Violet Ray - a Spark in the Dark…
Oh, let’s hop right into a topic that sparkles as much as BunnyBlossom’s tagline: “Hop into health, one petal at a time.” Today we’re shining a quirky, warm light on the mesmerizing violet ray—an electric gizmo with as much history and controversy as your grandma’s secret soup ingredient list!
What is the Violet Ray? A BunnyBlossom Introduction
The violet ray isn’t just a flash in the pan; it’s a fascinating piece of healing history! Imagine a buzzing, glowing wand that hums with mysterious energy—like something out of a futuristic planet exploring TV show… but over a hundred years older. This delightful device uses high-frequency, low-amperage electrical currents, creating a gentle tingly sensation (well… sometimes less than gentle, it can definitely wake you up when it really sparks ;-) ) meant to rejuvenate body and spirit alike. Like most alternative therapies, it carries around a suitcase full of stories, from hopeful healing to wild experimentation.
The Birth of the Violet Ray: Who, When & Where
Our story zips back to the late 19th century, where legendary inventor Nikola Tesla developed early iterations of the violet ray after his pioneering research into electrical currents. Around 1896, Tesla patented the “Tesla Coil,” which produced the highly charged currents found in violet ray devices. By the early 1900s, Dr. Frederick Finch Strong, and other medical trailblazers expanded Tesla’s concepts, designing portable devices for home and clinical use.
Early 1900s: Doctors, Hospitals, and the Violet Ray Revolution
Picture it: grinning doctors, enthusiastic nurses, and even jazzed-up housewives passing around violet ray wands like party favors at a Gatsby gala. The violet ray, with its glowing purple arc, was once standard in medical offices, touted for its healing prowess. In the Roaring Twenties, medical catalogs buzzed about its use for everything from arthritis to thinning hair—the device was touted as a one-size-fits-all miracle!
A Peek at Practices
In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), the stimulating properties of the violet ray were likened to “Qi” activation and “meridian-clearing”.
Ayurvedic practitioners compared its revitalizing effects to “pranic healing,” believing that the subtle electrical vibrations might restore “vata” and “pitta” balance.
In American folk medicine, stories abounded of farm families using violet rays for everything from headaches to “nerves.”
Even naturopaths found ways to incorporate violet rays as adjuncts to constitutional treatments.
20 Ways People Used the Violet Ray (Anecdotal Evidence Galore!)
Let’s bounce through a bouquet of uses, as documented by early users and curious BunnyBlossom adventurers:
Arthritis pain relief—reported reduction in joint swelling and discomfort.
Neuralgia (nerve pain)—soothing tingles and numbing effects.
Back pain—relaxing muscular tension.
Migraine headaches—gentle wand sessions sometimes led to less frequent episodes.
Hair growth stimulation—scalp treatments for thinning hair, a favorite in early beauty parlors and TCM clinics.
Acne reduction—users reported clearer skin after regular violet ray use.
Eczema and psoriasis—itch relief; some users saw skin improvements.
Wound healing—claimed to speed recovery of minor cuts.
Toothaches—dentists tried the device on gum pain (with mixed results).
Sinus congestion—inhaling the ozone produced was believed to clear airways.
Insomnia—relaxation sessions before bed.
Fatigue—restorative treatments to “recharge the body’s battery.”
Depression (melancholia)—early reports credited the violet ray with lifting spirits.
Improving circulation—especially for cold hands or feet.
Sports injuries—muscle sprain and bruise recovery.
Rheumatism—symptom relief for achy joints.
Sciatica—nerve pain control for the lower body.
Digestive troubles—chronic constipation and stomach discomfort.
Sexual vitality—yes, some bold ads promised improved “vital spark”!
Animal treatments—farmers zapped their horses and dogs for sprains, injuries, even fur shine.
Those lovely glass electrodes—often filled with neon or argon—basked every treatment in electric glowing sparkling magic. The real trick? A ‘sometimes’ gentle prickly sensation, a dash of ozone, and the knowledge our body is electric!
How the Violet Ray is Used Today
The violet ray is still tapping into curiosity (and sometimes controversy!) among alternative health lovers, holistic practitioners, spa-goers, and brave integrative doctors. Modern versions show up as “facial wands” for skin care, or as part of wellness rituals aiming to balance the body’s energy fields. Home and amateur use continues—sometimes for pain, sometimes for pursuing that elusive energetic boost. While mainstream medicine tipped its hat and walked away in the 1950s, the violet ray has never faded out of curious hearts, especially those who love exploring lost petals of wellness and have a true scientific curiosity.
A BunnyBlossom Family Anecdote: Bri and Ricky and the Violet Ray
Now, let’s get personal—About 6 months ago - I started using the Violet Ray out of fascination and profound respect for Tesla and his fellow scientist of the early 1900s and their visionary knowledge - a desire to explore, experiment and learn. But what to test? and how to test? I purchased several modern and old, restored violet rays and put them to the test. The results, from personal experience… growing hair, fading grey and youthful skin that lead to very flattering compliments from my lovely and talented acupuncturist :) but this is more than skin deep… to me, this seems to indicate the power of rejuvenation, the underlying health that lets true natural beauty surface and shine. - A healthy body is a beautiful body!
