When she opens her heart to the wonders of the world, she doesn’t need to go in search of adventure; it finds her effortlessly. She embraces new challenges with open arms and feels brimming with inspiration. Each day offers an opportunity to create beauty.Then, suddenly, doubt creeps in. Her ego whispers fears and uncertainties. The road ahead feels endless. Is it all worth the effort? What if she never reaches her destination? Again and again, that suffocating sense of having to start all over returns.

Sometimes words aren’t enough. Your head feels full, yet you don’t want to explain everything. Still, there’s a need for clarity, perspective and a sense of control. In moments like these, colour can be surprisingly effective. Journaling with colour isn’t about creating beautiful pages or having artistic talent. It’s about making space for what you think and feel. Colour reaches a layer that goes deeper than language. It helps you recognise emotions, notice patterns and respond more intuitively. All you need is a pencil or a marker.Why use colour in your journalColour is a form of language your body often understands more easily than words. Every colour evokes something: a mood, a memory, a reaction. Red feels different from blue. Yellow has a different effect from green. Without overthinking, you usually know which colour fits your mood on a particular day. By adding colour to your writing, you create more depth. Your journal becomes not only a place for reflection, but also a visual overview of your inner world.

When you work with colour, giving colours their own names can make a real difference. Not just light green or blue, but words that make a colour personal. Such as rain after a summer’s day or mum’s velvet dress. By naming a colour, you begin to see it differently. It’s no longer just a shade, but an experience.Why does this work?

In August 2023, I read Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor Garcia. Since then, I have been exploring how the concept of Ikigai can be translated into colour. Over the course of eight months, I experimented on myself, testing how this method could be applied in practice in combination with colour. This journey of exploration led me back to nature and ultimately enabled me to activate the four components of Ikigai using 110 natural colours.I assigned each component a colour based on the Colour Comfort Method. I then examined each component individually, approaching it from different perspectives. With every shift in perspective, the base colour remained the same, but its shade changed. These variations in shade represented the actions required to bring each perspective into practice.The four components are:

There are moments when two seemingly separate worlds touch and something new comes into being. Language and colour appear, at first glance, to belong to different realms, each with its own logic and mode of expression. Language is rational, structured and often fixed in meaning; colour is sensory, emotional and fluid. Yet when these two meet, a synergy emerges that deepens and enriches the human experience. It is as if an additional sense is awakened, one that transcends the boundaries of words and images and speaks to the whole being.Language has the power to articulate thoughts and bring order to the chaos of life. But words have their limits. They cannot always fully capture the nuance of a feeling, the complexity of an experience or the depth of a thought. This is precisely where colour comes into play. Colour speaks the language of emotion and of deeper layers of our being that are not always easily expressed in words. Where language seeks precision and structure, colour allows space for freedom, movement and feeling.

Colour is not merely a vibration or a psychological effect. In colour alchemy, colour is understood as living energy: an archetypal field in which consciousness resides. Every colour carries not only meaning, but also direction, rhythm and force. Colour alchemy is therefore not about using colour, but about collaborating with it. Colour becomes a partner, teacher, mirror and guide. Each hue opens a distinct field of consciousness, with its own lessons, challenges and gifts.

Colour is all around us. We sense it intuitively, yet behind every shade lies a fascinating interplay of physics, chemistry and perception. In this article, we explore primary, secondary, and tertiary colours through the history of pigments, the basics of colour theory and practical use. We also look a little deeper: what exactly is the difference between colour and pigment? And how are they connected?Colour versus pigment: what’s the difference?

Colour is a fundamental part of human experience, closely intertwined with art, culture, religion and science. From the earliest cave paintings to contemporary digital design, it has shaped how we perceive and interpret the world around us. This article explores the origins of colour pigments, the rise of synthetic dyes and the cultural and psychological meanings colours have carried throughout history. It also examines how colour perception has evolved in response to technological innovation, social change and intercultural exchange.Origins of Natural PigmentsPrehistoric timesThe earliest known artworks, including cave paintings, were created using natural pigments. Red ochre, an iron oxide, was used as far back as 70,000 years ago in African sites. Other pigments included charcoal for black and ground limestone for white, often mixed with animal fat or plant oils to form paint. These colours likely held ritual or spiritual meaning. Their use was closely linked to local availability and research into pigment origins offers insight into early human migration and trade; some materials were not native to the regions where they were found, implying exchange or long-distance transport.AntiquityIn ancient Egypt, pigments such as Egyptian blue and malachite green were produced from minerals and used in murals, sculpture and cosmetics. Egyptian blue is considered the first synthetic pigment, composed of silica, limestone, copper ore and natron. Across China and Mesopotamia, similar techniques created vibrant artworks. In ancient Rome, cinnabar (mercury sulphide) was prized for its rich red colour despite its toxicity. In the Andes, cochineal, derived from scale insects, produced a brilliant natural red. These examples show that colour played a significant role in identity, status and religion from an early stage.

Colour plays a powerful role in our lives, especially when we connect intuitively with our creative energy through the colours around us. It’s fascinating to see how colour shapes our behaviour, inspires creative expression and guides us on a journey of self-discovery.The influence of colour on emotions and behaviourColour has a direct impact on how we feel and respond to the world. It can soothe, energise or uplift us. When we’re deeply in touch with our intuitive and emotional side, colour becomes a meaningful tool for sparking creativity. Warm tones such as red and orange can ignite energy and passion, encouraging enthusiasm and spontaneity. Cooler shades like blue and green create a calm, reflective atmosphere; perfect for moments of meditation or visualisation.