Magic Rocks!
by J'Karrah EbonDragon, 2004
Looking
for an article on how cool magic is?
About all of the neat things you can do with it?
Well… sorry to say that while it is true that magic can be cool
and there are all sorts of neat things you can do with it, that’s not
what I’m going to be talking about.
What
I am going to discuss here is the magical properties of plain old rocks.
You know… the kind you can find in your backyard.
Bet ya never thought about that did ya?
Well, don’t feel bad, because you’re not alone.
It never ceases to amaze me how many Witches, Wiccans and Pagans
today seem completely incapable of seeing the magic in “common place”
items. If they can’t buy it
in their local magical supply store, or on line at “Magic_Is_Us.com”
they don’t think it can be useful in a magical framework. There are
literally tons of things found just lying on the ground waiting to be
picked up and used by the observant practitioner.
Plain old rocks fall into this category.
But if you take the time to study the geology of your area you may
find that “plain old” rocks aren’t so plain after all.
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Geologically speaking there are three basic “families” of rock: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic: The term “igneous” means having the nature of, or pertaining to fire. Igneous rocks form under conditions involving intense heat, and are the product of the solidification liquid magma. If the rock formed underground it is called “plutonic” and if it formed above ground it is called volcanic. Igneous rocks are the foundation stones of the earth. They are the oldest rocks you are going to find anywhere on the planet and some have survived unchanged literally since its birth some 4.5 billion years ago. Types of igneous rocks: all types of granite, basalt, obsidian, pumice, feldspars, and gabbros. Primary elemental associations: earth and fire. |
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Sedimentary rocks are made up of sediment: fragments of other rocks, mud, and even the microscopic shells and skeletons of tiny marine organisms. Sedimentary rocks can be made up of any number of loose, discreet components all melded together into a more solid, stronger whole. Suggested Magical Uses: unification of diverse groups into a cohesive whole, concentration, gain, building up of resources over time, community, and synchronicity. Primary elemental associations: air (wind) and water. |
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These are the “changed rocks.”
Metamorphic rocks are formed when heat and pressure change the
original or parent rock into a completely new rock.
The parent rock can be either a sedimentary rock, an igneous or
even another metamorphic rock. And many times, like a caterpillar into a butterfly, the new
changed rock may bear little to no resemblance to its former state. Types of metamorphic rocks: marble (from limestone or dolomite), slate and schist (from various shales depending on the amount of change that takes place), gneiss (pronounced “nice” from various granites), and quartzite (from sandstone). Suggested Magical Uses: anything dealing with change: personal transformation (mental, spiritual, physical) changing jobs or circumstances, survival of “trials by fire.” Primary elemental associations: earth and fire |
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So next time you are looking to do a spell for something, don’t waste time and money looking to purchase that perfect crystal. Get yourself a good rock and mineral collecting book (check your local library for books on the geology of your specific area), pack a lunch and go rock hunting. Heck, take the members of your coven or group and turn it into a true magical journey of exploration and discovery! |