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Colour Symbolism

We beings are way more subjective in our experience of external stimuli – captured by our senses – then we are often aware of. From our own viewpoint the worlds looks, sounds, smells, tastes and feels a particular way, that is how the world appears to us, thus our ‘personal truth’. That it might appear (somewhat) differently to others, is sometimes hard to imagine. Naturally our sense of sight – and there for also the sensations of colour – is subjective as well. The way we live our lives, eye-sight could be considered the most important sense – we depend on it to be able to function to the fullest of our human capabilities – in the world mankind has created for itself.

In this article I thus will not form any conclusions for you, nor provide explanations about the symbolic meaning of colours. I will only share some backgrounds (cultural, religious, et cetera) and common beliefs about the symbolic colour usage in the past and some thoughts shared by great minds like Goethe and Jung … I leave the interpretation of the colours up to you.

WHAT COLOUR IS AND DOES

Colour is the visual perception based on the electromagnetic spectrum (light, visible and invisible). Though colour is not an inherent property of matter, colour perception is related to an object’s light absorption, reflection, emission spectra, and interference.

Newton‘s prism experiments led to the wave theory of light, which explains that colours correspond to different wavelengths of light in the visible spectrum. This is the foundation for modern physics-based colour science.

When white light, containing all wavelengths, shines on an object, some wavelengths are absorbed while others are reflected. When all wavelengths are reflected, we see white. When all wavelengths are absorbed and none reflected, we see black. The reflected wavelengths determine what colour our eyes perceive.

For example, a red apple looks red because when placed under a white light, a red apple absorbs all colours of the spectrum except red, which it reflects in white light. When we place a red apple under a red lamp, the apple thus will appear being black. The selective absorption and reflection happen due to the molecular structure of pigments in the apple’s skin. The reason why only red is being reflected, has to do with the level of electronic energy in the apple’s pigments:

The apple’s pigment structure does not have energy levels that match red photons, so red light is not absorbed. The apple is thus not only red, the apple is in fact also green, yellow and orange as well, it might even be blue, but those colours just stay hidden to our sight, because the light with that level of energy is absorbed by the pigments of the apple.

GOETHE

Colours have fascinated many great thinkers in the past, among them Bro. Goethe as well, in his work ‘Zur Farbenlehre‘ (Theory of Colours). Bro. Goethe had a slightly different approach to Colour Theory then Newton, whom was invited to join the Royal Society and eventually became its president, knew many leading Freemasons of the generation but whether or not Newton ever joined Freemasonry is unknown.

“While the theory of Newton (and that of his successors) was based on excluding the colour-seeing faculty of the eye, Bro. Goethe founded his theory on the eye’s experience of colour.

Because Newton understands white light to be composed of individual colours, and Bro. Goethe sees colour arising from the interaction of light and dark, they come to different conclusions on the question: is the optical spectrum a primary or a compound phenomenon?” (Wikipedia)

If Goethe were to explain the colour of a red apple example above, he might say:

• The Role of Light and Darkness – The apple appears red because of the way it mediates between light and shadow. Red, in Bro. Goethe’s system, is an “augmented” or intensified color that arises when light interacts dynamically with darkness.
• Physiological and Psychological Effects – Bro. Goethe emphasized that red is a color of warmth and intensity, evoking strong emotional and symbolic reactions. He might say the apple’s redness is not just a property of its surface but a product of how our eyes and minds engage with it.
• Subjective Experience – Unlike Newton’s idea that colors result from specific wavelengths of light, Bro. Goethe would argue that the red of the apple is not an inherent property of the fruit but rather a phenomenon created by the interplay of light, environment, and human vision.

In short, Bro. Goethe would see the apple’s redness as a lived experience shaped by perception, not just an optical fact! I do suggest you look into it yourself if this view and/or topic tickles your curiosity.

CARL JUNG

Carl Jung, who’s interests were much greater then what he is mostly known by, like Alchemy, made him interested in colour theory as well. In seminars like ‘Children’s Dreams: (Notes from the Seminar 1936-1940) and works like ‘The archetypes and the collective unconscious’ Jung shared his thoughts about colours.

PRIMARIES
Jung had noticed that in many cultures blue – being cool, detached, other-worldly – was a colour symbolised spirituality. Red on the other hand, was, the warmest of colours, considered the best to express ‘heated’ emotions, like compassion and hate. Yellow, the final primary colour in Jung’s triad, represents intuition, creativity, and the emotional realm.

