relationship issues, a functional medicine practitioner can shed light on how seemingly unrelated events might contribute to imbalance. The goal is to restore equilibrium to all aspects–physical, emotional, mental, and even spiritual–and so regain a better quality of life.
Contact us at (610) 275-3371 to discuss your wellness goals.
See the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) website.

Allergy Testing
Food allergy testing can help you determine the cause of your mental and physical symptoms. Research and clinical studies have shown that food allergies may be a major contributing factor to many chronic health conditions.
What Is the Difference between IgE, IgG, IgM, and IgA?
IgE is an indication of a hypersensitivity or true allergy.
IgG is a secondary response usually associated with a previous exposure to an antigen.
IgM is a primary response usually associated with a current antigen.
IgA is a delayed response that can appear in serum, but is most abundant in secretions/mucosal system.IgE Food Allergies
The best known and well-studied form of food allergies is called a Type 1 immune reaction (classical food allergy, immediate-onset, IgE-mediated, atopic food allergies, etc.). Type 1 food allergies occur in approximately 2-5% of the population. Type 1 food allergies occur mostly in children and are less frequent in adults. Usually occurring in the genetically predisposed individual, the immune system begins creating a specific type of antibody called Immunoglobulin E (IgE) to certain foods. One side of the IgE antibody will recognize and bind to the allergic food. The other side of the antibody is attached to a specialized immune cell packed with histamine, called a Mast cell. Primed for action, the IgE antibody now only has to patiently wait for re-exposure to food allergens.
When you eat the allergic food the next time, IgE antibodies hungrily latch onto the food. Instantaneously, histamine and other allergy-related chemicals (chemical mediators) are released from the mast cell, quickly bringing on the unwelcome appearance of stomach cramping, diarrhea, skin rashes, hives, swelling, wheezing, or the most dreaded of all Type 1 reactions, anaphylaxis.
IgG Delayed Onset Food Allergy
Type 3 immune reactions are much more commonly involved in food allergy than Type 1 reactions. In fact, 45-60% of the population has been reported as having delayed food allergies. A delayed food allergy or food sensitivity also involves the immune system. They occur when your immune system creates an overabundance of antibody Immunoglobulin G (IgG) to a specific food. The IgG antibodies, instead of attaching to Mast cells, like IgE antibodies in Type 1 allergies, bind directly to the food as it enters the bloodstream, forming food allergens bound to antibodies circulating in the bloodstream. The allergic symptoms in Type 3 immune reactions are delayed in onset, appearing anywhere from a couple of hours to several days after consuming allergic foods.
Delayed food reactions may occur in any organ or tissue in the body and have been linked to either causing and/or provoking over 100 allergic symptoms and well over 150 different medical diseases. An estimated 60 to 80 million Americans suffer from clinically significant food allergies, and most of them suffer from delayed symptoms.
Symptoms of IgG food allergy may include:
| Abdominal Pains | Hyperactivity |
| Aches and Pains | Irritable Bowel Syndrome |
| Acne | Itching |
| ADHD | Lethargy |
| Anxiety | Loss of Appetite |
| Arthritis | Migraine |
| Asthma | Nausea |
| Autism | PMS |
| Bloating | Psoriasis |
| Celiac Disease | Recurrent Ear Infection |
| Chronic Fatigue | Recurrent Sinus Infections |
| Chronic Infections | Rhinitis |
| Constipation | Sinusitis |
| Depression | Skin Rashes |
| Dizziness | Stomach Cramps |
| Eczema | Tension |
| Enuresis (Bed Wetting) | Urticaria |
| Fibromyalgia | Weight Gain |
| Fluid Retention | Weight Loss |
| GI Problems | Wheezing |
When the immune system is engaged in IgG production, numerous cytokines are also put into motion. The influence of these cytokines extends beyond the immune system to specific areas of the brain that regulate and affect behavior and mood. It is no wonder that under the influence of these powerful compounds, people can feel sick and tired when they are indeed being assaulted immunologically.
Not available in NY, FL.
Read about different types of allergy testing at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology website.
Read about ALLERGY – GUNA.
Contact us to order the appropriate allergy testing kit for you and your family.
There are many natural remedies for allergies. You can find scores of them on our web store.
Environmental Toxins Testing
See the Resources section of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine website.
Environmental Toxins Recommended Reading
Carson Rachel. Silent Spring. (1962).
Hormone Testing
Hormones are regulatory substances produced in the endocrine glands. One of the most disruptive factors in hormonal balance is stress. We are inundated with endocrine-disrupting chemicals: food preservatives, plasticizers from bottled water, to name a few.
- Cortisol – the stress hormone
- Insulin – glucose control
- Estrogen – mood, PMS
- Testosterone – muscle strength and heart health
Hormones regulate our digestion, metabolism, growth, reproduction, and mood. Once one hormone is out of balance, others will follow.
For an overview of the body’s hormone arsenal, see The Pituitary Foundation’s website.
If you are feeling out of balance, are experiencing mood swings, anxiety, irregular cycles, restless sleep, fatigue, or brain fog, hormone testing can provide the explanation. We can help to identify the causative factors and offer solutions to begin to reset your hormonal balance.
Call us at (610) 275-3371 or email us at info@fullspectrumenergymedicine.com.
Craniosacral Therapy
Craniosacral therapy helps people recover from traumatic injuries. An osteopathic physician, Dr. John Upledger, developed craniosacral therapy in the 1970s. Nearly 40 years of positive therapeutic experiences reported by thousands of therapists around the world attest to its efficacy. The craniosacral system comprises the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. It extends from the bones of the skull, including the face and mouth, and continues to the sacrum/tailbone area.
Craniosacral therapy gently restores the rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid, making you feel more relaxed. It is safe for all ages—from infants to 100+ years.
Your nervous system has a pulse you can feel, just like you can sense the rhythm of your heart when you touch your wrist. And in the same way clogged arteries can impair your heart function, factors like a fall, auto accident, whiplash, and other injuries can cause restrictions in your spinal column, which safely shelters the spinal cord. Your chiropractor or osteopathic physician can release much of this stress; however, damage deeper in the body can benefit from craniosacral therapy.
To test for blockages, the therapist uses a very light touch. Once the blocks are released, the body’s inherent hydraulic forces self-correct the misalignments, which might have been causing minor or moderate discomfort to severe pain. The movement is so subtle, yet it produces dramatic results and profound relaxation.
Trauma–especially head injuries– chronic neck and back pain, migraine headache, stroke, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, difficulties with vision, chronic fatigue, and scoliosis are just some of the conditions that can benefit from this gentle but powerful healing modality.
Craniosacral therapy calms fussy infants.
Emotional difficulties, central nervous system disorders, PTSD, stress, and tension also respond to this technique, restoring healthy craniosacral rhythm.
Read about some of the benefits for infants in Green Child Magazine. Craniosacral can be used as an adjunct therapy to help other conditions, such as:
- Migraines and Headaches
- Constipation
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Disturbed Sleep Cycles and Insomnia
- Scoliosis
- Sinus Infections
- Neck Pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Recurrent Ear Infections or Colic in Infants
- TMJ
- Trauma Recovery, including Trauma from Whiplash
- Mood Disorders Like Anxiety or Depression
- Difficult Pregnancies
For more information, visit the Upledger Institute’s website.
