Magic is associated with the color white. In many cultures and belief systems, white is seen as a symbol of purity, clarity, and spiritual power. In the practice of magic, the color white is often used to represent positive intentions, healing, and protection. White magic, as opposed to black magic which is associated with negative intentions and harm, focuses on using supernatural powers for good. The association between magic and the color white can be traced back to ancient civilizations. In ancient Egypt, for example, white was seen as a sacred color associated with the gods and goddesses.
“We had to do it by ourselves,” he says. “We didn’t have a federation that took [the] cause for you or anything like that. We had to dig deep but it’s also what makes being here more admirable and exciting because I know where I came from, and it’s just a lot of hard work and dedication every day.”
We had to dig deep but it s also what makes being here more admirable and exciting because I know where I came from, and it s just a lot of hard work and dedication every day. After nearly two months of the European clay season, Rune has emerged as one of the most successful players, alongside his fellow 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz.
In ancient Egypt, for example, white was seen as a sacred color associated with the gods and goddesses. It was believed that wearing white garments or using white objects during rituals would bring about a connection with divine forces. In ancient Greece and Rome, white was also associated with purity and divine presence.
Holger Rune: ‘I think if everybody was the same, it would be a bit boring’
D uring the quarter-finals of the Italian Open last week in Rome, Holger Rune was deep in battle with Novak Djokovic on one of the most meaningful courts of the then No 1’s career. It is a measure of his talent that not only was he winning the encounter, but that it was not a surprise.
As Djokovic forced himself back into the match, however, Rune’s growing tension was palpable. It eventually exploded. When the umpire, Mohamed Lahyani, came down from his chair to rule one of Djokovic’s shots had touched the line, Rune was incensed. He called Lahyani an “absolute joke” and demanded to know whether umpires are penalised for their mistakes. As his team tried to calm him down, Rune slumped in his chair and sighed. “It’s always the umpire who makes me look like the bad guy,” he said.
Boris Becker: ‘Tennis is a different sport when you become the hunted’ Read moreAfter nearly two months of the European clay season, Rune has emerged as one of the most successful players, alongside his fellow 20-year-old Carlos Alcaraz. He has shown at the same time that he is one of the sport’s most unpredictable figures.
“It’s a fine balance,” says Rune of ensuring that his on-court intensity helps him. “Because people see it in different ways, which is fine, I respect it. But everybody’s different on the court, everybody plays differently and I think this is part of the game. I think if everybody was the same, it would be a bit boring. So, I like variety.”
Rune’s path towards the top of the game has been unusual. It is not just that Denmark tends not to produce top players, but there are barely any professional Danish tennis players at all. Rune is the only Dane inside the top 400 of the ATP rankings and only four others are inside the top 1000. Before Rune, Caroline Wozniacki was a similar Danish anomaly. Rune notes that no national federation helped guide him at the beginning of his career.
“We had to do it by ourselves,” he says. “We didn’t have a federation that took [the] cause for you or anything like that. We had to dig deep but it’s also what makes being here more admirable and exciting because I know where I came from, and it’s just a lot of hard work and dedication every day.”
While he has arrived in the top 10 quickly, Rune’s trajectory has been consistent. He was a junior No 1, winning the French Open boys title in 2019. As a professional, Rune’s career truly began after the 2020 Covid hiatus when old ATP ranking points were frozen, meaning it was much more difficult to scale the rankings. Still, Rune won five ATP Challenger events between 2021 and 2022 and he eventually overcame a significant cramping issue to nestle himself inside the top 100.
Holger Rune (left) after defeating Novak Djokovic in Rome. The Serb said of Rune: ‘He kind of reminds me a little bit [of me], the way he plays.’ Photograph: Insidefoto/Shutterstock
The most striking part of Rune’s game is how well-rounded it is. He is a tremendous athlete with great defence, solid and potent off both forehand and backhand wings, making it difficult for opponents to target any specific weakness. His serve has improved significantly but he is an excellent returner. “He kind of reminds me a little bit [of me], the way he plays,” said Djokovic in Rome.
