Dec 03 2007
Feng Shui Color - Black
Black is technically not a colour at all. Rather, it is the total absorption of light. From a feng shui perspective, the qualities of black are power and stillness. Black is associated with power, strength, authority, and independence. Stillness evokes quiet, introspection, the night, dreamtime, the unknown, mystery, self-protection, and to go unnoticed. Black is also associated with beginnings and endings: beginnings - we are born into the light; endings - death, a return to darkness.
From the bagua map perspective black is the color for the Career gua. The element for the Career area is water, and the trigram means ‘deep water’. If you have studied feng shui, you may know that Career does not mean only what you do as your job; rather it also refers to the soul-searching that happens when you contemplate your purpose in life. From my book on the bagua Odyssey of the Heart,
Deep water means to go very deeply inside on an inner journey to find the quintessential nature that is you. I believe that through this journey you can find your personal alchemy which gives you the opportunity to turn your life around.
So if black represents finding yourself and your true purpose in life, those qualities of black (power and stillness) are important. For example, do you use your power in a constructive way? There are two types of power, one having to do with the misuse of it and the other having to do with self mastery. The misuse of power (having power over someone) explains one of the cautions I have read on wearing black. It is said to ’express hidden aggressive impulses and causes one to absorb unfiltered energies from the world outside’.
Do the qualities of black help you become more centered or still inside, or does it protect you in some way — to ‘disappear’ or go unnoticed?
Using Black
Black should not be used in young children’s rooms, therapy rooms, or living rooms.
I sometimes do a feng shui consultation for someone who wants a black and white bedroom scheme. I try to dissuade them because while it might look dramatic and mysterious in the night, by day it depresses the energy. Have you ever been in a night club or restaurant with a black or very dark color scheme by day? Were they places you wanted to linger in?
Similarly, long term wearing of black, head to toe - almost like a uniform - is not recommended from an energetic perspective, but then too, there are colour/fashion experts who tell us that a lot of us just do not look good in black! Some wear black because it doesn’t show the dirt, but personally I find the opposite is true and my black clothing seems to need cleaning after each wearing. But there are times when it is useful:
- If there is a time in your life when you need self-protection or to go unnoticed
- When you are feeling extreme exhaustion
- To quiet an over-active mind.
© Copyright 2007 Deborah Redfern. All rights reserved.
Tags: , absorption of light, aggressive impulses, Bagua Map, beginnings and endings, Black in the home, career area, darkness, Deborah Redfern, deep water, Feng Shui Colors, feng shui consultation, Five Elements, inner journey, misuse of power, personal alchemy, purpose in life, quiet introspection, self mastery, self protection, soul searching, stillness, trigram, true purpose, Wearing Black
Hi Deborah, I have heard interior decorators comment that every room needs a touch of black. I imagine they feel it grounds the room. Since the bagua map can be applied to each individual room of the home or office then perhaps one could use black most effectively as an accent in the career gua of the room.
Think of all those huge black televisions out there these days!!
I too feel that those who wear black often seem to be hiding behind it and not really showing their “true colors”. But then there is the “power suit”. There seems to be a lot of conflicting messages with black clothing.
Brenda
I wonder how many homes do have that touch of black, without adding anything else? There is the TV as you said…
in my home the window frames are black metal, there is a black fire screen on the fireplace and black picture frames.
Deborah
I live in Morocco. Black is becoming more and more what is the color worn here. Before 7-8 years ago you almost never saw black in Morocco. Now it seems to be the color of choice among many who choose Islamic dress. The same thing is probably happening in other Islamic countries, too. The reason for it is that Saudi money has been financing (or helping to finance) construction of mosques in various countries (such as the Hassan II mosque in Morocco), and with that financing, the Saudi form of Islam is spreading in Isalmic countries. Part of that is being covered in black from head to toe.
Margot, the Marrakesh Mystic
margotmystic.wordpress.com
Wikipedia has a great list of positive negative and cultural symbolism for the color black. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black
I am sure this list has room for growth.
Brenda