by Cole Exley
Witches are no strangers to the power of color. We wrap ourselves in black for protection, light pink candles to attract romance, and construct altars of red and orange when we celebrate our fire festivals. One of the easiest ways we can practice color magick is through the use of precious gems and stones. Crystal properties aren’t based entirely on their hue, of course, but color is always a good indication of what kind of energy they emit. For example, you can bet a blue crystal will help you communicate effectively, as this color corresponds with the Throat chakra. Building your understanding of color magick makes choosing crystals a thousand times easier, giving you a foundation of knowledge to lean on whether you know anything about a specific stone or not. It’s an incredibly useful bit of knowledge in many areas of witchcraft, from reading Tarot cards to performing glamor magick. While these articles will primarily focus on applying color theory to crystal magick, feel free to use them as a reference for any part of your practice.
If playtime had a hue, it would likely be orange. It is associated with fire signs Leo and Sagittarius, party-starters and pleasure-seekers. The curiosity and humor of air-ruled Mercury make a vivacious combination with the qualities of fire, giving this color associations with extroversion, enthusiasm, and energy itself. People often find certain hues to be a little loud or obnoxious, and there is certainly a sense of ego around orange. Some countries even associate it with national pride. Despite a fairly common dislike of orange, it makes for a great magickal tool when you want to invite confidence and courage into your life. It can be strong like a tiger, enchanting like a monarch butterfly, or playful like dancing flames. Orange is the color of silliness - Mercury is named for a trickster god, after all! Place a few orange stones around your home’s common areas to encourage laughter and good humor.
The amplitude of this color is also related to fertility and fruitfulness - I’m sure you can guess why it corresponds with the latter. While witches typically use green and yellow/gold for manifestation, orange is a useful tool for attracting abundance. Bright, eye-catching hues can bring a summery sense of plenty, or you can use tones mixed with brown and red to create a visual winter feast. Fertility ties in to wealth and prosperity in magick pretty universally, but there is another level to orange’s association. The energy center that corresponds with orange is the Sacral Chakra, located in our lower abdomens. It is believed that this is where all of our sexual energy manifests, and where we experience pleasure. Here, we initiate birth, both literally and creatively. Orange stimulates our imagination and boosts the creative process. I tend to use orange crystals most often when I’m writing or working on art projects. Try lying down with an orange crystal below your navel the next time you’re in need of inspiration.
Generally speaking, this color is movement and initiation, breaking slumps and taking us in new directions. If transits like Mercury retrograde or eclipses get you stuck in a rut, try working with a couple of the stones below (find the whole collection here!) It may seem harder than usual to make progress with your endeavors, but these babies want you to succeed, brain fog and loading errors be damned! Let’s get into some orange energy and out of the retrograde blues.
Carnelian
Carnelian has become a more common staple of the crystal world, and it happens to be one of my favorites. This is an orange variety of chalcedony that may also include flashes of red, pink, yellow, and purple - it reminds me of sunsets and koi fish. With such beauty, it makes sense that this crystal is all about attraction and romance. If you’re ready for a new connection or you just want to feel sexy, carnelian’s got you covered! It’s also a top choice for creative projects and brainstorming new ideas. Whether your needs are artistic or practical, carnelian will spark your inspiration and keep that fire burning.
Orange Tourmaline
Orange tourmaline is a healing stone, particularly concerning our Sacral chakras and the issues related to it. By strengthening our willpower and self-worth, it helps us work through fears around ambition, confrontation, and relationships. The energy of orange tourmaline aims to break negative cycles in these areas of life, helping us be assertive without aggression so we can happily follow our passions. If you struggle with trauma that affects how you behave in conflict or in relationships in general, try forming an allyship with this stone. Orange tourmaline wants you to trust in yourself and in your desires.
Peach Calcite
Meet the creamsicle of the forbidden snack/mineral world. With its juicy peachy color and soft white inclusions, this variety of orange calcite really looks like you should be able to eat it on a summer day. It can help spark some vacation vibes even when you’re at home. Orange calcite helps us manifest fun and fulfillment by helping us process through what holds us back. Once you’ve cleared the energetic debris around your Sacral and the issues related to it, pleasure will come a lot easier to you. This stone is also a wonderful friend in attracting abundance - its color is bountiful, bringing to mind orchards and full pitchers of orange juice.
Goldstone
Some people may hesitate to work with synthetic stones, but goldstone deserves some appreciation - just look at all those sparkles! This material is created through a process in which molten rock is heated to break down the oxidized copper grains within, and then left to slowly cool so the particles form prismatic shapes. Due to the extreme conditions the material must forego, goldstone is seen as fortifying during the uncomfortable processes that we experience as humans. We don’t always adjust easily to changes, especially those that make us afraid for what lies at the other end. Goldstone is here to give you the courage you need to withstand anything, and the optimism that will keep you pushing through the dark.
Peach Moonstone
The other crystals I’ve described are warm and fiery, as you’d expect from orange stones. Peach moonstone is an interesting exception here. While the others on my list exhibit more masculine/yang energy, this crystal’s vibes are very feminine/yin, as most lunar crystals tend to be. The simplest way to describe the difference is that the masculine chases what it covets while the feminine attracts. Peach moonstone helps one do this by building your self-confidence. When we learn to love ourselves and create positive relationships with our bodies, our energy shifts to something greater. The foundation to manifestation is that finding abundance within ourselves attracts abundance from the outside world. As we witches love to reference, the Hermetic principle says, “As above, so below; as within, so without.”
Sunstone
In many cultures around the world, the Sun is associated with royalty, creativity, and masculine/yang energy. Sunstone will help you channel the Sun archetype without flying too close to it! This crystal encourages benevolent confidence, chasing away self doubt and heightening positivity. Of course, too much ego can create problems, and Sunstone knows to keep this in check. A major part of adopting a leadership role or mindset is consideration of others and their needs. If this stone could speak, it would say, “Let me show you where joy and power lie, and make sure you share!”
Polychrome Jasper
Polychrome Jasper was an unexpected discovery made in Madagascar when miners were searching for its sibling, Ocean Jasper. This element of surprise and its fiery color palette make this stone a grounding ally during times of transformation. The goal behind working with Polychrome Jasper is not only to endure change, but to rise to a point of finding joy and excitement in our constant shifts. It is the branch from which a caterpillar will build its chrysalis. If you find yourself feeling disoriented and confused as life waxes and wanes, Polychrome Jasper will help you align with its motion.