A BunnyBlossom Family Anecdote: Dad and the Violet Ray
My lovely dad, bravely fighting cancer, began using the violet ray for pain relief and more... The results? An immediate relief in pain and maybe more... I wish we had x-ray vision and could look inside to see if it is crucifying those invading cancer cells with it’s powerful spark, but we don’t… the big unknown remains—what’s going on inside, at the cellular level? We can’t tell yet, and medical scans are still needed, but knowing that we can count on a device like the violet ray for pain management makes every day brighter. We do see more intense sparks over the areas where the pain is located, what might that mean…unsure but hopefully, we’ll have more to share soon.
Hypothesis: How Might the Violet Ray Impact Cancer Cells?
Following in the footsteps of true science with wonder and respect, let us explore some rabbit hole hypothesis that make our BunnyBlossom whiskers twitch:
High-voltage, low-amperage current may influence cell membranes, possibly disrupting the electrical signaling of cancer cells.
Historical speculation (Rife theory, “electro-cytolysis”) dreamed that differences in voltage could selectively destroy malignant tissue without harming healthy cells.
Some modern research explores “bioelectric fields” and their ability to manipulate tumor microenvironments.
Dr. Royal Raymond Rife (1930s) claimed specific frequencies could “deactivate” pathogens and malignant cells.
Georges Lakhovsky aimed to reinforce healthy cellular oscillations with multiple electromagnetic frequencies.
Is there synergy between violet rays and conventional therapy? Possible! But right now, most Western medicine says, “More rigorous research, please!” BunnyBlossom says: Old knowledge should be respected, retested, and maybe even mixed with new petals of wisdom, finding synergies to accelerate our pursuit of health and wellness.
Let’s Stay Curious: A Call for Open-Mindedness
Whatever the future holds for violet ray therapy, let’s remember: true medicine blossoms when minds are open! Western medicine can be amazing, but the world has so many petals—why not hop from one to another until life feels lighter, brighter, and full of hope? BunnyBlossom respects the wisdom of the past and the discoveries of the future.
So pop on your bunny ears, dust off those old medical catalogs, and get ready to rediscover healing with every petal, zap, and story. You never know what will bloom next!
Sources & Links for Your Hop-into-Health Journey
Further Deeper Dive down the rabbit hole
Dr. Frederick Finch Strong:
Strong is confirmed as a key figure who, inspired by Tesla’s work in high-frequency currents and electrotherapeutic devices, first developed the violet ray (vacuum electrode) device in 1896.
By the early 1900s, Strong had already commercialized several devices for both clinical and home use, such as the "Strong-Ovington Static Induction and High-Frequency Apparatus" in 1903 and later a battery-operated violet ray in 1906.
He also published, lectured, and promoted these electrotherapy devices for a wide range of uses.
Context about Tesla’s concepts and broader expansion:
Tesla pioneered high-frequency coil technology (the Tesla coil) for medical and therapeutic use but did not personally focus on commercializing portable or home models.
Other inventors and companies built on Tesla’s foundation, and by the 1920s several companies were mass-producing portable violet ray devices for clinical and home use in both the US and Europe.
More on: https://www.cosmeticsandskin.com/ded/high-frequency.php
TCM: Violet Ray & Qi/Meridian-Clearing
There is limited direct historical evidence that the violet ray was explicitly described by early TCM practitioners as “Qi activation” or "meridian-clearing." However, modern integrative approaches have likened electrical and laser stimulation—including violet laser acupuncture—to meridian therapy and energy activation similar to Qi movement. Electrical stimulation of acupuncture points is documented as an effective means to activate meridians and energies in TCM, and laser acupuncture (including violet light devices) is used to stimulate acupoints and influence physiological parameters along meridian lines, with some studies associating the effect with Qi circulation concepts. The language connecting the violet ray specifically to “Qi activation” is more of a modern integrative medicine interpretation rather than an original TCM doctrine from the early 1900s.
http://www.electroacupunctureknowledge.com/mayor_database/chaps/chap10-2.htm
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3337607/
Ayurveda: Violet Ray & Pranic Healing/Vata-Pitta Balance
There is no direct primary evidence of historical Ayurvedic practitioners describing violet ray devices using pranic healing language or discussing their impact on vata/pitta balance. However, modern biofield and energy healing modalities in Ayurveda commonly compare subtle electrical and vibrational therapies to pranic healing and claim potential regulatory effects on doshas (especially vata and pitta). Literature on pranic healing and bioenergetics associates these practices with autonomic balance and thermoregulatory shifts, suggesting a theoretical basis but not a documented early 20th-century practice or statement. Thus, this statement is accurate as a retrospective or modern comparative viewpoint, but not as a provable historical practice by traditional Ayurvedic doctors.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/27536130251366954
American Folk Medicine: Farm Families Using Violet Rays
There is solid anecdotal evidence and documentation from early 20th-century advertisements, popular magazines, and independent medical accounts that American farm families, rural households, and lay healers used violet rays for many complaints (headaches, nervous conditions, general aches, fatigue, etc.). These stories circulated widely and are cited in primary sources, testimonials, and catalogues of the era. This statement is factual and supported.
