What is your favorite color or colors? Have you ever considered what it is about that color that makes it your favorite?

For most, the color inexplicably makes them feel good or increases their energy. My favorite colors are teal, indigo and orange. Teal reminds me of the ocean and tropical places, which spurs the thought of a lot of good memories and peace. Indigo is a color I have always loved for no particular reason other than I think it is really beautiful. Orange gives me energy and a general feeling of positivity, and yes, I AM that person who drives an orange car around!

Colors have a way of influencing our lives. Color therapy, also dubbed chromotherapy, can balance energy by channeling the emotions and spirit into a more positive or beneficial direction. Our seven chakras are also associated with colors, so color can help balance these as well. Essentially, color is just light and electro-magnetic reflections that we see with our eyes. That means they also have a frequency, and that frequency can affect our mood, helping us to feel happy, tense, calm or ready to take on the world.

Though not all feelings evoked by these colors will be the same for everyone, depending on preference, cultural influences and surroundings, colors are generally associated with certain healing properties.

Red: Warm energy, elicits confidence, assertiveness and brings about strength of body and mind. Associated with love and passion, aggressiveness and speed. Warning of danger for those who are very impulsive or live life too quickly.

Orange: Cheerful and freeing, opens us up to possibilities and brings about creativity. Associated with prosperity, charisma, sociability and dedication. Brings about better respiration and thyroid activity and is helpful for those who experience fatigue.

White: As this is all colors together, it evokes balance and harmony. Many religions are associated with this color as it symbolizes purity and divine light. The color is extremely healing, bringing enlightenment, peace, inspiration and protection against negative influences.

Black: Though you may assume that this is a negative color, it is actually quite positive. It symbolizes darkness and the desire to keep the energy within oneself. Someone who likes this color embraces the unknown and has little dependency on others.

Pink: This color is associated with youthfulness and the emotions of the heart, romance and nurturing. It is considered a feminine color; however, a male who prefers this color is likely to be very kind and unafraid to express himself. It is also symbolic of friendship and peace.

Turquoise/Teal: A very intuitive color, calms stress and inspires insightful thinking. Resistance to anything that would inhibit freedom. Inspires originality and finding ways to improve day-to-day living through creation and invention.

Purple: A transformative color, very meditative, connecting to the higher spirit within oneself and the universe. Inspires compassion and contemplation, with a desire to improve the consciousness of the world. Helps people with insomnia or restlessness.

Blue: Inspires vocalizing thoughts and expressing the self, a color that is strongly tied to truth and justice, wisdom and loyalty. Can help bring tranquility to those under stress, helps headaches and reduces high blood pressure.

Green: The nature color that evokes balance of the emotions. Elicits hope and comfort and content with the simple things. Symbolic of prosperity and wealth, but also a warning against greed and jealousy of others.

Yellow: Stimulating color that brings about a strong mind and nervous system. Excellent for digestion and skin health. Symbolic of the sun, the force of life, change and vitality. Elicits responses of joy and mental clarity. Surrounding yourself in yellow when studying improves concentration and memory.

Cheers to a colorful summer! Namaste.

Jennifer Russo