Najah Lightfoot
Long ago when the earth was new, massive ferns and wild palm fronds grew in abundance. All was green and misty. Young plants struggled to survive and gain a foothold in the tumultuous atmosphere.
There was little variation among the green beings. The process of photosynthesis was still evolving. Even the trees, which covered the planet, were nothing like the trees we have today. The trees in ancient days resembled something from a Dr. Seuss book. The world was covered in the muted colors of green and brown.
But one miraculous day, change came upon the planet. The first flowering plant arrived. Can you imagine the excitement and curiosity over the first flower? Homo sapiens weren’t around to experience it, but you can be sure that whatever walked the earth sought out the flower’s essence and magnificence. And when human beings found color, we began to create dyes made of natural fibers and materials, to bring peace, comfort, and joy into our world.
Mother Nature has given us a natural system. She gave us the magickal way of color, a complete system encapsulating the mind, body, and spirit.
She gave us plants and flowers, grown in her soil, nourished by the sun, moon, wind, stars, and rain. We in turn take those plants and flowers and dry them, press them, and boil them to extract colors, hues, and vibrations. And with the advance of technology, we have learned to make synthetic colors in hues and tones more brilliant than those found in nature.
When I first sat down to write this article, it had been only a couple of days since our beloved dog passed away, and I found myself drawn to the soothing colors of purple and pink. Purple filled my soul with peace, and pink comforted me and held me in love. I wore pink in the form of rose pentagram earrings, whose swinging vibrations lifted my spirits. I wore purple and pink until my grief lifted.
A wise practitioner once told me, “You’ve got to put yourself in it,” meaning that although we may choose to follow someone else’s directions, our work isn’t truly our own until we put our own spin on it. Then it becomes personal, powerful work. So even though charts, websites, astrologers, and well-meaning friends may suggest what colors are best for you or for a spell, you need to listen to your heart’s guidance and use colors that best align with your spiritual vibration.
You can use color to lift your spirit, heal your heart, protect yourself, connect with your goals, and remember your dreams.
Working with Color
I like to think about colors we can’t see. Is there some new color that exists? Might there be a periwinkle lavender blue or a green magenta orchid? What if you could create your own color? What would it look like? How would you use it?
Guidelines exist to help you begin using color. When you’re just starting out, it takes a while to build confidence and trust your own intuition.
Most of us are aware of the following basic color correspondences:
Red: passion, love, sex
Pink: love in a non-romantic sense
Blue: healing, the color of water
Yellow: the color of the sun, energy, safe travel
White: all-purpose color, healing, Spirit
Black: banishment, the void, power
Green: prosperity, spring, money, new growth
Purple: majesty, higher power
Brown: earth, grounding
Coloring books for adults are now all the rage, but some of us never left the crayon box behind. A lot of us have been coloring for ages. Perhaps you’re a colorist, too. Take your love of color and let it embrace you, fill you up.
Each season brings its own tones and shades. Spring brings the vibrant chartreuse of new growth. Hyacinths pop with lavender purples, and daffodils bring the pale yellow of new beginnings.
Summer arrives with the lush shades of green. Flowers explode with vibrant reds and pinks. The sky is a gorgeous blue, while the sun is at its highest point, burning brightly with the golden yellow of starlight.
Fall arrives and the light begins to soften, taking on an otherworldly color. Fall leaves are at their most brilliant, bathing us in the colors of red, yellow, and gold and making us nostalgic for days gone by. Fall makes way for the quiet of winter. Reflection time is approaching.
Winter arrives (for some of us) and it seems the world is devoid of color. Stark tree branches stand as sentinels against the cold. A quiet blanket of snow covers the earth, yet prisms of color can be seen shining in ice crystals, which cover the land. Starved for color and light, we decorate our homes with garlands and twinkles and anything else that brings the promise of brighter days. Is this not why we celebrate the winter solstice and the winter holidays with such enthusiasm? We long for the promise of lighter, warm days. We anxiously await the return of color to boost and uplift us.
