Stones...........

The Bighorns where we live are an outlying range of the Rockies. So it’s no big surprise that one thing we have in abundance around here are rocks; lots and lots of rocks. In fact our area, like Earth, is essentially an amazingly beautiful life giving rock.

Jung writes in Man & His Symbols that stones are symbolic of the Self:
“Many people cannot refrain from picking up stones........ keeping them, without knowing why they do this. It is as if the stones held a living mystery that fascinates them.”

"Men have collected stones since the beginning of time and have apparently assumed that certain ones were containers of the life force with all its mystery.”

“We know that even unhewn stones had a highly symbolic meaning for ancient and primitive societies. Rough natural stones were often believed to be the dwelling places of spirits or gods.”

“....some Australian Aboriginies believe that their dead ancestors continue to exist in stones as virtuous and divine powers, and that if they rub these stones, the power increases for the benefit of both the living and the dead.”

To me there’s something romantic about the idea of caressing a stone to benefit both the living and dead.

This one has been sitting on my window sill for years.

And this one seems special because of the naturally occurring hole through its center. I find it comforting that it will still be here in one form or another long after I’m gone.