Protection: Part 4 - Stones

For those of you who have followed along the set of posts written recently, by now you should have some idea of how deep the magical rabbit hole can go. If you followed along, you'll have more of an idea of how you can mix and match various magical techs in to get a result.

Protection is an easy subject to start with as its all a matter of how you handle your business.  If things go wrong or you didn't do enough work, or you didn't handle the work properly, the effects are pretty obvious. If you handled the workings appropriately and all went well, life should improve for you.  The proof is in the pudding...or, in this case, the proof is in the response.

Having said as much, now that we've covered herbs, prayers, spirits, etc. and their uses with regard to defensive magic, we can now get into the subject of protection through the use of stones and metals that are amiable to that end.

Like plants, minerals have their uses too.  Each has their own properties and associations, both elemental and planetary. As such, they too are building blocks that can be used to spin your spells.

Stones, like herbs, are physical tools that answer to spirits of the Earth.  Most of them are under the purview of the elemental king Ghob, but it doesn't hurt to get in touch with the specific entity behind the crystalline mask.  Stones have power with or without you, but when you work them appropriately they can become fabulously potent wards.

Amber

Amber is fossilized tree resin that typically has a honey-like color to it.  It is not a heavy material, and it is connected to the Sun. As such, it is useful for warding off negative influences.

Black Tourmaline

Black tourmaline is a faceted, crytalline boron silicate stone, and it is one of a variety of other tourmalines.  In its raw form, it is spiky and has sharp edges to it.  I find it to be useful in forcefully turning away ill-intentioned energy.

Jet

Jet, also known as Lignite, is essentially fossilized wood that's been compressed into a stone-like substance by extreme pressure.  It is generally black in color and can sometimes contain pyrite inclusions.

It, like Amber, is a very lightweight material and can easily be carved with a knife.  Its associated with the Moon, and the Romans associated it with deflecting the Evil Eye.

Lapis Lazuli

Lapis is a deep blue semi-precious stone that was commonly used for decoration and jewelry in Egypt and the Middle East.  It was used to create ultramarine pigment, and thus is handy for marking a space as yours.  Some believed that it reflected the Sky, and thus it can be used for evoking celestial spirits.

Obsidian

Obsidian is volcanic glass that's produced when lava is ejected from a volcano and rapidly cools.  It is black in color, very, very sharp, and was commonly used in arrows by our ancestors who lived in areas rich in the material. In modern times, it has been used, experimentally, in surgical scalpel blades.

The implications are obvious here: such a sharp material can be used to sever ties between people or things, both on the physical and spiritual levels.

Onyx

Onyx is often a black-colored stone that sometimes contains a mix of white, blue, purple, gray, and other colors.  It is, in its black form, used for protection and warding.  I associate it with Saturn, as it can be used to discern when folks do or do not have your best interests at heart.

Be warned, however. Overuse can cause folks to become antisocial and withdrawn.  Its definitely a solitary worker, in that respect.

Quartz

Quartz is a crystalline, semi translucent stone that can be found all over the place.  Its the second most abundant mineral on Earth, and it comes in a variety of shapes, colors, and, as a result, can have a wide variety of effects.

In its clear, crystalline, unpolished variety, its a memory stone. It magnifies and projects energy. When used appropriately, it can amp up the energies used in protective work.

Play with these a bit and see what speaks to you. ;)

Take care,

SE