The Nigredo, Albedo, Rubedo × Tarot: The Three Great Phases
BY NICOLE LAU
Introduction: The Three Colors of Transformation
Every alchemical text describes the Great Work through three colors: Nigredo (blackening), Albedo (whitening), and Rubedo (reddening). These aren't just chemical processes—they're the three great phases of psychological and spiritual transformation that every soul must pass through on the journey from unconsciousness to enlightenment.
The tarot Major Arcana maps this exact journey. Certain cards belong to the Nigredo phase—the dark night of the soul, the descent, the death. Others belong to Albedo—the purification, the clarification, the emergence of light. And the final cards belong to Rubedo—the perfection, the integration, the gold made manifest.
This article reveals which cards belong to which phase and how to use this knowledge to understand where you are in your transformational journey.
The Three Great Phases
Overview
| Phase | Color | Process | Psychological Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigredo | Black | Putrefaction, death, descent | Dark night of the soul, ego death, shadow work |
| Albedo | White | Purification, washing, clarification | Purification, clarity emerging, light returning |
| Rubedo | Red/Gold | Perfection, union, completion | Integration, wholeness, the gold achieved |
The Alchemical Symbolism
Nigredo (Blackening):
- Latin: "Blackness"
- Symbol: The Raven, the Black Sun
- Element: Earth (heavy, dense, dark)
- Season: Winter, the dark time
- Moon: Dark Moon, New Moon
- Time of Day: Midnight
Albedo (Whitening):
- Latin: "Whiteness"
- Symbol: The White Swan, the Silver Moon
- Element: Water (washing, purifying)
- Season: Spring, the awakening
- Moon: Waxing Moon
- Time of Day: Dawn
Rubedo (Reddening):
- Latin: "Redness"
- Symbol: The Phoenix, the Red King
- Element: Fire (perfecting, completing)
- Season: Summer, the fullness
- Moon: Full Moon
- Time of Day: Noon
Phase 1: NIGREDO - The Blackening
The Alchemical Process
Nigredo is the first and darkest phase—the putrefaction, the rotting, the death of the old. The prima materia (raw material) is burned, dissolved, broken down until it becomes black, formless, chaotic. This is the dark night of the soul, the descent into the underworld, the necessary death before rebirth.
Psychological Meaning: Ego death, confronting shadow, the breakdown of false identity, depression, crisis, the dark night
Purpose: You cannot transform what you haven't first destroyed. Nigredo burns away everything false, everything that isn't real, leaving only the essential core.
Nigredo Cards in Tarot
| Card | Nigredo Process | What Dies |
|---|---|---|
| The Tower | Violent breakdown | False structures, illusions, ego defenses |
| Death | Complete transformation | Old identity, attachments, what's complete |
| The Devil | Confronting shadow | Denial, projection, false freedom |
| The Moon | Descent into unconscious | Certainty, clarity, rational control |
| The Hanged Man | Suspension, sacrifice | Control, old perspective, ego will |
The Tower: Nigredo as Crisis
The Process: The lightning bolt strikes, the tower crumbles, everything falls apart. This is Nigredo as sudden, violent breakdown—the crisis that forces transformation.
What's Happening: Your false structures are being destroyed. What you built on lies is falling. The ego's defenses are crumbling.
The Work: Don't try to rebuild the tower. Let it fall. What survives the lightning is real; what burns was illusion. This is the fire of Nigredo—painful but necessary.
After The Tower: You're in the black phase. Everything feels dark, chaotic, formless. This is correct. Stay in the darkness. The light comes later.
Death: Nigredo as Transformation
The Process: Complete death of the old, total transformation, the skeleton reaping what's complete. This is Nigredo as necessary ending.
What's Happening: Who you were is dying. Old identities, relationships, ways of being are ending. This isn't failure—it's transformation.
The Work: Let it die completely. Don't cling to the corpse. Death teaches that transformation requires complete release. The caterpillar must die for the butterfly to emerge.
After Death: You're in the putrefaction stage—the rotting, the decay. This feels terrible, but it's necessary. The seed must rot in the ground before it sprouts.
The Devil: Nigredo as Shadow
The Process: Confronting your shadow, facing your bondage, recognizing your complicity. This is Nigredo as shadow work.
What's Happening: You're seeing what you've denied—your shadow, your addictions, your bondage. The chains are loose; you could leave anytime. But first you must see them.
The Work: Own your shadow. Recognize your bondage. Admit your complicity. The Devil teaches that Nigredo includes facing what you've repressed.
After The Devil: You've seen your darkness. This is the blackening—confronting the shadow material, the denied parts, the repressed desires. Stay with it.
The Moon: Nigredo as Descent
The Process: Descending into the unconscious, navigating illusion, losing certainty. This is Nigredo as the journey through darkness.