Craniosacral Therapy Recommended Reading
M Castejón-Castejón 1, M A Murcia-González 2, J L Martínez Gil 3, J Todri 4, M Suárez Rancel 5, O Lena 4, R Chillón-Martínez
“Effectiveness of craniosacral therapy in the treatment of infantile colic.” Randomized Controlled Trial. 2019 Dec; 47:102164.
doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2019.07.023. Epub 2019 Aug 13.
Upledger, DO OMM, John E. CranioSacral Therapy: What It Is and How It Works.
Schedule a craniosacral session. Contact us at (610) 275-3371.
Naturopathic Consultation
In your naturopathic consultation, you will learn both ancient healing and future medicine.
“May your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food.”
– Hippocrates 400 B.C.
Raw, organic fruits and vegetables, and fresh herbs and herbal teas are the principal sources Nature Cure uses for healing. Nature Cure holds as its core philosophy the following time-honored tenets to gently stimulate the body’s innate healing ability:
Tenets
- Vis Medicatrix – Nature holds infinite healing potential.
- Tolle Causam – Identify and treat the cause—not only the symptoms.
- Primum Non Nocere – First do no harm, also known as the “Hippocratic Oath,” is central to all practice of health care. Our bodies, in their infinite intelligence, use symptoms to draw our attention to an area of our lives that requires rebalancing. Those areas can include physical discomfort or pain, genetic diseases, emotional upset, mental disorders, spiritual, environmental, professional, and social issues.
- Docere – Before modern medicine, people viewed the physician as a teacher. In the ancient world, physicians were, first and foremost, teachers. They acted as guides and encouraged the patient to assume responsibility for his/her self-care. Prevention is the best cure.
Because our hurried lifestyle has displaced rest and relaxation to alleviate stress, and highly processed foods have overtaken fresh, locally grown produce, a return to the basic principles of naturopathy is needed today more than ever before. Consequently, our mission is to remind and re-educate our fellow health-seekers in the practical application of Nature Cure in our daily routine. A naturopathic consultation can target your nutritional needs to optimize your own healing potential.
What Does Naturopathy Address?
Some of the areas addressed by natural cure include, but are not limited to:
- Environmental Pollutants
- Toxic Dental Fillings
- Foods or Environmental Allergies
- Microbial Imbalances: Viruses (e.g., EBV, CMV, MRSA, Herpes), Bacteria, Fungi (Candidiasis)
- Parasites
- Nutritional Deficiencies
- Weak Muscles-Organs
Restore Health
A certified traditional naturopath (CTN) can guide you through the proper steps and sequence of restoring health and vitality. For thousands of years, cultures around the world healed their ailing using the resources readily available. They made their recommendations based on astute assessment through observation and understanding the whole person, suggesting herbal infusions/teas, salves, ointments, homeopathy, and physical purification techniques (detoxification).
Health Tip
Generally, buy organic whenever possible. Fresh organic fruits and vegetables are high in enzymes and do not contain the chemicals present in conventional produce. The pesticides used by growers and farmers to keep bugs away create a great chemical burden on the body. That burden places excessive stress on the liver and contributes to hormone imbalance, including thyroid dysfunction (hypothyroidism), a high incidence of diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome X, and autoimmune disorders. Also, use only olive oil or coconut oil: other oils overly stress the gallbladder.
Organic food’s frequency is higher, so you will derive more nourishment from it. Consequently, you will not feel as hungry as normal. Eating less and consuming more nutrient-rich foods provides your body with higher-quality nourishment and vibrations as opposed to quantity of food. The higher you can maintain your body-mind-spirit vibration, the better primed you are to handle stress. Your immune system does not have to work as hard, so your body is better equipped to handle bacterial and viral infections and disease when they do present themselves. Let a naturopathic consultation be your guide for efficient and effective healing.
Recommended Reading
Airola, N.D., Ph.D., Paavo. How to Get Well. Sherwood, OR: Health Plus Publishers, 1974.
Balch, M.D., James F., and Phyllis A. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Second Edition. Garden City Park, NY: Avery Publishing Company, 1997.
Finnell. J., Snider, P., Myers, S., Zeff. J. A Hierarchy of Healing: Origins of the Therapeutic Order and Implications for Research. IMCJ. May-Jun 2019. Advance Release to be published in Foundations of Naturopathic Medicine – The Healing Power of Nature. Senior Eds. Snider, P., (Executive Editor) Zeff J., Pizzorno J., Myers S., Sensenig, J., Newman Turner R., Warren D., Kruzel, T.; Medical Ed. A. Neil, Production Ed. K. Tenpa. Nature Cure Science Ed. John Finnell. Publ. Foundations of Naturopathic Medicine Institute (FNMI). © FNMI & IMC J. Murray, Michael T. Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. Revised Edition.
Myers, SP, Hunter, A, Snider, P & Zeff, J 2003, ‘Naturopathic medicine’, in T Robson (ed.), An introduction to complementary medicine, Allen and Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW, pp. 48-66. Thiel, Ph.D., Robert J. Combining Old and New. Naturopathy for the 21st Century. Warsaw, IN: Whitman Publications, 2000.
Pizzorno JE, Snider P, J. K. Naturopathic Medicine. In: Micozzi MS, ed. Fundamentals of complementary and alternative medicine. 2nd, 3rd, 4th ed. New York: Churchill Livingstone; 2001, 2006, 2011:xxv, 464 p.
Pizzorno JE, Snider P, Micozzi MS. Contemporary Naturopathic Medicine. In: Micozzi MS, ed. Fundamentals of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Philadelphia: Churchill Livingston; 2015.
Pizzorno JE, Snider P. Nature Cure, Naturopathy, and Natural Medicines. In: Micozzi MS, ed. Fundamentals of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Philadelphia: Churchill Livingston; 2015.
Snider P, Zeff J. NM 5131 – NMTP 5141-5143. Naturopathic Clinical Theory. Course Syllabus and Materials 1998.Vasey, Christopher. The Naturopathic Way: How to Detox, Find Quality Nutrition, and Restore Your Acid-Alkaline Balance.
Wardle, ND, MPH John. Clinical Naturopathy: An Evidence-Based Guide to Naturopathy.
Zeff J. “The Process of Healing: A Unifying Theory of Naturopathic Medicine.” Journal of Naturopathic Medicine 1997;7:122-5.
Zeff JL, Snider P, Myers S. A Hierarchy of Healing: The Therapeutic Order. The Unifying Theory of Naturopathic Medicine. In: Pizzorno JE, Murray M, eds. Textbook of Natural Medicine. Missouri: Churchill Livingston; 2006.
Zeff JL, Snider P, Myers S, DeGrandpre Z. A Hierarchy of Healing: The Therapeutic Order. A Unifying Theory of Naturopathic Medicine. In: Pizzorno JE, Murray M, eds. Textbook of Natural Medicine. Missouri: Churchill Livingston; 2013.
