The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.

–Mark Van Doren

The great teacher is not the man who supplies the most facts, but the one in whose presence we become different people.

–Ralph Waldo Emerson

As a medical intuitive and The Queen of Color™ this week I am writing a companion piece on autism. Autism can often be referred to as “autism spectrum disorder” (ASD) and the word “spectrum” should be noticed as there is an entire wave of individuals diagnosed with some form of autism. In a sense, it is a “catch-all”  for behavioral patterns that fall within certain categories involving communication and interaction challenges.

Well, I can’t be the Queen of Color and not be drawn to the word spectrum! In my Thursday’s Kick! I talked about the young man teaching with Autism that was the “white-lighter”. In this sense he was vibrating to the entire energy spectrum, which was why his energy field was so bright and so white.

In the additive theory of color, one adds light and all colors in this light spectrum create white. In the subtractive theory of color, one adds pigment, and all colors in this pigment spectrum create black. Our energy is light energy, our environment is pigment, and one does influence the other. Our emotions influence our energy, our colors and the colors we see and wear influence our physiological and psychological makeup.

Not all people experiencing or teaching from autism have a pure white energy field, they are individual souls just like we are. They can be influenced by others and by their environment just like we can be influenced. Many though, do have a lot going on in their energetic system, particularly outside of their body. There is a static “cloud” of energy around them, but I do notice more on their left side than their right. My reasoning for that is because they are open to a lot of direction and guidance, but also open to a lot of extra information and chaos that can sometimes filter through from the “other side”.

It is this energy, this static (you could even call it white noise) that can keep them charged and constantly trying to ground. I have some information here from the Mayo Clinic’s site about autism.

Children with autism generally have problems in three crucial areas of development

-       social interaction

-       language

-       behavior

But because the symptoms of autism vary greatly, two children with the same diagnosis may act quite differently and have strikingly different skills. In most cases, though, the most severe autism is marked by a complete inability to communicate or interact with other people.

Many children show signs of autism in early infancy. Other children may develop normally for the first few months or years of life but then suddenly become withdrawn, aggressive or lose language skills they’ve already acquired.

Young children with autism also have a hard time sharing experiences with others. When read to, for example, they’re unlikely to point at pictures in the book. This early-developing social skill is crucial to later language and social development.

As they mature, some children with autism become more engaged with others and show less marked disturbances in behavior. Some, usually those with the least severe problems, eventually may lead normal or near-normal lives. Others, however, continue to have great difficulty with language or social skills, and the adolescent years can mean a worsening of behavior problems.

I put this in because it is interesting to note that it is communication and interaction which is the greatest challenge for those with autism. I go into more detail about this in my Kick! and this entry is about the colors I see around them. Knowing what they have “in common” can be a clue to help us provide solutions.

In reality, it is not about the colors I see with autism, it is about the colors I don’t see. Why would they be so grounded and scattered? One’s first choice would be something solid or grounding like a brown or earthtone to help keep them in their body. Not a bad idea, and it definitely won’t hurt (that is why horses are so wonderful with autistic people).

I often see a complete depletion of yellow energy in their energy field. But knowing the facts, it really does make sense.

Yellow is all about ego and intellect, but it is also about processing, self, self-worth, and value. I remember being asked to consult for St. Joseph’s Hospital in South Bend, Indiana regarding the therapy room they had for infants and toddlers. The facility was rather cramped and sad but also lacked space and storage for all of the therapy tools and toys. Studying the sessions and discerning the function of the room, the facilities available and the facts about what the objectives were led to my suggestion to paint the ceiling a nice pale yellow.

Why the ceiling? Most of the children were on their back, on the floor, looking up. The solar plexus (yellow energy center) is the stomach area, and that is our most vulnerable part. We protect that center more than any other part of our body, whether it is through weight gain around our middle to protect self, or just covering that area with our hands or arms when we talk with someone threatening or about something threatening.

They were worked with while on their back, often given tasks as well as given things to process or think about at the same time. Opening themselves up to this energy can help influence their thinking and their process paths. Pale yellow is suggested rather than a real bright yellow because you do not want to over stimulate their energetic system and create nervousness or agitation.

