Today’s Passage, “What colors reveal.” For me, there is no greater connection to inward happiness than to spend time in the splendor of nature. To gaze up at the blue sky, to swim in our beloved green ocean, or to just run my hands across a thorny bush or the bark on a tree.
 
 According to New York color therapist, Dr. Koran Johar, “colors actually give off a certain “feeling”. They are associated with different mental, physical, and emotional effects on people. Red, for example, can increase heart rate and adrenaline. While some colors have been psychologically proven to influence a change in affect, some may be subjective and can be opened to interpretation and perception between different populations or cultures.”

I read a fascinating article titled, “Female cleansing the momome ritual of the Akan world.” It’s a paper written by Stefano Boni, that discusses the female-led cleansing ceremony of a West African Community, in moments before what is deemed an ‘impending crisis’ . The use of color and other sacred rituals are thought to be a supernatural protection against treachery.

The colors turquoise, blue and purple are often associated with spirituality. In the seven chakras, the color turquoise or blue is associated with the throat chakra, and it relates to communication.  If it’s blocked, there would be an inability to articulate and communicate clearly, or perhaps a shyness.

Ellen Meloy writes, “Colors are not possessions; they are the intimate revelations of an energy field… They are light waves with mathematically precise lengths, and they are deep, resonant mysteries with boundless subjectivity” in her book, “The Anthropology of Turquoise: Reflections on Desert, Sea, Stone, and Sky.” Color as a symbol of culture was what Meloy investigated, and in particular, why  turquoise, the color and the gem, is held in such high esteem by so many cultures. For example, the Persians liken the color turquoise to the equivalent of wearing a bulletproof vest, while the Navajo dress in the color turquoise in honor of their homeland’s ancestral landscape. Meloy died in 2004.

Mood rings were popular in the United States in the 1970s, 80s and 90s. And, I’ll be honest, I think they are overdue for a massive comeback. A mood ring changes colors based on the body temperature of the wearer. It’s a liquid crystal, and most of the Mood rings come with a handy dandy color chart, which supposedly indicate the mood of the wearer. Turquoise falls somewhere between, ‘happy, loving and relaxed.’ 

You know, there was a hit song Audrey Hepburn sang in the film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s --based on Truman Capote’s novel of the same name, it was originally titled, “Blue River” but that name was copywritten for another song, so one of the songwriter’s, Johnny Mercer, changed it to “Moon River” in reference to a river in Savannah Georgia, that ran near his childhood home. His song lyrics likely invoked the color blue as wrote nostalgically for those memories of home. But for me, I only plan Moon River, when I need a good cry. Mood color ring, black…for stress and sorrow. 

No matter what sort of mood prevails, we have the power to alter our state of being. Perhaps, the next time you’re feeling down or out of sorts, you will use color in a creative way in your home environment, in nature, or with others to uplift yourself and play in the wonder of color.

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