Zeff J, Snider P, Myers SP, DeGrandpre Z. The Therapeutic Order, the Determinants of Health, and the Process of Healing in Naturopathic Medicine and Education. In: Wisneski L, ed. The Scientific Basis of Integrative Health. 3rd ed. New York: Routledge, 2017.
Start healing with naturopathy. Schedule a nutritional needs assessment today. Also, read about our functional medicine services. Contact us at (610) 275-3371. Or email info@fullspectrumenergymedicine.com.
Manual Lymph Drainage
Manual lymph drainage cleanses the lymphatic system — the body’s waste-pumping apparatus. The lymphatic system plays a crucial role in detoxifying the body and regenerating aging tissues. It works in conjunction with the circulatory system to filter and pump out toxins and maintain a healthy immune system. Tiny muscular units called lymphangions contract to propel proteins, toxins, hormones, fatty acids, and immune cells to the lymph nodes for processing. Fatigue, stress, emotional shock, infection, cold temperatures, chemical toxins, inactivity, and inflammation impede lymph circulation, contributing to the development of chronic illness and accelerating the aging process.
This hands-on technique, manual lymph drainage, activates and cleanses the body’s lymph nodes and reestablishes fluid circulation; it also positively affects the parasympathetic nervous system.
Conditions which may benefit from this manual therapy include lymphedema, detoxification, regeneration of tissue from burns, scars, wrinkles, and stretch marks, and relief of chronic and subacute inflammation such as sinusitis, otitis, bronchitis, acne, and allergies. Some cases of fibromyalgia and CFS, insomnia, stress, memory loss, low vitality, constipation, muscle hypertonus, adiposis, and cellulite may also improve.
Lymphatic Massage Speeds Post-Surgical Healing
You will feel an extremely light touch equivalent to the weight of a nickel (5 grams) to gently massage the lymphatic system. Generally, a series of sessions is recommended. This gentle healing modality can help enormously in reducing edema following surgeries such as a lumpectomy with lymph node dissection to treat breast cancer.
Your session will last approximately one hour. Afterwards, you will feel very relaxed and might want to sleep for 9-12 hours. As with any therapeutic treatment, be sure to drink plenty of water.
Manual Lymph Drainage Recommended Reading
American Cancer Society. Lymphedema: Understanding and Managing Lymphedema after Cancer Treatment.
American Cancer Society’s Website
Burt, Jeannie. A Breast Cancer Patient’s Guide to Prevention and Healing. Alameda, CA: Hunter House Publications, 2005.
Chikly, MD, Bruno. Silent Waves: Theory and Practice of Lymph Drainage Therapy with Applications for Lymphedema, Chronic Pain and Inflammation, 2nd ed. (Scottsdale: I.H.H. Publishing, 2004).
Laird, LMT, Eileen, “Lymphatic Self Care: Boosting Your Body’s Ability to Heal Itself” in Massage Today, September 2, 2020.
McMahon, Elizabeth. Overcoming the Emotional Challenges of Lymphedema.
ICON Health Publications. Lymphedema. A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography, and Annotated Research Guide to Internet References.
Swirsky, RN Joan and Sackett Nannery, Diane. Coping with Lymphedema. Sound, helpful information for those who must deal with the problems associated with lymphedema. Garden City Park, NY: Avery, 1998.
Healing Through the Senses – Cosmo-Therapy
Guides You Through Seven Portals to Holistic Healing
For over 12 years, we have been utilizing sound, visible light, aromatherapy, aquaroms (hydrosols), and gemstones according to the system developed by biologist Dr. Dietrich Gümbel. His holistic model of healing – Cosmo-Therapy – or ‘Healing Through the Senses’ stems largely from his research in embryology, water, and plants.
Our senses provide the keys to unifying two systems, in particular, to bridge our outer and our inner worlds. The study of the interaction between these worlds (Healing Through the Senses) interfaces with psychological processes and the nervous and immune systems of the human body. The scientific field known as psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) follows an interdisciplinary approach, intertwining disciplines such as psychology, neuroscience, immunology, physiology, pharmacology, psychiatry, behavioral medicine, infectious diseases, endocrinology, rheumatology, and others. The main interest of PNI is the interaction between the nervous and immune systems.
Our senses are the portals to the vast microcosm that pulsates within us in each of our cells. This healing modality gently stimulates all five of our sensory organs, harmonizing us. This results in an experience of peace and calm, dissolving any stress.
“Nothing is in the understanding, which was not first perceived by some of the senses.”
– attributed to English philosopher, John Locke (1632-1704)Perception at One Time Meant “Consciousness”
This simple healing modality enlists your seven sensory organs to expand perception and heighten conscious awareness.
Dr. Gümbel’s cosmo-therapy treatment consists of a one-half-hour session in which color, sound, light, aromatherapy (essential oils), and gemstones are used to harmonize the five physical sensory organs, namely, sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Once synchronized, you will most likely note a heightened sense of awareness — physically, emotionally, mentally. More importantly, cosmo-therapy can awaken what Dr. Gümbel identifies as the sixth and seventh sensory organs — the sense of being and the sense of heart.
Often, you can recall memories you had buried many years before; sometimes, those memories provide the key to unlocking emotions that had paralyzed you for years. Very often, you will see colors and/or shapes swirling or pulsating during your sessions here, or you might experience them afterwards. They signify that healing is taking place on the higher nonphysical, or metaphysical planes. It can take about three days for the energy constructs’ effects to filter into the physical body. The end result is that your perception shifts, enabling change to begin.
A session begins when you spontaneously choose a color from a color decoder — a wheel of 13 colors. Each color corresponds to an essential oil and aquarom (a hydrosol or distillate of the essential oil), a musical note, and a gemstone. The entire schematic correlates with the traditional 7-chakra system, which coincides with the endocrine glands. Read a short article that describes a cosmo-therapy session.
The pioneering biologist clearly identifies the physiological effects each of the aforementioned items exerts on the senses.
He offers brilliant insight into the embryology of the sensory organs and their development from skin cells. He outlines the correspondences between the layers of the skin, internal organs, and the spiritual meaning of each of the senses. His first book, Principles of Holistic Therapy with Herbal Essences, details the embryology.

Dr. Gümbel’s books are available at our online store, or you can call (610) 275-3371 to order. Watch out for the Kindle edition soon (early 2013).

Dr. Gümbel lives in the childhood home of Dr. Albert Schweitzer. Read a French article about healing through the senses.

Dr. Masaru Emoto enjoying a cosmo-therapy session.
“This time, I got Cosmo Therapy instead of former incarnation reading. This Cosmo Therapy was established by Dr. Gumbel, who is German and as old as I. First, you are required to pick a color out of 13, following your intuition. I picked out pink. Then [I] selected [an] aroma oil and drinking oil (i.e., essential oil and aquarom) according to the color. I tried them and felt relaxed.
Next, you are wrapped up in a robe of the color you picked out. Then you are exposed to colored light and sound, holding a gemstone, lying down with your eyes closed. In this way, your five senses are awakened and [your] six[th] sense will be developed. I can see indigo, purple, orange, and white dancing against black in my closed eyes.
