Petrified wood is also known as fossilised wood. It is formed when a tree or tree-like plant changes to stone by the process of permineralization. I have taken this paragraph from Wikipedia as it best explains the process:
“Permineralization, a type of fossilization, involves deposits of minerals within the cells of organisms. Water from the ground, lakes, or oceans seeps into the pores of organic tissue and forms a crystal cast with deposited minerals. Crystals begin to form in the porous cell walls. This process continues on the inner surface of the walls until the central cavity of the cell, the lumen, is completely filled. The cell walls themselves remain intact surrounding the crystals”.
In petrified wood, the mineral in the stone is usually a silicate, such as quartz. It comes in many different colours, depending on the tree that it was originally created from and the minerals in the water as it was forming.
Petrified wood is associated with the root chakra and third eye. It is gently grounding and offers stability. It is a stone of patience and a slow steady growth toward the goal of spiritual awareness. It is an ideal stone for new beginnings and to help when adapting to change.
Petrified wood is good for gradually strengthening the body and increasing vitality. It can be beneficial for someone who needs greater stability in the skeletal structure.
Petrified wood has a connection to ancestors & ancestral wisdom of the whole world & creation (not just people).
I personally love the energy of Petrified wood – it is one of my favourite crystals. When I first connected with it I felt so much love and gratitude for mother earth, nature and all of creation. I was given a clear message that I wrote down and would like to share with you:
“We are all trees of this earth. We take from it and must be sure that what we give back is pure & wholesome. We have it within our hands. We are all one together on this earth. We are connected by roots like trees in the forest. We need each other for goodness. Do not damage the root system for we cannot sustain ourselves on our own. We each are our own tree, but all of us connected.”