Many of the children being tested and treated were also autistic, although fifteen years ago, autism was not thrown around like it is today. And noticing that many had a depletion in their yellow energy gave me the insight to introduce more yellow into their environment in order to help them process. It also helps them establish a sense of self and helps keep them on the ground and grounded. Yellow is good for all babies, not just those with processing challenges. Think about it, all babies process all the time.

Also, for those of you with children teaching with autism, I would be curious to know what their favorite colors are? Often they can be drawn to the exact colors they need, as we all can, but I would be curious to know if there is a pattern with color and autism.

Next week, I will share a personal story with you that will explain why autism is something near and dear to my heart. I want to add my little plea here for Copper Crest, and if you already donated on my Thursday Kick! Then sign off and I will see you next week, otherwise, Copper Crest Therapeutic Riding Academy is like so many other small non-profits these days, it is being squeezed tight by the economy. But even more so, there are individuals that can benefit from this program.

Your donation allows us to provide services to those that otherwise could not participate. Copper Crest is my charity of choice because I am there, I volunteer, raise money, and donate money to keep the program running. I am very fortunate, I can see on a weekly basis how your donation brings joy and makes a difference in the lives of others. Remember, money is energy! Please consider donating. Any amount of “energy” is appreciated!

Why do we need so many kinds of apples? Because there are so many folks. A person has a right to gratify his legitimate taste. If he wants twenty or forty kinds of apples for his personal use…he should be accorded the privilege. There is merit in variety itself. It provides more contact with life, and leads away from uniformity and monotony.

– Liberty Hyde Baily

Millions saw the apple fall,

but Newton was the one who asked why.

– Bernard M. Baruch

Again, like last week, I am resurrecting some of my first videos, as many new subscribers have not seen these, and they are worth seeing. This week is about the color of apples and how your favorite apple can represent certain aspects of your life.

Before you go and think I am reaching for subject matter, this came about in a lively discussion about the benefits of apples, particularly in your weight release journey. At least one (if not two) apples a day are a wonderful addition to your diet and your day. I just happen to take it one step further!

This was a fun video series, with lots of feedback! So I am putting it out here for all to enjoy, and for those that have seen it to be reminded of the information (guidance) we receive constantly when we pay attention to color in our lives! We are attracted to certain colors for a reason!

In two decades I’ve lost a total of 789 pounds.

I should be hanging from a charm bracelet.

-Erma Bombeck

I am resurrecting one of my first videos where I talk about the power of the color yellow in the weight release process. I also mention (and show you) my yellow water glass and talk about using color to support your weight release efforts.

I have had many requests over the past month for a yellow cup, which I give out at my Weight Release Workshops…so stay tuned as I have just finished designing my signature cup and will make it available to you very soon! Enjoy the video (and notice since this video was taken, I have released another 30 pounds…all with my yellow cup! It really does work…how? Because I believe it does.

Have a great week! Blessings, Catherine

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When a defining moment comes along, you can do one of two things. Define the moment or let the moment define you.

–Tin Cup

The freedom to choose can be very stimulating for us- indeed without it life would be dull and uninteresting. The right to choose, or free will if you like, is a precious gift and we can easily lose it by letting ourselves get so hidebound by habit that we forget the art of choosing wisely.

–Francis Gay

I often tie this entry to my Thursday Kick! In some way or another. I decided at the last minute to write about The Other Wes Moore and the numerological implications of two men with the same common name vibration. There were actually two themes that kept popping up for me and, in the process of choosing, I realized the humor in it, as I was deciding on The Color of Opportunity or The Color of Choice. There you have it, I needed to choose choice!

Some of us are so afraid of making the wrong choice that we make none at all. The result is that you become stuck, depressed, even frozen in your job, relationships, life in general. The news is that there is no wrong choice, there are only choices. Life is a journey and you will be given the opportunities you need in order to fulfill your purpose on this earth. The scenic route may take a little longer, but who is to say that the scenic route will not put you in the right place at the right time? It is all about choosing to move forward more than anything.

