AU773062B2

AU773062B2 - Apparatus for use in colour breathing

Info

Publication number: AU773062B2
Application number: AU44515/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Alison Jane Bourne
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-11-07
Filing date: 1999-08-16
Publication date: 2004-05-13
Anticipated expiration: 2019-08-16
Also published as: AU4451599A

Description

P/000 II M& AUSTRA±iA Regulation 3.2 Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- BOURNE 01/99 AUS ALISON JANE BOURNE AUSTRALIAN PATENT APPLICATION 44515/99 REPLACEMENT PAGES A-e-<r 2003 Apparatus for Use in Colour Breathing The present invention relates to the therapeutic practice known as colour breathing and in particular to apparatus for use in colour breathing. It is well known that, to enhance the body, mind and spirit functions of a person, deep and regular breathing is an essential and beneficial aid to the necessary relaxation process and that it is possible to channel the relaxation into those parts of the body in which resistance and tension are being experienced. It is also well known that the relaxation which can result from deep and regular breathing can be increased by concentrating the mind on a specific colour while breathing. By choosing certain So colours, different types of relaxation can be experienced. The same colour can be concentrated on during the breathing, or one colour can be concentrated on while breathing "in" and a different colour concentrated on while breathing "out".

:0 It is known that there exist in the human body a number of chakras or centres IC of energy which are mainly positioned along different parts of the spinal column.

Each chakra is associated with particular regions of the body and with a particular Scolour or colours. The major chakras are numbered from the bottom of the spinal column to the top of the head and are associated with different regions of the body u and colours as follows: Maioc.Chakras Chakra 1 Chakra 2 Chakra 3 Chakra 4 Name Base Sacral Solar plexus Heart Regions of body Coccyx, spinal column, kidneys Reproductive system Stomach, digestive system, liver, gall bladder, nervous system Heart, blood, circulatory system, lungs Bronchial and vocal apparatus, lungs, alimentary canal Brain (right), eyes, ears, Dominant Colour Red Orange Yellow Green Chakra 5 Chakra 6 Throat Head Crown Blue Indigo Chakra 7 nose, nervous system Brain (left) Magenta or gold BOURNE 01/99 AUS AUSTRALIAN PATENT APPLICATION 44515/99 ALISON JANE BOURNE REPLACEMENT PAGES r+Vi-u,'r 2003 By concentrating on the colour or colours associated with a particular chakra during deep and regular breathing, each region of the body associated with that chakra benefits from the effect of the colour breathing. It is therefore possible to relax and benefit any selected region of the body by concentrating, during deep and S" regular breathing, on the colour or colours associated with the chakra which is associated with the selected region of the body.

The object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for use in colour breathing which tends to increase the benefits derived from the colour breathing.

According to the present invention apparatus for use in colour breathing comprises at least two objects each having on one of its surfaces an annular region of a single colour, in which the shade of the colour changes progressively from the centre of each annular region to the periphery of the region and in which the colour of each annular region is different.

By looking at the annular coloured region of one of the objects while breathing deeply and regularly during colour breathing a person will be able to concentrate more deeply on the colour of the annular region and thereby increase the benefits obtained from the colour breathing. It is found that progressive increases in the shade of the colour in the annular coloured region produce for the person a "tunnel effect" which tends to concentrate the mind of the person and to enhance the effect produced by the colour breathing.

2-S Preferably the colour in the annular region is the colour associated with one of the chakras, preferably one of the major chakras.

The portion of the object in the centre of each annular region may be of a colour different from the colour of the annular region. Further, the portion of the o object outside the periphery of each annular region may be of a colour different from the colour of the annular region.

BOURNE 01/99 AUS AUSTRALIAN PATENT APPLICATION 44515/99 ALISON JANE BOURNE REPLACEMENT PAGES y,'ri- 2003 The progressive change in shade of the colour of each annular coloured region may be an increase or a decrease. The progressive colour shade change from the centre to the periphery of each annular region may be at a constant rate or may be at different rates at different radial distances from the centre of the annular Sregion and may include both increases and decreases in colour shade over short radial distances.

