10 Colors And Their Meanings

10 Colors And Their Meanings

Platitudes and multitudes of colors exist in the Universe. Everything in nature is made of colors which are a visual treat for the eyes. From the green tress to the vast corn blue ocean, to the flaming fire to the crystal white snow, everything has color in it. The human can perceive color due to the reflection of light off objects. The presence of color makes everything more appealing. Even movies, which were in black and white earlier, are now produced in Technicolor, from 

black and white TV, we have come to LED and LCD which produce an array of colors by just using tiny dots of three colors: Red, Blue and Green. From food with various colored elements on it to nature to the clothes we wear, the ability to perceive color is a blessing for mankind. Colors have a great influence on our lives. From a young age, we are taught the name of different colors such as black, blue, green, red, yellow. We tend to prefer one color over the other which becomes our ‘favourite’ color. As beautiful as they may be to see, each color has some symbolism and a greater meaning attached with it. Color therapy, color psychology etc., are gaining importance because of the impact that certain shades of colors can have on our personalities.

1. Turquoise

The color is a mixture of green and blue is calming to look at. It has a certain kind of sophistication to it and looks extremely pretty, especially turquoise stones. It is a calm color which stirs creativity and serenity. It is mostly associated with females and hence is a feminine color. It awakes and rejuvenates the senses and is said to have healing properties to it as it helps to reduce stress levels and restore the mind to a state of calm. Helpful in times of emergency as it helps clear the mind to take decisions. It is associated with practicality and self – sufficiency. At its negative, a greater influence of this color can stir deception, self indulgence, unreliability and either extreme emotions or complete aloofness.

2. Indigo

The second color on the rainbow, indigo is the color of the midnight sky. Coming from the blue family, indigo, instead of projecting its influence outward, projects it inward. It increases insights and understandings of the self and helps to improve upon the psychic abilities of the person. Indigo develops intuition. It conveys integrity and sincerity. It is the color of the Higher Mind. It has a great sense of justice and divinity and strives to put forth what is right. It stimulates the right side of the brain which is also associated with creativity and increases ones capability to reflect on things. Indigo should be avoided when feeling sad as it will increase the gloom since its energies are projected inwards. Copious amounts of indigo bring out traits such as conformism, fanaticism, paranoia, bigotry and addictions.

3. Gold

All that glitters is not gold is a saying that we have all grown up with. It is the color of wealth and prosperity and also indicates wisdom. It also stands for love and concentration. Gold is also associated with power, optimism and friendship. According to color therapy, usage of gold can actually make one loving and spiritual. Wearing bright flashy shades of this color could mean that the person likes attention where as dull shades indicate tradition and homeliness. Gold, though treasured mostly by women, is associated with masculine energy represented by the sun. It also brings out deeper wisdom and connection with higher understanding. Though compassionate and generous, gold when used excessively, can make a person egotistical, opportunistic and demanding.

4. Silver

Lesser valued than its shinier cousin, Silver is associated with femininity and the shine of the moon. A fun fact is that silver cars are the least associated with road mishaps as they can be easily spotted even in low light. Like gold, it stands for luxury and wealth. Associated with psychic prowess and intuition, it indicates the person's ability to choose well for himself. It has reflective and helps in calming down and purifying the mind body and soul. It is said to be the mirror of the soul as it helps in introspection and is said to be guiding to newer directions. It is fluidic and mysterious and arouses people’s interest. It is also considered to be dignified, self controlled, patient and is also associated with perseverance. In excessive amounts, silver can be lifeless, dull, deceptive and lonely.

5. Pink

The color of many a girl’s nail polish collection with perfect, matching lip gloss has more to it than fancy nails and weird duck faces. Made with a combination of white and red, it draws on the best traits of the parent colors. It stands for inspiration and love and youth. It encompasses all things pretty. It is pure and guileless and makes a person more sensitive. It is, but of course, associated with femininity. It is the color of caring and giving and tenderness. In the country of Korea, it is the color of trust. It is said that Pink was used in the walls of prisoner’s cells in order to calm their aggressiveness. Pink relates with empathy and sympathy and shows the nurturing or the care-giving side of the person. Used excessively and exclusively, pink could come to signify the need for attention, silliness and even the need for unconditional love and acceptance.

6. Gray

A mix of two extremes of the spectrum, black and white, gray represents mediation. It stands for complexity, maturity and modesty. It is also associated with intelligence (the thinking part of the brain is called ‘grey matter’ remember?). It is also associated with class and dignity as well as with elegance and humility. Shades of gray which are more on the whiter side are considered to be feminine while those that make use of more black are considered to be more masculine. The color is without any emotions; in long spells and excessive use, it can lead to lifelessness and dullness. Gray is often considered a color of transition, where one is unable to reach a conclusion and is stuck in the middle. When nothing is black or white, it is considered a gray area as gray is precisely that. It is indecisive and confused and can also lead to detachment, isolation and indifference.

7. Purple

It is the color of the rich and the royal, the ambitious and the nobility, of wealth and of extravagance. The color purple was famously worn by Julius and Octavian Caesar for it symbolized royalty and power. The above is well known by everyone, but did you know that purple also denotes spirituality and selfless love? Philosophers are said to be attracted to the color purple as it aids in the soul's quest for a higher purpose. It is the color which is also associated with psychic abilities and a sense of purpose in life. Hence it is not surprising that it is also associated with imagination and inspiration, the main tools when it comes to achieving your goals and getting to a higher place in life.

8. Yellow

The color of acquired knowledge and mental agility, yellow is the lightest hue on the color spectrum. It inspires cheerfulness, illumination, joy and happiness. It creates confidence in the wearer of the color and helps to infuse a certain kind of optimism and enthusiasm in the environment. Yellow also shows that the person loves to talk. You will often find that people who like the color yellow will eat your ear off, for yellow is the color for communicators. It also sparks inquisitiveness. Not only does yellow make you analytical and critical, it is also the color of thinking from the head rather than from the heart. It is the color of a mind that will weigh both sides of anything before coming to any conclusion. Be careful though, excess of anything is too bad and so it is in the case of yellow. Being a fast moving color, it can play with your head. It causes one to become judgmental, overly critical, impulsive, cowardly, egotistical and deceitful.

9. Orange

The color of the rising sun, and the color of the setting evening, orange lovers are adventurous and risk taking and enjoy the occasional thrill. They are out there and are fun seekers and will enjoy the adrenaline rush that comes from living life on the edge. Made from red and yellow, two warm colors, orange inherits the best qualities of both. It helps in motivation and clarity of thought, uplifts spirit and brings sun shine into your life, especially during an economic crisis. Orange helps to infuse life. It is the color of extroverts. It helps to increase appetite and hence is frequently used in kitchens and in the houses of those people who love to eat! Over indulgence in orange can lead to unnecessary pride, superficiality, and even unsociability.

10. Red

It is the other end of the color spectrum, the last color in the rainbow, the color of the racing Ferrari and blushing cheeks. Red has it all. It is most associated with love and roses and also with aggression and violence. Red, being the color of energy and action helps to awaken the physical life force. In oriental cultures, red is the color of good luck. Red is associated with masculinity as it exudes a powerful masculine force. It can stimulate intimation, sexual desires and is seen as a positive influence in fueling lust and helping in sexual prowess. It sparks passion and promotes love. It increases appetite for both, food and love and is the color of the Patron Saint of Valentine’s Day. It is expressive and intuitive. Excessive red can lead to violence and aggression. It can cause people to become over bearing and possessive and can also make people rebellious and resentful.