Auras, Chakras and Color

by Marilyn J. Muir, LPMAFA

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

(archived class material from 1990

with updating in 2025 as noted)

(Original tape version) Hello, my name is Marilyn Muir and I’ll be your teacher for this lesson on Auras, Chakras and Colors. You should always know who your teacher is because, as your source, they will influence your mind and therefore your life. I became a student of Metaphysics in 1970 at which time I received spiritual guidance to eventually teach. I became a Healer in 1971 and started studying Astrology in 1973 when jolted by Astrologer Jeannie Kay who briefly read my chart. I began teaching psychic and spiritual development in 1975, astrology in 1976, and healing in 1977. I was ordained a spiritualist minister on Palm Sunday 1978 and founded a new age church and teaching center called Mission: Aquarius, Inc. in 1979. During those early years I was very active in many spiritual and astrological associations and held ordinations in several metaphysical churches, including one Doctor of Divinity. I was and still am (2025) a professional member of the American Federation of Astrologers (PMAFA). I did many radio and TV shows, newspaper and magazine columns and local and national workshops before I retired in 2003. I had an extensive astrological, numerological, and tarot reading practice, having taught thousands of students across the country until I retired. I am delighted you have chosen my material to study.

(Original version) Each of your classes include a ninety-minute tape, written material, and a homework assignment. Please listen to your tape, read your written material, and create your own set of notes prior to doing your homework assignment. it is important for you to study in this manner as it is auditory through your tape, visual through your written material, and kinesthetic through your personally written notes. This combination offers you the best opportunity to retain what you’ve learned. Putting the information into your own words and notes is key. You will then be ready to complete your homework assignment. This will help me evaluate your comprehension and progress. No grade is assessed, and we have plenty of time, so please study at your own pace – but do study. Feel free to ask pertinent questions with your written assignment. My purpose is for you to learn. No question is foolish if you don’t understand. I’ll ask you to write these questions at the end of your homework assignment. Please use looseleaf paper or various size index cards for notetaking. Spiral or hardbound notebooks are not flexible and will limit your use of them. Repetition is good for you. These tapes may be played while driving, cooking, relaxing, etc. to reinforce your understanding and your memory. Do NOT play a meditation tape while driving. (This was the original method of study.) This 2025 version is print only (visual). For your personal use, you can record the teaching material to play on current equipment to facilitate the auditory repetition element. Assemble your hand-written personal notes as you learn and apply (kinesthetic). And now for our lesson on Auras, Chakras and Colors.

Most people believe that we live and move and have our being within the confines of our skin, our personal outer limits. Those with even a slight degree of sensitivity know that we are far more than we appear to be, and that each of us encompasses much more area than we physically occupy. That part of us which extends beyond our skin, although not visible to our everyday vision, is referred to as an aura. The aura is extremely subtle, ethereal and fine, but may be perceived in several ways. To me, the aura is not a single thing but comprises multiple layers or levels and is in a state of constant flux or change.

Auras are not limited to humans but can also be perceived around plants, animals, and objects. Both animate and inanimate objects can have an aura. Everything in existence has an element of life force to it because everything that exists is of and within God, the primary life force. The degree of life force is determined particularly, but not exclusively, by consciousness.

The higher the state of consciousness, the more dynamic the energy surrounding that consciousness – whether that consciousness be human, from which we tend to judge our experience, or is non-human, organic or inorganic. Evolutionary states of development can also have an auric field. Within the mineral kingdom, starting from rock, sand, or mud with rudimentary auras, there are various developmental stages which lead eventually to sophisticated crystalline structures with enormous and beautiful auras.

Studies with both plants and animals show the life force as demonstrated by the auric field. In the animal kingdom, wild animals can evidence a completely different aura than those that are domesticated. Animals who are in constant interaction with humans can again show a difference in awareness, and their auric fields reflect that awareness.

Within the plant kingdom, the diversity of trees, bushes, grasses, edible and inedible plants give a diversity of auras. Weeds will differ widely from cultivated plants or food sources. If you have ever walked in a relatively untouched forest or nature preserve, you can feel the peace and serenity of the woods. At the same time, you can be aware of an enormous presence and life force. The trees, bushes, and grasses are sentient. The woods are alive with energy.

In humans, physical vitality, exhilaration or exuberance, or sudden spiritual awareness can contribute to the intensity of the energy. Regardless of the kingdom, each phase, stage or pattern of growth within that kingdom determines the clarity, intensity, size and color of the various auras.

The aura of an object can vary in size and intensity relative to the size of the object it surrounds. A large body could therefore have an equivalently large aura, again depending on various factors. Even science realizes a body such as the earth influences a far larger area than its physical presence. Science has a different label for a planetary aura. The earth’s aura is called the Van Allen Radiation Belt. Look in any high school science book and see the lovely scientific rendition of earth’s aura. Astrologically, this auric area is referred to as the “orb of influence”. If the human basic aura extends 2-1/2 to 3 feet around a person, can you imagine the size of the aura of a planet or a star? In its January 1980 issue, National Geographic printed a lovely rendition of the radiation surrounding Jupiter as it was affected by the solar wind. Wind meaning the force or energy emanating from the Sun approximately 483,000,000 miles away from Jupiter. What do we care if science calls this Jupiter’s magnetosphere and we call it the planetary aura?

