The Stones of Light Part 10: The Lodestone

Lodestone ©2021

What is a Lodestone? 

Lodestones are pieces of iron ore which have been struck by lightning rendering them magnetic. They have different degrees of magnetism. Those with a strong pull are highly valued, while those with a weak or no pull are of no use in magic. 

According to legend, some folks believe that lodestones can be found in the head of eagles. For this reason they are sometimes called Eagle Stones.  In fact, this belief states that every eagle has three stones in their head. One for attraction spells and a matched pair for love spells. 

Lodestones come in various sizes from smallest to largest:

• Lodestone Grit (Gravel) - these are very tiny pieces of lodestone. These are used in the making of lodestone oil and are also included in mojo bags where larger stones may be too big. 
• Small Size - These are usually about 1" X 1" in size.  These are used in mojo hands and spells to attract one's desire to yourself. 
• Large Size - These are generally about 1" X 2" in size.  These are used for altar work, but they also come in pairs for use in love spells. 
• Extra Large - These usually are about 2" X 2" in size. These are used most exclusively for altar work and are usually owned by professional Rootworkers or serious students of Hoodoo. Three is an ideal number of extra large lodestones to own. One for money and attraction spells and a matched pair  (see below) for love spells. 

Color Symbolism \

Red Lodestone 

Lodestones are naturally gray, however they often turn more black over time. Sometimes a lodestone will develop a white-ish layer and with exposure to moisture the may develop reddish or brown spots on them.  

Since color associations play such an important role in folk magic practices these variations of lodestones have developed certain beliefs. For example, since Red is associated with love, red lodestones are often used in love spells; and since white is associated with spirituality, psychic ability, and dreams. In addition, red lodestones are often associated with women (menstrual blood) and white stones with men (semen). 

Some folks have taken this a step further by painting their lodestone with splashes of enamel pain in various colors including gold, blue, green, white, red, and silver. 

Male, Female, and Neuter Lodestone 

Lodestones have been associated with sexual genders by various magical traditions including Hoodoo, Hindu Folk Magic, and Scottish traditions. Generally speaking, stones which are long, angular, pyramid-like, or phallic are considered male while female lodestones are more rounded, cubical, or compact. Finally, a lodestone which cannot find a mate is thought to be neutered. 

One Stone or Two?

Lodestone Attraction Spell 

As stated earlier, lodestones may be used in singles or in pairs. Small single lodestones are often included in mojo bags to attract something. For example a fairly easy Follow Me Boy Mojo bag consists of dirt lifted from the man's footprint, a small lodestone, and dried lavender. 

Larger lodestones can be used to attract something that you desire.  This is done by obtaining a photo of whatever it is you wish to attract such as a new car, new house, money, etc... In the case of money, you can use actual money. Next anoint the four corners and center of the photo  with a condition oil such as Lodestone Oil. Then you could place the picture on a plate with the Lodestone on top. Dress the lodestone with a bit of your oil and feed it magnetic sand saying: "As I feed you, so will you feed me so that as this magnetic sand is drawn to you (name what is desired) is drawn to me." This would then be followed by your prayer or petition. 

The ritual would then be perform each night for seven nights as the moon grows. On the last night pack up the lodestone and plate placing it in a safe place. When your wish manifests burn the lodestone and plate together. 

Rootworkers often keep large lodestones on their altar with their clients petitions underneath the stone. The stone is fed and prayed over on a regular basis. 

Paired Lodestones are used exclusively for love and relationships spells. To use lodestones as pairs they must be matched or mated. To match a pair of lodestones, they are lightly dusted with magnetic sand and then one compared to another to see where they join together. In the modern era where people are more free to express their sexuality, many folks use two male stones for gay love spells and two female stones for lesbian love spells in addition to use a male and female stone for heterosexual relationship. 

