Healing gemstones

Agate is named after the river Achates (now known as the Dirillo river) on Sicily (Italy), where the stone was found in ancient times.

Agate is a variety of chalcedony and is formed in concentric layers inside a host rock. Several varieties are named after the visual effect of the structure or the place where it is found, such as Banded Agate, Moss Agate, Rainbow Agate, Botswana Agate or Indian Agate. Onyx is very similar to Agate, but Onyx has straight bands instead of curved ones, and is mostly known when black or banded black and white.

Properties

Agate exists in almost all colours, although green and blue are not very common. It is a quite hard gemstone (7-8 on Mohs scale). Agate is transparant or opaque.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

Agate is a powerful healing gemstone, especially emotionally. It helps to discern truth and accept things the way they are. Agate improves honesty and peace of mind. It helps with any kind of trauma.
Furthermore, Agate is a love stone. It improves marital and romantic fidelity, sexual energy and stamina.

Agate is also a very practical gemstone, as it improves memory, focus, perception and concentration. It enhances courage, self-confidence, physical strength and mental power. It protects against danger and reduces fear and anger.

On a physical level, Agate eases the birthing process, aids indigestion and circulation and lessens pain, particularly headache and pain from skin burns. It is healthy for the heart and blood vessels. Agate prevents insomnia and stimulates a calm mind and pleasant dreams.

Meditation

Agate encourages a calm and relaxing state and opens the mind to inner truths.

Birthstones and chakras

The name "Amethyst" derives from the Greek "amethystos", which means "not drunk". In ancient times it was believed to prevent one from getting drunk.

Amethyst is a Quartz variety and considered to be the most precious kind of Quartz. The structure however, differs strongly from other quartz kinds and is typical for the specific place where it is found. The typical purple colour is caused by iron and natural radiation. With heat treatment, Amethyst can be turned into Citrine or into the green coloured Prasiolite, also known as Green Amethyst, which is a more common, but actually incorrect name.

Properties

The colour of Amethyst varies between light purple-ish to deep purple, possibly with hues of dark red or blue. The stone may be transparant to translucent. It is a relatively hard stone (7 on Mohs scale). Prolonged exposure to UV radiation (sunlight, discotheque blacklight, etc.) may fade the colour and should be avoided.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

Amethyst is a protecting, cleaning and calming stone. It helps in overcoming addictions. Amethyst reduces anger, agression, anxiety and grief and protects against negativity. It stimulates self reflection, insight and intuition and balances emotions. It enhances creativity, inspires positive dreams and helps to remember and understand the dreams. It transforms negative, violent energies into positive, peaceful energie.

Amethyst can also be used to clean other healing stones of their absorbed negative energy.

Physically, Amethyst is helpful with sleeping problems, like insomnia and nightmares. It strengthens the immune system and has positive effects on the brains, the nerve system and the respiratory tract. Amethyst stimulates tissue regeneration and helps with skin problems, including bruises and swellings.

Meditation

Amethyst opens spirituality and is very suitable in meditation by encouraging the mind to surrender to the powers of the universe directing and guiding one's life.

Birthstones and chakras

The name "Aquamarine" comes from the Latin "aqua marina", meaning "water of the sea". Legends say sailors wore Aquamarine to keep them safe on the seas and protect them against illness.

Aquamarine is a kind of Beryl and thus related to Emerald. Occasionally, huge Aquamarine crystals are found, like the piece found in Brazil in 1910, weighing over 240 lbs.

Properties

The colour of Aquamarine can go from almost colourless to bluish green or blue. Transparency is clear or translucent. Aquamarine is a hard stone, 7.5 to 8 on Mohs scale. Prolonged exposure to UV radiation (sunlight, discotheque blacklight, etc.) may fade the colour and should be avoided.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

Aquamarine is a stone of honesty, sensitivity and happiness. It increases insight and perception of others and oneself. Through enhanced honesty and sincerity, together with sharpened intuition and clairvoyance and a higher tolerance, Aquamarine takes away fear, improves courage, helps in achieving goals and finding inner and universal truth.

Physically, Aquamarine strengthens the immune system and stimulates growth. It balances hormones and reduces allergic reactions, like hay fever. Aquamarine soothens a sore throat and helps with stomach problems. It counters short- and long-sightedness. Aquamarine is very protective for mother and child during pregnancy and protects against miscarriages.