Those who perceive the aura naturally are frequently unaware that others don’t see it, or don’t even know that it exists. They may be rudely informed that they’re crazy or seeing things. The higher the degree of sensitivity of the individual, the more easily they perceive these subtle bodies. Now, this is a general statement. Remember there are always exceptions to any rule. Many who do not perceive or see the aura are largely cases of conditioning or negative programming. Children readily see auras and in our society are literally punished, denied or rejected if they mention seeing one. It doesn’t take long for parental, societal or peer pressure to eliminate such perception from their awareness. But just as readily, children can see or perceive auras once they are given permission to do so. The damage done by denial is quickly and easily reversed by permission.

Having taught hundreds of grade school and high school students over multiple years, it is amazing how quickly (about fifteen seconds) kids can perceive the aura once permitted with minimal instruction. It is more difficult for adults as the programming not to perceive is more deeply embedded. Time and effort should release that negative programming. Think of the older religious paintings with the halo or nimbus around the heads of the figures. Artists, who are far more sensitive to light, color and subtleties, can easily perceive the light body or aura. They painted what they saw on their canvases as denoting spirituality, and it was readily accepted for its spiritual connotation.

Have you ever noticed an animal gazing intently and alertly at a seemingly vacant place? Animals are very instinctive and respond naturally to non-visible energy. One of my cats loved to play with the invisible energy created in the inside peak of my five-foot teaching pyramid. Watching a full-grown cat standing on its back legs inside my pyramid, stretching itself tall, attempting to use its front paws to reach the invisible energy at the internal pyramid peak was amazing! That was where your head would be if a person sat in the pyramid. My students were continually gob-smacked watching my cat reach for the energy!

Lack of visibility does not deny existence. Electricity is ordinarily not visible, except occasionally as a lightning bolt, or perhaps as a spark when we discharge static electricity. It does not need our perception to exist during the time of our ignorance. Electricity is present, existing, working, alive and well, with or without our personal perception!

What exactly is the aura? Essentially, we humans are electromagnetic objects with surrounding fields. Your radiant energy is the various subtle energies surrounding your physical body. I call your personal aura your “surround”. In psychology, the study of this field is called proxemics, your bubble of personal space. Just as science calls the aura of a planetary body the radiation belt or the magnetosphere, and psychology calls it proxemics, the definitions, applications, and labels for the aura could be endless. Don’t get hung up on labels!

Most people have experienced their own aura but have not recognized the nature of the experience or put the label “aura” on the experience. How many times has someone approached you silently from your blind side to either surprise you, or because they were just not aware that you did not realize they were close by? Even though they made no sound or had not physically touched you, you may have jumped or were startled, and you turned around to identify what you were sensing. When a person enters our personal bubble of space, our aura… they are touching the essence of what we are. We can sense their presence and react as though we saw or heard them. Just watch people in elevators or in crowded situations. They can become incredibly uncomfortable as others press close to them and brush up against or enter their personal aura. Think of the phrase “don’t invade my space.” Does it simply mean their room or personal property, or can it literally mean their space, their aura?

Wikipedia

The aura then is a subtle surround of energy that extends out from your physical space about 2-1/2 to 3 feet (or more) in all directions. It is shaped like a chicken’s egg oval with the wide end near the head and the point near the feet. It is brighter and more visible close to the body, finer and less dense as it moves out away from the body. It has several layers and I see a changing series of colored ribbons or areas that reminds me of the Biblical “Joseph’s coat of many colors”. A few simple exercises can demonstrate the presence of an aura, whether it happens to be visible to you or not. You can perceive the aura without necessarily seeing it. Not everybody is visual; there are other methods of perception. We will start with non-visual exercises and then move into the visual exercises.

Non-visual exercise #1: You’ll need a partner. Have two people sit or stand facing each other. One of them will have both palms up in front of them. Hands should be free. Do not lean on elbows. Do not physically touch. The other person should hold both palms down over the palms of their partner with about three or four inches of space between the palms. Please do not physically touch palms because what we’re experimenting with is not physical. If you have your hands too far apart, it may be difficult to perceive the energy because it is so subtle. Stay focused on what you are doing to minimize external distractions. Just feel, through your palms, the other person’s energy. To me, it is like very fine electricity or warmth. Each individual’s perception can be unique.

Sometimes the energy is easier to perceive by its absence than by its presence. Slowly move the palm down, hands to the sides, breaking the contact, and then slowly reestablish the contact by moving the palms back into the original position over the other person’s palms. The keyword is slowly, because of the subtlety of the energy. Be sure to identify air currents or environmental conditions present, and / or normal body heat, and then feel beyond the obvious.

Once you have established the perception of the energy field itself, then try practicing with one hand pairing at a time: your right to their left, your right to their right, your left to their left and your left to their right. Note any difference in the feel of the energy. Build your perceptions and skills slowly and gradually. Once you have identified the energy, it will become faster and easier.

Non-visual exercise #2: A variation on this exercise is for person #1 to hold flattened palms sideways facing each other, again about three to four inches apart. Have person #2 slowly move one of their flattened palms up and down between person #1’s palms, feeling the subtle energy changes as the moving palm moves in and out of the partner’s field. Both participants should be able to feel the energy changes. Again, if your hands are too far apart, the energy may be too subtle to feel. If your hands are too close together, the hands may physically touch, which is to be avoided because the aura is non-physical. At this moment we’re not trying to do a physical thing. We’re trying to reach beyond the physical, so we minimize physical distraction.