Paired Lodestones ©2021 

These mated stones are usually worked on the altar by placing them about a foot across from one another. They are ritually fed with magnetic sand and a condition oil such as Lavender Love Oil for homosexuals and Come to Me Oil for heterosexuals. As the lodestones are fed, the worker will say "feed the he" and / or "feed the she" as appropriate. 

The lodestones then move a little closer to one another and are prayed over asking that as the stones are drawn closer together each day that the individuals comes together in love, romance, and harmony. When the lodestones touch, they are wrapped up and placed in a special box where they are kept safe from outside interference. 

Professional Rootworkers often keep extra large paired lodestones on their love altar. When a client wishes to attract a mate using a lodestone attraction ritual, the rootworker will place a large lodestone on top of the larger ones - they are called riders as they ride the larger lodestones. He or she will then ritually bring the extra large lodestones closer together each night as described above with the large lodestones on top of them. 

When the ritual is complete the Rootworker will usually carefully package the stones together and send them to client for safekeeping.  In some rare cases, the rootworker will keep the stones and bury them somewhere on the client's behalf. 

- Carolina Dean 

The Stones of Light Pt. 9: The Philosopher's Stone

 

Philosopher's Stone from Harry Potter & The Philosopher's Stone (2001)

The Philosopher's Stone comes to use from the Alchemical Tradition. Alchemy is the art and science of transformation and is the precursor to modern chemistry. The creation of the Philosopher's Stone has been the aim of alchemist since antiquity. 

It has two basic functions. They are:

• To turn base metals, such as lead, into gold. 
• To create the Elixir of Life which confers immortality upon the person who drinks it. 

However, according to legend, the Philosopher's Stone also has the ability to heal dead or dying plants, to turn rocks into precious jewels, and the ability to create clones of other beings. 

The creation of the Phislopher's Stone is said to occur through a process called the Magnum Opus (Great Work). In more specific terms, the stone is said to be manufactured through a series of chemical processes. Each stage in this series of processes is associated with a color which results in first a white stone, and then a red one. The White stone is to be a less mature version of the red stone. The White stone is said to turn base metals into silver, which the red one will transmute them into gold. 

According to some, Nicholas Flamel is the only person who has ever successfully manufactured the Philosopher's Stone and although it is said that he died in 1418, others believe him to have achieved immortality. However, there is a general consensus among historians that while Nicholas Flamel was a real person his reputation as an alchemist was completely made up after his death.... or is that what they WANT you to believe???

- Carolina Dean 

The Stones of Light Part 8: The Hag Stone

 

Hag Stone ©2021

The Hag Stone 

Hag Stones are stones that have a natural hole thought them. They are also known by man other names including, but not limited to the following:

• Adder Stone
• Witch Stone 
• Serpents Egg
• Glaine Neidr (Wales)
• Milpreve (Cornwall) 
• Adderstanes (Scoptland)
• Gloin nan Druidh (Druid's glass) 
• Holed Stones or Holey Stones (Americas)

Various beliefs exists concerning the origin of these stones. The three most common, however, is that 1) they are the solidified saliva of snakes (the hole is accounted for by the snakes tongue), 2) they are found in the head of a snake, or 3) they are naturally occurring formations made by water flowing over the stone over time - for this reason they are often found on rivers and beaches. 

Magical Uses of Hag Stones 

The various cultures and traditions concerning the magical powers and uses of Hag Stone widely vary. Some sources say that it enables one to win lawsuits. Other sources indicate that it has healing properties and that to use such a stone for healing your place the stone in water and then drink the water. 

Owing to its association with water and female genitalia, Hag Stones are believed to enable women to conceive children. Since they are associated with the fertility of people and animals they are also believed to make one prosperous. 

They are also credited with being powerful amulets of protection, especially against evil spirits, witches, and any kind of bad luck. For this purpose they are often worn on a leather thong around the neck of affixed to one's front door, animal collars, or even boats to protect them from evil and danger. 

