Hematite
Pink Halite also referred to as “rock salt,” is a commonly found and well-known mineral. It is also an important and necessary mineral for most life forms on the planet since it is a naturally occurring form of salt. Believed to be a crystal of personal strength and healing, it is closely associated with the element Earth. It is particularly special for the astrological signs Cancer and Pieces. Wearing it set in jewelry on a daily basis is believed to result in the harmonization of the solar plexus and heart chakras, promoting self-love and a self-loving lifestyle. Pink Halite can also disband doubt and confusion, heal emotional wounds, and help the clean-up of one's physical and spiritual environments.
Hematite is the mineral form of iron(III) oxide. Hematite's popularity in jewelry was at its highest in Europe during the Victorian era. Hematite is also used in art such as in the configuration of engraved gems.Due to its chemical/structural magnetic qualities, it is believed to be a protective by its ability to remain strong and grounded in any situations by absorbing negativity in times of stress or worry. Wearing Hematite facilitates emotional tranquility and peace, especially in times of stress or chaos.
Iolite is known as the Vikings' Compass. It provides physical and spiritual mobilization and comfort. Ancient mariners and Viking explorers used Iolite as a compass to guide their travels at sea. They found that the color would vary between shades of blue and violet dependent upon their location in either the northern and southern skies. Iolite is believed to be the first polarizing filter helping explorers navigate back and forth from the New World. This stone can range in light to dark blue colors, with the deeper colors obtaining greater value.
Jade is a term that refers to two minerals known as Nephrite and Jadeite. Jade is prominently featured in Asian art and is known for its green varieties. Known for its toughness, it had been used in prehistoric times as an ideal material for weapons and tools. As early as 3000 B.C. jade was known in China as the royal gem and carried the significance as today’s gold and diamonds in the west. Jade is considered a powerful lucky charm and promotes courage, compassion, generosity and longevity, helping you lead a richer more fulfilling life.
Jasper is a collection of quartz and chalcedony and other mineral phases. It is commonly red, yellow, brown, or green. Jasper was a highly valued gem in the ancient world and was integrated in many forms of art. Due to its grounding energy, Jasper is used to help connect the wearer to the vibrations of the earth, allowing for a greater understanding of nature and its gentle powers. In some Native American culture, Jasper symbolizes the blood of the Earth, making it particularly sacred.
Blue Kyanite is a typically blue silicate mineral discovered during the nineteenth century. Recognizable by its vibrant blue or blue-green hues, Kyanite is a highly prized gem. Like Citrine, Kyanite is one of the two minerals on the planet that neither accumulates nor retains negative energy, and therefore never needs cleansing. Early travelers sometimes used it as a compass when exploring unknown territories. It is excellent for meditation as it helps open psychic ability.
Larimar is a relatively new find that occurs one place on earth - on the island of Hispaniola, in the Caribbean Sea. Some believe that Larimar is the blue stone with extraordinary healing powers that Edgar Cayce predicted would be discovered in the Caribbean, where it is believed that part of Atlantis could be found. The available quantity at the mine is unknown, which makes the future supply of Larimar uncertain and potentially increasingly more valuable.
Labradorite is a stone found near Labrador, Canada. It has also been reported in Norway. It can display an iridescent optical effect known as labradoresence. Labradorescence is not a display of colors reflected from the surface of a specimen. Instead, when light enters the stone, it strikes and reflects from a a twinning surface within the stone. The color seen by the observer is the color of the reflected light from that twinning surface. The color of the light reflected is dependent upon the twinning surface of the Labradorite stone. In its metaphysical properties, Labradorite is said to increase psychic development, wisdom, help with suppressed or subconscious conflicts, provide mental illumination, and increase intuition. This stone cleans and opens the crown chakra by stimulating the wearer’s intuition. It is a power stone that allows you to see through illusions and determine the actual form of your dreams and goals.
Lapis Lazuli is a stone that has existed since the beginning of time. It is a gemstone of total awareness that binds the wearer to higher truth. It connects you to your spiritual guardians and further shields you from negative energy and returning any negative vibrations back to their source. Egyptian cultures made a practice of burying a Lapis Lazuli scarab with their dead, and believed it to offer protection. The very earliest cultures valued Lapis Lazuli more highly than gold. The ancient Egyptians saw this stone as a symbol of Truth.
