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Colour

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Does your faith have any particular colours associated with it? For example, ochre in Hinduism is associated with sannyas. In general, we're a very brightly coloured faith. The festival of Holi, or a Hindu wedding will be a veritable smorgasbord of colour. Western newcomers to the temples often say, "It's so colourful here!"

Seems to me there is a distinct lack of colour in some faiths. The why of that might add to this discussion too.
 

ADigitalArtist

Veteran Member
Staff member
Premium Member
I studied a lot of wuxing and traditional Chinese medicine which is closely (depending) connected to Taoism and other branches of universal energy philosophy like feng shui.
Color is extremely important in diagnostics and charting. They are related to corresponding elements and are evoked in treatments ranging from exercise and nutrition to decor.
 

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
Christianity has a strong ascetic strain that runs through it from its very inception. Ascetics are not well known for their love of colorful garb, etc. There is always -- in every generation -- some denomination of Christianity that rejects the world and all that is best about it.
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
I studied a lot of wuxing and traditional Chinese medicine which is closely (depending) connected to Taoism and other branches of universal energy philosophy like feng shui.
Color is extremely important in diagnostics and charting. They are related to corresponding elements and are evoked in treatments ranging from exercise and nutrition to decor.

Yes indeed, tons of metaphysical and psychological stuff relating to colour. I used to explain a bit to my students. I recall one bright kid who said "You're tired today, aren't you?" I was wearing a red shirt to help boost the energy. She remembered.

Aura colours are another matter altogether, and it takes great skill to do accurate interpretation.
 

SomeRandom

Still learning to be wise
Staff member
Premium Member
Does your faith have any particular colours associated with it? For example, ochre in Hinduism is associated with sannyas. In general, we're a very brightly coloured faith. The festival of Holi, or a Hindu wedding will be a veritable smorgasbord of colour. Western newcomers to the temples often say, "It's so colourful here!"

Seems to me there is a distinct lack of colour in some faiths. The why of that might add to this discussion too.
I do find that Western Weddings and ceremonies are a little bit “boring” in comparison to the spectacle of Hindu festivals. But there’s a certain elegance to the simplicity as well.
Though perhaps that could be because white is often a colour symbolising purity and innocence. Whereas in certain Indian traditions/customs white is the colour worn by widows or those in mourning.
 

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
Does your faith have any particular colours associated with it? For example, ochre in Hinduism is associated with sannyas. In general, we're a very brightly coloured faith. The festival of Holi, or a Hindu wedding will be a veritable smorgasbord of colour. Western newcomers to the temples often say, "It's so colourful here!"

Seems to me there is a distinct lack of colour in some faiths. The why of that might add to this discussion too.
In Theravada Buddhism Monks are know to wear robes colored in Spice colored (shades of curry, cumin, paprika, saffron) - Southeast Asia. Other Buddhist paths wear different robes, Yellow, Black, Gray, Blue are some of the colors we can see Buddhist monks wear.
For lay buddhist (none ordained) White robe is the most common :)
 

Marcion

gopa of humanity's controversial Taraka Brahma
Does your faith have any particular colours associated with it? For example, ochre in Hinduism is associated with sannyas. In general, we're a very brightly coloured faith. The festival of Holi, or a Hindu wedding will be a veritable smorgasbord of colour. Western newcomers to the temples often say, "It's so colourful here!"

Seems to me there is a distinct lack of colour in some faiths. The why of that might add to this discussion too.
Orange-like (darker saffron) dress is worn by sannyasins in my path but anyone who joins a programme that involves selfless service will tend to wear the colour for the occasion also.
White dress is worn by most family type acharya's and often by members getting married as well.

The founder/guru mostly wore white (never saffron) because he was a family person.
 
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9-10ths_Penguin

1/10 Subway Stalinist
Premium Member
Does your faith have any particular colours associated with it? For example, ochre in Hinduism is associated with sannyas. In general, we're a very brightly coloured faith. The festival of Holi, or a Hindu wedding will be a veritable smorgasbord of colour. Western newcomers to the temples often say, "It's so colourful here!"

