by guest blogger Flora White
If you haven’t given much thought to how color impacts your emotional and physical well-being, you might want to do so and make a conscious, deliberate effort to bring colors that leave you feeling serene, comforted, happy or exuberant into your life on a consistent basis, in the clothing you wear, the color of your walls and home furnishings …. anything you see or are surrounded by daily. Even as these choices, if they are the right ones for you, become less conscious and fade into the background, the impact is great.
After my divorce many years ago, I moved to an apartment that I loved. The walls were all painted in the most unusual shade of yellow that changed as the day progressed from early morning into evening, almost an entirely different shade of yellow depending on the natural light from outside. It seemed magical. When I bought my home I was disappointed to learn that the particular paint no longer was being produced, but was delighted to learn that there was a color formula the paint store could use to mix the paint. I had most of my rooms in my new home painted that yellow, and still each day the effect on me continues to be the same. Soothing, pleasant, joyful ….various “shades” of emotions….always positive. I found a complementary shade of green and what I call “Buddhist red/orange” from another paint company which I’ve also used and the effect has been the same. An interesting awareness occurred to me as I was writing this. The color selections in my previous home had not been mine, but were mostly chosen by my former husband. That brings up the important issue of finding a balance when making any choices for mutually shared spaces.
The following is an excerpt from a book titled an Introduction to Color Balance by Cheryl S. Birch. I think it beautifully summarizes the function and importance of color in our lives and psyche.
For as long as there have been people on our earth there has been a fascination with color. To the ancients it was a mysterious gift from their gods. To some it was the essences of their lives and religious beliefs. Every ancient civilization revered color, studied it, and used it to the fullest extent available to them.
We as a society now hold the same fascination for color the ancients did. We are studying it and using it to improve our looks, our health, and our relationships with other people.”
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