I regained my energy full[y] and overcame the fatigue due to the long trip. I recommend you this therapy.”
– Dr. Masaru Emoto (Japan) 2006
See Dr. Emoto’s website. See Japanese International Cosmotherapy Association’s website.
Plant Care
For information on Dr. Gümbel’s “homeopathic plant care,” see the Aromatic Plant Care page on his Cosmo-Therapy website. U. S. orders – Go to our Agriculture – Plant Care page for Aromatic Plant Care products. European plant care orders through Sibra Trading.
If you would like further information on U.S. seminars and training, call us at +1 (610) 275-3371.
For more information on his “School for the Senses” and trainings in Europe and Japan, contact Dr. Dietrich Gümbel through his website.
Cosmo-Music – Encouraging Creativity Through Music
“Many people are dreaming of making music themselves, even though they have never played an instrument before. Cosmo Music is a new kind of music which allows anyone to play freely, creatively and spontaneously depending on the way one feels. Cosmo Music encourages creativity when playing something original—something which was never played by anyone else before. So making music this way is combining composition and play.”
– Excerpt from Cosmomusic (2011) by Dietrich Gümbel, Ph.D.
Sound Therapy
“Very few in this world know to what extent phenomena can be produced by the power of the voice. If there is any real trace of miracle, of phenomenon, of wonder, it is in the voice.”
– Hazrat Inayat Khan (1882-1927), Sufi Master
First and foremost among instruments to produce sound is the human voice. From time immemorial, mothers have sung lullabies to their infants and children to gently “lull” them to sleep. Man uses his vocal cords for song, for ceremony, and for everyday speech. From toning and droning to chanting and singing, mankind has delighted in the harmonics that sound can produce.
Man created countless musical instruments–such as trumpets and horns, pianos and organs, tuning forks and gongs, Tibetan bowls, and crystal bowls — to accompany his voice, for solo performance and in symphony with other companion instruments.
Regardless of the instrument, it has long been held as a principle of the physics of sound that it travels on waveforms. Newer research, however, suggests that sound follows a spiral pattern. John and Analiese Reid’s visualization of sound based on the late Hans Jenny’s (1904-1972) research provides excellent scientific proof of how sound affects physical matter (cymatics). See the Reids’ website. You will have no doubt that sound vibrations or frequencies really do shape physical matter.
Resonance and Entrainment
Everything in nature follows patterns. Embryology teaches us how cells divide and multiply. Plants, animals, and humans obey these principles.
The Therapeutic Harp by Sarajane Williams traces the harp’s ancient history and the groundbreaking research and developments that have led to its current use in health care settings. Vibroacoustic Harp Therapy(R)(VAHT) works by vibrating and resonating with the tissues of the body, thereby affecting physiological processes. It also affects the mental, emotional, and energetic or spiritual aspects of the individual. The harp’s wide range of frequencies and overtones is capable of vibrating the dense, physical body as well as its energetic counterpart, providing multi-level stimulation and harmonization.
Music therapy uses melodies and rhythm. It differs from sound therapy, which utilizes vibration, resonance, and entrainment. In physics, entrainment is “the mutual phase-locking of two oscillators.” Entrainment is most often used to restore balance to the brain, sparking higher levels of awareness and creativity.
The voice or a musical instrument applied for healing as tones or vibrational frequencies, audible and even inaudible tones, can be used to reduce inflammation or bring more blood supply to an area of poor circulation. Toning into a painful area — a region with disrupted energy flow — can help to dissipate the blockage. Simply, sound can increase or diminish a “charge” on an object. Physiologic effects of sound include increased oxygenation of blood and cells; it enhances the immune system via increased levels of interleukins and lymphatic circulation, decreased stress hormones (e.g., cortisol), and increased endorphins.
Sound for Medical Diagnostics
By definition, ultrasound is energy generated by sound waves of 20,000 or more vibrations per second–too high to be heard by the human ear. This technology, developed in the 1940s and put into practice in the 1950s, is used to detect a tumor, analyze bone structure, and determine the size and health of a fetus. Ultrasound, or ultrasonic waves, can also be used to ease muscle pain. MRI, or Magnetic Resonance Imaging, represents yet another medical diagnostic tool grounded in resonance.
In the chemistry lab at UCLA in 2002, chemist Professor James Gimzewski and Andrew Pelling discovered “sonocytology,” the study of sounds that various cells generate. This is a completely new field of research. They hope that one day they will be able to hear specific cell sounds to detect certain diseases.
Learn more about the physics of sound.
Sound Therapy at Full Spectrum Energy Medicine
We utilize sound based on an individual’s needs and preferences. Voice analysis is a good indicator of physical vitality; for example, it can distinguish which body systems are stressed, which toxins are most affecting the body, and which teeth or muscle groups are potentially problematic. This is a good solution for someone who might want a more scientific approach (They can then seek additional specific medical diagnostics). We can prepare a tonebox to apply low-pitched sounds to the energy field to rectify imbalances. Today, healing frequencies are readily accessible online. If someone prefers to feel vibrations applied directly to the body, tuning forks applied to energy centers or meridians prove very effective. Just as the harmony of a musical composition induces a peaceful or relaxing state, tuning forks can be played in harmonic intervals to rebalance body, mind, and spirit. In some cases, we tone directly onto an area of the body.
Dr. Dietrich Gümbel’s Healing through the Senses incorporates crystal bowls and chimes to facilitate physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.
Sound Therapy Recommended Reading
Beasley, Victor R. Your Electro-Vibratory Body.
Berendt, Joachim-Ernst. Nada Brahaman: The World is Sound.
Bonny, Helen and Savary, Louis. Music and Your Mind.
Campbell, Don. Introduction to the Musical Brain.
Campbell, Don. Healing at the Speed of Sound.
Clynes, Manfred. Music, Mind and Brain. The Neuropsychology of Music.
Cousto, Hans. The Cosmic Octave. Origin of Harmony, Planets, Tones, Colors: The Power of Inherent Vibrations.
David, William. The Harmonics of Sound, Color and Vibration. A System for Self-Awareness and Soul Evolution.
Diamond, John. The Life Energy in Music. Vols. I-IV.
Doczi, Gyorgi. The Power of Limits.
Gardner, Kay. Sounding the Inner Landscape.
Gardner, Joy. Vibrational Healing through the Chakras with Light, Color, Sound, Crystals, and Aromatherapy.
Gardner-Gordon, Joy. The Healing Voice.
Gaynor, MD, Mitchell. The Healing Power of Sound. Recovery from Life-Threatening Illness Using Sound, Voice, and Music.
Gerber, MD, Richard. Exploring Vibrational Medicine.
Goldman, Jonathan. Healing Sounds: The Power of Harmonics.
Halpern, Steven and Salvary, Louis. Sound Health.
Heline, Corinne. Color and Music in the New Age.
Hero. Barbara. The Lamdoma Revealed.
Jansen, Eva Rudy. Singing Bowls.
Jenny, Hans. Cymatics.
Kenyon, Tom. Brain States.