Meditation

Aquamarine is very suitable for (advanced) meditation and for awakening paranormal abilities.

Birthstones and chakras

The word "Carnelian" derives from the medieval Latin word "corneolus" and the Latin "cornum", which is the cornel cherry. Tumbled carnelian looks like the translucent red fruits of the cornel cherry. Other sources refer the name to the Latin word "carnis", which means "flesh", since the rough Carnelian look very much like animal meat, raw or cooked. In ancient times, Carnelian was the typical gem stone of the noble class. Noble class people were often buried with Carnelian. During their life, Carnelian was used for seal rings, because the hot wax used to seal important letters and documents didn't stick to it.

Carnelian is a variety of Chalcedony Quartz, but is only called Carnelian if the colour is solid or nearly solid. Very similar to Carnelian (and often used interchangeably) is Sard, although Sard is commonly used for the darker and harder varieties.

Properties

Carnelian's colour can vary from pale orange to dark red. If the colour is brown to almost black, it is generally referred to as Sard, especially if the stone is also a bit harder. The colour of Carnelian is solid, or has at most some shades of the same hue. Opacity may vary from quite transparent to almost opaque, but most carnelian is translucent. Carnelian is never fully opaque. Carnelian is a medium hard stone, 6 to a maximum of 7 on Mohs scale.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

Carnelian is a love and life stone. It stimulates optimism and positivity, self-esteem and self-trust. Carnelian is beneficial for a healthy relationship without jealousy and possessiveness. It protects against anger, envy and resentment, and reduces depression and the effects of abuse. Carnelian dispels apathy, boosts energy and stimulates sexuality. It is helpful with menstrual and menopausal symptoms and the male mid-life crisis. Carnelian amplifies feelings of passion, love and desire.

On a physical level, Carnelian improves absorption of vitamins and minerals. It stimulates the blood circulation and purification. Carnelian is helpful with problems related to the bones, joints and ligaments. It treats back problems (especially the lower back), rheumatism and arthritis. Carnelian improves fertility and reduces impotency and menstrual pain. It is helpful with eating disorders.

Meditation

In meditation, Carnelian improves concentration.

Birthstones and chakras

The name Chrysocolla comes from the two Greek words "chrysos" and "kolla", meaning "gold glue" as the ancient Greek used it to solder gold. Cleopatra always carried a piece of Chrysocolla, to slow down her fiery temperament and to be more tolerant.

Chrysocolla is a copper based mineral, hence it's blue colour. When found in nature, it is often mixed with malachite, azurite and turquoise.

Properties

The colour of Chrysocolla varies between a greenish blue and blue, sometimes with brown or black spots. It is translucent to opaque. It is a quite soft stone, with a hardness of 2 to 4 on Mohs scale, so special care should be taken. Chrysocolla should not be exposed to water.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

Chrysocolla is the stone of peace and communication. It decreases irritation and nervosity, and brings patience, forgiveness, wisdom and tranquility. Through these properties, Chrysocolla eases direct communication with others. Indirectly, it stimulates communication through increased self-reflection, understanding and creativity. Chrysocolla empowers female energies and enables one to express themselves openly. It decreases feelings of guilt and sorrow. Chrysocolla is specifically helpful in times of a broken heart and opens the path to a (new) unconditional love.

Chrysocolla is physically helpful against infections, especially around the throat. It reduces high blood pressure and fever. Chrysocolla regulates insulin production and the processes of the thyroid, kidneys and adrenals. It softens pain caused by menstrual cramps.

Meditation

In meditation, Chrysocolla prevents one loosing touch with the conscious mind and provides strength and protection.

Birthstones and chakras

The name "Citrine" derives from the Latin word "citrina", which means "yellow" and is also related to "citron" ("lemon").

Citrine is a Quartz variety. Natural Citrine is rare, most Citrine is made by heat treatment of Amethyst or Smokey Quartz. In nature, Citrine is sometimes found with Amethyst in the same crystal and is then named Ametrine. Citrine looks very similar to Topaz, but is slightly softer.

Properties

The colour of Citrine varies from a pale yellow (natural) to a yellowish or redish brown (heat treated). Citrine is transparent to slight translucent. Like other Quartz varieties it has a hardness of 7 on Mohs scale. Prolonged exposure to UV radiation (sunlight, discotheque blacklight, etc.) may fade the colour and should be avoided.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

Citrine is a stone of good luck, positivity and happiness. It attracts prosperity, success and love and protects against jealousy and resentment. Citrine is beneficial for self-esteem and self-confidence. It stimulates creativity, self-expression and feelings of joy and enthousiasm. It reduces depressions, fears and phobias.

