Turquoise is often seen as a calming, therapeutic color that has become strongly associated with mental health and wellbeing. But what exactly does the color turquoise represent when it comes to psychology and mental health? Here we’ll explore the meaning and symbolism of the color turquoise and how it is used in relation to mental health.
Turquoise Represents Calmness and Balance
One of the most common associations with the color turquoise is calmness and tranquility. Turquoise evokes the colors of a clear sky and the ocean, bringing to mind images of smooth waters and bright blue horizons. For this reason, turquoise is often described as a peaceful, serene color that can induce feelings of calm in the viewer. The cool undertones of turquoise are thought to have a stabilizing and relaxing effect on emotions.
In color psychology, turquoise is seen as a color that can provide emotional balance. It lies midway between warm and cool colors, blending the soothing qualities of blue with the optimism of yellow. This combination is believed to have a stabilizing and harmonizing effect on mood. Turquoise is thought to promote inner calm and balance emotions in times of stress or turbulence.
So the tranquility and balance associated with turquoise means it is often recommended for creating a calm environment. Turquoise is said to have a therapeutic quality that can ease anxieties, relieve stress, and encourage relaxation. For this reason, it is often used in spaces devoted to mental health and spiritual contemplation.
It Represents Healing and Restoration
In addition to its calming qualities, turquoise is also associated with healing and renewal. In color psychology, blue is linked to openness, peace and calm, while green is associated with growth, renewal and restoration. As a blend of blue and green hues, turquoise incorporates the therapeutic qualities of both colors.
Some of the healing properties ascribed to turquoise come from its long history of use in folk medicine. Ancient cultures believed that wearing or working with turquoise could cure disease and ward off ill health because of its spiritual purity. The cool, earthy color was thought to calm the mind, body and spirit.
Today, turquoise is still considered beneficial for physical and mental healing. It is thought to promote inner balance and a sense of harmony, allowing healing energy to flow freely. The associations with water and sky mean turquoise is seen as cleansing and purifying. It represents the renewal of the mind, body and spirit after a period of suffering or trauma.
For this reason, turquoise is often used in holistic therapies, meditation and yoga studios. The color schemes aim to create an optimal healing environment where people can recover a sense of inner calm and stability. Turquoise is also a popular crystal healing stone, said to absorb negative energy and promote feelings of serenity.
Turquoise Symbolizes Wisdom and Clarity
In many cultures spanning Asia, the Middle East and the Americas, turquoise has long been a symbol of wisdom, clarity and higher vision. One source of this meaning could be turquoise’s association with the throat chakra in Hinduism and other Eastern spiritual traditions.
The throat chakra (Vishuddha) governs creative expression and communication – the turquoise color represents a cleansing of this chakra and the improved ability to verbalize wisdom and truths. A person with a balanced throat chakra and energy aligned with turquoise is said to speak their wisdom with clarity.
Turquoise meanings of higher vision and clear communication suggest it resonates with the psychological traits of intuition, empathy and self-reflection. Wearing or meditating on the color turquoise is said to provide greater insight and allow you to visualize solutions with clarity. It represents a calm, lucid mindset capable of deep introspection.
This is why turquoise is thought to have a grounding, enlightening quality when used during meditation, creative visualization and other mind-body therapies. Clarity associated with turquoise can improve focus and decision-making when emotions are running high.
It Can Symbolize Spiritual Protection
Due to its associations with healing, purification and enlightenment, turquoise is also regarded as a spiritually protective color. In the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, turquoise is believed to ward off the evil eye and provide safety to the wearer.
Similarly, in the Islamic world, turquoise is seen as a protective stone that brings power, luck and health. The blue color is symbolic of protection in many Arab cultures. The ancient Persians believed sky-blue turquoise worn around the neck protected against unnatural death.
Native American cultures also ascribe important protective powers to turquoise, believing it offers safety during travel, prayer, battle, and in the afterlife due to its connection to spiritual realms. It is one of the most culturally significant stones for indigenous peoples of North America.
These spiritual protection meanings relate to the sense of purified vision, inner calm and emotional balance that turquoise can provide – helping smooth away negative energies and enhance spiritual clarity. The color promises stability and security against the ups and downs of life’s journey.
Turquoise Can Promote Open Communication
Turquoise has long been used to decorate objects related to speech and communication. Historically, turquoise adorned the masks and musical instruments of shamans, leaders, priests and performers. In Tibetan culture, turquoise was believed to improve the voices of singers and public speakers.
This reflects the turquoise color meaning associated with improved communication, creative expression, and the search for truth. As a blend of calming blue and lively green, turquoise balances peaceful stability with the need for growth and communication.
