The symbolism and the concrete effects of colors in times of mourning

The colors that the human eye perceives correspond to vibrations calculated in megahertz. They reach our brain by causing predictable and very real reactions.

When we go through an ordeal, we are infinitely more sensitive than usual. Our attention, usually distracted by constant stimuli, retains only 1% of the 20 megabits of information transmitted to our brain every second. Yet when mourning strikes, every detail becomes extremely important even though many of the things that interest us normally temporarily lose influence. It is shock and sorrow that causes this reversal of things. That’s why surrounding ourselves with sounds, objects, images and colors that soothe us while bringing back the memory of a loved one can help us get through the pain.

Colors to soothe the pain of mourning

After the goodbyes, in public or in private, there is no real dress code at home. However, surround yourself with certain colors or even meditate on one of them; it can bring real beneficial effects. So real that they have resulted in common expressions: grinding black synonymous with depression, being red with anger, becoming yellow with jealousy, these are all demonstrations of the fact that colors are associated with emotions for our brain.

Let’s see the scope of chromatic vibrations on our brain. Attention, to enjoy the effects of colors, it is important to choose saturated tones that do not contain or contain very little gray. The flowers can guide us because their color is always pure.

Red

The natives of America speak of the good red path, which means the life course of an individual. Indeed, red stimulates vitality and action. For some people, however, it can generate a certain degree of hyperactivity or even aggression. If you tend not to stay still, the red is certainly not indicated to induce a feeling of well-being and rest. On the other hand, if the pain of mourning makes you apathetic and gives you a great feeling of tiredness, the red will do you good by stimulating your vital force.

Red is used a lot in marketing to translate a performance idea. Sports cars are often red, are they not? In times of grief, you may want to resume your usual performance too quickly. Be careful not to fall into the trap of denial. Refuse your emotions and they will come to embed themselves in you to rejuvenate later with a tenfold force.

If the time has allowed you to express yourself and "get through", a dose of red will help you resume your activities with pleasure.

Orange

This color encourages tone, so it promotes a kind of rejuvenation. During a painful bereavement, you may feel slumped, without strength or energy. Surrounding yourself with bright orange elements, focusing while breathing deeply and looking at an orange object can help you regain some momentum and good mood.

Yellow

Associated with creativity, yellow is commonly used to promote instant desire. Synonymous with light and sun, this wavelength acts directly on the nervous system stimulating communication, concentration and imagination. Creating can soothe the pain of loss. To write, to paint, to carve, or simply to imagine possibilities surrounded by bright yellow can become a privileged moment; moments when the pain is transformed by giving it a meaning.

Green

Here is the color associated with harmony and healing, because it vibrates on the wavelength of unconditional love, forgiveness and peace. At the time of the loss of a loved one, it is completely normal to feel anger towards the person who has left us in pain and loneliness. If our relationship with this person was difficult, it’s even worse! There will be no opportunity to repair misunderstandings, to reconcile arguments, to overcome resentment. And without wanting to admit it to us, that’s what we’ve always hoped for. The wavelength of the green color can then bring us the calmness and serenity necessary to speak soul to soul and to find a resolution which would have been impossible in the concrete reality. Green brings a serene acceptance that does the greatest good. Surrounding yourself with a landscape of greenery, going into the forest and approaching a large majestic pine tree to take it in head-to-head and receive energy are ways that cost nothing, but whose therapeutic effect has been tried since the dawn of time to relieve the intense stress and exhaustion that results.

Pink

This color is gentle and optimistic. Mourning will not always hurt so much, rest assured. Pink can help you see better days, promote the healing of the soul and make you want to smile.

Blue

Many studies show that blue is the preferred color of the majority of people. It evokes the color of a pure sky symbolizing days of happiness. It promotes trust, calmness and a quiet joy. It even seems that meditating on the blue color reduces hypertension - like touching a very soft tissue. Mourning is a time when any possibility of finding a little relief is welcome. Blue can bring you this moment of tranquility of mind and heart.

Indigo

It is a very vibrant intense blue that is reproduced to perfection by blown glass with cobalt. Indigo promotes intuition and contact with the reality perceived by the deep being. This little voice is never wrong and can, after a period of great upheaval, become your guide to go to a better life, recognize the true and false and guide you in all your steps. Grief is a transformational step that can make us a better human. It’s up to you to make a moment of deep reconciliation with who you really are.

Purple

Associated with death and purification, purple calms anger and induces inspiration. On a physical level, it is reputed to eliminate the toxins produced by a great stress like that caused by the death of a relative. It fights insomnia like the smell of lavender essential oil, a flower of this color.

White

A universal symbol of purity, white can also evoke the void to fill, the blank page to write what we want to achieve in our life after the ordeal. It makes you more active and productive, because nature hates emptiness. Moreover, as white is the synthesis of all colors, it is possible to draw the benefits of all other shades of nature.

How to make optimal use of color?

You have to start by creating a palette of colors. You can buy cheap acrylic paint and simply paint small pieces of cardboard of each color that suits us. You can also find slips of paper or small items that have good color. Why not go to a café-ceramic shop to create decorative elements that will be representative of what you want to achieve as a beneficial effect? It will be a very interesting distraction that will make us escape a few hours from our suffering.

Then, when you feel the need or even better, as a discipline at a fixed time, we must approach the piece of paper or the colored object with our eyes and focus intensely on the color while breathing slowly and deeply. It is good to count up to 5 while inhaling and down from 5 while expiring, and this 5 times in a row. This exercise of conscious breathing causes a cardiac coherence that has multiple virtues, including inspiration, concentration and increased learning ability, in addition to providing real relaxation.

There is no harm in feeling good during times of grief. We suggest simple ways, which cost nothing, but which are likely to help you emerge from your mourning. Trying them won’t cause you any harm! Go ahead, color your life!