Your zodiac sign's power color, and what it means

Tickle me pink and color me bad.

National Color Day arrives on October 2nd, offering the “chance to stop and reflect on the relationship we share with the colors that surround us and the innumerable ways in which they impact us.” One of those innumerable ways, is through astrology.

Since the turn of the new millennium, Pantone has introduced a “Color of the Year” that aims to distill the energy and intentions of the next solar rotation. Similarly, each sign in the zodiac corresponds to a hue in the color wheel that paints it with power and potential.

The word power comes from the Latin “potere” which translates as “to be able.” in this sense, the power color of each zodiac sign enhances and encourages the innate properties of the sign.

Separate but related, If you have an hour and a real desire to have your mind blown, I cannot recommend this “Color” episode of the Radiolab Podcast enough. Spoiler alert: There is no mention of blue in any ancient text and yellow is cruel to come by.

In “Colors passing through us,” Aries activist and poet Marge Piercy’s writes,”eyes shut and fingers open/and all the colors of the world/pass through our bodies like strings of fire.” May you find the fire in each of the colors below.

ARIES (March 21 – April 19)

Red

Aries is the first sign in the zodiac and red is the first color an infant recognizes, as it has the longest wavelength. Red is the color of Mars, the ruling planet of Aries, it’s also the same shade as fresh arterial spray and Aries makes for a natural competitor, with a deep love of bloodsport. Red is the color of vitality and for all their temper flares and impulse actions, Aries is vividly, unapologetically alive in a way that inspires a keen sense of YOLO in others.

TAURUS (April 20 – May 20)

Green

Taurus loves a pastoral scene and a tangible possession. Bulls are into abundance and green is the most prevalent color in nature. As an earth sign and the ruler of the second house of values and material goods, they are equally open to rolling about in grass or a sun dappled pile of cash. Taurus is a grounding force for those around them and keeping company with a satisfied bull is the emotional equivalent of taking a forrest bath.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 20)

Gray

Gemini can’t choose a hue and when asked to, is prone to mixing all of the colors together to make the shade of gruel. Similarly, Gemini is loathe to take a firm position on any issue, preferring to exist in the gray/grey area, a liminality that inspires others to hold two opposing truths, entertain two disparate ideas or two spellings of the same word/.

CANCER (June 21 – July 22)

Silver

Cancer is ruled by the moon and the alchemical symbol for silver is a crescent. In addition, Cancers are easily moved by the sound of bells and accustomed to coming in second place. Cancer is the caretaker of the zodiac and silver has been widely regarded for its medicinal properties since antiquity, having been used to treat all manner of ailments from UTI’s to burn wounds, both of which Cancers readily treat, receive and deliver.

LEO (July 23 – August 22)

Gold

The alchemical symbol for gold is the sun, the planetary ruler of Leo, everyone’s favorite frontman. Fittingly, being loved, complimented or envied by a lion can feel very much like emotional gilding. Add to this that Leos prefer to be photographed during golden hour and act rich no matter how poor, or morally bankrupt they are. Regal bearing, personal luster and generosity are hallmarks of the Leo spirit and gold is the preferred currency of kings and the color of the blood of the gods.

VIRGO (August 23 – September 22)

Brown

Virgo understands more than any other sign the curative properties of the earth and the beautiful potential that lies in rich, dark soil. Virgos deal in the practical wisdom that comes from waiting for the right moment for life to spark and the discernment that harvests bring . Service oriented, Virgo is ruled by Mercury, planet of information and delivery and UPS uniforms are brown. I rest my case.

LIBRA (September 23 – October 22)

Blue

Libra lean on likability and no one hates the color blue, in addition it’s the accent color on most luxury yachts and Libras are aspirational folk. Pantone’s 2020 color of the year was “Classic Blue” and is described as bringing “a sense of peace and tranquility to the human spirit, offering refuge.” In their finest moments, through counsel and company and the power of interior design, Libras offer a similar sanctuary.

SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21)

Black

Scorpios have no fear of the dark or the darkness in others. Healers of the highest order, they shine in shadow work. Scorpio rules the eighth house of sex, death and transformation, moments when all things and all color dissolves to black before taking on new form. Cave paintings reveal that black was the first color used by man for mark making, apropos of the sign of Scorpio, bones were burned to create charcoal, the evidence of life used to create it.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21)

Yellow

Yellow is the color of dawn and of relentless optimism and Sagittarius is the sign of seeing things sunny side up. 2021’s Pantone color of the year was a canary yellow called “Illuminating.” True to form, Sagittarius rules the ninth house of philosophy and the best of this ilk live with an arrow aimed at enlightenment. Archers are adept at turning lemons into lemonade, likewise, the pigment used to make Indian Yellow is derived from the urine of starving cows, who were fed only mango leaves to ensure their piss distilled the precious hue. Sagittarians have a peciuliar sense of humor reflected in the piss pigment of yore being used to paint the faces of saints, apostles and Jesus Christ himself.

CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19)

Purple

Purple is a rare hue in the natural world. In antiquity, the dye used to make the color was uncommon and expensive which is coincidentally how Capricorns conceive of themselves. Capricorns are built to endure and tend to get better with age, and Tyrian purple, made from the dehydrated mucous glands of sea snails, distinguished itself by intensifying in color after wear, wash and weathering. According to myth, the color purple was discovered on a seashore by the pet dog of the demigod Hercules. Capricorn loves a hierarchy they can ascend to and for years the right to wear purple was relative to status and controlled by legislation. Capricorn, like the color purple, serves to remind us to strive onward and upward and hold fast to the belief that we deserve to rise.

AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18)

White

White is not a color but the absence of one and this is precisely the kind of debate that oxygenates an Aquarius. Fixed air, Aquarius is the sign of revolution and innovation and white corresponds to a blank slate and the limitless potential of all that is yet to be.

PISCES (February 19 – March 20)

Orange

Pisces prefers their own dreamscape to the fluorescent lit hell of reality and fittingly, orange is the color of creamsicles, tabby kittens and pill bottles. The influence of planet Neptune imbues Pisces with creative inspiration while the sign rules the twelfth, and final house of the unconscious mind. As poet and art critic Kelly Grovier writes, “wherever the colour orange dictates the temperature of a work of art, we know we’ve arrived at a precarious hinterland between a universe we can see and a mysterious unknown we tentatively feel.” That precarious hinterland, littered with sunsets and tangerines, embers and lifeboats, dying leaves and monks robes, is the pasture of Pisces.

Astrology 101: Your guide to the star

Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture and personal experience. She is also an accomplished writer who has profiled a variety of artists and performers, as well as extensively chronicled her experiences while traveling. Among the many intriguing topics she has tackled are cemetery etiquette, her love for dive bars, Cuban Airbnbs, a “girls guide” to strip clubs and the “weirdest” foods available abroad.