Khan, Hasrat Inayat. The Music of Life: The Inner Nature and Effects of Sound.
Khan, Hasrat Inayat. The Mysticism of Sound: Music, The Power of the Word; Cosmic Language.
Leeds, Joshua. The Power of Sound: How to Manage Your Personal Soundscape for a Vital, Productive, and Healthy Life.
Leeds, Joshua. Sonic Alchemy: Conversations with Leading Sound Practitioners.
Madaule, Paul. When Listening Comes Alive.
Saraswati, Swami Yogeshwaranand. Science of Divine Sound.
Spintge, Ralph and Droh, Roland. Music in Medicine.
Steiner, Rudolf. The Inner Nature of Music and the Experience of Tone.
Tomatis MD, Alfred. The Conscious Ear.
White, Harvey Elliott. Physics and Music: The Science of Musical Sound.
Wieder, DC, June Leslie. Song of the Spine: Sound Healing and Vibrational Therapy.
Winckel, Fritz. Music, Sound and Sensation.
Zukav, Gary. The Dancing Wu Li Masters.
Sound Therapy Links
Cymatics
The late Dr. Hans Jenny coined the term ‘cymatics’ to describe the study of wave phenomena and vibration. It is a scientific methodology that demonstrates the vibratory nature of matter and the transformational nature of sound. Jeff Volk has revived this amazing work and published the cymatics material. Visit the Cymatics website.
Planet Wave
In 1978, Dr. Hans Cousto, a Swiss mathematician and musicologist, discovered the natural law of the “Cosmic Octave” as the link between different kinds of periodically occurring natural phenomena, such as the orbit of the planets, the weather, colors, rhythms, and tones. Astrologers and anyone interested in the power of sound and vibration will find the Cosmic Octave fascinating and inspiring. Recall that Dietrich Gümbel, Ph.D. (Healing through the Senses: Cosmo-Therapy) bases his bio-cosmology in Cosmo-Therapy on Dr. Cousto’s calculations.
Monroe Institute
The Monroe Institute® provides experiential education programs facilitating the personal exploration of human consciousness. Over the last 30+ years, thousands have attended the Institute’s residential and outreach programs. Millions have benefited from their educational materials. They serve as the core of a research affiliation investigating the evolution of human consciousness and making related information available to the public.
Visit their website at: Monroe Institute.
Jonathan Goldman
For a comprehensive bibliographic listing, see Jonathan Goldman’s recommendations.
Brennan Healing Science – a Comprehensive Approach to Body-Mind-Spirit Wellness
Brennan Healing Science demands four years of extensive study of human anatomy and physiology, personal process work, skills mastery in numerous healing techniques, and commitment to a life purpose of helping others. Brennan Healing Science offers an intricate and integrative approach to assessing the condition of the human energy field.
Hands-On Healing
When You Want to Get to the Root of the Problem
Hands-on healing is gentle — yet powerful. Using high sense perception as described by Dr. Barbara Ann Brennan, it is possible to detect disturbances or energetic blockages in the subtle energy field. If you have ever felt out of sorts — just not like yourself — or if your relationship with your spouse, children, parents, siblings, friends, or colleagues does not seem to be working, energy analysis can provide crucial keys to becoming aware of unhealthy patterns that might be causing conflict. So, bringing them to conscious awareness can help you to release destructive thoughts, feelings, and energy patterns to facilitate true healing.
Chakras Relate to Specific Organs Which Correspond to the Human Endocrine System
Chakras and Their Meaning
Brennan Healing Science – human energy field illustrating the standard 7-chakra system (other systems note additional energy centers).
You can see the locations of each of the seven major chakras down the middle of the torso. The word “chakra” derives from the Sanskrit language and means “wheel of light.”
7. Chakra Seven – Crown Chakra – Violet
Function: Spiritual connection, consciousness, awareness.
Location: Top of head
Endocrine gland: Pituitary gland6. Chakra Six – Third Eye or Brow Chakra – Indigo
Function: Ability to “see” the intrinsic meaning of issues and life. Intuition.
Location: Middle of forehead
Endocrine gland: Pineal gland5. Chakra Five – Throat Chakra – Blue
Function: Speaking your truth.
Location: Throat
Endocrine gland: Thyroid gland4. Chakra Four – Heart Chakra – Green
Function: Love. Regulates masculine and feminine principles. Integrates opposites.
Location: Near the level of the physical heart in the center of the body.
Endocrine gland: Thymus gland3. Chakra Three – Solar Plexus – Yellow
Function: Known as the feeling center, it is intricately connected with our emotions.
Location: Above the navel at the solar plexus.
Endocrine gland: Adrenal glands2. Chakra Two – Sexual Chakra – Orange
Function: Regulates sexual function.
Location: Below the navel.
Endocrine gland: Adrenal glands1. Chakra One – Root Chakra – Red
Function: Physical and financial survival.
Location: At the tailbone.
Endocrine gland: Ovaries (females), testes (males)Not only are there chakras that are associated with physiological and psychological functions, but the subtle energy body also consists of seven layers that envelop the entire physical body. Someone trained in high sense perception can distinguish the shifts from one layer to the next, for example, to detect a specific emotional upset. As we perceive the distance further away from the physical body, each layer vibrates to increasingly higher frequencies.
First, our thoughts and attitudes affect not only the chakra system, but our entire energy field. For example, a healthy, self-confident outlook on our ability to take care of ourselves both physically and financially allows the first chakra to function well. It is like an intake valve for the rest of our energy centers. If someone doubts their ability to survive and thrive in the physical world, they might experience fatigue.
Trauma — physical, emotional, or mental — can distort proper energy flow; severe harm can occur when someone is involved in an abusive relationship, or undergoes a devastating life event (like those who experienced war, an accident, or a natural disaster like Hurricane Katrina). Some unseen effects of trauma can persist for long periods of time, even after therapies are finished, because the emotional, mental, or spiritual aspects have not been cleared or resolved. Much like traditional surgery can repair a torn ligament or broken bone, energy medicine can restore health to a damaged chakra, thus positively affecting the associated organ or organ system. A principle of physics known as “harmonic induction” explains how this works.
For Example
A classic example is how, when clocks are placed in close proximity to each other, they begin to synchronize. It is often told that menstruating girls cohabiting a dormitory soon begin to share very similar menstrual calendars. And who could forget Dr. Manfred Clynes, the world-renowned “super conductor” whose ability to induce an orchestra’s harmonious resonance could bring entire audiences to tears? His music touched that deep emotional chord in their hearts. This, indeed, suggests that the human heart resonates and could be considered a super-sensory organ.
The goal of healing is to rebalance all of the levels and layers of the human bio-energetic field to maintain harmony and health: in the physical body, that means homeostasis, or the proper functioning of all body organs and organ systems. Analogous to a branch of CAM called functional medicine, you could classify Full Spectrum Energy Medicine’s comprehensive bio-energetic philosophy and natural approach as functional energy medicine.
Medications can bring the body into a state of balance by treating symptoms. If you have taken or continue to take synthetic medications to suppress symptoms, the underlying issue could be driven even deeper into the body’s organs and tissues; such cases might require detoxification at the physical level.
