Silver

Silver is easily my favorite metal to wear. While Gold is beautiful,
impressive and inspires power, I’ve always enjoyed the calmer, more tolerant
attitude that surrounds me when wearing Silver.

Native Silver, which refers to the pure mineral occurring in nature is quite
rare. Silver crystals are wiry, sometimes coiling and twinning so that
clusters can resemble bizarre bushes or trees. Cubic, octahedral and
dodecahedral crystals are extremely unusual and highly sought after. The
majority of native Silver is found as massive deposits, sheets, flakes or
grains.

While native Silver can be rare, there is a wide group of minerals that
include Silver in their composition or as a by-product. These Silver
minerals are usually divided into four categories: Silver Sulfides
(Acanthite, Argentite, Stephanite) which form in deposits caused by lower
temperature hydrothermal (hot water) veins; Silver sulfosalts (Antimony,
Bismuth) which usually form in the primary hydrothermal veins; Silver
halides, these photo-sensitive minerals are used in the chemicals that bring
photographic exposures to life; Silver amalgams – Copper, Gold, Galena, Zinc
and other minerals that produce Silver as a by-product. In all, there are
approximately 150 different species of Silver minerals. The majority of the
Silver used in industry and exchange comes from these secondary sources.

The first Silver mines were in an area call Antolia, which is near modern
Turkey. In 900 BC the Larium mines by Athens Greece began operating – these
mines would produce most of the world’s Silver for 1,000 years. Rome mined
their Silver in Spain, emptying out those mines by the middle ages.

Today the top six producing countries in the world are Mexico, USA, Canada,
Russia, Peru and Australia. Silver is also found in Bolivia, Norway, Czech
Republic, Germany and Austria. The largest piece of native Silver ever is a
massive specimen that weighs 844 pounds that was found near Aspen Colorado.
The Coeur d’Alene mines in Idaho are the largest producers of the mineral in
the world, digging out a total of one billion ounces since it began
operation in 1880.

Modern life has found many practical uses for the versatile physical
properties of this metallic crystal. It is highly malleable and ductile,
meaning it can be stretched and pounded to extreme limits. An ounce of
Silver can be stretched into a 30 mile long wire; it can be pounded into a
thinness of 1/100,000 of an inch. It has the highest optical reflective
qualities of any metal, making it very useful in mirrors and solar energy.
It is resistant to extreme temperatures and exhibits excellent conductivity,
so it is used in switches, batteries, coatings and and endless list of
electronic applications.

Photography, bearings, jewelry, coins, water purification, silverware and
almost anything you turn off and on depend on Silver.

While Gold and Bronze may have made an earlier introduction in Human
history, Silver’s impact is no less significant. Very early in that history
it was noticed that liquids kept in Silver containers remained fresh and
pure longer. In fact a Persian king, Cyrus the Great took an unusual
approach to his subjects’ physical health. During his reign, between 550-529
BC, he set up one of the first boards of health and established a medical
dispensary. Plus, drinking water was drawn from a special stream, boiled and
then stored in massive Silver containers.

Numerous legends, traditions and myths have grown up around this bright
reflective mineral. In the Greek and Roman myths, the second age of the
Olympians is the Silver Age, when man began to civilize and develop his
environment. The doors to Apollo’s palace on Mount Olympus were Silver and
his sister, Artemis was fond of using arrowheads dipped in the mineral.
Dian Cecht, the Irish God of Healing replaced the warrior Nuada’s hand with
one made of Silver when his was lost in a great battle. The home of the
Norse Gods, Asgard, is filled with palaces constructed of Silver and Gold.
Ulysses’ leather bag that held the Winds was tied with a Silver string.
Chinese children were often given lockets made of Silver to protect them
from harm.

Certain purification rites practiced by the Egyptians called for special
basins made of Silver. Such practices even find their way into contemporary
rituals. Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran chalices for their masses must be
constructed of Gold, Silver or Vermeil.

As a magical tool Silver has been used to reflect and capture Lunar
energies. It also provided protection against evil intent, reflecting spells
and harm back to the sender.

You can also use it to enhance your psychic skills. Wearing or sleeping with
the metal can both be effective. You can use a piece with the Moon for
psychic trancing. Take a small polished Silver object and catch the
reflection of the Moon’s light. Focus your gaze on this point until you
begin to feel your psychic energies awakening. Keep a journal of your
experiences, making note of your progress and improvements in your skill.

If you want to wear gemstones or crystals that you are working with, Silver
is the perfect metal to set them in. It has almost no vibrational impact on
stones. On the contrary, it can help enhance the connection between the
wearer and the gem, allowing for a gentle flow of energy between the two.
Over time, the Silver will absorb and reflect the same energy as the stone
set in it, much like Grandmother Moon absorbs and reflects the Sun’s light.
Place a piece of this mineral on your forehead to activate and open your
Third Eye Chakra. A Silver bracelet worn around the wrist of your receptive
hand will aid you in receiving channeled information and drawing certain
energy forms.

Use the Lunar qualities of your Silver to balance your life; growing what is
good and necessary while voiding whatever causes you harm or prevents your
evolution. Let it perform like a psychic mirror, allowing you to see your
life from the outside. View this new perspective without judgment, but with
a purer knowledge of what is best for your highest good.

Practitioners of astral travel may like using Silver as an anchor as they
move from one reality to another. It provides a kind of energy beam or
signal trace that allows you to always “see” where your physical body is. So
you aren’t distracted by the fear of not being able to return.

There is a long history and tradition of healing associated with Silver. It
is believed Silver (Colloidal Silver) is antibacterial, a sort of
disinfectant for the Human body that boosts your immunity. Several resources
suggest that this metal, when ingested, kills anaerobic (nitrogen breathing)
bacteria – which are very bad. It lets aerobic (oxygen breathing) bacteria
survive, which are very good, especially for digestion.

Silver was used in many ancient cultures to purify water and prevent
festering in wounds. In 1884, a Dr. F. Crede discovered Silver could cure a
disease that had been responsible for causing blindness in thousands of
babies.

Energy workers will find this metal a wonderful conduit for sending energy
to a patient. It can also be used to help channel the energies of stones in
healing. Turquoise, Carnelian, Moonstone, Amethyst and Quartz are excellent
healing stones to channel with Silver.

This mineral should also be beneficial in treating some infectious diseases,
like hepatitis or the flu. Silver may help cleanse your blood and correct
chemical and hormonal imbalances. In more traditional medicine it is used
for dental fillings and fittings, plus surgical implants.

By Stephanie Pflumm