Finally, my friend Duncan the Seer told me that if you look through a hole in a hag stone you will see the future. Have a look for yourself....

Carolina Dean 

The Stones of Light Pt. 6: The Otane

 The Otane 

Otane ©2021

The Otane comes to us from the practice of Santeria, which means "Way of the Saints".  Other names for this religion include Lucumi, and Regla de Ocha. Santeria originally developed in 19th century Cuba and became a blend of the Yoruba Religion, Roman Catholicism, and Spiritualism. Although Santeria is an initiatory tradition, it has no central authority but rather is comprised of autonomous groups of people and families. Santeria is complex religion and there is a great deal of information not available to non-initiates so the focus of this article will be on the Otane. 

Practitioners worship the Orishas, or Gods. There are several Orishas who have their own colors, foods, rituals, sacrifices, areas of life, rules and traditions associated with them. According to Migene Golzalez Whippler in her book Rituals and Spells of Santeria:

Olodumare- God among the Yoruba - is also known as Olofi ini Santeria. According to one of the legends - patakis - or Santeria. Olofi created the orishas by gathering together a number of flat smooth stones - otanes - and projecting some of his ache into them. From these otanes, filled with Olofi's divine energy, the orishas were born. Olofi then divided all the various forces of nature among the orishas and gave them dominion over emotions and other transcendental powers. This is why santeros believe that the ache of the orishas is concentrated in the stones that represent them. During the initiation or the asiento, when a person "makes the saint" the powers of the orishas are brought down into their respective otanes by means of a special ceremony. Each orisha has a specific number of stones ascribed to him or her. They stones are kept inisde colorful tureens - soperas- in colors of the orisha. These stones are fed periodically with the blood of the sacrifical animals which are sacred to each orishas. The meat of the animals, which is believed to have the blessings and the ache of the orisha, is then cooked and eaten by the santeros. 

According to another source, practitioners of Santeria (santeros) believe that the Orishas put an otane on the earth for every person. As a consequence, each individual santeros has their own otane.  There are no requirements for what makes an an otane and otane. They can be large or small, round or flat, smooth or rough. It is only necessary that the individual finds it and recognizes its special attraction. The stone then becomes a powerful talisman to assist the practitioner with his or her spells. 

As stated above, when not in use the otane is kept in a special soup tureen or other ceramic container along with specific herbs associated with the particular Orisha that the individual serves. Through ritual ceremonies, the otane is occasionally fed the blood of sacrificed animals and then becomes infused with the ache (power) of the Orisha. 

Usually I describe my personal experiences with these stone. Therefore since I am neither an initiate nor a practitioner of Santeria, I do not have any first hand experience with the otane.  However, did not want to leave this special stone out of this series of articles. 

- Carolina Dean 

Further Reading:

• Santeria: From Slavery to Slavery, Ken Philpott
• Cuban Santerian Practices  
• Things Your Should Know About Santeria, Latino Life 

Stones of Light Pt. 6: The Speckled Stone

 

Speckled Stone of Carolina Dean ©2021

The Speckled Stone of Hoodoo 

Hoodoo is a magical system used by common people who often used common herbs, roots, and other tools that could easily be found around homes and farms. Often something as ordinary and mundane as a screwdriver or an awl would be used in a magical way. Blown out eggs were often used as container spells. A sewing needle could be used to inscribe a candle. A wedding ring suspended on a string made a powerful pendulum.  Playing Cards and tea- leaves would be used for divination. Yes, tarot cards were often available by mail order catalogs and I am not saying that Rootworkers in the distant past did not use them, - but that many workers may not have felt the need  to use them unless they were professionals. 

The same is true with crystals balls and other scrying tools. Crystals balls were available to the general public via mail order catalogs as far back as the 1920's. However, many workers who had the gift for scrying could just as easily use a speckled stone such as the one pictured above for scrying purposes. To use the stone the individual would think of an issue or question about which they would like more insight and then stare at the stone until an image forms before their eyes. 

