Color
Colors have always had symbolic associations. What color symbolizes the purity and innocence of a young bride better than white? Likewise, because green has a strong affinity with nature, it symbolizes growth and fertility. Thousands of years ago, people noticed the abundant growth of the plant kingdom and decided green was the perfect color to symbolize this. Primitive people had little interest in the beauty or nature of different colors, but were intensely aware of color symbolism.59
Red earth and yellow sun came to symbolize life, as primitive people could hunt during the daytime. The nighttime was dangerous, and black became associated with fear and death. Even today, black is considered a negative color, while white is almost always positive. People believed everything was created from the four elements and associated a color with each one: earth is green, air is yellow, fire is red, and water is blue. Creating color symbolism in this way enabled the people to give a personal, human shape to a dangerous and alien world.
The Mountain of God, built about 2,300 B.C.E., contained a four-story tower, known as a ziggurat. Each level was a different color that had symbolic meaning. These four levels represented the underworld, the earth, heaven, and the sun.60 The remains of several other ziggurats have been discovered. The Great Temple of Nebuchadnezzar at Barsippa was dedicated to the seven planets, and was decorated with the colors that symbolized each one:
Saturn–Black
Jupiter–Orange
Mars–Red
Sun– Yellow
Moon–White
Venus–Green
Mercury–Blue
Color symbolism has been present throughout history. Obvious examples can still be seen today in heraldry, religious vestments, and the colors worn by different university faculties. Today, color symbolism is often used intentionally to create a certain effect or feeling.
In addition to this, color has many other associations. Different colors affect our moods in varying ways. Some colors stimulate us, while others cool us down. We choose to wear certain colors, but avoid others. Someone who always wears black, for instance, would be consciously or subconsciously sending out a message to the world that he or she is disciplined, independent, and stubborn.
Depending on your particular circumstances, any or all of the colors of the rainbow can be used as symbols of love and romance.
Red
In Hebrew tradition, the name “Adam” means “red” or, possibly, “red earth.” Red was the color of Ra, the Egyptian sun god. The Romans related it to Mars, their god of war. Blood is red, and consequently, red often symbolizes the life force. Red is the most physical color, and symbolizes the active, masculine side of life. It relates to passion, desire, and sexual gratification. It also provides vitality, energy, enthusiasm, and a lust for life. Every color has a negative side. The negative aspect of red is anger and rage. People who “see red” are experiencing the negative side of red.
Pink
Pink, a mixture of red and white, is the color most often associated with love. It can symbolize both universal and personal love. Pink is soft, gentle, nurturing, and caring. It has a warming effect that eliminates negative thoughts and feelings.
Orange
In the Orient, orange is considered the color of love and happiness. This is not surprising, as orange stimulates the sexual organs. Some paintings of the Garden of Eden depict an orange tree, rather than the more usual apple tree. Paintings of Jesus as a child sometimes have him holding an orange, too. This is because there is a tradition that claims the orange was the forbidden fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. Orange also works on the emotions and raises the spirits, creating feelings of positivity, confidence, and self-worth. It is interesting to note that the orange robes of Buddhist monks are intended to symbolize humility.
Yellow
Yellow symbolizes life and truth. It stimulates the brain, and enhances logic and clear thinking. When people fall deeply in love, the emotions overrule the intellect. It can be a good idea to include a small amount of yellow to ensure the mind is not completely forgotten. In China, yellow is considered a color of youth, innocence, virginity, marriage, and fertility.
Green
Green has always been associated with spring and new growth. This association extends to fertility, and the Green Man, the ancient pagan figure who represents the spirits of trees and plants. Green benefits the heart on both a physical and emotional level. It enables people to relax, and feel peaceful, calm, and well balanced. It’s the color that people look for when they are suffering from stress or emotional upheaval. It provides sympathy and adaptability. It also, as you know, enhances love and fertility.
Nowadays, because of its association with nature, green is often a symbol of ecology.
Blue
Traditionally, the Virgin Mary wears a royal blue cloak. It symbolizes chastity, and a life of spiritual contemplation. Blue is soothing and cooling. Spending time by an ocean, lake, or river is calming and helps restore the soul. Blue was chosen for the United Nations flag because of its associations with truth, thought, cooperation, peace, and goodwill. As the sky is blue, this color came to be associated with honesty, truth, and the divine spirit.
Indigo
Indigo stimulates spirituality, creativity, and intuition.
Violet
Violet brings peace and tranquillity. It has always been associated with royalty and spirituality. This may have been because purple dye was extremely expensive, and only the very wealthy could afford it. Wrapping a baby in a violet cloth was believed to encourage a prosperous and successful life. Violet is a highly intuitive color that enables people to clairvoyantly discover and understand hidden truths.
White
White is a purifying color. It is positive in outlook, but also relates to spending time on your own. The custom of white bridal gowns originated in ancient Greece. The white marble temple of Athena symbolized virginity, and as a result, this color came to be the favorite choice of brides. Queen Victoria reintroduced white bridal gowns in the nineteenth century. White also symbolizes divine protection and spirituality.
