Welcome back to White Rose of Avalon, my Darlings. For today’s blog post, I have decided to discuss how the energies of the Otherworld are linked to Alchemy via the colors Red, White, and Black! You see, the colors of Red, White, and Black, which are so linked to Alchemy, are also used to denote the presence of Faery in Celtic stories.
This is especially true of White Animals, which we see over and over again. Rhiannon rides on a Pure White Mare, the Cwn Annwn are White Hounds with Blood Red Ears (combining two of the colors), and the White Hart is the signal of the beginning of a Quest in Arthurian legends! Of course, we do see the Red and Black also signalling the presence of Faery in animal form. Macha is known as the Red Mare, and can transform into the animal, and Ravens appear, both Black and White, as symbols of Celtic Gods and Goddesses. So, these colors are potent signals of Faery, of the presence of the Otherworld, and can appear in stories to hint that the protagonist is entering the Otherworld or having an Otherworldly encounter.
So, I find it incredibly fascinating that these same colors are used to denote the process of Alchemy, along with the addition of Yellow. There are four main stages of the Magnum Opus, or Great Work of Alchemy: the Nigredo (of Blackening), the Albedo (or Whitening), the Citrinitas (or Yellowing), and the Rubedo (or Reddening). Now, some who speak of the Alchemical process do not discuss the Yellow stage as much, as the turning from White to Red is obviously going to have to go through a stage of Yellow to get to Red, but it is interesting to note that stage, and in fact it can be considered a substage between White and Red, depending on the source. Of course, there are also other colored stages, which are not always present or are substages, such as Green, Purple, and the Cauda Pavonis (the Peacock’s Tail). Now, that I have gone over the different colored stages, I want to note that the main Alchemical Stages show the process of the breaking down of material (or of the Shadow stage, in Spiritual Alchemy), the purification of the materials (bringing the Shadow into the light), the dawn of a new phase with the Yellow of the Sun (the return of hope when Shadow is overcome), and the completion of the process and perfection of the Philosopher’s Stone (the ultimate Integration of that which has been worked through in the Shadow).
It is also of note that the Philosopher’s Stone, or the Alchemical Child, is often thought of as Golden in color, after the process is complete. This is why the medieval science of Alchemy was thought of as turning Lead (black) into Gold! In truth, it is highly likely that the physical process using Lead was likely a form of sympathetic magick utilized to give physical form to the internal process of Soul Alchemy, which was the real aim all along. I will also say that even the other colors within the process can be seen to have Faery ties, with someone wearing Gold often a signal in folklore and myth that they may be Faery Royalty, like Rhiannon with her Golden Veil. Green is obviously one of the most noted Faery colors, with many solitary Fae and non-Royal Fae being sighted wearing the color, and of course, Purple is the color of Royalty and can be seen as having a link to the Fae Royalty as well.
So, as we can see, the colors of Alchemy and the colors that denote the presence of the Fae in Celtic myth and folklore are intimately intertwined. I find this a fascinating topic to discuss, as it shows the overlap between Spiritual Soul Alchemy and Faery Magick! This link definitely makes my heart sing, as both are so important to my personal path as an Enchantress and an Avalonian Water Priestess. I hope you have enjoyed this look at a connection between Faery and Alchemy. What is your favorite link between the two that I discussed? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
Note on Image: The image at the top of the post is a page from SPLENDOR SOLIS, an alchemical manuscript at the British Library, found via Deborah Harkness on Facebook (originally). I found the art on https://fi.pinterest.com/pin/330451691381763086/.
LINK TO AVALONIAN ROSE FAERY MYSTERIES PATREON: patreon.com/AvalonianRoseFaeryMysteries
Further Reading
- Grail Alchemy by Mara Freeman
- The Mabinogion translated by Sioned Davies
- The Book of the Great Queen by Morpheus Ravenna
- https://mythcrafts.com/2019/02/21/the-colour-of-magic-emanations-from-the-magnum-opus/