Petrified wood has a self-explanatory name – it is basically old wood that has been turned into stone in a natural process. Most commonly, the name is given to fossilized leftovers of random vegetation. Wood turning into stone is a natural process referred to as permineralization. During this process, many organic components of the wood are replaced with various other elements, such as quartz or other silicate minerals. Meanwhile, the original structure is maintained.
With these aspects in mind, petrified wood is an actual fossil. However, it is different from other types of fossils because it maintains the 3D representation of the original material that has been replaced. The process occurs underground, as wood gets covered with all kinds of stuff. The preservation is possible because of the missing oxygen. As mineral water flows around the covered wood, some minerals will be left inside the wood cells – this is when stone mold shows up.
For wood to petrify, the process requires optimal conditions, as well as about 100 years. The organic material must petrify before decomposing. As for the diversified colors, it depends on what the wood is exposed to. Manganese, iron and copper are just some of the most common options out there, meaning colors may vary widely from one piece to another. Now that you have a few clues about it, what kind of meanings and properties does it have?
Meaning
Petrified wood is still wood in nature. Connecting with it will most likely help you establish some deep roots. Whether you deal with anxiety, panic or just restlessness, the calm energies associated with petrified wood will keep you grounded. You will manage to maintain your stability. Most of the energies involved with this stone are related to the earth. They can ease panic and calm people, but also provide some good feelings of wellbeing and security.
Petrified wood is an excellent choice if you are interested in meditation. You will get indirect clues about what is important and what requires little to no attention. The same rule applies if you are the type who worries about everything. There are things out there that you simply cannot control and you have to stop worrying about them. Instead, take them as they are, without feeling concerned about irrelevant small things.
Petrified wood will easily connect with the personal roots, as well as third eye chakras. As a direct consequence, your determination will skyrocket. You will feel positive about things – you will feel determined to try this and that. Moreover, it is handy to have around when not sure how to deal with certain situations. Its energy will help you find the right solutions for all kinds of problems, as well as the courage to implement them.
Properties
Petrified wood has multiple properties. It looks good and it is technically a fossil, so it has numerous physical properties worth some attention. At the same time, it is also used for its metaphysical properties, which can be just as attractive. Different people have different necessities, so you can use it for its unique appearance or its positive energy. All in all, knowing its meaning and powers, here are some of its main properties.
Physical Properties
Petrified wood may come in all kinds of shapes and colors. In terms of coloring, it depends on the sediments and minerals it is exposed to, so there are numerous options out there. You can find brown, yellow, red or white wood, but you may also run into pink, orange, gray or blue wood. At the same time, it is not unusual to find multicolor wood. Of all these colorful varieties, it looks like brown is the most popular one.
The stone is slightly translucent, but also opaque. The refractive index is set at about 1.5, while the hardness ranges between 6.5 and 7. Generally speaking, petrified wood is slightly harder than more common stones, so it will face the test of time in a more efficient manner. After all, its chemistry classification puts it in the silicate category. It has good stability and a greasy luster, which makes it very appealing.
Featuring excellent toughness, petrified wood also has numerous inclusions. From this point of view, it might be similar to patterned jasper. Then again, it depends on what it was exposed to. For instance, if the original material is replaced by quartz, its structure is well-replicated throughout the quartz. Different reactions occur based on different elements, hence the extremely diversified features of the stone and numerous colors.
Metaphysical Properties
This type of stone comes with an impressive amount of metaphysical properties – the type of properties that anyone can benefit from. For instance, it makes a good companion throughout your meditation sessions. It is great for ancestral healing, meaning you will interact with past lives, as well as the lineage of your family. Sure, there will not be any specific connections, but you will feel the energy of belonging. The third eye chakra energy is not to be overlooked either – connect with yourself and your DNA.
When meditating, interact with a unique area that brings in exquisite knowledge regarding everything that has happened on this planet. This less known area – the Akashic records – is hard to visit, but totally doable if you meditate by the book. You can use the stone to help you out – learn more about your past lives and perhaps interact with your future lives as well. The better defined the rings on the stone are, the more successful this venture will be.
Grab the stone, bring it closer to your eyes and look at it. Try to find a ring that stands out in the crowd. Focus and meditate. You are likely to interact with situations from the past that have caused difficulties. You have managed to overcome them. Learn more about those situations in order to overcome today’s life concerns as well. Obviously, just like other stones, petrified wood can be mixed with other stones to reach the Akashic records in an even more efficient manner.
