Black Onyx
Crystal Properties:
Colour: Deep black, sometimes with white bands or layers.
Chemical Composition: Silicon dioxide.
Hardness: 6.5 - 7 on the Mohs scale.
Transparency: Opaque.
Lustre: Vitreous to waxy.
Historical and Geological Background:
Black Onyx has been valued for thousands of years, utilized in carvings, jewellery, and as protective amulets. Originating from Greek and Latin cultures where it was used to carve figures of the gods and heroes in cameos and intaglio engravings, it was believed to bring inner strength, endurance, and perseverance to those who wore it. This stone is most commonly found in Brazil, India, and Madagascar.
Metaphysical Associations:
Chakra: Root.
Element: Earth.
Planet: Saturn.
Zodiac Sign: Leo, Capricorn.
Healing and Therapeutic Uses:
Emotional Resilience: Provides support during times of physical or emotional stress. It fosters resilience and helps to hold physical memories, making it useful in healing old wounds or past life issues.
Strength and Stamina: Enhances strength, stamina, and durability. Encourages persistence to complete tasks that are physically demanding or require extended effort.
Protection: Serves as a powerful protection stone, absorbing and transforming negative energy, and helping to prevent the drain of personal energy.
Spiritual and Esoteric Uses:
Grounding: Helps in grounding to the physical plane, balancing with the root chakra, and connecting the spiritual with the everyday.
Self-Control: Aids in controlling, focusing, and directing the will, and often recommended for managing personal power effectively.
Mystery and Magic: Associated with night and seeing through darkness, it helps uncover hidden knowledge, particularly about oneself and one's environment.
Numerology:
Numerological Significance: Often resonates with the number 6, which emphasizes harmony, empathy, and nurturing, qualities that enhance the stabilizing energy of the stone.
Additional Properties:
Focus and Discipline: Promotes focus, discipline, and logical thinking, making it useful for students and professionals in high-stress environments.
Leadership Qualities: Enhances authority and decisiveness, beneficial for those in leadership positions or those who wish to increase their influence over their own lives.
Confidence: Boosts self-confidence by encouraging a sense of security in one's personal strength and helping to protect against negativity.