What does the color green mean? Its symbolism and associated emotions

A color that is not only associated with nature and calm: it has many other meanings.

Let's look at a garden, a park full of green or a forest in broad daylight, in springtime. The green of the leaves of the trees, of the grass, of the moss and lichens... It is something that has always inspired us and that we associate with life. And the fact is that the color green has almost always been present in the world of human beings, being one of the most common colors in the natural environment and that has accompanied us in our evolution.

This fact has caused that throughout history it has acquired a series of connotations and symbolisms, to the point that this color has come to acquire a symbolism and to provoke a series of responses. This is mainly due to the psychological meaning we have given to this color and its symbolism. It is about this meaning of the color green that we are going to talk in this article. in this article.

Green as a color

Although we generally speak of green and other colors as something palpable, which is there and is part of the nature of objects, the truth is that color is nothing more than the perception of refraction and absorption of light by these, being therefore a product of our perception,

In the case of green, we see this color when our eyes pick up wavelengths our eyes capture wavelengths between 496 and 570 nm.. Between these wavelengths we perceive various shades of this color, there being different types of green. Along with red and blue, green is a color for which our eyes have a specific type of cone.

Although biologically and also according to the additive color synthesis model, green is one of the primary colors, with yellow being secondary and a product of the mixture of green and red, traditionally the subtractive synthesis model has been followed in which it is considered that this color was secondary and a product of the mixture of blue and yellow (that is why most children have been taught in this way).

What does the color green mean?

As with all other colors, green has its own symbolism acquired through its association with elements of the same color, and based on this it has also generated a psychological meaning that is studied by color psychology. Specifically, it is related to nature and vegetation, from which multiple symbolisms are extracted.

In this sense, green usually has a series of tremendous connotations in the human psyche. a series of tremendously positive connotations. In the first place it is linked to birth, life, strength and energy. It is a color deeply associated with spring and linked to fertility and growth, which makes it something related to the idea of youth. In this sense it is also a symbol of innocence. Another element related to its link with growth is economic: it is a symbol of wealth.

The color associated with nature is also associated with healing and healing, with freshness. Moreover, as tradition has it, green is also the color of hope is also the color of hope, optimism and good luck.. It is also with naturalness, the search for pleasure and vigor. Finally, it is one of the colors most closely linked to the idea of balance, serenity and calm, as well as spirituality.

Nature, which green generally symbolizes, is seen as beautiful and full of life. But it also has its dark side: it is also full of death, blood, persecution and cruelty. And in this sense, the symbolism of green also incorporates these negative elements. Prominent among them is the association with poison and toxicity, probably derived from the coloring of many plants and animals (e.g. snakes and frogs) and the use of green dyes made of copper that turned out to be poisonous. It is also related, and probably its best known negative association, with envy..

Death, horror and manipulation are concepts linked to this color, especially in darker shades and when associated with black. The same goes for betrayal, including concepts such as infidelity. Light green is also is associated with immaturity and naivety, as counterparts to the previously mentionedas counterparts of the aforementioned link to youth, and to the excess of pleasure-seeking. Also to vanity and both strength/authority and weakness. Socially, it has also been identified as the color of the bourgeoisie.

Psychologically speaking, this color has been associated with characteristics such as calmness and affection, as well as with moral exigency, hedonism and joviality. An association with the sociable and balanced is usually observed.

On the other hand, it is linked to adaptability (in extreme cases indecision and conformism) and inner peace. However, it is also associated with possessiveness, resentful rumination and the aforementioned envy. It is also associated with cunning, which in a negative sense can also be linked to manipulation. The color green also usually generates calm and reliefThis in turn improves emotional stability and favors the use of reason and logic. It is also often linked to optimism and vitality, improving energy and motivation levels and helping to maintain hope. It is also linked to a sensitive and open-minded personality.

How is it used in society?

The properties and symbolisms of green make it an ideal color for certain practical uses. Its links with nature and recovery make it suitable for environments where a search for balance and comfort is needed, as well as for healing and mood recovery.

Related to healing, the meanings of green also include the enhancement of defenses and the preservation of motivation.. It is also useful in meditation. In addition, its association and relaxing effect has generated that the clothes of doctors and surgeons are greenish.

Its link with tolerance and flexibility means that it can be used in the painting of rooms where harmony is desired and where anxiety and stress levels are lowered, both in homes and offices. In marketing and advertising, it has been seen that green favors action, and it is also associated with both recycling and recycling. associated with recycling and respect for the environment as well as with the idea of freedom and stability. and stability. That is why it is used in the design of a large number of products. In the case of food products it is used because of the link between natural and healthy.

Cultural variations

In addition to the previously mentioned associations, the color green has received different considerations in different cultures or even through different histories.

In most of Europe, green is a symbol of good luck a symbol of good luck, energy, rebirth and nature.. It is associated with Christmas and in countries like Ireland with the Catholic religion. It was considered the color of the bourgeoisie, due to the difficulty to achieve such pigment. Formerly, however, it used to represent evil with this color. It is also often linked to envy and jealousy, as well as weakness.

For Muslims, green is a sacred color, associated with the prophet Mohammed. It is also a symbol of strength, luck and prestige. In China and the rest of the East it implies hope and fertility, as well as virtue and good intentions. Traditionally, jade was used for gifts and offerings.) However, it has also sometimes been associated with shame and infidelity.

The life-death duality linked to nature and the color green has been observed by multiple cultures and societies. For example, in ancient Egypt In ancient Egypt, for example, the god Osiris had green skin.He was a deity linked to the judgment of souls and rebirth. For pre-Columbian peoples, it symbolized immortality, fertility and power, and jade was used to make funeral masks. In some South American countries where jungle abounds, however, green is much more associated with death.