Light Therapies: A complete guide to the Healing Power of Light

Jalal reviews Anadi Martel’s splendidly produced book about his research with light, health and wellbeing.

Light Therapies: A complete guide to the Healing Power of Light
by Anadi Martel
Publisher: Healing Arts Press (USA), a division of Inner Traditions
More info on light-therapies.com
Available as Paperback or Kindle from: amazon.com – amazon.co.uk – amazon.de – amazon.in
Also available in French, Le pouvoir de la lumière, from editions-tredaniel.com

I first remember hearing about Light Therapy, in the form of Colorpuncture, in the early 1990s, when Dr. Peter Mandel visited the Osho Resort in Pune, India. It seemed to me another new age therapy looking for a market. But I soon took notice as more and more therapists started incorporating it into their work. Since that time, Light Therapy, of which Colorpuncture is just one aspect, has become an important area of research in the scientific and medical community, particularly in the last 20 years.

 

Anadi Martel

Sw Anadideva (aka Anadi Martel) was at the forefront of all this. His interest in the effects of sound and light started at the end of the 1970s and in those days was considered as ‘bio-feedback’. When I first met him he was an electronics wizard with an interest in using sound and light to stimulate different types of brainwaves, particularly those associated with meditation (theta waves). And ideally placed in a hotbed of meditators in Pune, India.

Earning a MSc in Physics at the age of eighteen, he worked on quantum physics, general relativity and astrophysics. This started his fascination with light and the life of the photon. Since those early days he has continued his research and development through the decades, focussing more on light and colour while patiently waiting for science to catch up.

 

Sensora Room

Anadi has created an ongoing project called Sensora and a range of products, e.g light spheres (mood lights), light modulation projectors for therapy sessions, light noise detectors, etc.

Anadi is one of the founders of the International Light Association (ILA) and, until recently, President of ILA.

This beautifully produced book, with full-colour photos, diagrams and best print quality, covers the whole realm of Light Therapy, from the science of light, the history of light therapy and an overview of the existing light and colour therapies available today. It rounds the subject out with the use of light, colour and sound to enhance meditation and consciousness.

The book starts with the ancient origins of light therapy, from the time of Imhotep and the Ancient Egyptians up through the centuries to the most recent scientific and technological developments. He pays particular attention to the positive and negative effects of light, in particular, artificial lighting. There is also good basic coverage of what light is, what colour is and why they can have particularly potent effects on our energetic system as well as our physical bodies.

 

 

 

 

 

The second part of the book is a look at the three biological pathways that light uses to affect us. Visually, through the eyes. Non-visually, also through the eyes. And finally through photobiomodulation, at the cellular level. The visual pathway is the one that most of us are familiar with, as that is what we consciously see, and we can also be aware of a deeper level of seeing. Some colours are invigorating, others can be relaxing.

It is the other two pathways that are less known, but equally fascinating. The non-visual, for example in the production of melatonin, which affects our sleep rhythms, and in fact the whole subject of artificial lighting and its effect on our overall health. Finally there is photobiomodulation which studies the effect of light on the metabolism of our cells.

There is also an interesting chapter on the damaging effect that the “wrong” sort of artificial light can have on our bodies and energetic systems. For anyone sensitive to electronics and radio waves, this is an interesting section, but it is of interest to all of us.

The third part of the book takes a look at the cutting edge of light therapy with a look at what is called “energy medicine” or the more esoteric uses of colour and light. These are the therapies that are often known as “alternative medicine” and includes Colorpuncture, Chromotherapy and a host of others. We are also introduced to terms such as “vitalism” and “biophotons”. The final chapter of this section is an exhaustive overview of all the various therapies that are based on colour or light healing.

The book concludes with the cognitive aspects of light and using light to create a harmonious state of being. It starts with an introduction to resonance and harmony and how this can influence our state of mind and our brain waves. And ultimately our overall health. This section leads on into enlightenment, consciousness, meditation with the harmonic uses of sound and light.

The book has a great balance of science and therapy. Those who are reading it for information about therapy will also learn a lot about the science, those interested in the science will learn a lot about the application of the science in therapeutic situations.

Light Therapies is essential reading for anyone who works with light in any form, particularly for healing and therapy. The way the book is produced make the scientific sections easily digestible, with lots of colourful drawings and illustrations. And the overview of the various therapies is wide ranging and thorough.

Using light and sound to enhance consciousness has been Anadi’s main interest all along, as I remember from when I first met him. The research and technology was not ready, but he already had the vision. It is great to see that he is finding the science to put it all into practice.

 

Jalal

Jalal is a software developer and sound engineer, working from Bristol, UK.