There is a wealth of information available
regarding the scientific analysis of colour, the language of colour,
and the effect colour has on us. It is not within the scope of this
manual to delve into this fascinating area of research in any depth.
In brief, each colour has a generally invisible vibration which can
actually work on levels we are not always aware of, levels that can
change our emotional balance at various times. This is recognised at
all levels of our society and is the rationale behind such things as
painting the interiors of prisons certain colours to promote a
calming influence and why we prefer to wear certain colours on
certain days.
In creating the
Kaleidoscope cards the colour spectrum was divided into three
colours at a time, one colour removed, and one added, for each card.
They were designed to explore and understand our inner qualities and
strengths. Images of our inner nature, and nature in the wider
sense, can be seen in the cards using a little imagination. Some
interpretations of the cards by children have been recorded as:
“the ocean on
a calm day’
“celebrations,
birthdays”
“how you
can’t tell a book by its cover”
“all confused
inside”
“church
windows, funerals”
“bush fires”
“when my
grandmother died”
“fishing with
my grandfather”
“how I don’t
like my parents arguing”
“what I saw
when I came out of being unconscious”
“where there
is a whole lot of people together and someone new
comes along and everything changes”
“where you
don’t feel confused any more”
“joyfulness”
“feelings
inside you”
“letting
something go, like all the people you love that you are holding
in”
Children, more so than adults, relate easily to
these images and they facilitate and generate, perhaps more than you
might believe now as you read this introduction, an enthusiastic and
enriching interactive exploration of themselves and their
environment.
The beauty of using colour as a language is that
it can be used in a very gentle way to approach the challenging side
of our nature, our ‘shadow’ side. For every positive meaning of the
cards we are given openings for discussing its opposite, negative or
unhelpful emotions. If teachers are trying to discuss these feelings
or concepts, every card can be approached through its opposite given
meaning e.g. choosing the ‘honesty’ card, number 28, can provide
opportunities to discuss dishonesty.