As I write this brief article, I have my speckled stone before me.  I stop for a moment to look at it  and suddenly I see a monkey, a skull, and a dog. From this I quickly divine that I may encounter a trickster spirit (monkey + skull) but that I will be protected (the dog) from any evil or negativity that it may cause. 

What will you see when you look into the Speckled Stone? 

- Carolina Dean

The Stones of Light Part 5: The Seer Stone

 

Window Stone, ©2021

The Seer Stone 

Seer Stones are stones that are used, mostly, for scrying or crystal gazing. However, they have other uses as well. They come in all  kinds of shapes and sizes such as the following 

• crystal balls - crystal or glass balls, they may be clear or colored.  
• palm stones- flat, smooth, glossy stones that fit in the palm of the hand. These are also referred to as shew-stones. 
• Window Stones- stones that have been tumbled by a river, or rock tumbler, creating a rough surface and which have been cut smoothly on one side to create a shiny surface or window used for scrying. For this reason, these are often called Window Stones. 
• Scrying Stones- these are any shiny stones that do not fit in any of the above categories and which are used for scrying purposes. 

In fact, when I was a young man one of my first jobs was as a courtesy clerk (bag boy) at the local Piggly Wiggly. There was an old man named Duncan who would come into the store about once a month. None of the other baggers wanted to bag his groceries or take them out to his old beat up car because he was considered weird. I was considered something of a weirdo myself so I never minded bagging for some of the odd cast of characters that come into our store. There was an old black woman who claimed God talked to her and she would randomly give people messages that she said came from God. 

Palm Stone, Carolina Dean ©2021

Duncan was considered weird because not only was he old, but he had long greasy hair, a long beard, thick glasses and frankly he sometimes smelled. I was just beginning to explore my own spirituality and was studying and practicing Wicca about this time. I proudly wore my pentagram on a silver chain around my next. One day as I was putting his groceries in his car, Duncan commented on my pentagram. I had found that sometimes when people ask questions about my star, it was usually just to open up a dialogue in order to make fun of the religion or me. Duncan, however, seemed genuinely interested. He asked some intelligent questions and I answered them to the best of my ability. 

Duncan only came in about once a month and after a few months of us chatting about magic and spirituality he asked me to come by his home so that he could show me something. Duncan lived in an old mill-hill house at the end of a dead end street with no electricity or running water. When I showed up at his house, I knocked on the screen door and he invited me to come inside. I found him in his living room sitting in an armchair with a book. When he saw me come in, he stood up and went over to  his fireplace and grabbed something off the corner of the mantle board. He held the object out to me, which turned out to be a crystal stone, and asked me what I thought about the crystal. I said it was beautiful and had good energy. 

Duncan explained that it was his Seeing-Stone which he used to find lost objects and people as well as to see visions of the past and future. It was Duncan who first taught me how to use a Seer Stone. Later I learned that he also had what he called a Doing Stone. He explained that his Seeing Stone is for seeing things and his Doing Stone is for making things happen. 

How Seer Stones are Used for Scrying 

On a basic level, a person would sit comfortably and go into a meditative state in which both their mind and body are completely relaxed - this is called the Alpha State. Next, they would look into their seer stone which they have positioned before them. From this state of complete relaxation and concentration on the seer stone they would then receive visions. 

At first they may be random and even inconsequential. For example, you may see something as mundane as a friend buying a carton of milk at the local convenience store. However, with practice, the individual can train their inner eye to focus on one subject or question about which they would like to receive a vision. 

My Personal Experiences with a Seer Stone 

Seeing Stone of Carolina Dean ©2021

My seer stone takes the form of a Window Stone made of yellow quartz and I call it my Yellowstone. I found that it is not unusual for a person to give their stone a name as part of the process of forming a connection with the spirit of the stone. When people think of scrying or crystal gazing that think of looking into the crystal and seeing a vision in much the same way they look at a television screen and see a scene play out. However, that is not always the case- although it can happen in this way. 

