The Color Psychology Series

Modified and Reposted from 2013

“Sun is shining / the weather is sweet/ make you want to move your dancing feet / to the rescue/ here I am / want you to know/  you all / where I stand” – Bob Marley

Bright as the morning’s sunbeam spilling through an open window, yellow is the soul’s invitation to joy.

It lifts.

It warms.

It dares us to rise.

When the sun is above my eyes, clarity becomes effortless. Hypnotized by its brilliance, I lose the line between Heaven and sky, wondering if either has a beginning or end at all. The color of sunrise, of daffodil and daisies, yellow reminds us to open, to trust, to awaken. It stirs receptivity, fuels self-confidence, and restores our faith in life’s unfolding. Through the Sun’s relentless glow, we remember our light and step into a greater emotional commitment to ourselves.

Like the goodness of devotion, the Sun encourages us to connect to all that is authentic and divine. And like the nature of trees and plants, the Sun bestows us wisdom, wealth, and a willingness to submit. Because the trees and the Sun have been our silent companions for centuries, they have supported us to seek truth in ourselves, our environment, and our history. They provide us with the kind of connection that only Mother Nature can deliver – natural and profound.

Just as the Sun is centered in the Earth, the solar plexus chakra, also known as the “Manipura” which translates as “city of jewels” is centered in the torso, just above the stomach and just below the chest and lungs, where confidence cultivates and doubt dissolves. This chakra enhances personal power, self-esteem, and emotional release. This is an important connection to the Sun because its focal point and meditative color is yellow.

Sunrise Yoga is another medium for spiritual nourishment. It is an excellent way to ‘filter’ the air and the perfect time of day to orient and ground yourself in your intentions. Psychologically, yellow is the mind’s spark—sharpening thought, stirring questions, pulling us toward discovery. Yet, when it blazes too brightly, it fractures focus, flooding the senses until clarity slips away. Still, in its balanced glow, yellow becomes our guide: fueling imagination, emboldening our choices, and teaching us that joy is not a passing guest, but a devotion—something we rise to, again and again, each day we choose the light.

Plato drew on the image of the Sun to show that sight—and the visible world itself—falls short on its own. The Sun, in his analogy, is what breathes clarity into vision, making the connection between what we see and what we understand. He reminds us that our senses do not work in isolation; one deepens the other. To hear, we must see inwardly. To see, we must taste the essence of things. Reality, then, is not fully caught by the naked senses. It requires the mind’s eye, the inner reach of thought, to move us closer to truth. For Plato, natural light, ‘the Sun’ is more than a source of vision; it is the wellspring of goodness that illuminates all understanding.

The virtue of the Sun not only restores clarity to the soul, but also commitment to the body. Foods like squash, carp fish, and sunflowers make way for the improvement of appetite, digestion, and metabolism. Metaphysically, yellow stimulates both the mind and the body with warmth and happiness. The sunflower, also the State flower of Kansas, conveys adoration and longevity. Naturally, their open faces symbolize the Sun itself, welcoming light, veracity, and endearing devotion. As well, the oil produced from sunflowers is a healthy source for cooking, baking and natural home remedies.

Graciously beneficial like the Sun, bananas help to overcome depression, induce restful sleep, and relax the muscles. As well, similar to the advantages of the Sun, lemons rejuvenate the skin and lend the face a glow. When infused in water, lemons pave a way for weight loss, lower the risk of stroke, combat cancer, reduce wrinkles, increase iron absorption, boost the immune system, lessen pain in arthritic joints and help prevent asthma. Lemons have an intense flavor and like the Sun, they supply a concentrated amount of morality to our overall well-being.

Archaeologically and culturally, yellow has been found to both contrast and compliment the color black, thus, symbolizing eternity and transfiguration. As it corresponds to Yin and Yang, yellow arises out of black as the earth arises out of the primal waters and is the color of the center of the universe. Every September, yellow butterflies find me, and I’ve come to believe they carry my father’s essence—his quiet way of stopping by. In their fleeting grace, I’m reminded to stay committed to what nourishes me and connected to the light that still guides me.

Whether the Sun is resting clear in the clouds of California or glossing the green trees of Costa Rica, the spiritual journey of the Sun bestows us a benevolent connection and balanced commitment. Our most powerful source of light, the Sun blesses the growth of fruits, vegetables, grains, and the development of animals and the human race. After all, we cannot survive without it. When united, it soothes our nerves, boosts our mood, and heals us, emotionally and physically. Because the Sun is the most effective healing agent that exists, its ultraviolet rays serve as a natural antiseptic to kill viruses, fungi, bacteria, yeasts, and mites on the surfaces of the skin. Its’ influence encourages better circulation and the production of more red blood cells, which increase the amount of oxygen for and through our skin. The more natural light we intake in a single day, the more our melatonin output increases in the night.

From the blue twilight skies when we sleep to the yellow sanction of the Sun when we rise, the charming color of yellow organically motivates our connectivity and obligations. The sunrise supports our hope and optimism, both in the world and in a single day. Cheerful and sincere, the positive light from the Sun draws out the extroversion in us and helps us focus our attention on socialism, simplicity, and sustenance.

“As the Sun illuminates the visible with light, so the idea of goodness illuminates the intelligible with truth.” – Socrates

The mellow color of yellow surrounds us everywhere. It can be found in sunflowers, beeswax candles, stones, and even used on your bedroom wall. Its surround sound induces loyalty, calmness, healing from illness, friendship, and overall quality of life.

The truth of the Sun shines new every day. So strong is the commitment – So deep is the connection – that we should simply continue seeing the light as new and genuine opportunity and possibility. Commit to connect with your inner vision. Delicate like the sunflower, you can sanction the hope, and the Sun, in your direction.

Love and light for the golden spark that fuels your soul.