Do you have a favorite color? Or, like me, do you feel drawn to a particular color depending on the day, season, or mood?

Right now, the color that is calling to me is RED. It’s shouting to me, really, which is what Red can do sometimes. It’s really no surprise, given a moment to think on it, why Red has come into my awareness at this time. Read on, dear one, to find out why…

Red is anything but subtle. Red is seductive and provocative, grabbing our attention like a siren. Red is about extreme emotions. We can be red in the face with anger, blushing red with embarrassment, or feeling red hot for a lover.

Red pumps through our veins, through our hearts. Red is the foundation, the great equalizer. Our red blood reminds us that we are alive, we are mortal, and we are kin.

Red is the color of the root chakra (sanskrit: muladhara). The root is quite literally the seat of our sense of security. It is primal and reassuring. Spending time with Red in this sense, tells us that everything is going to be okay. It allows us to let go of our fears, our fear-based impulses, and encourages us to act from a grounded place and from the heart. Like the roots of a tree enmeshed in soil, our consciousness can be rooted in the solid ground of our Mother Earth. Slowing down to feel her pulse from groundedness, our own hearts are awakened and we remember: She provides us with all that we need. And knowing this we know not to fear for lack of having needs met. The abundance of the Earth is with us always.

Simply meditating on the color red or wearing it can bring about these feelings of security and courage (from Old French, corage, feeling from the heart). Sitting with or holding stones like carnelian, bloodstone, jasper, or garnet can invoke these feelings.

And of course, I must tell you about the herbs! Yes, there are medicinal plants that can help us feel more rooted, juicy, and abundant, too. And in the Divine Wisdom of the Universe, these plants feature red as a predominant color. Plants featuring red flowers, fruit, roots, or bark also have a physical influence on the blood, too. Here are just a few examples.

Rose (Rosa species)

One of my absolute favorites in the world of medicinal plants. Rose is ubiquitous for a reason. Rose is powerful! Energetically, she is cooling, drying, and anti-inflammatory. Read here for more on this amazing ally.

Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa)

Have you ever had Hibiscus tea? Jamaican Sorrel? That is some beautifully red stuff right there. Like Rose, Hibiscus is has a great effect on the blood. It’s cooling (refrigerant), antioxidant, and balances blood pressure and blood sugar, too. Hibiscus helps regulate menstruation, reducing excessive flow. According to David Frawley and Vasant Lad in their book The Yoga of Herbs, “Hibiscus flowers are sacred to Ganesh, the elephant god, the god of wisdom who destroys all obstacles and grants the realization of all goals, who dwells in the first or root chakra.”

Wild Geranium (Geranium species)

The ethereal pink blossoms of Wild Geranium pull me in to a trance. Medicinally, the roots and leaves stanch bleeding internally and externally and check excessive discharges (like diarrhea). Energetically, the flower essence helps us release old stories, old trauma, and old insecurities allowing us to operate from a more empowered place.

Red Root (Ceanothus americanus)

If that name doesn’t say it all?! Red Root is warming and stimulating and gets things moving. It is typically used to improve lymphatic and blood flow in thick, heavy, cold, sluggish conditions. A tincture of the fresh root is preferred for this purpose. However, the dried root in a decoction (simmered “tea”) mixed with other warming roots and barks (ginger, cinnamon, clove, etc). makes a really great chai-inspired blend to stimulate the root and sacral chakras. It’s a delicious way to stoke creativity and the feeling that we live in an abundant universe. Precautions: Do not use red root if you are taking blood thinning or blood clotting medications or are pregnant.

Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)

Talk about abundance! Red Clover enriches the soil with nitrogen, improving the fertility of the Earth. It does the same for humans (increase fertility, that is), while also gently cleansing the blood. Its triple leaflet is symbolic of the magic number 3, the triskelion, the holy trinity. There is a sense of stability, wholeness, and completion in three: past/present/future, beginning/middle/end, birth/life/death, etc. I also associate red clover with Taurus, the most grounded and earthiest of signs. Precautions: Do not use red clover if you are taking blood thinning medication and discontinue use at least 2 weeks prior to scheduled surgery. There is some thinking that red clover is contraindicated for those with estrogen-sensitive breast cancer.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

I look forward every year to seeing this ephemeral beauty blooming in the woods. Its blooms are white, yet its root exudes a blood red sap when cut. Bloodroot flower essence helps us resolve deep-rooted traumas passed down through our family line. Certainly a very important remedy for our times. Only partner with this plant energetically or as a flower essence as it is endangered. To learn more about preserving wild spaces and species like bloodroot, check out United Plant Savers.

Trillium (Trillium species)

Here’s that magic number 3 again: three petals, three sepals, and three leaves. Trillium is another beautiful native plant that is endangered due to habitat loss and disturbance. The flower essence couldn’t be a more spot on root-chakra remedy. According to Flower Essence Services, this remedy fosters a “secure sense of personal welfare and financial well-being; ability to serve and give to others” while balancing out “distortions in survival chakra, fear due to materialistic emphasis, greed for possessions and power; poverty consciousness that leads to overly-materialistic focus.”

How does the color red make you feel? Is there a plant featuring red in its flowers, fruit, or bark that helps you feel especially courageous or rooted? Leave it in the comments below!