In my experience, there have been times when I was gazing into my stone when the sight of the stone goes away and is replaced by a vision that plays out on a screen before my eye.  At other times, I see pictures in my head. The difference between the former and the later is with the mental screen all I see is the vision, but with the pictures in my head I see the crystal in front of my eyes but also see the vision in my mind's eye. Still at other times, I simply concentrate on the stone and suddenly know without knowing -  without the benefit any vision. In some cases the vision is symbolic and needs to be interpreted while at other times the vision is literal. Sometimes I may see a symbol that I have to interpret.

I have also found that I can use my seer stone to send me prophetic dream. This is usually done by keeping the stone on my nightstand beside my bed. I usually kiss the stone and ask it to send me good dreams or a dream about a specific person or subject. Occasionally, I will take my seer stone with me when I go to my local thrift store and ask it to help me find something good. I also hold my seer stone in my hand when I am walking around my home looking for something I have lost and ask it to help me find the item in question. 

I sometimes keep my seer stone near me when I am practicing any kind of divination such as card reading, bone reading, or reading astrological charts in order to amplify my prophetic powers and grant me greater insight and clarity. I have also found that placing the flat side of the seer stone against my third eye chakra helps to awaken it and pull power into the energy center associated with psychic ability. 

 - Carolina Dean 

The Stones of Light Part 4: The Shaman Stone

 

Shaman Stone ©2021, Carolina Dean 

Shaman Stones 

Shaman Stones, also known as Moqui Marbles, are named after the Hopi Tribe as they were known as the Moqui Tribe prior to the 1900s. They are natural stone formations which are found in the deserts of Utah and Arizona that have a sandstone center around a hard shell consisting of hematite. According to one legend, the Hopi ancestors would return to earth at night and play with these marbles and signs of their play the following morning was an indication that they were happy. 

Some folks classify Shaman Stones as being either male or female. Generally speaking, if the stone is smooth it is thought to be female, if it is rough it is male. Then again, some say the female is round whereas the male stone is more disk like. For this reason, Shaman Stones are often kept in pairs and when working with the stones to balance your energies the female stone is held in one's passive hand and the male stone the dominant hand during meditation. 

Today, it is illegal to remove their stones from their natural environment, however, you can still purchase them online from retailers who obtain them before this ban went into affect. 

Shaman Stone Uses 

Shaman Stones have many uses which include but are not limited to the following:

• Attracting the attention and interest of your Native American ancestors or spirit guides. 
• Aligning and balancing your chakras. The are especially good at removing blockages in the energetic system of the body. 
• Healing yourself or others 
• Enhancing meditation 
• Nurturing and growing one's natural psychic and intuitive faculties. 
• Protection from evil and negativity
• Balancing the polarity of male (active) and female (passive) energy of your physical body. 

My Personal Experience with the Shaman Stone 

As some of you may or may not know my ancestry is Jewish, Native American, and Irish; and while I feel a greater affinity for my Jewish heritage, I do not deny my Native or Irish ancestry. That is not to say that, because I am part Native American, I have the right to work with these stones but then again I have seen no evidence stating that only Native Americans can work with these stones either. 

Suffice it to say, I was gifted a Shaman Stone by a friend which you can see in the photo above. As you can tell from the smooth skin of the stone, it is female. I mainly use it when I am meditation for stress relief, to ground myself before a divination session (such as reading the tarot, bones, or even automatic writing), as well as to help me get unstuck when I feel blocked in terms of my own creativity. When not in use, I keep the stone on my working altar along with several other stones, gems, rocks, and crystals.