Some may fail at feeling the aura initially. Why? The energy is very subtle and passive alertness may be difficult for some to grasp. It might take a few attempts. I would encourage you to practice and to relax. Sometimes we try too hard.

This is not an act of will, but an act of perception. Occasionally this act of perception may be confronting a person’s prior conditioning and / or their belief system. Or there might be some built-in bias or denial.

On a physical basis, cold hands and their energy are not as easy to perceive, even though the energy must be present because the person is alive! A natural contraction of the energy has taken place to conserve the individual’s energy when the hands are cold.

Non-visual exercise #3: For this next exercise, you will need three participants in a larger clear space. You may be one, or you can use yourself as a monitor. It is preferable that this be done without bias, so do not provide more information than is necessary for at least the initial demonstration. After the show and tell of this first attempt, all will be known and can be fully discussed. For this first demonstration, tell each participant what they need to know individually and privately for their role, preferably out of the hearing of the other two.

Standing about one foot apart, place two people facing each other; we’ll call them persons #1 and #2. Then place person #3 facing the back of the person who is now in the middle (person #2) about two feet away. Privately give the individual instructions as follows:
Instructions to person #1: “Stand quietly with your hands at your sides and just be you. Don’t do anything in particular; keep your eyes open and observe. Just be ready to catch person #2, in the middle, should it become necessary. Keep your hands relaxed and at your side unless you need them”.
Instructions to person #3 (and I know they’re out of order). “Stand quietly about two feet behind the person in the middle (person #2) and observe. Keep your hands by your sides but be ready to catch person #2 should they rock backwards towards you. Don’t do anything in particular, just don’t allow them to fall”.
Instructions to the person in the middle (person #2): tell them to, “Close your eyes; let your hands fall naturally by your sides, take several slow deep breaths to relax, drop your shoulder tension, and trust in the process”.

Please know that this kind of trust is not easy, so it may take a few moments to build. You may need to give some reassurance. The person in the middle should start rocking forward and backward after a few seconds. As they feel themselves rocking, they will have a tendency to compensate, to try to right themselves. It is hard to trust an unknown experiment with people you don’t know well, with your eyes shut. Assure them that they are just fine and to just relax and allow themselves to let go and experience.

Most people will fall forward or backward, some will just rock back and forth. Rocking by itself demonstrates that you can be affected without physical touch. With the hands limply at the sides, they are not used to direct energy at this point. The hands are simply used to catch.

For a variation, you can have person #1 put their hands up in front of them, palms directed towards person #2 in the middle. This specifically affects person #1’s personal flow of energy and can create a stronger or more obvious reaction in person #2.

If the center person #2 rocks forward to come together with person #1, there is there is a north / south polarity formed, similar to the poles of a magnet. This creates a completed flow of energy, and they will be drawn together.
If both persons are positive or both are negative in energy flow, they will tend to repel each other, similar to the north / north or south / south poles of the magnet. This does not mean that they are repulsive to each other in any context. In this instance, positive and negative are simply energy flow descriptions and do not mean good or bad.

As mentioned, it is best to do this experiment without telling the participants what to expect so that you will not condition their response. Once you have demonstrated their response without conditioning, then trade places within the group so that each person gets to experience the various roles. You want them to play sender, receiver, and catcher to develop understanding of the whole picture.

Non-visual exercise #4: Another experiment on auric development and study uses Kinesiology muscle testing. Know you can use this Kinesiology testing for a multitude of purposes. Our particular purpose for this class is auric study. For these tests you will need a companion, a volunteer to experiment with you. We will use a very simple muscle test, which I will explain next to determine the normal tensile strength of a single muscle. It is usually easier to use the arm.

Test: Holding one of their arms straight out in front of the person being tested to isolate one muscle. Note that testing out to the side tests a group of muscles and not a single muscle. The tester stands alongside the person on the same side being tested. The tester should not reach across the person’s body to test. The tester will use two fingers to apply firm pressure on the wrist of the person being tested. Firm, steady pressure, no jerking or sudden movements; this is not a contest. Ask them to hold their arm steady and resist the pressure you are applying. You are identifying their normal tensile strength. Make a mental note of that value. Do whatever testing action is necessary and retest immediately. Note any changes in the normal tensile strength. For this very simple example, the tester can “blow a small hole” in the aura near the arm being tested. Do that and immediately retest to compare the before and after tensile strength. Make a mental note of any weakening. Then repeat the procedure, but this time to “repair the hole” previously blown. Breathe out again to repair. Again, immediately retest. Any weakness should have been eliminated. If necessary, you can always repeat the repair. There is no lasting effect from this simple test. If necessary, have the person being tested lower their arm between tests so that the arm does not tire. Also, do not switch sides while testing. Keep the experiment clean and simple.

Should you choose to test yourself, merely form a circle with the thumb and the little finger of one of your own hands. When you are ready to test, insert the index finger of your other hand into the circle formed and pull. This is a surprisingly strong position for your fingers. Normally you will be unable to break open that circle. This is not the purpose. This is the self-test equivalent of steps 1, 3 and 5 previously given. Direct your breath to penetrate your own aura. Retest, observe, then reseal, retest, observe. These are minor effects and will last only a few seconds before automatically restoring, so don’t delay in each step of the test.

