Alternative Names: None
Origin: Worldwide
Mineral Species: Silver
Mineral Group: Elements
Chemical Formula: Ag
Hardness: 2.5-3
Crystal System: Cubic (Isometric)
Colour: Silver grey
Typical Appearance: Crystals are cubic, octahedral or dodecahedral, often elongated to many cm in herring bone twins and wires.
Birthstone: Secondary birthstone for Cancer and Aquarius
Chakra Alignment: Crown
Element: Ether (spirit)
Origin of Name & Mythology: From Old English "seolfor", original meaning lost; The chemical element abbreviation Ag comes from the Latin word "argentum", meaning silver. Evidence of silver mining and extraction dates back to the 4th millenium BC. Silver was first used in coinage frm 550 BC. The ancient Greeks recognised its antimicrobial qualities, and iused it to treat infection. This was rediscovered in the Middle Ages. From that time silver coins were added to barrels of water and wine on long voyages to prevent spoilage, and silver continued to be used medicinally until the discovery of antibiotics. It is still used in contact wound dressing to prevent and treat infection. In folklore it is aligned with the moon, and therefore the feminine principle. With its antimicrobial qualities, it has been associated with purity in many cultures, and with divine wisdom in Christianity.
Silver is the "pure metal", literally as well as figuratively, leading to its role in popular fiction as the "silver bullet" needed to kill the werewolf - or the beast within. Because of its antimicrobial quality, there are a number of products available for the treatment of infection, including silver infused plasters and colloidal silver spray for throat and other infections. In addition, a pure silver specimen can be placed on the Upper Heart Chakra or in the area of infection during a treatement. Alternatively, if you have no native silver in your toolkit, good quality silver jewellery (without stone) or a silver coin can be used in its place.
Silver has long been associated with the moon and the feminine principle, as well as divine wisdom. Meditate with pure silver to connect with goddess energy, your own divine feminine, or whatever you hold sacred, and place it on the altar in lunar rituals. Its reflective sheen means it is used as the backing for mirrors, and because of the sensitivity of two silver halides to light, pre-digital photography would have been impossible without it - so is useful in helping us to "see clearly", and as an aid to deep self-reflection. As it is a transmitter of energy, silver wire is often used in wands, and it makes an excellent material for the base of the wand itself, to finely direct healing energy, and is sometimes used to make pendulums.
