What attracts you to certain colors?

What colors do you like to wear opposed to colors you like in your home, office, vehicle, or environment?

What do these colors mean to you? What do they represent?

Sunlight is a perfect blend of seven colors.

Sunlight is a blend of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet – the colors of the rainbow. These seven colors are responsible for the release of various kinds of hormones which keep us healthy. I opine that healthy means in mind, body, and spirit.

Chromotherapy is considered pseudoscience and quackery. The available scientific evidence does not support claims that alternative uses of light or color therapy are effective in treating cancer or other illnesses. Yet in the article, “A Critical Analysis of Chromotherapy and Its Scientific Evolution” written by Samina T. Yousuf Azeemi and S. Mohsin Raza states, “Colors have a profound effect on us at all levels – physical, mental, and emotional. If our energy levels are blocked or depleted then our body cannot function properly, and this is in turn can lead to a variety of problems at various levels.” (Click on this link to read the full article – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1297510/)

Wellness, in living color

This post is not to debate whether chromotherapy is quackery or a valid medical alternative. The post is a compilation of the meaning and symbolism of colors and how color can influence our lives in mind, body, and spirit.

RED – Passion 

Red brings warmth, energy, and stimulation; therefore, it is good for energy, fatigue, colds, chilly and passive people. Red energizes the heart and blood circulation. It builds up the blood and heightens a low blood pressure by energizing all organs and senses.

When you are “seeing red” does it mean feeling angry or does it create a sense of power?

Red is the color of passion and energy which draws attention like no other color. It radiates a strong and powerful energy what motivates us to take an action. It is also linked to sexuality and stimulates sleep and intimate passion. Red is ubiquitously used to warn and signal caution and danger.

The spiritual meaning of red is passion. Biblically, it’s the first of three primary Biblical colors. The Hebrew word for red is Odeum meaning “red clay” – the root word for humankind. In Christianity, the passion is to “suffer, bear, endure” and the Passion of the Christ is the final period in the life of Jesus Christ.

While red symbolizes action, strength, energy and passion, the effects of red draws attention, motivates, stimulates, and is cautious which is why red is viewed as a power color. Red is used to energize and invigorate a person who might be feeling tired or down. However, red may also trigger people who may already be feeling tense.

The positives of red are manifested in sexuality, courage, desire, and confidence. The negatives of red are anger, danger, revenge, and aggression.

ORANGE – Playful

Orange stimulates creativity, productivity, as well as, pleasure, feelings of optimism, enthusiasm, and emotional expression. Orange can activate the playfulness within to elicit happy emotions. The bright warm color is also thought to be able to stimulate appetite and mental activity.

The spiritual meaning of orange is the mixing of red (flesh) and yellow (trials) producing the color of fire, deliverance, and passionate praise. Biblically, orange symbolizes the Fire of God.

Enthusiasm and emotion are represented in the color of orange thereby exuding warmth and joy.

The fire color provides emotional strength. The optimistic and uplifting characteristics of orange adds youthful spontaneity and energetic positivity to life while encouraging social communication and creativity.

While the positive side of orange is spontaneity, creativity, warmth and positivity, the negative side of orange is exhibitionism, superficiality, impatience, and domination.

YELLOW – Happiness

Yellow increases neuromuscular tone. It purifies the blood, aids in digestion, and has a cleansing effect. Yellow strongly stimulates happiness and brings on a sense of security. Yellow, like the sun, provides a strong feeling of well-being.

Yellow also increases the characteristics of fun, humor, lightness, personal power, intellect, logic, and creativity. In short, yellow can improve mood, happiness, and optimism.

With its cheerful and energetic happiness and optimism, yellow brings fun and joy to the world. Yellow makes learning easier as it affects the logical part of the brain, stimulating mentality and perception. Yellow inspires thought and curiosity boosting confidence and enthusiasm.

The spiritual meaning of yellow is faith, joy, anointment, and the Glory of God. Biblically, yellow is the second primary color and is associated with fire, which in turn, has always been associated with the purification process.

Are you cowardly and afraid or creative and warm?

Symbolizing happiness, optimism, positivity, and intellect, yellow effects clarity, inspiration, amusement, and energy. The positive side of yellow is creativity, perception, mentality, and warmth while the negative side of yellow is cowardice, deception, egotism, and caution.

GREEN – Harmony

Green is the color of nature and the earth. Green regulates the pituitary gland, fights depression, bulimia, and other psychosomatic conditions affecting the gastric system. It is useful in calming the nervous system, fights irritability, insomnia and can be used to assist in the recovery of a nervous breakdown.

Green is also the color of harmony and health. Green is generous. It is a relaxing color that revitalizes the body and mind. It balances the emotions leaving us to feel safe and secure. Green elicits hope with promises of growth and prosperity.

The spiritual meaning of green is acceptance. Green spiritually symbolizes praise, growth, new beginnings, to flourish, and restoration. Biblically, the color of green is immortality. It is symbolic of the resurrection which we see each spring.

Are you green with envy or have the luck of the Irish?

Green symbolizes harmony, safety, growth, and health. The effect of green revitalizes, balances, relaxes, and encourages. The positives of green are generosity, hope, prosperity, and luck; the flip side of green is judgment, envy, materialistic, and inexperience.

BLUE – Calmness

Blue is calming. Blue stimulates the parasympathetic system, reducing blood pressure, calming both breathing and heart-rate. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect and relaxes the muscles. Blue fights both physical and mental tension and is used often in relaxation techniques.

While increasing calmness, blue increases communication, honesty, self-expression, and the appreciation of beauty. Blue is the color of trust and loyalty providing peace while helping us to feel confident and secure.

