What Happens During an Aura Reading?

Let’s get weird. I’m always down to try something new, so when I heard LA’s House of Intuition was offering free aura readings as part of the launch of its New York pop-up store this past holiday season, I said yes. I had no idea what that even meant, but I headed down to the Freehand Hotel, ready to figure out whether I was a summer, or a winter, or a fiery red or a technicolor dream coat.

Turns out, I was none of those things (shocking, right?). Shortly after walking into the pop-up, past a table full of so many different kinds of crystals it’d put any ’90s mall nature store to shame, I was led to what looked like a photo booth. An employee asked me to sit down, placing my hand on a box in front of the camera that was reminiscent of a coin-operated Love Test. Once my hand was placed on the box, I was told to relax and, within seconds, my picture was taken, Polaroid-style. A photo popped out and slowly developed, going from black and white to deep shades of red and orange.

I’d seen aura photos before, and they were usually light rainbows enveloping someone’s face, like viewing a person through a prism. I, on the other hand, was shrouded in red. So much red. Turns out, that’s actually normal—and it doesn’t mean I’m full of botted rage or desperately need an exorcism (two things that admittedly came to mind). The photo was taken to an aura reader, who dissected the image, explaining what she saw to me.

Wait, What Even Is an Aura Photo?

Let me back up. The concept, first developed in 1939 by Russian scientist Semyon Kirlian, is that when you place something (like your hand) on a photographic plate that’s connected to voltage, you’ll see that image surrounded by a “mysterious energy,” Wired reported. So, in capturing your aura, the photo’s theoretically capturing the electromagnetic field surrounding you, and certain meanings have been ascribed to the colors that appear. (Skeptics say the camera’s capturing how particles on your skin and in the air interact with electricity and nothing more; Wired suggests there may be a middle ground, though admits the science is “bad” behind these cameras.)

So, What Did The Aura Reader See in My Photo?

All that red signified a powerful spirit—someone who’s always go, go, go, who has a tendency to put my head down and push through whatever needs to be done. Ambitious, and stressed.

The orange near my throat suggested a way with words, that I was a storyteller at my core who also knew how to spin a situation.

The almost black, inky indigo surrounding me was the isolation I’d been feeling lately. That I often feel alone in a crowded room; like people don’t see who I truly am, and that I’m better in one-on-one situations.

Those things were all pretty accurate, especially at that moment. My grandmother had passed away that morning and I went to work anyway: head down, power through, get through the day and focus on the pain later, when you have time. It was Friday, after all; the weekend was almost here, and then I could deal with unpacking my emotions. The aura reader didn’t know any of this until after the reading, though one might suggest that, like a horoscope, telling someone they’re hardworking and somewhat stressed could apply to any adult, anywhere. Feeling isolated? Yeah, that was me. A cold reading may have suggested that, as I sat by myself, waiting for my turn for my photo to be read, trying to hide the fact that I didn’t feel as cheery and chatty as I thought I should be at the event.

Is It Worth It?

Many places charge anywhere from $20-$25 for an aura photo and reading. If you’re looking for an unconventional way to spend an evening, and you want a cool photo to enjoy later, go for it. Should you base a major life decision—or your sense of self or your worth—on what a reading says? No way. But then again, should you do that with any half-hour meeting with a stranger?

If nothing else, the analysis gets you to reflect on those statements, deciding for yourself what’s true, what isn’t and probing deeper where you see fit. In my case, I stepped back and analyzed how I needed to allow myself space to grieve, rather than compartmentalize. I appreciate my work ethic, but I thought deeper about how I should be seeking balance. Whether an aura photograph is tapping into my spirit or not, it was a surprisingly insightful exercise.