Soul Colors

Purist speaks with two veteran aura photographers about the ethereal craft.
Photo courtesy of Aura Aura

By Jenna Lebovits

PURIST: What exactly is an aura?

Sara Silverstein, of Inner Light Aura: It’s often described as an energy field that surrounds a person, almost like an invisible, glowing bubble around their body. We like to think of it as a unique energy signature that reflects a person’s emotional, mental and spiritual state. 

Eileen Lee, of Aura Aura: It’s the electromagnetic field of energy that surrounds us. It is a torus or doughnut-shaped field and its various layers sit within one another like Russian nesting dolls. All ancient cultures understood the concept of the human aura and the chakra system, which are the energetic portals that sit along our spine that activate our nervous system.

Photo courtesy of Aura Aura

PURIST: Is any preparation necessary for an aura photography session?

SS: We tell people to come exactly as they are. Meditative practices and drinking drastically impact the clarity of someone’s aura, so we often urge people to come sober. We also do a few cleansing breaths together to settle any nerves.

EL: It’s important to understand our energetic baseline at any given point in our lives, so I don’t have my clients “prepare” for a session. I’ve noticed for most people practices like meditation can help clarify and brighten the aura; however, it doesn’t often shift color energy.

Photo courtesy of Inner Light Aura

PURIST: What colors typically appear in an aura photograph, and what can they mean about a person’s emotional, physical and spiritual state?

SS: The way we read auras is by using color theory, auric theory and chakra theory. We have seen red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, pink, magenta, white and tan.

Red/Root Chakra—being grounded and rooted in reality. These colors are often the go-getters out of the color sphere because they have an unwavering sense about themselves and are more prone to taking a risk because of their internal connection.

Orange/Sacral Chakra—sexuality and creativity. Orange energies are often very dynamic and love to collaborate with others to make their dreams their reality. This color is often seen in springtime, when we are all blossoming and expanding after a long winter of introspection.

Yellow/Solar Plexus Chakra—trusting your gut and intuition. We love a strong yellow because they shine so brightly. They are selfless souls who love to lift others up and can get along in any room they are in.

Green/Heart Chakra—how you give and receive love. Green energies are often looking for the goodness in others and thrive in nature. They encompass the ability to allow others to feel safe in their presence and often need to be reminded that they are deserving of that same kind of energy and love.

Blue/Throat Chakra—speaking your truth. We’ve found blue energies to be very giving and selfless. They love to be of service to others but often have a blockage around speaking up for themselves. Blues get along with most everyone and are amicable.

Violet/Crown Chakra—everything outside of us; our connection to the world. Purple auras often know exactly who they are and how they function in this world. They have a natural intuitive ability stemming from their glorious minds that are more prone to not taking themselves too seriously.

Pink energies often embody the silliness of children and tapping into the inner child. We like to remind pink energies to lean into unconditional love and joy.

Magenta energies are the rebels of the pack; their brains work differently and they see the world in a brilliant vivid way that may not always be understood. They need to be reminded that they are perfect exactly as they are.

White energies can be indicative of a higher truth or a visionary quality. Usually, white energies are very honest and have undergone some troubles in their lifetime that they have processed and they have emerged with a pure connection to source.

Tan energies are the least seen in our field—they are often very analytical and a bit stuck in their ways. They are the energy of the world that CEOs often have.

Photo courtesy of Inner Light Aura

EL: The colors that appear in our auras are directly correlated to the colors of the chakra system: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet and white. By having an understanding of the chakras and how they correlate to our various emotional, physical and spiritual states, we can better understand what they signify. 

For example, the color yellow is a lower chakra color that deals with themes of our personal power. Emotions are a result of what we experience and experiences within this color range from feeling taken advantage of, or having our power taken away, to feeling confident in our choices and who we identify with. Having yellow present in our aura can induce emotions or feelings of joy and confidence, to anxiety and hopelessness depending on what life patterning you are experiencing within this dimension of your life.

Photo courtesy of Inner Light Aura

PURIST: How accurate is this medium in reflecting a person’s true energetic state?

SS: We get this question a lot. I started this business to have fun! I often respond to people that we believed in Santa Claus for a long time and it brought us joy. Can we tap into our inner child energy and give ourselves permission to explore that kind of joy again?

EL: You can’t cheat the aura camera—I’ve tried! It’s going to show you exactly what is going on in your life and more importantly who you are in your own life and the ways you are showing up or not. The colors in our auras, I have found, are a 100 percent accurate reflection of our energetic state. They can show where we are at in life, what kind of situations we are experiencing, and the psychological patterns we are working with and can offer insight into how we may be feeling due to the larger circumstances we find ourselves in. For example, a person with a significant amount of green in their aura may be navigating uncharted territory in their life. Maybe they are becoming a parent for the first time, or just went through a breakup in a way they’ve never had to deal with before.

The Aura Camera 6000 system. Photo courtesy of Aura Aura

PURIST: Can it detect imbalances or potential health issues before they manifest physically?

SS: The Aura Camera 6000 cannot, and anyone who says that they can is lying. I would personally not trust anyone who is delivering that information from an aura taken by this specific camera.

EL: When colors are murky, dim or transparent, this indicates low energy levels. If you were a battery, for example, your charge might only be at 30 percent instead of 100 percent, which can then affect our emotions and physical health. auraaura.co; innerlightaura.com