THE AURA; BASIC GUIDELINES ~FD~ Much of our individual energy is concentrated within the chakras, but quite a bit of energy radiates outward, even beyond the limits of our physical forms. It is this nimbus of energy extending around us that first comes into contact with the energy of the outside world. This energy touches the people around us long before we ever touch them with our hands. This energy leaves imprints of us in our living spaces. Traces of it trail behind us wherever we go. And impressions of this energy are left upon the objects we touch, like the fingerprints of our souls. The energy that extends beyond our physical bodies is called the aura. The human aura generally extends from two inches to two feet beyond our physical forms. It is not really coincidence that our sense of personal space extends about the distance of the furthest point of our auras. This is the outermost boundary of our subtle bodies, and if we allow someone past this limit, we are allowing them into our personal energy. This can be a very intimate exchange, as their energy is coming into direct contact with our own. Once someone has crossed the threshold of this personal space, a certain amount of energy exchange is inevitable. Each persons aura is unique, influenced by their individual energy signature. The appearance of the aura can change depending on a number of factors, although the overall energy signature remains the same. A persons emotional state, physical health, and spiritual well- being can greatly affect the appearance of their aura. Some peoples energy seems to run on a higher vibrational frequency than others, and so the quality of a persons energy can affect the appearance of the aura as well. Generally, people who are very spiritually active have very intense auras while people who are not spiritually cultivated have auras which are more understated and sometimes harder to see. Some people are gifted with the ability to see auras from early childhood onward. Others who are naturally sensitive can learn to develop the ability. In addition to sensitive people being able to see auras, there are some very physical ways to record what an aura looks like. A technique called Kirlian photography, for example, allows us to actually capture the aura on film. Using the Kirlian technique, the human aura shows up as radiant light energy which extends at least an inch beyond the flesh. Kirlian photos are very beautiful to behold, as they capture the myriad of colors the aura can attain: brilliant white, pale blue, fiery orange and yellow, crimson, and even violet. Most people who can see auras describe them in terms of light and color. However, this is not a universal perception. Other people only get a general impression of energy. They can usually determine the state of that energy, and they often get impressions of emotional state, physical health, and spiritual development as well. Still others can only feel the aura as it extends out around the body, sensing it much like we sensed the energy ball in Exercise Three. The important lesson here is that everyones perceptions are different. Simply because your perception doesnt match a textbook definition of an aura does not mean that the perception is invalid. As weve discussed before, a good deal of learning how perceive aspects of the subtle reality is learning the unique way your own perceptions manifest to you. Right now, lets look at some good approaches for seeing the aura so you can experiment with your individual perception. Guidelines for Perception As mentioned previously, Kirlian photography will pick up the aura at about an inch beyond the body. There are some photos which capture longer extensions of energy but at intermittent points along the aura, shooting out from the otherwise even perimeter like solar flares. The aura actually extends from about two inches to two feet around the body. It is arranged in layers of energy, rather like the light which radiates out around a candle flame. The center of the flame has the most intense concentration of energy. A little beyond the actual flame, there is still a nimble of light and heat intense enough to have a distinct color. Further outward still, there is a radiation of energy, but this is dispersed enough that it is only visible as a kind of oily disturbance in the air. It has little color, and you can only see it if you look at it from just the right angle. Depending on how intently you stare at the candle flame, you may see more energy shells radiating further outward from the center flame, but there is always a point at which the energy becomes too thinned out to perceive. This, then, is the limit of the flames visible radiation. The human aura, also being comprised of radiant energy, is much like a candle flame. It is at its most intense within that range visible to Kirlian photography. This one inch extension of the aura, hugging closely to the surface of the skin, is generally the most visible to our perceptions as well. The part of the aura that hugs closely to the skin has the deepest color and is translucent, if not nearly opaque. There is a layer which extends outward beyond this intense area which is still visible but is a little more transparent. This layer is usually twice the width of the first layer, if not more. The energy here has spread out and been diffused so less of it takes up more space. The subsequent layers which radiate out beyond that one grow increasingly diffused and more transparent until the energy disperses completely at the outermost limit of the aura. Much like staring at a candle flame, the more you concentrate on the aura, the more likely you are to see the outer layers. Still, its hard to look directly at them, and like the shimmer of heat around the flame, its easy to mistake them for a trick of your eyes. The best strategy for getting your first look at an aura is to focus on your own. The most traditional method for first seeing the aura instructs you to put your hand up against a white or almost-white background, like a wall. You are supposed to hold your fingers slightly apart, and look at the space between and around your fingers. The only problem I have with this method is it makes it very easy to confuse a natural phenomenon of the eye with seeing the aura. Whenever you look