The Color Blue: the color of self-expression and truth

 

Most people claim the color blue as their favorite color. This is likely because it represents freedom, creative self-expression, communication, inspiration, confidence, integrity, wisdom, truth, and independence—America was built on these same values, hence, the blue in our flag.

Looking around my environment, blue is the least represented color. Here we have two bluebird salt and pepper shakers, lovingly given to me by a good friend. They hold a place of honor as my only blue treasures. The lack of blue in my environment could represent a feeling of limited self-expression. Curious!

Blue encourages creativity by producing a peaceful environment. We feel open and free to express and explore when surrounded by blue. This is important when brainstorming or conducting a focus group. People associate blue with the vastness of the sky and ocean. The color blue is linked with achievement and getting the “blue ribbon” And loyalty and dependability as in a “true blue” friend. As pink represents femininity, blue represents masculinity. It is one of the most politically correct colors with no negative connotations anywhere in the world.

Blue is the color of the throat chakra, centered around the thyroid gland. It encourages spiritual awareness, mental clarity, and imagination, representing knowledge, dignity, devotion, stability, and balance.

Physiological Effects of Blue

Physiologically, blue lowers blood pressure and body temperature. Seeing most shades of blue actually causes the body to produce chemicals that are calming. For these reasons, it is often chosen to decorate doctors’ offices, waiting areas, healing rooms, and meditation spaces. Research has shown that people tend to be more productive in a blue room because they are calm and focused on the task at hand.

Conversely, blue represents cold, defeat and trouble. “I have the blues” associates the color with depression, sadness, gloom, and fear. Some shades (or too much blue) can send a cold and uncaring message. Blue is one of the least appetizing colors and should be avoided in dining areas and restaurants.

How to use blue to affect your life:

By adding blue to your environment or person, one should feel an increased ability to self-express. I had better put this into practice and add more blue to my very green and red environment.

Wearing blue is perfect when you need your audience to trust you and feel good about what you are saying.

When choosing what to wear to an interview, blue can help you reinforce a message of dedication, confidence, and loyalty. A warm shade of blue, like aqua or turquoise, is a great color to wear to teaching or nursing interview.

Over the ages, navy blue has become associated with steadfastness, dependability, wisdom, and loyalty, which is why it is so commonly used for uniforms with the military, police and the airlines. Navy suits are great for lawyers and other people needing to command great respect from others. Navy is definitely a power color and can be worn well at formal events.

A CEO might use a blue background when speaking to her staff about getting through the tough times, assuring them that she has a plan that will help everyone feel safer about their jobs and about the future of the company.

Blue in Feng Shui

In the Feng Shui tradition, blue is used in the north area of the home and represents health, family, wealth, and prosperity. The color blue is most helpful in the bagua area of health and family (center left) and wealth and abundance (far left). Sky blue, used as a ceiling color, is known to assist children in performing better. Light blue is also the Feng Shui color of harmonious expansion and gentle growth; darker blue brings deep calm, serene energy.

aquamarine malaBlue Gemstones

Intentionally wearing a blue gemstone such as aquamarine, sapphire, blue aventurine, angelite, blue opal, or turquoise, encourages free flowing thought, creativity, self-expression and confidence. Blue stones are said to open the throat chakra, especially when worn as a necklace.

Choosing to wear blue says to the world, “I always communicate clearly and effectively.” It also says, “I express myself freely.”

Here hyacinths of heavenly blue, shook their rich tresses to the morn. — James Montgomery

For more information on color, please check out these color links:

Introduction: Using Color to Change Your Life.

The Color Red

The Color Orange

The Color Yellow

The Color Green

The Color Pink

The Color Turquoise

The Color Blue

The Color Indigo

The Color Purple

The Color White

The Color Gray

The Color Black

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