An early 16th century alchemist said, “The yellow dawn is the end of night, and beginning of day, and a mother of the sun.” To these medieval alchemists, color represented the phases of the long process of making gold - a metaphor for the individuation process and the changing nature of consciousness. The yellow, or citrinitas, is a transition, coming after the blackness of depression and chaos give way to the white of reflective consciousness and calmness. Jung points out that the black, white and red are discussed extensively in alchemical texts, yet the yellow, or fourth color, has fallen by the wayside. In her talk, Nancy invites you to move into your imagination and explore the experience of this abandoned fourth as manifested in dreams and image.
By Nancy Ortenberg