In our Rituals series, we discover natural ways to enhance the everyday. This season: yoga instructor and wellness entrepreneur Joanne Wu shares her guide to creating a meditation space using colour therapy for chakra alignment, Palo Santo and seasonal flowers.

‘Colour therapy is the easiest ritual to incorporate into daily life,’ explains yoga instructor and wellness entrepreneur Joanne Wu. Since returning to Hong Kong after eight years studying in Toronto, Canada, Joanne has continued her yoga practice, motivated by her energetic spirit and competitive nature. But it’s not just about being active: for Joanne, the relationship between mind, body and soul is just as important. ‘Other than physical practices, I love to purify my crystals with Palo Santo every morning,’ she says. ‘The soothing scent calms me down and recharges my crystals to power me up through the whole day.’

“I find my mind-body more in tune when I am in places decorated with my preferred colour palette – warm tones with touches of wood and pink.”

Joanne founded her company, Soul Recipes, in February 2021, ‘with a mission to help find the perfect recipe for your soul – your spiritual intentions, your needs and your wants.’ This compassionate and adaptive approach can be seen across her practice, from her own daily rituals (‘I follow my heart and listen to my body’) to her personal take on colour therapy. ‘We all have our preferences – a colour that we are most in tune with, the most comfortable with, or a colour that we don’t like wearing,’ says Joanne. ‘I find my mind-body more in tune when I am in places decorated with my preferred colour palette – warm tones with touches of wood and pink. This is because each colour represents a different element, so working with a particular colour can help you absorb its energy and attune to its frequency.’

So, what do The Floristry’s colours for Pre-Spring represent? Joanne explains: ‘Red and orange are both earth elements, associated with the root chakra and sacral chakra respectively. Red represents power, courage, trust and security, while orange represents confidence, sexuality, creativity and self-expression. Pink is not officially on the chakra colour palette but is widely known for its association with the fire element and heart chakra, bringing love, harmony, sincerity and acceptance.’ Here, Joanne shares her guide to colour therapy for chakra alignment…

STEP 1

Discover your element composition before introducing colour therapy into your daily life.

STEP 2

Purify and align with your space using Palo Santo smudge sticks.

STEP 3

Collect gold or silver objects – from fashion items such as scarves or watches, to home furnishings like flowers, vases and cushions – that complement your skin tone.

STEP 4

Surround yourself with this metallic colour palette, to encourage mind-body grounding.

STEP 5

Light candles or use essential oils to create a relaxing ambience.

STEP 6

Sit on a soft cushion, keeping your body comfortably upright with a long spine, and take a moment to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses.

STEP 7

Find the associated element and colour for each of your strengths. For example, pink for compassion.

STEP 8

Add one of the bright colour variants to your home or carry it in your purse through small items or flowers to bring luck and fortune.

In 2022, Joanne will continue keeping her chakra balanced so that she can be more prepared and proactive for opportunities to land. If you’re looking for a New Year ritual, she suggests reflecting on your resolutions by considering the theme of renewal, and writing down your answers to the following questions: How do you want your life/career to progress next year? What are the short-term plans you have for your loved ones – friends, family, significant others? What are the things that bother you the most that you wish you could change?

You can also declutter your space, removing anything that no longer serves you – clothes that don’t fit, things that haven’t been touched in the past three months. ‘Each object has its own frequency, active or inactive,’ explains Joanne. ‘Whatever is seldom used has a very low frequency, eventually confusing and obstructing the energy of other objects in its surroundings and, most importantly, your own wavelengths.’ And remember: stick to the three-colour rule within each area (your entryway, storage shelves, bedroom, etc) to minimise the chance of energy confusion.

Most importantly, take care of your physical and mental health. ‘Pick up a hobby that’s outside of your comfort zone or something you’ve always wanted to try,’ says Joanne, ‘whether that’s a sport or a more relaxed activity. Add more colour to your life – it’s a simple way to make life more interesting.’

Follow Joanne for more rituals and wellness tips @joannehwu