Your Life in Color

by Dougall Fraser

  Our intuitive abilities can be strengthened just like any other muscle. I teach workshops on seeing auras, and I have literally never had a participant leave without seeing color energy around another person. Commit to an exercise regimen, and anyone can get into their best personal shape.

  Not many people hone their intuition because we are taught from an early age to seek advice from outside sources. If we think of intuition as a gift, then it is not something we actually have control over. It’s much easier to look outward for guidance, but in truth, the most accurate psychic reading you will ever receive can come from inside of you.

  I think we are all gifted. Or more importantly, let’s replace the word gifted with connected. This magical planet we live on is surrounded by energy and blanketed in color messages from the universe. It would seem strange to me if only a select few of us were able to see, hear, or know that energy on a deeper level than anyone else.

  To succeed as a doctor, lawyer, detective, investor, or in just about any other job, we must tap into our intuitive abilities. You may call your intuition a “feeling” or “hunch,” but for me, “being psychic” simply means that I have developed my intuitive muscles through practice and seeing thousands of clients. It’s sort of like the difference between someone who exercises twice a week and someone who is a personal trainer.

  What if your own soul was the GPS you could use to consciously locate yourself in the universe and connect to all higher wisdom and understanding? If we each have our own inner guidance system, then color serves as an address on the map of our life. Each color helps us find specific points on the map that we need to get to. Want more leadership qualities? Follow the route toward purple. Need a boost of self-love? Buckle up and head toward pink.

  This book is about much more than just understanding color energy. My ultimate intention here is to enlarge your capacity for positive change, using color as a catalyst. What you hold in your hands is a guide to activating the best, boldest, and brightest version of yourself. As Glinda the Good Witch said in the film The Wizard of Oz, you’ve always had the power—you just had to learn it for yourself.

  Our journey together begins with me outlining my process of harnessing each color’s energy. I refer to this as color activation. But that is only the beginning. In each chapter, we will explore one color to see how its energy can affect you and your environment. We will delve into the historical, cultural, scientific, and religious associations of color to see how they align with the qualities I see. I will tell you about clients who used color to make positive life changes, as well as offering various examples from my own life. By the way, thank you to the many clients who agreed to share their experiences while working with me (some have understandably asked to have their names changed due to the personal nature of each story). I will then lay out step-by-step instructions on how to incorporate color into your life through a series of techniques that have been tested by my clients. I will show you how to activate color in your life through exercises, affirmations, visual meditations, color props, and more. Every technique is designed to be a powerful, practical tool in enhancing your life. I am so excited to share this information with you!

  Now let’s dig in.

  CHAPTER 1

  THE ACTIVATION PROCESS

  Color activation is the process of harnessing the energy behind each color. When we activate color, we bridge the gap between observing its properties as passive onlookers and actually pulling that energy into our lives for our benefit. This is comparable to watching a cooking show on TV versus actually cooking the meal ourselves. While it is certainly enjoyable and interesting to watch someone else cook, preparing and eating a meal ourselves is a three-dimensional experience.

  There are no hard and fast rules for activating color in your life. We all have different senses that are stronger than others, so if you find ways to activate a color that work better for you, great! My ultimate goal here is to empower you, so feel free to take these concepts and make them your own.

  Although the approach I offer is a well-rounded introduction to the steps of color activation, I have also incorporated several fantastic options suggested by my clients. Over many years of testing out various techniques, I have discovered the ones that consistently work well and have included them here. The various exercises may change from color to color, but the basic principles of color activation will always come back to the outline you will see below.

  I recommend you first try out all the exercises and then gauge which ones resonate the most for you. Each exercise has steps to self-diagnose how you are responding to each color. Again, my goal is to empower your color intuition, so please honor it if certain processes work better for you than others.

  Please note: White is the only color in this book that does not involve exercises. The reason I omitted exercises in this chapter is so you can focus on getting familiar with the overall activation process. You are essentially learning to speak a new language of color, and I wanted this first step to be as easy to incorporate as possible. Once you become used to working with color in this way, we will proceed to more involved exercises.

  OVERVIEW

  Each chapter focuses on a new color, with coordinating activations for each. I suggest initially working with each color for around seven days, but ultimately you should set the pace that feels best to you. It may be tempting to immediately jump around and work with a different color each day, but you need to get used to observing the shifts in your energy and consciousness. Remember, you are essentially learning a new language here. Focusing on one color at a time also gives you a chance to fully understand the subtle qualities of each color’s energy.

  Color activation falls into the following categories:

  Spiritual Activation: This activation involves meditation as well as exercises to clarify our intention and solidify your soul’s connection to the color you are working with.

