Jewelry as Protection

I was leaving for a rally the other day. Which one it was, doesn’t really matter. Won’t be my first, nor will it be my last in these turbulent times. As I was getting ready to leave, I went to my “accessory tray” (a family joke with my sons, as I am obsessive about everyone having one of these. Where you drop your jewelry, change, keys, etc.) I absent-mindedly began armoring up.

Yes, armoring up.

I’ve come to realize the jewelry I wear is my armor and protection. I have known this for a while, and it has taken on a new resonance lately. I work in a metaphysical “old age” shop and always note with interest the jewelry people purchase for themselves. A pendant for their deity, a ring with a pentacle design, earrings of the Venus of Willendorf, to honor their feminism and body.

For myself? I am a minimalist jewelry kind of person. Always have been. Within the last year, though, I have added more and more to my collection. Rings, pendants, and earrings have all taken on new resonance.

First, I choose a necklace. One I usually wear is a Brigid’s wheel, along with a triple moon pendant that I received when I became a priestess. It is from a very dear and lovely friend, and I wear it as often as I can. I remain devoted to Brigid since she changed my life (another blog post for another time), so when I wear this necklace, I feel protected, loved and strong. Other necklaces include the Tree of Life, a Green Man key necklace, a crescent moon,  a triple moon, an Artemis pendant, and a necklace with a piece of olive wood and a silver stag horn pendant, to symbolize my love of Nature. All have meaning to me, honoring deities, symbolizing gifts of friendship, the deities I honor, or simply the love of La Luna, the beautiful moon that guides my life. A recent addition is my As Above, So Below necklace that I found in a a new metaphysical store in the area. I bonded with the recent transplants who moved into the area and who opened this store, and it reminds me of that happy morning, where we swapped stories of transformation, change and moving to this magical place.

Next up are my earrings, Most days are simple. I was recently gifted a necklace of green and brown stones that resemble a cairn, the pile of stones I often find in nature around here. It was an unexpected gift that brought me much joy, so when I wear them, I feel connected and honored. Another pair are made of garnet, a pair I picked up at the Sacred Space Conference this year. Garnet has been calling to me for a while, and when I asked a crystal expert friend of mine, what it signified, she told me it symbolized home and putting down roots. It is also a sign of transformation and change, a happy constant in my life these last few years. As well, it is the birthstone of the many Capricorns in my life, who I love and cherish.

Onward to my rings. I have turned into a bohemian hippie apparently, because my fingers are full of rings. I used to wear one, now I am up to five or six. Each one signifies so much to me, it is hard to leave them off when I go out into the world. First is my claddagh, which has meant so much to me most of my life. I have always been drawn to Ireland, and have worn a claddagh since I was little. I was given it as a gift from my mom, who managed a German restaurant, from the lost and found via a customer who left it on the bathroom sink. I loved it so much that I used it as a wedding ring and wore it daily until it was lost somewhere in a field. I still miss that ring. The one I wear now is similar, but in silver, because my life seems more silvery and mercurial nowadays. Next is my thumb ring that I bought at Satchidananda, a place where I began my spiritual journey, and it means truth, knowledge, bliss. The cornerstones of my life. I wear this ring daily. Onward with my ring that I purchased in Asheville, long before I moved here, the is simple and curves upward, and symbolizes how my life moved upward. I wear it to remind me of how far I have come in my life. I have added a hematite ring to the mix, since I work with the public regularly. Hematite helps with grounding, absorbs negative energies, and calms in times of stress and worry. Last but not least is my recent addition, a triquetra ring.  Triquetra symbolizes unity, and ideas occurring in groups of three. Three is a magical number for me in many ways, and also represents the triple Goddess: maiden, mother, crone. Some days I feel like all three in quick succession, so it reminds me to stay in the moment and appreciate each happening in my life.

So, armed and bedecked with my protection jewelry, I head out into the world. Now more than ever, it helps to have physical reminders of symbols that help me feel strong, centered and grounded. If jewelry has this same resonance for you, let me know. These symbols are deeply personal and can help provide some much needed grounding and centering in these chaotic times.