The aura is another word for the energy body, which manifests as a colorful energy field around the body. All humans have an aura, all living beings have an aura, and I think it is possible for most people to see and read auras.
The human aura is a reflection of someone’s energy which is developed over the course of their lifetime and also reflects their current state of being. Our aura color will depend on how our being has developed over time, along with the perspective we bring to that experience.
Someone with a clear aura is more likely to view the world with a neutral perspective, whereas a person with a cloudy or dark aura is more likely to view the world through the lens of the past.
Because each individual’s aura is slightly different, we can gain a lot of valuable insight by reading our own or others. In this post I want to walk you through a practical step by step guide to seeing and reading auras.
What is an aura?
You probably have a rough idea of what an aura is, but let’s explore what the aura is comprised of further.
The human aura extends about a foot beyond the physical body, getting lighter as it reaches the edges. The inner core of the aura which is most noticeable, represents our deeper being (our true self), while the outer edges more accurately represent our current state of being and mood.
The aura is like our second body consisting of the seven chakras, a subtle emanation around the physical body that and is said to reveal information about our health.
Each person’s aura is a slightly different size and shape, and operates at a distinct frequency or speed. The aura also has specific characteristics such as different patches of color in specific areas, holes or tears.
Kirlian photography is the most widely known attempt at photographing this aura using physical cameras and electrical apparatus.
Layers of the aura
There are said to be seven distinct layers of the aura which make up its overall composition; these relate to different levels of consciousness.
Etheric body: closest to the physical body, most connected to the root chakra and the easiest to see.
Emotional body: connected to the sacral chakra. This layer appears to shift most fluidly and frequently, reflecting our emotions moment-to-moment. This is also where we can see more deep-rooted emotional blockages and trauma.
Mental body: connected to the solar plexus chakra. This layer links to our cognitive/mental processes, can brighten during mentally stimulating activities and creative focus.
Astral body: connected to the heart chakra. This is where we form energy cords with others, it governs relationships and deeper love.
Etheric template body: connected to the throat chakra. Holds the blueprint of your physical body and how this interacts with your environment; governs expression.
Celestial body: connected to the third eye chakra; connects us to our guides, angels, loved ones etc.
Casual body: connected to the crown chakra. Holds information about the soul/soul purpose, past lifetimes and karmic bonds. Represents oneness, divine guidance, connection to God or Source.
When you look at an aura you’ll get an idea of someone’s physicality, how secure and grounded they are. As you linger on the chakra, colors start to develop which pertain to these higher/subtler levels of consciousness.
How to see auras
Before we proceed with aura viewing exercises, I think it’s important to set some groundwork.
Before trying to view auras, ask yourself what your intention is. Do you wish to gain this capability because it seems like a particularly spiritual cool or thing to do?
Being able to see auras is a popular topic online because of how attractive such a thing appears. Who wouldn’t want to see beautiful colors around each person they meet, and be able to tell how a person’s energy is operating with a clear visual.
Clairvoyance (the psychic sense of seeing) has been popularized in the media, and it’s the first ability we associate with spiritually enlightened beings. However strong clairvoyance is quite uncommon compared to clairsentience (clear-feeling) or claricognizance (clear-knowing), which are much more subtle psychic abilities.
The more we strain ourselves trying to see auras the less likely we are to actually perceive them. This is because the ego will inevitably take over. Instead, proceed with these exercises once you have a solid meditation practice and are already comfortable working with your own energy.
This way, viewing auras becomes less about having some special gift and moreso about organically expanding your senses.
How to see your own aura
The first way you can begin to see auras is by attempting to view your own. This is generally easier as you don’t need to find someone else to help you and there will likely be less distraction & judgement.
- Meditate beforehand.
- Get the setting/lighting to your liking.
- Extend your hand with palm facing towards you in front of a white/blank wall.
- Focus in on the center of your palm, switch to peripheral vision.
- Notice if you can see an outline.
- Patiently wait for any colors to form.
You probably won’t be able to see your aura the first time, this is normal. For a lot of us these psychic senses aren’t well developed. Just like muscles, they have to be worked consistently before you see results.
If you don’t see your aura right way don’t be discouraged, come back to the exercise another time and stay consistent.
How well we are able to perceive auras has a lot to do with how active/open our third eye is. This chakra is widely underappreciated in the sense that it takes a lot more work to open than we might expect.
All of our third eyes are open to some extent, we can see this when we dream or have spontaneous out of body experiences. We might experience visions or mental ideas about something before something happens (however infrequent).
However to develop the third eye to a consistent level takes deep careful work. Just like working out a muscle, it isn’t a race but a marathon.