Citrine is, together with Kyanite, one of the two healing stones that don't need to be cleared or cleansed.

Physically, Citrine is good for blood circulation and detoxification. It stimulates indigestion and cleanses and purifies the stomach and intestines. Citrine keeps hair, nails and skin healthy. It helps against allergies caused by chemicals or food. Citrine helps against the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and infections of the bladder and kidneys.

Meditation

Citrine is very suitable for meditation, as it easily opens doors to deep inner thoughts.

Birthstones and chakras

It is unsure where the name "Coral" comes from. Possibly from the Greek "korallion", which is the skeletton of the coral animals, or from the Greek "kura-halos", meaning "mermaid", or from the Hebrew "goral", referring to the coral branches which were used in oracles in the Mediterranean area. Coral has been used as gem since prehistoric times, 1.8 million years ago. It was used by warriors as ornaments on their weapons and given to children to protect them against harm. It was believed that the planet Mars consisted of Coral.

Coral is an organic substance, created by living organisms, and -surprisingly- chemically similar to pearl.

Properties

Although red Coral is most known, most Coral is white. Other colours are hues from red to white and from blue or brown to almost black. Coral is translucent to opaque and a quite soft substance, around 3.5 on Mohs scale. Coral is sensitive and contact with hot water, chemicals (cosmetics) and bright sunlight should be avoided. Careful cleaning can be done with a soft damp cloth.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

Coral is the stone of relations. It stimulates friendship, platonic and romantic love, mother and child bonding and community feelings. Coral enhances passion, enthousiasm and optimism. It calms the emotions and stimulates diplomacy and transfer of wisdom.

Coral strengthens the bones of the body and is good for the teeth of young children. It stimulates the blood circulation, tissue regeneration, and it reduces high blood pressure. Coral treats disorders of the nervous system and digestive tracts.

Red Coral helps against depression and lethargy. It cleanses the muscular system and treats disorders of the bladder and kidneys.

Meditation

In meditation, Coral helps with visualization.

Birthstones and chakras

The name "Fluorite" refers to the Latin verb "fluor", which means "to flow", as in water in a stream. The phenomenon of fluorescence is named after Fluorite, as some Fluorite has strong fluorescent properties. Fluorite used to be called "fluorspar", but now this is only used as chemical reference. The ancient Romans believed that drinking alcoholic beverages from a fluorite mug would prevent drunkenness.

Often, Fluorite is fluorescent, which means it reacts with a 'glow' when lit by ultraviolet light. It also has thermoluminescent properties, so it will radiate light when heated. Fluorite is used as lens material in specific high-end optical instruments. Fluorite can occur in large pieces, the largest piece found was a cube of more than six feet and weighing approximately 35,000 lbs.

Properties

Fluorite exists in almost all colours, colourless and white, although colourless, purple, blue, green and yellow are most common. Often the stone has a variety of colours within one piece. Fluorite is transparant and is the defining mineral for hardness 4 on Mohs scale. Prolonged exposure to UV radiation (sunlight, discotheque blacklight, etc.) may fade the colour and should be avoided. Also contact with water should better be avoided.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

Fluorite is known as the stone of the genius. It raises concentration and enhances intelligence and rationality. Fluorite improves creativity, memory, and learning abilities. It reduces doubt and confusion. Fluorite increases self-confidence and assertivity and stimulates intuition and emotional balance. It connects and balances intuition with ratio.

Fluorite protects against the negative effects of radiation of for example cell phones, computers, etc. It is healthy for the teeth and bones and treats rheumatism and joint ailments like arthritis. Fluorite has positive effects on the eyes and ears and the mucosa of throat and nose. It stimulates regeneration of DNA and cells.

Meditation

Fluorite can be used as an energizer and as catalyser for the powers of other stones.

Birthstones and chakras

The name "Garnet" derives from the Latin word "granatus", referring to the pomegranate (Punica granatum). The seeds of the pomegranate look like the red Garnet crystals. Ancient stories speak of Noah using Garnet to navigate his ark through the night. Travellers have used Garnet as protective talisman. In ancient times Garnet was exchanged between friends as sign of affection and loyalty and to ensure them meeting again.

