Colour and the Zodiac Signs

It’s uncanny how often people come to consultation wearing their Soul colour (of their Sun sign) or their Physical colour (of their Ascendant), often down to the specific shade of their portion of the sign.  I have always been interested in colour, being mildly synaesthetic since childhood:  I always saw letters, numbers, words and days of the week in colour.

Healing can involve a technique called Colour Breathing, where you visualize the colour you need, and breathe it in.  You can focus it towards a particular area of the body.  Often the colour you need contrasts with your natural tendency, as it is a colour that can bring you into balance.  You can use colour in absent healing, if someone has agreed to receive it.  Chris Griscom is a great advocate of the technique of enquiring within what colour is needed, and then transmitting it to someone who needs to heal a situation or health problem.  Clark and Martine in their book “Health, Youth and Beauty through Colour Breathing” recommend pink as an overall healing colour for their technique.

There are many systems of colour attributions, mostly in agreement, though sometimes diverging.  I have listed four books at the end of this piece which I have enjoyed and used.

From  my blog 28/10/12:

Colour Healing

“Colours of the chakras run opposite to the colours of the zodiac, so they balance and neutralize each other, rolling into white light.  Aries rules the head and the colour red, and Libran blue is an antidote for Aries headache.  The Crown Chakra has Violet as its traditional colour, and Pisces which rules the feet has that colour as one of its main associations.  In the chakra system, the feet are part of the red area of the spectrum.  In the rainbow, and the chakra system, green is the central and most neutralizing colour, and I associate that with Virgo, the sixth zodiac sign.  In the chakra system, green is associated with the heart and yellow with the solar plexus chakra.  However, in astrology the Sun and Leo, the sign prior to Virgo, represent the heart.”

Aries

Red

New blood:

Out of a deep breath

of pure peace

the embryo weaves

its earth warm inheritance

Playing its own

unique rhythm

insistent pounding

on and on.

What lies beyond

the crescendo?

No matter:

“I must be heard”

Red is the colour of the 1st chakra in the Hindu chakric system.  In esoteric systems, it is the 1st Ray of Will and Power.  As a basic foundational colour, there tends to be more agreement about it than the rest of the colour spectrum.

As Aries springs into life at the beginning of the astrological year, around March 21st, and on the cusp with Pisces, Crimson is the colour which most expresses that cusp.  There are variations of colour within this sign, but a good clear red serves most of this sign well, especially pillar box red.  As you near the cusp with Taurus, from around the middle of April, this may lighten to a scarlet red.

Late March: Crimson

Early April: Pillar Box Red

Mid-April: Scarlet

Aries natives can be subject to eyestrain, headaches and general hot-headedness, so blue is a soothing antidote for them, and very suitable for colour breathing, even though red is an expression of their nature.

“Colorstrology” by Michele Bernhardt provides a colour reading for each birthday.

For April 1st she gives Fiery Red:

“You have come into this world to be a leader. You are active and lively and want to stand out and express your unique point of view.”

Taurus

Taurus lies between the red of Aries and the Orange of Gemini, and because it is a feminine sign, and Venus-ruled, the softer pink-orange shades suit it.

Apricot would be closest to the Aries-Taurus border (around 19th April), and Peach would serve the sign generally, especially where subtler and higher levels of spiritual exploration are involved.

Lilla Bek says of Peach:

“Peach is orange on a higher vibration.  For some it is the colour of spiritual love and relates to a more advanced person who has made interesting journeys on a soul level.  It may look wrong on some people.”

According to Linda Clark and Yvonne Martin in their book “Health, Youth and Beauty through Colour Breathing”, Salmon Pink is the colour of Universal Love.  That resonates with the highest expression of the planet Venus.

Gemini

Orange

Beside the shores

of a sacred lake

aglow with goldfish,

let your inner knowing

guide you to

“let go!”

Come and join

the rhapsody in orange

Circle and spin

and dip and whirl,

zing and wing

and taste the succulent

fruits of life

from bountiful trees.

Orange describes the light-hearted and youthful nature of Gemini.