What's Happening: You're in the underworld, the unconscious, the realm of dreams and shadows. Nothing is certain. Everything is mysterious.
The Work: Trust your instincts. Navigate by feel, not sight. The Moon teaches that Nigredo requires surrendering rational control and trusting the darkness.
After The Moon: You're deep in the black phase—confused, uncertain, lost. This is the darkest point. But dawn is coming.
The Hanged Man: Nigredo as Surrender
The Process: Voluntary suspension, sacrifice, seeing from a new perspective. This is Nigredo as conscious surrender.
What's Happening: You're hanging suspended, unable to act, forced to wait. Your old perspective is dying. A new one is emerging.
The Work: Surrender. Stop struggling. The Hanged Man teaches that sometimes Nigredo requires voluntary sacrifice—you choose to hang, to wait, to see differently.
After The Hanged Man: You're in suspension—between the old and new, between death and rebirth. Stay suspended. The transformation is happening.
Living Through Nigredo
Signs You're in Nigredo:
- Everything feels dark, heavy, hopeless
- Old structures are crumbling
- You're confronting shadow material
- Nothing makes sense anymore
- You feel like you're dying (you are—the old you)
What NOT to Do:
- Try to escape the darkness prematurely
- Rebuild the old structures
- Deny the shadow
- Force clarity before it's time
- Resist the death
What TO Do:
- Stay in the darkness consciously
- Let the old die completely
- Face your shadow
- Trust the process
- Know that this is temporary—Albedo comes
Phase 2: ALBEDO - The Whitening
The Alchemical Process
Albedo follows Nigredo—after the blackening comes the whitening. The blackened material is washed, purified, clarified. Light begins to emerge from darkness. This is the dawn after the dark night, the purification after the death, the clarity after the confusion.
Psychological Meaning: Purification, clarity emerging, light returning, hope renewed, the soul washed clean
Purpose: After the death (Nigredo), comes the purification (Albedo). The essential core that survived the burning is now washed, refined, clarified.
Albedo Cards in Tarot
| Card | Albedo Process | What's Purified |
|---|---|---|
| The Star | Hope, renewal, purification | Despair washed away, hope restored |
| Temperance | Balance, mixing, tempering | Extremes balanced, opposites integrated |
| The Hermit | Inner light, wisdom | Confusion clarified, wisdom found |
| Justice | Balance, truth, clarity | Imbalance corrected, truth revealed |
| Strength | Gentle power, taming | Violence tamed, strength purified |
The Star: Albedo as Hope
The Process: After the darkness (Moon, Tower, Death), the Star appears—hope, renewal, purification. This is Albedo beginning—light returning after darkness.
What's Happening: The dark night is ending. Hope is returning. You're being purified, washed clean, renewed. The naked woman pours pure water—this is the washing of Albedo.
The Work: Trust the hope. Receive the purification. The Star teaches that after Nigredo comes Albedo—the light returns, the soul is washed, hope is renewed.
In Albedo: You're emerging from darkness. Things are becoming clearer. You feel lighter, purer, more hopeful. This is the white phase beginning.
Temperance: Albedo as Balance
The Process: The angel mixes water and fire, balancing opposites, tempering extremes. This is Albedo as purification through balance.
What's Happening: After the extremes of Nigredo (death, destruction, darkness), you're finding balance. Opposites are being integrated. Extremes are being tempered.
The Work: Mix consciously. Balance carefully. Temperance teaches that Albedo requires careful tempering—not too much fire, not too much water, but perfect balance.
In Albedo: You're finding equilibrium. The chaos of Nigredo is settling into balanced clarity. This is purification through integration.
The Hermit: Albedo as Inner Light
The Process: The Hermit holds his lamp in the darkness, finding inner wisdom, seeking truth. This is Albedo as the emergence of inner light.
What's Happening: After the outer darkness of Nigredo, you're finding inner light. Wisdom is emerging from within. Clarity is dawning.
The Work: Seek within. Trust your inner light. The Hermit teaches that Albedo includes finding the light within yourself—not from outside, but from your own purified essence.
In Albedo: You're discovering your own wisdom. The light isn't external—it's your own essence, purified and shining.
Justice: Albedo as Truth
The Process: Justice weighs, balances, reveals truth. This is Albedo as the clarification of truth after the confusion of Nigredo.
What's Happening: After the chaos and confusion, truth is being revealed. Imbalances are being corrected. What's fair is becoming clear.
The Work: See clearly. Speak truth. Justice teaches that Albedo brings clarity—you can finally see what's true, what's balanced, what's fair.
In Albedo: Truth is emerging. You can see clearly now. The purification has revealed what's real.
Strength: Albedo as Gentle Power
The Process: The woman gently tames the lion—strength through gentleness, power through compassion. This is Albedo as the purification of power.
What's Happening: After the violent power of Nigredo (Tower, Death), you're discovering gentle power. Strength is being purified—no longer violent, but compassionate.
