History of auras? Do you think that the halo around a saint's head as depicted in old paintings..?

Question

... was an idea based on the same visual disturbances we now recognise as being the cause of visible auras, or was the idea a traditional one based on mythology?

Answer 1

   IT is probably a little of both . Most mystics and "paranormalists" (if That's a word) will immediately say it represents the aura. Since it is used as an artistic device, only on saints , or spiritually advanced persons, It may be just to depict heightened spirituality. But, it is also said that an advanced soul shines more brightly than the average Joe.

  My father, a Methodist minister ,always said, and I believe he learned it in seminary, that the Greeks used to put metal loops above the heads of statues of gods, to keep birds from sitting on them and depositing their byproducts on the beloved gods. He says that halos, especially the little circular ones , evolved from that practice.

Answer 2

The halo's that are depicted around a Saint's head in the pictures are to represent the holiness of the Saint.  Depending on how the halo is painted determines the holiness of the saint depicted.  That is why the halos look different.  

Also halos have also been depicted in art for warriors and also kings before the time of Christ to indicate their sanctiness of the divine.  That is why some pictures show old gods and goddesses with them also.  Many cultures have used an aura around the head.  The catholic church did not begin using it till around the 4th century.  So it is actually something that was picked up from the "pagan" religions and cultures.

It was used to indicate a divine individual.

Answer 3

It is true that people of very high spiritual standing exhibit a golden halo over their heads. I've studied these things for over twenty years, and I know. Firstly, as a person gets more and more spiritual [ through his/her own hard work ( sadhana )], his/her aura starts taking on a rich golden hue. And right above the head of these spiritual people, the aura tends to form a halo of the same rich golden color.  

Answer 4

Halos in paintings are there because it was (and still is) a tradition. The basis of the start of the tradition, however, may be the peripheral glow effect seen when one stares intently and fixedly at something, as one might stare at a holy person or object.

Answer 5

It's about the LightBody...which is an energetic extension of the physical body. The Chakras. That sort of thing.

Our most powerful mind, the superconsciousness will reside and control this field.

A field it is. All powers that be, as far as paranormal will be using this aura or lightbody.

Answer 6

Hello John

Yes Halo = Aura or rather the Crown Chakra.

Sadhara

Answer 7

wtf

Answer 8

I Studied Celtic art for a while and there are a lot of 'halo' looking things. Near identical to the early halos. They were called 'leaf crowns' and were only depicted on the gods. It can be conserve that the early celtic holy markings were used later to depict saints.  

Answer 9

It is both one begets the other.

Answer 10

I read somewhere that the aura around Christ might just be a faded representation of the horoscope with the sun/Christ in the middle.

Answer 11

An aura, according to New Age metaphysics, is a colored outline, or set of contiguous outlines, allegedly emanating from the surface of an object. Auras are not to be confused with the aureoles or halos of saints, which are devices of Christian iconography used to depict the radiance of light associated with divine infusion. In the New Age, even the lowly amoeba has an aura, as does the mosquito and every lump of goat dung.  The aura supposedly reflects a supernatural energy field or life force that permeates all things. Human auras allegedly emerge from the   chakras. Under ordinary circumstances, auras are only visible to certain people with  special psychic power. However, with a little bit of training, or with a special set of Aura Goggles with "pinacyanole bromide" filters (available at your local New Age Head Shop), anyone can see auras. You may also use   Kirlian photography to capture auras on film. At least that is what New Age spiritualists believe.

On the other hand, you may also see auras if you have a migraine, a certain form of epilepsy, a visual system disorder or a brain disorder. These auras, however, are somewhat different from the kind encouraged by most aura training exercises. These involve staring at an object placed against a white background in a dimly lit room. What one sees is due to retinal fatigue and other natural perceptual processes, not the unleashing of hidden psychic powers. Something similar happens when you stare at certain colored or black and white patterns. Vision is not the verbatim recording of the outside world. When looking at a colored object, for example, the eye does not transmit to the brain a continuous series of duplicate impressions. The brain itself supplies much of the visual perception. In short, even if auras are perceived, that is not good evidence that there is an energy field in the physical or supernatural world corresponding to the perceptions.

If you see auras, you may not be psychic; you may have a brain or vision disorder. See your physician ASAP.

Answer 12

The oldest term on record for halo is glory. It has been used as symbolism in art and many early forms of religion, from buddism to roman and egyptian deities, to Christianity. Some theorize it may be due to the artist's perception of the people's auras. However, it is important to note that most historical paintings that include individuals with halos did not have the painter on site. The painter in many cases never met the depicted and thus could not see the aura if it truly existed. It is also important to note that as art in time focused more on realism, the use of the halo declined. If it was truly a vision of aura, its use would have stayed the same.

Gold and silver are often thought of in terms of purity, preciousness, and value. A circle is often a symbol of completeness and unending. It is not surprising that these characteristics would be used to represent an important religious icon in art, whether they were truly present or not.

Answer 13

that has to be one of the most interesting questions ive read so far but at the same time the most boring.

who cares. im not helping with your A levells

er i go for answer B

yes definately a mythological thing but prehaps a bit of both. maybe you should ask God.

Answer 14

I think halos were their own version of auras.  Since it's gold/white it's holy and whatnot

Answer 15

Yes prob represents the aura

Answer 16

Your second possibility is the correct one. The painter needed some way of distinguishing the holy from the mortal in their paintings. A halo of holy light emanating from the divine was a good way of doing that.