Gemini is at home with a variety of colours, but the other colour most associated with this sign is Yellow, associated with Gemini’s ruler Mercury, and the intellect.

Under the Aura Soma system, Orange over Orange is the bottle to use as a shock absorber, for revival.

Cancer

Tangerine

Tangerine is a lighter orange, between the full orange of Gemini, and the Yellow of Leo.  It carries the nurturing qualities of Cancer, and the association of the 2nd (Sacral) chakra with digestion.

But other colours are traditional for the soft emotions of Cancer.  White, Pearl and Silver are associated with the Moon, which is her ruling planet.

Laeh Maggie Garfield says of Silver: “The colour to use for triggering intuitive and creative channelling, including artistic endeavours such as music and writing.  When you are done channelling, remove it and replace with your customary colour”

Powder blue is also associated with this Water sign, and is associated with mothering and the Madonna.  Pale blue can cool the fevered emotions of Cancerians.

Leo

Yellow

Lemon sherbert

Light from the Sun

that same light

playing through

each of us.

As the Sunflowers

turn their faces upwards,

So our hearts and minds

obey a higher instinct ~

now to act

And now to wait our turn.

So too the Sun

keeps its place

in the universal

march of time.

Leo resonates to the colour of yellow, bringer of sunshine.  On a higher level, Gold can represent the benevolence and magnanimity of the evolved Leo.  Traditionally, Gold has been associated with its ruler the Sun, just as Silver has been associated with Cancer’s ruler, the Moon.

Cusp of Leo/Virgo

The cusp of Leo and Virgo (around 22nd/23rd August) has two special colours worth mentioning, as people born around this time resonate especially to these colours.

  1.  Lemon-Lime: Laeh Maggie Garfield says that it represents a well-organized mentality, and is “Mentally soothing and uplifting.  The consciousness is in the process of being elevated.”
  2. Olive Green: Under the Aura Soma system, Olive over Olive represents the new age approach to group work of Feminine Leadership.  It is the earthier alternative to Lemon-Lime, as you step into Virgo.

Virgo

Green

Green has

nothing to prove;

those slanting emerald

lightbeams

through the rainforests,

let them lie.

The green tree

rooted in the earth

that we pass

strolling through the park,

re-assures.

The vast savannah

grassland in our mind

yields its space to us,

free.

And, as time goes by,

we grow to love

Spinach.

As we come to the middle of the Zodiac (the cusp with Libra) we have the colour Green which is a colour of balance and neutrality.  Its associated gemstone Green Aventurine is helpful for soothing the nervous system.

Sage green represents the muted type of Virgo personality.

Apple green more readily represents the connection with Nature, Ecology and the Environment of Virgo.

Fabric-wise, small patterns, such as fine polka dots, appeal to the Virgo love of detail.

Cusp of Virgo/Libra

The cusp of Virgo/Libra and Spring Equinox (around 23rd September) is the mid-point of the zodiac.  While its opposite point, 0 degrees Aries, is Red, here is the beginning of Blue.  At the end of Virgo and the beginning of Libra we have a mix: Blue-Green or Turquoise.

Traditionally, turquoise, and its gemstone namesake, is associated with luck, mental brightness, lecturing and uplifting communication.

Libra

Blue

Once upon a time,

when the oceans

were true blue,

We used to speak

directly from our hearts,

do you remember?

Listen ~

what are we communicating?

Can it be

the sparkling truth

of aquamarine my friend,

or has time made it easier

to disguise our voices?

Speak to me with joy.

Blue is seen as a generally calming and soothing colour, the state that Librans aspire to.  In colour breathing, blue is especially good for the Throat Chakra, and wearing a blue scarf can be beneficial to reinforce that.

Colorstrology  gives Kentucky blue for October 2nd:

“Your ability to see both sides of a situation makes you a favourite when it comes to telling it like it is. You are the one to be trusted and to judge fairly.”

Late September: Turquoise

Early October: Sky Blue

Mid-October: Royal Blue

 
Scorpio

Indigo

Stars at night –

  somewhere a harp plays

  in a distant castle.

