Abundant in native form, sulfur (sulphur) is a mysterious and essential component of natural life. All living things contain sulfur - also gold and stardust. In ancient times sulfur is mined in Greece, India, Egypt and China. Sulfur is also called brimstone (burning stone).
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The fifth most common element in the Earth, natural sulphur can be found near hot springs and volcanic regions in many parts of the world, especially along the Pacific Ring of Fire. Sulfur's mined in Indonesia, Chile, and Japan.
Elemental sulfur occurs naturally in oceanic salt domes when bacteria interacts with gypsum in the salt. The 'rotten egg' smell is a sign of fierce activity. Sulfur also occurs in meteorites. Pyrite or fool's gold is the most abundant sulfide mineral, often found in sulphur regions.
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The element sulfur can dissolve in water or break into pieces, changing its structure and chemical makeup significantly. Chemists, geologists and alchemists study the mineral in fascination. It's used to make black powder explosives, an insecticide and as sulfuric acid.
The beautiful stone lapis lazuli, beloved for jewelry and ornamentation, gets its blue color from molecular sulfur. In alchemy, sulfur is part of the prima materia or primal matter of all things. Along with mercury and salt, sulfur forms the tria prima or prime three elements of which everything is made.
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The alchemical symbol for sulfur is a triangle atop a cross (🜍), signifying the combustible elements. A separate symbol for brimstone is an older one for sulfur, a double crossed line atop an infinity symbol or lemniscate (🜏).
Metaphysically, sulfur corresponds to qualities such as heat, dryness and the male. In alchemy, the element relates to evaporation, expansion and dissolution. In the human body, sulfur represents the soul. As it seems to rise from fires inside the Earth, sulfur has strong Underworld associations.
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Greek philosopher Pliny the Elder discusses sulfur in his Natural History, saying the best-known source is the island of Melos in the Aegean Sea. It's used in ancient Greece for fumigation, medicine, and bleaching cloth.
Because sulfur forms at vents on the Earth's surface, it's associated with the Underworld, Hades or Hell. Bright yellow crystals correspond to the Sun and fire, but also suffering and death.
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In alchemy sulfur is considered the spirit of life. Sulfur is of a twofold nature, relating to life and death, creation and destruction. White sulfur is the hidden fire, the divine spark in humans, the secret of the philosopher's stone.
As ointment, sulfur is used in folk medicine to treat skin ailments such as:
scabies
ringworm
psoriasis
eczema
acne
Inhaling sulfur fumes can cause severe respiratory problems, burning eyes and throat, allergic reaction. Toxic reaction due to accidental inhalation of sulfur fumes is rare outside sulfur mining environments, but beware of unusual symptoms.
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Hot springs are said to be beneficial to the skin, inner peace and overall well-being. Sometimes the smell is off-putting. The smell of sulfur on the breath, a rotten egg stink caused by bacteria, can signify a further health problem such as ulcerative colitis.
In early times people tossed coins of silver or copper into a water source to make a wish from the guardian spirit(s) of a well, pool or stream. Both metals are naturally anti-bacterial and help freshen the water.
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The natural chemicals of copper or silver act against the bacteria causing the rotten egg smell of sulphur. In Europe, inhabitants of the water, nixies, are said to grant wishes or give luck in exchange for an offering of copper or silver.
At first the foremost sulfur production was in Sicily. The horrific conditions at the Sicilian sulfur mines influenced Booker T. Washington to write in 1912:
"I am not prepared just now to say to what extent I believe in a physical hell in the next world, but a sulfur mine in Sicily is about the nearest thing to hell that I expect to see in this life."
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Today the largest quantity of sulfur is made from petroleum and natural gas, with a few mines in operation. Overall conditions may be better, but harvesting sulfur is done by hand on steep steaming slopes of venting gas.
In ancient Sicily, workers climb through hot narrow tunnels which can go a mile (1.6 km) underground. Conditions are horrendous in early mines of all kinds, and child labor is often used due to narrow tunnels. Today the sulfur specimens from the Sicilian mines are most highly prized for quality by collectors.
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In spirituality, the yellow gemstone, sulfur relates to joy, hope, creativity, spiritual awareness, insight or enlightenment. As a chakra stone, sulfur is conducive to opening up the sacral and solar plexus chakras, which rule creativity and emotions.
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