Black Onyx is an iconic stone that many people are familiar with. However, most aren’t aware of its powerful healing properties and protective meaning.
This guide will teach you everything you need to know about Black Onyx and how you can use it to benefit your life.
Table of contents
History & Overview
Black Onyx is a beautiful stone that’s captivated humans throughout history. Onyx is a type of Chalcedony and features beautiful bands of silicate. While it comes in various naturally occurring colors, Black Onyx is usually the most revered.
This stone has colorful lore and meaning to explain its existence. One of the more intriguing tales comes to us from Greek mythology. According to poets of the time, Onyx was created by accident by none other than Eros.
Also known as Cupid in Rome, Eros was the Greek god of carnal love. He shot his famous arrow at his mother, Aphrodite. But instead of hitting her, the arrow broke off a piece of her immortal fingernail. The fingernail fell from Mount Olympus and landed in the Indus River, turning into the beautiful stone we have today.
Of course, that’s just the mythos. In reality, Black Onyx forms through millions of years of calcite accumulation. It occurs naturally all over the world. Most of the Black Onyx on the market today comes from Argentina, Madagascar, Brazil, South Africa, India, and even the United States.
Thanks to its widespread distribution, this black crystal is the stuff of legends. It appears in many civilizations and has unique stories that are tied to its meaning and properties throughout history. From Ancient Greek to the Egyptians living along the Nile, the stone appeared in everything from ornate jewelry to pottery.
Black Onyx Meaning
Black Onyx has had many different meanings throughout history, and different civilizations had distinct interpretations of its energy. For example, some earlier cultures thought that the stone created conflict among friends! Fortunately, the ideologies behind this enigmatic stone have evolved since then.
Nowadays, most crystal healers believe that the universal meaning of Black Onyx is protection and strength. This is one of the more stabilizing stones in the crystal kingdom. It exudes grounding power to help you find balance and peace of mind in your life.
The stone’s energy profile and healing properties make it a strong crystal for protection. Not only can it keep you safe from physical harm, but it protects your metaphysical body from dark energy. Keeping it by your side is thought to ward off bad vibes, allowing you to maintain a clear mind and soul.
Some believe that it’s also a master at encouraging you to do more with your life. While there are plenty of good luck stones out there, Black Onyx is more about changing how you approach challenges. Rather than running away in fear, this stone motivates you to have a stronger sense of self.
It’s about keeping you grounded so that you’re free to tap into your well of inner strength and motivation.
Healing Properties & Benefits
Black Onyx has a number of healing properties that can benefit you in a number of ways. Its impact on you will depend on your life and your specific needs.
Here are the various healing properties Black Onyx can offer.
Emotional
This stone’s most profound benefits and healing properties come in your emotional health and well-being.
Everyone suffers from pain that needs emotional healing. Unfortunately, far too many people let old experiences and bad energy fester deep in their subconscious. It’s easier to bury things in your mind than to address them head-on.
The problem is that those bad vibes always bubble up the surface at some point. Before you know it, you become encompassed in bad energy you should have let go of eons ago. Luckily, Black Onyx helps you do just that.
It’s a master healer that wipes away dark energy. Many say that it transmutes those painful emotions into something positive. It teaches you to let go of the past and say goodbye to grudges that no longer serve you.
Letting go of perceived injustices isn’t easy, but it’s the best thing for you. The properties of Black Onyx encourage healing so that you can look to the future.
Black Onyx gives you the ability to let go of worries as well. It has the potential to enhance your willpower, giving you the strength to take control of your emotional well-being. Instead of being the sponge that sucks up negativity from those around you, you learn to let those negative vibes bounce right off you.
That results in better decision-making, more self-awareness, and an overall sense of grounded stability.
Spiritual
Black Onyx is about more than emotional healing. It’s also a powerful tool for enhancing your spirituality.
According to many healers, it’s a vessel that takes away suffering and pain. Its healing properties pull the negativity from your soul and unleashes it to ether, freeing your spirit to explore unencumbered by meaningless ties. It pushes you to go beyond the confines of your mind to search for truth in all corners of the universe.
The spiritual meaning of Black Onyx is about finding wisdom and enlightenment at every turn. While many people spend a lifetime searching for answers, Black Onyx points you in the right direction. Like a flashlight in the fog, it illuminates your path and helps you get one step closer to the wisdom you seek.
Anyone can use Black Onyx to find peace and understand their true selves. The stone has a knack for helping you uncover truths you never knew existed.
However, it’s particularly effective for those with spiritual gifts. It can even unlock clairvoyance and scrying. The grounding energy helps you explore those gifts and safely reach out to the spiritual realm.
Protection is a must when learning to harness your gifts, and Black Onyx casts a shield of safety around your aura as you unlock your true potential.
Physical
Most crystal enthusiasts and healers turn to Black Onyx for its emotional and spiritual benefits. However, some say that it can also influence your physical body.
The stone’s radiating energy is often used with the goal of enhancing the nervous system. It may make your body more responsive and present by strengthening the connection to your brain. Some believe that it even boosts your immune system and helps you fight off common ailments.
Those who are recovering from illness and injury might see benefits from having Black Onyx nearby. According to some healers, it helps you get back on your feet, speeding up recovery times. It may even prevent the injury from relapsing, ensuring that your road to recovery continues without a hitch.
Black Onyx may provide some targeted healing as well. Many crystal healers say that it can reduce swelling, alleviate issues related to the menstrual cycle, prevent gastrointestinal problems, and reduce cramping in the lower extremities.
