why are wicca items dark

Hello, I was looking for a BOS and wicca cauldron, and while I was searching for it I realized that it's not so strange that people associate it with 'dark magic and satanism' because all wicca items look so 'dark'. Why are 99% of all cauldrons black? Why do books of shadows have a black front. Why is the night/moon so important and not the day? Why don't we have books of shadows with the image of the sun. What's up with the black cats?
Why is that?Why does it have such a mysterious and dark vibe?
I prefer my altar to have a more 'happy/colorful' vibe instead of darkness and I'm also still planning to create it that way....is that weird to you? What do you think about it?

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Well, much of that is very simple.

99% of the cauldrons are a dark color because they are made from cast iron, and cast iron is black. Just take a look at other things like cast iron skillets and you'll see what I mean.

Books of shadows tend to have an image of the moon on them rather than the sun because in Wicca the Goddess is associated with the moon. In fact she is often called the Lady of the Moon. And since the moon is in the night6 sky the Book of Shadows is often (but not always) dark in color.

Black cats have nothing whatsoever to do with Wicca. The idea that a black cat is unlucky and associated with Witchcraft (not Wicca) is a holdover from the Middle Ages when it was thought that the Devil could roam the land in the shape of a black cat and communicate with the Witches. The idea was silly, of course, but it made old women with cats to whom they spoke easy targets for the Witch Hunters.

Much of the stuff marketed as "Wiccan" today is dark colored because the manufacturer's have the idea that it should be black or dark. This is largely just a marketing ploy and has nothing to do with Wicca or even with Traditional Witchcraft. But it does appeal to those who run toward Goth style or those who don't understand that much about what Wicca is all about. And it scares their parents.

You can put whatever you wish on your altar to suit your taste. There aren't any rules as to what goes on your altar unless you are part of a specific Wiccan Tradition with a standard altar setup. Personally, my altar has a bright red altar cloth with bright golden altar candles. So if you prefer bright colors on your altar then by all means go for it.

The same holds true for your personal Book of Shadows. A three-ring binder makes a great Book of Shadows and you can get those in colors other than black. Or you could even make the covers for your Book of Shadows. I've seen them covered in sequins, shells, paintings, etc. Again it is up to you.

Thanks Lark, I understand that, although it keeps the prejudices alive. If it would be changed, then maybe, maybe people would have a more positive attitude towards wicca...
I found one white cauldron online and ordered that one. It is sold out now. It probably isn't made of cast iron but if it gets the job done, that's what matters to me.

I also found this information online and thought it might be interesting for this topic:

'Black is the combination of all colors and all vibrational rates of light on the material plane. It is known that black is a very good conductor of energy, therefore wearing black simply helps Witches absorb natural energy to increase the power of their thought forms.'

Also black stones like onyx are used to protect yourself against negativity because it absorbs all the negative energy. Maybe magicians like to wear black because it absorbs the negative energy, and therefore it protects them...?

Regarding that excerpt ,I've heard of black things absorbing negative energy in magic, but I learned that white is the combination of all colors of the light spectrum through a prism at once, and that black was the absence of light, therefore the absence of all color. Also I've noticed a theme where lots of people focus way more directly on the goddess for some reason than the God. So that might be a reason more items are themed with the moon and things representative of the night, if people buy a certain type of thing more people make it in excess. I don't know why many people focus more on the goddess because I like to focus on both the feminine and masculine as representations of the divine. But everyone has their ways, and as long as it works for them it's fine with me.

well Ruby, most people come from a religion that was predominantly make [Christianity for example] so consciously or subconsciously they rebel against the divine masculine. while they may agree there is male and female energy, they connect more with the feminine, they fall for the energy and fear the masculine will be more of the same. so while Wicca is a balance of both, people do lean more to the Goddess.

the dark colours are traditional [working at night, blending into the dark i suppose] but you can get robes in many colours [according to Laurie Cabot, she wears black robes, but for seasons or special occasions she'll wear black robes with colourful trim] but again, make your path suit your needs. if something doesn't resonate with you, you don't have to conform. it's your spirituality. i don't wear black in circle [and i've seen some nice green robes i'd love to afford lol]

regarding the altar, my altar has always been colourful. [it does change with the seasons, fresh flowers in spring, autumn colours in fall] altar candles usually are white for the Goddess, black or dark purple for the God, but i've used yellow, green, blue and many other colours, it really comes down to intent. i redesign my altar every so often when it gets cluttered or i feel the need to add/remove objects [until recently i had a box of oils on it] all your tools can be customized. Athame's are usually black handled and Bolines white, my Athame has shells and beads hanging off the handle just cuz i like it. no one's said anything bad about it, and i don't wish to change it [before i got my Athame, i was using this pocket knife with the portrait of a wolf at night.] my BoS isn't black, i've got several, the darkest one is a leather bound one, the others are green, pink, and this one with peacock feathers and gold edged pages.

the mystery is kind of self inflicted tbh, out of fear [because witchcraft was illegal] witches kept in the shadows, and even today not everyone likes witchcraft, so what people conclude is Wicca/witchcraft is a mash-up of old views [black cats] and the handful of pagans they see [usually it's a 'new age' type or a rebellious teenager] so people see it as either scary or the equivalent of a goth phase [my mom thought it was a phase when i first told her] but there are plenty of colourful items too. if you get the chance to go to a witchy shop you'll find many colourful trinkets [or just check out the online shop]

When they make a darker color, i'll stop wearing black. I have a black cat, he is the perfect fashion accessory.
Seriously, if black is not your thing, don't wear it.
An it harm none, do as you wilt! and remember not all witches are Wiccan.

Dear coldblue, I am a Crone, 65 yrs this cycle, an Intuitive, Doula, Empath and Healer. Most Wiccan items marketed are dark to attract that magical part of you. I have an old black knit shawl I wear because it has my energies and gives me comfort. I am an artist and so I fill my life with the colours Our Mother Goddess Gaia has given us. my altar holds white and red candles, small bowls that hold certain herbs, Some crystals, my wolf totem carved from stone, Juniper and a feather for cleansing...these things were suggested to me by spirit guides. every altar is personal. Ask your spirit teachers and they wil help you build it.

I think it just happens that way to be honest. Something about the darkness draws that magickal part out of everyone. Darkness has always been associated with bad stuff like death, evil, hate, depression, etc., but I think in order for one to practice magicks correctly, you sort of have to embrace that side of things. Complete the balance. Both light AND dark, good AND bad, Life AND death. This probably wasn't helpful to your question, but I figured I'd put it out there.

Merry Part!