Caution: This is a teaching tool, not game playing. Those who are developing spiritualIy do not play games with their or anyone else’s well-being. Remember you are karmically responsible for your actions. Always leave the person equal to, or stronger and better than you found them! Should you involve another person, caution them against misuse. Karma can enter this picture!

Non-visual exercise #5: You will need a companion and a large clear space. The two people need to be about ten feet apart facing each other. Person #1 should be standing quietly, arms and hands at their sides, just observing the other. Person #2 should put their hands at chest height, palms open facing away from the chest. Person #2 should close their eyes and very slowly walk towards person #1. Obviously, since the walker is going to have their eyes closed make sure that that path is clear. When person #2 notices an energy change (the aura) through their palms, they should stop, open their eyes and notice how close they are to person #1. Take a moment to identify where and what they felt. Should person number two walk within about two feet of person #1 without opening their eyes, have them stop, open their eyes, and start all over again. They simply missed it. Once they are within two feet of each other, don’t let them collide. This is not failure, nor does it mean person #1 has no energy. There is an extremely subtle shift as that energy is encountered and it could easily be missed. Practice will help your perception.

Seeing the Aura

Visual exercise #1 To see your own aura, hold your own hands directly in front of you, palms facing each other, about four to six inches apart. Do not rest on your elbows. It’s best to have dim lighting and a simple background to reduce any distraction. Simply relax and stare at the space between your hands. Your own aura will form around the outside of your hands and between your palms. The aura should appear as light, either white or light colored, or as energy such as rippling air that would remind you of heat waves coming off a hot highway. Do not shift your eyes to look directly at the aura because it will disappear. Should that happen or should you get excited and try to look at it, just simply start all over again. Do this for about three to five minutes at a time to avoid eye strain and potential headache. This is a big demand on your eyes, so you can cause temporary eye strain if you take this too far. You can also develop boredom, which can lead to failure when you try to rush things. Keep practicing, but don’t go overboard. A little further down I have more eye instructions

Visual exercise #2 Another way of looking at your own aura is to set up a mirror a few feet in front of you. The size and the length of the mirror is determined by convenience, but you do need ease of seeing the area around you. How much of your body do you want to see? It’s your choice, based on your own personal preference. It would be wise to cut down on distractions and to use dim lighting. Look at the third eye region in the middle of your forehead between your eyes, slightly above the bridge of the nose. Your own aura will appear around your head and your body very naturally. Do not shift your eyes and try to look directly at the aura as it may disappear. I believe you see the aura more with your peripheral vision. Do not stare into your own eyes as this is the doorway to the soul, and this route is best approached within a protected atmosphere.

Visual exercise #3 Place a person, a plant or an animal against a plain background. Dim the lights to reduce shadow if possible, and to minimize distractions. The viewing object must remain absolutely still. Sometimes animals will not cooperate unless they are sleeping. Get yourself into a comfortable position about three or more feet directly in front of the chosen object. Once you begin, you will not want to move around. For the eye instructions, relax and turn your gaze towards the third eye region between the eyebrows, just above the bridge of the nose. This is not necessarily a mystical spot; this is just convenient. Should the object of your gaze not have eyebrows, then gaze at a spot about two to three inches in from the edge of the subject. Hold your gaze steady and unblinking. Gently stare at the chosen spot. You can allow your eyes to slip slightly out of focus. Again, it seems to me that we may be using our peripheral vision for seeing the aura. If you should move or blink, you will have to start the procedure again. Remember, this is not an act of willpower; this is a relaxing and allowing. Do not overstrain your eyes.

Our perception is a state of receptivity. Your eyes may attempt to physically defend themselves by blinking, shifting, watering, feeling full of sand – or the greatest trick of all, your whole vision goes blank. Don’t panic, it will restore itself. This trick also has an interesting side effect of making you believe that the object has vanished. It did not. This is merely an eye defense mechanism.

If you relax and hold your gaze steady, one of four things should occur. The first is the one we’re seeking to do.

You will see the aura surrounding the head in particular, and the whole body in general. You may see it purely as white or colored light.
When you are attempting to see the general aura, it is possible that the person and their aura might turn iridescent white. The whole ensemble will be glowing, scintillating, iridescent light. This is the person’s light body. You are seeing the person as pure energy. What a gift to be able to see them as pure Spirit. If you ever saw the movie “Cocoon”, it was a good illustration of what this looks like. Do not overstrain the eyes.
Another face may form over the face of the subject. This could be: 1) a spirit guide, or 2) a past life reveal. This would startle whoever was doing the seeing, but not necessarily be felt or known to the person whose face was changing. Face change is a non-physical, very subtle experience. This face change happened frequently to me (my face) when I was first learning. If you’re not expecting something like this, it can be freaky; but please know that this is normal. My own conclusion was that a single face form was usually a guide. If you were to see a series of faces, to me it seems more like a recital of past life experiences. Unusual, so not a lot of proof that my conclusion is correct. We are continually learning and adjusting what we think we know! Do not overstrain the eyes.
Attempting to see one person’s aura can pop open other psychic possibilities. As you attempt to see the aura around the individual, you may see other people or objects in their auric field. This happened frequently when I was teaching the children. What has occurred is that you have bypassed auric seeing and popped directly into the gift of clairvoyance. The children were so quick to put aside any negative programming, they popped open the door to other spiritual gifts. This was NOT considered failure. Know that the ability to see the aura is common to all, it just requires participation. To be instantly clairvoyant should be considered a spiritual blessing, a more infrequent experience unless specifically gifted. That will be a subject for another day. Do know that seeing others can startle the viewer? If they physically move positions or their eyes, they will need to restart the viewing. They may have a problem seeing the aura when they automatically flip into clairvoyance! Again, do not overstrain the eyes.