Properties

Garnet is most known in it's red coloured variation, but exists also in pink, orange, yellow, green, purple, blue, brown, black and even colourless. Some kinds have it's daylight colour changed when radiated with incandescent ('glowing') light. This effect can be quite strong, for example the green in daylight can change to a reddish/purplish shade in incandescent light. Garnet can be transparent or opaque, but the transparent kind is mostly used as gem stone. Its hardness varies between 6.5 and 7.5 on Mohs scale, rarely even up to 8.5. A specific property of Garnet is its magnetic response. With a strong neodymium magnet, Garnet can be distinguished from other stones.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

Garnet is a friendship and relationship stone, a stone of trust and purity. It attracts friendship, love and romance and feeds it. Garnet gives strength, courage and protection, and boosts self-confidence, especially in creativity. This makes it a suitable stone for for example writers and actors. It stimulates the capability and desire to share with others and establishes hope and trust. Garnet transforms a crisis into a challenge and helps curing depression and alleviate fears. It enhances sexuality and intimacy and removes taboos and inhibitions. Garnet helps one to 'let go' of negative, useless or impossible ideas or thoughts and it shields against negative energy of others. It helps breaking down unwanted and disturbing behavior patterns. Also, Garnet is known for its aid in successful business, achieving goals and it smoothens the path to a wealthy life.

Garnet is a general purifier of the body and stimulates overall metabolism, especially absorbtion of vitamines and minerals. It regenerates the lungs, regulates the heart and blood flow, and stimulates fertility. Garnet soothens skin inflammations and relieves gallstone pain.

Meditation

Garnet may bring up painful but important information, valuable for spiritual healing and improvement of self-awareness.

Birthstones and chakras

Iolite is named after "ios", the Greek word for "violet", referring to the purplish colour Iolite often has. The Vikings used a thin piece of Iolite as polarization filter as a tool for sun-based orientation. That is why another name for Iolite is "Vikings Compass". Sometimes Iolite is called "dichroite", which means "two coloured stone" in Greek, as the colour of Iolite changes when seen from a different angle.

Properties

Iolite is transparent to translucent, but transparent Iolite is mostly used in jewelry. Most common colour is a hue between blue and purple, the blue similar to Sapphire or purple similar to Amethyst, but more pale. Iolite can also be gray. All transparent Iolite is strongly pleochroic: from a different angle, the same piece of purple Iolite can appear colourless or brown-yellow. Its hardness is between 7 and 7.5 on Mohs scale.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

Iolite is a stone of spirituality, vision and joy. While helping to understanding oneself and to connect with the soul, it has protective, calming and comforting powers. By encouraging self-responsability and self-expression, Iolite can lift many kinds of relationships to a more healthy, rewarding and satisfying level. The positive energy of Iolite can be received easily and comfortably. Iolite improves imagination, vision and intuition and helps during inner journeys.

Iolite has positive effects on problems with vision and eye sight. It soothens a sore throat and diminishes headaches. Iolite improves the brain function, especially memory, and helps against insomnia. It is helpful against all kinds of addictions and eases detoxification.

Meditation

For those who have difficulties with meditation due to a restless mind, the calming properties of Iolite can be very helpful.

Birthstones and chakras

Labradorite is named after the place where it was first found in 1770, the Labrador peninsula in Canada. One ancient legend tells an Inuit warrior struck a piece of Labradorite and so created the norhtern light.

Labradorite is part of the Feldspar family and has a remarkable colour effect ("labradorescence") when moved. The variety of Labradorite with a strong labradorescence effect, is called "Spectrolite".

Properties

Usually, Labradorite has a dark base colour, with metallic kinds of blue, green, yellow and red. Its opacity varies between transparent and translucent. The hardness of Labradorite is 6 to 6.5 on Mohs scale.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

Labradorite is a stone of understanding. It enhances inner intuition and insight of unknown or misunderstood aspects of ones inner self and clarifies destiny, passion, dreams and goals. Labradorite turns paralyzing depression and anxiety into enthousiast inspiration and self-confidence. It is a calming stone, helpful against anger and jealousy and improving harmony with others. Labradorite gives the strength needed in times of confusion and when changes are needed or wanted.

