Like many people, Amy Morin, a psychotherapist and author of “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do,” loves to be surrounded by the color blue.
So much so, in fact, that she lives on a sailboat in the Florida Keys because she finds the blue water around her to be so calming — and it helps her do her best work.
The color is“usually associated with pleasant feelings,” she tells TODAY.com.
Beyond the deep blue sea, what does blue represent? Ahead, Morin and other color pros break down the meaning and significance of blue.
What does blue mean?
Tranquility
Serenity and calm are some of the most common themes associated with blue.
“Soothing tones of blue remind us of the tranquility of the vast sky,” says Anjie Cho, co-author of Mindful Living: A Guide to the Everyday Magic of Feng Shui” and co-founder of the Mindful Design Feng Shui School. Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice that relates to creating harmony and order in your life and environment.
“It’s very calming to the eye and nervous system,” she says, adding that these subtle blues can promote peace, relaxation and tranquility.
Alice Moszczysnki, an interior designer at Planner 5D in New York City, blue also represents tranquility and peace, like the calming influence of the sky and the ocean.
“Light blue hues, in particular, have a soothing effect, making them ideal for creating restful spaces,” says the interior designer.
Masculinity
Traditionally, blue is associated with masculinity and pink is associated with femininity. Blue may represent boyhood or be indicative of having a boy in a gender reveal party, for example.
Spirituality
Symbolically, blues are connected with the sky and the heavens, says Cho. Per the Feng Shui pro, darker blue hues call in the self-inquiry, healing and spaciousness while deeper blues are connected to spirituality.
“Medieval and Renaissance painters used the precious pigment lapis lazuli to depict the Virgin Mary’s robes, while the Medicine Buddha is always characterized by his celestial blue skin,” she adds.
Security
“Water is essential to life, so blue is often associated with security,” says Morin, who highlights that this is why many uniforms (especially for police officers) are blue. “People also associate blue with loyalty and reliability,” she adds.
Moszczysnki also finds blue to be a symbol of trust and reliability. Though navy blue speaks to authority and respect, she notes that the deeper shades of blue evoke a sense of mystery and depth. Those rich, dark hues remind her of “the enigmatic and vast night sky.”
Energy
Cho believes that mid-tone blues and teals embody energy, innovation and inspiring new beginnings. These shades of blue and teals embody the wonder of observing birds as they flit from grasses and trees, and soar up toward the bright blue sky, she shares. “Brighter blues can help you get motivated and moving,” she adds.
Sadness
Got a case of the blues? There’s a reason that we call it that, or ‘feeling blue,’” says Morin. “People sometimes associate blue with sadness or aloofness,” she continues, adding that this may be because blue represents the sky and the ocean, which can seem vast and lonely. Per Moszczynski, “feeling blue” can simply reflect a more introspective or solitary mood, to which you don’t always need to apply a negative connotation.
What blue as your favorite color says about you
In Feng Shui, if you’re attracted to the color blue, you may have a lot of the so-called “wood element” in your personality. Cho describes this like the energy of a sprout pushing out of the ground, with lots of life force. “Like a blade of grass, you always bounce back,” says Cho. Alternatively, a preference for blue may indicate that there’s a longing for this kind of wood element expression in your life.
Morin shares that someone who loves blue might be sincere, trustworthy and reliable. “People who say it’s their favorite may be more empathetic and creative,” she says. More empathy and creativity? We’ll take it, color decoders.
