What are the chakra colors?
Each of the seven main chakras is traditionally given a color, and together they run in the order of a rainbow: red at the base of the spine, up through orange, yellow, green, blue and indigo, to violet at the crown.
The colors are a teaching tool. They give attention something to rest on, and they make a practice feel more concrete. The table below shows what each color points to, and where different systems disagree. For the full system, see the seven chakras.
The seven chakra colors and what they mean
These are the colors I use on my pages and in my work, and the associations I was taught.
| Chakra | What the color points to |
|---|---|
| RootRed | MeaningSafety, grounding, vitality and the sense that your basic needs are met.Where systems differSome systems use black, brown or deep earth tones. |
| SacralOrange | MeaningCreativity, emotion, pleasure, worth and flow.Where systems differSystems largely agree on orange. A few use a warmer orange-red or peach. |
| Solar plexusYellow | MeaningPersonal power, will, confidence and a sense of who you are.Where systems differSome systems describe a deeper golden yellow, or gold. |
| HeartGreen | MeaningLove, compassion, forgiveness and connection.Where systems differSome systems use pink, or green and pink together. |
| ThroatBlue | MeaningCommunication, expression and truth.Where systems differSome systems use light blue, sky blue or turquoise. |
| Third eyeIndigo | MeaningIntuition, insight, imagination and clear seeing.Where systems differSome systems use purple or violet. |
| CrownViolet | MeaningConnection, meaning, spirit and wholeness.Where systems differMany systems use white, and some use gold. |
These are descriptions from energy traditions, not medical claims.
Why the colors differ between systems
You may notice charts disagree. The rainbow arrangement we use today is largely a Western convention. It grew out of color healers in the early 20th century and became popular in the 1970s. Older Indian texts describe colors for the chakras too, but they don't line up as a rainbow.
That's why you will see the heart as pink, the throat as turquoise, or the crown as white. None of them is wrong. They are different maps of the same territory, and the one that feels true in your body is the one to use.
Color in my Usui Shiki Ryoho training
My training manual lists red for the root, orange for the sacral, sun yellow for the solar plexus, green for the heart, sky blue for the throat, indigo blue for the third eye and violet for the crown. Those are the colors you will see across my chakra pages.
One of the simplest practices from my training works with color directly. You breathe in each color in turn, from red up through violet, and then white, and breathe out old energy as you go. I describe the full practice on Reiki chakra balancing.
White closing the sequence is one reason I mention it when I talk about the crown. Many systems treat white as the color that holds all the others.
A simple color practice
Offered as reflection and not as a prescription. Go slowly and stop any time.
- Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and take a few slow breaths. Feel your feet or your weight on the surface beneath you.
- Picture the color red, and breathe it in as if you are filling your lungs and body with it. Breathe out slowly, as if you are letting old energy go.
- Continue upward at your own pace: orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. A few breaths for each is plenty.
- Finish with white. Imagine it resting over the whole body like soft light.
- Ground afterward. Press your feet into the floor, take three slow breaths, and open your eyes slowly.
If this brings up something heavy, stop and ground in whatever way helps. A licensed trauma-informed therapist can offer support that goes beyond what a color practice can.
A free activation for balance and the returning light
Reiki for the Spring Equinox: Balance, Hope & the Light Returning is a Reiki activation I recorded for the equinox. It is free on my YouTube channel. Find a quiet spot, and let the colors come as they will.
Reiki for the Spring Equinox ยท Balance, Hope & the Light Returning
You can listen any time, and if you drift off along the way, let yourself. Nearly every activation I record works through the chakras, and I guide the energy to more than one.
More to listen to
Three more, one for each of three colors that systems often talk about.
Valentine's Day Reiki | Heart Chakra Activation
A heart chakra activation to open and receive love.
Listen on YouTube
Throat Chakra Reiki Activation | Speak Your Worth
A New Moon in Taurus throat chakra activation.
Listen on YouTube
Blue Moon in Sagittarius Reiki | Trust Your Inner Knowing
A Reiki activation for intuition and inner trust.
Listen on YouTubeKeep exploring
Where to go next from here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the seven chakra colors in order?
From the base of the spine up: red for the root, orange for the sacral, yellow for the solar plexus, green for the heart, blue for the throat, indigo for the third eye, and violet for the crown. Some systems add white at the very top.
What does each chakra color mean?
Red points to safety and grounding, orange to creativity and feeling, yellow to personal power, green to love and compassion, blue to expression and truth, indigo to intuition, and violet to connection and spirit. These are traditional associations, and not scientific claims.
Why are the chakras the colors of the rainbow?
The rainbow arrangement is mostly a Western convention. It grew out of early 20th century color healing and was popularized in the 1970s. Older Indian texts do describe colors for the chakras, but not a rainbow. It is a helpful teaching map, and not the only one.
Is the heart chakra green or pink?
Both appear in different systems. In my traditional Usui Shiki Ryoho training, green is the color of the heart chakra, and I use it on my pages. Many people also work with pink as the softer, more tender layer of the heart.
Is the crown chakra violet or white?
Both are used. Violet is the more common color on modern charts, and it is the color I use. White is used in many systems because it holds all the other colors together, and some use gold. In my training, the breath-and-color practice moves up through violet and then finishes with white.
Is the third eye indigo or purple?
Indigo is the traditional color, and many charts show purple or violet instead. My own training manual lists indigo blue. Treat the shade as a doorway and not a rule.
Do chakra colors matter for healing?
Many people find color a helpful way to focus attention, and it can make a practice feel more concrete. I don't make medical claims about color, and I can't promise any outcome. See chakra meditation for a guided way to use it.
What are the colors of the 12 chakras?
Beyond the seven, systems differ more. Earth star colors are often black, brown or deep red, and soul star colors are often white, gold or violet. I cover the extra chakras on my minor chakras page.
Guided by Carissa Andrews, Reiki Master and lineage holder.
Reiki is a complementary practice and not a substitute for medical or mental health care. No specific outcomes are promised or guaranteed. This page is educational and is not therapy or clinical advice.