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Gemstone Meanings & Properties

ill_1Increasingly I am being asked about the properties, meanings and usages of the gemstones that are in my jewelry when I am at craft shows. So I had some cards made up to hand out at my booth which people seem to like. But its not really possible to fit all the stones I use or even the full definitions for the stones completely on the card, so it became evident to me that a dedicated page on the website was more fitting. I do not consider myself a gemstone meaning expert, so I have borrrowed these definitions from a very knowledgable resource who I have llinked to at the bottom of this page. The following are the gemstones I frequently use in my jewelry.

Agate: This is THE stone everyone should have for protection. This group of stones are variegated chalcedony. Agates attract strength and is a protection from bad dreams. It also protects from stress and energy drains. They were used to ward off storms. The agates with banded colors were placed at the head of a sleeper to give rich and varied dreams. Agates have been thought to be good to harden the gums. Agate is used for stomach upsets. Place the agate on the solar plexus. The agate can't change emotions, but helps to change our level of acceptance of the emotion. Such as when you are very sad the agate will let you know that this will pass and help you get on to another and better day. This is why the Agate is considered so powerful as it gives us the strength to carry on. Carry an agate when you have to make an important decision.

Blue Lace Agate: A calming, uplifting stone. The blue color strengthens the function of the throat chakra and encourages peace. It can be used wherever there is a build up of painful or irritated energy. Wear or carry blue lace agate for peace and happiness. Place it in your hand when you feel the need to de-stress. If you find yourself in stressful situations at work or home, keep some blue lace agate on your desk and simply gaze at it for relief. In the home, surround blue lace agate stones with light blue candles to calm the atmosphere and reduce family quarrels.

Crazy Lace Agate: Called the Laughter Stone, or "Happy Lace." Agate promotes inner stability, composure, and maturity. Its warm, protective properties encourage security and self-confidence. Crazy Lace Agate is a balancing and protecting stone. It brings laughter and absorbs emotional pain. Crazy Lace Agate is used to help with decision making by balancing the physical, emotional, and mental so that it is easy to make decisions. It also helps one stay focused. It is generally a protective stone, but is particularly emotionally protective. It is also said to ward off the "evil eye."

Fire Agate: Has a deep calming energy that brings security and safety. It is a protection stone with strong grounding powers. Fire agate is said to represent absolute perfection. It instills spiritual fortitude. Fire agate links to the fire element and is used as an aid to improve sexual activity, stimulating vitality and opening the base chakra. Hold a fire agate to inspire inner knowledge to emerge in the resolution of problems. It also helps in overcoming addictions, and other destructive desires. Healers use fire agate to assist with healing the stomach, nervous, endocrine systems, to strengthen night vision and reduce hot flashes.

Snakeskin Agate: (also known as Crackle Agate) This unusual agate resembles the skin of a snake in appearance. It's energies promote strength in times of excessive activity. It also encourages a pleasant personality by providing inner peace and an appreciation for the simple joy of being alive. As a result, users of snakeskin agate experience increased cheerfulness and self love as well as a renewed love of life. Helps create invisibility by becoming lost in a crowd, assist in the reduction of worrying, promote self esteem and self-awareness and finding lost items. It has been used to initiate the rise of the kundalini (the feminine, dynamic, energetic and creative aspect of the universe from which all form is born). It is used in the treatment of hearing problems and stomach disorders. It has also been used successfully to diminish wrinkles and to soothe the skin.