Labradorite has a positive effect on disorders of the eyes and improves sight at night. It reliefs problems with muscles, bones and joints. It is helpful for a balanced metabolism and to regulate hormons. Labradorite is beneficial as pain relief, especially during menstruation, and it soothens PMS symptoms. It is also helpful for the lungs in general, but specifically respiratory problems, especially if caused by bronchitis and colds.

Meditation

Meditating with Labradorite allows one to transcend the limitations of the past and the thoughts of the future, and embrace the possibilities of the moment.

Birthstones and chakras

The name Lapis Lazuli comes from the Latin word "lapis", meaning "stone" and the Persian word "la-žaward", meaning "blue". In many languages, the blue colour named 'azure' is directly connected to Lapis Lazuli. The Greek, Romans and Egyptians used Lapis Lazuli extensively for amulets, ornaments and jewelry. It has been used in the funeral mask of Tutankhamun. Cleopatra used powdered Lapis Lazuli as eyeshadow.

Actually, Lapis Lazuli is not a mineral, but a rock containing several different minerals: mostly the blue Lazurite, with some white Calcite and sparkly Pyrite, also called "Fools Gold", for its visual similarity with gold.

Properties

Lapis Lazuli is a quite soft stone, 5 to 5.5 on Mohs scale. The colour is blue, up to a purplish hue, with white and gold-coloured stripes. Lapis Lazuli is always opaque.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

Lapis Lazuli is a stone of wisdom and truth. It stimulates intuition, understanding and consciousness. Lapis Lazuli reveals both one's limitations as well as abilities, gifts and talents. It enhances objectivity, good judgement and is helpful in any learning process. By helping to recognize feelings and emotions and expressing those in a truthful and harmonious way, Lapis Lazuli is beneficial to solve conflicts with others and within oneself. It has strong powers and energies of high quality, but for best results, one must raise their own power to connect fully with Lapis Lazuli.

Lapis Lazuli strengthens the immune system and is healthy for the functioning of ears (hearing loss), eyes and vocal cords. It assists in relieving insomnia and letting go of anxieties. Lapis Lazuli lowers blood pressure and soothens a sore throat. It reliefs pain in general, especially headaches, and is helpful with brain disorders.

Meditation

Lapis Lazuli is a catalyst and amplifier and it communicates with images rather than words.

Birthstones and chakras

Moonstone is given its name for the visual effect caused by light diffraction, resembling the light of the moon. The Romans believed it existed of solidified rays of the moon. Moonstone, in Hindi called "Candra Kanta", is a sacred stone in India and a traditional wedding gift.

Moonstone is part of the Feldspar family and actually composed of two species of that family: Orthoclase and Albite. The light falling inbetween these alternating layers produces the effect called "adularescence", named after Adularia, another word for Orthoclase.

Properties

Moonstone is transparent to translucent and the colour varies from colourless to yellow, green, blue, peach/pink, brown or gray. The hardness is medium hard, 6 to 6.5 on Mohs scale. Moonstone is also called "Water Opal" or "Fish Eye". The gem stone which is called "Rainbow Moonstone" is actually colourless to milky white Labradorite with a rainbow coloured sheen.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

Moonstone is a very female stone and a stone of love. It is very suitable for women, but also for (young) men who want to understand and develop their emotional and sensitive sides better. Moonstone has strongest effects on Water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces). It calms overwhelming emotions. Moonstone is helpful when undertaking changes and makes one understand that life is one huge cycle of changes and accept the natural flow of life and destiny. It helps one to discern what one wants and what one needs. Moonstone lets one recognize and embrace their own power and being.

Physically, Moonstone assists with many female issues, like fertility, conception, pregnancy, childbirth, breast feeding. It eases difficulties during menstruation and menopause. Moonstone helps against insomnia and sleepwalking. It assures a calm sleep with peaceful dreams. Moonstone enhances the digestive system and balances the stomach, liver, pituitary and pancreas gland. It slows down the aging process, especially of skin and hair. Moonstone eases dieting and is helpful with weight problems.

Meditation

Moonstone can unmask and reveal a hidden truth and show the missing piece of the puzzle of one's deep self. Then, Moonstone can very well be combined with Garnet. Moonstone can be a substitute for Pearl, if this is not available, or a softer and more gentle replacement for Crystal Quartz. Moonstone used at full moon phase is very powerful and should be used carefully.

