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Callie’s Cavern

Stone of the Month

Amber

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This stone isn’t actually a stone; it is a natural resin from an extinct form of pine that was submerged under the sea.  The unique texture and formation of Amber has led to a lot of legends as to its formation everything ranging from the fossilized tears of Indian birds to the congealed rays of the sun setting and dew of sunbeams.  In Ancient Rome Amber was given to Gladiators for courage and in China it was thought that it could protect against fire and water.  Amber has one of the most versatile backgrounds of any stone it has been used for just about every magical purpose and even combined with other stones to strengthen their effectiveness.

Amber can hold an electrical charge.  If you rub it with silk or wool it can produce little shocks.  Since it has this ability to hold an electrical charge, it makes it very effective at holding a magical charge. If you hold Amber in one hand and rub it clockwise with the other you can focus on the energy you are wishing to store into the stone and then draw on it later when you need it.  This has led to Amber being called the Witch’s Stone and is often used to strengthen spells and is usually in necklaces of Wiccan Priests and Priestesses.

It was thought to improve memory.  Meditating with Amber can stimulate your memory.  Since only the wealthy could afford Amber at times, it has led to its association with prosperity.  There are strong earthy connections with Amber so it is an excellent healing stone, grounder, and cleanser.  Because it is considered a fossil there are also connections with longevity, life cycles, and time.  Amber reminds us to respect tradition.

The protection qualities of Amber are amazing.  It is especially effective in safeguarding children.  You can have them wear Amber beads or place pieces in their bedroom.  Amber promotes a positive mental state and enhances wisdom, balance, and patience while easing stress and enhancing decision making.  The Chinese visualized the souls of tigers transmuting into Amber upon their earthy deaths and Amber is considered to contain the very essence of life itself.

Images of fish, frogs, and rabbits carved from Amber were carried by women for conception and men wore lions, dogs, or dragons for potency.  Amber has the ability to absorb negative energies and transmute them into positive forces.  In this sense it can absorb pain and draw out negative energy and allow you to heal.  This even flow of energy that is promoted with Amber also lends itself to be used to cleanse other stones.  Since Amber automatically transmutes any negative energy that it has gathered there is no need to cleanse it.  This property makes it my favorite choice for cleansing and charging my stones.  Just storing it with your stones can allow it to draw out any negativity and then transmute it so your stones are always ready for work.