When you get dressed, you are expressing your self. It is a creative act, even if it’s a mandatory uniform. You are still choosing it on some level. The materials , cut and color of your clothing are interacting with and expressing the energy that is spinning inside and around you. That spinning energy is also known as your chakra system. The fact that so many of us either don’t know what chakras are, or think of chakras as another new age woo woo theory, is kind of sad. Chakras are basic human anatomy. It’s foundational knowledge that is rarely if ever taught. In many circles it’s either not discussed, ridiculed, or both. I have a theory of why that is but we’ll leave that for another day. For an excellent primer on the chakra system check this out.  I look forward to getting more into the topic here as well.

Anyhow, your clothes are totally effecting your energy, and vice versa! The cool thing is that once you realize this you can start to play with it. When you start experimenting with color, fabrics and shapes of clothes and have experiences that correspond with what you are learning, it begins to open up the programming so brand new experiences can flood your sensory system.. and we just feel more alive!

We know that colors are created by specific energy wavelengths. Each energy wheel of the body (chakra) vibrates at a certain speed, and that speed corresponds with a particular color. We can play with activating the chakras by emphasizing certain colors in our outfits. It’s really that simple. Your intention accelerates the effect even more. Check it out and try it for yourself!

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1st Chakra

the root – earth –  center of security and survival – the color is RED

The basement of the house is just as important (or more!) as the rest of the home, right ? We want the foundation of our energy system (our roots) to be strong and stable so that our energy and life can grow high and wide. The first chakra is the realm of habits, survival, cultural identity, and practical every day matters. Red is the color of our blood.. our DNA.. our identity. It is also the chakra associated with the anus – and a healthy root chakra allows us to let go of shit in more ways than one! This chakra often gets overlooked by people just starting on a “spiritual” path but I think its one of the most important areas to heal and balance– and asap! It’s so good to be able to get rid of what you don’t need anymore..

As far as wearing red.. wearing red is often associated with fiery vixen who knows what she wants. Try wearing red now with the intention of strengthening your power base. See what happens.

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2nd Chakra 

water – center of creativity and sexuality- the color is ORANGE

This chakra gets manipulated a lot. We are sold a lot of things we don’t need because we have been vulnerable here. The second chakra is the creative energy of which sexual energy is a part, not the other way around. We are all creative beings – the question is do we KNOW this and are we living it?  The health of the second chakra determines how these energies are expressed (or distorted)  in our life.  The fact is that this energy can’t be suppressed forever without eventual very real consequences. You can see evidence of this every single day on the news. Good thing there are many ways to heal. There are also many ways to ecstatically celebrate and express this energy. Clothing is one way!!!!!

As far as wearing orange… I find when I wear orange I feel really creative and happy! I love wearing bright orange. I was obsessed with insanely bright hunters orange for a while.  Different shades of orange really express different feelings. Deep fiery oranges are pretty sexy. Experiment! See what works for you and what you want to create more of.

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3rd Chakra 

fire – center of action and balance – the color is YELLOW

The third chakra is about power and control. It is really important to have a strong navel (3rd) chakra. It helps you direct your focus and get things done. Collectively as a species we have been living primarily through this energy center. Thats why we have seen so much struggle for control over the past few thousand years. The 3rd chakra is really important because we gather a lot of our energy through this chakra. When we are in the womb, we are literally fed through the navel point via the umbilical cord. After arriving on the planet we continue to be fed through our navel on an energetic level. There is also a deep intelligence in the gut. Science is starting to catch up to this by mapping the gut microbiome and realizing the connections between gut health and mental health. They are actually saying we have a second brain in our gut! I would say our brain exists within the whole body. The body is the landscape of the brain. I read that somewhere and it rang true. Anyways..

As far as wearing yellow… You know those guys that get bright yellow sports cars… they just want to be noticed! Thats kind of how wearing yellow is. Depending on the shade of yellow  and your skin tone that’s a good or not-so-good thing! I personally LOVE wearing yellow because it’s close to the color GOLD which is my fav color ever… for so many reasons ( I’ll have to write a whole book on that subject alone, honestly). but yellow.. Yellow is a color to wear if you are confident or want to gather and project confidence! It’s a fun one. Go for it!!!

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4th Chakra 

air – center of love and compassion – the color is GREEN

We are now collectively moving towards the reality of living through the heart chakra – as individuals and as a culture. The yogi’s call it moving from “me” to “we” . Imagine just for a moment what this looks like. It’s really nice.. The heart is the realm of compassion, kindness, forgiveness, service and true love. The heart is the balance point between the lower 3 chakras and the upper 3 . It is also the balance point between heaven and earth. All true power comes through the heart center. The yogi’s also say the heart has the power of 108 suns. Sounds poetic but I think they meant it more literally. Tremendous strength and courage (cor is heart in Latin) can be accessed through the heart.

