For those of you who are just joining us, welcome to the University of Life. In the previous “classes” we laid the groundwork for this course—The Color of Wellness, and looked at the therapeutic properties of the colors red, orange, and yellow. Today is my 53rd birthday and I worked it out so that the class palette would feature my favorite color, Green.
Green is associated with self-acceptance, love, and emotional wellness. It enhances love, peace, and inner-balance. It’s the color of growth. Think of freshly-mowed grass that springs back after a barefoot step, a wedge of lime hugging the rim of a glass, moss-covered rocks in a stream, freshly-snapped sugar peas, or new leaves unfurling as they herald spring.
The positive properties of green are expressed as warm, sympathetic, compassionate, soothing, relaxed, fair-minded, and consistent.
The negative properties of green are described as envious, mean, bitter, inflexible, and jaded.
The healing properties of green are described as calming and soothing, and can address physical symptoms that include headaches, heart, and kidney problems, flu, and negative states of mind such as irritability, spite, fear, of emotional involvement, and claustrophobia.
When you need a boost in the areas of love and self-acceptance, indulge yourself with this color. Its frequency revitalizes the heart chakra, the center energy station in a system of seven. It encourages us to love ourselves just as we are.
Love, the most powerful energy of all, helps us to heal emotional wounds through unconditional acceptance and understanding. It’s here—the place of the heart—where we become a balanced and peaceful being.
What shade of green are you drawn to? Pure green is strongly associated with nature, new beginnings, and a sense of renewal; it’s the most neutral color in the spectrum. While the more muted tones are calm, restful, and soothing. Maybe you prefer the deeper, shaded variants that project trust and order, encouraging contemplation, serenity, and repose.
Regardless of the hue, green reminds us to listen with our hearts and encourages us to fulfill our heart’s desire. Archangel Raphael—Heaven’s Physician—is associated with the color green. It’s no wonder this color is often used in healing circles.
What we do with our physical environment—our personal space—speaks to our heart and helps us to flourish. Buy a piece of green clothing. Add a splash of green to your décor with flowers, pillows, a candle. or a throw. Do you enjoy antiques? Add a few pieces of depression glass or a green seltzer bottle to your collection. Or take advantage of the healing frequency of green crystals such as green aventurine, malachite, green jade, or emerald.
A special thank you to Joseph’s Market for allowing me to take photographs in their produce department.
“Whatever you are not changing, you are choosing.”
– Laurie Buchanan
Copyright © 2010 Laurie Buchanan — All Rights Reserved. No part of this blog post may be used in part, or in whole, without written permission from Laurie Buchanan.
Tuesdays with Laurie 
AaaaaHHHHH!!!! Green green, how many shades of green may cross ones path in a day?
The walls of my childhood bedroom were green, pale green, when I moved into my first apartment in Philly I painted one wall Forest Green or hunter green, deep dark rich green… the other night at the Heart Circle we used a green Gumby plus toy as our tailsmen to hold while speaking. When I look out the dinning room window I am looking through green plants of varies shades!
I as well have a a number of dark green and pale green t-shirt, yeah I am a well dressed dude! Ha! I own a piece of aventurine, and jade, that I just remembered jumped out of my hand the other day and rolled under the dresser.
Surrounded by green enfolded by the heart!
I am LOve, Jeff
Jeff – You are SUCH a greenie. With the sigh-off of “I am Love” (heart chakra) — it suits you sooooooo well! And don’t think for one moment that I’m not aware of you sprinkling birthday whispers everywhere, simply everywhere! Thank you for the wonderful birthday wishes!
Good Morning again, I was told by a Goddess that it is Miss Professor Laurie’s Birthday!
Happy Birthday Happy Birthday to you!
happy Birthday, may the day and the year ahead be filled with blessed abundance. ❤
What interests me especially about colour is how we are drawn, or repelled by different colours at different times in our lives. My home was once filled with green…now there's not a speck of it left as it now holds negative associations & we feel in agreement with the Irish notion that green does not belong inside the home. I love to let me eyes absorb it outside & wholeheartedly agree with the research that indicates looking a natural greenery outside lowers stress levels.
I used to be drawn to purple almost to the exclusion of other colours, now it seems I can't get enough of bright oranges & pinks… A fascinating subject and your photo show above is lovely.
Again, have a happy day.
Sand625 – Welcome! I’m so glad that you found Speaking from the Heart. You’re Irish — an even bigger welcome to you! I hope that you’ll join us for the rest of the classes (and please feel free to go back and catch up on red, orange, and yellow if you’d like).
