Color Magick

by Megwynne

About Color Magick...

Color magick can be used alone or in conjunction with other types of magick, including candle, written spells, squares, visualization, etc. In my opinion, color magick is the basis of all other forms of magick. 

 Pick up any book on the Craft, and you might find different attributes associated to any particular color.  From my own Pagan library, for example, Raymond Buckland* lists the properties of both silver and grey to be "cancellation, neutrality, and stalemate."  Scott Cunningham* does not list silver in his theory, but lists grey as neutrality only.  Marian Singer and Trish MacGregor,* on the other hand, do not mention grey at all, but list silver as having the qualities of psychic development, beginnings, intuition, and meditation. 

Personally, I prescribe to the color magick theory of Buckland and Cunningham... with one exception.  For me, yellow is the color of happiness -- not blue as Buckland and Cunningham suggest.  For me, yellow is associated with sunshine, summer vacation fun, and vibrant, joyful energy.  In my mind, blue represents tranquility.  Blue makes me picture myself sitting quietly by a calm ocean, listening to the gentle lap of the waves on the shore, relaxing.  When creating a personal spell involving happiness, I will use yellow instead of blue, as it has more meaning for me.  If creating a spell or making a candle for someone else, I use the traditional blue.

No matter which color magick theory you choose to follow, the most important thing to remember is that you must be able to visualize and feel that the color represents  your chosen purpose.  Adapt as necessary to meet your needs, but be consistent.  If necessary, you can use any candles to represent any color, so long as you can firmly visualize them being appropriate for your intent.  At a recent lecture, Dorothy Morrison once recommended even coloring a white candle with a marker in times of emergency.

A Lesson in Color Magick Associations...

What do you think of when I mention the color white?

Most people bring to mind a picture of a bride on her wedding day in her gown -- pure, innocent, fresh and clean.  Others might think of a white flag of truce -- a symbol of peace.  Still yet, others may think of a "white wizard" from Hobbit Land, white light surrounding someone, or maybe even a "white lie" told to protect and spare another's feelings -- symbols of protection and goodness.

Green represents money, finances, prosperity, and employment -- think dollar bills; fertility and growth -- think of the lush plants that flourish in the spring and summer; and also luck -- think shamrocks and leprechauns.

Color magick has been around for a long time, and it is no coincidence that you probably automatically associated the above colors with their attributes.  Use your intuition and common sense when choosing a color theory. 

Below is a combination of the lists written by Cunningham and Buckland, as noted in the bibliography.  I hope you find them as  helpful as I have.

White -- Protection, purification, peace, truth, sincerity

Red -- Protection, strength, health, vigor, lust, sex, passion, courage, and exorcism

Black -- Absorbing and destroying negativity, healing severe diseases, confusion, evil, loss, discord, and banishing

Light Blue -- Tranquility, healing, understanding, health, patience, and happiness

Dark Blue -- Change, flexibility, the subconscious mind, impulsiveness, depression, psychism, and healing

Green -- Finances, money, fertility, prosperity, growth, luck, and employment

Silver/Gray --  Neutrality, cancellation, and stalemate

Gold/Yellow -- Intellect, attraction, study, persuasion, confidence, charm, and divination

Brown -- Working magick for animals, healing animals, hesitation, uncertainty, neutrality, and the home

Pink -- Love, honor, morality, and friendships

Orange -- Adaptability, stimulation, encouragement, and attraction

Purple -- Power, healing severe diseases, tension, ambition, business progress, spirituality, and meditation

Greenish-Yellow -- Sickness, cowardice, anger, jealousy, and discord

Putting It All Together...

There are many different ways to use color magick, but first you must determine the ultimate goal of your spell.  If you are looking for a spell involving finding tranquility and happiness, you would choose light blue.  If the purpose of your spell is finding strength and courage, red would be the most appropriate.  White would be the best choice for purifying and cleansing an item.

Examples of how color magick might be used in spells are as follows:

• Take a picture of yourself and sew it in between two squares of appropriate colored fabric or felt
   
• Light a candle to represent yourself and place it in the middle of your altar.  Surround it with candles of a color representing your purpose.  Repeat every day, moving the colored candles closer to the one representing yourself until you achieve your goal
   
• Wear the color and bask in the energy of it; feel it flowing into you and pray to your patron God/dess to bring that which you are in need of
   
• Make a poppet of yourself using the color representing your goal; use with colored squares, wrap or dress with cloth or thread, and keep in a safe place
   
• Use ink of the corresponding color in a written spell
   
• Paint the room you use for relaxation in shades of blue to enhance your tranquility and meditation
   
• Meditate and visualize yourself being surrounded by that color.  Imagine breathing it in, letting it fill you, and see yourself as having that which you seek
   
• Write on a cookie or cake your intention in colored frosting and then eat it, taking it into your body and into your life
   
• Make an amulet or talisman using beads, stones, etc. of that color and wear or carry

As you can see, color magick can be used along with many other forms of magick to achieve your magickal goals.  Experiment and find which way(s) work best for you!  As always, follow the Rede and harm none in your spell casting.

Bright Blessings to you!

PRACTICAL CANDLEBURNING RITUALS, THIRD EDITION by Raymond Buckland, pages 3 through 5, Tables I through III -- Astral Colors, Symbolism of Colors, and Days of the Week, Llewellyn Publications, 1996

THE COMPLETE BOOK OF INCENSE, OILS, AND BREWS by Scott Cunningham, page 243, Appendix I -- Colors, Llewellyn Publications, 1990

THE ONLY WICCAN SPELL BOOK YOU'LL EVER NEED by Marian Singer and Trish MacGregor, pages 50 and 51, Colors and Candles, Adams Media, 2004