Shells are one of nature’s most beautiful creations, and can act as a powerful symbol when brought into our homes. Have you ever collected seashells, lined them on a windowsill, or piled them into a bowl to display? Have you ever listened to the ocean waves in a queen conch, miles and years away from the ocean itself? Have you ever seen a beautiful garden bed lined with collected shells? These are all beautiful ways to keep shells, but the meaning goes far beyond beauty.
Shells are the discarded exoskeletons of mollusks—clams, oysters, snails, cockles, mussels, and so on (there are over 200,000 types of mollusks and they all create unique shells!)--The mollusks will filter salts and minerals from the seawater through their bodies, and these eventually harden into a calcified exterior shell that offers them protection. Later, these shells will be used by crabs or other creatures who need a safe haven, until eventually they break down over time in the waves and the tides and become the sand and beach and sea floor itself. As they break down they feed the salt and mineral mixture of the ocean and the life cycle continues, as new mollusks filter this water, creating new shells.
At their most basic level, shells remind us of the ocean, the beach, peaceful and lazy summer days. They bring a little bit of beach life to our everyday lives.
They are symbolic of an important ecological cycle. The cyclical nature of the ocean, the tides, and life itself. The wheel of time that is always turning.
They are good energy for your home, and your garden too! Crushed shells in a composting mulch can also improve the health of your garden, and give nutrients to the plants.
Shells have a long beautiful history across different genres of art, from the Birth Of Venus by Sandro Botticelli to Shell by Salvador Dali. Amazingly, the first known form of art was discovered on a clamshell in India that dates to roughly 500,000 years ago, and is attributed to human ancestor Homo Erectus.
Like snowflakes and humans, no two shells are identical. But many cultures in history have valued the collection of similar shells that have been used as currencies. From Arabia to China, Paula New Guinea to Martha’s Vineyard, shells have been used as money by indigenous people. This history lives on in shell’s symbolic value even today.
In your home, and in Feng Shui, shells are considered a water element and should be placed accordingly. They are thought to bring good communication, prosperity, fertility and good relationships. To me, shells I have collected over the years remind me of the eternal and universal cycle of life.
Bringing shells into your home is a beautiful way to encourage communication, flow, abundance and love.