Onyx Meaning: The endurance stone, and How to Use It
The endurance stone. Reach for it to get through it.
Onyx is known in the tradition as the endurance stone. If you want the short answer: reach for it to get through it.
At a glance
- Colour
- Deep matte black
- Hardness
- 6.5 to 7 out of 10 — tough
- Water
- Safe.
- Sunlight
- Safe.
- Mined in
- Brazil, India, Uruguay
- Chakra
- Root
- Element
- Earth
- Planet
- Saturn
- Zodiac
- Capricorn, Leo
What onyx is said to help with
These are the associations the tradition gives it. They are long-standing beliefs rather than proven effects, and they are recorded here because they are genuinely what people come looking for.
- Endurance through something long and hard
- Discipline when motivation has run out
- Protection and privacy — it is a guarded stone
- Steadiness in grief
The part that is actually true
Most black onyx sold is agate that has been dyed black, a practice going back to Roman times and considered legitimate in the trade. True naturally solid-black onyx is uncommon.
Where onyx comes from
Brazil, India, Uruguay.
Looking after it
- Water: Safe.
- Sunlight: Safe.
Frequently asked
What does onyx mean?
Onyx is known as the endurance stone. The tradition associates it with endurance through something long and hard, discipline when motivation has run out, protection and privacy. These are traditional associations rather than demonstrated effects, and no stone treats an illness.
Can onyx go in water?
Yes. Safe.
What chakra is onyx?
The tradition associates onyx with the root chakra, the earth element, and Saturn. These are traditional correspondences rather than measurable properties.
Where does onyx come from?
Brazil, India, Uruguay.
Keep reading
Crystal Meanings: A Simple, Honest Guide to 12 Stones
What each stone means, when to reach for it, and how to look after it. Start here.
Which Crystals Cannot Go in Water? The Simple Rule
The rule is easier than the long lists suggest: if a stone is soft, keep it dry.
Amethyst Meaning: The Calm Stone, and How to Use It
The one most people own, and the one they reach for when their head will not switch off.