https://ndnr.com/nature-cure/violet-ray-high-frequency-current/
https://www.electroherbalism.com/Bioelectronics/Tesla/VioletRay.htm
https://www.electroherbalism.com/Bioelectronics/Tesla/VioletRay.htm
Homeopathy: Homeopaths Using Violet Rays as Adjuncts
There is modest but verifiable evidence that homeopaths and naturopaths in North America and Europe used violet ray devices as adjuncts to classical treatments in the early 1900s–1930s. Journals from that era, case notes, and naturopathic texts reference the complementary application of high-frequency current (the violet ray) for certain constitutional and symptomatic cases, particularly those related to nervous and circulatory complaints. However, this was not a universal or official doctrine, more a practical adaptation in eclectic or integrative homeopathy.
https://cayce.com/health-solutions/the-edgar-cayce-violet-ray/
https://ndnr.com/nature-cure/violet-ray-high-frequency-current/
Edgar Cayce
Edgar Cayce (1877–1945) was a renowned American psychic and self-styled “sleeping prophet” famous for entering trance states to give readings on health, healing, and spirituality. He provided thousands of psychic readings in which he diagnosed illnesses and prescribed unconventional therapies, becoming a central figure in American alternative medicine and spiritual movements in the 20th century. His readings drew from a wide variety of healing methods including osteopathy, electrotherapy, hydrotherapy, dietary guidance, massage, herbal medicine, essential oils, and some homeopathic remedies.
Relation to the Violet Ray
Cayce is closely associated with the violet ray in his healing work. He recommended the use of the violet ray device in nearly 900 separate health readings for a wide range of disorders, citing its benefits due to the combination of light, heat, and ozone generation. According to Cayce’s readings, the violet ray was useful for stimulating circulation, alleviating skin and nervous system conditions, improving digestive function, supporting hair and eye health, and even treating complaints like headaches, arthritis, and insomnia.
Cayce believed the device’s gentle electrical stimulation could “rejuvenate” the body and aid recovery and restoration when used alongside other natural therapies. He described particular application techniques and timing, advising use for varying durations depending on the specific complaint, and recommending it sometimes in combination with osteopathic manual adjustments or other treatments for enhanced effects.
Cayce’s advocacy of the violet ray helped integrate the device into American naturopathy and alternative healing circles through the early to mid-20th century, making it a tool still referenced by his followers today.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Cayce
Georges Lakhovsky
Georges Lakhovsky was a Russian-French scientist best known for his theory that living cells act as tiny oscillators, each with its own natural frequency of vibration. In the 1920s and 1930s, he developed the Multiwave Oscillator (MWO), a device designed to bathe living tissues in a broad spectrum of electromagnetic frequencies. Lakhovsky believed this "cellular oscillation" could strengthen the organism's vitality, potentially restoring cellular health and resistance against disease, including cancer. He also speculated that healthy cells could absorb and resonate with beneficial frequencies, while diseased or weak cells (including cancer cells) would fail to do so and could be selectively affected.
Lakhovsky Theory and Violet Ray Connection
The violet ray, inspired by Tesla's high-frequency technology, shares conceptual roots with Lakhovsky’s MWO, and both were used by alternative practitioners seeking to use electromagnetic energy for healing purposes. While Lakhovsky's device generated multiple frequencies, the violet ray delivered high-frequency electrical stimulation, and both were postulated to "restore" or "activate" healthy cellular vibrations.
Rife Theory and "Electro-cytolysis"
Royal Raymond Rife proposed in the early 20th century that every microorganism, including cancer cells, has a unique "mortal oscillatory rate"—a resonance frequency which, if targeted with precisely tuned electromagnetic energy, could destroy those cells while sparing healthy tissue. This idea, later called "electro-cytolysis," speculated that differences in voltage and frequency could be used experimentally, and is reflected in anecdotal and theoretical research about killing pathogens or tumor cells with energy while leaving normal cells unharmed.
Historical Speculation and Selective Tissue Destruction
The concept of using oscillatory voltage to target malignant tissue emerged in speculative electrotherapy, including Lakhovsky’s and Rife’s work. Although such selectivity was never proven in mainstream science, these theories inspired ongoing historical and contemporary experiments with pulse-field ablation and irreversible electroporation, where controlled voltages can trigger cell membrane breakdown preferentially in targeted tissues.
In summary: Lakhovsky, Rife, and similar theorists envisioned that differences in voltage or frequency could provide a tool for selective tissue repair or destruction, including ambitions to address cancer non-surgically. While their concepts remain largely speculative and controversial, their devices (MWO, violet ray, rife machines) all revolve around the use of high-frequency electric or electromagnetic energy as a mechanism for healing or selective cell targeting.
Dive into these resources and let your own BunnyBlossom adventure begin! Hop into health, one petal at a time.