Amethyst: A stone traditionally worn to guard against drunkeness and to instill a sober mind. The word amethyst comes from the Greek meaning "without drunkenness" and amethyst is believed to protect one from poison. It is used as a dream stone and to help insomnia. Put an amethyst under your pillow to bring about pleasant dreams, or rub it across your forehead to offer relief from a headache. Ancient Egyptians used the amethyst guard against guilty and fearful feelings. It has been worn as protection from self-deception, as well as a protection against witchcraft. The amethyst has long been used to open the spiritual and psychic centers, making it one of the power stones. It is also used as a meditation aid when worn as a necklace. It symbolizes piety, humility, sincerity and spiritual wisdom. Its a gemstone often worn by healers, as it has the power to focus energy. Amethyst is used for problems in the blood and in breathing problems. Amethyst crystal clusters are used to keep the air and life force in the home clean and positive. Amethyst clusters, points or several tumbled Amethysts placed in a window that receives sun most of the day are very beneficial to use in healing and to heal negativity in the home. Place Amethyst clusters, points or several tumbled Amethysts in moonlight and everyone in the home will be feeling calmer. Using an Amethyst as a meditation focus will increase the positive spiritual feelings. Amethyst helps overcome fears and cravings. It also helps relieve headaches.

Aventurine: This is the stone of opportunity. Aventurine is known as the stone of chance or luck. If you gamble or play the lotto, keep this stone in your left pocket. It is used to aid nearsightedness. Aventurine has a stabilizing effect on the emotions. Aventurine is mainly quartz, a quartzite, usually containing mica. It occurs in several colors including green, red and blue. Green Aventurine is the stone of luck and chance. It is said to increase perception and creative insight. It is a heart chakra stone. Blue Aventurine is an Aries stone that opens the Third eye chakra. It is a powerful mental healer that increases vitality and a positive outlook. This stone assists in self-discipline and developing inner strength. Yellow Aventurine opens the Third eye chakra. It is often used to balance emotions and male/female energies. Red Aventurine opens the Root chakra. It can assist in creativity, and help you to see the possibilities in new opportunities.

Bloodstone: (also called heliotrope) is green with distinctive red spots that resemble blood, giving this stone its name. The bloodstone was used to stop bleeding especially nosebleeds. There is a legend that says the bloodstone was formed from the blood of Christ dripping on the green earth and solidifying. It was also called heliotrope by the Greeks and was thought to bring change. The bloodstone has been used as an amulet to protect against the evil eye. Bloodstone is the symbol of justice. The bloodstone is used for circulation of all energy in the body and helps to remove energy blocks. Bloodstone is used in the alignment of all the centers of the body. A healer must do this alignment while the patient lies on his stomach. It also aids in the circulation of blood. It is good to have several pieces of Bloodstone in the home to increase the flow of life energy.

Carnelian: (also sometimes referred to as cornelian) is a variety of chalcedony. The most favorable pieces are a deep red to red-orange hue. Carnelian has a long and storied past, and was once considered strictly the property of the noble class. People holding a high social status were often buried with this gem stone. Want more pep in your life? Keep a carnelian with you and feel the energy flow to you. Carnelian is used for these benefits: gives energy, protects from bad vibrations, guards against poverty, helps give a sense of humor, and calms the temper. Carnelian is an energy booster. It helps the insecure person to find strength within them so they can come into their own. It is said to increase the appetite.

Citrine: A yellow-to-golden member of the quartz mineral group. A deep golden variety from Madiera Spain can resemble the costly imperial topaz gem stone, which is one reason that citrine is a popular birthstone alternative to those born in November. Citrine has been called the "stone of the mind". Ancient cultures believed that placing a citrine on the forehead of an elder would increase his psychic power. Citrine is known as the lucky "Merchants Stone". If you are in any type of sales, just put a citrine in the cash drawer and watch what happens. Also used by healers to: increase self esteem, protect from the negative energy from someone else's abuse, open the mind to new thoughts and promote clarity of thought. Citrine is sometimes used by healers to help with digestion as it is considered beneficial to the endocrine and digestive system - cleansing, purifying and eliminating poisons that have built up. Citrine is an excellent stone to calm and soothe distressed conditions. Some use it to help relieve depression, digestive problems (including constipation and diabetes). It will give joy and love to the owner.

