When you see something black, how does it make you feel? Are there any particular emotions that bubble forth the longer you view it? Are they positive or negative?

I find black to be a somewhat fascinating and yet puzzling color. When I think of black, I imagine a field of darkness where I can’t see anything. I may think of something that is evil, silent, spooky. Sometimes even a darkened personality — critical, angry, gruff and pessimistic.

As a young child, my experience was that black represented sin — something to be avoided, something wrong and something bad. I remember a picture in my Catholic Catechism. Sin was represented by a black dot on a drawing of a person’s chest. A venial sin (like telling a lie) was a small dot and a mortal sin (like stealing something) was much larger and, of course, more serious. Taking a walk in the dark was scary to me. I was uncomfortable not being able to see. I lived in the country and some nights were pitched dark. I thought of monsters jumping out at me to carry me away. Darkness was also spooky. And Halloween trick-or-treating was a time of ghosts lingering behind every tree. My imagination ran wild, which didn’t help my impression of blackness. And consequently, I began to associate black with the emotion of fear.

As I moved into adulthood, I also began to move away from the evil, spooky, dark reaction the color black had previously elicited within me. I began to take evening walks in the dark woods, being amazed at the stillness, the quiet, the calming affect the atmosphere had on me. The whip-poor-will would begin its evening call around 9 o’clock at night and reminded me to “go to sleep” in the same rhythm as its song.

Now, even though I still can’t see well at night, I am no longer filled with the tremor of fear of the unknown. Actually, I have come to welcome the unknown and see my adventure into darkness as an exploration in life. When I have dark days, I feel more challenged to see the positives around me. Dark days of my emotional down moods cause me to rally all I am to pull myself up to the light again. And I learn so much, so very much.

In contrast to the color black is white. Many of us have been brought up believing that white symbolizes purity. So, we conclude that if white is pure then black must be impure or dirty. But that is not at all true.

Looking to Mother Nature as my guide, I think of the crystal called obsidian. It’s brought to the surface and formed from a volcanic eruption; it therefore rises to the light. It has been written by those that practice crystal therapy that obsidian, if we carry it in our pocket, helps to dispel negativity and pain. It also repels unwelcome feelings. These are all positive effects.

Those who study animal symbolism have said the crow, with its feathers of black, symbolizes creation since the womb is dark and we emerge to the light of day. Therefore, black is as full of potential as we are when we are born.

In the plant world, some trees are identified by the particular patterns of bark. The white birch tree, for instance, has areas that are colored black where branches once extended themselves outward adorned with green leaves. Characteristic black striations in the bark occur periodically to help us identify the tree. This “Lady of the Woods,” as she is so often referred to, is said to symbolize strength and protection as she decorates the hillside where she grows. A five-member white birch is looked upon as being special and we stand amazed as we gaze upon a pristine example of it.

Traditionally, we find black being worn for funeral dress as a symbol of mourning out of respect for the deceased and their family. At these times, we lend our support by the sadness we share. Not a bad thing at all.

Another positive aspect of the color black is that it can actually ground us when we are feeling detached from Mother Earth. I often feel like I am floating above the soil and need to bring myself “down to earth.” One thing I can do at these times, among others, is to incorporate more of the color black into my life. Wearing a scarf with black accents or pants colored black may help. Black jewelry, shoes or t-shirt could work also. Working with blackened soil or wood that is rotting may help as could painting with the color black or working with charcoal. Black also serves to bring grounding when used with other colors to outline figures, shapes, letters and numbers so they stand out and are more legible. Again, all positive effects.

Black can indicate the richness of our soil. We add black topsoil to our gardens while organic compost is blackened by the decay of plants. This blackness feeds our fruits and vegetables that nourish us.

In our culture there exists black-tie dress for semi-formal events and black tuxedos and cocktail dresses for very formal and important affairs. And earning the black belt in Judo is indicative of a high level of accomplishment.

So, the color black is open for our interpretation. It doesn’t have to evoke a negative reaction within us like being evil or causing us to feel fearful in any way. Let’s look to Mother Nature and remember black crows and black crickets. And think of “the Lady of the Woods” with her blackened tree knots where branches once grew. Black has beneficial attributes if we but shift our focus and see the positive this color represents. So let’s welcome the color black into our lives, no longer fearing darkness but opening ourselves up to see the light that is surely there.

Nature can show us the way.

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Debby Havas is an author living in Jay. Her writings describe her experiences in the healing energies of Mother Nature.