Turquoise resonates with the free flow of information and ideas. It represents qualities like trust, understanding and openness when communicating. It also helps temper excessive emotionality when communicating or public speaking.
For this reason, turquoise is an ideal color for offices, schools, counseling rooms and other spaces where healthy communication should be encouraged. The color can help create an environment of clear self-expression.
It Can Symbolize Hope and New Beginnings
Turquoise can also symbolize hope, optimism and new beginnings. Its soothing qualities mixed with growth-oriented green mean it is the color of starting fresh after a period of hardship. Turquoise represents learning important life lessons and developing renewed motivation to keep striving.
In tarot readings, the turquoise card from some decks represents exactly this theme of hope, renewal and fresh starts. It suggests that while the path may not be smooth, you have the tenacity and wisdom to move forward in a positive way. It is an uplifting color reminding you to let go of the past.
Turquoise gemstones are also traditionally given as gifts to bring hope, success or the fulfillment of a wish. They act as a positive affirmation that the giver wants the best for the recipient.
So this optimistic aspect of turquoise taps into its soothing nature while blending in ambition and clarity of vision. It provides emotional stability but also motivates personal growth and positive change.
Turquoise Can Evoke Creativity and Spirituality
With its associations with spiritual wisdom, physical healing, compassion and open communication, turquoise also calls to mind the realm of creativity and spiritual pursuits. The serenity of the color allows relaxation of the mind, bringing forth greater imagination, while the green influences stimulate creative thinking.
Historically, turquoise was closely linked to religious rituals, ceremony and sacred objects across many cultures. Turquoise resonates with spiritual experiences as it both calms the mind and awakens higher vision.
In astrology, those born between mid-December and mid-January fall under the sign of the Capricorn-Aquarius Cusp. For these individuals, turquoise is considered their birthstone color, representing their creative, empathic and introspective qualities.
Turquoise can also symbolize soulfulness, invites self-reflection, and enhances spiritual pursuits. Meditating while visualizing the color turquoise is said to provide deeper wisdom and awakening.
Turquoise Represents Youthfulness and Vitality
In color psychology, turquoise contains traits of vigor and youthfulness thanks to its blend of calming blue with lively yellow-green. It is an invigorating color that can make people feel more energized and enthusiastic about life.
Being associated with the cycle of growth in nature, turquoise relates to the liveliness, playfulness and optimism of youth. It provides a balance of wisdom and vitality – representing a childlike wonder about the world mixed with deeper life understanding.
Turquoise is a popular color in children’s spaces and toys for these uplifting, stimulating qualities. Just a small touch of turquoise can enhance the sense of joy and imagination in kids rooms. Turquoise motifs are also used extensively in youth fashion.
The color essentially represents a youthful spirit – maintaining passion, creativity and energy regardless of age. Turquoise can reawaken childlike imagination and enjoyment of life’s pleasures that may have been lost with adult responsibilities.
It Can Indicate Feminine Qualities
Turquoise has traditionally been associated with feminine energy in many cultures. Historically it was worn extensively by women as jewelry, make-up, clothing, and ornaments used in ritualistic feminine gatherings.
The cool, soothing nature of turquoise relates it to the traditional archetype of feminine energy as calm, intuitive and nurturing. While also blending in aspects of communication and creativity.
Turquoise is still widely used in fashions, accessories, and decor designed for women and girls. It also relates to feminine spirituality, feminine cycles in nature, and goddess art and rituals.
However, while long associated with the divine feminine, the well-balanced nature of turquoise means it suits modern men and women. The color can represent embracing both the assertive and receptive sides of your personality regardless of gender.
Turquoise Combines Physicality and Spirituality
An important quality of turquoise, seen across many symbolic meanings, is its ability to blend physical and spiritual aspects into one. Turquoise is seen as both physically calming and mentally clarifying and awakening.
It is the color of tranquility with intensity – soothing the body while energizing the mind. Turquoise represents calmness of being, but also activation of spiritual vision. It balances relaxing blue shades with the green energy of growth and life.
So turquoise allows holistic purification and renewal. It adapts to different states of being, acting as a therapeutic color to regenerate both your body and mind. Turquoise water inspires cleansing and regeneration, while turquoise skies calm emotions and awaken higher thoughts.
This makes turquoise an ideal shade for holistic or alternative therapies and spiritual practices. It bridges the physical and ethereal realms.
Turquoise Represents Friendship and Connection
With its balance between active and passive qualities, turquoise also comes to symbolize human relationships built on understanding. It is the color of friendship and a desire for connection.
