Using Color For Anxiety Relief

Everyone at one time or another grapples with anxiety. Life’s uncertainties breed anxiety in even the most composed individuals. For most, a simple distraction or re-focusing technique breaks the fretful spell. But for those with heightened tendencies toward anxiety, a more functional approach provides the best support. Using color for anxiety relief imparts an easy, pleasant alternative to the normal overwhelm of anxiety.

Welcome to Mindfulness Monday! Where we learn some easy ways to be more present “in the moment” at our jobs, in our homes, with our families and friends.

Learning to recognize God and what He has for us in each divine moment He offers. We acknowledge the belief that God is with us always.

We confess His presence is available to us, lifting our spirit and helping us with power and grace. Learning the art of “stillness” so we can hear His voice and view ourselves, others and our surroundings through His eyes.

anxiety’s overwhelm

The triggers for anxiety are intensely personal, but the results of anxiety remain the same. Most people who suffer from chronic anxiety describe feeling “overwhelmed”; unable to move either forward or backward. My own encounters with anxiety generally paralyze my decision making ability and keep me in a never ending repeat cycle of analyzation. While it is counterproductive and heightens our distress, many people attempt to deny or avoid the emotion of anxiety because of its unpleasant feeling in the body.

Regrettably, feeling overwhelmed is not the only unpleasant side effect of anxiety. Many physical and systemic consequences accompany the cycle of anxiety. Resulting in anxiety as one of the most “medicated” afflictions in our society today. Chronic anxiety also plays a large role in effective pain management, which contributed to the opioid crisis in this country. The more weighty ramifications aside, even occasional anxiety with its overwhelm, fatigue, muscle tension and restlessness is best managed rather than avoided. Using color for anxiety relief provides a mindfulness resource available to us at any time.

the science behind color and emotion

An unapologetic science geek, I enjoy reading research journals and articles and came upon a research study done at Wellesley College by artist and neuroscientist, Bevil R. Conway. His unique set of credentials piqued his interest in exploring the connection between how our brains process color, and subsequently impacts our emotions. That color impacts us in powerful ways is not lost on advertising heavyweights, evident in their use of color in logos and marketing.

The study affirmed the individuality of color preference and emotional connections to specific colors. God’s creation entices our eyes with vibrant hues of every color, which prompts the thought of God’s purpose in creating color. The Bible is replete with color references and symbolism often coinciding with what we feel about certain colors. For example, in the Bible God used blue extensively in the tabernacle and temple draperies, and blue is often associated with heaven. We often see the color blue associated with calm, peace and rest, which aligns with Bible representations of the color blue pointing to God and His habitation.

Common Color Associations

Enjoy the information in the following compilation of color theories. Most reflect commonly accepted emotional responses for each color used in advertising, psychology, poetry, decor, and cultural symbolism. Additionally included are reflections of color symbolism in the Bible and verses coinciding with the characteristics of the color.

• RED can reflect energy, passion, ambition or love. Conversely it can reflect anger or danger. Biblically, RED symbolizes humanity, sin and atonement. Hebrews 9:12-14, Isaiah 1:18
• ORANGE symbolizes joy, optimism, encouragement and warmth. The bible does not mention the color ORANGE specifically. Verses characterizing orange: Romans 15:13, Psalm 16:11
• YELLOW can reflect enthusiasm happiness and cheerfulness. Conversely it symbolizes stubbornness and cowardice. YELLOW represents sunshine and in the Bible the shining of the sun is associated with God’s glory and brilliance. Habakkuk 3:4, Psalm 84:11
• GREEN can reflect hope, harmony, calm and safety. In general we think of green as growing things. In the Bible GREEN reflects new growth, renewal; God’s living Presence. Psalm 1:3, Psalm 52:8
• BLUE can reflect wisdom, loyalty, faith, trust and peace. BLUE in the Bible is most associated with Heaven and eternity. Revelation 21:4-8, Revelation 22:5-9
• PURPLE often reflects royalty, creativity, independence, devotion and peace. Negatively, it can reflect pride. Predictably, in the Bible, PURPLE represents royalty and the priesthood. 1 Peter 2:9, Psalm 45:13
• WHITE as expected, WHITE symbolizes spiritual purity, light, perfection and innocence. It also reflects calmness and confidence. Biblically the representation is identical. Ephesians 4:24, Psalm 29:2
• BLACK can reflect mystery, isolation, or shame. Additionally it reflects the deepest of emotions; grief, despair and sorrow. Biblically BLACK is associated with evil and death. John 1:5, Luke 1:78-79

using color for anxiety relief

As with other mindfulness related practices, the purpose of using color for anxiety relief is stopping the negative cycle of thoughts regardless of their focus and grounding your mind in the present moment. Using color visualizations offers an easy visual focus point along with a mental focus point of desirable emotions evoked by a specific color. Color visualizations offer a two-fold benefit: first, terminating the negative thought processes, and second, redirection to a more desirable emotional state.

