The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

Noir is a lovely name for the color black. I don’t believe any other word in any language is so romantic sounding for black than the French, noir/noire. The color reflects a dark resonance to most. We see it at funerals representing death and grief. We see others wear it to represent darkness and a philosophy on death that is clearly identifiable in certain circles.

When we look at alchemy we find that black symbolizes new beginnings. It is the first step on the path toward spiritual growth. Now it is believed that alchemy was a symbolic system where each color represented a stage in spiritual development rather than a concrete physical exchange of iron into gold. Each level consisted of a color symbolic of the progress of the initiate. The color is indicative of a stage in darkness. Figuratively having blinders on and going through an initial awakening. Our old selves transform into a new self.

Black is often thought of representing the darker nature of life. It has been likened to death as previously mentioned but also amorality, disease, corruption, impurity, deceit and the list is long in the negative end for this color. It is clearly associated with evil. Black is considered the absence of color so along with that perception is the belief that it is also related to the absence of morals and ethics.

On the other hand, black is conservative and elegant. It is the color of high fashion as a man is most often dressed in a black tuxedo at formal events. It’s a slimming color, so most women have at least one black dress in their closet. Black walls will make a room look smaller and dimmer even if the room has plenty of lighting. Even though it is seen as a color of mourning, it is often seen by younger people as a color of rebellion against the establishment.

Black can also convey mystery, sophistication and allure. “It is the color for little boys in China. Black, especially combined with orange is the color of Halloween. In early Westerns the good guy wore white while the bad guy wore black. But later on, good guys wore black to lend an air of mystery to themselves.” (TheFlowersCatalog.com) Even though most often seen negatively, it can be viewed symbolically for power and strength.

Candles are often used in magick and according to Agrippa black or gray were colors for crossing, curses, money and debauchery. Although in southern magick and rootwork or Hoodoo, black candles represent basically the same things but also confusion and can be used in conjunction with other colors for a different meaning.

Since color is a vibration of light each individual will see them differently but close enough for us to have a consensus as to naming them and all agreeing. By the use of prisms, Sir Isaac Newton was able to identify colors in the electromagnetic spectrum. They consist of seven basic colors which comprise blue, violet, indigo, yellow, red, orange and green. Our primary colors are blue, green and red.

When Max Luscher created color therapy in the 40s he used eight colors. These were black, gray, brown, violet, red, yellow, green and blue. Again, black is not really a color. It is the absence of color. White is the polarity or opposite of black. “In times of fear and uncertainty black contains the energy of the threatening unknown. In a positive state, black is seen as a restful emptiness into which anything may emerge and disappear once again. It is also mysterious, providing a sense of potential and possibility.” (crystal-cure.com)

Black gemstones have certain protective qualities in the sense of making one invisible or inconspicuous. “Black clothing can say "Notice me but do not intrude." (crystal-cure.com)

The black rose has been popular in many of the subcultures including Goth. This particular rose color is not natural to the environment. They are either dyed or substituted in the form of silk flowers. Most often if used at funerals they are generally silk flowers. Even though they do not exist naturally, they have been drawn and used as emblems and names and in titles of organizations just as the rose in general. With the newer generations they have become staples of the darker side of nature representative of death. There are certain roses called black roses but they are not truly black in color. These roses are a very deep shade of red.

“The black rose is ubiquitous in the Goth subculture where it may symbolize tragic romance, or merely be a fitting addition to the decorum of those with a darker æsthetic, along with the black candles, black clothes, and so on. Thus, to Goths, the black rose is incorporated both in the literary realm, as well as in the real world.” (Wikipedia.org) Very often on Goth or other subculture websites you will see a depiction of this type of black rose.

When “The Language of Flowers” was extremely popular, the black rose had sinister meanings and very often a single black rose would be sent to someone going off to war which meant farewell in this instance. According to the Black Rose Society, “the black rose historically represents the quest of the Alchemist. The rose is an ancient symbol for the human soul, and the black rose symbolized death. Death to the alchemist, as in the Tarot, does not always mean the cessation of physical existence. Rather it often refers to the drawing to a close of one aspect of existence and the new beginning which inevitably follows. The black rose, then, to the Alchemist, represented an end of powerless materiality and was regarded as the open door to a qualitatively new existence.”

The black rose is also considered a symbol of the Crone. It’s often thought of as a bad omen or a sign of rejuvenation in the future, a change of thoughts that have been very static. Color therapy has a different meaning for black. It is a sign of power and strength.

Regardless of some of the more sinister beliefs about the color black, if you decide to go out for a night on the town you can’t go wrong with black. It's accepted as a color of choice everywhere and will get you through most doors.


Combined two articles I wrote together from a personal site called Grove of Sorrows. ©2006 RKB
http://www.freewebs.com/groveofsorrows
I didn't give credit for the articles because it is somewhat of a private site. I wrote everything on the website. I sometimes use the pen name of Trepessa.