Lemon Quartz also called green gold or Oro Verde Quartz, Lemon Quartz is formed by heating Amethyst, yellow quartz and iron together at high temperatures. This heating process allows for the brilliant yellow color that characterizes Lemon Quarz. The Amethyst and yellow quartz mined to create lemon quartz primarily come from Brazil, while some have also been found in Arizona. Quartz is believed to help with the amplification and structuring of thoughts. Since the color yellow is often connected with clarity, communication, and happiness, Lemon Quartz can also be asoociated with these qualities. Lemon Quartz is also used in meditation to aid with concentration and focus, while also filtering distractions and reducing anxiety.
Morganite is the pink to orange-pink variety of beryl. The Beryl family also includes Emerald and Aquamarine. Most Morganite is mined in Brazil, Afganistan, Namibia, and some parts of the US. It is also believed to be the stone of Divine Love, powerful in its ability to open the heart to love and intimacy. Many use this stone as a replacement for a diamond engagement ring because of its gentle pink hues, brightness, and reflection of universal love.
Malachite is a stone that is characterized by its opaque, green banded appearance. It was given its name due to its resemblance to the leaves of the mallow plant. In ancient Egypt, green was associated with death and resurrection along with life and fertility. They believed that the afterlife contained an eternal paradise which resembled their lives but with no pain or suffering. They called this place the ‘Field of Malachite’.
Moonstone has been used in jewelry for millennia, including ancient civilizations. The Romans admired Moonstone, as they believed it was composed of solidified rays of the moon. Both the Romans and Greeks associated Moonstone with their lunar gods. Moonstone is known as the Traveler's Stone for the protection it affords, especially at night. It is also a talisman of the inward journey. It is believed that wearing Moonstone aids in taking one deep into the self to recover the parts of the soul left behind or forgotten. It then helps to bring these recovered parts into light. It has remained a sacred stone in India with a special significance for lovers. It was a popular choice for jewelers in the Art Nouveau period. In Europe, Moonstone was believed to rekindle lost lovers and to cure sleeplessness.
Onyx is a banded variety of the oxide mineral chalcedony. It can occur in nearly every color, most commonly with bands of black and/or white. It is a gemstone found in various regions of the world including Yemen, Uruguay, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Indonesia, the UK, and various states in the US. Black Onyx is the most common variety, along with white and red colors. The red variety is known as Sardonyx. The ancient Romans entered battle carrying amulets of Sardonyx engraved with Mars, the god of war. This was believed to bestow courage in battle. In Renaissance Europe, wearing Sardonyx was believed to bestow eloquence. Sardonyx was traditionally used by English midwives to ease childbirth by laying it between the breasts of the mother.
White Opals are also known as 'milk' or 'milky' opals, Australian white opals are distinguished by their pale tones and dancing array of colors when exposed to light. White opals can display any color of the spectrum in a beautiful play of color. White opals are much more plentiful than other kinds of opal. Often white opals will have white potch (colorless opal) left on the back of the stone, however sometimes the entire stone will consist of colorful opal. White Opals are found primarily in South Australia in the major opal fields of Coober Pedy, Andamooka, and Mintabie. White Opal is a stone of angelic connections and is considered a powerful healing stones. It is referred my some the stone of hope, the stone of great achievement and even the "stone of the Gods". Ancient Romans associated opal with hope and good luck. It is often used for clearing emotions to create more positive vibrations. It is useful in balancing all chakras.
Opalite is a man-made opalized glass resin that is fused with metal to create an opalescent effect. It can help enhance vision and also stabilize mood swings. Opalite has a soothing effect when held or viewed.
Peridot is gem-quality olivine, which is a silicate mineral. Peridot is one of the few gemstones that occur in only one color: an olive-green. While olivine is an abundant mineral, gem-quality Peridot is quite rare because it is chemically unstable on the Earth’s surface. It is mined in Arkansas, Arizona, New Mexico, Australia, Brazil, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania to list a few. Peridot has been valued for thousands of years as a semi-precious healing stone. It is a high-vibrational Heart Chakra crystal that carries a positive energy, especially helpful for those undergoing stressful emotional situations. It is the stone for Archangel Raphael and rules the realm of Angelic Virtues. Peridot has the ability to bring out unconditional love, happiness and light.
Pyrite, also known as “fool’s gold”, due to its metallic luster and brass-yellow tone. Some believe that Pyrite has qualities that are helpful during financial hardships. The resemblance of Pyrite to gold has made it a traditional symbol for money and good luck. Because of its bright, sunny golden color, it is often associated with the sun and with the strengthening of the mind and spirit. Pyrite can also be used as an energy shield, blocking out negativity from various sources. Pyrite was valued in some of the Native American tribes as a healing stone, sometimes polished into mirrors and used for gazing and divination. Before the 1800’s, it was favored as a decorative stone. It was carved into various objects such as rosettes, shoe buckles, rings, and other ornaments. During the Victorian Age in England, pyrite was a common medium used for jewelry.
