Edgar Cayce's Sacred Stones: The A-Z Guide to Working with Gems to Enhance Your Life and Health - Shelley Kaehr 2015
Onyx and Sardonyx
Sacred Stones
Part Two
Onyx is formed from bands of chalcedony, and sardonyx is a variant.
Found in: Australia, Canada, China, India, Russia, USA
Named for: Onyx is derived from a Greek word that means “fingernail.”
✵ Bible ✵
Onyx and chalcedony are both mentioned in the Bible.
Onyx is recorded eleven times:
And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. Genesis 2:12
Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate. Exodus 25:7
And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: Exodus 28:9
And the fourth row . . . an onyx . . . they shall be set in gold in their inclosings. Exodus 28:20
. . . and onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate. Exodus 35:9
And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate; Exodus 35:27
And they wrought onyx stones enclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel. Exodus 39:6
And the fourth row . . . an onyx . . . enclosed in ouches of gold in their settings. Exodus 39:13
Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance. 1 Chronicles 29:2
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx . . . Job 28:16
Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering . . . the onyx . . . Ezekiel 28:13
The following reading for sardonyx, a variant of onyx, appears as onyx in the American Standard Version of the Bible:
. . . the fifth, sardonyx . . . Revelation 21:20 (ASV)
✵ Cayce Readings ✵
Sardonyx is mentioned two times in two documents.
Dealers in semi-precious stones should be able to secure the sardonyx stones for him . . .
1528-1, Report #1
Well that there be carried on the person the sardonyx stone (that is in its semi-precious state); either in statuettes, pins, buttons, or a piece of same carried. Not as a protection, but rather for the vibratory forces that influence the choices made by the mental forces of the entity itself. Statuettes, frames or the like are well. Much of the same vibrations may be obtained from using those combinations of stone made from the soya bean; that may act in much the same capacity. Figures made of same are well to have about the entity’s sleeping quarters or abode.
1528-1
Onyx is mentioned fifteen times in fourteen documents.
Q: To what color, symbol or stone does entity vibrate best?
A: . . . onyx, and as to colors—the radiation of colors from . . . onyx.
2542-1
. . . in the upper lands of the river Nile, there were those mines of precious stones—as onyx . . . 294-153, Report #2 and also
294-148
In the temple were to be found enormous semi-circular columns of onyx . . .
364-13
Cayce had a dream during a reading:
. . . I saw an altar built under a large tree—very beautiful setting. A priest was offering incense or burning sacrifice; altar made of onyx, priest dressed in brocades.
4293-1, Report #1
Cayce gave a reading for another person who lived near the Nile:
The furnishings may be surmised from the fact that the most beautiful things from each land were gathered there; gold, silver, onyx, iron, brass, silk, satins, linen.
281-25
. . . there is a whole civilization above entity’s temple; yea, even its bed, which is almost of pure gold and onyx.
873-1
Hence . . . the onyx . . . stones or things of the nature should be about the entity in its closer activity.
1273-1
. . . those things that might be turned into adornments . . . onyx . . . these were the interests, these were the activities of the entity . . .
1493-1
Again, Cayce gave advice to mineral speculators regarding the value of land and potential discoveries on the property:
. . . Now the upper stratas we will find from tree entrance are hard, close-grained sand, some showing . . . onyx . . .
4398-3
More on Onyx
Onyx can be used to aid in grief recovery and would be a perfect stone to wear to a funeral or while in mourning. Interestingly, the word onyx, or onychis, means “box of unguent” in Latin, which brings to mind something that might be used at a funeral. Queen Victoria of England popularized the onyx when she wore the stone after the death of her beloved Prince Albert. The Victorian Age in England was considered very prim and proper, and to this day, the energy of onyx can produce that kind of image for those who wear it.
If you had to go to court, for example, onyx would be the perfect stone to wear to impart an innocent, chaste energy in order to turn the court’s favor to your cause.
One of my first rings was an onyx with a tiny diamond. I wore it daily and found that it kept me grounded and appeared to repel negativity.
Onyx is beneficial to use in any situation in which you want to show your best light. Use onyx for job interviews, classes or other important meetings at school, or for whenever it’s important to persuade any group of people to be on your side.
More on Sardonyx
One of the favorite periods in history that I love to read about is the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. I’ve spent too many hours to count reading delightful books about her life. I’ve also watched every film I can get my hands on about this period in history, almost to the point of obsession. Do I have a past-life connection with that time period? Perhaps!
There are many interesting stories about the Queen and how she handled herself with numerous suitors over the course of her lifetime. She never married because she believed that to do so would be her undoing, both politically and physically. There were numerous plots against her life. She deserves a lot of credit for keeping herself alive and for thriving as the leader of such a mighty empire.
One of the most interesting aspects of her story is her alleged romance with the married 2nd Earl of Essex, Robert Devereux, who was considered to be her favorite at court. The Queen gave the Earl a sardonyx ring set in gold as a token of her affection.
During the Renaissance, people believed that sardonyx helped the wearer to appear more sophisticated with speech. In the Queen’s court, good communication would certainly have been important for everyone.
Shoham Stones
After researching the various stones in the breastplate of the high priest that is mentioned in the Bible and the Cayce readings, I discovered that onyx had a far greater importance in biblical times than I had first realized. In the breastplate, there are two stones worn by the priest, one on each shoulder, which have the names of the twelve tribes of Israel inscribed on them, and there are six per stone. (From: http://tthemessiahssecret.blogspot.com/2011/04/messiahs-secret-jesus-light-of-world.html)
These so-called Remembrance Stones reminded the Creator of the children of Israel so that he would have mercy on them. Jewish scholars believe that these two stones, called Shoham stones, were onyx. Shoham in Hebrew literally translates to the word “onyx.”
The Jewish historian Josephus, who lived from 37-100 AD, had access to the breastplate. He confirmed that these stones were onyx in the writings he left behind.
Pebbles for the Dead
In the Jewish faith, there is a fascinating custom of placing tiny pebbles on people’s graves, which is a gesture similar to leaving a calling card when visiting someone. Leaving a stone is their way to say hello and pay one’s respects to the dead.
I saw this custom firsthand when I visited the Jewish Museum in Prague, Czech Republic, a few years ago. The burial site for one of the most famous Jewish Rabbis, Judah Loew ben Bezalel (c. 1520-1609) is there, and I wanted to see the place for myself. Rabbi Loew wrote many books on law, philosophy, and morality. I wandered through the ancient Jewish cemetery located in the Old City Centre and was stunned to see the primeval graves protruding from the ground in an eerie, haphazard way. The grounds are profoundly quiet, despite the noisy city streets beyond the walls. I walked slowly, careful not to disturb any resting places. The area is filled to the brim with graves, and I began noticing tiny little rocks on the top of the headstones. Wondering what it meant, I stood still with my back against a wall for some time, watching and observing people as they visited to pay their respects. Many placed stones on the graves. When I finally arrived at Rabbi Loew’s tombstone, I found a tiny rock on the ground, not more than a millimeter in diameter, and placed it on his headstone. I felt as though I were saying, “Hi! I’m here!” It felt like I left a little bit of myself on the site. Sure enough, once I got home and researched the custom further, I discovered that leaving a stone on a gravesite is a sign of respect.