What is an Aura and is it Real?
Maybe you’ve heard of auras before? That’s the term that we use to refer to the energy a living organism emits. As humans, we emit a very low-level electromagnetic field, which some people can “see,” and even more can sense.
Think of someone who projects nervous energy, and you might just be thinking of their aura. Or maybe you’ve heard of someone giving off “bad vibes?” This is just a non-technical way of saying they are projecting negative energy through their aura.
Auras have an eastern origin
Auras have been depicted in art for centuries—even halos in religious art are, arguably, a depiction of an aura. Depending on the culture, auras are often shown as vivid colors or white light around the body. According to Healthline, ancient cultures described auras as having seven layers, which correspond to your physical, mental and emotional health.
In Hindu and Buddhist traditions, the aura is said to correspond to and flow through the chakras, or the seven energy centers within the body: root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye and the crown.
Is your aura real? What does it look like?
Every living creature gives off an electromagnetic field, whether you believe in or can see vividly colored auras or not. Whether you can “tune in” and see or otherwise sense the aura, you’ve probably had experiences where you could sense someone’s mood or feelings without them saying anything. That’s a product of tapping into their vibrational field.
The seven layers of auras present themselves in different ways. When you get your aura photographed, you might see it as large splotches of bright colors surrounding you in an egg shape, whereas other people have said that they can see a thin white light around a person or animal’s body.
If you want to see your aura without a camera, you can—it just takes practice! Try looking in the mirror, relaxing and squinting your eyes. You will probably start seeing a fuzzy white light surrounding your body. The more you practice, the easier it will be for you to start seeing colors. That’s your aura!
Photographing and interpreting auras
Auras can be photographed. With most aura photography, to see the body’s electromagnetic field on film, you place your hands on an electrically charged metal plate. The special camera can then pick up on the electromagnetic field and renders the aura as colorful, hazy light surrounding the body.
According to Radiant Human, a roving aura photography business, you can interpret auras according to color theory. Red, for example, represents passion and activity, where blue represents intuition and sensitivity. The darker your aura is, the lower your energy levels are likely to be. If you have multiple colors, you might be a more complex person—but if you don’t have any colors, not to worry. You might just be in a peaceful or meditative state.
The lower left-hand corner shows the energy that’s coming into your field, or how you view the world, whereas the right is the energy that’s leaving your aura. If there’s an arch in your photo, that represents a goal or ideal you hold in high esteem.
Connecting auras and chakras
Chakras and auras aren’t the same thing, but they’re interconnected. Chakras are the body’s energy centers, whereas auras are the manifestation of the energy a person is producing. Sometimes aura photos can show particular colors over your chakras, displaying exactly what kind of energy that chakra is giving off.
Each layer of your aura (remember, there are 7, just as there are 7 chakras) corresponds to your chakras and entire being, from your physical self to your emotional and spiritual being. Your aura colors indicate which areas you might need to work on and which are balanced.
Can your aura change?
Yes! Your aura is constantly in a state of flux, depending on what’s happening in your life and your emotional or spiritual state. How often it changes will depend on how much inner work you’re doing, along with reaching certain life milestones and grappling with your emotions. You can cleanse your aura and improve your energy by using meditation, positive affirmations, positive visualization, energy healing and smudging yourself with sage smoke.
No matter what your aura looks like right now, it can be a fascinating way to approach meditation, yoga and your other spiritual practices. Think of it like a roadmap to your entire being—use this “cheat sheet” to check in and see what you’re projecting.