Each object may be a flat sheet or disc of paper or card (laminated or otherwise) or of a plastic material or of a fabric. Alternatively, each object may be Sto three dimensional and may be made from a plastic material.

According to another aspect, the invention comprises apparatus of the above o: type in use during colour breathing in which the person performing the colour o.o: breathing looks steadily at one of the objects having an annular coloured region of the colour to be concentrated on.

According to a further aspect of the invention, apparatus for use in colour breathing comprises at least one object having on one of its surfaces an annular coloured region in which the shade of the colour changes progressively from the centre of the annular region to the periphery of the region and comprises means for modifying one or more selected characteristics of the annular coloured region.

According to yet another aspect, the invention comprises apparatus of the type defined in the preceding paragraph in use during colour breathing in which the 725 person practising the colour breathing looks directly or indirectly at the object of the apparatus while selected characteristics of the annular coloured region are modified.

The characteristics of the annular coloured region which may be modified include the position, the size and the colour of the region and the shade of the 3 L colour.

The modifying means may modify the selected characteristics of the annular coloured region in a random way or in accordance with a predetermined sequence of SBOURNE 01/99 AUS AUSTRALIAN PATENT APPLICATION 44515/99 ALISON JANE BOURNE REPLACEMENT PAGES 2 003 modifications. The characteristics may be modified continuously or intermittently in accordance with signals supplied to the.modifying means or may be modified as required by a person looking at the object and operating the modifying means.

SThe position of the annular coloured region on the surface of the object may be modified so that the annular coloured region moves over the surface. The colour of the annular coloured region may modified so as to change from the colour associated with one chakra to the colour associated with another chakra. The way in which the shade of the colour in the annular region changes may be modified so I C as to change the appearance of the annular region.

go• •i o The object may be the screen of a computer video display unit on which the :annular coloured region is displayed. The characteristics of the annular coloured region may be modified manually by a person looking at the annular coloured region •1:5 or may be modifiedby the control system within the video display unit. The annular coloured region may be displayed as a "screen saver" when the computer is temporarily not being used.

Alternatively, the object may be the screen of a television apparatus on which L' the annular coloured region is displayed. The characteristics of the annular coloured region may be modified by television signals transmitted to the television apparatus or by signals from a video tape being transmitted to the television apparatus.

As a further alternative, the object may be the two or three dimensional screen of an image display apparatus on which the annular coloured region is displayed. The image displayed, including the annular coloured region, may be produced by a beam of light from a projector being passed through a cinematograph film or a set of slides, or some other form of optical system, onto the screen. The u, characteristics of the annular coloured region may be modified by the cinematograph film or the set of slides or the other form of optical system. The light beam may be a laser beam.

BOURNE 01/99 AUS AUSTRALIAN PATENT APPLICATION 44515/99 ALISON JANE BOURNE REPLACEMENT PAGES r-vuc& r- 2003 As a still further alternative, the object may be any two or three dimensional surface formed from an array of light emitting, elements. The annular coloured region will be formed on the surface by the light emitting elements. The characteristics of the annular coloured region will be modified by modifying the 57 output of the light emitting elements, either manually or by a control system.

In all these arrangements the colour of the annular coloured region may be modified by a person looking at the object so that the colour is that which is associated with a particular selected chakra.