Seems to me there is a distinct lack of colour in some faiths. The why of that might add to this discussion too.
One of the things I thought was neat about Catholicism is their use of colour and how it varies by "liturgical season:"

Liturgical colours - Wikipedia
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Orange-like (darker saffron) dress is worn by sannyasins in my path but anyone who joins a programme that involves selfless service will tend to wear the colour for the occasion also.
White dress is worn by most family type acharya's and often by members getting married as well.

The founder/guru mostly wore white (never saffron) because he was a family person.
Ochre can be worn by false sannyasins as well, although most respect the tradition.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
In Judaism, there is a particular color blue that God commands us to put into the tzitzit (fringes) on the four corners of our garmets (like our prayer shawls). Unfortunately, the sea animal that produced this color blue is lost to us, so we no longer have blue tzitzit.

Nevertheless, blue remains a special color to Jews. You will see many of our Judaica in blue. Notice that the Israeli flag is blue and white. It's not like blue is the only color. You can get lots of stuff in other colors. But there is certainly a preference for blue.
 

ajay0

Well-Known Member
White coloured dress is mainly used in the Prajapita Brahmakumaris . The reasoning is that white attracts positive vibrations and repels negative vibes. Dark colours attract negative vibes as well.

White simple dress is also used commonly in other Hindu sects as well and preferred to dark colours. Simple dress is also emphasized for volunteers (and not sophisticated dress) in some ashrams so that visitors will not feel shy of asking any questions or approaching one.
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
Whereas in certain Indian traditions/customs white is the color worn by widows or those in mourning.
Black or dark strains of blue and brown too. Widows. In fashion, if it is a dark color, it must be compensated with something bright. Shades between red and yellow are always welcome, so too light greens, Dhani, the color of rice stalk.
 
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Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
Dhani Chunri Pahan (Wear Green scarf)
Film: Hare Kanch ki churiyan (Green glass bangles) 1967
(However her green scarf (Chunri - scarf for benefit of non-Indians) and red sari do not match)


Holi Ke Hilor Choli Chor (Holi Song Bra Stealers - rough English translation)
Dhani Chunari Rangayee (Got my scarf colored green)
 
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exchemist

Veteran Member
In Judaism, there is a particular color blue that God commands us to put into the tzitzit (fringes) on the four corners of our garmets (like our prayer shawls). Unfortunately, the sea animal that produced this color blue is lost to us, so we no longer have blue tzitzit.

Nevertheless, blue remains a special color to Jews. You will see many of our Judaica in blue. Notice that the Israeli flag is blue and white. It's not like blue is the only color. You can get lots of stuff in other colors. But there is certainly a preference for blue.
This does not sound quite right. This colour : Tekhelet - Wikipedia. was made from the Murex sea snail, and is the same as the Tyrian purple that the Phoenicians supplied to Imperial Rome. Or is the tzitzit colour not this?

These murex snails still seem to exist, though the dye is made synthetically now.

Incidentally, as not may people know (but I worked for the company in question), Murex was the name of the first oil tanker in the world, built by Marcus Samuel, a London Jewish trader of sea shells from the East Indies. He made the tanker to carry oil for the Royal Dutch Petroleum Company. The rest is history........ and since then there has always a "Murex" in the Shell tanker fleet:-.


murex-shell-LNG-tanker.jpg
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
This does not sound quite right. This colour : Tekhelet - Wikipedia. was made from the Murex sea snail, and is the same as the Tyrian purple that the Phoenicians supplied to Imperial Rome. Or is the tzitzit colour not this?

These murex snails still seem to exist, though the dye is made synthetically now.
First of all, I'm no expert, so don't quote me. Your best option is to go to the Judaism in general forum and ask, so that someone who actually knows a thing or two can respond.

However, I noticed that in the Wikipedia article you submitted there was dispute about the murex snails among rabbis, and I would lay odds this dispute probably killed the potential for their use:
"Though Hexaplex trunculus fulfilled many of the Talmudic criteria, Rabbi Herzog's inability to consistently obtain blue dye (sometimes the dye was purple) from the snail precluded him from declaring it to be the dye source. "
 
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