Is Your Favorite Color Green? Here's What It Symbolizes & Represents
Plus how to use green in your life.
Image by Marcel / stocksy April 27, 2023 Our editors have independently chosen the products listed on this page. If you purchase something mentioned in this article, we may Each person has their own associations and perceptions about colors. The color green may make you think of meadows and gardens—or feelings of envy or nausea. Want to learn more about this verdant hue? Here's everything to know about the color green and its symbolism.
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Green symbolism
Each color of the rainbow has its own vitality and significance, and colors have their own symbolism and associations, similar to animal symbolism. "Color symbolism is heavily tied to culture and the subconscious mind on a collective level, but it can also be heavily tied to personal experiences, especially emotionally laden personal experiences," explains Leigh Ann Romano Rogers, M.A., psychology expert and owner of Psychic Medium Witch.
Colors are also common in a variety of therapy and healing techniques. "There have been healing modalities centered around colors, whether color therapy, chakras, or even visual art displays through paintings," explains author or The Rainbow Diet Deanna Minich, M.S., Ph.D., FACN, CNS, IFMCP. "Colors have a 'feel' to them through their association with symbols, events, people, or even the environment," she adds.
From rolling green hills to verdant meadows and trees full of leaves and fronds, nature is abundant with varying shades of green. As Rogers explains, "Green is often associated with nature, plants, trees, and grasses, and its most common correspondence, therefore, is peace, quiet, calm, and relaxation—something many of us feel automatically and subconsciously when outdoors. "Because of this," she adds, "it can also be associated with optimism, hopefulness, harmony, and balance."
Green isn't only abundant in nature but is also the color of paper money in the United States. Rogers shares that this is a reason it is often used for money magic and associated with abundance.
Many cultures and traditions have their version of a symbolic green figure to represent nature. "One of the most prominent and ancient archetypal figures representing the meaning of the color green throughout the world is the Green Man," says intuitive energy healing practitioner, Kristen Blythe. "These figures all have a similar appearance of a face made of branches and green leaves, and they cross-culturally represent themes of rebirth, cycles of new growth, and spring," she adds.
Positive symbolic meanings of green:
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Negative symbolic meanings of green:
What does green mean spiritually?
In a dream
Dreams can provide insight into our subconscious, but deciphering dreams and their meaning can be complex. It's important to jot down notes of the symbols and colors and how you felt to be able to interpret and understand what your dream may be communicating. "The best person to interpret the symbols in your dreams," Rogers shares, "is always you or someone who knows you well."
There are different possibilities of what green symbolism may mean in a dream. "Seeing green in a dream may harken to a collective understanding of the color and suggest a desire for progress, growth, or moving forward, or conversely, a need for calmness, comfort, or stability in one's life, or any other collective understanding of the color green," Rogers tells mindbodygreen.
Although the color green can signify many things, there isn't a one-size-fits-all answer to apply to dream interpretation. According to Rogers, "It may also be tied to a specific personal memory or experience associated with the color green or a place associated with green that is tied to an emotional memory."
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In love
"In love and relationships, green can mean harmony, unconditional love, and mutual respect," says Blythe, adding, "These relationships have a quality of forgiveness, compassion, trust, and devotion."
She also notes that green can bring healing and positive growth for each person in the relationship—both platonic and romantic.
And in ancient Rome, according to Rogers, the color green was associated with the goddess Venus, aka the goddess of love and beauty.
Personality
People identify with different colors and may feel a hue represents them more than others. If you feel connected to the color green, it may mean you tend to focus on personal growth, feel connected to your environment, and are a creative, and compassionate person.
"People with bright and clear green in the aura can often feel very connected and balanced in nature," Blythe explains, adding, "They foster growth within themselves, others, and their environment and are a spark for renewal for those they encounter."
According to Rogers, "A green aura and a healthy heart chakra is said to be associated with physical health and the overall immune system response, which can be strengthened by feeling compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, self-understanding."
People who have a green aura often have careers related to healing or love, with Rogers explaining that a green aura can be "associated with healers and those whose professions involve love, connection, and healthy vulnerability."
Want to find out if your aura is green? Take this quick aura quiz to find out.
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In feng shui
Green is an important color in feng shui and encompasses important things like harmony, health, family, and renewal. As Blythe notes, "Green is represented by the element of wood, which brings us back to the connection between green and nature," adding that this color can help invite harmony and creativity into a space and even boost energy.
You'll want to add green throughout your house where you'd like to create more harmony, as well as where you spend time with your loved ones. "[Green] also corresponds to family and the areas of the home where family connect, so it can be helpful to use green in these areas of the home to promote health, harmony, and compassion between family members," Blythe explains.
The heart chakra
There are seven main energy centers that create the chakra system, with green associated with the heart (or fourth) chakra. "It is the place of balance between our lower and upper chakras and is considered a bridge between them, so green can represent physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual balance and harmony," Blythe tells mindbodygreen.
A healthy chakra system without blockages is important for health and for energy to flow, with Rogers explaining, "When spinning properly, each chakra allows 'chi energy' to flow through the body."
Connecting to the heart chakra is important for feeling and receiving love and for practicing self-love. "The heart chakra serves as our center of love for oneself and others, compassion, empathy, and forgiveness, Rogers notes, adding, "It is the source of deep and profound truths that cannot be expressed in words, unconditional love, and connection."
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How to bring green into your life spiritually
There are a myriad of ways to bring green energy and symbolism into your life—just as there are for the colors red, yellow, blue, and purple—and clearing or unblocking the heart chakra can be a great start to feeling more connected to yourself and those around you.
"If we are wanting to attract or feel more love for ourselves or others," Blythe says, "working with or visualizing the color green surrounding the body can help access that feeling."
Spending time in nature is another soothing and calming way to work with green. As Minich explains, "Being in nature, living among nature, and appreciating nature, such as by hiking in the forest or simply walking in the woods, can bring people into an altered mindset of appreciation, gratitude, and generosity, all of which connect to the heart.
And as Blythe adds, finding a place in nature to release any blocked energies can also be energetically healing.
Lastly, simply wearing green clothing or jewelry can be a great way to work with green symbolism. "Grab a green purse or a set of green earrings to feel alive and energized," Rogers suggests. If you love crystals, she also recommends wearing them as jewelry or decoration and suggests malachite, emerald, green tourmaline, jade, or peridot.
FAQ:
What does the color green symbolize?
The color green symbolizes peace and tranquility, as well as hope, harmony, and optimism. Green is associated with nature.
What emotion does green represent?
Green symbolizes an array of emotions that can be considered positive or negative. Envy, harmony, greed, love, respect, and shame are all emotions associated with the color green.
What does green represent in personality?
The color green represents a personality that focuses on personal growth and enjoys spending time in nature. These personalities tend to be creative and compassionate.
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The takeaway
Each color has its own unique symbolism and associations. The color green has different spiritual meanings—from hope to renewal to optimism and the lower vibrational energies of envy and greed.