Remember that with this, like everything else, practice breeds proficiency. If you want to do anything well, you must invest something of yourself. If you want to play the violin or piano, you must pick up the violin or sit down at the piano and practice. If you want to paint you have to pick up the brush and work with it. If you want to be good at any talent, you must invest something of yourself into it.

Should you run into problems seeing the aura and there is no known handicap with the eyes, the main reason is that you may be trying too hard. We must relax and allow! Seeing the aura is not an act of personal will. You do not will the aura to appear. The aura is already there. You allow, give permission to, or relax enough that you can perceive it. When you try too hard you can fail. Simply allow!

OK, let’s just say that you have seen the aura, verified that it does exist. Just what exactly do you do with this? Personal interaction, sensitivity training, healing, reading, and a lot of other spiritual gifts is the answer. Gifts that you can perform will develop through practice on your own or in future studies. This will be a very individualized stack of spiritual gifts. But let’s look at a few possibilities.

Step 1) is seeing and building the skill. You want to be good at it.

Step 2) is perception. What are you seeing and why?

Step 3) would be utilizing and developing the skill.

First you have to see the aura readily. You must build your perceptions, and you must get good at it. Once you have developed your skill, the ability itself can spontaneously instruct you. Then avenues and opportunities can present themselves perhaps through new teachers or teachings.

Let’s just choose interaction as a choice. Since the aura reflects the constantly changing moods or the attitudes of an individual, it is extremely helpful in terms of personal interaction. I am going to interject a note of caution here. This, like all other spiritual gifts should always remain in the control of the person who’s exercising those gifts. In other words, you must retain control of your auric ability. You want to be able to turn it off and on at will. If you are unable to turn it off, the auric ability could be a constant distraction and could conceivably negatively disturb some relationships.

Step 2) Any emerging spiritual gifts need a controlled arena in which to unfold. Create a private space if you do any kind of meditation or study. It could be as simple as entering a room, closing the door for privacy, providing an arena for receptivity and growth, or to cleanse your own aura periodically, etc. A really good time to cleanse might be when you shower. Simply declare that your physical and subtle bodies are being cleansed. Declare it in your mind as the shower begins and it will be so. I cleanse every time I take a shower, a perfect analogy for cleansing!

Flooding yourself with cleansing clear light, allowing it to start at the top (head) and flow down the body and out through the feet back into the world is so simple, but is effective. You will find many techniques, so develop the one that is best for you. Experimentation as you begin any development is common. Stay sensible and simple. Adapt as you discover new possibilities.

As far as healing is concerned, since the aura has layers or sections, various areas may be read individually. The large area that is close to the body, about eight inches deep, is called the health aura. This is the area where you would do healing work. If you were to see dark spots, holes, ripples, symbols or anything similar, all of these things convey messages as to the current health of the individual. This is a wonderful gift, but way beyond the scope of this introduction. Study, develop your skill, practice.

Pixabay Aura (actual colors will vary)

You can also do healing or balancing on the chakras, but first you must take the time to learn what they are, how they work, and practice, practice, practice. This is a deep study, one that takes time to develop. We will briefly cover the chakras for the purpose of this explanation. Getting this deep into healing is beyond the scope of this beginner’s class. At this point I just want you to be aware of a potential use for seeing or perceiving the aura.

Although you might not see it initially, there is a fine dark line surrounding the body between the physical and the aura itself. It is about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch in thickness. This etheric double is the matrix that connects the physical body with the non-physical aura. It looks like a dark line around the body. On the outside of the etheric outline is a bright area approximately eight inches deep, and that is what is referred to as the health aura. This large area is most visible to those who are learning to see the aura. The etheric double reminds me of a matrix or webbing and is not as easy to see. If this etheric webbing is torn or damaged, there can be energy leaks and the potential of either physical or psychic damage. An auric healing would be the solution. Just be sure to know what you are doing.

Reading the aura is possible once you’re proficient at perceiving it in some way. Many symbols, colors, impressions, etc. can be developed through the study of the aura itself. If you have this gift, it will be unique to you and should develop spontaneously. Of course, actively developing your auric skills will produce faster results. If gifted, you could read past, present, and potential future of an individual because all is contained within the auric field.

In a far larger sense, the aura of the earth contains the past, the present, and the potential future of the earth AND of all its inhabitants collectively. If we could see that far, with skill, there is probably an aura around the solar system, and perhaps around the galaxy. This is a sea of memory, and it’s called Akasha. The skill that covers all this is reading the Akashic Record.