Art and Skill
There is an art and skill to know when to apply each to achieve the optimal effect: this varies from one person to another. We utilize high sense perception, dowsing, as well as computer programs and sensors with precision to ascertain blockages in the energy field. As a follow-up, periodic assessment is a good way to maintain a healthy subtle energy anatomy, greater vitality, and to address potential health risks before they may manifest as disease in the physical body.
If there is poor nutrition, excess stress, toxins, or negative emotions, the body’s healthy oscillations become imbalanced or weak. A body that is vibrating at a low frequency cannot easily deal with viruses, bacteria, toxic chemicals, and heavy metals that are present. Not only do toxins endanger the body, but they also become energetic stressors. So common is toxicity in our environment today that few can escape its effects. Anxiety, emotional factors, and stress further compromise our ability to excrete and deal with toxins.
Read more about functional medicine and specific noninvasive testing that can identify detoxification pathway defects and environmental toxins.
Brennan Healing Science Recommended Reading
Angelo, Jean Marie. “Healing Ourselves with Hands of Light” in Yoga Journal May/June 1993, pp. 72-76
Brennan, Barbara Ann. “Barbara Ann Brennan and Her Guide Heyoan on Ascension.” in Energy Magazine March/April 2018, pp. 19-24.
Brennan, Barbara Ann. Light Emerging: A Journey of Personal Healing. New York: Bantam, 1993.
Brennan, Barbara Ann. Hands of Light: A Guide to Healing through the Human Energy Field. New York: Bantam, 1988.
Light Therapy – Phototherapy
Traveling Through the Body at the Speed of Light
Light therapy, or phototherapy, has been used for millennia for healing myriad physical and emotional disorders. Since the Middle Ages, colored stained-glass windows served a physiological and spiritual purpose. But the eye is not the only pathway for light to enter the body and the human energy field. When sunlight streamed through the brilliantly colored panes in Christian churches all over the world, the light frequencies replenished the invisible energy field surrounding the congregants’ physical bodies. Colored light restored the areas depleted in their subtle energy fields—their spirit. Today, colored light still shines on the faithful, and outside our places of worship, light simply makes us feel good!
One of light’s most encouraging uses for the relief of physical and emotional symptoms can be found in its application for SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder (see winter blues listed in the recommended reading section below). During winter months in the northern hemisphere, when daylight hours are diminished, full-spectrum lighting can provide the visible light frequencies our sluggish bodies and psyches need for nourishment and mood enhancement. Full-spectrum light chases the “winter blues.” Delayed sleep-phase disorder (DSPD) or delayed sleep-phase type (DSPT), a circadian rhythm sleep disorder, can benefit from phototherapy.
Light therapy very effectively aids the healing of skin disorders such as acne, rosacea, psoriasis, and eczema. Dermatitis (e.g., poison ivy) responds remarkably well to indigo or violet light. An extensive list of photosensitive medications (go to articles for a list of foods and photosensitizing agents) provides ample evidence that light can cause biochemical reactions and does affect the physical body.

The Human Body Is a Bundle of Light Particles
Technology uses fiber optic bundles for thousands of applications—from illumination in surgical and dental procedures to telecommunications. Our bodies are made up of cells that have photons, tiny particles that carry varying wavelengths. They are responsible for electromagnetic activity that keeps us “charged.”
A realistic perspective of the electromagnetic spectrum and its frequencies in relation to matter and molecular structure (downloaded from Wikimedia).
Light affects our body, mind, and spirit so easily and so effectively because skin has trillions of photoreceptors. These receiving packets soak up light signals as a primary nutrient. Just as sunlight is essential for supplying Vitamin D, a full menu of color is critical for our health and well-being. The more colorful our diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, the brighter we shine!
Phototherapy delivers various frequencies of light waves via fiber optics, lasers, LEDs, dichroic glass lamps, prisms, or very bright, full-spectrum light.
At Full Spectrum Energy Medicine, we utilize various forms of light — full spectrum, LEDs, and lasers. Dr. Dietrich Gümbel’s Derma Color Therapy addresses physical skin disturbances. In his more complex system, Cosmo-Therapy, described in depth in his book entitled Healing through the Senses, you can access emotional and spiritual issues.
In sensory healing (Healing through the Senses – “Cosmo-Therapy”), we use one color and its complementary color in the visible light spectrum, ranging from 400 nm (4 x 10-7 m) to 700 nm (7 x 10-7 m) (nanometers).
| Color |
Wavelength (nm)
|
|---|---|
| Red |
625 – 740
|
| Orange |
590 – 625
|
|
Yellow
|
565 – 590
|
| Green | 520 – 565 |
| Cyan |
500 – 520
|
| Blue |
435 – 500
|
| Violet |
380 – 435
|
Light in Anti-Aging Therapies
Jade and Derma Ray anti-aging energy devices combine multiple frequency modalities to jump-start repair at the cellular level. These two companion units combine light with microcurrent to noninvasively stimulate cellular repair in situations such as the elimination of crow’s feet, smile lines, and wrinkles.
Phototherapy—The Light of Consciousness.
“Knowing others is wisdom; Knowing the self is enlightenment.” – Lao TzuThere is no doubt that phototherapy affects the physical body. Also known as photodynamic therapy and chromotherapy, it refers to the application of light in various forms. For focused therapy, light can be shone directly over bare skin at chakra sites; light rays can be applied directly to the skin at acupuncture points, which carry light along the energetic pathways and to the internal organs. Traditional Chinese Medicine did an excellent job of meticulously recording bioenergetic pathways.
Light also operates at the metaphysical level–those layers of our subtle energy field, our auric field. The vibratory rate is much faster than that of our physical bodies, and it is in this intangible realm surrounding our physical body that our thoughts, emotions, and premonitions reside. If you ever sensed the presence of someone approaching, yet you don’t see anyone in sight, this is an example of your subtle energy body perceiving that person nearby. Suddenly, they appear.
This is why mental telepathy is virtually instantaneous: thought lies here outside of time and space. Conversely, memories also become fixed in this virtual space that envelops us. If we continue to act and react in our daily lives based on the “programs” installed in the past, it is difficult to overcome emotional roadblocks. Light (and sound) changes all that. Some therapeutic systems utilize flashing (strobic) light to stimulate psychological processes and clear frozen emotional blocks; others use light combined with gentle rocking movement or motion.
Subtle energy responds remarkably well to subtle stimuli.
Carefully chosen healing modalities can help anyone capable and willing to learn how to develop a higher sense of self-awareness.
Light and New Life
Neonatal jaundice is a yellowing of the skin and other tissues of a newborn infant caused by the accumulation of indirect unconjugated bilirubin in the skin due to an overall increase in the total bilirubin in the blood. Babies whose jaundiced livers otherwise might have jeopardized the infants’ survival quickly begin to thrive under blue light. And farmers routinely use red light to incubate chicken eggs so they can hatch.
Research shows that cancer cells respond to specific wavelengths; as research progresses, we can look forward to using phototherapy for some serious diseases. The list of light-activated medications, some of which halt cancerous cell growth, is growing every day. Even dentistry routinely uses blue light to “cure” (harden) composite resins for filling cavities. This same blue light, incidentally, has been shown to improve periodontal health.