Birthstones and chakras

The name Onyx comes from "onyx", the Greek word for claw or nail and fleshtone coloured Onyx could resemble a fingernail. A legend tells that Cupid cut the fingernails of Venus while she slept, leaving the cut nails on the ground. As no part of a heavenly body can die, the gods turned them into stone: Onyx.

Onyx is a Chalcedony variety and differs from Agate with its more straight and parallel instead of chaotic bands. Onyx is formed in the vesicles of lava.

Properties

Onyx can have bands in almost every colour, except hues like blue and purple, but the name Onyx is mostly used for the most famous black variety, with or without white stripes. It is then called Black Onyx. Onyx with sard (a kind of reddish brown) coloured bands is called Sardonyx. The hardness of Onyx is 7 on Mohs scale. Transparency varies between translucent to opaque, but opaque Onyx is most common. Nowadays, the black colour of Black Onyx is almost always artificially enhanced.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

Onyx is the stone of inner boost and strength. It supports in stressful or otherwise mentally or emotionally difficult situations. Onyx increases intuition, instinct and self-confidence and boosts concentration and focus. It guides and brings up inner wisdom to make the right decisions. Onyx releases negative emotions like sorrow and grief and it protects against surroundings that drain positive energies. It helps to absorb the most needed positive energies of the universe. Onyx balances the male and female polarities. It reduces sexual desire, if this has a solely habitual or negative base. Onyx should not be worn while sleeping, as it can cause bad dreams.

Physically, Onyx regenerates and is helpful for healing wounds, skin ailments, fungal infections and sunburn. It strengthens the skin, hair, teeth and nails. Onyx is beneficial for the bones and bone marrow. Onyx helps with many addictions and detoxification.

Meditation

In meditation, Onyx is particularly useful as a calming stone in times of stress and overwhelming emotions.

Birthstones and chakras

It is not sure where the name "Peridot" comes from. Some sources suggest it is an alteration of the Anglo–Norman "pedoretés", a kind of opal. Other sources mention it derives from "faridat", the Arabic word for "gem". And some say it derives from the Greek word "peridona", which means something like "giving plenty". Peridot has been used and valued since antiquity and has been mined for almost 4,000 years. It was jewelry for the Egyptian Pharaohs and a favorite of Cleopatra.

Peridot is a kind of Olivine. The tint and intensity of the colour depends on the amount of iron in its chemical structure. Sometimes, the more yellowish variation of Peridot is called Chrysolite. A very rare kind of almost transparent white Peridot is called Forsterite or Boltonite. Peridot is found in lava and sometimes in meteorites.

Properties

Peridot is one of the few gem stones that occur in only one colour, green. However, the colour may vary from yellowish to brownish green. Olive green coloured Peridot is considered most valuable. Peridot is always transparent, but may have some milky inclusions. The hardness of Peridot varies between 6.5 and 7 on Mohs scale.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

Peridot is a stone of joy and relationships. It alleviates negative emotions towards others, such as jealousy, anger, bitterness, resentment, irritation and hatred. Peridot opens the heart and releases the ego. It increases peaceful and harmoneous assertiveness and patience. This way, Peridot helps to create new friendships, and seal and strengthen existing ones. Peridot also demonstrates the positive value of past experiences. It enables us to forgive others and to recognize, accept and admit our own mistakes.

Physically, Peridot purifies the blood, aids indigestion and strengthens the immune system. It regenerates tissue and slows down the aging process. Peridot benefits the overall health of the eyes. It also reduces fever and is helpful with skin issues, especially insect bites. It has healing effects on the liver and gall bladder. Peridot is helpful in childbirth by lessening the pain and strengthening the muscle contractions.

Peridot should be used in a limited way by fearful or confused people, as toxins are being released and brought to the surface. Peridot should be removed when working on chakras other than the Heart (4th) and Solar Plexus (3rd) Chakra.

Meditation

Peridot is specifically helpful in matters of the past: letting go of negative experiences and patterns, move on and take responsability for one's own life.

Birthstones and chakras

The name "Tourmaline" comes from the Sinhalese "turamali", meaning "stone of many colours". An ancient Egyptian legend tells that Tourmaline travelled from the center of the earth to the sun, came along a rainbow and gathered all its colours. During ancient ceremonies in India, Tourmaline was used to bring insight of what is good.