Caution: An aura or Akasha reader must remember always that you see or read another person’s or object’s aura through your own aura. Take that into consideration when you’re reading because it is possible that some of your own stuff can come through. Keeping your aura clear and your clear focus on reading for others should prevent any leakage. If you find yourself learning about your own personal issues while reading for another, silently acknowledge the information, give thanks for the blessing, and return your attention to the intended auric field. Inserting what was for you personally into the reading for another could get very confusing. Experience takes care of such little wrinkles.

The actual lack of an aura could indicate imminent death. When death is pending, the spiritual essence can withdraw from the body leaving only a life support mechanism. True death occurs when your silver cord, which connects the physical and the subtle bodies, separates or breaks. The silver cord is real, having seen it early in my development. The silver cord has multiple uses, one having to do with the individual’s life force. I first saw it pencil thin, shiny silver, as a connection between a teacher and another student; and later between the most spiritual person I have ever encountered and my young daughter. A subject for another day.

Through meditation, your aura can be cleansed, restored, healed, and should be respected. To be too open with your aura could allow you to absorb negativity, which might be an unpleasant experience. A meditation for cleansing and sealing against outside negative interference would be in order. It is possible to close your aura to outside influence temporarily. Notice the word temporary. To close the aura and then to forget to open it could inadvertently isolate you; plus, you might find yourself swimming in your own psychic garbage. Normalcy and balance is key to a healthy aura.

COLOR

I want to do some basic work with you on color because color is very important to auric study. Where do we begin to understand color? At its beginning! “And then there was light.” What must have preceded light? No light or darkness!

Genesis 1:3 “And God said, let there be light; and there was light.” 1:4 “And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.” Darkness pre-existed light and contained all there was present at the very “beginning”. With this declaration, God made the potential within the darkness visible. Therefore, my definition is that the darkness contained the potential of all that was possible, but was not visible. Darkness: think unconscious, potential. Light provided visibility: think conscious, experiential.

The work we are going to do here on color has many different applications. In my experience (and each person’s experience can be unique), the aura is comprised of many layers or ribbons of frequently changing color. To be proficient in auric reading and healing, the symbology of the colors must be understood. Color follows a very logical process, which once understood is very easy to understand. These color definitions are archetypal and will serve as a basis for your own color definitions. Remember your impressions are very personal. Not all of us have the same appreciation of every color or symbol; trust your own intuition. I’m giving you a basic outline for color, and you will fill in the gaps through your personal experience. To me, light illustrates consciousness.

White light is all color before it is refracted or broken down into component parts. It is the color of spirit, unity, protection and the Christ Consciousness. White represents active manifestation. White represents the unity that is behind color. I see white as a cocoon which both isolates and protects the individual. If you are using white light during a healing, first immerse the individual or the situation in the chosen healing color, and then protect or wrap the white light around the person. Do this for the duration of the healing, then release the white light cocoon as described earlier to clear the circumstance.

if you focus white light through a prism, it naturally breaks down into the seven colors of the rainbow. Imagine my surprise when I learned that if you refocus the rainbow through a prism, it will again form white light. So white light contains, in potential, all color. Remember also that we see color by reflection. Whatever color we happen to see is what is being reflected to us, while all the other colors of the spectrum are being absorbed.

There are three primary colors and four secondary blends. Red, blue and yellow are the primaries that combine to form the balance of the secondary colors.

Primary red is pure physical energy, vitality, primal energy, enthusiasm, action.
Primary yellow is mental, intellectual, stimulating, conversational, uplifting, or buoyant. For example, that would be the color of hope.
Primary blue is mellow, sedates, is emotional, gentle, supportive, and healing in nature. Blue is the beginning of the spirituality side of the rainbow.
Remember that, in general, the red end of the spectrum energizes; the blue end of the spectrum sedates.

There are four secondary (blended) colors:

Orange is a combination of the red of pure, raw energy, and the yellow of the intellect. Its influence is ambition, pride, organizing ability, and goal orientation, make a plan and work the plan.
Green is the center or pivot color of the rainbow, a combination of the blue of emotions and the yellow of the intellect. It represents healing, balance, growth, and abundance. If you are in doubt of the choice of color for a general healing, use green.
Purple, sometimes referred to as indigo (dark blue), is a combination of blue and red, more towards the blue side. Blue is the beginning of the spiritual end of the spectrum so that would indicate a shift towards spirituality. The light infusion of red renders it purple for deep, meditative, inner spirituality.
Violet is stronger in the red tone than deep purple or indigo, so it infuses more action into such spirituality. This is working spirituality, dynamic and expressive. This is the Violet Ray that humanity is working on at present. It is also called the 7th Ray, and the Violet Ray of Transmutation. This color cleanses and transforms negative or mis-qualified energy. This transmutation factor allows the healer to work with negatives that need to be reworked.

The next grouping is called tertiary (third) layer of colors. This is where we get into the unusual hues, shades and tones, but they are still combinations of the white light itself, primaries and secondaries. Note:

The brighter the color, the more intense the energy, specific.
Lighter shades convey lighter or milder expressions, upbeat.
Deeper shades convey intensity.
A deep, rich brown can be practicality or earthiness.
A bright, rich gray, tending towards lavender or light blue, can be meditative or mystical.
A light pink tone can indicate feeling, caring, personal love, sensitivity.
A deeper rose-pink tone gives love on a more universal scale; it is the color of unconditional love. If doing healing work on relationship issues, this would be my choice.

