• Incandescent lights with a dimmer switch can be especially helpful. They can also help distinguish day from night; bright for day, and very dim for nighttime. However, these lights can have a short shelf life and can create a lot of heat, so use ones with long lasting, heavy duty tungsten filaments. 
• LED lights create a bright light, ranging in frequency on the kelvin scale with 3000 K being close to incandescent lighting and 7000 K reaching more blue like fluorescence in hospitals. Flashlights, lamps, and ceiling fixtures all usually have an option with LED lighting and can be made to give off any frequency of light including 5500 K, which is closest to natural daylight. LED lighting is the popular choice amongst professionals today. 
• Set-up work and play areas near windows with large amounts of natural light shining through. Natural light can help improve mood, attitude and concentration levels in children and adults. 
• Rainbows are very balancing and healing, monochromatic color schemes much more calming. Blue is said to have a sedative effect on humans. For those who struggle with depression, they might be more calmed by warmer mono color schemes like red, orange, or purple.  Whereas, those who tend to be more on the hyperactive end of the spectrum usually benefit more from greens, blues, and purples. 

A celebration of light. That’s my short version of what the March equinox is. As day and night are equal on March 20^th and the sun sits directly above the equator, we truly begin our descent into spring and light begins to tip the scale towards becoming the dominant part of our days.

The long version, of course, would describe how the March equinox marks the time when the Northern Hemisphere of earth tilts towards the sun, allowing for longer, sunnier days and shorter periods of dark for some parts of the world, and the opposite for the rest. Sometimes referred to as the Vernal Equinox (vernal meaning fresh or new like spring), the equinox is marked by large and small scale celebrations depending on culture.

Light is so impactful to our health both mentally and physically that we absolutely should be celebrating it!

                - Easter eggs, also known as Paschal eggs, are symbolic for fertility and rebirth which directly aligns with the March equinox theme of new beginnings. Try hiding some Easter eggs in the traditional Easter egg hunt, or egg dancing, where eggs are laid down on the floor and participants dance around while not trying to damage them.

                - Balancing eggs on the day of the March equinox is supposed to bring good luck a prosperity according to ancient Chinese tradition. There’s a myth that claims that eggs can only be balanced on their end during the March equinox. Give it a try!

                - No-Ruz, the Iranian New Year, occurs during the March equinox. For 3000 years No-Ruz has been observed, with traditional activities including buying new clothes for family members and thoroughly cleaning homes (spring cleaning, anyone?). Wheat or lentil are grown on flat dishes just days before the New Year as a representation of new growth.

                - In Japan, Higan is a week of Buddhist services during both the March and September equinox. Higan means “other shore”. This is a celebration of the move made by spirits from the world of suffering to the world of enlightenment.

                - Lastly, March 20^th (the original Earth Day) is a day for people from all different cultures to come together to promote clean and sustainable living. Some activities include planting trees, picking up trash, or starting up recycling programs at work.

How will you celebrate the coming March equinox?   

Maybe you’ve recently seen the hashtag #colortherapy popping up all over your Facebook and Twitter newsfeeds. Even Instagramers are taking to posting photos of their #colortherapy creations, and just about everyone who has tried is raving about this new type of stress-reliever, praised as being even more effective than yoga.

What is #colortherapy? In the land of social media, it’s the new adult coloring book craze. I was intrigued when I first heard about it. I definitely get it. I love to play with colors and am excited that more people are joining in on the fun. I wonder though, do color book enthusiasts really know the full story on color therapy and how big a favor they’re doing themselves by lighting up their life with color?

Color therapy is also known as chromotherapy, a method of treatment that uses the visible spectrum of electromagnetic radiation to promote a healthy mind and body, and helps balance our individual chakras (our body’s energy). Color is absorbed not just by our eyes but also our skin which means that light and color therapy affect us on all levels, physical, spiritual and emotional. In short, color is healing.

Incredibly, our bodies need the sun’s light to survive and that light can be broken down into a seven color spectrum as named / created by Newton himself. You know this spectrum, you see it after the storm clouds pass in the form of a beautiful rainbow. Each color of the rainbow when used correctly can address and alleviate specific wellness needs.

Here are some examples of how color can be used as an alternative treatment (for a full definition of what chakras are and how they affect you, check out this article):

• Red, of all the colors, has the slowest rate of vibration and the longest wavelength. It can be used to infuse energy and to fight anemia and cold feelings, or numbness. Red is associated with the Root Chakra.

• It makes sense that orange is present in things associated with warmth like sunlight and fire, since the color orange can be a tool to combat depression. Use orange light if you’re suffering from gout or ulcers. Orange is connected to the Sacral Chakra.

• Green, often found in nature, affects the Heart Chakra. Surround yourself with green when you’re seeking harmony, or to alleviate chest pain.

• Yellow is best known for its ability to uplift, instill joy and help concentration. Yellow lighting is often used to help with jaundice, and controls the Solar Plexus Chakra.

• As the Throat Chakra color, Blue light can be a remedy for laryngitis, the hiccups, or influenza. Try using blue to soothe stress and promote tranquility.

• For a deeper connection to your spirituality, grab some Indigo. The Third Eye Chakra of Indigo is a combination of both Blue and Red, and has a stabilizing, freeing affect.

• Lastly, if you’re fighting an earache, you may want to try basking in a Purple glow. Sometimes known as the color of royalty, Purple is the Crown Chakra, or a go to color for mental wellness.

The takeaway here is that no color is bad, and all colors are beneficial. I recommend using every color possible in your daily life, whether through #colortherapy or some adding some new Mood-Light additions to your home. Remember, there’s no wrong way to use color.