Tourmaline occurs in a wide variety of colours, where chemical compounds with metal elements is responsible for the colour. Black Tourmaline is by far the most common and known as Schorl. Also other colours have their own names: Indicolite (blue Tourmaline), Dravite (dark yellow to brown Tourmaline), Verdelite (green), Siberite (purple) and Rubellite (pink to red). Colourless Tourmaline is known as Achroite. Other names of varieties refer to their visual effect, like Watermelon Tourmaline, with pink in the center and green on the outside or vice versa. Cat's Eye Tourmaline has a cat's eye effect, similar to Tiger Eye.

Properties

Tourmaline can be transparent to opaque. It can have many different colours, and two or even three colours in one piece is not uncommon. The hardness of Tourmaline is 7 to 7.5 on Mohs scale. All Tourmaline have a certain degree of pleochroism, which means that from different angles a different colour appears. Depending on the colour, Tourmaline has a more or less magnetic response, which can be detected with a neodymium magnet. Black Tourmaline is most magnetic and red and pink Tourmaline the least. Tourmaline is also pyro- and piezoelectric, which means that electricity is generated when the stone is heated, rubbed or pressed.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

All Tourmaline stimulates tolerance, understanding, compassion, serenity and flexibility. It gets rid of fears and negative energies and improves communication. This makes Tourmaline a very peaceful and relaxing stone. All Tourmaline protects against negative and harmful energies, thus making it a protective stone as well. It also balances the male and female energies. Other additional healing properties depend on the colour. All Tourmalines are powerful, and should be used with care.

Black Tourmaline:    is a stone of protection. It protects against negative and destructive forces. Black Tourmaline can show a cause of trouble and lead into the right direction. It shields against the emotional drain caused by people who whine, moan and complain, but do nothing to improve their situation. Black Tourmaline protects against the harmful radiation caused by cellular phones, computers and other electronic equipment. It is helpful in environments which can trigger panic attacks, such as small or frightening spaces. This way, Black Tourmaline helps to overcome fear for doctors and dentists.

Physically, Black Tourmaline stimulates the reflex points of the lower back, legs and feet, and realigns the spinal column. It reliefs pain and is beneficial for torn or strained muscles, arthritis, numbness and scar tissue. Black Tourmaline enhances the sense of smell and the perception of pheromones. In that sense, it could work as an aphrodisiac. Black Tourmaline helps restoring the natural beauty of nails and hair. It treats motion sickness and strenghtens the heart and immune system. Black Tourmaline helps to get rid of toxins caused by environmental pollution, specifically heavy metals.

Blue Tourmaline:    is mostly a relaxing and peaceful stone. It brings happiness and laughter. Blue Tourmaline provides a calm and restful sleep and reduces stress. It enhances honest and clear communication with an open mind and tolerance for the differences of others, encouraging truth, ethics and responsability. Blue Tourmaline promotes inspiration and creativity and aids the spiritual growth.

On a physical level, Blue Tourmaline promotes detoxification and strengthens the immune system. It is helpful against infections of the throat and bronchi. Blue Tourmaline also benefits the lungs, thyroid, larynx, internal organs and heart. It reduces water retention. Blue Tourmaline helps with speech impediments.

Green Tourmaline:    is a stone of energy and stamina. It inspires creativity and allows one to be more expressive and less fearful of change. It is helpful in creating and manifesting goals, and so it attracts success, luck, abundance and prosperity. Green Tourmaline reduces claustrophobia and panic attacks. It is beneficial with emotional problems associated with male forces in one's life. Tourmaline can be used to slow down hyperactive children.

Physically, Green Tourmaline stimulates regeneration and proper functioning of the body cells and fortifies the nervous and immune system. It relieves chronic fatigue and exhaustion. Green Tourmaline is beneficial to the eyes and useful with losing weight.

Pink Tourmaline:    is a stone of the heart and love, for oneself and for others, especially if related to children. It is excellent for emotional support during teenage pregnancy. Pink Tourmaline helps to open up, receive and accept. From this perspective, it is beneficial for all relationships, romantic and friendly. Pink Tourmaline comforts those who suffered any kind of abuse as a child. It soothens emotional trouble for boys and girls in puberty. Pink Tourmaline helps to turn old hurt into nurturing love and stimulates new love and new relationships. It assists in attaining understanding, peace and trust. It reduces fear related issues, such as paranoia, anxiety and nervousness.

Pink Tourmaline can physically help with neuralgia and migraine. It treats lungs, angina and skin disorders. Pink Tourmaline improves the coordination between the eyes and the hands. It is helpful with irregular heartbeat and recovery from heart attack.