Clarity of color is also important. If colors are muddy or murky, that could indicate problems, and that this may not be a cleanly expressing energy.

Brownish can be earthy or materialistic.
Murky gray tends towards melancholy and depression.
Black absorbs but does not give back. It withholds, hides, hoards, or can be hostile.
Reds can be anger issues, frustrated by inaction, or sexual / sensual issues.

Gold and silver are not actually colors; they’re more iridescence or electrical shimmers on yellows and whites.

Silver appears as white with a grey/bluish tone and represents the Christ Light.
Gold appears as iridescent, sparkling (yellow is intellect) and suggests the Wisdom of God or what is known in eastern circles as the Buddhic light.

I want to spend more time on black. Remember that black contains all latent possibilities, but in a rudimentary, invisible, unawakened, unconscious state (without form and void before the manifest universe was called into being by the Word)! Black is the total absorption of all color but gives nothing in return; it takes it all in and gives nothing back (perhaps a non-color?). This is why it’s considered to be a negative use color for healing. If you were to see it in an aura (and that would be unusual), it can indicate intractable, unyielding. It can also indicate hatred or malice. Or it could indicate evil or black magic. That is why it is an energy that is best left alone if you don’t have the knowledge or skill to work with it. It would be an unusual color to encounter while healing, but it is important for you to know it exists.

As we work on healing ourselves, we may encounter moments or issues at personal initiation points. These can be referred to as the “Dweller on the Threshold” moments when we must face the darkness within ourselves. We are all in school, continually learning and evolving our consciousness, hopefully always to the positive. Eventually we will all return to our Source (because we never are truly separate from our Source / God). Humans prefer to think of it as a glorious gateway to heaven, but we won’t know our entrance until we get there. We work on ourselves (and others) to prepare ourselves and to light our own paths.

Once upon a time (before opening the door to the spiritual development realm), I was a sci-fi sword and sorcery reader (I love imagination books). There is a series by author Ursula Le Guin about a man confronting his own darkness. If my memory serves me right (she has written about fifty books) they are called The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore and The Wizard of Earthsea. They are entertaining reading, but they really do talk about the darkness that each of us has within ourselves and our need and effort to explore and redefine that darkness.

Chakras

The last subject that I want to briefly explain in this missive on auras is chakras. Chakra is a Hindu Sanskrit word, and it represents the energy vortices or centers within the auric field. Chakras are anchored in the physical body from the base of the spine to the top of the head. When we are attempting to “feel” or work with the chakra energy we usually work with the front of the body.

Wikipedia

There are seven main chakras that run down the center line of the body, but there are many other minor chakras all over the body. For example, you have chakras in the palms of your hands, used to focus your healings. The only chakras that we’re going to explore in this study are the seven main ones. Why? Because of the effect they have on the aura. There is an incredible amount of information out on the chakras. I would suggest an old book by Bernard Gunther called Energy Ecstasy & Your Seven Vital Chakras. The color plates in it are magnificent. The exercises for working on yourself meditatively and on your aura are excellent.

The Chakras can be visible if you are sensitive to the aura, and they look like whirling colored wheels. Each serves a specific purpose or governs certain functions in the individual. When they are clear, are not blocked in any way, functioning normally and optimally, in other words at their strongest potential, they are where we derive our energy. These are your energy input/output stations.

Pixbay Chakra

Root Chakra: The bottom or the 1st is the Root Chakra. The counterpart physical location is the base of the spine deep within the body. This is known as the seat of the Kundalini, which is also known as the serpent fire, and is our sexual, spiritual energy. When it is operating in a mundane way, it is our sexual energy. When it is operating in a spiritual way, it is our spiritual energy. Once upon a time Tantric yoga practices used to cultivate this, to use sexuality to achieve transcendence. This had its own set of problems and is not applicable to our auric healing purpose.
Naval Chakra: The 2nd or Naval Chakra is also occasionally referred to as the Spleen Chakra, which is actually a minor chakra located a little below the navel. You can feel the energy of the Navel Chakra by putting your hand somewhere near the navel; it is located between the pubic bone and the navel itself. It is responsible for the survival instincts, plus it also has influence on the sexual / reproductive cycle. On the physical level, this chakra governs the balance in the interaction between the other chakras.
These two bottom chakras have to do with the survival mechanism, personal survival and the perpetuation of the species. They are really intertwined as to definitions. As you study there will be many arguments as to which is correct. This is because they are so closely linked and both must be operational. If either or both are not functional, then the individual’s will to live can really be in jeopardy. This was specifically indicated by a healing that I did in a hospital on a seeker who had worked extensively with Tantric Yoga.
Solar Plexus Chakra: The 3rd or Solar Plexus Chakra is located just above the navel at the midsection of the stomach. It influences our adrenal glands and governs our emotions and our power or will. When we get emotionally upset, we feel as though we have been hit in the pit of our stomach. Most of the world is centered in this chakra. Psychically, this governs our emotional or psychic sensing. It’s not a good idea to stay stuck in this chakra. You want to raise your level of awareness to the fourth chakra. You do that by earning the elevation. Practice!
Heart Chakra: The fourth Heart Chakra is located in the center of the chest near the physical heart. It influences both the heart and the thymus gland, which is our immune governor. There is also a smaller chakra near the thymus gland. The purpose of the heart chakra is unconditional love and compassion. This is the major chakra lesson of the earth plane at this time.
Throat Chakra: The fifth or the Throat Chakra is located at the hollow of the throat and is the center for self-expression. This influences the thyroid gland and the entire nervous system, as well as the metabolism. This center is particularly active in psychic gifts related to communication such as teaching or psychic counseling.
Brow Chakra: The sixth or the Brow Chakra is related to the third eye region of the forehead and governs our visualization or our spiritual envisioning process. It is connected to the pituitary or governing gland, the pineal gland and the corpus callosum in the brain. When these three points are active simultaneously, it relates to the opening of the third eye and the psychic gifts that are related to vision. The outlet point, you might say, is the third eye region in the middle of the forehead. However, it is a triangular interaction between the pineal, the pituitary, and the corpus callosum, that relates to the actual opening of the third eye.
Crown Chakra: The seventh or the Crown Chakra is centered near the fontanel (a baby’s soft spot) at the top of the head. This center represents the inflow of cosmic awareness and enlightenment. Wisdom is the function of this specific chakra, and the individual is connected to higher spiritual sources through this chakra. When you are getting enlightenment or direct supervision from higher sources, it will be through this Crown Chakra.

