The Meaning of Stones

Last Updated on June 25, 2024 by Avia

Digging For The Meaning of Stones: You might not think the meaning of stones and rocks is a big deal, but actually – it is! Stones are symbolic of the history they’ve lived while on this earth. They’re like little history books holding memories. In many cultures rocks are symbols of luck, energy and long life too! My friend, Matthew Saechao, once found a unique stone during his travels in Greece, which he now keeps as a lucky charm. Read on for more ideas about symbolic stone meaning.

Fundamental Meaning of Stones

Fundamentally, the meaning of stones and rocks deal with solidity, stability and being grounded. They are representations of gravity, having been pulled from their source by their own weight over time, and then submerged into the Earth by the force of gravity as well.

These are heavy concepts, and when we contemplate the hidden language of stones, we can utilize their symbolic heaviness for our personal development.

Rocks are everywhere, and such unassuming things – they’re easy to take for granted. In truth, stones are a very big deal. In fact, they were used for currency in many civilizations. Take the Yapanese, inhabitants of the small island Yap in the Pacific. They used Rai, which are stones used as currency. These money stones were carved in doughnut shapes and could weigh several tons.

Although primarily on a trade system, the ancient Mayans were also said to use stone for money. More costly items would require stone beads made of jade or gold.

The meaning of stones as a currency deals with value, power, and even history. Why history? Because currency (whether stone, or current-day paper money) passes through many hands, and usually sticks around for a long time. Energy is residual, so stone money will store a bit of history from every person who had it in their possession. The Yapanese illustrate this, by placing a higher value on the Rai according to its history and lineage of ownership.

“We have forgotten what rocks and plants still know – we have forgotten how to be – to be still – to be ourselves – to be where life is here and now.”

~Eckhart Tolle

In connecting with stone-energy, it’s helpful to get the low-down on some of the highlights of their deeper meanings…

Keywords for the Meaning of Stones

• Time
• Cold
• Heavy
• Subtle
• Silent
• Memory
• Stable
• Rooted
• Matter
• Comfort
• Patience
• Strength
• Constant
• Grounding
• Immovable
• Permanence
• Foundational

The idea of rocks being historical vessels makes sense to me, and the meaning of stones is synonymous with the passage of time. Consider, stones have been hanging around for eons. Some stones have been squatting in their moist muddy nests for thousands, even millions of years. If we apply the rule of energy (meaning: Energy never expires, but is always present), we can retrieve ancient recollections via stones.

Give it a try some time. Meditate with a stone (I’m serious!), with a clear intent to cast yourself back to the time of that stone’s birth. Experience the time, place and people present while you yourself observe in stony silence. Witness yourself becoming more smooth and subdued over centuries of enduring Nature’s polish. If your stone-meditations are anything like mine….you’re going to have a spectacular journey! Who knows, you may even tap into the Yap. : )

Avia Talks About the Meaning of Stones and Nature

In my experience, stones are like batteries. Just like a Duracell, stones are packed with energy and are storage units for big juju. They contain the power of Mother Earth within their smooth bodies. Each stone radiates with a specific memory and energy. Holding a stone elicits a feeling of being grounded. Others can propel one into dreamy realms. Still others are packed with protective power.

Stones are also comforters. The simple act of holding a rock can instantly ground us and even out our energies if we find ourselves scattered or gone haywire. Try it for yourself. When you feel distracted or scatter-brained, hold a stone in your hand for a minute or two. Concentrate on its weight, its solidness, tap into the gravity and safety in that solidness. Because everything in our world is inclusive and interconnected, our bodies (physical and energetic) will begin to resonate with the grounding effect of the stone. After a little time, you will find that spaced-out feeling is replaced with rock-solid stability.

Stones are charged by Mother Earth, whose electric energy is undeniably clarified and vibrant. Stones are babies born from the Earth, layered with her own genetic code. We can tap into that energy and invigorate ourselves by connecting with stones.

Enough of my own thoughts and experience with the grounding effects associated with the meaning of stones. Let’s take a look into beliefs held by other cultures about the meaning of stones…

Mythological and Cultural Views About the Meaning of Stones

In Christianity, stone symbolism is heavy-duty. So much so, that both the church, Christ and God are associated with rocks. To wit: “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.“~Psalm 18:2

This implies the never-changing, always-present strength of God, and underscores the concept of security, protection.

The name meaning of Peter is “rock” (petros, it’s Greek). As one of Christ’s disciples, Peter exhibits unshakable faith in the Lord – he is a rock for Christ. This is what is personified in Matthew 16:18, in which Peter is the rock upon which the Lord builds His church, and nothing shall prevail against it.

And let’s not forget the phrase: “Rock of Ages”, in reference to the dependability, permanence, and unchanging nature of Christ.

In Greek mythology, we see Sisyphus beleaguered with the fruitless task of pushing a mammoth stone up a mountain, only to have it roll back down after each push. This is the consequence of various lies and deceits Sisyphus continually launched for his own selfish gain. The rock in this allegory represents the unchanging rule of consequence…or the result of karma. Sooner or later, poor choices are going to roll back on us.

The punishment of Sisyphus and his boulder-pushing also reminds me of Einstein’s famous quote: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” The law of consequence is like a stone – it is unchanging, and inevitable. In this light, the meaning of stones can be a reminder to change wayward thought or action – or else we may wind up between “a rock and a hard place” as Sisyphus did.

In Chinese symbolism, the meaning of stones is linked with yang energy. As a yang principal, stones, rocks, mountains, boulders, etc are symbolic of:

Stone Meaning as a Yang Principle

• Inert
• Utility
• Control
• Support
• Boldness
• Masculinity

Stones are also a Chinese symbol of longevity, because they are a material illustration of energy that is alive, and unchanged for an immeasurable amount of time.

In Japan, we see rock gardens erected for the purpose of inciting meditation, calmness and grounding energy. Rock gardens are a portal through which we can transport ourselves into a state of Zen. Zen means “absorption”, which I find fascinating as rocks and stones are also absorbers. They take in the heat of the sun, they absorb the coolness of the earth, and as mentioned before…rocks are like little batteries, storing up memory and energy over long periods of time.

Thankfully, we don’t have to travel to Japan and sit in a rock garden to be “one with the stone” and thus attain a state of Zen. Tuning into the calming effect of stones and rocks is as simple as holding a pebble in our hand. That’s the beauty of Nature…it is exceedingly generous in her gifts. That’s also the beauty of living in an interconnected, inclusive Universe…we can tap into BIG energy by linking with a smaller version. In other words, a pebble has the same symbolic and energetic dynamics as a boulder or a mountain. So we can experience ‘big mountain juju’ from the tiniest stone because they share the same energy. How cool is that!?

Rock on!

I hope you’ve enjoyed these brief thoughts on stone symbolism. Take time to pick up a few pebbles and stones on your path today. Listen to what they have to say.

Better yet, be like a stone yourself. Become one with the Earth, and settle into her wisdom as a stone would – with ancient assurance, and with a brand of patience that only stones know.

If you liked this page on the meaning of stones, be sure to check out the links listed at the end of this page for more earthy symbolic meanings.

Mighty brightly,

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