The Color Red

"In the Depth of Life" 

8 x 8 collage on watercolor paper, (sold) 

With the four direction of the Medicine Wheel the color changes from tribe to tribe.  The Lakota usually use the Color Red for the East direction.  Each of these directions represent many things in fours. Four colors of Race, Red, Yellow, Black, and White. My attraction at a very early age was how all humans were included in the circle.  And as I was growing up, they were feed in ways to say they weren’t.  I personal didn’t by into that and I’m great for it. It truly is about together we can make this.  It wasn’t portrayed by my parents in ways to categorize.  I feel blessed in that way. So back to the Color Red.

 Red has a wild range of symbolic understanding. Life, health, war, courage, anger, love, vigor and religious fervor.  The common thread in this color is passion. Which when I think of the color passion I think of Purple.  But that’s a different wheel, color wheel to be exact.

Just understanding that the color is hard to describe in one word or two. On one hand it embodies qualities of love, kindness, and familiarity. And other hand one may be feelings of despair and melancholy. 

There is a between of these, positive and negative traits, warning indicators, subliminal messaging, stay aware. 

 After sharing about the meaning of the color Red and how it’s in our society and culture I want to think that all living things share this color Red as blood. But that isn’t true. Blood is a body fluid of humans and other animals that have a sustainable system that bring nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports waste products away from the same cells.  Who knew we were going to go all science about this. The connection at this point is the developing of circulatory systems. The oxygen-air into the system which is the element of the East Direction.  It is said only vertebrate blood is red. So not all living beings have blood that is red.

 How does red affect us, as in the color?

Check in on yourself when you come across the color, what is it that is red, and what are you thinking about at the time the color comes across you path? No right or wrong answer, more so to connect and become in tune to your surroundings more. 

Does it increase your enthusiasm?

Does it stimulate energy and increase your blood pressure does your heart rate increase?

Do you feel called to action?

Is your confidence increase?

Does it provide a sense of security and protection against fear and anxiety? 

Maybe none of these feels come across your path, that’s fine too, but be aware of what does.

The pull of stimulation one color can have is might powerful. As of the feelings and emotions tied to it. Do you think that if you didn’t know what the color looked like you would be able to connect the color to the emotion?  Good question, right? 

Here is a list of words to go deeper with in thought and possibly some journal writing, art etc.

Action, strength, energy, passion

Attention, motivates, stimulates, cautions.

Sexuality, courage, desire, confidence

Anger, danger, revenge, and aggression

 

The Red Direction East is a place where peace, light and new life rise up each day. Blood and birth are from the East. 

More on the Color Red...to be continued

Disclaimer:

I am of strong European descent, with a connection to the earth and nature. The spiritual work of our inner being is one of each individual persons.  A lifetime of seeking to continue to connect to what is true has led myself on a learning path in great respect for all. There is no claim of being a decent from a Native American tribe. The natural ways of the Medicine Wheel are gentle and all-encompassing for growth of our spiritual self.  I share this because I'm only sharing gifts pass through me from working through my own life's experience and listening and learning from all those that gather in the circle. A student of life is a great grounded place to be as our teacher are everywhere.  Any trail that leads you to look within is always going to lead you through a journey of self-discovery on so many levels.  No one says it going to be easy or without pain, but the reality is we become who we are meant to be as we heal our own wounds for service of others in our life.   Keep showing up, you are worth it!