.LP

The invention may also comprise means for producing sounds, such as music and speech, simultaneously with displaying the annular coloured region so that a person looking at the annular region hears the sounds.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood an embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: o Figure 1 is a plan view of a two dimensional object on the surface of which is formed an annular coloured region in accordance with the invention, Figures 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d are graphs showing different rates of change in the shade of the colour in the annular coloured region formed on the object illustrated in Figure 1, Figure 3 is a perspective view of a three dimensional object on the surface of which has been formed an annular coloured region in accordance with the invention, Figure 4 is an end view of the object illustrated in Figure 3, Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of a computer system including a video 15 display unit on the screen of which has been formed an annular coloured region :0, in accordance with the invention, Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of television apparatus on the screen of which has been formed an annular coloured region in accordance with the 20 invention, oOO• Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of an image display apparatus including a screen on which has been formed by a light beam projection system an annular coloured region in accordance with the invention, and Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of an array of light emitting elements on which an annular coloured region in accordance with the invention has been formed by the light emitting elements.

With reference to Figure 1, a two dimensional object in accordance with the invention comprises a flat sheet 1 the surface of which has been printed with or coated with or formed from a suitable material to form an annular region 2 in a selected colour. The annular region 2 has a central part 3 and a periphery 4.

The shade of the colour in the annular region 2 increases progressively from a relatively pale shade at the radially outer edge of the central part 3 to a relatively dark shade at the periphery 4. This is represented in Figure 1 by a set of concentric circles 5, in the annular region 2, at distances apart radially which decrease from the central part 3 to the periphery 4.

Different forms of the progressive increases in the shade are illustrated in Figures 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d. Figure 2a illustrates an increase in shade S at a constant rate from a pale shade at the central part 3 of the annular region 2 to a darker shade at the periphery 4 of the annular region 2. Figure 2b illustrates gradual increases in shade S in steps 6, 7, 8 and 9 representing increases in shade in steps at different radial distances from the central part 3. The steps may not be equal in length or at equal radial distances apart. Further the rate of increase of shade S in each step may not be the same.

Figure 2c illustrates a series of sharp reversals 11 in the direction of change of shade S in which the shade decreases to a paler shade at different radial distances from the central part 3. Figure 2d illustrates a series of short oo.."increases in shade 12 at different radial distances from the central part 3 with returns to the paler shade.

In an alternative arrangement (not illustrated) the shade S of the colour in the annular region 2 decreases progressively from a relatively dark shade at the radially outer edge of the central part 3 to a relatively pale shade at the periphery 4, as illustrated by the dotted line in Figure 2a. With this arrangement the changes in shade S may include changes in steps and reversals and short increases and decreases as illustrated in Figures 2b, 2c and 2d.

A narrow annular region 13 outside the periphery 4 of the annular region 2 may be printed with or coated with or formed from a material of a colour different from the colour of the annular region 2.

The central part 3 may be printed with or coated with or formed from a material of a colour which differs from the colour in the annular region 2 and may be of a shade which is either darker or paler than the shade of the colour in the annular region 2.

The colour of the annular region 2 may be chosen to correspond to one of the major chakras. The colour chosen can therefore be red (chakra 1i), orange (chakra yellow (chakra green (chakra blue (chakra indigo (chakra 6) and magenta or gold (chakra 7).

An alternative form of an object in accordance with the invention is I: Ii illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The object is three dimensional and comprises a conical body 21 open at each end 22, 23. Alternatively, either or both of the ends 22, 23 may be closed with a translucent sheet (not illustrated). The inner annular surface 24 of the body 21 is printed with or coated with or formed from a material of a selected colour or colours. The shade of the colour of the annular surface 24 may increase progressively from a relatively pale shade at the inner end 22 to a relatively dark shade at the outer end 23, in the same way as the shade of the annular region 2 in the two dimensional object illustrated in Figure 1. The shade of the colour of the annular surface 24 may alternatively decrease from a relatively dark shade at the inner end 22 to a relatively pale shade at the outer end 23.

The shade of the colour of the annular surface 24 may also change as illustrated in Figures 2b, 2c and 2d.

The inner end 22 of the conical body 21 may be illuminated by a light, coloured or otherwise. The shade and colour of the illumination used may correspond with the colour of the annular surface 24. The illumination may be intermittent and may change its colour intermittently or periodically. The illumination may be provided by an optical fibre extending around the inner end 22 and connected to a source of light.

