Day 257: Magical Stones

In spell work, Witches make use of all things animal, vegetable, and mineral.  In fact, we really love the mineral end, and it is not uncommon for Pagans of all sorts to curate their own little rock collection.  We do believe that the different stones are conduits of different energies, and we take lots of pleasure in using them as charged jewelry or in other spells and amulets.

It is important to note that not all Pagans are proponents of using stones, especially those that are mined and shipped around the globe.  There’s a school of thought that purchasing these rocks might support unsafe and unsustainable mining practices.  Others choose not to use stones on the grounds (hah!) that it took the Earth millions of years to develop the different mineral deposits, and we have no right raping her just to get our grubby paws on them.  Some Pagans who do enjoy using stones might also have special rules for them, such as only using stones that remain in their natural state–that is, not cut or polished in any way.  They believe that cutting and polishing stones damages their inherent powers.  Others might believe that their stones absorb psychic influences and must be cleared in some way, often by burying them in the ground for a period of time or covering them in salt.

Whatever you believe about working with stones, it is important to know what some of their energies are.  And so, Roderick asks us to commit the following list to memory:

Roderick’s Magical Stones.  Also, I clearly no longer see Microsoft Word’s green grammar squiggle.

Exercise:

Consider a magical working you would like to do.  Name the following symbols you might use for this working:

• Moon phase
• Day of the week
• Color
• Planetary glyph
• Magical stone
• What keyword would you write in Theban on a candle or other magical object?

Exploring Magical Stones:

• Have you ever experienced the magical influences of a stone?  Discuss it in writing or with a friend.
• How might you use one of the stones listed here today?

In a small pouch, place one or two stones that hold a magical influence that you desire.  Place the pouch on a string and wear it around your neck, or place the pouch somewhere that allows it to have close bodily contact.  Monitor the effects of the stone and journal about your experiences.

Roderick certainly put a lot of activities into today, didn’t he?  Well, to begin, if I was to do a working right now, it would be to help me figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life.  I’m feeling a bit directionless at the moment and need a jump start.  I’d probably choose a waxing moon for this working, and I think I’d probably choose Thursday for this working, since Jupiter’s influence on growth, expansion, fulfillment, and influence seem conducive to this goal.  I’m also prone to working the color orange into the magic for it’s connections to happiness, adaptability, and resilience.  I’d probably also rely on the planetary glyphs for Jupiter and the Sun to reinforce the Thursday and Orange energies.  If I was using stones, I think I’d use both carnelian (since it helps stimulate movement, blocks negative energy, and works on the conscious mind) and a lodestone (since it helps to draw desires to me).  I think I would use the keyword “PURPOSE” in the working.

I have experienced the magical influences of stones before.  In high school and college, I almost constantly wore a piece of jewelry with a carnelian in it, and I think it helped stave off a lot of the negative emotions of that dynamic time.  With my tendencies towards depression, those years could have been much, much worse.  It also helped me deal with my changing home life a lot more productively, and–academically–I think it really helped me to develop my talents with a lot more purpose and ease.  When I lost that piece, I think I did lose a good bit of that focus, and my heart got hardened towards a lot of the daily sorrows I saw and experienced.  I also wore a fluorite pendant, and I think it helped my mental concentration and gave me a lot more stability than I would have otherwise had.

I chose to don my pearl necklace today and see if it had much of an effect upon me.  Honestly?  I think it might have.  I’ve been dealing with a lawsuit (fall out from something my father had done years ago, but which now falls on me to clean up), and I’ve been on edge quite a bit.  Today, however, I enjoyed far more peace and tranquility than I’ve had for weeks.  It was a subtle change, and I’m not sure I would have attributed it to my choice in jewelry if I had not specifically chosen those gems today.