Jet has been calling for my attention and I can’t help but think if this is because we could benefit on reflecting on this wise earth wisdom keeper now.
When it comes to psychic protection crystals and stones, people often go straight to Schorl, more commonly known as Black Tourmaline. But back in Victorian times, the go-to stone was Jet, also known as Lignite, and one of its most prized sources was conveniently found in Whitby, North Yorkshire.
Besides Whitby, Jet is also sourced from Spain, France and New Mexico. It weighs barely anything and is most commonly known for being ‘jet black’ in colour, although it can sometimes be dark brown. It is opaque and can feel slightly waxy to the touch.
Historical Uses
It is worth noting that Jet has been regarded as ‘special’, worthy of human attention and something to be sought after, since Neolithic times. Archaeological investigations have discovered large carved beads and belt-sliders made from Jet near ancient sites. It has also been found at burial sites from many different ages and in many different countries, suggesting its use in the protection of either the soul, burial belongings or the sacredness of the burial ground itself. Perhaps this is where its long association with death and transitioning began.
Carved jewellery and accessories such as bracelets, hairpins, necklaces, bangles and brooches, along with various ornaments, have also been found from Roman times.
In the first century, Pliny the Elder documented Jet in his work Natural History. He referred to this black stone as ‘gagates’ and wrote that it could be burned, with the resulting smoke being considered useful for protection from snakes and illness. He listed many other supposed uses too, some of which appear to have been repeated, embellished and elaborated upon by later writers.
Some of the historical uses attributed to Jet throughout the ages include; epilepsy, hysteria, the plague, testing virginity, childbirth, toothache and headaches, to name only a few. Please note that I am NOT suggesting Jet as a treatment for any of these conditions, but it is interesting to ponder why these claims were made repeatedly over the centuries and did any of them work and if they did work on occasion, could a part of this have been down to the power of belief which is an incredibly powerful component in all healing.
Interestingly, in the third century, Solinus also wrote about Jet’s magical properties after observing that, like Amber, it can create static electricity when rubbed. Historically, Jet has sometimes been referred to as Black Amber, and Jet and Amber continue to be paired together, particularly in jewellery and other accessories.
During the Middle Ages, both Mary Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I were known to adorn themselves with Jet, often using it as buttons on their clothing. Other wealthy people also wore Jet as a statement of elegance, status and power.
Spanish Jet, known as azabache, was carved into protective amulets, including the little clenched fist known as the higa, which was believed to protect against the mal de ojo, or evil eye. The pilgrimage city of Santiago de Compostela became a famous centre for Jet carving, and alongside these protective amulets, crosses and other pilgrim charms were also produced.
In Victorian times, Queen Victoria greatly increased the popularity of Jet following the death of her husband, Prince Albert, in 1861. From that point onwards she famously wore black mourning clothes and Jet jewellery, strengthening Jet’s association with grief and establishing it as something of a companion stone during mourning.
With the rise of parlour games, séances and Spiritualism during Victorian times, I can’t help but wonder whether Jet was also expected to ward off unwanted spirits, darker influences and demons.
Formation and Mineralogy
Jet is around 75% carbon and 12% oxygen, with sulphur and hydrogen making up much of the remaining composition.
Jet is considered a mineraloid and is amorphous, meaning that it does not have an ordered crystalline structure.
It is similar to coal in that both originate from decomposed organic material and are relatively light, although they form differently. Coal is generally found in seams and develops where large accumulations of vegetation, often from ancient swampy woodland environments, become buried and gradually altered through compaction, heat and chemical processes.
Jet, however, does not usually form in extensive seams in quite the same way. It can form from an individual piece of wood, such as a large branch or trunk, that is washed into a body of water. The wood becomes waterlogged, sinks to the bottom and is buried amongst organic-rich sediment. Over immense periods of geological time, pressure, heat and chemical alteration gradually transform that wood into Jet.
This mineraloid therefore carries an extraordinary story of transformation, beginning within the tree and plant kingdom before entering into geological processes that enabled it to be preserved, hardened and transformed over hundreds of millions of years.
This alone suggests why the energy of Jet might be considered supportive of resilience, endurance and durability during difficult times.
Potential Support from Jet
As a zodiac stone, Jet is understandably associated with Capricorn, the final Earth sign of the zodiac. Capricorn is symbolised by the Sea-Goat, part mountain goat and part fish-tailed creature, which beautifully echoes Jet’s own connection with the elements of Earth and Water. Jet begins as wood that becomes waterlogged before eventually being buried, compressed and transformed within the Earth over millions of years.
The matt black colour of Jet is like midnight but with no stars, a nothingness and a void of the unknown. We can feel lost and yet black hides within it the potential for all the colours and reminds us that when we surrender, we open ourselves to the possibility of something new. Black hides the raw power that is awaiting to be found and re-owned. When the black meets the light (which it does) it brings wisdom from its experience.
Modern chakra-balancing correspondences for Jet include the Earth Star chakra, situated approximately one to three feet beneath the feet, the Feet chakras on the soles of the feet and, of course, the Root chakra.
The Earth Star and Feet chakras help us to remain grounded, present and balanced, while the Root chakra is traditionally associated with our foundations, survival, security and physical embodiment. It is also linked in modern chakra teachings with the adrenal glands and excretory organs, symbolically reflecting our ability to release stress, fear and unnecessary burdens so that stronger foundations can begin to take shape.
When I hold Jet, I feel a calm, grounding influence that lends reassurance to worry and anxiety. It is not energising in any sense. Instead, it seems to gently hold your energy within what feels like a safe and restorative space.
Could this be the impressions of the past held within it?
Most definitely yes.
Whether this comes from its extraordinary formation process, its long association with death, mourning and protection, or perhaps the accumulated projections and expectations of humans becoming somehow entangled within its energetic story, for me it is a YES.
As an amorphous stone with no crystal structure, Jet also reminds us of the importance of letting go of rigid attachments to situations, people and even our own identity, allowing space for Divine Will to unfurl.
Yet it does this with the gentleness of the feminine archetypal elemental energies of Water and Earth.
Jet also acts as something of a mirror, reminding us that letting go, grieving and transitioning can eventually allow wisdom to rise from the depths of our being. Through reflection, we may begin to see the experiences of the past, present and future in a more wholesome and integrated way.
For this reason, Jet is a beautiful stone to meditate with, to use during reflective practices or simply to keep close when you feel vulnerable. Its long historical association with protection can also be consciously worked with through intention and ritual, particularly when psychic protection, grounding and energetic containment are needed.
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With best wishes and gratitude always,
Kelly x
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