Paying tribute to it's longer & larger relatives in our Rattlesnake Ritual Strand series, this strand is composed of light catching faceted onyx beads, which cradle ten sterling silver life-cast rattlesnake vertebrae in graduating sizes.

Inspired by my intense connection to snakes and the image of them shedding their skin- this strand is a talisman for transformation and is intended to be a physical protection for the vulnerability that comes with choosing to transform and those periods in our life where unexpected and uncontrollable events rupture our centers. 

The snake speaks to the Shadow Self of Carl Jung’s ideas on ‘Inner Alchemy’. Its ability to transform, its posionus and creative qualities underline the idea of the Shadow; which is seen as the repressed, unwanted or unaccepted parts of oneself.

The process of individuation or transmutation is the process of becoming ‘whole’. For Jung, this didn’t mean becoming ‘good’, but becoming complete in the sense that one accepts all of their unconscious ‘faults’ as well as their experiences (their pasts) to become whole or complete. In ‘Inner Alchemy’ each phase of the alchemical process from antiquity was re-assigned new meanings: i.e. the quest for the philosopher's stone is truly a quest to become whole. In the 'Nigredo' process, everything is blackened, putrefied, 'killed' in a sense, to allow for new growth. It is during this phase in 'Inner Alchemy' that we are confronted with the knowledge our darker aspects, a phase in which we must accept our shadow selves. When we accept and acknowledge our more shadowy aspects, the parts of ourselves we have been conditioned to suppress, the parts of ourselves we hide from others as well as ourselves, we are on the path to wholeness. We become more accepting of our flaws, our darknesses. Having struggled with my own shadow self for many years, this talisman represents not only that long tangle with ‘darkness’, but our ability to become whole.

This strand measures 31.5 inches long from end to end. At its closure, our smallest double sided eye talisman adds an additional layer of psychic protection and can be worn at the back of the neck or on the front of the body.  

This length is slightly shorter in length than the majority of our mourning beads and ritual strands, making it ideal for layering. It is also beautiful when worn doubled up. Its light weight makes it perfect to use for meditation or ritual practices. 

Onyx:

Onyx is best known for being a natural stone that act as a kind of 'psychic armor' against the negativity of others. It is also used to sooth grief and heartbreak. They are wonderful grounding stones and stones of self mastery, enabling its wearers to have mental and spiritual focus.

Spinel:

Spinel is a potent stone for healing and protection: working to help clear intense emotions such as anger and rage, it imbues its wearer with a sense of calm. It is also used to heal the physical body and has powerful metaphysical qualities, helping its wearer to feel strong, assisting with perseverance, especially when dealing with issues from the past that have become difficult to overcome. Much like Onyx, it also helps repel negativity from others.

This listing is for one Mini Midnight Rattlesnake ritual strand. The last image shows this strand with the Mini Moonlit Rattlesnake Strand to show the difference in lengths. 

***IMPORTANT***:

This strand is handmade to order, just for you, with care and focus.  Please approximately 5 weeks for creation before shipping. 

Please visit the Policy Page to make an educated and informed purchase HERE.

If you have further questions, we are always here to serve you in a kind and timely manner: via bloodmilkjewels@gmail.com