Choice is all about free will. What makes us human is our power to think and to choose for ourselves. We often panic or freeze when the answers, the choices, are not clear. What you need to realize is that there are no mistakes, no wrong choices. It is about following your heart and knowing where you want to be in order to be happy. Only you can choose to be happy and you cannot compromise your happy for someone else to be happy. Eventually it catches up with you and you feel stuck and not in control of your life (or your choices!).

Within your energetic system, there are really two areas that represent choice, choosing, or making a decision and depending on what color surrounds those areas, I can often discern what the decision entails. One area is feet, your feet represent moving forward, putting your best foot forward, or even moving backwards! I often look at feet first to get an indication of where you are in your journey, and from there I can often begin my observations, guidance, and suggestions.

The next area would be the hands. Your hands represent an extension of your self, your heart center, and is all about relationships. These relationships are not just personal, they are professional as well as personal, family as well as acquaintances. In a sense, your hands can be about choices for relationships and people you want around you (or don’t want around you).

Feet are about choices regarding the direction you want to take your life, self, career, family…but in a more fundamental sense of choice.

I did an entry not too long ago on the color of change, and explained that there are two types of change, the gradual slow moving shift, which is green energy and represents new beginnings and new relationships. The other change is the fast swift moving, even tidal wave of change that is brought in with the color red.

The Color of Choice is red, and it is all around us prompting us to make choices and to make them quickly. From a marketing perspective, which is my background…red prompts the customer to not only make a choice, but to make it quickly as a matter of survival…a matter of moving on…moving out…and doing it quickly. Think of vilator tags, or point of purchase tags, they are red to get our attention, but they are also red to get us to make a choice and make it quick.

Red also prompts our survival emotions center, that base center, so when we see a red Sale sign, we are prompted on an emotional level to respond. “We need this to survive, we need to act quickly…choose now” Why? In part from a psychological standpoint, when we see blood, which is red, we are programmed to act quickly, to choose quickly almost without thinking.

I watched a special last week on Coca Cola on MSNBC and I loved it. They addressed the branding of the bottle, the association with Coke, the color red, Santa and how they use the Christmas ads to build an emotional connection with the product. They build on the family, foundation, and tradition…with Coke being the center of the celebrations. Coke is The Real Thing…All of this is psychologically and energetically supported by the color red in the branding. It is about choice, and when emotions are introduced into the marketing, the branding, then the choice is always going to be where your heart is.

Some of you may remember my rant last year on The Color of Pepsi…it is not an accident that their design pushed up the volume of the color red in their logo, in a sense going for the “choice” vote with the customer. However, it does not work because it is not just about color, it is also about where that color is located, what it is “doing” and the amount of color in the mark…a corporate brand has energy and communicates in a non-verbal venue, just like a person’s energetic system! And again, Coke branded the emotions of family traditions along side its product. It is all about emotions, after all, that is what we are here on this earth to experience, and why we work the an energetic system that is not only “in living color” but all about emotion centers.

So, back to a person’s energetic system…Red at the feet is all about choices, right then and there. It is jumping from the frying pan into the fire, whether you want to make that decision or not…chances are it has already been made. If it is just your left foot, then it is about accepting choice and moving forward with it. If it is just your right foot, then it is about choosing to release something or someone in order to move forward.

Hands are about working, doing, but also about relationships. A red right hand is about a choice to release something, usually work related, or at least related somehow to something that could be described as “work” (I have been in a few of those relationships!) Left hand is about choosing to allow something or someone into your life, your work…and could also indicate that you have your work cut out for you…just busy stuff…

Be genuine in your choices, be genuine to yourself and you will find that having choices brings a sense of freedom and well-being, rather than panic and self-evaluation. I did an entry way back last year and talked about asking for guidance…I would often ask for “a sign” but with frustration I decided one day to ask for a billboard instead! Yes, it was provided!

I choose to have a great week! I trust you will choose the same. Blessings to you.

Catherine