Before beginning any mindfulness exercise I recommend a brief five minute Mindful Check In, to initiate calm surroundings and transition from activity to stillness. If unfamiliar with a Mindful Check In, find full instructions HERE. At the close of the Mindful Check In, gently slip into an attitude of prayer through a favorite Bible verse which brings you peace in times of anxiety. My personal foundational verse for all of my mindfulness exercises is Isaiah 26:3-4. Focusing on a verse in an attitude of prayer ushers us into the safe place of God’s Presence. While sitting quietly, continue mindful breathing and begin one of the color visualization exercises below.

Rainbow Exercise

Ensure you have a quiet, undisturbed location either inside or outside. Maintain deep, mindful breathing. If possible make your exhale twice as long as your inhale; inhale for a count of two and exhale for a count of four, or inhale for a count of four and exhale for a count of eight. Allow approximately 20 minutes for the complete exercise. Have the verses corresponding to each color from above nearby, more on that later.

• Visualize a rainbow in your mind; focus on each color in order from the top to the bottom of the rainbow, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.
• As you linger with each color, also visualize items and landscapes where you see these colors. Whatever easily comes to mind.
• Take time with each color noticing any emotions triggered by the color. Avoid engagement with or judgement of the emotion, remain an observer.
• If a color evokes a difficult emotion, use the verses I assigned for each color from the above color descriptions. Remind yourself of God’s Presence with you and rest in His care.
• After moving through the rainbow completely, spend the last few moments in gratitude. Thank God for the amazing color spectrum and the magnificent items created and developed in those colors.
• Allow your mind a moment or two of rest. Notice if any particular color re-surfaces or lingers in your mind. Note the color, its emotions and any thoughts at the time.

Color Breathing Exercise

For this exercise, the focus moves to a single color; choose from the color list above, or perhaps the color remaining in your mind after the rainbow exercise. Choosing a color directs your mind to that color and the emotions associated with it. Most people struggling with anxiety tend towards blues and greens; although at times I lean towards oranges and yellows because my anxiety is rooted in grief inducing thoughts. Often I choose purple, which is my favorite color, which induces creativity and peace for me.

Ensure you have a quiet, undisturbed location either inside or outside. Maintain deep, mindful breathing. If possible make your exhale twice as long as your inhale; inhale for a count of two and exhale for a count of four, or inhale for a count of four and exhale for a count of eight. Allow approximately 10-15 minutes for the complete exercise.

• Choose between two approaches to visualizing your color. One choice is to visualize your color as if you are breathing that color into your lungs, and from there the color fills your whole body. A second choice is, visualize your color as a curtain hung on a sunny window or a luxurious wrap or blanket surrounding you. Number two is my personal favorite!
• As you linger with your color, also visualize items and landscapes where you see these colors. Whatever easily comes to mind or your favorite items in that color.
• Instead of focusing on emotion words related to your color, focus on how your body feels wrapped in that color. For example, with the color blue, instead of thinking about the word “peace” and how you desire “peace”, feel peace in your body. The brain replicates feelings in the body not words. For example if you “think” the “word” anxiety, the brain replicates the bodily sensations of anxiety not the thoughts. If you want peace, tell your brain by feeling peace.
• When ready, close this exercise in gratitude to God for your color, and His goodness in all He provides.

Speak in color

Borrowing the famous proverb, “A picture is worth a thousand words”, I testify “a color is worth a thousand words.” Beyond the emotions evoked by colors, the impact of using mindfulness color exercises is phenomenal. Perhaps the ease with which we picture color increases the effectiveness of the exercise. My personal experience affirms the usefulness of these exercises, but I recently enjoyed an opportunity of viewing firsthand results with one of our hospice patients.

I joined a colleague for a mindfulness telehealth visit recently with a woman who suffers from extreme anxiety related to her diagnosis. My colleague met previously with this patient a number of times and the patient had good response with other mindfulness practices. But this day we used the color exercises I shared with you, and the results were extraordinary. For the first time her face showed no sign of anxiety or distress; she did not want to end the session because she felt so much peace.

Whether anxiety visits occasionally or resides long term, why not wrap yourself in the colors of creation and listen as the Creator speaks the language of color to the chaos of your mind.