Amber, the Fossilized Resin
The Magical Substance of Coniferous Trees
Amber is often listed among other gemstones even though it is not a stone or crystal. Amber occurs in a range of colors from the popular yellow, gold, or orange, to the lesser known dark brown, green, violet, or black. It has an electrical nature, and it is unique in that fossilized insects and plants are often found within the resin.
Historical Uses of Amber
During prehistoric times of ancient Goddess worship, amber was highly valued, and for at least 10,000 years, humans have used it to produce jewelry. Amber has functioned as a protective amulet against sorcery, witchcraft, and poisons. The Greeks called amber electron, and the Phoenicians traded it. The fossilized resin was also popular among the Romans who used it for healing (throat aches and headaches) and protection (an amber phallus guarded against the Evil Eye).
Popular Uses of Amber
Amber is a connector; it balances and harmonizes yin and yang, and past, present, and future. Amber brings good luck and protects health. With amber in possession, one finds harmony, peace, humor, joy, beauty, healing, love, physical strength, protection, courage, and calm. Amber is associated with memory, history, spirituality, positive energy, love spells, and protection of children. If worn as a necklace, it can help aid a woman in childbirth or protect from sore throats.
Jet (or black amber) has similar properties to amber, and the two often come together in a witch’s necklace. High Priestesses can show their rank by wearing an amber necklace, and traditional witches’ necklaces consist of amber and jet beads.
Healing Uses of Amber
Amber contains curative properties that people have tapped into over the centuries in order to treat a variety of physical maladies. Amber treats the following illnesses: hay fever, benign and malignant growths, asthma, ulcers, colds, and respiratory diseases. It also is said to remedy stress and tension, soreness, failing eyesight, earaches, sore throats, toothaches, swollen glands, kidney and intestinal ailments, and water retention.
Amber’s Correspondences
Amber corresponds to specific chakras, planets, astrological signs, and goddesses and gods. The energy of amber is connected to the 2nd chakra (the belly or spleen chakra, just below the navel). The resin’s planets are Mercury and Venus; Leo and Aquarius are its astrological signs.
Amber is sacred to the Yoruba goddess Oshun, the Baltic Sea goddess Amberella, the Norse goddess Freya, the Greek god Apollo, and the three sisters, the Electrides. In Greek Myth, the Electrides (Heliades) mourned for their brother Phaethon, the son of Helius, who died while traveling too close to the sun in his father’s chariot. The grief-stricken Electrides changed into trees, and the tears they wept hardened and turned into amber in the sunlight.
Amber represents the intense and life-enhancing energies of the Sun and the Goddess. Divinity, life, exuberance, well-being, and harmony continue to be emitted from this magical tree resin.
For more information on the magical uses of gemstones and crystals, see Magical Properties of Crystals.
References
Conway, D.J. A Little Book of Healing Magic. Berkeley: The Crossing Press, 2002.
Guiley, Rosemary Ellen. The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft. 2nd Edition. New York: Checkmark Books, 1999.
Holland, Ellen. The Wicca Handbook. York Beach: Weiser Books, 2000.
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