Seeing Red: Alchemy and John Winchester, NOW IN VIBRANT TECHNICOLOR
Another X-post from my journal. *g* Believe it or not, I actually do have, like, five minutes or so every month where I manage to shut up. No, seriously.
So, in working the conjuration -- and if maybe anyone don't know how a conjuration is different than other types of spells but want the info, don't be shy about saying so because we can chat about that, too -- John burned red candles. While those are commonly associated with sex magic (oh, John!), if Kripke and co have done the research I think they have, John used red for the same reason I did when I had Sam work his spell in Muscle of Love.
(And, okay, before I go on? If you ever had any doubts about what a total fuckin' geek I am, this shall dispel all such reservations.)
See, in alchemy, color symbolism is a major deal because it charts both the outward and inward transformations that the original Western alchemists sought. Specifically, the alchemical color sequence is black, white, red, and gold. In outward alchemy, black represents the chemical reaction coagulation (solidification), which parallels God creating the Earth. In inward alchemy, black is the color of suffering, the darkest night of the soul, and so on, but it's also the moment before birth and the hope of beginning a new cycle.
Hmm. Okay. Another quick pause here. I don't know if y'all already know this, but the pursuit of transforming lead into gold wasn't just about the bling. For true alchemists, lead represented Man at his most base while gold symbolized his perfected spiritual nature and unification with God. IOW, these colors represent the physical chemical reactions those dudes were after as well as the internal spiritual enlightenment and transformation they wanted. Alchemy is just so damned cool, y'all. Seriously. But, anyway. We now return you to your color sequence already in progress.
So. You have black representing matter (and specifically the impurities within.) Next step is white, which represented matter in its purified state. Inwardly, white symbolized the attainment of purification as a basis for the reception of God. Outwardly, white corresponded with calcination. Calcination, O Best Beloveds, is the burning of stuff and exactly why I think Mary and Jess both burned in white nightgowns. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot more to the symbolism of white both within the context of alchemy and beyond, but I'm still certain Kripke and co are hitting the old skool alchemy texts pretty damned hard, yo.
The next color in the sequence is red. This? Is the pivotal color in the progress of alchemical transformation on all levels. Red's totally the symbol for the philosopher's stone because that's the ultimate facilitator of transformation. Contrary to its suggested meaning in HP, this particular rock was thought to turn base metals into gold and, in unison, man's base nature into his perfected nature.
(FWIW, trying to make this stone was how vermillion was created. *g* For those of you who've now read "Muscle of Love," are you starting to get an idea of the depth of how hopelessly nerdy I really am? You know. Just in case the dialogue written in Old Norse wasn't a big honkin' clue. As for vermillion, I can get all geeked out on the specifics of how it's created through the process of sublimation and its spiritual significance to alchemists if anyone really gets the hankering for the details.)
What I see as most relevant to SPN and John's use of red candles (besides the fact that they really did look hella cool *g*) is that in alchemy, this is the step where matter has to give up its qualities and thereby can be birthed forth from a limitless place where any and all possibilities are in potentiality.
My dearest dotfic and dodger_winslow, do y'all see why I have such faith that John is so totally gonna be back? On every damned level, we have alchemical signs and symbols (and also great big signs in hospital corridors, hello) in place that promise change, finding a balance, and rebirth. What John has never had since Mary's death is balance in his life. I've said before that I'm certain he's suffering from untreated chronic PTSD on top of everything else. This choice he made, it is the next step on his personal Hero's Quest.
The final color in the sequence is gold. Admittedly, if Kripke is mapping with an alchemical bent, there's a chance John's only going to be released from hell but not return to the living. However, too many other things (most of which I listed in this comment) are in play to suggest that John will be back and, for him, he'll be able to express the love he has for his boys but hadn't been able to show until those final moments.
Two other small points, only loosely related this:
I'm still trying to figure out which cuperic (or cuperous) salt he used for the big whooshy flame. That color green is distinct to copper patina. If I can figure it out (more for fun, rather than because of any sort of symbolism), I'll let you know.
Per John's journal, the reapers are associated with the god Hadad, also known as Ba'al. Y'all, just as with our boy Dean/Mithras, Ba'al-Hadad died and was resurrected. (To my delight, his wife the war goddess brought him back and the first thing they did was shag like mad. If that doesn't sound about right for John's idea of perfection, I don't know what the hell show you're watching. *g*) I'm telling you -- John's getting sprung.
