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The Color White

White is purity, innocence, wholeness and completion

The color white is color at its most complete and pure, the color of perfection. The psychological meaning of white is purity, innocence, wholeness and completion.

In color psychology white is the color of new beginnings, of wiping the slate clean, so to speak. It is the blank canvas waiting to be written upon. While white isn't stimulating to the senses, it opens the way for the creation of anything the mind can conceive.

White contains an equal balance of all the colors of the spectrum, representing both the positive and negative aspects of all colors. Its basic feature is equality, implying fairness and impartiality, neutrality and independence. It is interesting to note that babies come into the world with a perfect balance of white, ready to imprint their lives with all the colors of the spectrum (hopefully!) from all their life experiences.

White is totally reflective, awakening openness, growth and creativity. You can't hide behind it as it amplifies everything in its way.

The color white is cleanliness personified, the ultimate in purity!! This is why it is traditionally worn by western brides, and the reason why doctors wear white jackets.

White is a color of protection and encouragement, offering a sense of peace and calm, comfort and hope, helping alleviate emotional upsets. It creates a sense of order and efficiency, a great help if you need to declutter your life.

White offers an inner cleansing and purifying of your thoughts, emotions and, ultimately, your spirit, refreshing and strengthening your entire energy system.

While there are very few negative connotations to white, particularly in western culture, too much white can be cold, isolating and empty. It implies a feeling of sterility, detachment and disinterest, providing little stimulation for the senses.

In other cultures it is traditionally related to death and mourning. In these cultures death usually means the end of one life and the beginning of another, moving forward to a new life, so the color psychology meaning of new beginnings still holds.

White may indicate the completion of a cycle in your life - you may find you have a desire for white clothing or white in your surroundings at a time when you are moving in a new direction in your life - for example, planning an overseas trip for the first time, or moving house after a long time in one place, or in seeking a new relationship or a new career direction.

Many people use white as a recall of their youth and innocence. It reminds them of a time when their lives were easier and less complicated.

White is used in many medical practices such as dental surgeries and doctors' rooms as an indication of cleanliness and efficiency; however it also can give the feeling of sterility and coldness of emotions and may lead patients to think the doctor or dentist won't relate to them on an emotional and personal level. It can be too clinical and sterile.

Too much white can cause feelings of isolation and emptiness; it can be too pristine and immaculate, making you feel as though you can't make a move for fear of upsetting it or creating a mess.

If your favorite color is white, it will reflect in your personality! Personality color white will give you more information on this.

If you are thinking of using white in a business application, read about the meanings of colors in business.

Positive and Negative Traits of the Color White

Positive keywords include: innocence, purity, cleanliness, equality, complete and whole, simplicity, immaculate and neat, self-sufficient, pristine and open, new beginnings.

Negative keywords include: sterile, stark, fastidious, empty, isolated, cautious, plain, distant, unimaginative, critical and boring.

The Color White Represents

Innocence and purity: White is the beginning of everything, before anything is muddied or thinking is 'colored'.

New beginnings: White represents the clean slate, helping us through times of stress, and allowing us put the past behind us and preparing us to move on.

Equality and unity: White represents the positive as well as the negative aspects of all colors. It contains an equal balance of all the colors of the spectrum.