Fluorite: Formerly called fluorspar, fluorite has a wide range of colors including yellow, blue, pink purple and green. It is an interesting and beautiful stone because often more than one color occurs in a single stone. The ancient Egyptians used flourite to carve statues and scarabs, the Chinese have used it in carvings for over 300 years. In the 18th century, fluorite was powdered in water to relieve the symptoms of kidney disease. Fluorite is said to absorb and neutralize negative vibrations. It makes one more receptive to the vibrations of other stones. Fluorite should be kept in every room of the home. Fluorite is known as the "Genius Stone". It increases concentration and helps in decision-making. Fluorite may be used with other stones. It helps to open the way for the power of other stones to be effective. It can be used as a meditation stone to help energize the body and raise the power of concentration. Healers use it to help with ulcers as well as the respiratory tract by stimulating cell regeneration in these areas. It fortifies bones, improves arthritic or other joint ailments. It can be laid directly on the body. Yellow Fluorite enhances the intellect and magnifies mental powers.

Garnet: Known as the stone for a successful business. If your business is not as good as it should be, just put 3 or more garnets on your desk. It is believed that if a garnet is put under a pillow it will cure depression. Garnets can be used to make a person popular and have self-esteem when worn as jewelry. It helps protect one on trips. Garnets bring constancy to friendships. Garnets are also known for stimulating success in business. Garnet comes in many colors, but now we will speak only about red Garnet. The Garnet is associated with the thyroid and spleen. It helps cleanse and purify both when held over the area. The Garnet is usually held in the hand or placed on top of the head when searching or meditating on past lives. Information that is beneficial and helpful will usually be released for the searcher. The Garnet is a stone of purity and truth as well as a symbol of love and compassion. The information released in a search may be painful, but it will always be what the searcher needs. The Garnet will help everyone's security level and spiritual awareness.It can help increase the sex drive.

Goldstone: Comes in several different colors including: Red goldstone is associated with vitality and energy. Blue Goldstone is associated with learning and communication. Green Goldstone is associated with growth and abundance. Goldstone is a man made gemstone that has been around since the European Rennaissance. Early monks working at a glass factory near Venice, Italy were practicing alchemy when molten copper accidentally tipped into a molten glass container. This crystallized into thousands of tiny crystals and formed a melt with golden light sparkles. This is how the first goldstone came about. Though it is not technically a gemstone, it is often referred to as one. Goldstone is an energy stone.

Hematite: Used to improve relationships. If you need your personal relationship to be better, carry a hematite with you always. The name comes from the Greek word for blood. It has been used as an amulet against bleeding, and so is known as the "blood stone". When arranged like the petals of a flower, it is referred to as the "iron rose". Native American folklore states that war paint made from hematite will make one invincible in battle. People in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries wore hematite jewelry during mourning. Scientists of the Mars Exploration Rover Project believe that deposits of hematite on Mars may help prove whether large amounts of liquid water ever flowed on Mars' surface. They say that where water was, life may have had a chance to thrive as well. Hematite is good for increasing intuition. In jewelry it is best in a ring worn on the left hand. Hematite stimulates iron absorption in the small intestine, which in turn improves oxygen supply to the body. It can be in direct contact with the skin, but results in inflammation for some people, so test it carefully on yourself before use.

Howlite: Is white with grey veining. It is often dyed blue or green to resemble turquoise, or red to resemble coral. It is a super-calming stone and many people use it to relieve stress of all kinds. It makes an excellent antidote to insomnia due to an overactive mind. Focusing on a piece of howlite can assist in journeying outside the body and gaining insight from past lives. Placed on the third eye, it opens memories of previous times and lifetimes. Howlite teaches patience. Place a howlite stone in your pocket to absorb your own anger - or another's anger that is directed toward you. It helps to overcome critical or selfish behaviour. It relieves insomnia, balances calcium levels and strengthens teeth and bones.

