What Is an Aura? Here's How a Psychic Medium Says You Can See Yours

Last summer, I was in a rut and needed some guidance. Being a spiritual person who previously sought counsel by using tarot cards and crystals and Reiki, I decided this time my medicine would be getting my aura read. An Instagram acquaintance highly recommended that I contact psychic medium Mystic Michaela. “She’s sooo good,” she said. “My life changed because of her.”

Sold! Immediately I booked my email reading with Mystic Michaela (or MM, as she’s known within her online circles). When I talked to her, I found out she grew up in a psychic family. “It wasn’t weird to talk about stuff like auras. I always saw colors around people,” she tells HelloGiggles. “It’s like another sense for me. I truly feel the same thing as hearing, smelling, or touching. I don’t know what life is without seeing color.”

Within a few months, I received my personalized email reading, and it included the big reveal. According to Mystic Michaela, I have a purple and indigo aura.

If you're curious, like I am, about auras and their meanings, read below to find out what an aura is, how you can see them, and what each color means.

What is an aura?

According to Michaela, an aura is life force energy that surrounds you and can be viewed through a variation of colors. Most people usually have two colors (a main and a secondary)—and these two colors help you understand yourself and lead your most authentic life, from how you work out best to how you communicate. "Everyone has an aura because everyone has a life force," she says. “Knowing what your color is and knowing how your energy works helps you attract like-minded people and opportunities,” she says.

Can you read your own aura?

Mystic Michaela says yes. “It’s a vibe,” she says. “I see the colors through my third eye. I can’t turn it off. But we’re taught to turn off our third eye.” Michaela says children are particularly skilled at reading aura colors because they’re so open to believing and seeing without limitations.

She says you can retrain your third eye in order to read your own aura. However, what’s easier is practicing reading other people’s energy. “Every color has a vibe, every person has a vibe,” she says. “If you pick up on how someone makes you feel and what type of energy they’re giving off, you can start to associate that with a color.”

However, if you're unable to use your third eye, no sweat—there are specialized cameras that can pick up the energy field around you to help you identify what your aura is. According to Healthline, the form of photography is known as Kirlian photography, which is believed to capture an "egg-shaped circle around the physical body." Most aura specialists use these cameras during their sessions to photograph the aura and study the colors that appear on the Polaroid.

What do aura colors mean?

Green

Greens are intellectual types, and they exist in a systematic and logical reality. They are able to separate their emotions from the choices they make. Typically, Greens are workaholics and visionaries and are most likely to be CEOs or entrepreneurs. They can be very singular-minded about what they are doing. While different Greens might have different goals, their thought processes are usually similar.

Famous Green people: Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Ryan Seacrest, Dr. Oz, Jane Goodall, Greta Thunberg, Deepak Chopra

Blue

Blues are empathetic, compassionate, and healers. They’re who Michaela says are doing “God’s work.” Typically, they’re in the medical or educational fields. They’re selfless creatures you'll always see in the background helping people. They’re not typically in the spotlight.

Famous Blue people: Princess Diana, Mother Theresa, Jennifer Aniston, Khloe Kardashian

Yellow

Yellows are busy people who are endlessly inquisitive and curious. They’re obsessed with self-help and organization. As perfectionists, they can tackle large projects because they know how to break them up in functional pieces. Yellows also know how to control their emotions so they can come across as cold, but they’re really not, Michaela says; they just need time to “process.” Typically Yellows are found in real estate, interior design, and marketing.

Famous Yellow people: Gabrielle Bernstein, Gywneth Paltrow, Martha Stewart, Carrie Underwood, Charlie Hunnan, Kurt Cobain

Purple

Purples are usually spontaneous, creative, and artistic people. They’re nonjudgmental, intuitive free spirits with a rebellious streak. They definitely don’t like being told what to do. Purples are usually in the entertainment field because they seek the spotlight; typically, they’re artists, but they also can be teachers, therapists, and cosmetologists. However, according to Michaela, purples hate the 9-5 grind, so they typically will be freelancers or entrepreneurs, too.

Famous Purple people: Meghan Markle, Taylor Swift, Andy Cohen, Pete Davidson

Red

Reds are usually intense leaders. They’re strong and assertive and like to be in control. They have an “alpha dog” energy and are motivated by competition. They don’t typically care what other people think of them. Reds are big risk-takers but also are protective of those they love. Reds are usually found in the police force or fire department, but can also be entrepreneurs, managers, or involved in health and sports, like a personal trainer.

Famous Red people: Judge Judy, LeBron James, Alex Rodriguez, Jennifer Lopez

Then there are the less common colors that Michaela finds people wearing that are sometimes worn as a secondary color in tandem with one of the top five. These include:

Indigo

Indigos are compassionate and empathetic like Blues; however, they can’t handle as much human interaction as Blues can. They’re extremely intuitive and sensitive and, as a result, absorb a lot of energy and have difficulty setting boundaries. Indigos need a lot of alone time and do better one on one than in groups. Their thoughts and feelings are constantly cohabiting with others, which is why they need isolation to process and heal. Indigos do well with helping others and are great with communicating through non-verbal skills, which helps them relate well to animals and those with special needs.

Famous Indigo people: Oprah Winfrey, Joaquin Phoenix, Paula Abdul

Pink

Pinks are a rare color. Michaela describes them as having both a “caged bird” and “Disney princess” vibe and are often called unrealistic, romantic, and naive. They’re often misconstrued as shallow because they prefer to look at life through rose-colored glasses. Michaela calls them brilliant manifestos who are almost childlike because they like what they like and want what they want and often get exactly just that.

Famous Pink people: Britney Spears, Kim Kardashian, Kaitlyn Bristowe, Paris Hilton

Turquoise

Michaela describes Turquoises as being very similar to water: They tend to fit into whatever space they’re put into, which means they have very little to no boundaries and have trouble with getting to know their true selves. They hold the energy of other people and often serve as a mirror to other people, which Michaela says is their gift. However, it’s important for Turquoises to remember that they are the thing that holds the reflection—they are not the reflection itself. Turquoises tend to be quiet and contemplative and enjoy being in nature, and they can also be scientific. They often gravitate towards eco-conscious jobs and are known to be energy or naturopathic healers.

Famous Turquoise people (they’re pretty rare): Jewel

What does it mean to wear an inauthentic color?

Sometimes Michaela will see clients wearing an inauthentic color, which means exactly how it might sound: You’re not living your authentic truth.

“Throughout our life, we can pick up different colors or energies because we think who we authentically are won’t cut it for the situation we might be in,” she says. “For example, we might find ourselves in a job where you have to wear another color. It’s an unconscious agreement we make with ourselves where we think we have to act or be like someone else and not remain true to who we are to get somewhere in life. If you’re wearing an inauthentic color, you’re essentially wearing a mask throughout your life.”

In order to stop wearing an inauthentic color, Michaela says that it's important to consistently drop into a mindful space on a daily basis.

“Ask yourself questions like, ‘how do I feel’ or ‘what do I really want to do?’ regularly. This is necessary because then you get to answer those questions that are bigger than the foundation that you don’t have,” says Michaela. “For example, ask yourself: 'What type of relationship do I want?' 'What do I want to do for a living?' Even asking yourself tiny things like, 'What library book do I really want to read?' 'Do I even want to meet this person for lunch?' can help you determine what you really like instead of being influenced by others.”

She adds: "Getting down to the nitty-gritty and being vulnerable is how you don’t wear inauthentic colors.”