- Carolina Dean 

The Stones of Light - Part 3: The Sastun

 The Sastun 

Pictured: Sastun of a Mayan Shamanic Healer  (Source: Youtube) 

The Sastun (pronounced Sas-Tune) comes from the spiritual beliefs and practices of the Ancient Mayans. It is a magical tool used by their H'men (Shaman) to heal, divine (diagnose illness), and cast spells. It's name means "Stone of Light" or "Light of the Ages". However, I have read another meaning of the name Sastun is "Clear Stone". 

The Sastun takes many forms, shapes, and sizes. They can be large or small, round or oblong.  Some are actual crystals, others are rocks, or they can be something as ordinary as a child's marble. One thing, however, they have in common is that they "have a light that sparkles when it moves and you can peer into it as a mirror. You may find dots, lines, crosses, Virgins, and rainbows that give you answers. If you have the lamp to see it." 

A Sastun isn't something you can just go to a store and purchase - they cannot be bought or taken, but rather they are a gift from the Nine Celestial beings at the core of Mayan culture. To receive a Sastun from the Mayan Spirits is a sign that you are a special person who has been chosen to act as a healer and diviner for your people. Many people pray for one but only few actually receive a Sastun. 

In most cases that I have read the individual simply finds their Sastun - that is, one moment is it not there and the next it is. There have been some reports of individuals receiving their Sastun by it being given to them from another person. In these cases it is believed that the Mayan Spirits used that person as a carrier. Finally, in some cases a person can have more than one Sastun with each one serving a specific purpose. For example, one Sastun for divining illness and another for casting spells. In her book, Sastun: My Apprenticeship with a Maya Healer, Rosita Arvigo describes one of her mentor's Sastun's as a "green marble". 

Rosita Arvigo also describes the rituals to activate and use the Sastun for healing, divination, and spellcasting as taught to her by her teacher and mentor Don Elijio Panti. For instance, the prayer below is recited nine times while bathing your Sastun in rum and making the sign of the cross over the stone. It should be noted that  the cross here symbolizes the Mayan World Tree. Next, go to sleep with the crystal near you or beneath your pillow, waiting for a dream that will show you how to use it.

“Sastun, Sastun. With your great power I ask that you tell me all I want to know. Teach me to understand signs. Visit me in all my dreams Give me the answers that I seek. I have faith that this Sastun will answer all my prayers. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, amen”. 

However, my research seems to indicate that the use of a Sastun is a highly individual experience and that, like other magical stones such as the Rukschtee of Bracherei, the stone teaches you how it is to be used. Further instruction on how to use the Sastun may also be given by the Mayan Spirits through one's dreams. 

The Sastun is mainly used to divine illness by way of scrying (crystal gazing) with the stone. In some cases the diviner may see images in the stone itself, they may see pictures in their head, or they may psychically hear a voice giving them advice and instruction while scrying with the stone. 

As stated earlier, the Sastun can also be used to cast spells. In one instance, a woman comes to Don Elijio Panti asking him to return her brother who has gone missing. Don Elijio Panti places a photograph of the man, provided by his sister, in his left hand. He then places the Sastun on top of the photo and places his right hand on top of the Sastun. He then swirls the Sastun in circles around the photo while offering a prayer for the man's return. He uses a similar method to empower his herbal amulets and cast love spells. 

When not in use, Don Elijio Panti is said to keep his Sastun in a ceramic jar with a rag used as a lid. Another healer is said to keep her Sastun in a leather pouch which she carries with her. 

My Experience with the Sastun 

In May of 2020, I was making a video for my Youtube channel. I was filming a video on how to harvest, dry, and use dandelion root. I finished the video, but continued to harvest more roots to dry for later use. While working outside, I came across this green marble thought it was cool and tucked in my pocket to keep. I had read Rosita Arvigo's book some years earlier and somehow I made the connection between my marble and the story of the Sastun. 

I performed the prescribed rituals as outlined in the book to bless and activate the Sastun. Since that time, I have used it to divine, cast spells, and perform healing work in addition to other uses it has taught me.  In one instance, I successfully called back a lost lover by taking the Sastun and rolling it counter-clockwise around his photo (like reeling in a fish) while calling him back to me in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. 

