Yellow is the most cheerful of the healing rays. If you are feeling gloomy then yellow is the color to lift your mood; it is a real pick me up and supports a positive mindset.

In Color Healing yellow is used as an effective anti-depressant color. Interestingly one of the most potent and popular herbs used to treat depression, St John’s Wort, bears bright yellow flowers. Yellow is the color of the Sun and SAD is a condition caused by lack of light and sunshine.

Yellow is the color associated with the Solar Plexus chakra. Again we have a reference to the Sun in the name. As the Sun supplies the energy for life on Earth, so the Solar Plexus is a centre of vital energy within us. Without a healthy Solar Plexus we feel tired and lacking in drive. Having a short sunbathe can really perk up our energy. I like to sit in the Sun whenever possible, which is a pleasure that isn’t to be taken for granted here in Wales!

Yellow is a stimulant for mental activity, therefore having yellow around when studying can be beneficial. It is the color of the mental body which is the subtle layer of the aura linked to our thought patterns.

Yellow suits areas of the home where you want to be wide awake, such as a kitchen or a study. You could place a vase of yellow flowers, such as sunflowers, on your desk to help you stay mentally alert. My own kitchen is a lovely sunny yellow color with a white ceiling, reminding me of lemon meringue pie! Yellow foods include corncobs, bananas, yellow peppers, honey and lemons. A squeeze of lemon juice in a glass of water is a great way to start your day.

In crystal healing one of the commonest yellow stones is citrine, the yellow form of quartz. I prefer natural citrine, which is a paler yellow than the heat treated amethyst which is also sold commercially as citrine. Calcites are available in a range of yellow, honey and golden shades. I also enjoy using imperial topaz, yellow opal which has a very sunshiny feeling to it and heliodor, which is the golden form of beryl.

One of my favourite crystal nets for ‘blowing away the cobwebs’ and clearing heavy thought patterns is the Air Net devised by Sue and Simon Lilly. Use a sunny yellow cloth and six clear quartz points. Lie on the cloth and place the points all facing outwards around you, above your head, below your feet, one on either side of your shoulders and one either side of your thighs. Lie back and relax for around ten minutes and repeat several times a week, making sure you cleanse the crystals after each use.

If you would like to try more crystal nets and other crystal healing techniques you may enjoy Crystal Healing: The Practical Guide to Using Crystals for Health and Well-Being by Sue Lilly which is a very handy guide to treatments you can use for your own well being.