The spiritual meaning of blue is heaven, authority, and biblically, the Holy Spirit. Blue is the third primary color in the Bible that spiritually signifies the Healing Power of God. The blue sky stands for the presence of God.

Are you feeling blue, or did it appear out of the blue?

Blue dislikes confrontation and too much attention, but it is honest, dependable, and supportive. Blue symbolizes security, trust, loyalty and responsibility and the effects of blue are to protect, calm, relax, and be supportive. The positives of blue are confidence, peace, honesty, and reliability while the negative side of blue is conservative, passive, depressed, and predictable.

INDIGO – Spirituality

Indigo is used to aid emotional distress. It helps to process grief and sadness, restoring youth and bringing you closer to your feelings. Indigo stimulates self-responsibility, inner strength, creative visualization, intuition, calmness, and discernment. Indigo provides the universal flow to meditation, artistic qualities, and imagination promoting peace, love, kindness, truth, inner peace, emotional depth, and devotion.

In other words, indigo inspires us to divulge our innermost thoughts which enlightens us with wisdom of who we are, our purpose, and encourages spiritual growth. Indigo is often associated with royalty and luxury; it has mystical and magic to spark creative fantasies.

Spiritually, purple symbolizes royalty, mediator, wealth which biblically it means priesthood. In the Bible, purple is obtained by mixing red symbolizing flesh and blue which is the Word of God.

Are you born to royalty or spiritually discerning?

Indigo symbolizes spirituality, mystery, royalty, and imagination. Indigo effects enlightenment, inspiration, uplifts and encourages. The positive side of indigo is compassion, fantasy, wisdom, and creativity; yet the negative effects are sensitivity, vigilance, immaturity, and emotions.

VIOLET – Compassion

Violet stimulates the compassion and sympathy making us feel loved, comforted, and loved. Violet has a playful spirit that is calming and nurturing bringing joy and warmth. Violet intuitively helps to express gratitude, respect, and softness.

Violet spiritually means to be in the right relationship with God and can also symbolize new birth.

Are you in good health or in good graces?

The love and compassion of violet can symbolize femininity and beauty which has effects sympathy, calmness, nurturing, and comforting. Violet’s positives are kindness, warmth, romance, and intuition. Violet can be emotional, timid, immature, and unconfident.

Colors – the varying hues

All seven colors have varying hues. Violet and pink are hues between red, purple, and blue. Or you may be drawn to turquoise or teal the varying hue between green and blue that stabilizes emotions and increases empathy and compassion – the hues of calmness and clarity.

What about neutral colors?

Brown – the color of stability and reliability which symbolizes the dependability and comfort of a great counselor. Who is the friend full of wisdom when you need an honest opinion that is supportive and protective. Yet brown spiritually symbolizes the end of season and pride.

Black – While symbolizing power, sophistication, and elegance, also spirituality symbolizes death, depression, sadness, and destruction. Are you blacked out, or in the black? Black can be seductive and intimidating and yet shows strength and prestige.

Gray – the neutral of neutrals, practical, unemotional. Conservative and mature can also be pessimistic and indecisive. Gray symbolizes something undefined but also has soothing, reliable presence as well. It is a gray area to be sure.

White – Healing

White is the true color of healing. White is to be directed into that place that needs healing and treatment to help heal whatever ails us. Is this why medical and spiritual practitioners wear white? White is commonly thought to purify, protect, inspire, and seeks the truth. Spiritually, white means victory, blessedness, peace, light, and symbolizes angels and saints.

White is the color of purity and innocence and is the true balance of all colors. White loves to make others feel good and provides hope and clarity by refreshing and purifying the mind. White promotes open-mindedness and self-reflection.

While white can negatively be boring, cold, empty, and distant. White shows goodness, hope, clarity, and openness as its’ positive traits.

The Benefits of Color

I often ask people their top three colors they like or attracted to and often the answer is, “it depends.” Are they colors I enjoy wearing? Are they colors that I like to be surrounded by in my home or environment?

I am drawn to colors that invoke pleasant memories and feelings.

Green gives me hives.

This may come as a shock to people who personally know me. I do agree that green brings harmony to the world. My favorite seasons are spring and summer as the gray/brown earth turns green. It fills me with hope and positive expectations.

However, there are two reasons why I will not wear green. In the mid-80’s, I bought a lovely, smart, grass-green pantsuit at Lord & Taylor. I loved it until someone at the office told me I looked like a Leprechaun. Secondly, John Deere green is the color of a rival college team and for that reason alone, green gives me hives.

Orange was my ultimate favorite color in high school. My parents even allowed me to have orange shag carpeting and orange walls in my room. Please remember this was the 1970’s. I find orange detestable now unless it citrus or flowers.

My top two colors however have always been consistent throughout my adult life – blue and yellow. These two colors have both deep meaning for me involving childhood and adult memories, as well as I find them to be healing both in what I like to wear, my home, and in nature.

My third color is really a tie between purple, white, and melon.

White is clean and spiritual, but it does hold an unfortunate memory. When I was 16 years old, I begged my mother to allow me to have white pants. She finally relented when her tomboy-daughter promised to not stain them. The first day I wore them, I was driving home from track practice and while crossing a busy freeway, I hit a passing semi-truck totaling my parents brown 1972 Gran Torino. When I was pulled from the car, dazed, and confused, the only words I muttered was, “mom is going to kill me.” Blood was spattered all over my new white pants. It was also the first day my parents let me drive the family car to school.

I find purple and melon both in nature and in my wardrobe to be beautiful and playful. So, I will leave those two colors as my third color depending upon my mood or environment.

I do believe color has therapeutic effects on the mind, body, and spirit that can promote healing and instill harmony in my life. What colors are you attracted to and why? Do colors instill harmony in your life?

Peace,

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