Rune pairs his solid foundations with feel and instinctiveness, peppering opponents with drop shots and freely approaching the net, a style he describes as more risky but worthwhile. “I feel like these days every player is super powerful from the baseline and they stay there a lot. And I feel like mixing up the game is still really effective,” says Rune.
Last year, Rune offered a glimpse of his talent and potential, with both of his breakthrough tournaments occurring in the same city. First he reached his first major quarter-final at the French Open, picking off Denis Shapovalov and Stefanos Tsitsipas en route. Five months later, he pulled off an even more outlandish achievement.
At the Paris Masters, Rune became the first ATP player to defeat five top-10 players in a single conventional tournament. After upsetting Hubert Hurkacz, Andrey Rublev, Alcaraz (who retired in the second set tie-break due to injury) and Félix Auger-Aliassime, he produced the performance of his life to defeat Djokovic 7-5 in the third set of the final.
“It takes a lot,” says Rune on what he learned from the experience. “It’s not easy, I tell you. It’s a lot of hard work. If you stop doing the hard work, you’re finished, boom. And you have to be able to maintain your high level every time you step on the court.
“Today, for example, I practised with Rublev. I kept my level good in the first set, but then I stepped a little bit down and – boom – he killed me. You have to be able to stay there and even raise it if necessary.”
The Dane, currently ranked world No. 4, is set to return to competition this week at the China Open, hoping to snap a seven match losing streak dating back to a quarterfinal loss at the All England Club to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz. Rune's slump in form can be traced back to physical struggles, having told Danish TV at Davis Cup earlier this month that he had a pinched nerve in the fifth lumbar vertebra in his spine since the clay-court season.
In modern witchcraft and Wicca, white is often considered the color of the lunar goddess and is used to invoke her energy for healing and intuition. Many spells and rituals that involve healing, protection, purification, and spiritual growth incorporate the use of white candles, crystals, and sacred symbols. The color white is believed to amplify the energy of these spells and enhance their effectiveness. Furthermore, white magic practitioners often use visualization techniques to focus their intentions and direct energy. Visualizing white light surrounding and flowing through the body, for example, is believed to purify and protect against negative energy. This visualization technique is also used in some forms of energy healing, such as Reiki, where practitioners use their hands to channel white healing energy to the recipient. In conclusion, the color white is closely associated with magic due to its symbolic meaning of purity, healing, and spiritual power. It is often used in rituals, spells, and visualizations to enhance positive intentions and connect with divine forces. White magic practitioners believe that harnessing the energy of the color white can bring about positive transformation, protection, and spiritual growth..
Reviews for "The Healing Touch of White Magic: Restoring Balance to Mind, Body, and Spirit"
- Sarah - 1 star - I was really disappointed with the concept of magic being associated with the color white. It felt very narrow-minded and exclusionary. Magic is supposed to be diverse and inclusive, and this portrayal just perpetuates the idea that only certain people are worthy of having magical powers. It's definitely not a book I would recommend to anyone looking for a fresh and inclusive take on magic.
- Alex - 2 stars - As a person of color, I found the idea of magic being associated with the color white quite problematic. It reinforces the idea of whiteness being superior and being the standard for everything. It's frustrating to see such a lack of representation and diversity in magical systems. I was really hoping for a more inclusive and nuanced approach to magic in this book, but unfortunately, it fell short for me.
- Lucas - 2.5 stars - I understand that different books have different magical systems, but associating magic solely with the color white just didn't sit right with me. It felt too simplistic and lacked depth. Magic should be a reflection of the complexities and diversity of the world we live in, and this portrayal felt like a missed opportunity. I believe there are much more interesting and inclusive ways to explore magic in storytelling, and unfortunately, this book didn't deliver on that front.