The Work: Be gentle. Tame with love. Strength teaches that Albedo purifies power—transforming violence into gentleness, force into compassion.
In Albedo: Your power is purified. You're strong but gentle, powerful but compassionate. This is strength washed clean.
Living Through Albedo
Signs You're in Albedo:
- Light is returning after darkness
- Hope is emerging
- Things are becoming clearer
- You feel lighter, purer
- Balance is being restored
What NOT to Do:
- Rush to Rubedo before purification is complete
- Skip the washing and clarification
- Settle for partial clarity
- Avoid the work of integration
What TO Do:
- Allow the purification to complete
- Integrate opposites consciously
- Trust the emerging clarity
- Continue the washing until you're truly clean
- Prepare for Rubedo—the final phase
Phase 3: RUBEDO - The Reddening
The Alchemical Process
Rubedo is the final phase—after the blackening (Nigredo) and whitening (Albedo) comes the reddening. The purified material is heated to perfection, turning red and then gold. This is the Philosopher's Stone, the perfected self, the gold made manifest. The Great Work is complete.
Psychological Meaning: Integration complete, wholeness achieved, the perfected self, enlightenment embodied
Purpose: After death (Nigredo) and purification (Albedo), comes perfection (Rubedo). Spirit and matter unite. The divine is embodied. You become the gold.
Rubedo Cards in Tarot
| Card | Rubedo Process | What's Perfected |
|---|---|---|
| The Sun | Perfect manifestation | Consciousness fully embodied, joy complete |
| The World | Complete integration | Wholeness achieved, the Great Work done |
| The Lovers | Sacred union | Opposites united, the alchemical marriage |
| Judgment | Awakening, resurrection | The old resurrected in new form |
| The Magician | Conscious creation | Will perfected, manifestation mastered |
The Sun: Rubedo as Radiance
The Process: The child on the white horse, the sunflowers, the radiant joy. This is Rubedo—the perfected self, radiant and whole.
What's Happening: After the death (Nigredo) and purification (Albedo), you're now the gold—radiant, joyful, perfect. The Sun is the Philosopher's Stone made manifest.
The Work: Embody it. Live it. The Sun teaches that Rubedo is about manifestation—bringing the perfected essence into physical reality, living as the gold.
In Rubedo: You are the gold. Radiant, joyful, whole. The transformation is complete. You're living as your perfected self.
The World: Rubedo as Completion
The Process: The dancer in the wreath, the four elements balanced, the cosmic dance complete. This is Rubedo as ultimate wholeness.
What's Happening: The Great Work is done. All aspects are integrated. Wholeness is achieved. You are the World—complete, perfect, whole.
The Work: Dance. Celebrate. The World teaches that Rubedo is completion—the journey is done, wholeness is achieved, the Philosopher's Stone is yours.
In Rubedo: You are whole. Complete. The transformation is finished. You are the perfected self, the gold, the Philosopher's Stone.
The Lovers: Rubedo as Union
The Process: The sacred marriage, the union of opposites, masculine and feminine united. This is Rubedo as the alchemical wedding.
What's Happening: After separating and purifying (Albedo), opposites now unite in perfection. This is the hieros gamos—the sacred marriage that creates the Philosopher's Stone.
The Work: Unite. Integrate. The Lovers teaches that Rubedo requires the union of all opposites—conscious and unconscious, masculine and feminine, spirit and matter.
In Rubedo: You are whole because you've integrated all opposites. The marriage is complete. You are both bride and groom, the hermaphrodite, the perfected being.
Living in Rubedo
Signs You're in Rubedo:
- You feel whole, complete, integrated
- Joy and clarity are your natural state
- Opposites are united within you
- You're living your truth fully embodied
- The gold is manifest in your life
The Paradox: Rubedo is both the end and a new beginning. The World (21) leads back to The Fool (0). The Philosopher's Stone, once achieved, begins a new cycle at a higher level.
Conclusion: The Three-Colored Journey
Nigredo, Albedo, Rubedo—black, white, red—these are the three great phases of transformation that every soul must pass through. The tarot maps this journey with precision, showing you which cards belong to which phase and where you are in the Great Work.
Nigredo is necessary. You must die to be reborn. The Tower must fall. Death must transform. The shadow must be faced. This is the black phase—painful but essential.
Albedo follows. After the death comes the purification. The Star brings hope. Temperance brings balance. The light returns. This is the white phase—the washing, the clarification, the emergence of truth.
Rubedo completes. After death and purification comes perfection. The Sun radiates. The World completes. The gold is manifest. This is the red phase—the final perfection, the Philosopher's Stone, the Great Work done.
You are the alchemical vessel. Your life is the Great Work. The tarot shows you the way. Black, white, red—death, purification, perfection. The journey continues. The gold awaits.