How to see someone else’s aura
The second way you can practice auric viewing is by trying to view someone else’s aura. Find a willing participant such as a trusted friend or partner, you might want to ask them to wear a white/light colored shirt.
- Meditate beforehand.
- Get the setting/lighting to your liking.
- Ask your participant to stand a few feet in front of you, in front of a white/blank wall.
- Take some deep breaths and calm your mind.
- Look at the person’s nose or third eye area.
- Unfocus your eyes and switch to peripheral vision.
- Try to notice an outline around their body (white or translucent).
- Continue to remain relaxed and see if any colors start to form.
When working with others it’s important to try to push our expectations/ideas about them to the side. We don’t want to distort what we see or unconsciously force a particular color because we associate that with the person, or because we want to perceive a ‘positive’ color.
It’s best practice to view the auras of people who give us consent to doing so. Viewing an aura is kind of like seeing someone naked, we should ask for permission. This is why it’s best to ask someone who you trust and who already knows about these practices (or is at least open to them) so that our experience is not skewed by judgement.
How to read auras
Reading auras is a little different to seeing auras, and it’s something we are doing all of the time, whether we realize it or not. When you get a good feeling about someone, or feel they have good vibes, it’s often the aura that you are tuning into.
Even if we are able to see the aura colors, they don’t mean much unless they are accompanied by some other sense. For example, the color red doesn’t actually mean anything to us unless it also evokes some emotion or is a reference point for something else.
- Get into a meditation.
- Spend a few minutes focused on the breath calming the mind.
- Close your eyes and focus on the spot between your eyebrows.
- Start to visualize the color red in the center of your vision.
- Try to hold this color for as long as you can without distraction.
- Note how this color makes you feel.
- Write these impressions down.
When I first did this exercise I think I was able to hold the color red for about five seconds before my thoughts shifted to some other focus. It’s surprising how quickly our focus can wander, especially if we don’t already have a meditation practice.
You can use these meanings as a personal reference point for what certain aura colors mean when you do begin to see them clearly.
It’s one thing to read off a list of aura color meanings and they can be a good reference, but it’s important to also incorporate our own intuition. Our psychic vision is heavily influenced by cultural/collective interpretations, and our personal perspective will also play a part in what is shown.
Although we are always tuning into other people’s auras, there are things we can do to sharpen this sense and read them more clearly.
What we pick up from someone’s aura is neutral – it’s just information, however the conclusion we reach based on this information is informed by our personal or cultural biases, and what we are already expecting.
So to read someone’s aura clearly is a matter of taking this information in neutrally. Practice not labelling the insights you receive straight away, allow them to flow, notice what sensations are there and what emotions are coming up.
Be introspective and ask yourself questions. Notice if the sensations remind you of something from the past, and be conscious of where might you pull from negative experience. How can you view people’s energy from a blank slate?
Aura color meanings
In my work I have found that most people have a prominent aura color from the red to blue range, these represent the lower chakras which are closely linked to physical existence. As you move out from the center you can begin to see specks of indigo, violet, white, gold etc. These colors have a deeper metaphysical significance.
The aura color meanings are closely linked to the seven chakras, so you can use them as a rough guide when discerning for yourself.
Red: This color represents a person who is particularly grounded; connected to the Earth, someone who is secure in themselves and provides a safe space for others.
Orange: A person with an orange aura tends to be creative; in control of their emotions, brightening up any room they walk into.
Yellow: Someone with a yellow aura color is particularly empowered; they don’t gain power through controlling others, but through knowing themselves. They are strong-willed and motivated.
Green: The green aura color is related to the heart. A person with a bright green energy field is brimming with love, acceptance and expresses themselves honestly but with compassion.
Blue: A blue aura signifies a person with good communication skills; they take up space and aren’t afraid to make noise. They are someone you can depend on, someone who always has your back.
Indigo: A person with an indigo aura tends to be very perceptive, they see several steps ahead. They’re the sort of person who people come to for advice, guidance and comfort.
Violet: The violent aura represents being highly tuned into the higher realms – the astral planes of spiritual guidance and higher consciousness.
White: White is the first of the more rare aura colors, as white represents a certain level of purity which is attained after careful long-term energetic practice.
Gold: A person with a gold aura has an air of royalty about them. Usually seen in those who take on highly specialized spiritual paths.
Black: A black aura can manifest due to deep depression, disconnection, and in rarer cases, pure evil. This is the type of person who sucks the energy right out of a room.
In summary
Seeing auras can be a wonderful experience if we are not strongly attached to expectations. Whether we are feeling or seeing auras, they can add extra depth, color and vibrancy to everyday interactions.