An aura is the field of energy believed to surround a person, often described as having a color or several colors that shift with their emotional, physical, or spiritual state. Someone who reads auras can sense or even see this field and interpret meaning from its color or clarity; red is often linked to strong emotion or passion, and blue to calm and communication.

Aura reading is often paired with chakra reading, since the two are generally described as connected systems, with a chakra's condition sometimes reflected in the color or clarity of the aura surrounding it.