It will be appreciated that the coloured annular surface 24, the inner end 22 and the outer end 23 of the conical body 21 illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 are equivalent respectively to the coloured annular region 2, the central part 3 and the periphery 4 of the sheet or disc 1 illustrated in Figure 1.

Apparatus comprising the flat sheet 1 or the conical body 21 may be used in the therapeutic practice known as colour breathing in which the person undergoing the therapy is encouraged to concentrate on a particular colour while breathing deeply and regularly. By choosing the sheet 1 or conical body 21 10 formed with an annular region of the colour selected and looking steadily at this sheet or conical body while concentrating on the colour and breathing deeply and regularly, the therapeutic effect of the colour breathing is found to be appreciably enhanced.

In the various types of apparatus described above with reference to Figures 1 to 4 the annular coloured region is fixed in position, size and colour and the change in shade of the colour in the annular region from the central part to the periphery is also fixed. It has been found that a person looking at this type of annular coloured region during coloured breathing derives additional benefit.

It has also been found that the nature of this benefit is increased or changed if certain characteristics of the annular region are modified while the person is looking at it, either by the person or automatically by a control system. For example the position of the annular region can be changed so that the annular region moves. Also the size of the annular region can be changed. Further, the colour of the annular region can be changed, for example, from the colour associated with one chakra to the colour associated with another chakra, so that the person looking at it sees different colours. Still further, the way in which the shade of the colour in the annular region changes progressively from the centre to the periphery of the annular region can be changed. The characteristics of the annular coloured region may be modified by a control system or by the person looking at the annular region. The person may look directly at and be focused on the annular coloured region. Alternatively, the person may not look directly at and may not be focused on the annular region, in which case the details of the annular coloured region are absorbed subliminally.

The annular coloured region illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 can be complemented with sounds such a music and/or speech to increase the benefits derived by the person during colour breathing. The person is more relaxed when listening to music and/or speech while looking at the coloured region 14.

Selected characteristics of an object corresponding to the annular 10 coloured region 2 on the sheet 1 or the conical body 21 may be modified by S• using the types of apparatus illustrated in Figures 5, 6, 7 or 8 which operate as follows.

For example, as illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 5 a computer 15 system comprises a video display unit 31 with a screen 32, a processor and control unit 33, a keyboard 34 and a loud speaker unit 35. When the computer system is switched ON but is not performing any task, in order not to damage the screen 32 it is common practice to display on the screen an image 36 known as a "screen saver" which may be moving and/or changing continuously or 20 intermittently. In accordance with the invention, the image 36 displayed includes Sat least one annular coloured region similar to the region 2 illustrated in Figures 1, 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d. Selected characteristics of each annular coloured region are modified in accordance with control signals from the control unit 33 or from the manually controlled keyboard 34. For example, the position of each annular coloured region may be modified so that the annular region moves around the screen 32, the size and colour of each annular region may be modified or the changes in the shade of the colour in each annular region may be modified.

These modifications may be either continuous or intermittent and may be performed by signals from the control unit 33 or by signals from the keyboard 34 under the control of a person looking at the annular coloured region on the screen 32.

The loudspeaker unit 35 may be used to emit sounds such as music or speech to accompany the image 36 in accordance with input signals from the control unit 33. These sounds may be modified by further signals either from the control unit 33 or from the keyboard 34 under the control of the person looking at the image 36.

The computer system illustrated can be any well known type and its details are not important to the invention. The signals from the control unit 33 used to modify the selected characteristics of each annular coloured region in 10 the image 36 can be derived from a computer program built into the control unit 33 or entered into the control unit by means of a disc or a CD ROM in a well known manner. The signals from the keyboard 34 alternatively used to modify the selected characteristics of each annular coloured region of the image 36 can .0.0 be derived from keystrokes entered into the keyboard 34 by the person looking 15 at the image 36 in accordance with an instruction manual or otherwise.