  Universal Activation: (aka “I spy” with my intuitive eye): When I refer to “I spy,” I am talking about the popular children’s game that helps pass the time during family road trips. When playing this type of game, you might say “I spy something orange,” and then everyone would look around to spot that color in your surroundings. Universal activation involves the same concept of seeking out a specific color in your environment, but in this activation you allow the universe to awaken your consciousness and self-adjust aspects of yourself through signs from specific colors. This involves observing when colors begin to repeatedly catch your attention in an average day. Once you learn to spot the signs, universal activation becomes a fun way to receive messages and guidance. The best part of all is you will be receiving messages from your own higher self, strengthening your intuitive muscles and telling you what you need to focus on in any given moment. In addition to the activations above, each chapter includes the following tools to help you utilize color:

  Color Affirmations: Color affirmations are a verbal way to align yourself with the energy and intention behind each color.

  Physical Activation: This activation involves using the important concept of color props. Color props are physical objects you intentionally place in your surroundings or on your body so you can see and touch them throughout the day. Color props serve as reminders that help you to build the energy of that color.

  Shadow Sides: Just like a reversed tarot card, each color has an inverse set of properties. If you find yourself repelled by any color in particular, take a look at the shadow side description of that color. There is a message to be heard.

  Each of the categories mentioned is explained in detail below. As you work with Your Life in Color, focus on familiarizing yourself with the various activation processes. A reasonable goal is to try to activate color at least once a day during a seven-day period.

  Depending on the energy you need most, certain colors may feel very safe and familiar, while others might feel new or slightly uncomfortable. These reactions are completely normal and may evolve as you continue
experimenting with color. Pay attention to how your body and senses react to each color. I personally keep a journal when I work with color to note my changing experiences with them. Being mindful of your reactions will provide valuable information as to which energy you need more of (or less of) in your life to achieve balance.

  ACTIVATION NOTES

  Although the overall activation steps are the same, each color contains unique activation notes. The notes begin with a question that pertains to your relationship with that color’s energy. Asking yourself this question will help you assess your current energy in regard to that area of your life. We are all constantly changing and evolving, so I encourage you to come back to these questions whenever you want a current self-diagnosis of your energy. Doing so will give you valuable insight toward your relationship with that color and will help you ascertain the areas of your life that need adjustment.

  Enabling practical thought, connecting with your deepest emotional core, empowering leadership skills, and unleashing creativity are just some of the positive traits you can increase through color. It’s just a matter of turning the volume up on whichever energy you want to harness.

  In addition to the self-diagnosis questions, the notes offer additional thoughts about each color to help you reflect on their qualities. If you ever want clarification on any part of the process, refer back to this chapter.

  SPIRITUAL ACTIVATION

  You may be familiar with the saying “we are spiritual beings having a human experience,” but I tend to forget this by the time I’ve finished my first cup of coffee in the morning. The distractions of daily modern life are frequent and tempting. I can lose an entire afternoon to my iPhone if I am not careful. I need a regular reminder that at my core, I am energy.

  The visual meditation described below is the same one I personally use, and it is what I recommend for my clients. Don’t worry, the process does not demand that you meditate for 30 minutes a day in order for it to be effective. In fact, this spiritual activation can be as short or as long as you need it to be. I used to think that to be a spiritual person, I would have to carve out at least 30 minutes daily to sit in the lotus position. I don’t know about you, but maintaining absolute mental stillness for this long is simply not a reality for me on a regular basis.

  I truly believe even the Dalai Lama hears mental chatter when he is mid-meditation. I assume his mental chatter does not sound like a Valley girl, the way that mine does, but you never know. I used to think I wasn’t even meditating correctly if I didn’t feel restless and uncomfortable. But let me assure you that when done correctly, your spiritual practice will be a pleasure.

  I found that meditating once in the morning gave me a boost of serenity and balance, but these effects would wear off as the events of my day unfolded. As a result, I began testing shorter techniques that were quick and effective for me.

  I wanted to be able to center and clear my energy at a moment’s notice throughout the day. My intention was to create the meditative equivalent of a nice hot shower that both cleanses my body and revitalizes my soul in just a few minutes. This is important for both mental and physical health; it’s a ritual I never question acting upon. My physical showering time can vary. On vacation I may take a longer shower, but on a workday I might hop in and out. But either way, I will have cleansed my physical body effectively.

  I would like you to set the same intention for this activation, but for your soul, without any judgment of how long you need. It is terrific if you are able to open yourself to this process for 10 seconds. That means you got 10 seconds of stillness in your day, which is more than many people get. If you can do it for 30 minutes, that is absolutely wonderful. Just do what you can and build from there.

