Colours: Spiritual Dimension in Anthroposophical Painting Therapy

Abstract

This article examines the spiritual dimension of colours based on the Anthroposophical framework. To explain that in metaphysics of colour, how do colours exist? How does colour relate to humans? And how does colour affect therapy? This article focuses on Rudolf Steiner, who is a philosopher and a spiritual scientist, and Liane Collot d’Herbois, a painter and an Anthroposophic painting therapist. This article divides into three parts; Anthroposophy and studying of colour, colour and the cosmic, and colour and the human being. The keys finding are; we can understand the spiritual dimension of colour systematically with the concepts of the Cosmic Threefoldness and the Threefoldness of the human being. These concepts describe human being as part of and the reflection of the macrocosm. Colour is both a vital component and connection within the cosmic and human life. It also connects humans and the universe. Colour is spiritual being. It does not only exist only in the world of matter but also in the soul-spiritual world, in the human soul and life. It also is the revelation of gods or diva. Colour is constantly moving through interactions between light and darkness in the cosmic. Furthermore, it is moving lively in human soul-life, related to feeling and the rhythmic system in our body such as breathing and pulse. Besides it helps maintaining the balance in the human body, human soul-spirit, as well as the incarnation of the soul. Understanding the language of colour can therefore communicate with human soul or imbalance illness and help them being balance and healthy through the painting process.