At the end of the day, you might be looking for something without even knowing it. You feel restless, but you have no idea why – this is when meditating with a quality stone will kick in to give you some answers. The process can be daunting and time-consuming for the least experienced users, but things will eventually move in the right direction. You will get rid of erroneous ideas and misconceptions that are harming you in the long run.
Generally speaking, petrified wood underlines the long-term spiritual transformation, as well as perseverance. Original wood may have been turned into stone, but it has not lost its properties. Its energy is still there and on the same note, it can also help you achieve a spiritual transformation through perseverance and patience. You can change your path in life in order to ascend and get what you truly deserve.
The stone has a specific vibration – it is all about change, but also about progression. The change is not instant and will not occur overnight. There will be challenges, as well as lessons, but you must learn from them. Think about the slow progression of the stone and this is what you will go through as well. Just like any other stone out there, petrified wood can and will help you in the process, but what exactly can it do for you?
Petrified wood is known to stimulate patience, but also help people adapt to change. It helps you understand that you need to wait for the right time in order to get some rewards. Let the events unfold, regardless of how exciting they are. The more patient you are, the better you will become. This type of energy will also boost the potential associated with various changes – both small and massive changes occurring throughout a day or in life.
Unhappy with one thing or another? Not satisfied with the growth of commercialism in the world? Interested in a simple life based on nature and the earth? Petrified wood will assist with such changes, which will inevitably bring calmness and positive energies into your life. These energies will also help in certain careers, especially if they are somehow related to the exploration of the past – such as history or archeology.
In terms of healing, you will be lucky to have petrified wood around you if you live in an area with a high environmental impact. Such problems – from pollution to noise – will be easier to cope with. On the same note, whether you work in an environment that involves plants or you like having them around your home, you will get a bit of assistance. You will feel them and their necessities, so you can easily improve the area.
Healing goes further than that and may have metaphysical effects over certain affections as well. For example, age-related issues can be easier to deal with as you go past a certain age. Vitality will benefit from extra assistance, while back and hip-related problems will become less frequent – great for arthritis and rheumatism as well. The vibration will support the bones and spine, while heart and blood affections will be easier to treat.
When it comes to internal organs, petrified wood will provide healing energy due to its sacral chakra. If you have gallbladder or liver-related problems, keeping petrified wood around you will reduce them. Cleansing the liver is also more efficient with petrified wood, not to mention heavy metal toxicity. While this type of toxicity affects more organs, it is most commonly associated with the liver. Now that you understand the metaphysical properties of petrified wood, what else should you know about it?
Where to buy Petrified Wood
Usually Etsy or Amazon is a good idea. Etsy is the leading online global marketplace of handmade, vintage, and creative goods. Amazon is one of the largest global online marketplaces. Both of them are reliable and easy to find your favorite items there.
Petrified Wood in jewelry uses
Petrified wood has multiple associations with jewelry. It brings in different kinds of effects and properties. To some, it may trigger some nostalgic memories from childhood. To others, it may signify elegance. One thing is for sure though – you can wear petrified wood as a stunning piece of jewelry, but you can also take advantage of it and benefit from its metaphysical properties. Either way, there are more options on the market to explore.
Petrified wood can make a great elegant piece of jewelry, for example. It is temperate and severe. It has a relatively dark appearance, yet you can also fight lighter pieces of petrified wood. Since most of it is brown, such a piece will work wonders with an elegant outfit. But on the same note, a petrified wood pendant with a leather string will also make an excellent casual piece of jewelry – suitable for a very relaxed outfit while heading down the beach. See a selection of petrified wood necklaces on Etsy.
Petrified wood is quite hard and feels solid. It will not really fail on you. In fact, it can last for a lifetime if well looked after. While its hardness is ideal for exposed pieces of jewelry, its uses are relatively limited. For example, its hardness makes it suitable for rings too – even engagement rings. But then, it is not a sparkling stone to underline luxury, so you are less likely to find it in such pieces. It could take a good beating though. See a selection of petrified wood rings on Etsy.
Instead, you are more likely to find petrified wood in pendants and brooches – different styles, sizes, patterns and colors. You may also find bracelets with small pieces of petrified wood – most of them designed for casual purposes. Earrings are just as diversified and petrified wood could easily complement a dark outfit or a casual appearance. Your options are more varied and obviously depend on what you are wearing too. See a selection of petrified wood earrings on Etsy.
Where does Petrified Wood come from
Petrified wood is a show of nature. It brings back old fossils in a natural manner. Such processes have occurred all over the world, so there are various deposits spread around the planet. But then, there are a few countries out there with a higher reputation when it comes to this stone. Chances are most of the petrified wood you can buy comes from the USA, Argentina and Egypt – then again, this is not a general rule.
