AMBER

pronunciation – Amber – “am-ber”

A wonderful crystal for healing one’s vitality, Amber provides us with protection and prosperity. This brilliant stone, which is actually comprised of fossilized tree resin, holds a wealth of spiritual meaning within it. Read on to learn more about Amber!

SPIRITUAL HEALING PROPERTIES OF AMBER

Gifted with the sun’s energy, Amber grants physical vitality and strength and also speeds recovery from illness and injury. In addition, this healing crystal also purifies and cleanses its environment. It aligns the physical, mental, and emotional bodies to enhance the user’s flow of energy.

Amber is an excellent stone to use for protection, particularly for children. Putting a piece in a child’s room helps to shield them from negative energy and keep them from harm.

Amber effectively manifests prosperity and abundance, especially when paired with other stones such as Citrine. It transforms negative or stagnant energies into clear, usable frequencies, and its bright energy helps to lighten the user’s disposition. This property in particular may serve those who suffer from depression, suicidal thoughts, or seasonal affective disorder.

Amber enhances decision-making, increasing the ability to make a choice or be chosen. Because of its ability to activate one’s life force, this stone is particularly helpful for the elderly. As a stone of love and promises, Amber grants deeper meaning to marriage vow renewals.

PHYSICAL HEALING PROPERTIES OF AMBER

Amber serves as an excellent physical healing tool. It stimulates metabolism, bolsters energy levels, and helps the digestive tract, organs, and glands to function optimally. Amber also helps with infections and supports those with conditions such as blood disorders, epilepsy, amnesia, and other memory problems.

PHOTO GALLERY

AMBER CRYSTAL CORRESPONDENCES

HEALING PROPERTIES	Vitality, Prosperity, Healing, Manifestation, Strength
CHAKRAS	Sacral, Solar Plexus
ZODIAC SIGNS	Leo, Sagittarius, Aquarius
PLANETARY RULERS	Sun
NUMBERS	1, 2, 3
TAROT	The Magician, The High Priestess, The Empress
ELEMENTS	Fire, Earth
DEITIES	Danu, Freya, Apollo, Njord, Seraphiel, Sekhmet
PAIRINGS	Pyrite, Citrine, Carnelian

LORE & HISTORY

Amber is one of the oldest natural materials used by humans; the oldest known piece dates back to 320 million years ago. In ancient times, it was used in a similar fashion to modern-day penicillin by either grinding the stone up and ingesting it, or putting it in water to create a drinkable elixir.

Many cultures employed a softer, lighter form of Amber known as copal to clear their environment of negativity. In particular, various Native American tribes burned it in fire ceremonies.

Because of Amber’s ability to preserve life (shown in the many insects, flora, and fauna fossilized within pieces of the stone), it was often used in funeral rites and placed in tombs. This practice guarded the souls of the deceased as they transitioned into the afterlife.

Amber’s association with mourning and death is apparent through many different cultures’ mythologies. The ancient Chinese believed that when a tiger passed away its soul transformed into Amber as it left the earthly plane.

In Greek mythology, Helios, the sun god who drove a chariot around Earth as the sun rose and set, had seven daughters known as the Heliades, and a son called Phaethon. Phaethon was killed while driving his father’s chariot, and his body fell into the river. The Heliades wept for so long by the river that they turned into poplar trees, their tears hardening into Amber teardrops dripping off the bark.

In Baltic mythology (predominantly Lithuania and Latvia, where Baltic Amber is typically found) the sun goddess Saule adored the little grass snakes (similar to garter snakes) called zaltys. If she saw that her beloved snakes were hurt, she wept over them and her tears turned to Amber as a reminder for humans not to harm them.

HOW TO USE AMBER

Amber excels at enhancing physical activity; try wearing it or putting it in your pocket while exercising or participating in any sports-related competitions. Additionally, when worn as jewelry, this crystal lifts the mood by imparting bright, positive energy.

