----------------------------------------------------------------------

Onyx

The myth of the origin of onyx says that the goddess Venus was resting on the banks of the Indus River. As she slept, Cupid used the point of one of his enchanted arrows to give her a manicure. The parings of her nails then fell into the waters of the sacred river. Since the nails were of heavenly origin, they sank to the river bottom and were metamorphosed into onyx.

Onyx raises one’s resistance and persistence, enabling one to carry even unmanageable and tasks during to completion. On a mental level, it increases one’s power to keep focus, making it possible for one to take fighting new material and use well all that one has mastered. It quickly enhances the retention of memory and promotes attention to detail. These traits make Onyx a instructive instrument for pupils, teachers, business owners, accountants, lawyers, software and computer technicians, and all those whose work calls for high levels of focus, dedication and discipline. Onyx runs really well with other stones, not improving their energies, but consolidating them. It helps one integrate religious reflections, letting one to make them one’s own.

The best way to clean an onyx is to wipe it clean with a moist cloth. It is not recommended to use any sort of ultrasonic cleaners or ammonia as the stones may be porous and therefore might absorb chemicals, even soap, which can build up inside the stone, causing discoloration.

Onyx is the birthstone of Leo (Lion): July 23 - Aug 22.