If a person looks at the screen 32 and watches the image 36 while S. breathing deeply and regularly during colour breathing, the person will be able to concentrate more deeply on the colour of each annular coloured region being 20 displayed in the image and thereby increase the benefits obtained by colour breathing. As the characteristics of each annular coloured region are modified as described above the benefits obtained by the person will change. Sounds may be emitted from the loudspeaker unit 35 to enhance the benefit derived from looking at the image 36.

In another arrangement as illustrated diagrammatically in Figure 6 a television apparatus comprises a display unit 41 with a screen 42, a control unit 43, an aerial unit 44, a video tape player 45 and a loudspeaker unit 46. In response to broadcast signals received in the aerial unit 44 and transmitted to the control unit 43 or signals received by the control unit 43 from the video tape player 45 there may be displayed on the screen 42 a moving image 47. In accordance with the invention the image 47 displayed includes at least one annular coloured region similar to the region 2 illustrated in Figures 1, 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d. Selected characteristics of each annular coloured region can be modified, as described above with reference to the computer system illustrated in Figure 5, under the control of the signals from the aerial unit 44 or the signals from the video tape player The loudspeaker unit 46 may be used to emit sounds such as music or speech to accompany the image 47 in accordance with signals received from the aerial unit 44 or from the video tape player 45. These sounds may also be modified under the control of further signals from the aerial unit 44 or the video 10 tape player 45. A person looking at the image 47 may insert into the video tape player a video tape giving required sounds The television apparatus illustrated can be any well known type and its details are not important to the invention. The broadcast signals received in the aerial system 44 and the signals from the video tape player 45 which can both be used to modify the selected characteristics of the annular coloured region in the .*.image 47 are controlled respectively by the broadcaster and by the manufacturer or the supplier of the video tape or by a person selecting and using the video tape.

If a person looks at the screen 42 of the television system and watches the image 47 while breathing deeply and regularly during colour breathing, the person will be able to concentrate more deeply on the colour of the annular coloured region being displayed in the image and thereby increase the benefits obtained by colour breathing. As the characteristics of the annular coloured region are modified as described above the benefits obtained by the person will change. Sounds as described above may be emitted from the loudspeaker unit 46 to enhance the benefit derived from looking at the image 36.

Figure 7 illustrates diagrammatically image display apparatus comprising a screen 52, a projector unit 53, a loudspeaker unit 54 and an audio tape player The light beam 56 from the projector unit 53 displays on the screen an image 57 corresponding to the image in a cinematograph film or a set of slides or other form of optical system in the projector unit 53. In accordance with the invention the image 57 displayed includes at least one annular coloured region similar to the region 2 illustrated in Figures 1, 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d. Selected characteristics of each annular coloured region can be modified, as described above with reference to the computer system illustrated in Figure 5, under the control of the cinematograph film or set of slides or the optical system in the projector unit 53. The loudspeaker unit 54 may be used to emit sounds such as music or speech to accompany the image 57 under the control of signals received from the projector unit 53 or from the audio tape player o The screen 52 can be two or three dimensional and can, for example, be a cinema screen, a large outdoor screen, a smaller indoor screen, an inside or .0.0 outside wall of a house, an airborne surface for example on a kite, a hot air balloon or an airship, an advertising site such as a hoarding, or a screen in a "0 15 medical centre or in a waiting room. The light beam from the projector unit 53 could be replaced by a laser beam in which case the projector unit 53 would be S. an electronic unit generating a laser beam with required characteristics.

