Madame Z's Corner: Amber

Madame Z provides monthly posts featuring a different healing stone each month. She gathers her info from many different sources including the books: The Pocket Book of Stones; The Way of the Green Witch; Healing Crystals and Gemstones; The Essential Guide to Crystals, Minerals, and Stones; and Grimoire for a Green Witch; the websites: That Crystal Site; Wings of Spirit; and Healing Crystals for You; as well as relying on personal experience. Healing stones are not a substitute for medical treatment. Anyone with serious medical or emotional issues should consult with a health care professional. When purchasing a healing stone, it is best to buy the stone you are drawn to. Healing stones should be cleansed and charged periodically. We cleanse our personal stones at least once a month, and sometimes more often if we feel they need it. Cleansing can be accomplished by holding the stone in a stream of water. A natural stream is best, but since most of us do not have access to one, filtered water is a good substitute. Stones that include metals should not be placed in water because of the risk of rust. These stones can be placed in dirt or smudged with white sage. To recharge the stones, place in a sunny window or in moonlight for a few hours.

The spotlight stone for June is Amber. Amber is fossilized pine tree sap and can be found in the colors, yellow, reddish brown, and brown. This stone brings a warm energy and is believed to create a sense of health and well-being. It is thought to help clear unwanted energies from energy sucking people, and also to enhance self healing. Because it is thought to help amplify the intention to remove harmful matter from the body, it is considered to be helpful in removing toxic substances. Amber is thought to help give one courage to follow the path to recovery, and is recommended for anyone recovering from illness or injury. It is believed to enhance ones own desire for wellness and to activate the life force. It is also thought to assist in recalling past lives with the intent to learn how the memories can help with recovery in this life. Amber is considered to be helpful with the grieving process, to dissolve energy blockages, and to relieve depression. It is considered a bridge to connect the spiritual and physical energies, and to ground spiritual energies into the body. Amber is believed to calm fears, bring a harmonising energy, and to activate creativity. It is also associated with good luck and success.

Magically, it is a witch's stone, thought to strengthen spells and also to break them. Additionally, it is considered a protective stone.

Physically, it is believed to stimulate metabolism, and to treat skin ailments caused by metabolic imbalance. Ground amber is considered beneficial for treating skin infections and boils. Allergic respiratory problems are thought to be eased by wearing a necklace of amber. Amber necklaces have also been used to help ease teething pain in infants. This wonderful stone is thought to be helpful in treating the following ailments: abscesses, allergies, arthritis, asthma, backache, bronchitis, circulatory disorders, epilepsy, fever, gout, inflamed gums, hay fever, headaches (including migraines), tired and swollen legs, lesions, liver ailments, muscle inflammation, rheumatism, sciatica, shingles, tonsillitis, varicose veins, bursitis, colic, earaches, goiter, neuralgia, and whooping cough. It is also believed to strengthen bones, to strengthen heart muscle, and to aid in surgical recovery. While no stone is going to treat something as serious as Aids by itself, amber is thought to be helpful when combined with mainstream medical treatments. Amber is thought to work best when placed directly on the skin. For pain relief, such as back pain, placing amber directly on the sore spot is thought to provide the best relief.

Amber is associated with the solar plexus, navel, crown, and heart chakras. It should be cleansed with warm water. We use moonlight to charge our stones because placing amber in direct sunlight may cause it to become brittle. Negative energy can cause amber to become cloudy.

Amber is such an amazing stone, and one of our personal favorites. It truly does bring a warm energy to the wearer. A wonderful combination of joyful energy and vitality, with a sense of inner peace.