How much is Petrified Wood worth
Assuming the petrified wood you have is of good quality, you should get anywhere between $.25 and $10 for a single pound. Realistically, you are more likely to get less than the average value. In other words, petrified wood is not expensive at all, despite its popularity in the crystal world. At the same time, there are more factors that can affect the value, such as the size. Most collectors like small pieces, yet big pieces are also helpful for furniture manufacturers.
A small piece could bring you a dollar, but the quality is also important. Fracturing is quite common in petrified wood and will reduce its value. A solid part can be cut and polished without crumbling, so it is more valuable. A polished piece is also worth more than a raw one, while the location is not to be overlooked either. The smaller the deposit is, the more your piece is worth. When used in jewelry, the value depends on the metal it is associated with.
How old is Petrified Wood
Different pieces of petrified wood will have different aging standards. For example, you can find pieces of petrified wood dating 200 million years ago. They bring back some of the first days of the planet and take some of the first organisms to these days. Ancient trees have seen things that the current planet will never experience again and many of these things have been petrified and shared with most future generations.
Obviously, not all the petrified wood in the world is that old. It takes wood about a century to petrify, so you may also find pieces from the 19th century. Some old historical pieces can be found in the so-called Petrified Forest from Holbrook, Arizona. You can admire historical petrified wood with trunks longer than 200 feet. Given the low value of the stone, most people will not bother too much about the age because it is hard to determine.
How to identify Petrified Wood
Petrified wood is normally smooth. Touch the stone and feel it – if the portions feel smooth, chances are it is petrified wood. If you are trying to identify a piece in a local market, it may already be polished. Other than that, many pieces are quite transparent. If you are not sure, hold it against light and try to determine the level of transparency. Look for large white pieces too – sap that dried out. If they are around the bark part of the stone, you are most likely holding petrified wood.
Grainy and circular bark-like areas also indicate petrified wood. Got a microscope? Throw the stone under it and look for small round shapes. Some powerful magnifying glasses will also work. Try to find resin ducts around cells, rays – both thick and narrow – or trace elements of minerals. You can identify minerals based on color. Black relates to carbon, while pink and orange areas are the result of manganese.
How to cleanse Petrified Wood
Petrified wood can be cleansed like most other crystals. You can use the sunlight, for instance. Leave the stone in direct sunlight for about half an hour. Keep rotating the crystal to ensure all parts are cleansed. The full moon cleanse is just as efficient. Ideally, you should wait for a full moon, yet moonlight works anyway. Start the cleansing process after sunset, so the two different energies do not get mixed.
Other common options to cleanse petrified wood include the pure water cleanse, the saltwater cleanse and the rice cleanse – you can also use a mix of quartz and amethyst.
Petrified Wood vs. Rock
Petrified wood is often referred to as a rock. Once the petrifying process is done, it feels tough and solid – just like a rock. However, it is a fossil. In theory, it is made when the wood is covered by sediments and avoids decay by lacking oxygen. Throw in a few minerals too and this is how petrified wood occurs. The process is similar to the creation of rock and while they do feel the same, they represent two completely different things. Many sellers or users will use both terms interchangeably though.
The best combination to use with Petrified Wood
Petrified wood will work wonders with peridot, nebula stone, rose quartz, phenacite or moss agate if you try to cultivate patience. It will also work with Botswana agate, fluorite, green calcite or thulite, among other stones.
When used against immune disorders, it will be more efficient when mixed with Tibetan quartz crystal, red catlinite, halite, Buddha quartz crystal or scheelite. If you are after extra protection for your spine or skeletal system, mix it with fluorite, blue lace agate, malachite or howlite.
Boosting the energetic help in past life work can also be done with petrified wood, but pair it with phantom crystals or obsidian for maximum effects. Howlite, carnelian, amber and amethyst make good alternatives as well.
Its protective capabilities and metaphysical properties can be enhanced with chalcedony, imperial topaz, apache tears, fire agate, black kyanite, moonstone, heliodor or honey calcite too. Simply put, these are only some of the most common mixes and pairs out there. Petrified wood is extremely forgiving and can work wonders with a plethora of other stones.
Final Words
As a short final conclusion, petrified wood is easy to find, inexpensive and good-looking. Despite these characteristics, it has some impressive metaphysical properties. It can be kept around as a raw stone, a key chain or perhaps a piece of jewelry – you will most likely find it in necklaces, brooches and earrings. It promotes a clean appearance and it will most likely enhance your life in a plethora of different ways.