Perhaps color isn’t something you use regularly. Personally I adore glitter. The sparkles of glitter make me happy. I like to say, “A day without glitter is like a day without sunshine.” I use glitter sparingly in my eye shadows and lipstick, unless I’m attending a Pagan festival—then it’s no holds barred!
Let’s not forget about the myriad of colors in crystals. Crystals speak to our inner self and our intuition. Who hasn’t had the wonderful experience of going to a spiritual supply store and being drawn to a certain crystal? Oftentimes you have no idea why a certain crystal calls to you, yet you must have it. Energetically your vibration and the vibration of the crystal have aligned, making a match. You have found comfort in the crystal, and it too has aligned with you.
On an annual basis, Pantone.com announces the color of the year. The 2017 Pantone color of the year was Greenery, a color of new beginnings. Color is such an important factor in our lives that Pantone devotes an entire website to its color of the year. People use Pantone’s information to design fabrics, create paint, and decorate the interior of their homes.
Colors of Emotion
There are also times when bright colors won’t provide the comfort we seek. Traditionally people wear the color black for mourning. Why? Black is the color of sadness, of the unknown. But black can also be a color of power and honor. Who says you have to wear all black during times of grief? Maybe you’re the one who shows up to the funeral in black with a flash of magenta to show death is not the end. In some cultures, grieving times are observed by wearing the color white.
Springtime in the Hindu religion brings one of the most vibrant expressions of color in the world. During the color festival of Holi, people participate in the ritual of throwing colored powders and waters. Originally the Holi festival was celebrated by married women. They threw colors to welcome spring and the full moon and to bring renewed life and compassion to their families. Today, revelers from Spain to New Delhi take part in the tradition of throwing vibrant colors of magenta, burnt orange, indigo, and golden yellow upon anyone who happens to cross their path on Holi Day. Googling “Holi Festival” will lift your spirits as you enjoy videos of people dousing each other with colored powders and waters, laughing and feeling the joy that color brings.
There are also YouTube videos on how to create your own Holi powders using natural plant and vegetable dyes. Just imagine the fun you could have holding your own Holi ritual. Wouldn’t it be a blast to invite friends over during spring to make powders to use in ritual?
Of course in India it’s much warmer in March than in some climates in the United States. If it’s not possible to throw colors outside where you live, you could find a suitable indoor spot. The Holi Festival seems like a wonderful way to expand our Ostara rituals. Instead of dyeing eggs, make colored powders and throw them at your friends!
The use of color is also a science in the healthcare industry. The muted colors you see in hospitals and emergency rooms are there specifically to help calm and neutralize emotions. Hospitals are very emotional places, and much attention is paid to the use of color. It’s pretty obvious why the color red would never be found there.
Color has also been used to intimidate or strike fear in people. People in authority may wear all black. Certain radical groups align with specific colors and symbols. Just as we can use magick for good or evil, color can be used to incite malevolent intentions. If certain colors cause ill effects in your being, stay away from them.
Your intuitive self knows which colors align with your spirit. By the same token, you may find that as you age, your color preferences change. That’s okay too. We are all works in progress. Colors that may have suited you at one time in your life may no longer work for you in a different stage of life. If you never liked red but now find that red makes you feel hot and sexy, go for it!
Nature has given us the magick of color. We can use it to comfort, uplift, and heal. Allow color to take you where you’ve never gone before. Be bold! Be brash! Add a splash of color to your altar, your rituals, and your wardrobe. The results may surprise you.
Najah Lightfoot is a freelance writer and a happy contributing author to the Llewellyn annuals. She is a priestess of the Divine Feminine, a martial artist, and an active member of the Denver Pagan community. She keeps her magick strong through the practice of Hoodoo, Pagan rituals, and her belief in the mysteries of the universe. She finds inspiration in movies, music, and the blue skies of Colorado. Find her online at www.twitter.com/NajahLightfoot, www.facebook.com/NajahLightfoot, and www.craftandconjure.com.
Illustrator: Tim Foley