But my sight is faded

by the mists of time,

only my heart responds.

  I see a bluebell wood,

  A piper playing –

but can’t quite grasp

the reason for my loneliness.

  The nurse rocks the babe,

  the west wind gently plays…

I cannot go back.

 

Things will never be

exactly the same.

  Lost and found

  continually shift key,

Stars twinkle…

Indigo for Scorpio represents Healing and Psychology.  Lapis Lazuli is a useful gemstone for this sign, and for the Third Eye.

In fashion, Scorpios like the little black dress (their ruling planet is Pluto, Lord of the Underworld!), and often wear a combination of black and white.

Black is not a colour for healing, but Laeh Maggie Garfield writes:

“As a colour that you wear, has certain uses for introspection and inner growth.  Black causes a kind of sensory deprivation, so that you have a chance to look at your old data without being distracted by new material coming in.  Black does attract negative energy, however.  It’s not good to wear frequently, and it’s never under any circumstances to be introduced into your aura or chakras.”

Maroon is also a colour I associate with the expression of Scorpio’s heavy emotions.

Sagittarius

When we come to Sagittarius purple is introduced into the spectrum, and because we are just leaving the indigo of Scorpio, we have the Blue-Purple shades.

Luscher colour testing way back in the 1970s introduced us to the idea that the colour Purple was innovative, thinking outside the box of the primary colours.  It is starting to reach out to the spiritual realms.  It also implied androgyny, because Violet was made of a combination of red and blue.  It is also a protective colour, much used in Ascension circles.

Esoterically, Sagittarius is one of the signs which correspond with the 7th Ray of ceremonial order and magic, and the Violet Flame of the ascended master St. Germain.  The Sagittarian purple represents the sign’s affinity with Religion and Spirituality.

Sagittarius is associated with middle life, through its ruler Jupiter.  Jenny Joseph wrote a popular poem in 1932 which begins with the words “When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple”.  Perhaps because I am Sagittarian, I started wearing purple in my early 20s.  At any rate, purple refers to that period of the second half of life which Carl Jung referred to as the time of spiritual seeking, and so fits the sign of  the Seeker well.

Capricorn

Mauve

When we reach Capricorn, the esoteric sign of the mountain of Initiation, the colour purple deepens to an almost Inky shade of Mauve, before the introduction of red into the purple in Aquarius.  This represents the authority, temporal power and majesty of Capricorn (as distinct from the religious power of Sagittarius).

Other colours are Earth tones, and Green through the esoteric colour for its ruling planet Saturn (designated by the work of Alice Bailey).

The greens of Capricorn are darker than those of Virgo. So you might have bottle green, for instance.

Colorstrology gives evergreen for 22nd December, at the beginning of Capricorn:

“You have an uncanny ability to build and persevere once you decide where you are going and what you want in life.  You need to cultivate security and material success”.

Aquarius

In Aquarius, the spectrum starts to introduce red into the purple, so we have Magenta. This colour helps with group consciousness, which is often the life purpose of Aquarius.  It also represents the wise intuition of Aquarius.

Laeh Maggie Garfield points out that with Magenta:

“ We all have a touch of this.  It means a past life in which we were an administrator, and we are here again to administrate.  Perhaps to organize groups of people.”

Another colour which has been traditionally associated with Aquarius is Electric Blue, courtesy of its ruling planet Uranus.  This helps to express the technological and communicative aspects of the sign.

Pisces

Dusky pink

The softest sign of the Zodiac, before returning to the pure red of Aries, Pisces has the dusky pink tones after the more strident Magenta of Aquarius.  This represents unconditional love and compassion, and heart-centredness.

Other colours of Pisces are Lilac, also very soft and spiritual, pale sea blue/green expressing the affinity with the ocean, and the more vibrant Aquamarine where the Piscean nature has overcome some of its frailties and is able to express itself with more confidence and self-assurance.