- Carolina Dean 

Further Reading 

• Marble: Story of a Sastun (Youtube Video) 
• Sastun: My Apprenticeship with a Mayan Healer, Rosita Arvigo 
• Hoodoo & Conjure Quarterly: New Orleans 

The Stones of Light Part 2: The Divinity Stone

 The Divinity Stone 

The Divinity Stone comes to us from the healing practices of the Dutch Country Pow-Wows, also known as Braucherei.  Braucherei is a magical system akin to Hoodoo and other forms of Folk Magic. It originated in the folk magic practices of Germany and was brought to American by immigrants who originally settled largely in Pennsylvania. However, the immigrants migrated all over the U.S. and settled in other areas as well. 

I can tell you from personal experience that South Carolina saw an influx of German settlers in the past. I was born in Lancaster, S.C. which is the sister city to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Lancaster, SC is known as the City of the Red Rose; and Lancaster, PA is known as the Red Rose City. Finally, one of South Carolina's most (in)famous residents was Mary Ingleman, a German immigrant, who is known as The First Witch of Winnsboro South Carolina.  Mary was a healer and herbalist, who is also thought to have practiced some form of Rune Magic. So South Carolina is a hot bed of at least three magical system: Hoodoo, Braucherei, and Witchcraft. 

The Divinity Stone is also known as the Fire Stone, Creek Stone, or Rukschtee  (rest) stone... and I am sure there are probably more names for this object which I am not aware of. The basic function of the Divinity Stone is to remove pain and dis-ease from the body. 

According to one source, to obtain a Rukschtee Stone, you have to go to some kind of border such as a fence line and search for a small round stone that is visible (i.e. you don't have to dig for it). Once you find it, that is your stone. Other sources say that the stone calls to the individual and it is a matter of being sufficiently aware of that call when it goes out. It is also believed that the stone will only work for the person that it is meant for. It is also said that the stone will teach you how to use it. Traditionally, the stone is placed under the pillow or mattress of the sick individual to draw out pain, sickness, and disease. Finally it should be washed in cold water between uses. When not being used, one source recommends keeping it in a special box. 

My Experiences with the Divinity Stone 

I found my Divinity Stone (although I simply call it my healing stone) about 15 years ago when I first moved from South Carolina to Washington.  It is about 2 inches long, smooth, and roughly egg shaped. It looks like a small potato. A friend took me around to explore Whidbey Island and I found the stone pictured above while hiking at trail in Oak Harbor, I honestly didn't know what it was at the time, but I knew it was special. It was much later that it occurred to me that it was a healing stone. I recall getting sick with a very bad cold that left my entire body aching. The idea to place the stone under my pillow came to me and from that day forward I found myself getting better. 

There was also another time I wasn't feeling well and laid down with the stone in my hand. I went in to a state where I was simultaneously both asleep and awake. In this state I had a dream vision that  I was driving a car around and around in circles on the island. I could not find a way off the island. I was stuck and then suddenly the path opened up before me and I drove off the island. Later I came to understand that someone was throwing for me and the stone took off the curse! 

- Carolina Dean 

Further Reading 

• Strange Experience, Lee R. Gandee 
• Hex and Spellwork, Karl Herr 
• The Red Church, C.R. Bilardi 

The Stones of Light: Part 1 Urim & Thummim

 Note: This will be the first of several entries on what I am calling the Stones of Light. Each week I will focus on a different stone from various traditions and cultures. 

THE STONES OF LIGHT 

Part One: The Urim and Thummim 

Pictured: Urim and Thummim, Carolina Dean ©2021

The Urim and Thummim are devices mentioned in the Bible used to cast lots to determine the will of God. They take the form of two dissimilar stones which can be distinguished from one another by their color, type of stone, or words which have been engraved upon them (1  Samuel 28:6). They are known to be objects which are held in the breastplate  and which are associated with a system of casting lots mentioned in the  bible (Exodus: 28:30) 

They usually take the form of a white stone and a black stone that are indistinguishable from one another except by their color. The white-stone is called Urim meaning light and the black stone is called Thummim meaning perfection . Some scholars have interpreted this names and meaning Revelation and Truth. I then to think of them as perfect light or enlightenment. 

