The color of your meditation cushion (zafu) may reveal more about your state of mind than you realize. Feng shui attributes mood-altering properties to each color—orange can make you feel optimistic, for example, while brown can imbue you with a dull-as-a-doorknob sensation. So choose your zafu hue carefully: The wrong color can have you climbing the wall rather than staring peacefully at it. Feng shui divides colors into yin and yang, with yin colors falling on the cool end of the spectrum and yang on the warm. Here’s a basic breakdown of the effect of colors on your meditating mood:

Yellow: Stimulates joy and uplifts the mind.

Orange: Stirs up energy and boosts confidence.

Red: Excites the passions and helps overcome depression.

Violet: Calms the emotions and deflects irritability.

Blue: Soothes the spirit and also induces harmony.

Green: Balances, heals, and relaxes.

Black: Inspires both introspection and discipline.

Brown: Encourages security and stability .

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