As far as wearing green… This is the color of growth and photosynthesis..the leaves, grass, trees, bushes, moss ..Green is the heart of mother earth! Green is the immense power of the sun transformed by the intelligent design of the earth.  Wear lots of green- it’s powerful stuff! Personally green is second only to gold and maybe pink in my wardrobe. LOVE it. oh but pink! Pink is also associated with the heart chakra, naturally.. Wear pink when you want to express the softer side of your self. It really has an effect. Some times I think pink is overused for girls,  but I think pink can be re claimed as a power color for women and men! The time is now people! Conscious fashion! Hurrah!

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5th Chakra 

ether – center of communication- the color is LIGHT BLUE

Located at the throat, the 5th chakra is about being about being able to communicate effectively. It is the power of our authenticity. It is our word. You can develop great power by always keeping your word. Having a strong 5th chakra helps us speak our truth and project it into everything we do. I think it is interesting that the color associated with this center is light blue, as this is the color we most often imagine when we think of the “ethers” …

As far as wearing light blue…  I think this color is one of the easiest colors to wear. It’s gentle, calm and super classy (and not just on Grace Kelly!). Light blue is the color of the sky- literally the etheric realms . Now that you are familiar with the energetics of the 5th chakra try wearing it with that awareness and see what happens! Make wearing the color blue a statement of your divine creative ability to command the ethers into form.

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6th Chakra 

third eye – center of intuition and wisdom – the color is INDIGO

Close your eyes for a moment. The space behind your eyelids as well as your whole frontal lobe is an internal movie screen. We can see colors , patterns and visions in this space.  Think of your pituitary gland, the master gland, located behind the brow point as the projector of this movie. Your projections ripple out from your brain into infinity, co creating your “waking life”reality in every moment.  When you activate your 6th Chakra power,  you can project whatever you want through the pulsation and secretions of the pituitary gland. The 6th chakra is also like a radio in that it receives broadcasts as well. Our intuitive knowing is received here as a beam from our soul . We also can read the vibrations from every other living thing. What’s really cool is that we can develop our ability to command the 6th chakra space through meditation. And wearing more deep blue is also a nice start…

As far as wearing Indigo… Indigo is kind of like a supercharged royal navy blue. It’s POWERFUL. It’s a very saturated, rich color. If you start wearing indigo consciously, let me know how it feels! After all  that talk about the 6th Chakra powers, I’m curious..

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7th Chakra 

the crown – center of humility and vastness – the color is VIOLET

The 7th Chakra relates to the pine cone shaped pineal gland at the center of the brain and the space at the top of your head. The pulsation of the pineal gland determines the quality of the thought stream we are connecting to. When you raise the Kundalini, you in turn raise the frequency of the pineal gland, which then automatically connects you to higher, more enjoyable thought streams.

It’s no surprise that purple is considered the color of blood line royals. I like to think of Violet as the higher octave of plain purple. The activated 7th chakra is your energetic crown. You can literally connect with all the light and power of the universe through your crown. Picture that for a moment. It’s so bright and beautiful.. A shimmering golden light that’s way more magnificent than any earthly crown!  You can activate your innate royalty through the 7th Chakra. With dedicated practice, the Kundalini energy that normally sits coiled near the base of the spine can be activated and moved up through all the chakras. When it arrives at the crown chakra, it can beam out the top, connect with infinity, and then spiral down , re energized, back through all the energy wheels. Words can only go so far when talking about the higher chakras, it really has to be experienced to be believed.

As far as wearing Violet… This color is ALIVE. It is larger than life!  I don’t even know what else to say about it. Wear this color when you want to make something grand happen. You are the Violet flame! Own it.

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8th Chakra 

the electromagnetic field – center of radiance – the color is WHITE

The aura is your 8th Chakra. The entire aura is a spinning ball of energy that contains all of you. Within a white beam of light, all the colors of the rainbow exist. Your healthy auric field can extend 9 feet in all directions. Your aura is both a container of your energy and a shield. Your strong aura can allow in what you want / need for your highest good, as well as protect you from things can harm you. The aura, like all of the other chakras, can be developed through yoga and meditation.

As far as wearing white… You can actually extend the reach of your auric field a few feet just by wearing white. If you feel bad, try taking a shower and then putting on all white clothes. You will feel different. A lot of yogis and teachers wear white to take advantage of the aura expansion it gives. Wearing white also automatically makes you more conscious. You have to be or else you will get stains on your clothes pretty fast! If you want to feel your energy expand without doing a whole lot of work , try just putting on white clothes! Bonus points if you really love the cut and fabrics, although I think even a clean white cotton t and sweats can do the job! Of all the colors, wearing white offers the most dramatic boost. Have fun experimenting.

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Chakras are a way to understand your ability to create the experience you want. Inside and around the body you were given , there is an intelligent system that should and will be fundamental knowledge for all humans. Color and fashion can be a powerful and fun way to explore your self… Play with it.

If you want more on the topic, please read my article about the energy of clothing here.

image credits: alex grey, this,orange dress, yellow dress, violet dress, white dress