Black (Supernatural)

In many religious traditions, black is associated with death, mourning, and the underworld. In Christianity, black is the liturgical color for Good Friday and funerals, symbolizing sorrow and penance¹. In the Book of Revelation, the fourth horseman rides a black horse, representing famine and death². In ancient Egyptian mythology, the god Anubis, depicted with a black head, was the guide of the dead, and black was also the color of fertility and rebirth due to the dark soil of the Nile³. In Hinduism, the goddess Kali, whose name means 'the black one,' embodies time, destruction, and transformation⁴.

Black animals, particularly cats, have long been associated with witchcraft and bad luck in Western folklore, though in some cultures they are considered good omens. Black dogs, such as the British 'Black Shuck,' are spectral creatures said to portend death⁵. The color black is also used in protective magic, such as the 'black salt' used in hoodoo to ward off negative energies.

In Western esotericism, black is often the color of initiation and the unknown. In alchemy, the 'nigredo' or blackening stage represents the first step in the magnum opus, symbolizing putrefaction and the death of the old self before rebirth. In ceremonial magic, black candles are used for banishing and protection rituals⁶. The 'black mirror' is a scrying tool used in divination, believed to reveal hidden truths⁷.

In supernatural fiction and film, black is used to signify evil or otherworldly presence. Characters like the 'Black Rider' in Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings or the 'Black Eyed Children' in urban legends evoke fear and dread. The 'Black Lodge' in Twin Peaks is a supernatural realm associated with malevolent forces⁸. In video games, the 'Black Sacrament' in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a ritual to summon assassins⁹.

Beyond the well-known associations, black has nuanced roles in supernatural contexts. In Japanese folklore, the 'kuro-bōzu' is a black-robed monk spirit that appears to the dying. In some African diasporic religions like Vodou, black is the color of the loa (spirits) of the cemetery, such as Baron Samedi¹⁰. The 'black sun' (Schwarze Sonne) is a symbol in Germanic mysticism and later adopted by esoteric Nazism, representing a hidden, primeval force¹¹. In alchemical texts, the 'black crow' is a symbol of the nigredo stage, often depicted as a bird of transformation.

Nigredo

The blackening stage in alchemy, representing putrefaction and the death of the old self before spiritual rebirth.

Black Shuck

A spectral black dog in English folklore, said to be an omen of death.

Black salt

A mixture of salt and charcoal or ashes, used in hoodoo and other folk magic for protection and banishing negativity.

Black mirror

A reflective surface, often made of obsidian or dark glass, used for scrying and divination.

Kuro-bōzu

A black-robed monk spirit in Japanese folklore that appears to the dying.

Baron Samedi

A loa (spirit) in Vodou associated with death and the cemetery, often depicted wearing black.