Rhodonite was first discovered in the 1790’s in the Ural Mountains of Russia. It was called orletz by the locals, which is Russian for “the Eagle Stone”. It obtained this name because people began to notice that eagles in the region often carried small pieces of Rhodonite to their nests. It soon became tradition to place small Rhodonite stones in their babies’ cradles as well. The custom extended later to become a protective stone for travelers. It became the national stone of Russia in 1913. Rhodonite is accepted to be a stone of emotional healing, bringing one back to center during stressful times. It is a crucial “first aid stone” for calming emotional shock and panic, while providing support and spiritual grounding while dealing with painful issues. Rhodonite also resounds strongly with forgiveness, granting the soul the love it needs in order to heal. Moreover, it releases the wearer of self-destructive tendencies, resentment, and anger, providing insight to both sides of an issue to achieve enlightenment and conciliation.
Rhodochrosite comes from the Greek rhodos, meaning “rose,” and khros, meaning “color,” and refers to its vivid pink to rose-red color of the stone. It has a pearly luster with layers of ping and white bands of color. Though most Rhodochrosite is in the pink to red color range, it can also be yellowish, orange or brown. Rhodochrosite is also referred to as Raspberry Spar, Manganese Spar, and most notably as Inca Rose, as the Incas believed Rhodochrosite was the manifestation of blood of their ancestral rulers. Rhodochrosite is primarily mined in Argentina, making it the National Gemstone of Argentina.
Rose Quartz, called the Heart Stone, Rose Quartz has historically been an important talisman of relationships. It is quite effective in attracting new love, romance and intimacy, or in developing a closer bond with family or friends. It supports connection within groups and community, and carries a high spiritual attunement to the Earth, Universe, and the Divine. Rose Quartz is one of the most common varieties of the quartz family. It is found around the world and occurs only in massive form, with no crystal faces, edges or terminations. Its name comes from its soft rose color, which ranges from very pale pink to deep reddish-pink and is due to trace amounts of titanium, iron, or manganese in the massive material.
Rutilated Quartz is Clear Quartz perforated with needle-like pieces of Golden Rutile, often called “The Hairs of Venus.” It is believed to clear energy blockages of all the chakras and stimulates the alignment of the mind and body. Rutilated Quartz is said to make the wearer attune to the divine world and their guardian angels. It is a very uplifting stone that infuses joy into your life and surrounding environment. It is believed to speed up the healing of injuries and slow the effects of aging.
Selenite is a colorless, transparent, somewhat opaque stone that can be found through Europe, USA, Brazil, Mexico, and Australia. It got its name from the Greek word meaning “the moon”. It is the ideal crystal for all types of energy clearing. It has the ability to clear, protect and shield your energy body as well as clearing the energy of your other crystals and home. It quickly unblocks any stagnant or negative energy to create a smooth flow of positive energy. Selenite crystals magnify the energy of any other gemstone that is placed upon it, making it perfect for reactivating and recharging your jewelry and other healing crystals. It has also been recently used in holistic medicine treatments for physical healing, including cancer treatment and tumor reduction.
Serpentine is a rock that is composed by one or more minerals within the serpentine group which have undergone a process called serpentinization Serpentinization is a metamorphic transformation of rock under the earth’s mantle, which is particularly important under the sea floor at the tectonic plate boundaries. Serpentine is believed to help clear out and release the dense areas of the chakras so that healing can occur. It helps you to take responsibility for your life and know your life is what you create it to be. It can also be used to attract and manifest anything you desire in life
Smoky Quartz is known as a Stone of Power. To the ancient Druids, it was sacred and signified the potent dark power of Earth gods and goddesses. In other cultures, it guided souls to the afterlife, served in shamanistic rituals and tribal ceremonies, and was utilized in magic and to connect with spirits of the lower worlds. Smoky Quartz is the national gem of Scotland, a country with the longest historical association with the stone. The Celts, who began colonizing the British Isles around 300 B.C., mined the brownish-gray Quartz in the Scottish Highlands. Smoky Quartz is believed to help to ground and connect you to the Earth, allowing you remain balanced. It emits a high level of energy that absorb and deflect negative energy. It is worn for emotional support and helps to dissolve anger and resentment as well.