In color psychology, blue relates to calm dependability while green represents active empathy and compassion. Blended together, turquoise can imply supportive yet stimulating relationships.
Giving a gift of turquoise, like a scarf or jewelry, represents wishing friendship and happiness upon someone. The meaning of turquoise revolves around wanting the best for others as much as yourself.
Turquoise is also the official birthday stone color for December – the height of the holiday season focused on human connections. The color represents this shared experience of bringing people together in a spirit of hope and creativity.
So turquoise symbolizes both meaningful relationships and peaceful solitude. It allows enjoying both the company of others and quiet rejuvenation time – moving effortlessly between the two.
Turquoise Inspires Adventure and Exploration
While turquoise is grounding, its blend with yellow-green tones also gives it an element of excitement and exploration. Turquoise is an optimistic color associated with the cycle of growth in nature.
It can symbolize welcoming change, novelty, travel and new experiences into your life. The tranquility of blue mixed with the boldness of green makes turquoise the color of adventure – discovering new places of both outer and inner worlds.
Being linked to the sky above and expansive oceans, turquoise represents journeying into the wide open unknown. It inspires the desire to tear down limiting boundaries and expand your horizons.
So turquoise relates to continual life learning and embracing the surprises that come from exploration. It takes the calm stability of blue and adds green tones of environment and progress. Turquoise allows adventure without losing composure.
It Represents Tropical Settings
Turquoise is strongly associated with the tropics and exotic tropical locations. The color perfectly captures the hues of a tropical sea fringed by white sands and palm trees. Turquoise waters are universally recognized as the essence of the tropics.
This gives turquoise a meaning connected to tropical holidays and relaxation. Turquoise instantly conjures images of tropical beaches, umbrella cocktails, warm breezes and tranquil shorelines. It encapsulates the laid-back feeling and slowing down of pace associated with tropical vacations.
Turquoise is also commonly seen in tropical plant life. Many flowers, fruits, birds and butterflies of the tropics display stunning turquoise tones. The color seems to represent the abundance and diversity of life in these exotic locations.
So turquoise material objects like clothing, jewelry or decor accents evoke that easy-going tropical feeling. Turquoise represents tranquility, luxury and the allure of island paradises.
Turquoise Represents Physical and Emotional Serenity
By now, it should be clear that the dominant characteristic of the color turquoise is calmness – both physically and emotionally. Turquoise is universally seen as the color of serenity and tranquility in every shade and setting.
Physically, turquoise is cool and relaxing on the eyes. Its peaceful blue tones lower heart rate and have a pacifying influence. Turquoise environments are said to actually reduce feelings of stress or anxiety in the body’s nervous system.
Mentally, turquoise inspires clarity, wisdom and higher vision. It allows turbulent thoughts and emotions to settle, creating space for introspection. The color meaning of turquoise revolves around smooth states of relaxation.
So turquoise inspires pursuit of inner peace and tranquility. It provides a respite from over-stimulation and allows your body and mind to recharge. Turquoise’s calming qualities make it therapeutic for stress, exhaustion, grief or depression.
This soothing impact makes turquoise a perfect color for meditation spaces, spiritual retreats, or anywhere designed to promote deep relaxation.
It Represents Natural Scenes and Cycle of Nature
As a blend of sky blue and natural green hues, turquoise is strongly symbolic of nature in its most serene state. Turquoise waters, skies and minerals capture the essence of the natural world at its calmest and most renewing.
The meaning of turquoise also relates to the never-ending cycle of growth and change in nature. Turquoise gemstones capture this theme of continual rebirth and natural evolution. The stone grows and shifts hue over time with exposure to the elements.
Turquoise also represents the cycle of seasons, change and rejuvenation. Its cool, calming qualities fit autumn and winter, while the energizing green notes embody the renewal of spring.
So turquoise symbolizes the rhythms of the natural world and being in sync with Mother Nature. It provides emotional stability derived from the predictable patterns of nature.
Conclusion
In summary, the color turquoise has many therapeutic associations in relation to mental health and personal wellbeing. It is universally seen as representing calmness, tranquility, wisdom, spiritual vision, creativity, hope, renewal, and close human connections.
Turquoise balances active and passive qualities – inducing both deep relaxation and awakened clarity. It bridges physical and spiritual realms, representing holistic purification and healing. The color meaning embodies friendship, youthfulness and the serene beauty of nature.
With its infusion of soothing blues and stimulating greens, turquoise promotes stability and rejuvenation. It inspires adventure while retaining composure. Turquoise color psychology and symbolism revolve around achieving harmony between body, mind and spirit.
