Blackness, Darkness

In mythologies and corresponding concepts, black generally represents night and the underworld—realms about which we can know little; in other words, the unconscious. Disappearing or becoming invisible shares this symbolic value. Darkness is gloomy and frightening, but the alchemical perspective gives it another interpretation: “When you see your matter blacken, rejoice, for it is the beginning of the work.” (Quoted in Anatomy of the Psyche, p. 165.)  

The Other  

While black is associated with evil in Christianity, in other traditions it simply represents the other world. The revered Isis and Osiris were both individually called “the black one,” and Hel (“that which is hidden”) was half blue-black.  

Black generally has an underground, demonic quality. However, this reflects how we perceive its contents rather than revealing their true nature.  

Yin  

Darkness, blackness, and the underworld stand in opposition to sunlight and the consciousness it symbolizes. While bright yang is masculine, active, strong, and extraverted—and thus highly valued—yin is feminine, passive, receptive, introverted, and undervalued. Culture and individuals focus on what yang represents, creating unhealthy one-sidedness. Dreams use darkness, the underworld, and other symbols of yin to express the necessary balancing of our consciousness’s identification with yang.

To yin belongs "the black earth," which is expressed in various ways in our dreams and often compensates for our focus on consciousness. The Black Madonna and similar images, which appear in various versions in dreams, draw attention to the material, the earthly, which stands in opposition to spirituality, intellect, and our often lofty plans.

Unawareness and Anxiety  

Darkness illustrates unconsciousness (or the hidden and mysterious in general), parts of ourselves that the light of consciousness does not reach. Dreams often depict situations we are unconscious of as being dark or semi-dark.  

Walking in darkness, such as in a house where lights cannot be turned on, is a common expression of anxiety and uncertainty, perhaps even despair.  

The Shadow  

Blackness sometimes refers to what Jung called the shadow—that is, repressed or undiscovered aspects of ourselves. Alchemists speak positively of blackness because—in psychological terms—knowledge of the shadow is essential for expanded consciousness (light).  

Recurring dreams marked by blackness or darkness usually appear when the dreamer is one-sidedly identified with their “light” aspects.

Alchemy

In alchemy, the "blackening" process lasted for forty days, during which the sun is black. This period symbolizes incubation or pregnancy.  

Black represents the first stage of the alchemist's opus, an unpleasant condition known as nigredo. The base material with which the alchemist works—prima materia—whitens as the work progresses. In this context, washing is a recurring activity in alchemical texts and contemporary dreams alike.  

Alchemists rejoice in the blackness because it marks the beginning of the work; blackness signifies differentiation, as opposed to the indistinct mixture more often represented by gray or brown.  

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