3-4" Abalone Shell
Most are around 3.5 inches in size, but they can be as small as 3 inches in size.Abalone is known as the Ears of the Sea. It is used in ritual ceremonies to replenish the soul.
Abalone is a type of mollusk, like clams and oysters, except inside their flat, one-sided, ear-shaped shells. Abalone has tentacles and feet.
Native American cultures used the shells as a smudge bowl to burn sage. When used in combination, it is believed that it carries their messages up to The Great Spirit. In the Apache culture, Abalone is used in The Sunrise Ceremony, a ritual that marks the passage into womanhood. According to Apache myth, "The Sunrise Ceremony celebrates the White Painted Woman who survived the great flood in an abalone shell and came to land to be impregnated by the Sun and the Rain. Her son communions with the rain, creating water. Her son communions with Sun, the Killer of Enemies who defeat the White Painted Woman's enemies. Victorious, she bestows a puberty rite upon all Apache women. Therefore the journey into puberty honors the White Painted Woman in the abalone disc worn on the forehead of Apache girls as they perform the ritual."
Abalone's meaning is one of solace, a connection to the ocean, the cycle of life, protection, and ancient travel.
Today the healing properties are much like ancient beliefs. Abalone healing energies are protection and emotional balance. It's natural shielding bestows blessings of tranquility upon the person holding it. Abalone is helpful for emotional turmoil and relationship issues. It has a soothing natural energy that can provide a layer of protection and see situations with a new perspective.
Some perceive Abalone as a representative of water as it can tame the flames of strife.
The crown, third eye, and heart chakra are associated with Abalone. In tandem with the shell itself, the Mother-of-pearl lines the abalone shell can activate intuitive qualities and clarity in situations, sensitivity, and imagination. Holding Abalone during cleansing rituals lends to a feeling of purity. Abalone is said to have divine energy; using it with sage in the act of cleansing invokes the spirit of the ocean and uses the highest chakras as a conduit to the heavenly realm.
Abalone Shell is said to enhance feelings of peace, compassion, and love. It has a lovely warm, gentle vibration, so it helps to soothe the nerves and encourage a calm demeanor in times of challenging emotional issues.
It is said to help open our psychic and intuitive connections gently.
Abalone Shell is an excellent guide in relationships, enhancing and supporting communication, cooperation, commitment, and compromise, leading to harmony and balance. It can help to understand both sides of an issue by encouraging one to stand in the other person's "shoes" to gain a better perspective and more objective standpoint.
The Abalone Shell is a perfect gift for people that have survived traumatic experiences, helping them to understand that while they feel like they have been tossed around like a shell in the ocean, they are more beautiful for it.