Other Light Forms
Far infrared light (FIR) proves extremely helpful in easing muscle pain, and when used in conjunction with saunas, can accelerate the detoxification process.
UV, or Ultraviolet light used to sterilize blood, is known as photoluminescence therapy; it has been used by the medical profession since its discovery in 1922. The following demonstrates the amazing effects it exerts on physiological processes.
- Inactivation of toxins
- Destruction and inhibition of the growth of bacteria
- Increase in the oxygen combining power of the blood and oxygen transportation to organs
- Immunostimulation of cellular and humoral (relating to body fluids) immunity (humoral immunity was a catchall phrase in a time before the complexities of the human immune system were understood)
- Activation of steroid hormones
- Vasodilatation
- Activation of white blood cells
- Decreased platelet aggregation
- Stimulation of fibrinolysis (the breakdown of blood clots)
- Decreased viscosity of blood
- Stimulation of corticosteroid production
- Improved microcirculation
Sensory healing (Healing Through the Senses) utilizes light as part of its therapeutic repertoire. Anyone can use light therapy as an adjunct to acupuncture, massage therapy, and aesthetic treatments. Light can help artists, musicians, and writers with inspiration and creativity. A recent study suggests that light enhances human physiology when used while practicing yoga.
Recommended Reading
Rosentahl, M.D., Norman. Winter Blues: Everything You Need to Know to Beat Seasonal Affective Disorder. Fourth Edition:
See Mayo Clinic’s information on light therapy.
Chromotherapy and Phototherapy
Energy Medicine: How Does Vibrational Medicine Work?
Energy medicine – sometimes called vibrational medicine – establishes a new paradigm for assessing disease and degenerative processes. In contrast, allopathic medicine bases its views of the human body on traditional biology, as an aggregate of different kinds of cells. Energy medicine holds a more holistic perspective, including body, mind, and spirit.
But what if the body were really a liquid crystal under tension, capable of vibrating and resonating at varying frequencies? This is the new paradigm that researcher James L. Oschman, Ph.D., sets forth in Energy Medicine: The Scientific Basis.
Imagine that you are made up of interconnected filaments–filaments that for thousands of years, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has defined and outlined as the meridian system. Chi, or vital life force energy, travels along these invisible roadways, and modern research proposes that the vital “traffic” consists of light particles and is electromagnetic. These vibrational medicine transit systems carry trillions of neurochemical messages as they travel to orchestrate our physical, emotional, and mental bodies. When human touch or specialized microcurrent is applied to the skin, receptors begin their awesome messenger service to every one of our cells. Read about Chinese Medicine at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
What Does the Human Energy Field Look Like?
Seven chakras are superimposed on the areas of major glands and organs. Also note the egg-shaped aura surrounding the figure. In reality, there are seven layers of the oval-shaped aura; each one governs an aspect of physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual well-being. See the recommendations for further study listed below in the recommended reading section.
Within the scope of vibrational medicine is a full spectrum of modalities that address the subtle energy field. This multi-layered field, also known as the human energy field, is often referred to as the aura. It is easily visible with clairvoyant sight and reveals another higher dimension of our being. Knowing how to properly read this colorful field surrounding our physical body can clarify the true cause of discomfort or pain to accelerate the healing process; sometimes it uncovers hidden and potential issues long before they might become problems. You could call this a “preventative perspective.”
Because the human energy field oscillates, it is as if each and every cell itself acts like a sensory organ. Their very interconnectedness amplifies cellular ability to sense frequencies. Perhaps this is why a subtle “charge” — whether it be color, light, sound, flower essence, homeopathic remedy, or microcurrent — exerts a high response rate proportionate to the stimulus. Physics dictates that we study the science of healing; human nature requires that we learn the art and skill of healing.
Imagine yourself as oscillating waves of sound and light. When waveforms become unsynchronized and persist for long periods of time, disease processes can take hold.
Be sure to read about these vibrational medicine modalities:
- Healing Through the Senses
- Color Therapy
- Sound Therapy
- Light Therapy
- Homeopathy
Recommended Reading
Brennan, Barbara Ann. Hands of Light: A Guide to Healing Through the Human Energy Field. New York: Bantam, 1988.
Brennan, Barbara Ann. Light Emerging: The Journey of Personal Healing. New York: Bantam, 1993.
Bruyere, Rosalyn and Farrens, Jeanne. Wheels of Light: A Study of the Chakras. Sierra, Madre, CA: Bon Productions, First Printing, 1989.
Church, Ph.D., Dawson. The Genie in Your Genes: Epigenetic Medicine and the New Biology of Intention. Santa Rosa, CA: Energy Psychology Press, 2008.
Eden, Donna. Energy Medicine: Balancing Your Body’s Energies for Optimal Health, Joy, and Vitality [Book] by Donna Eden, David Feinstein. New York: Jeremy Tarcher, 2008. The Energy Medicine Kit.
Gardner, Joy. Vibrational Healing through the Chakras with Light, Color, Sound, Crystals, and Aromatherapy. Berkeley, CA: The Crossing Press, 2006.
Gerber, MD, Richard. Vibrational Medicine for the Twenty-First Century: The Complete Guide to Energy Healing and Spiritual Transformation. New York: Eagle Brook/Harper Collins, 2000.
Judith, Anodea. Wheels of Life: A User’s Guide to the Chakra System. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, Twenty-fifth printing, 2018.
Karagulla, M.D., Shafica and van Gelder Kunz, Dora. The Chakras and the Human Energy Fields. Wheaton, IL: Theosophical Publishing House, 1989.
Lipton, Ph.D., Bruce. The Biology of Belief: Unleashing The Power of Consciousness, Matter and Miracles. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 2005. and The Wisdom of Your Cells and Spontaneous Evolution.
Lockhart, Ph.D. Maureen. The Subtle Energy Body: The Complete Guide. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 2010.
Myss, Caroline. Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing. New York: Random House/Harmony Books, 1996.
McTaggart, Lynne. The Field: The Quest for the Secret Force of the Universe. updated edition. New York: Harper Collins, 2008.
—–. The Intention Experiment. New York: Free Press – a division of Simon & Schuster, 2007.
Oschman, Ph.D. James. Energy Medicine: The Scientific Basis. New York: Churchill Livingstone/Elsevier, 2000. Reprint 2004.
Schwarz, Jack. Human Energy Systems. New York: E.P. Dutton,1980.
Color Therapy
Light therapy, or phototherapy, has been used for millennia for healing myriad physical and emotional disorders. Since the Middle Ages, colored stained-glass windows served a physiological and spiritual purpose. But the eye is not the only pathway for light to enter the body and the human energy field. When sunlight streamed through the brilliantly colored panes in Christian churches all over the world, the light frequencies replenished the invisible energy field surrounding the congregants’ physical bodies. Colored light restored the areas depleted in their subtle energy fields—their spirit. Today, colored light still shines on the faithful, and outside our places of worship, light simply makes us feel good!