Brown
Brown is a nurturing, caring, earthy color. It creates feelings of security and comfort, but can make it hard to express your emotions. It encourages worldly success, especially in down-to-earth, practical fields.
Black
Black is a sophisticated, mysterious, highly feminine color. It symbolizes the unknown and the unconscious mind. It is the color given to the planet Saturn. In ancient Egypt, it was the color of Isis. The black earth of the Nile also meant that black cats were considered sacred. There are still superstitions about black cats today. Black was also associated with the Roman God of Agriculture. His midwinter festival was renamed Christmas when it was adopted by the Christians.
Silver
Silver, the color of the moon, is feminine and sensitive. It balances and harmonizes other colors. It symbolizes purity and chastity.
Gold
God is associated with the sun. It is a powerful color that promotes positivity, wisdom, and understanding.
How to Send Love to the World
Pink is the color most often associated with love. This is a visualization exercise that uses this color to send love to the whole world. Some years ago, I was teaching this technique to a class. One of the students said there was little point in doing it, as he felt that one person would not be able to make any difference to the world. I asked him to temporarily suspend his disbelief and to comment again after he had performed the exercise. Interestingly, his point of view was completely different afterwards. He found the exercise helpful in two ways. He felt that he had sent out love to the world. He also felt calmer and more at peace with himself and his circumstances and situation.
Sit down comfortably, close your eyes, and relax. Take several slow deep breaths, and focus on your breathing. Allow all the muscles of your body to relax.
Once you feel totally relaxed, visualize yourself sitting wherever you happen to be. People visualize in different ways. Some people can “see” clearly in their mind’s eye. Others gain a faint impression, and others “see” nothing at all, but experience the scene in different ways. Visualize yourself in the scene in whatever way feels right for you.
Become familiar with the scene. Notice the furniture and furnishings, and become aware of any sounds, smells or feelings. Observe yourself again in your imagination. Focus on the area of your heart and feel the warmth and love inside it. Visualize yourself sending out love to the entire world. As you do this, imagine the area around your heart shimmering with a beautiful pink energy. Allow this pink energy to gradually expand until you are totally surrounded by it. It looks like a pink, cloud-like aura. Watch this pink energy grow and expand every time you exhale. Feel the sensation of sending your love to the world. Soon the pink energy fills the entire room you are in.
In your imagination, remain where you are, but keep sending out loving thoughts to the world. As you do this, allow the pink energy to expand to fill the building you are in, and then to gradually encompass a larger and larger area.
Change your perspective, so you are now a few hundred feet up in the air. Watch the pink energy gradually expand to fill the entire scene. Visualize your love continuing to grow and expend until it has encompassed the whole world.
Allow yourself to bathe in the gentle loving pink energy for as long as you wish. When you feel ready, take three slow deep breaths, open your eyes, stretch luxuriously, and then spend a minute or two thinking about what you have achieved before continuing with your day.
You will get up feeling invigorated, revitalized, and with loving feelings toward yourself and all humanity. These feelings will subtly change your approach to life, and you will find yourself more loving and compassionate in every situation you find yourself within.
Josephine’s Experience
Josephine decided to use color symbolism after attending a feng shui class. She was fascinated to discover that red in the bedroom would spice up her love life. She and her husband, Paul, had been happily married for twenty-seven years, but their love life was virtually non-existent.
“It didn’t happen overnight,” she told me. “We had a great sex life initially. I’m not sure what happened, really. Maybe it was bringing up four children. Paul was busy at work and I was busy at home. When we got to bed, all we wanted to do was sleep. So, making love became less and less frequent.
“At the feng shui course, I decided to experiment and see what would happen. I didn’t go berserk and replace the wallpaper in our bedroom. All I did was buy two red ornaments of people riding a horse. They’re made of glass. One is a handsome man and the other a gorgeous woman. I thought having a pair, especially a man and a woman, would help.
“I had them in the dining room when Paul came home. I showed them to him, and said I thought they looked cute. I didn’t say why I’d bought them. Paul was pretty non-committal about them, but he always is with ornaments. Our home would be purely functional if it was left to him.
“Anyway, after dinner, I put them on my dressing table. I saw Paul looking at them when we went to bed, but he didn’t say anything. I was a bit excited that night, I must admit, but the ornaments did nothing for Paul. He hopped into bed and went straight to sleep.
“The same thing happened the next couple of nights. I was starting to think of the questions I should ask my feng shui teacher to make them work when, on Friday night, Paul cuddled me and then we had the best night of lovemaking I could remember.
“That started the ball rolling again. We’re not like newlyweds, but at least we have a sex life again. It’s better than before, too. I’ve told several friends about this, and the ones who followed my advice had similar results. We’re taking a trip next month and I’m wondering if I should bring my two horses with us . . .”