The chakras can be opened and closed by the directed will, but this should not be done in ignorance. They should not be forced or held open indiscriminately, as you could be setting some sort of experience in motion for which you may not be trained. They should not be closed, as you would be shutting off the vital flow of energy. None of the chakras should dominate. All should be functional, and they should be balanced in reference to each other as far as energy input and flow is concerned. Direction of spin is an advanced healing subject.

Some metaphysicians tend to try to develop the four higher centers at the expense of the three lower centers. The key to any kind of awareness and to any kind of healing is balance. When healing, and particularly if we are working on the chakras for our healing process, we clear, repair, and restore the chakras individually. Then we would balance the centers one to another.

Obviously, the work that I’m talking about here in terms of healing is not beginner’s work and this is a beginner’s tape. Please be aware that if you start working with the auras and start learning and recognizing the chakras, the universe tends to cooperate in the form of teachers and information. You want to learn how to use this energy properly. My suggestion is not to be judgmental as to what you think is right or wrong. Simply seek balance, harmony, and vitality, strong, clear, clean, operating at its optimum, and that is the safest way to work at this stage of your development.

There’s a lot of material here, and I sincerely hope I have been clear and that you have enjoyed it. The exercises are exercises you need to do one at a time, in the order that I have given them to you. I’d ask you not to jump around because there is a sequential development embedded here. You will find that I have put the easiest exercises first, gradually making them more involved. If you jump to the more complicated exercises and don’t do them in the order that I’ve given them to you, you may falter. If you encounter failure, it could discourage you. My explanation would be that you have to crawl before you walk, walk before you run, run before you climb, and climb before you fly. Hopefully you will find the order I’ve given is a developmental ladder. The wonderful thing about studying chakras, auras and color is that you don’t need a great deal of instruction to start. The same thing is true of meditation. Once you start the ball rolling, it will develop spontaneously.

I would again remind you when attempting to develop the auric study, particularly the visual part, it is possible for you to pop open clairvoyance. It is a wonderful spiritual gift, but you need to be aware of this possibility, so you’re not caught by surprise. Know that when you pop open this clairvoyant gift, it’s entirely possible that you won’t see the aura that easily. I have watched that happen multiple times.

Homework: It’s not so much to do with questions as it is experiential. I would like you to practice and I would like you to create a running commentary on what you experience. In other words, do an experiment, then sit down and write your observations. Alternatively, you might even try a couple of different experiments and then write your comparison and conclusion. I would like you to, one by one, experience all of the exercises and describe for yourself what your experience taught.

For the chakras show and tell, I’d like you to hold the flattened palm of your hand about two inches above another person’s Solar Plexus area (usually easy to feel). Or you can do it on your own body while standing and feel the same chakra energy. You need to be relatively close to the body, but not touching. Remember that what we are doing is not physical, so physical touch disrupts and doesn’t prove anything. Close but not touching! As you get proficient at it, you will be able to feel the chakra quite far out. It is really quite strong once you understand what it is you’re looking for and you develop the sensitivity to feel it.

I would like you to meditate on the colors and their meanings using my basic definitions initially. Remember each of us is unique. My definitions and experiences may be different from yours. It is important that you get a feel for your own symbolism. The best way to do that is to get some colored candles or paint chips and meditate with them. Your own natural talent and skills will emerge and instruct you on your own reference points.

Please study this at your leisure, and go back over it, and reexamine it, rethink it, and then send in your homework. And, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to include them with your homework. I hope you enjoyed it. (2025 reminder, the homework review is no longer possible, but doing the exercises will help you learn and retain the information.)

Sourcing:

Book: Energy Ecstasy & Your Seven Vital Chakras by Bernard Gunther (1978)

Still available for sale, also archived at https://archive.org/search?query=Energy+Ecstasy+

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aura_(paranormal)

Originally popularized by Charles Webster Leadbeater, Theosophist

Recent: Wiki article has a list of New Age topics with individual links.

There is an insane amount of material available on the internet. Be choosey, confirm what is given with your own personal experience.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.