Green is the new red: more than healing hidden in this colour

I have already written extensively of the colour green, and its healing impact. Though I don't have green fingers -- my sister is  and my mom was -- good that way. But I like the presence of green. I have always, even in Mumbai, been lucky to have a patch of green in my line of vision. I always struggled to maintain  my little balcony garden and love  to look at plump leaves. And though I often try to grow flowering plants, I realise that my preferred plants are all leafy ones. Just bushy green shrubs -- I love them. The glistening leaves, the different shades of green shimmering through, the crisp strength that leaves exhibit. It seems I was on the right track here. I am explaining below:

I was scouting for topics to write on, and trawling my huge collection of books, and came across the one that I had kept at the mantel in a manner that indicated that this book was on  my current browsing list. It is the book Vaastu, by Ashwini Kumar Bansal.

He has made a list of suggestions that I realised I was already  subconsciously following.
* Keep a patch of green near your windows.
* If possible, keep accessories (lamp shade, boxes) that are green in colour.
* Plant aromatic herbs in the directions where the energy flows -- or where u sit for concentration or work.

The wow factor about green, that has always been known, was that the colour was healing. That explains why hospitals have a lot of greens. At least in India, the ward boys wear green. And it was found that when the London bridge was painted green the  suicide rate from there fell dramatically. Again,  in hospitals, it has been found that the patients  in rooms with windows facing greenery healed faster than the ones facing concrete.

Yogis had for long stressed this connection, by showing green as the colour of the heart center /anahata chakra. (whose other colour is also pink). That this center is diseased when it feels anxiety, lack of love (including self-love), guilt. And the colour is used to heal this center.

The yoga community, which has gotten many things wrong otherwise (!), has however been correct with this connection at least, and often retreats are deliberately planned in lush green locations to initiate an inner healing.

But that is all old news.

The new exciting information about the colour green, researched by psychology groups, was that green enhanced focus and concentration. In tests participants in  control group who could see a green roof tops scored better in tests than those who just looked at drab concrete.

Green was found to spike attention.
Originally this status was accorded to the color red -- which explains why `,Alert"Signage and traffic cautions, and other  warnings are in red.

But now colour green is  being touted as the one that improves focus. Perhaps because it is relaxing that the mind is allowed to think clearly. There is something in that.

The study was done by Dr Kate Lee, in Melbourne. The research concluded that green provided microbreaks to the brain, and had a restorative value.

In fact, the research is linked to the idea of greening Melbourne. Hope our city fathers decide to improve the quality of life in India too, this way. And yes, we could do with improved focus too!