The Meaning of Blue
by Harold Meij
Symbolism and meaning of color is a very wide category of which
numerous interpretations exist. However, throughout my research, the most
relevant comments in my opinion are that blue stands for the vertical and the
spatial, in other words height and depth, or the blue sky above, the blue sea
below. It symbolizes that Masonry is as wide as these dimensions. It is also
interesting to note that blue is considered to be "between black and white",
also commonly identified with two opposing forces, good and evil. Thus blue is
considered the most neutral of all the colors. As Masons we are equal in our
position with other members, regardless of color, rank, title or any other
status. We can also say that this world is the neutral area, and we seek a
deeper world, for the higher you go to heaven, the darker the blue sky becomes.
In the same way, the deeper you go in the blue ocean, the darker it becomes.
It is also commonly used to represent
religious feeling, devotion and innocence. Blue was one of the primary colors
used to adorn the Tabernacle (see Exodus 26:1). To the Egyptians, blue was used
to represent truth. The Egyptians had two theories about the creation of the
world; one, that is was created by Thaut, who when he uttered any
word caused the object to exist, and two, that it was the work of Ptah,
The Great Artificer. Ptah's father was called Kneph, (also
Cneph or Nef), and while many of the Egyptian Gods were adorned with different
colors, he was always depicted in blue. Kneph journeyed to the lower hemisphere,
which appears to symbolize the evolutions of substances which are born to die
and to be reborn. Isn't this similar to our belief in the immortality of the
soul?
Blue is also considered the color for
the spirit and the intellect. Jesus teaches in a blue garment, and the
Virgin Mary is usually depicted in a blue mantle, as is the Norse god Odin.
Vushnu of ancient Indian mythology is blue. In Europe, the Blue Flower was the
symbol of the greatest aspiration of the spirit.
In French, the word "bleu" is used as
a substitute for the word "Dieu", which means God, as swearing was punishable in
the middle ages by death. As such swear words such as "morbleu", "sacrebleu" and
"parbleu" become popular substitutes. The French royal family was associated
with the color blue, because blue was associated with a celestial origin, and
the royal family, like many royal families, also claimed to stem from this
origin. As such the royal family was referred to as "de sang bleu" or godly
blood. Even today, a substitute expression for aristocracy is "blue blood".
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