Almost Irish in as much as I come from Liverpool, considered by many to be the capital of Ireland! Sorry for the confusion…
I’m not on my pc but wanted to leave a link for Prof Cox’s page, so apologies that this is the wrong thread 😦 Here’s his main site http://www.apolloschildren.com:16080/brian/
Hope you had a happy day ❤
Sand625 – I love what you said about Liverpool! Thank you so much for the link, it was sweet of you to come back and provide it 🙂
Happy birthday, Laurie, the best of the day to you.
I enjoy most shades of green but am especially drawn to pure green.
Leanne – Thank you so much for the birthday wishes. I feel like I’ve been zipped right into a fresh snow-pea today, that’s how much heart-chakra love has been sent my way.
Happy Birthday Again Mis. Laurie- Professor Extraordare (sp)
I love you descriptions especially freshly mowed grass!
Kermit the frog also comes to mind(smile)
::hugs::
Kim
Kim – I hadn’t even though of Kermit, well of course, that’s perfect!
It took me this long this week to finally get on mylaptop and not my phone. Now I can see the pictures!
I love the shell, is that another one from your trip?
Looks like you have a lot of different green items…..
I love Fried Green Tomatoes….Probably best made in Atlanta…
Hope your birthday waqs wonderful…
Kim
Kim – Your’re exactly correct. That is a conch shell from Eleuthera Island where we went for our 30th wedding anniversary back in March. I like the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes” but I don’t care for the real deal.
First things first Laurie HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
I like that green is almost your signature colour with your “listen with our hearts” tagline.
As a landscape painter, I never use a mixed green. I always mix my own because their is such expression and subtleness depending on the blue and yellow and sometimes even bit of gold ochre that is mixed in. Green has a huge range and I like to swing the full pendulum of its beauty.
Thank you Jeff for sprouting Laurie-birthday-parties across the web!
Terrill – Thank you for the warm birthday wishes. I can just see you working with the full spectrum of green (pssst, go look in the mirror, you’ve got a wee smudge of it just on your cheek there) …
And yes, Jeff, thank you for sharing my birthday news hither and yon.
Happy birthday kid ! 😉
Trust you two have a great time.
Very best wishes from the antipodes
Ted & Ailsa
Thank you Ted and Ailsa for the birthday wishes, but most especially for calling me “kid” — ohhhh, that feels good. I sure feel like one at heart! If I dug straight through the earth from Crystal Lake, Illinois, would I really pop out in New Zealand?
Afraid you would miss NZ by quite a wide margin. France is directly opposite us here.
Straight through from you drops you into the southern Indian ocean, a little to the west of McDonald Island – roughly half way between us and South Africa.
Here in Kaikoura we are just a little further South than you are North of the equator (at 42.25S as against your 37.4N).
Ted – I’m a good swimmer, but not that good! You guys have to be getting gently warmer and warmer as we’re getting gently cooler and cooler (mornings are 49-degrees). Before you know it we’ll have snow and you’ll have a heat wave 🙂
Happy Birthday Laurie,
Remember to make a wish when you blow out the candles later.
I love green, and today I am wearing a emerald green sweater and wearing jade jewelry.
Along with a purple tee and a red heart pin.
That should cover things for awhile.
Don’t you think?
~Jean
Jean – Emerald green sweater, jade jewelry, purple tee and a red heart pin. Oh are you ever stylin’ girlfriend 🙂
Laurie, is it really your birthday? How did Jeff find out? So glad he did–thank you, Jeff! I hope you are having a wonderful green-filled day! I told you the other day I didn’t have a favorite color…but that might not have been the entire truth. Because green is a special color indeed. Am having a challenging emotional day today, so if you could send some green energy this way it would be appreciated. On second thought, maybe I should just find a green shirt or go outside in the remaining autumn greenery. You shouldn’t have to be sending energy on your birthday. Love to you!
Kathy – I said somewhere down below (up above) that I feel like I’ve been zipped into a fresh snow-pea with all the heart-chakra love that’s been sent my way today. I’ve just scooted over and made room for you, too. We’ll bask in its healing energy together. [If you fall asleep and snore I’m going to tickle your feet]…
Hi, again!
I was guided to this wonderful blog today and I believe Laurie you will just love this!
http://LUCASKRECH.COM/blog/index.php/2009/09/28/ten-thousand-shades-of-gray/
Jeff – I just read Ten Thousand Shades of Grey. Not only was it an interesting article, I really enjoyed his “voice.” When I was little I loved the combination of soft bunny grey and cotton candy pink — for some reason, his article took me right back to that memory. Thank you for sharing that link!
