Morrisonite cabochon cut by Thom LaneMorrisonite Wolf Necklace and Earrings
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Do you see the wolf in the stone? (Hint: look for his eyes!) Sadly for us, Thom doesn't cut cabs any more but instead focuses on spectacular collector agate specimens. Fortunately for us I was able to purchase some of his "old" cabs recently. This wolf leapt out at me from his collection.
Morrisonite, a porcelain jasper which some claim is the most beautiful jasper of them all, takes a high polish which Thom took advantage of in cutting this lovely stone. Once you see Morrisonite, you will probably be able to recognize other examples easily. There is something unique about the mossy greens and the unusual rusty salmon colors, both of which occur in this stone. Some stones also display equally unique blue greens.
Zenz, despite trying to restrict himself to agates, couldn't help but mention a few jaspers in a chapter in Agates II in which he shows a single example of Morrisonite. By Agates III the jaspers we love hold their own against the agates and Morrisonite itself gets 15 pages! Hans Gamma's much smaller book (also below) gives two pages to Morrisonite (though it isn't a landscape jasper it is too beautiful for him to ignore) and also provides fabulous examples of other jaspers. In Within the Stone Philip Ball uses a Morrisonite to inspire an explanation of why he "wouldn't go to Mars if you paid me." (A sentiment I share.) And John Horgan uses another for a poetic riff on magma. I'm apparently not the only one who finds Morrisonite inspiring!
Metaphysical texts usually lump jaspers into one category and at best only a few well-known varieties are described. Generally Melody says jasper is known as the "supreme nurturer." Jasper is the stone in Aaron's breastplate associated with the tribe of Benjamin.
Many years ago, before I was familiar with it, I was given an old strand of Chalcedony beads as a gift from a friend's estate. When I saw them I thought how odd it seemed for the woman to have had such a seemingly dull, grey strand of beads (she had exquisite taste). Then I picked them up and felt overwhelmed by their beautiful spirit. When I touched them their appearance changed completely for me. The beads in this necklace have that same lovable quality as well as a bit more color! Chalcedony, said to encourage brotherhood among all, is a member of the quartz family and takes many forms with different names, including agate, petrified wood and jasper. The difference between the beads and the centerpiece is that the quartz in Chalcedony is arranged in fibrous layers whereas in jasper it occurs in sugar-like grains. It may seem odd to pair the translucent Chalcedony with the opaque Morrisonite, but they love one another and I think you will also feel their sweet familial relationship when you wear the necklace. The Chalcedony beads highlight the grey and rusty colors in the Morrisonite in an interesting way and the Serpentine beads blend with the colors in both. Ahsian says Serpentine is soothing to the emotional body.
Perhaps wolf popped up in this stone because wolves are under assault now in many states. We have spent so many years trying to restore these apex predators to our wilderness areas and some people are very upset and angry about it. One can understand why livestock producers have concerns about wolf reintroduction. Hunters are also concerned because wolves keep the elk population in check and make them harder to hunt. Some people were brought up to hate wolves and have not had occasion to examine that posture. As we have discussed elsewhere on this site (e.g., here) the wolf has a critical ecological role in maintaining the health of our wilderness ecosystems. It seems incredibly arrogant for us to assume any creature has no place in our world, and what has happened in Yellowstone with the reintroduction of the wolf is nothing short of awe inspiring. I can't help but wonder about the violent hatred toward the wolf that allows people to hunt them down with helicopters. Would they hunt their own pet dogs like this? Perhaps The Druid Animal Oracle gives a clue when it assigns The Shadow to wolf. Could some of our hatred towrd wolves actually be a projection based upon our failure to deal with our own shadow?
Enough heavy concerns and deep thoughts! I hope you will order this piece, celebrate the wisdom of wolf and have a little laugh at the white-footed mouse who hides on the reverse. Perhaps wearing it will give you the opportunity to discuss the wolf with someone who has no understanding of these marvelous creatures.
