Stonewise: Petrified Wood

As a Stone Witch, it probably comes as no surprise that I have a deep fascination with Petrified Wood. So that's what we'll look at in today's Stonewise post.

As before I draw my information from my book of stones by Ardriana Cahill.

This fossil, over 225 million years old is the result of trees falling into rivers and lakes. As the water seeped into the wood, the chemicals from volcanic ash reacted to the wood and formed into quartz crystals. The original wood structure is retained, but all its cellulose is replaced by silica and becomes a kind of chalcedony.

Magick: It is carried for longevity, to increase our enjoyment of life and encourage our growth. A perfect grounding stone for us tree lovers.

How I use it in my jewelry...As I said in the beginning, I have a deep fascination with Petrified Wood. It was once alive, and through millions of years of transformation has become a beautiful stone. I experience child-like wonder every time I think about that concept. How is it not magick?

Being a symbol of both wood and stone, it has become *the* Earth stone for me and is potent for healing, grounding and finding the hidden, steady source of strength that we all have. It will be the center piece for the Earth jewelry I will make and also anchors several pieces of healing jewelry I have made.

I don't have very many pieces, especially in tumbled nuggets, but I have a couple larger pieces, one is even oak, which I find to be particularly magickal. These pieces are usually set in places of prominence on my altar, like representing the direction of earth in a four quarters pattern. I wish I had more.

And now you know a little bit more of how I work.

Till next time, be well,

Red