SECUNDARIES
Green represents the delicate balance between the mental realm (blue) and the emotional realm (yellow), the colour of nature, renewal, new beginnings. Purple, the mix between blue and red, was considered a symbol of mysticism, transformation, and the unconscious according to Jung, Orange, created by mixing red and yellow, embodies vitality, sociability, and self-awareness in Jung’s colour theory.

Thus Jung. I do recommend reading his work, he has shared many fascinating thoughts …

COLOURS IN CULTURES, RELIGION AND MYSTERIES

The choice for certain colours to symbolise something is of course nothing new. The use of specific colours in some cultures are likely not randomly chosen either.

Red
Among ancient cultures red often signified fire and symbolised purification and regeneration of the soul. Red, also in Alchemy also symbolised the final stage of development. Keywords by red are: love, passion, lust, danger. Red is also the colour of Vulcan. The name ‘Adam’ is akin to the word for red, blood and earth. The element Fire is often associated with red. It’s the colour of the 1st Chakra, the ‘Root Chakra’.

Orange
The psychology of orange tells us that the colour has traditionally been a symbol of optimism, happiness, enthusiasm and youthful connections. It is also considered a spiritual colour and an autumnal season colour. On the negative side, orange can elicit feelings of arrogance, pride, and impatience. It’s the colour of the 2nd Chakra, the Sacral Chakra.

Yellow
Yellow is derived from the sun, one of the most exalted colours and represents the noblest of metals, Gold. Yellow/Gold signifies love, dignity, (the divine light of) wisdom, celestial truth. Colour of the 3rd Chakra, the ‘Solar Plexus’.

Green
Green symbolised the astral plane and growth through desire, the immutable nature of truth, an emblem of victory and symbol of moral resurrection. To the ancient Egyptians, green was the symbol of hope. Healing, youth and fertility are also associated with green as well. Colour of the 4th, ‘Heart Chakra’. Green is sometimes associated with the element Earth.

Blue
In various publications suggestions have for example been made about the colour blue. From ‘the blue arch of heaven’ to ‘the blue steal tips of the compasses’ and the ‘ribands of blue’ that Jews were commanded to wear during the building of King Solomon’s Temple (Bible, Numbers 15:39), you name it, and some interpretation or theory has been suggested to come to an symbolic explanation for the choice for the colour blue. Also characteristics as ‘fidelity, prudence and truthfulness, friendship and benevolence has been associated with blue by some authors. John Shroeder mentioned that blue meant to the Hebrews a symbol of perfection, to the Druids a symbol of truth, to the Hindus a symbol of wisdom, to the Babylonians and Egyptians a sacred colour (symbolizing the exalted and heavenly or Deity, to the Chinese a symbol of divinity and to medieval Christians an emblem of immortality as was described by Mackey. The element Air is often associated with blue, though in some theories blue represents water. It’s the colour of the 5th Chakra, the ‘Throat Chakra’.

Indigo
The colour indigo represents tranquillity but also mystery. The colour Indigo is also sometimes used to represent harmony and intuition. It’s the colour of the 6th Chakra, the ‘Third Eye’ Chakra.

Purple
The color purple is generally associated with royalty, luxury, nobility, power, and ambition. Purple is also used to represent creativity, extravagance, dignity, grandeur, independence, pride, peace, mystery, and magic. ” It’s the colour of the 7th Chakra, the ‘Crown Chakra’.

White
White in various Mysteries – like the Osiric of Egypt, the Mithraic of Persia, the Cabiric of Thrace, the Adonisian of Syria, the Dionysiac of Eleusinian of Greece and the Druidical of the Celts – symbolised, purity, innocence, virginity and cleanliness. White was – and is – a widely used symbolic colour in religions and spirituality. Plato considered white the colour of the Gods. In some cultures (like Japan) white is also related to death and resurrection.

Black
Even though black was often associated with darkness, ignorance, evil, grief and sorrow, in some cultures (like the Egyptian) could also indicate the unknown or potential for development. To ancient Egyptians darkness was a mystery, the symbol of the First Principal, the ‘Absolute and Unknowable Spirit’. In Islam black (like de Kaaba in Mecca) is symbol of the Indwelling spirit, representing the ‘house of God’.

These were just some examples of the symbolic meaning of these colours …

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If you are interested in Freemasonry you might like to continue with this!

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Sources:

• Wikipedia (various pages)
• Chapter XV – The Symbolism Of Colours – W. M. Don Falconer PM, PDGDC
• carljungdepthpsychologysite.blog

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