The Emotional Influence of Colour

The emotional influence of colour affects our lives on a profound scale; from our perception of the world around us, the choices we make in our homes and how we dress, how we wish to appear to others and even our mood and well-being. Do your surroundings influence your state of mind? A calming sanctuary or a place that especially annoys you. There is a strong chance that the colours in those locations are playing a part. My clients sometimes say they see certain colours as they gain deep relaxation during their reflexology and I have often wondered at this connection.

Before I trained as a Reflexologist I had a career as a Graphic Designer in the advertising industry. In the design of product packaging and promotional material, colour psychology in relation to human behaviour is integral. Colour affects our decisions in the items we buy, why we are drawn to one brand over another, why the colour of an icon makes us more likely to click on it. In the world of ‘influencers,’ colour has, by far, the most followers!

 The emotional influence of colour has universal associations to our well-being and mood

Colour evokes feeling and emotion and this may differ in interpretation with gender, culture, past experiences etc. For example, white in many western countries represents innocence and purity, but in some eastern cultures it is a symbol of mourning. The emotional influence of colour has universal associations to our well-being and mood. Warm hues evoke feelings ranging from comfort and warmth to anger and hostility. Cool colours can be calming but also bring feelings of sadness or indifference.

 

The emotional influence of colours and their symbolic meanings

Red – passion, love, excitement, strength, energy, anger, danger

Pink – reserved, soft, kind, sincere, weakness, immaturity

Purple – glamour, nobility, mystery, ambition, luxury, compassion

Blue – peace, hope, wisdom, trust, loyalty, competence, tranquillity

Green – nature, fresh, growth, healing, quality, envy, balance

Yellow – hope, creativity, happiness, warmth, joy

Orange – kindness, joy, confidence, bravery, sociability

White – truth, indifference, simplicity, innocence, honesty, isolation

Black – noble, mysterious, cold, dramatic, security, formality

Chakras are centres of spiritual energy and balance in the body, each associated with a colour. They traditionally originate from Hindu and Buddhist traditions.

Your likes and dislikes of certain colours reveal something about your personality. Think about the colour you like to wear or the colour-scheme in your home. Are you a blue personality – reliable and trustworthy; a cheerful, creative yellow personality or a confident, optimistic red?

The power and symbolism of colour is a wonderful mix of psychology and spiritualism. A rare space where academic and scientific theory blends seamlessly with the world of spiritual chakras and auras. Whether your are selling a certain brand of fizzy drink or searching for inner harmony; you are pretty much on the same page! I do not profess to be an expert in any way, but from a client saying “I’ve been seeing a lot of greens today” during her reflexology, it has led me on this fascinating journey to find out more about colour and what it means to us.