Violet-Pink

An Angel surrenders

one perfect note

to the Choir

for the Creator;

A tiny child

eagle eyed

spies a pink violet

and tenders it

to the parents;

Cycles of sacred sound

turn over and over and

dreams of perfection

spiral towards reality

Bibliography:

“Companions in Spirit” – Laeh Maggie Garfield

“What Colour are You?” – Lilla Bek

“Health, Youth and Beauty through Colour Breathing” – Linda Clark and Yvonne Martine

“Colorstrology” by Michele Bernhardt

Poems by Lana commissioned 1990 by Ray Didcock

 

Aspects

With four trines and a sextile this week, things will tend to run smoothly most of the time.

A profound trine of Venus to Pluto on Monday (30th) starts the week on seriously good form.  It is a great day to come to a deep understanding in your relationships, and maybe to resolve long-standing hurt.  You should absolutely know where you stand with someone close.

The same day the Sun conjuncts the South Node, so in addition there will be karmic understanding, so there may have been possible talks about the past, or even about past lives, which highlights karmic wisdom and understanding.

Mercury enters Aries in the early hours of Tuesday (31st), promoting an active mentality which may keep you awake for a while.  The emotional issues of Mercury’s time in Pisces may have been cleared out of the way, and you may be able to see more straightforward possibilities, so it may be the excitement which is keeping you awake.  Bright eyes and bushy tail, at the wrong time of day!

The same day another planet changes sign, with Mars entering Taurus. So during that day you will be able to calm down a little, indeed you may be forced to through sleepiness.  Mars in Taurus is a measured pace of action, and a fairly laid back position with which to conduct the day’s affairs.  Mars will be staying in Taurus until 11th May, should you wish to cultivate that position, through meditation perhaps.  It is good for gentle activity such as Tai Chi, or for mindful gardening.

Wednesday, 1st April (and April Fool’s Day) is a day for healing, with Venus sextile Chiron.  It is especially suitable for herbal healing or Homeopathy, but if you have a medical appointment you’ll be sure to find a harmonious rapport with your practitioner, and congenial ways forward for your treatment.  Love and Money are also well-starred, with healing feelings, and healing financial dealings.

A spectacularly constructive day follows on Thursday (2nd), with Mercury trine Saturn at lunchtime, and Sun trine Jupiter in the afternoon.  Mercury trine Saturn is suitable for getting the paperwork done, attending to the fine print with efficiency, and mentally mulling over plans.  You may have an awkward travel itinerary to sort out, but can do so satisfyingly.

In the afternoon, there could be a golden moment due to the second trine.  It is a day generally when things could fall into place, but you may feel jubilant about developments in the afternoon.  Something you have wished for may go better than expected, even exceeding your dreams.  Taking the day as a whole, you may solve some long-standing issues.

After the peak of that day, and a sense of achievement, you may need to draw a line in the sand, because by Saturday you will be dealing with a Full Moon and Eclipse in Libra.  So you may not be able to afford to rest on the laurels of Thursday, and may start to sense the unease or emotional turbulence building up to the Full Moon.

Saturday’s (4th) Full Moon occurs just after midday.  You may not be able to forget the last eclipse in a hurry, the sight of the half sun glimpsed (or not glimpsed) through your kitchen colander on 20th March, and Brian Cox waxing lyrical on the television.  The Full Moon is a little more challenging emotionally, and some people were challenged emotionally on the New Moon.  Emotions (Moon) will be trying to achieve equilibrium in relationships (Libra), while being opposed by individual needs (Sun in Aries).  Try the colour breathing for Libra, which is blue.  You might also see the continuum between blue and red (Libra and Aries polarity) or fuse them with purple or violet, and raise them to a higher level.  If you are very colour conscious, you may become aware of still higher colours in your meditations, such as opal (which is the gemstone for Libra) or colours that we even don’t have a name for in our current language.

Next Week:  The Labour Party

The week in bullet points:

  • Tomorrow – deep abiding love
  • Tuesday – energy shifts: slow (Pisces) slow, quick (Aries), quick, slow (Taurus)
  • Wednesday – harmonious healing
  • Thursday – real deals
  • Saturday – emotional wrangles
Date: Mar 28th, 2015 · Comments RSS · Tags: Colour Healing · Poetry