The color green, along with red, have become classic Christmas colors. Ayurveda teaches that colors have a powerful effect on the body and mind, contributing either to health or to disease and disharmony. Every color offers unique effects according to its elemental makeup. So what does green do?
“The color green is made up of fire, water, and earth in relatively equal proportions, making the qualities of the color mild and generally fine for all constitutions. It is slightly warming while being neutral in most of the qualities. Green is a balancing color that has a tendency to neutralize imbalances in either direction. For instance, the use of green supports weight loss in a person who is heavy and weight gain in a person who is too light. Unlike gold, its actions are not as long-lasting. It does not strongly support the immune system or aid the transformation of consciousness. Still, it is quite balanced for all three doshas. Only pitta is increased when it is used in excess. In the body, the color green stimulates the liver and gallbladder promoting bile secretions. The use of green should be minimized if there is liver inflammation.
For the person with a vata nature or imbalance, green offers stability as well as some warmth and moisture. The color green is helpful in eliminating the swings of excesses and deficiencies. This makes it useful for mood swings, bi-polar tendencies, and weight that tends to yo-yo – going up and down. The color green is not as grounding as brown or as strength-building as gold. However, it works well with both of these colors supporting their basic actions.
For a person with a pitta nature, the color green can help to improve the circulation of energy in the liver. Green is the color of bile, a digestive fluid that is produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. In small and moderate amounts, the color green disperses heat and cleanses the liver. However, in excess, its inherent warm quality results in a buildup of heat. This is like a spice that is a little warming. In general, the color green is fine for pitta dosha unless there is a strong imbalance. When pitta dosha is very aggravated, the color green should only be used as an accent.
For a person with a kapha nature or imbalance, the color green removes stagnation that is sometimes found in the liver and gallbladder. By improving bile flow, the digestion of fats is improved and there is less heaviness in the abdomen. While the color green is stabilizing, a quality that a person with a kapha nature should generally avoid, its unique effect upon liver stagnation makes it an acceptable color to help keep the kapha dosha in balance.” ~ Excerpt from “Healing Your Life, Lessons on the Path of Ayurveda,” by Dr. Marc Halpern, Founder of the California College of Ayurveda. Available at Amazon: http://amzn.to/1GP7m28 and Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1PsYDUA