The precise manner in which to operate the Urim and Thummim  is largely unknown. Biblical scholars looks to 1 Samuel 14 as the lynchpin to understanding how Urim and Thummim were used to cast lots. This Chapter describes an attempt to divine the identity of a sinner by use of the Urim and Thummim. Essentially every one present was divined into two group and lots were drawn to see which group contained the sinner. After each lot was drawn, the group believed to contain the sinner was divided in half and half again until only one person remained and they were believed to be the sinner who had angered God. 

It has also been theorized that the Urim (a white stone)  represents no while Thummim (a black stone) represent yes.  To use the stones, they are placed in a  bag, an objective question is asked and a stone is drawn unseen from the  bag. The answer will then be given as either a yes (black stone) or a no (white stone). By process of elimination one may arrive at more complex answers as in the case above. For example, let us say that you wish to know the name of the person who cursed you. You may write down all the names of your suspects on separate pieces of paper. I would also advise you to include a slip of paper which says unknown to account for the culprit possibly being someone you do not know. Next, divide the names into groups which you designate Group A or Group B. 

Now, place your hand in the bag containing your Urim and Thummim and swirl them around asking something like: Is the name of the person who cursed me in Group A? If the answer is yes, you would divide Group A in half and continue casting lots until only one name remains. If the answer is no, then logic dictates the name of the person who cursed you was in Group B. In this case, you set aside Group A and divide Group B in half and continue in this manner until only one name remains. 

In the book of Proverbs 16:33 it states “The  lot is cast in the lap but the whole  disposing thereof is of the Lord,” meaning  that the person casts the lot but every outcome is determined by God. Therefore, when using the Urim and Thummim you are to trust the first answer that is given and do not keeping asking until you get the answer you want - this is a good rule of thumb for any divination system in general. 

In the book The Alchemist by Paul Coehlo the Urim and Thummin are explained in the following manner: 

"Take these," said the old man, holding out a white stone and a black  stone that had been embedded at the center of the breastplate. "They are  called Urim and Thummim. The black signified 'yes,' and the white 'no.'  When you are unable to read the omens, they will help you to do so.  Always ask an objective question.

Santiago, the Shepard boy who receives the Urim and Thummim keeps them and uses the device throughout the story to guide him on his journey as he searches for his greatest treasure. 

In addition to using the Urim and Thummim for divination, I carry a set of them with me in a muslin bag each day as this was something that I was felt led to do by Spirit. It is my belief that the Urim and Thummim also act as talismans. The Urim (white stone) brings good things to you and the Thummim (black stone) keeps the bad away. Finally, I also keep a set of Urim and Thummin on my Ancestor Altar to represent my ancestors . 

Urim and Thumum: The Mormon Perspective 

The Mormon Religion has it's own version of the Urim and Thummim. These take the form of lenses fashioned into a pair or glasses which they refer to as spectacles or interpreters. According to Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, he was lead by an angel to dig up some golden plates which detailed the history of ancient inhabitants of North America. The spectacles were found along with the plates and Joseph used them to translate the contents of the plates into English and this became the Book of Mormon. However, all of this is widely disputed.  

In other version, Smith also found a seer stone along with the Golden Plates which he used for scrying purposes. His method of scrying entailed placing his seer stone into a hat and then place his own face into the hat, blocking out all the light and thus receiving visions. Nonetheless, there is evidence to suggest that Smith owned several seer stones throughout his life and owned at least  one before he claimed to find the Golden Plates. We will talk about seer stones in a future entry in this series. 

- Carolina Dean