I love emerald green, Laurie, especially since it is my birthstone. Speaking of birthdays — HAPPY BIRTHDAY! — woo-hoo! My favorite and most peaceful moments are those times I spend watering my plants, checking them over, listening to find out who is thirsty, and the complaints (like the one that does not like the pot he is in). They are all different colors of greens and the flowering plants, of course, have their splashes of colors.
Barbara – Emerald green is delicious (a kissing cousin to Green Tourmaline — they’re often mistaken for each other). I love that you talk with, and listen to, your plants!
Hi, Birthday Lady! I do love green. Nearly all shades, hues, intensities and values. I work with green every day, and play with it when I’m not working. In the winter I begin to crave green like a swimmer craves air. I once had moss green carpet in my living room (another house ) and my furniture never became worn, people that started in chairs and on sofas gravitated to the carpet in front of the fireplace. Of course that was the mid to late 70’s, maybe we just all fell off the furniture….Today I have teal green carpets in the living room and dining room of this house with a soft pale green coloring the walls. It makes for a quiet, restful room, a great place to read, design, chat, what ever you’d like with out having your attention snapped away. But my favorites are the first pale fuzzy greens of baby Spring leaves. They are like a slow smile spreading across the landscape.
I have to tell you, I haven’t explored colors in this depth in quite a while, it’s been very informative and entertaining, like opening my box of Crayolas!
Sandi – I’m pretty sure that you have green blood — that’s how close you are to mother earth and her plant children. I can remember growing up we had green shag carpeting. We thought we were pretty hot stuff back then (I also had white go-go boots and bell bottoms). The description of your home sounds so inviting — like entering a green-toned seashell.
I love the word picture you painted, “But my favorites are the first pale fuzzy greens of baby Sring leaves. They are like a slow smile spreading across the landscape.” I can see that beautifully.
I’m sure glad you’re enjoying this “class” – thank you for letting me know.
Happy Birthday Laurie, A big hug !
Question : mixed green colours ? Special ones ? Say turquoise or olive green ? Yes, I know I am on the Aura Soma train again 🙂 but it would interest me what capacities are linked to them for you.
Green. A difficult colour for me, now is my time to use it in the green Aura Soma Master, especialy at work. Altough my social wellness pops up to. So yellow as well
Elke – I can’t think of a shade of green that I don’t care for, I like them all. From dusty sage green to deep emerald green to bright spring green, and everything in-between. I think the reason I’m so drawn (self-medicate) with green is because the frequency (vibration) of the color keeps refilling my heart’s well. In healing work there’s a lot of giving, with a tremendous emphasis on emotional/mental giving. It’s my perspective that green keeps my heart replenished. In other words, no matter how much I give, like a magic cup it stays full 🙂
A Happy belated Birthday to you Laurie!!
And green is a lovely choice for favorite color. It’s the pigment of outdoors, of well-being, of prosperous living, and of health and vitality, all points that are either broached or strongly asserted here.
Green is the color of the Emerald City, and of Ireland, and of Christmas, and it underlines security and success (greenbacks? Ha!) My apply of choice too are the granny smiths.
Yeah, I’ve often heard the expression ‘green with envy’ too! As you rightly report, that’s the downside.
Songwise I always think of GREEN RIVER by CCR and Frank Sinatra and Roger Miller’s versions of LITTLE GREEN APPLES.
Sam – Thank you for the birthday wishes. I love the word picture that you painted about green — especially about health and vitality. I haven’t thought of “Green River” by CCR for ages and ages. I’m going to head out to YouTube today and see if I can find it!
The best of all wishes to you Laurie. Hope you had a lovely birthday day.
Like many others who have shared their comments, we seem to have a lot of green in our home. Inside and out. Furniture, plants, green-colored stones including some jade…..can’t imagine living without this beautiful color somewhere in sight.
Colleen – Thank you for the birthday wishes. I just knew you were a plant person; I imagine they thrive in your care. I have a few pieces of jade, too. I love the hefty, reassuring feel of jade.
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This is wonderful. I can see fewer of the positive and negative aspects of me in green but then it is my second colour. My star sign Aries says red but that is next.
I love walking and seeing green makes me feel so much better about life. What I would like to be is more relaxed, I think I could then lose my tinnitus and jaw ache so maybe I need more green and less orange. I am hardly ever any of the negative aspects of green – sometimes jaded.
Kerry – I’m glad you’re taking a “colorful stroll” through Speaking from the Heart today 🙂