In Depth: Aura Photography's Spiritual Insights as Captured through Analogue Techniques
4What if you could step back from the bustle of everyday digital consumption and meditate on imagery of your own energy? The methods behind aura photography do just that, with an emphasis between tangibility and metaphysicality, while embracing analogue photographic methods.
The technology behind the holistic documentations traces back to Soviet inventor Semyon Kirlian, who photographed a series of experiments that resulted in images of energy discharge around his hand. In it's contemporary iteration, it involves the AuraCam 6000, which uses Instax film in order to “physicalize an ephemeral manifestation.”
As of this upcoming July, veteran aura photographer Christina Lonsdale is celebrating decade in the field — a result of her upbringing in a desert surrounded spiritual commune. Lonsdale explains that the basis of her project Radiant Human is all about exploring the human atmosphere, recognizing that we are more than our physical bodies.
By taking advantage of popular culture’s references to “vibes” in our everyday language, Lonsdale has created a platform via aura photography and social media that allows her audience to discover self-identity within one’s own energy.
“Selfies are great at telling the world, ‘this is me in this moment,’ and this project takes this statement one step further and says, ‘this is me in this moment and this is how I am responding to it.’ In terms of self actualisation this can be an extremely powerful expression, especially when you are able to share it with your community, and find others that are responding in similar ways,” Lonsdale says.
With a similar passion for the mystical, Dr. Charlie Watts, whose background is in occupational therapy and fine arts, and Judah Andrews, a life-long circus performer and actor, founded AuraWeaver and have been working in the field of aura photography for the past five years.
The goal of the team behind AuraWeaver is to help people connect with their energy, offering a unique and transformative experience through aura photography.
The Technology Behind Aura Photography
“The camera works on the principle that we all have electricity in our body and that electricity radiates past our skin’s surface. This is called an electromagnetic field and is technically what an aura is,” Lonsdale says.
Further unveiling the mystery behind what makes up and is encaptured within individual auras, Watts and Andrews of Aura Weaver explain that auras can change based on the individual’s mood, health, and environment — offering what is considered a dynamic view of their overall energy.
“It takes just about 60 seconds for the photo to develop on film and I think that is really one of the treasures about this process. This is on film! It’s one of a kind! There are no doubles, no jpegs that can be duplicated and therefore potentially become disposable. This photograph is as unique and singular as you are,” Lonsdale says.
What to Expect in a Session
Lonsdale describes her work with Radiant Human as rooted within the project’s nomadic nature and supportive community, stopping in cities all over the world for both private events and location-hosted pop-ups. She describes inviting her followers to experience her pop-ups as a thrill because of the ability to meet outside of social media and “create a genuine experience that produces something tangible together.”
Regarding the final images, Lonsdale describes them as a platform for people to see themselves in a new way. “To have a photo illustrating how you are actually broadcasting yourself out to the world is a really powerful image and that is something I will never get tired of,” Lonsdale says.
Similarly, AuraWeaver’s sessions are broken into two stages: making sure that the client is calm before placing their hands on the sensors for the photo and then sitting down to read and interpret the color.
As explained by Watts and Andrews, the reading is the most powerful and valuable experience of the session. These readings often combine the aura reading with another modality, such as tarot readings. “The session often includes a discussion about how to harness and balance their energy for personal growth and wellbeing,” Watts and Andrews say.
The Importance of Color and Placement
Every color, as well as the position of the color within an aura photo, has its own meaning—as explained by our aura photographers.
“Each photo has three sections. Everything from the ears up represents conscious thought, and typically these colors change faster than the other areas, whereas the lower left represents your internal dynamic, or self, and the lower right represents what you project outward, your persona or the relationship you have with the outside world,” Lonsdale says.
Watts and Andrews share the basic breakdown of how each color and emotion interact, as interpreting aura photos involves not only analysis of the colors, but also the significance of their placement within the aura.
“For example, a dominant blue aura might indicate a calm and intuitive person, while a strong red aura could suggest a passionate and energetic individual. The patterns and intensity of the colors also offer clues about the person's current challenges and strengths. The position of the color in the aura also matters. Green in the front can be friendly, while red in the back can mean big change and transformation underway. Purple in the head can be imaginative or even spacey, like a "far out" mind,” say Watts and Andrews.
For those interested in reading their own aura photos, you can check out Lonsdale’s book, Radiant Human, Discovering the connection between Color, Energy and Identity. The book goes in depth on how the different colors and hues of every individual aura interact with one another.
Special thanks to Christina Lonsdale of Radiant Human as well as Dr. Charlie Watts and Judah Andrews of AuraWeaver.
written by eloffreno on 2024-07-21 #in-depth #culture #feature #in-depth #explainer
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