To give your child an extra boost of protection while they’re at school, put a piece in their backpack or school bag.

Meditate with Amber by placing it on your sacral or solar plexus chakra, depending on which chakra you’re focusing on. You can also hold it in your hands and allow its warmth to fill your body as if you’re sitting in a sunbeam.

On the Body: Wear it as a necklace to receive strength and energy, or to use it as a protective amulet.

Inside: Put it in a child’s bedroom to create a protective shield around them. You can also put a piece in a sunny window to emphasize the glowing beauty of the stone and charge it with the sun’s powerful energy.

CLEANING AND CLEANSING AMBER

Physical Cleaning: Clean Amber with canned air to remove dust and debris.

Energetic Cleansing: There are numerous ways to energetically cleanse Amber.

• Set on or next to Selenite or Satin Spar, or set in lavender.
• Use smoke from herb bundles or incense.
• Charge under the full moonlight.

AMBER TOXICITY AND POTENTIAL ALLERGENS

 “…Acts to purify one’s body, mind, and spirit when…used as an elixir.” (Love is in the Earth – Updated 109)
“Toxic or harmful stone.  Toxic dust, fumes, possible ingestive toxicity.” (Harton)

*See our note below referring to the usage of Amber in gem elixirs.

For more information and citations regarding toxic, poisonous, and otherwise dangerous crystals, visit our Toxic Crystals page!

GEM ELIXIRS

Crystallography Gems has found a lot of information that contradicts the statement above and claims that Amber is completely non-toxic. This is the only source that we have read claiming that Amber should be used with caution. Our suggestion would be to use an elixir prepared with the indirect method just to be safe until more research can be done on this claim.

OTHER NAMES FOR AMBER

Common Names: Ambrite, Resinite (common names for Amber found in coal seams in New Zealand), Lyngurium, Lynx Stone (uncommon, ancient name for a stone made of solidified lynx urine that historians believe to be modern-day Amber), Succinite (another name for Baltic Amber)
Trade Names: N/A
Trademarked Names: N/A

GEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

Amber is made up of fossilized tree resin (as opposed to tree sap).  It is found in different varieties, colors, and grades all over the world.  The most common is Baltic Amber which is found along the coast of the Baltic Sea and typically comes in dark brown. Other varieties include honey yellow, green, and even a rare, UV-reactive Blue Amber. 

Using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, scientists have discovered that Amber originates from pine trees and legumes. These plants produced the resin as a defense against insects and other pests, which resulted in Amber with unique chemical signatures over the centuries. 

Depending on the country of origin, some types of Amber commonly include flora and insects.  However, vertebrates are almost never found encased in Amber, so that’s a good sign the seller is lying. Natural Amber’s light weight makes it easy to fake using resins and dyes, so be careful when buying.

Copal Amber is soft enough that it burns slowly like incense and has been used in rituals by many different societies.  When worn against the skin, this variety emits a pleasing fragrance.

CHEMICAL FORMULA	C12H20O
SHAPE	N/A
CRYSTAL SYSTEM	Amorphous (no crystals)
HABIT	Nodular – Tuberose forms having irregular protuberances over the surface. Pulverulent – Forms a loose, poorly-coherent powdery mass.
COLOR	Yellow, Brown, Colorless, Brownish red.
STREAK	White
LUSTER	Resinous
DIAPHANEITY	Transparent
HARDNESS	2.0-2.5 Mohs
CLEAVAGE	None
FRACTURE	Conchoidal – Fractures developed in brittle materials characterized by smoothly curving surfaces
SPECIFIC GRAVITY	1.05-1.10 kg/cm3
REFRACTIVE INDEX	1.539-1.545
OPTICAL PROPERTIES	Isotropic, n=1.54

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DISCLAIMER

Crystallography Gems, inc. and CrystallographyGems.com do not dispense medical advice nor prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for medical problems. Always seek the advice of your medical physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions that you might have about a medical condition.