for a prolonged period of time at any single object, especially against a white background, you tire out the color receptors in your eye. When this happens, the minute you look away from the object of your attention, youll see an after image superimposed on the background. This image isnt anything that actually exists in the outside world; its simply the result of tired color receptors sending misinformation to your brain. Now, if youre staring intently at your hand as you hold it up in front of a white wall, your eyes are going to get tired. Especially if you really want to see that aura, you are going to stare as intently as possible, trying not to blink just in case you miss it. Eventually, your focus will shift ever so slightly, and youll see part of the afterimage of your own hand to one side or the other of your actual hand. This will look kind of like light, although its likely to be a dark color, like red or deep purple. In the early stages of perception, its very easy to mistake this for the aura. So how do you avoid confusing yourself with tricks your eyes might play upon you? I actually recommend placing your hand against a dark background. This reduces the chance of getting a strong afterimage superimposed on the background. You should be aware that the afterimage effect can still happen if you stare too intently without blinking or shifting your area of focus, and you should make an effort not to confuse a trick of your eye with the real thing. Aura Colors and Interpretations Ive mentioned previously that you can usually tell certain things about a person based upon the appearance of their aura. Generally, most aura readers use color as their primary guideline for interpretation, with intensity and contrast (light vs. dark) as secondary deciding factors. Some readers can get quite detailed in the information they can glean from an individuals aura, perceiving even depth and texture. Quite a few books have been devoted to the proper interpretation of the colors of the aura. But theres one problem: not all of the books agree on the meanings of what people see. Now, hopefully Ive made it very clear by now that everyones perceptions can be different and having a different perception from what is written down in a book (including this one) does not necessarily mean that that perception is wrong. We interpret the subtle reality through our individual symbol systems, and auras are no different in this. The aura is described in terms of light and color, but these are the closest approximations that our minds can handle. What you are really seeing is an impression that you process in terms of light and density, texture, and color. If you are not a visually focused person, you may not even see auras at all. Instead, your mind will find a different sense to interpret the aura through. Clearly, with such variances in perception, you cannot rely on one book to tell you what youre looking at. You may not be able to rely upon any book at all. Other peoples experiences are not your experiences, and each persons perception is uniquely his own. So how on earth can you interpret something as complex as the human aura if you have no guidebook to lay the definitions out for you? You already have your guidebook. You simply have to interpret the language its written in. Our individual symbol systems determine how our minds interpret information. For every word and concept, each of us has a myriad of associations built up from what weve read, what weve been taught, our individual experiences, even our dreams. And so red, although the same color to me and you, can have radically different meanings between us. One person sees red and can only think of blood. Another thinks of wine, while another thinks of roses. Yet another person still thinks of all these things, and the meaning grows even more complex and multi-layered. When you look at someones aura, the colors, the textures, the contrast of light and darkness, all of these things have meaning for you. Another person looking at the same aura may see the exact same thing, but chances are the interpretation will be different. And the only way to learn what each impression means is through a great deal of practice and experience. Personally, I dont often see colors when I look at peoples auras, so I cant pretend to be an authority on what the various colors mean. However, there are some symbolic meanings attached to colors that are pretty universal. Red, the color of blood, wine, and roses, usually indicates passion, whether this is lust, love, or anger. Blue, the color of a clear, untroubled sky, is generally seen as a very calm color, and it can indicate a state of emotional and spiritual balance. Yellow is the color of the sun, and as such, it is usually connected with vibrancy, energy, and health. Green, the color of growing things, is also connected with vitality and health. In ancient days, only kings were allowed to wear purple because it was such an expensive color to produce, and thus its become strongly associated with power and authority. Usually in the case of auras, violet and other shades indicate a particularly well developed spiritual power. Orange, the color of flames, is often associated with intensity. Colors that are especially vibrant are often thought to indicate health, while dull or muddy colors are thought to indicate some kind of disease or blockage in the persons energy. These are rough guidelines to start with, but keep in mind that these are only general interpretations of the colors. There are many more complex meanings attached to colors based on folklore, magickal correspondences, and myth. Additionally, each of us has developed our own associations for colors based on personal experiences. The same goes for textures you may see in the aura, contrasts of light and darkness, and any other sensory cue. Always remember that you are the final authority on what you are perceiving. Go with your gut instinct, however strange it may seem at first. Ive said many times that you already understand the cues you receive from the subtle reality on a very deep and unspoken level. Dont try to second guess it. Just open yourself up and listen.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Nov 2013 15:06:44 +0000
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