'L'orangerie': Here comes Padparadscha

The color orange is not nice on me. It makes me look pale and yellowish like I’ve contracted jaundice so I’ve never worn it despite being the favorite color of my son and my favorite balladeer, Frank Sinatra. But I like freshly squeezed orange juice, carnelian beads, tangerine quartz, corral beads and terracotta clay. Peach is another favorite fruit and I cut it into cubes and mix it with my tea. I also like fresh papaya in the morning and smoked salmon on pasta so it’s not as if I’ve thrown that color out of my life. 

One of my recent finds is a sapphire gemstone that has been described as a marriage between a pink Sri Lankan lotus flower and the orange (Manila) sunset. I wish its name is easy to pronounce and to remember  the stone is called padparadscha (pronounced pad-pa-rad-cha).

Padparadscha is derived from the Sanskrit/Singhalese word padmaraga, a color akin to the lotus flower. Although lotus blossoms are more pink than orange, in ancient times, padmaraga was described as a sub-variety of ruby.

I always associated orange with a friend’s story about an artist who went to the beach every day to paint the sunset. Every time she set out to do that, clouds would cover the horizon making it a not-so-perfect view and therefore not the right time to paint it. Finally, after days of waiting, she got her clear, cloudless sky and she quickly took out her paintbrush to paint it. When done, she took a step back to assess her painting. “What is this?” she asked. The canvas was flat and none-dimensional; it merely showed a spray of orange in different hues; it was dull, lifeless and monotonous. In short, boring. Without the clouds, there was no contrast to differentiate or compare the orange, fiery sky with. The picture lacked that certain luster to make the painting more dramatic and therefore grasp the extent of her emotional depth.

Double strand beads of pink Italian corals with amethyst and carnelian beads and an ivory doll

In life, problems are like clouds. They may obscure our days. They may weigh us down and make one feel dejected, forlorn and hopeless but without them, we won’t discover our strength. We won’t realize that here was a portal, a great opportunity to test our mettle and rise above the storm, to gather faith from above and from within and not to quiver nor lose hope. 

These clouds gave a reason for sadness; why tears and hurts cannot be avoided. When we fall, how much more triumphant the spirit is when the will and the courage to go on could take on the wings of eagles and allow us to “stand and shout on wings and fly.” Dawn, a new dawn, follows the dark night. 

The artist returned to the beach the next day. She sat down smiling to herself and when she looked up, cushiony clouds were mischievously playing hide and seek with the orange sun. “Perfect!” she sighed as she painted away whistling a happy tune. 

Padparadscha looks best with fluorescent light or daylight – just after sunrise and before sunset. Padparadscha stones are found in Sri Lanka and in Vietnam, Tanzania and Madagascar. Stones from these latter three areas are often heat-treated and may reach orange juice or papaya shades that are quite beautiful. 

Kumquat cross-section

Orange gem stone properties. Orange gemstones contain some of the fiery energies of red, but are gentler with a more creative spirit. They are used to promote personal power and are useful for people who could use more self esteem. Carry or place orange gemstones around your home or office to stimulate creativity, mental quickness, and to rouse the ability to adjust to changes. 

Orange is a power color. It is one of the healing colors. It is said to increase the craving for food. It also kindles enthusiasm and creativity. Orange means vitality with endurance. People who like orange are usually thoughtful and sincere… Yey! Exactly like my son, and Sinatra. (Ol’ Blue Eyes remarked, “Orange is the happiest color.”) Lady luck’s color is orange. I have been told that if a change of any kind is needed in life, just burn an orange candle for seven nights.

 Orange Energy. While red is associated with fiery heat, orange is associated with the benign warmth of the sun. A dynamic color to be sure, orange offers a more thoughtful control than explosive red. Curiosity is a driving characteristic of orange, and with it comes exploration of new things.

A pair of padparadscha sapphire earrings

Put some orange in your life when you want:

To spice things up when you feel time is dragging.

To become more involved in something.

To increase creativity.

As a relief from things becoming too serious.

Wearing Orange during times of stress, or shock can help to balance your emotions. It can bring about the willingness to embrace new ideas with enjoyment and a sense of exploration and creative play.

I keep the scent of orange mixed with cinnamon to open up our rooms to a refreshing, exhilarating aroma  opens up stuffy nose too  reminiscent of orange groves and citrus trees. I also dry orange peel and make potpourri out of them.

Remember to take your daily dosage of Vitamin C  with fresh pulp bits  picked from the orange groves in China and California and our very own native dalandan, kalamansi or kumquat. It cannot get more satisfying than this.

Vive l’orangerie in food and in fashion and in Frank Sinatra.