The image display apparatus illustrated in Figure 7 can be any well known 20 type and its details are not important to the invention. The sounds emitted from .:oooi the loudspeaker unit 54 depend on any sound recording on the cinematograph film or slides used in the projector unit 53. Alternatively the sounds can be generated by an audio tape in the tape player If a person looks at the screen 52 of the image display apparatus and watches the image 57 while breathing deeply and regularly during colour breathing, the person will be able to concentrate more deeply on the colour of the annular coloured region being displayed in the image and thereby increase the benefits obtained by colour breathing. As the characteristics of the annular coloured region are modified as described above the benefits obtained by the person will change. Sounds as described above may be emitted from the loudspeaker unit 54 to enhance the benefit derived from looking at the image 57.

Figure 8 illustrates diagrammatically a light image generating apparatus comprising an array 62 of light emitting elements 63, a control unit 64 and a loudspeaker unit 65 and an audio tape player 66. The light emitting elements 63 are supplied with signals from the control unit 64 so as to generate on the surface of the array 62 a light image 67 including at least one annular coloured region similar to the region 2 illustrated in Figures 1, 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d.

Selected characteristics of each annular coloured region can be modified, as described above with reference to the computer system illustrated in Figure under the control of the control unit 64. The loudspeaker unit 65 may be used to 10 emit sounds such as music or speech to accompany the image 67 under the control of signals received from the control unit 64 or from the audio tape player 66.

The light image generating apparatus illustrated in Figure 8 can be any 15 well known type and its details are not important to the invention. The light emitting elements can, for example, be incandescent or fluorescent light elements or light emitting diodes.

ooo* If a person looks at the array 62 of the light image generating apparatus and watches the light image including at least one annular coloured region 67 Swhile breathing deeply and regularly during colour breathing, the person will be able to concentrate more deeply on the colour of the annular coloured region being displayed in the image 67 and thereby increase the benefits obtained by colour breathing. As the characteristics of the annular coloured region are modified as described above the benefits obtained by the person will change.

Sounds of the type described above may be emitted from the loudspeaker unit to enhance the benefit derived from looking at the image 67.

Claims

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 in which the colour of each annular regior is the colour associated with one of the chakras. t0
3. Apparatus as claimed in either of the preceding claims in which the portion of the object in the centre of each annular region is of a colour different from.the colour of the annular region. I 5 4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the portion of the object outside the periphery of each annular region is of a colour different from the colour of the annular region. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the shade of the colour changes at a constant rate.
6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4 in which the changes in the shade of the colour include increases and decreases in shade. LS 7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which each object is a flat sheet or disc.
8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7 in which each object is made of paper or card (laminated or otherwise) or of a plastic material.
9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 1 to 7 in which each object is three dimensional. 16 Apparatus as claimed in Claim 9 in which each three dimensional object is made from a plastic material.
11. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 9 or Claim 10 in which each object is a hollow cone and the annular coloured region on each object is on the inner conical surface of the cone.
12. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 11 comprising means for illuminating one end of the inner conical surface. lo
13. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in use during colour breathing in which the person performing the colour breathing looks steadily at one of the objects of the apparatus having an annular region of the colour being concentrated on. Is
14. Apparatus for use in colour breathing comprising at least one object having on one of its surfaces an annular coloured region in which the shade of the colour changes progressively from the centre of the annular region to the periphery of the region and comprising means for modifying one or more selected characteristics of. L-o the annular coloured region. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 14 in which a selected characteristic is the position of the annular coloured region.
16. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 14 or Claim 15 in which a selected characteristic is the size of the annular coloured region.
17. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 14, 15 or 16 in which a selected characteristic is the colour of the annular coloured region.
18. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding Claimrs 14 to 17 comprising means for generating sounds which tend to relax the person listening to them. 17
19. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 18 in which the sounds are of music or speech. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 14 to 19 in use during colour breathing in which the person performing the colour breathing looks directly at the object of the apparatus while selected characteristics of the annular coloured region are modified.
21. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 14 to 19 in use during colour So breathing in which the person performing the colour breathing looks indirectly at the object of the apparatus while selected characteristics of the annular coloured region are modified. Dated t:his Dny of 5?c 9 .4 c ALISON JANE BOURNE Applicant's P tent Atto