So, in working the conjuration -- and if maybe anyone don't know how a conjuration is different than other types of spells but want the info, don't be shy about saying so because we can chat about that, too -- John burned red candles. While those are commonly associated with sex magic (oh, John!), if Kripke and co have done the research I think they have, John used red for the same reason I did when I had Sam work his spell in Muscle of Love.
(And, okay, before I go on? If you ever had any doubts about what a total fuckin' geek I am, this shall dispel all such reservations.)
See, in alchemy, color symbolism is a major deal because it charts both the outward and inward transformations that the original Western alchemists sought. Specifically, the alchemical color sequence is black, white, red, and gold. In outward alchemy, black represents the chemical reaction coagulation (solidification), which parallels God creating the Earth. In inward alchemy, black is the color of suffering, the darkest night of the soul, and so on, but it's also the moment before birth and the hope of beginning a new cycle.
Hmm. Okay. Another quick pause here. I don't know if y'all already know this, but the pursuit of transforming lead into gold wasn't just about the bling. For true alchemists, lead represented Man at his most base while gold symbolized his perfected spiritual nature and unification with God. IOW, these colors represent the physical chemical reactions those dudes were after as well as the internal spiritual enlightenment and transformation they wanted. Alchemy is just so damned cool, y'all. Seriously. But, anyway. We now return you to your color sequence already in progress.
So. You have black representing matter (and specifically the impurities within.) Next step is white, which represented matter in its purified state. Inwardly, white symbolized the attainment of purification as a basis for the reception of God. Outwardly, white corresponded with calcination. Calcination, O Best Beloveds, is the burning of stuff and exactly why I think Mary and Jess both burned in white nightgowns. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot more to the symbolism of white both within the context of alchemy and beyond, but I'm still certain Kripke and co are hitting the old skool alchemy texts pretty damned hard, yo.
The next color in the sequence is red. This? Is the pivotal color in the progress of alchemical transformation on all levels. Red's totally the symbol for the philosopher's stone because that's the ultimate facilitator of transformation. Contrary to its suggested meaning in HP, this particular rock was thought to turn base metals into gold and, in unison, man's base nature into his perfected nature.
(FWIW, trying to make this stone was how vermillion was created. *g* For those of you who've now read "Muscle of Love," are you starting to get an idea of the depth of how hopelessly nerdy I really am? You know. Just in case the dialogue written in Old Norse wasn't a big honkin' clue. As for vermillion, I can get all geeked out on the specifics of how it's created through the process of sublimation and its spiritual significance to alchemists if anyone really gets the hankering for the details.)
What I see as most relevant to SPN and John's use of red candles (besides the fact that they really did look hella cool *g*) is that in alchemy, this is the step where matter has to give up its qualities and thereby can be birthed forth from a limitless place where any and all possibilities are in potentiality.
My dearest dotfic and dodger_winslow, do y'all see why I have such faith that John is so totally gonna be back? On every damned level, we have alchemical signs and symbols (and also great big signs in hospital corridors, hello) in place that promise change, finding a balance, and rebirth. What John has never had since Mary's death is balance in his life. I've said before that I'm certain he's suffering from untreated chronic PTSD on top of everything else. This choice he made, it is the next step on his personal Hero's Quest.
The final color in the sequence is gold. Admittedly, if Kripke is mapping with an alchemical bent, there's a chance John's only going to be released from hell but not return to the living. However, too many other things (most of which I listed in this comment) are in play to suggest that John will be back and, for him, he'll be able to express the love he has for his boys but hadn't been able to show until those final moments.
Two other small points, only loosely related this:
I'm still trying to figure out which cuperic (or cuperous) salt he used for the big whooshy flame. That color green is distinct to copper patina. If I can figure it out (more for fun, rather than because of any sort of symbolism), I'll let you know.
Per John's journal, the reapers are associated with the god Hadad, also known as Ba'al. Y'all, just as with our boy Dean/Mithras, Ba'al-Hadad died and was resurrected. (To my delight, his wife the war goddess brought him back and the first thing they did was shag like mad. If that doesn't sound about right for John's idea of perfection, I don't know what the hell show you're watching. *g*) I'm telling you -- John's getting sprung.