One of light’s most encouraging uses for the relief of physical and emotional symptoms can be found in its application for SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder (see winter blues listed in the recommended reading section below). During winter months in the northern hemisphere, when daylight hours are diminished, full-spectrum lighting can provide the visible light frequencies our sluggish bodies and psyches need for nourishment and mood enhancement. Full-spectrum light chases the “winter blues.” Delayed sleep-phase disorder (DSPD) or delayed sleep-phase type (DSPT), a circadian rhythm sleep disorder, can benefit from phototherapy.
Light therapy very effectively aids the healing of skin disorders such as acne, rosacea, psoriasis, and eczema. Dermatitis (e.g., poison ivy) responds remarkably well to indigo or violet light. An extensive list of photosensitive medications (go to articles for a list of foods and photosensitizing agents) provides ample evidence that light can cause biochemical reactions and does affect the physical body.
Color Therapy and the Psyche
Dr. Max Lüscher (1923-2017) invented a psychological test. He believed that sensory perception of color is objective and universally shared by all, but that one’s color preferences are subjective; this distinction allows subjective states to be objectively measured by using test colors. He also believed that because the color selections are guided in an unconscious manner, they reveal the person as they truly are, not how they perceive themselves or would like to be perceived.
The results of the Lüscher-Color-Diagnostic contain indications pertaining to personal assessment and special, professional recommendations as to how psychological stress and the resulting physical symptoms it causes can be avoided. It also offers additional information for verbal and homeopathic therapy. His Lüscher Color Test offers a measurable assessment standard.
Color therapy has its own vocabulary. Poets from time immemorial used color imagery to evoke in the reader the full range of human emotion—from passion, love, and joy, to heartbreak, sadness, and sorrow. Green denoted jealousy, red a fiery passion, pink a softer kind of love; yellow inspired optimism, white, purity, and innocence. Theater, too, uses color in characters’ costumes: purple denotes royalty and spirituality, black a standard cloak of camouflage. Indeed, color is a living energy.
For centuries, color has been used in cultures around the world in their most celebrated ceremonies. In many countries, brides wear white on their wedding day. Other festive occasions require more colorful garb, as do indigenous cultures in their rites of passage into adulthood, for example. Other nations mourn their dead by wearing black for a period of time.
Aside from allowing us expression of our emotions and bringing us pleasure, colors can help us to heal on a number of levels—physical, emotional, and mental, and spiritual as well. Imagine certain points on the body as “intake valves.” These subtle energy inlets work as does the mouth to ingest food and nourishment. Traditional Chinese medicine and esoteric traditions name these junctures ‘acupuncture points.’ The word ‘chakra’ in Sanskrit means “wheel of light.” Both are located on the more general meridians. Each point connects to an internal organ. Wearing warming colors like red or orange to boost energy, or a cooling color like blue to calm down an overactive child, provides simple, practical solutions for using color therapeutically. Irlen color overlays are used by special education teachers to facilitate learning for their students with learning challenges.
Quantum physics has proven that photons make up the cells of the human body and are light receptors, just like the eye. Color is a property of light and so can also facilitate healing. As a vibratory rate or frequency, color can affect our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. But color can also be used incorrectly and cause harm. Dr. Morton Walker, in The Power of Color, lists the seventeen principles of advanced color therapy (pp. 99-102).
Gemstones are crystallized light, and the frequencies of their brilliant colors resonate with organs and cellular structures of the body. Crystal therapy was widely used in Atlantis. During the Middle Ages, stones were used as amulets and talismans. Today, as throughout history, some gemstones and jewels are treasured for their beauty. They are also used for emotional well-being. You can wear them as jewelry or simply carry one or more in your pocket.
Color Therapy in Interior Design
Did you know that restaurants often paint the walls of their establishments orange because it stimulates hunger? Unwittingly, you will order and eat more. Hospitals often use light green paint because it calms. One prison system has installed sedation cells painted pink for extremely unruly prisoners. Within 10 minutes in one of these cells, aggression and general violence diminish.
Paint your living room a color that is comfortable and pleasing to you. Bedrooms are most relaxing when painted with a soothing color—never red, the most stimulating of colors.
Look at the color every day. Flowers are one of nature’s greatest gifts to use. Their vibrant colors and delightful aromas and flavors nourish at least two of our senses—sight and smell.
Wear Your Colors
Because white reflects all colors and absorbs none, it is a good one to wear. Black absorbs all colors and reflects none; some even say black is carcinogenic. So even if it is slimming, it is best not to wear black on a daily basis. If you are especially sensitive to others’ emotions, do not wear black.
If you have already read our section on Light Therapy, you will appreciate how color delivered as light is a powerful healing tool. Chromotherapy is used by psychologists and has enjoyed positive clinical results as photostrobic therapy developed by Steven Vázquez, Ph.D.
Color therapy glasses can be used to filter specific colors to affect brainwave patterns and visual perception.
Color Meditation
You can purchase color meditation CDs to guide you through color breathing and visualizations.
Visualize yourself bathing in color. You do not need to practice yoga to be able to do color breathing. To reiterate some basics of energy medicine, the seven commonly accepted chakra colors are as follows:
Chakra Color
7 Violet
6 Indigo
5 Blue
4 Green
3 Yellow
2 Orange
1 RedDreaming in Color
If you dream, pay attention to the colors you see in the dream state. Colors reveal valuable clues to emotions and the subconscious mind. See Ann Ree Colton’s excellent chapter “The Color Vocabulary in Dreams” in Watch Your Dreams. Eighth Printing. Glendale, CA: ARC Publishing, 1988, pp. 102-121.
Color Therapy Recommended Reading
Anderson, Mary. The Application of Color for Healing. Zondervan, 1991.
Birren, Faber. The Power of Color. Secaucus, NJ: Carol Publishing Group, 1997.
Corvo, Joseph and Verner-Bonds, Lillian. Healing with Color Zone Therapy. Freedom, CA: The Crossing Press, 1998.
Dalichow, Irene. Aura-Soma: Healing Through Color, Plant, and Crystal Energy. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 2004.
Gimbel, Theo. Healing with Color and Light: Improve Your Mental, Physical and Spiritual Health. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1994.
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. Theory of Colours. Twelfth M.I.T. printing. Cambridge: M.I.T. Press, 1997.
Douglass, MD, William Campbell (Rowen MD, Robert Jay). Color Me Healthy. Atlanta, GA: Second Opinion Publishing, 2002.
Stein, Diane. Gemstones A to Z. Berkeley, CA: Crossing Press, 2008.
Steiner, Rudolf. “Colour.” Twelve Lectures by Rudolf Steiner. Reprint. London: Rudolf Steiner Press, 2001.
Walker, D.C., Morton. The Power of Color. The art and science of making colors work for you. Garden City Park, NY: Avery, 1975.
Wall, Vicky. Miracle of Colour Healing. Aura-Soma Therapy as the Mirror of the Soul.
Wauters, Ambika. Homeopathic Color Remedies. Freedom, CA: The Crossing Press, 1999.
Willis, Pauline. Colour Healing. London: Piatkus, 1999.
