Lignum vitae

This wood has a profoundly positive energy. The overall energy of the wood can be summed up as "the power and strength of goodness." Its strong connections with the sun, Jupiter, and luck energy make the wood an ideal tool for any worker of positive magic. The energy about the wood is very healing, in both physical and spiritual matters. The energies within the wood would also be excellent for divining information from far away as well as close to home. This wood represents the end of strife and the beginning of a new, positive, cycle.

The greatest legend about this wood is that Merlin the Wizard carried a staff and/or wand made from Lignum Vitae. This legend appears in both literature and ancient writings about the legend of Camelot. If true, it is hardly surprising. The energy within the wood is perfectly suited to a great man such as Merlin.

The hardest, densest wood in the world, Lignum Vitae means "long life" in Latin. This tree is also called the "Tree of Life" as well as "Iron Wood." The wood is so dense and heavy that it will not even float in water. It comes with a long history and legend. This naturally green wood has been used for time untold in construction due to the fact that it is so hard and dense. Because it has a large amount of resin within it as well as its density, it is naturally lubricated and was thus used as ball bearings on ships. Lignum vitae is reddish brown when freshly cut, with pale yellow sapwood. As it oxidizes, the color turns to a deep green, often with black details. The grain is highly interlocked, making it difficult to work with edge tools, but it machines well and takes a high polish. It is a remarkably good wood for turning.