Amber

Amber is a fossilized resin resulting from the rapid burial of trees somewhere between 2-65 million years ago and the best amber is found near the Baltic Sea. It varies in colour from whitish(creamed) to yellow (honey), dark brown (Brandy) to olive green (with moss/lichen inclusions) and a reddish brown (cherry), and can have inclusions that got caught up in the fresh resin millions of years ago (insects, leaves etc). It is a mysterious object and one which I love!! It is warm to the touch and hardly noticeable when you wear it. To tell what is real amber, rub it against wool or silk to charge it with electricity and it will pick up a small piece of paper – good test considering so much of it on the market is plastic!

Since time began, amber has been used for healing and is even thought to possess life. It would, at one time, have been ground up and taken internally with honey as a natural anti-biotic. It has been worn since ancient times around the neck for use against throat infections and they would add a little ground amber to wine or honey for everything from distraction to childbirth, and from vertigo to the Plague. Over in Scandinavia, it was believed to be the tears of Viking Goddess Freya and worn for love and healing, whilst in the Far East, it was the souls of tigers and wearing it would bring courage. Even in Scotland, they used ‘Lammer beads’, always made of amber, to keep away evil and cure diseases of every kind. Wearing or carrying amber provides the wearer with protection and if you are feeling negative, carry or wear a piece of amber to transmute this. Place on your altar to enhance any magickal work or give to your partner to enhance your commitment to each other. Feeling indecisive – wear amber. Need courage or a change of luck – wear amber. Stressed and tired and need energy – wear amber. What can one say – it has been used for everything over the last 3000 years so what is there to lose?

Amber beads have been found in Northern European graves’ dating back to 8000BC which means amber has been used to adorn the body since time immemorial. “Teething necklaces” are still used for babies and children as it magickally guards them and their health. Amber has always been used to strengthen magick and the magicians’ power, whether worn by the witch or placed on the altar. Both are preferable; many witches wear amber & jet necklaces for power and protection. Amber is used to enhance the wearer’s beauty in attracting a mate/love/sex, and also by helping to attract friends to the lonely, stimulate happiness in the sad and enhance business for the self-employed. Wear as a necklace for these qualities as well as for fighting illness of every kind, of which beads are best for this just like with children. Magickally, Amber is used to protect men in transit so we’ve sewn this into coat hems for guys going off in the forces or on long journeys. I keep amber with moonstone and quartz in my cars, luggage etc for safe travel. It protects against negative energy when worn, whilst bringing a feeling of calm, healing and peace at the same time. If you just want to feel better, simply wear amber and it feels like the sun on your skin, transforming stagnant energy into positive and dissolving any helpless feelings of turmoil and chaos…