Sodalite is a rich royal blue mineral discovered in Greenland. Later, deposits were found in Canada as well. Sodalite is characteristically similar to Lapis Lazuli in color, however it is less expensive. In order to distinguish the two, Sodalite is more of a royal blue color as opposed to the ultramarine color of lapis. Furthermore, Sodalite often contains white mineral streaks. Sodalite is believed to encourage self-honestly and moral fortitude. It is a stone of self-expression and confidence, helping you to deal with issues of self-worth, self-acceptance and self-esteem. Sodalite promotes intuition and a trust in your own judgment. It is a stone of awakening that stimulates the Third Eye and deepens the meditation.
Sunstone is a member of the Feldspar family, and is named for its warm shades of gold, orange, reds and browns that resemble the sun. Inclusions of Goethite or Hematite produce an iridescent effect when Sunstone is viewed from different angles. Sunstone is believed to carry the energy of Ra, the sun god, whose energy brings all potential life from within the Earth. It is a Stone of Leadership; personal power, freedom, and expanded consciousness. It embodies all aspect of light by bringing openness, benevolence, warmth, strength, and mental clarity. It is also known for its powerful connection to the light and the power of the sun. It brings light to all situations and promotes a sunny and positive attitude. It helps to empower those who feel forsaken by others, encouraging motivation and positive action.
Tanzanite is a member of the zoisite family and is also known as “blue zoisite”. It is characterized by its blue and violet hues. It was discovered in Tanzania, Africa in 1967. It is only found in Tanzania in a very small mining area. Since Tanzanite is only found in this select geographical area, its value continues to rise as the mines run low. Tanzanite changes colors when it is viewed from different directions. This shifting of colors has been said to facilitate raising consciousness. It aids in realizing your own ideas and transforms destructive urges into constructive ones. The gemstone opens an awareness of the comparison between how one lives and how one could choose to live more consciously. Those who wear it will become aware of their calling.
Topaz is one of the hardest naturally occurring minerals. Due to this quality, along with its unique transparency and variety of colors, has allowed this gem to flourish in the gem world. its natural state, topaz is a golden brown to a yellow. Other colored topaz stones can occur naturally, however, they are very rare. Most topaz which exist in other colors outside the red, orange, yellow, and brown spectrum have received their color through various treatment processes. Although topaz is extraordinarily hard, it must also be treated with great care due to its weak atomic bonding. This weakness gives topaz a tendency to fracture along its atomic plane if a strong enough force is applied. Topaz is one of the twelve breastplate stones of the High Priest referred to in the Book of Exodus. The breastplate stones are considered sacred to twelve mighty angels who guard the gates to Paradise. It is also said to encourage self-realization and confidence and impart strength to quiet wild emotions
Tiger’s Eye is an ancient, mysterious, and revered talisman, thought to grant the wearer the ability to observe everything, even through closed doors. It was chosen by the Egyptians to serve as the medium for the eyes in their deity statues. It was meant to express divine vision and was believed to provide the protection of the sun god, Ra, and of the earth and land god, Geb. The stone was connected to the magical tiger of Eastern mythology, portraying courage, integrity, and responsible power. Roman soldiers carried it to be brave in battle. It has been highly regarded throughout history as a stone of prosperity and good fortune, protecting one’s resources and deflecting threats from enemies. This stone offers radiance and warmth, synthesizing the frequencies of Sun and Earth, bringing stability and awareness while integrating the spiritual with the physical realms. It moves one out of the world of duality - right and wrong, good and bad, dark and light, while providing an understanding of the unity behind opposites.
Turquoise is perhaps the oldest stone in man’s history, the talisman of kings, shamans, and warriors. The name Turquoise is derived from the French, pierre turquoise, meaning “Turkish stone,” because the trade routes that brought Turquoise to Europe from the mines in central Asia went through Turkey, and Venetian merchants often purchased the stone in Turkish bazaars. The earliest turquoise beads were found in Iraq, dating to 5000 B.C. There were also stones found in Egypt dating to 3200 B.C. The other findings included the death mask of Tutankhamun to be studded with Turquoise, along with the skulls, shields, and power statues of the Moctezuma, the last ruler of the Aztecs. Chinese Turquoise or Tibetan Turquoise is sometimes slightly greener in hue and carries a slightly different vibration than the more vivid blue. When Chinese Turquoise is used in jewelry, it is considered a promise of fidelity and protectiveness to a lover. Ribbon Turquoise is a term that refers to a process of cutting the rock. To obtain Ribbon Turquoise, a stone cutter takes natural Turquoise in its natural host rock and cuts in the direction to create the vein going through the rock like a ribbon or splotches of Turquoise in the host rock like a Boulder Opal. In the olden days stone cutters would take the is Ribbon turquoise or Boulder Turquoise, which they called "Saw Rock" and they would cut the thin vein out for a pure Turquoise stone.