As a whole, the stone might provide more stamina. It’s said to help you feel more vivacious, getting rid of those moments when you feel sluggish and unable to focus. By boosting your overall vitality, you might achieve better overall health.
Metaphysical Properties
Black Onyx has a surprisingly broad impact on your metaphysical health. While some stones focus on one or two energy points, this one influences multiple areas of your body.
Now, it’s most known for its effects as a root chakra stone. Also known as the base chakra or Muladhara in ancient Sanskrit, this energy point is one of the most important. It acts as an entry point for life force energy emanating below your feet from Mother Gaia.
When the root chakra becomes blocked, you might lose all sense of stability in life. Suddenly, you might start to feel a little lost or complacent, making it impossible to find peace and happiness. The metaphysical properties of Black Onyx restore your sense of stability, grounding you to the Earth and helping you find peace.
The root chakra is, without a doubt, the energy point Black Onyx prefers to treat. But, some metaphysical healers say it also influences the solar plexus, third eye, and crown chakras.
The solar plexus chakra, or Manipura, is the third primary chakra of the body. It’s sometimes called your “city of jewels” because it governs your confidence and self-esteem. As you can imagine, blockages can make you feel weak and unable to live your authentic self.
Luckily, Black Onyx works as a solar plexus chakra stone to keep you feeling strong in everything you do.
Next is the third eye chakra. Called Ajna, it’s the sixth primary chakra and is located between the brows. It’s most commonly associated with insight and wisdom. Keeping it open allows you to receive messages from the cosmos, putting you one step closer to enlightenment.
Finally, we have the crown chakra. It’s the seventh chakra and is known as Sahasrara in ancient Sanskrit. The crown chakra is a bridge to the universe.
When life force energy is free to flow, metaphysical healers say that you become connected to the universal consciousness and gain more appreciation for life, the universe, and all its mysteries.
Ways to Use It
There are countless ways to utilize Black Onyx. This stone is relatively tough, making it a favorite among jewelers and crafters. It has a long history of use in fine jewelry, and many artisans take advantage of it to this day.
Wearing it as an amulet, bracelet, or ring can bring its healing properties closer. Keeping it against the skin ensures that the stone is always within your aura, allowing it to deal with dark energy on the spot. Plus, jewelry keeps it close to the chakras it influences, maintaining your metaphysical plane throughout the day.
If you don’t want to wear it, you can simply keep it nearby. When you go out and conquer the world, pop it in your pocket like a worry stone. It’ll stay close to your aura, and you can always take it out when you need extra protection or support.
Black Onyx is commonly used in meditation as well. Hold it in your hand as you find peace in your thoughts. You can also apply it to chakras that need a bit of extra work.
In your home, Black Onyx can be a part of feng shui. Placing it in a quiet room attracts energy that exudes stillness and peace. It’s said to turn spaces into temples of mental rejuvenation.
Stone Combinations
You don’t have to use Black Onyx on its own. Many healers like to combine it with other crystals to create custom energy cocktails.
This mysterious grounding stone can be paired with many other crystals. But you’re most likely to see noticeable effects when you use it alongside stones like Aventurine, Lapis Lazuli, and Tiger’s Eye.
Aventurine is a peace-bringer. It’s a fantastic crystal for anxiety that promotes mental clarity. With Black Onyx, it becomes a powerful healer that wipes away bad energy.
Lapis Lazuli is about gaining self-confidence. A pairing with the healing properties of Black Onyx can help you overcome challenging obstacles preventing you from reaching your full potential.
Tiger’s Eye is a stone that grants strength. Pair it with the grounding energy of Black Onyx, and you get a beautiful mix that instills a sense of resilience and vigor.
Black Onyx also works wonders when combined with other grounding stones. For example, its effects often become more profound when using stones like Hematite.
How to Cleanse Black Onyx
Contrary to popular belief, healing stones like Black Onyx aren’t infallible. These minerals take millions of years to become what they are, but the constant bombardment of dark energy can take its toll. Stones like Black Onyx are the most susceptible to the adverse effects of bad energy because they constantly work to get rid of it!
Over time, Black Onyx can lose its potency, making it an empty vessel with no healing potential.
Fortunately, you can bring the stone back to life with simple cleansing procedures. The best way to cleanse Black Onyx is to run it under cool water. You can use a natural gentle soap to wipe away physical impurities, but water will take care of the energy cleansing.
After drying it out, the stone is good to go!
Another option is to cleanse it with sage. Pass the smoke over the Black Onyx for several seconds to eliminate the negativity and restore its healing properties.
Zodiac Connection
Black Onyx is a healing stone that anyone can use. It’s not exclusive to one type of person.
That said, most practitioners agree that it’s an incredibly strong Leo stone. Those born under the Leo zodiac are notoriously hot-headed. While some think that it’s a form of aggression, most outbursts result from insecurities and a lack of confidence.
Leos are naturally ambitious. They have the potential to burn as bright as a thousand suns, but their own insecurities tend to hold them back. The inability to achieve their goals is what leads to their hot-tempered outbursts.
Black Onyx helps to provide a bit of balance. Its grounding energy counteracts those insecure feelings. In turn, Leos can feel more level-headed and ready to conquer the world. In most cases, the balance makes Leos feel safe, which eliminates the possessive behavior and emotional outbursts.
Closing Thoughts
The meaning of Black Onyx is all about protection, and its healing properties work to remove negative energy from your life. This is truly a stone that anyone can benefit from.
We highly encourage you to try introducing this stone into your life. And as always, send over any questions you might have!