  BASIC SPIRITUAL ACTIVATION EXERCISE

  I recommend beginners work with the same color for a few days to get accustomed to the process. Each day that you work with the color, spiritually activate it for 30 seconds, or as much time as you need.

  My process is quite simple. Years ago in meditation school, I was taught the basic principle energy follows thought, and thought directs energy. Basically, the thoughts you focus on will create a shift in your consciousness and soul. I incorporated this idea because it helps us to truly absorb the message of each color. Please note there is no specific color described below so that you can refer back to these steps and easily insert whichever color you are working with.

  Begin by sitting in a comfortable position. Close your eyes, then take a few deep breaths and bring your attention six inches above your head. As you breathe in and out, envision a softball-sized ball of light there. The ball of light should be whichever color you are working with. I like to recommend that you envision this radiant energy above the body to remind you there is something bigger than yourself in your life. I also place it above the body because you are invoking very specific energy from the universe and drawing it down through your body, with the ball of color being the conduit.

  As the ball of light becomes clearer in your mind’s eye, you will begin to notice it growing and pulsing with each breath you take. This pulsing is your higher self, reminding your physical being that you are guided and protected. God, love, light, Allah, Hashem, Buddha, the universe—whatever you want to call it. I am referring to the higher power that exists all around us. We are bigger and more extraordinary than our physical bodies.

  Now, in your mind’s eye, see the ball of light begin to burst like a sparkler, showering your entire being with this bright, radiant light. This light warms you as it washes down through your head, making its way into your throat, expanding in your shoulders, running down your arms and out the palms of your hands. Feel it as you begin to ground this energy throughout your entire physical body. The light moves down your torso, expanding through your waist and hips. The light then washes down through your thighs, legs, and ankles. It finally bursts out through the bottoms of your feet, going deep into the earth. (Note: If sitting in a chair, keep your legs uncrossed with your feet touching the ground. Doing so will help you to fully engage in visualizing energy flowing out through your feet. However, some people prefer to sit on a meditation pillow with their legs crossed in a “criss-cross applesauce” style. If this is the case for you, modify the visualization so that the energy flows out from the base of your spine instead of your feet.

  This simple act of activating color energy will trigger something deep inside your soul. This concept is mirrored in many religions, such as observant Jewish men wearing yarmulkes as a reminder their creator is watching over them. Focusing your attention above your body is a reminder there is a bigger purpose than whatever is currently going on in your life.

  When utilizing spiritual activation, each color is always located six inches above the head, in a softball-sized ball of radiant light. Many of my clients who are familiar with chakra systems may find this unusual because they traditionally associate each chakra color with a specific part of the body. To be clear, I have a deep respect for Sanskrit chakras and all forms of meditation. My techniques are not meant to contradict any specific system. I just find this is what works for me.

  I began studying meditation extensively when I was 16 years old, and most of the techniques I encountered suggested I focus on the base of the spine, moving upward until ultimately directing loving energy up to the universe. But as you might imagine, the universe is overflowing with loving energy. We, the people down here on this planet, are the ones that are love-anemic, desperately in need of an infusion of loving energy. Therefore, we start above the head and move downward.

  In this visual meditation, each color is envisioned in approximately the same spot above the head so we can draw that energy down through the body, grounding its qualities evenly throughout our essence. The final step is to push this energy through the bottoms of our feet, grounding us deep into the earth. In this way, we can use meditation to nourish not only our spirit but the earth as well.

  UNIVERSAL ACTIVATION

  (AKA
“I SPY” WITH MY INTUITIVE EYE)

  Universal activation (aka “I spy” with my intuitive eye) is a fun activation that allows us to play with loving, universal energy and see where it wants us to focus. I believe we are inundated with healing messages throughout the day, but most of us are too busy or distracted to notice. There is a way to take charge of those messages, and this exercise will teach you how to organically seek them out. There are two ways to experience a universal activation:

  Intentional: Your goal here is to be mindful of whichever color you are working with and pay attention to how often you notice it in an average day so you can receive an additional boost of its energy. When using white, for example, you would set an intention in the morning that you want to receive supportive signs from white energy throughout your day. You then get in your car and start driving to work. At a red light, you happen to look at the car next to you and notice the woman in the driver’s seat is wearing a white hat along with big white sunglasses. You can use this visual reminder as confirmation of your intention to bring more spirituality and clarity into your life. Then you get to work, go into a morning meeting, and notice your boss has gotten a new manicure. Her fingernails are painted white. In this moment, you can choose to dismiss this as a coincidence or you can receive the extra boost of white energy (clarity and spirituality). The universe is reminding you that you have activated this energy and can have a dose of it whenever you like. I often to refer to this as conscious meditation. These brief moments of color recognition help you come back to your center in what can often be a hectic day.