Red Tourmaline:    is a stone of love and life. It promotes love, the ability to understand it and the creativity to express it. When it is hard to find, Red Tourmaline brings back the joy for life. It reduces depression and obsessive behaviour patterns and revitalizes passion and joy in sexuality. Red Tourmaline improves mental processes by balancing the left and right hemispheres of the brain. It encourages one to be lively and sociable, with tactfulness and flexibility. Red Tourmaline balances the female energies within men and women and is especially beneficial for women struggling with emotional challenges.

On a physical level, Red Tourmaline stimulates blood circulation and is beneficial for the structure of blood vessels and veins. It balances the digestive system and aids with disorders of the reproductive system. Red Tourmaline treats disorders of the lungs, pancreas, spleen and liver.

Watermelon Tourmaline:    is a super activator of the Heart Chakra. It combines and amplifies the properties of Pink Tourmaline, an emotional and feminine stone, with Green Tourmaline, a physical and masculine stone, making it a very powerful stone. It is a bridge between the heart and the mind that brings joy to one's life. True joy, which is not based upon external circumstances, but rather on being.

Physically, Watermelon Tourmaline alleviates pain and strengthens the immune system. It protects the nerve cells and regenerates them, specifically with paralysis and multiple sclerosis. Watermelon Tourmaline is helpful with detoxification of the body and is beneficial for the endocrine system.

Meditation

Black Tourmaline is a strongly grounding crystal.
Blue Tourmaline provides deep meditation, bringing past hurts to the surface.
Green Tourmaline is excellent to understand and appreciate one's place in nature and to learn to adapt to natural changes.
Pink Tourmaline, using the Heart Chakra, can infuse the whole emotional body with love and restore a sense of wholeness.
Red Tourmaline provides a direct pathway between the first (Base) and fourth (Heart) Chakra. It helps to reestablish self-esteem and confidence after a trauma or a loss and promotes the feeling of being one with nature.
Watermelon Tourmaline calms the mind and the emotions and is excellent to integrate, merge and bridge masculine and feminine energies.

Birthstones and chakras

The name "Turquoise" refers to the route the gemstone travelled, from Persia where it was mined, through Turkey, to Europe. It was called "Turquies" ("Turkish"), as it came from Turkey. Turquoise has been mined for thousands of years and is probably one of the first stones to be used in jewelry. The oldest pieces of Turquoise were found on the mummy of Queen Zar, ruler of Egypt around 5500 BC. In history, Turquoise has always been connected to friendship and as a gift it was a declaration of sincerity and affection.

The natural creation of Turquoise is not a simple process. It needs copper as a base (hence its blue colour) and vulcanic host rocks coming to the surface as magma, triggering feldspar to release aluminum near rocks rich of phosphurus. On top of that, this combination has to stay dry and under high pressure for millions of years.

Properties

The colour of Turquoise can vary between blue-green to the typical turquoise kind of blue. The stone is always opaque and its hardness is 5-7 on Mohs scale, but a hardness of 7 is rare. Turquoise is not only relatively soft, but also a porous stone and should therefore be handled gently and carefully. Cleaning should only be done with luke warm water.

Healing powers

Important:  This information is not a substitute for qualified health care. Always consult a qualified physician when your personal health is involved!

Turquoise is a stone of strength. It enhances the psychic immune system. By finding answers and knowledge and providing the strength to express, Turquoise stimulates clear communication. It promotes self-forgiveness and self-acceptance. Turquoise clears electromagnetic pollution and dispels negative energy. It reduces depression, panic attacks and stress. Turquoise evens excessive swings of moods and reduces tendencies of self-sabotage.

Physically, Turquoise is helpful to the respiratory system. It prevents bronchial attacks and treats lung disorders and allergies. Turquoise is helpful with physical and mental exhaustion. It supports the assimilation of nutrients and alleviates viral infections. Turquoise is detoxifying and anti-inflammatory. It treats gout, rheumatism, and problems with the stomach. Turquoise is healthy for the brain, ears, eyes, neck and throat, and is especially helpful in the treatment of cataracts, migraines and headaches. Turquoise stimulates the regeneration of tissue.

Meditation

Turquoise enhances meditation with creativity, communication, peace of mind, and emotional balance. It prevents losing contact with the conscious mind.

Birthstones and chakras