Jade: An ancient stone that has historically been used to attract love. Carved into a butterfly, in China it is a powerful symbol used to draw love. Jade can be used to bring money into your life. Create a positive attitude towards money and visualize yourself using money creatively and productively while holding the stone in your power hand. When making an important business decision, use the prosperous energies of jade by holding it while contemplating your course of action. Jade strengthens your mental faculties and assists in clear reasoning. Jade is also a protective stone, guarding against accidents and misfortune. Place a piece of jade between two purple candles and let the candles burn for a short while. Then carry the jade with you as a protection amulet. A jade butterfly symbolizes successful love. The soothing green color of jade makes it a wonderful healing stone. It helps the body in self-healing while working through underlying, non-physical reasons for a precipitation for disease. It is particularly helpful for kidney, heart and stomach complaints.

Jasper: Jasper comes in many colors. All colors of Jasper will help balance the vibrations of the body. Jasper is slow to show a change to the person, but is such a basic "good" stone that one should always have it on hand.

Brecciated Jasper: A wonderful stone to increase relaxation and a sense of completeness. Many use it for protection during astral travel. Hold or meditate with brecciated jasper to increase your affinity and communication with animals. Also can be used in grounding with the root chakra. It instills happiness and eases stress. All Jaspers are stability or grounding stones.

Picture Jasper: A form of Brown Jasper. It is a grounding and harmonizing stone with a strong connection to the earth. It is said to promote feelings of responsibility towards the planet, encouraging a need to care for and protect it. Picture Jasper’s grounding energy can give you a strong sense of who you are, where you’ve been and where you are going. It is said to encourage creative visualisation, creativity and business pursuits. It is also said to help alleviate fear. In healing Picture Jasper is believed to stimulate the immune system, to help clear pollutants and toxins from the body, and to cleanse the kidneys. It is believed to be useful when giving up smoking as it is said to strengthen the resolve.

Red Jasper: A strong protection gemstone, red jasper is known to protect against hazards of the night. Red jasper is very lucky for actors. Jasper is a strong securing gemstone. It is a stability gemstone. It is a powerful protection against things that are not good for you and it eases emotional stresses, making it a wonderful gemstone to have in your home. Jasper gives one the courage to speak out and have personal independence. It also protects from fears in the night. Red jasper is thought to help balance the energy in the body. All jaspers help balance the emotional energy in the body. Red Jasper helps with the sense of smell. It also promotes physical energy.

Yellow Jasper: A strong protection gemstone, jasper sustains and supports during times of stress. Jasper is a strong securing gemstone. It is a stability gemstone. It is a powerful protection against things that are not good for you and it eases emotional stresses, making it a wonderful gemstone to have in your home. Yellow Jasper offers protection during spiritual work and physical travel. It channels positive energy. It stimulates the solar plexus chakra. Yellow Jasper releases toxins and helps with digestion in the stomach.

Malachite: Believed to be a strong protector of children. It is said to protect the wearer from accidents and protects travelers. Malachite has been used to aid success in business and protect against undesirable business associations. It is a stone of balance in relationships. Malachite is always green, usually in banded tones varying from very dark green to a mellow green. It is used in amulets to protect against the evil eye. In the Middle Ages it was used to protect children from witches and other dangers. Malachite is a stone that should not be used for physical healing. Malachite has been called the "mirror of the soul". It is variable in its condition. It reaches the inner feelings of the person and reflects what is there, negative or positive. It is so beautiful that one would like to wear it in jewelry, but caution must be used when wearing Malachite. It will always reflect how you feel, if you feel negative don't wear Malachite. It reminds us that we have a dual nature and it is up to each person to know and rule his own person. To help get rid of nightmares, keep a piece of Malachite in your bedroom. Use with copper to increase the power of malachite.

Moonstone: A passionate love that will fly you to the moon. It is said if you give your lover a moonstone necklace when the moon is full you will always have passion with each other. Moonstone is a highly valued gemstone for these reasons: brings good fortune, assists in foretelling the future, enhances intuition, promotes inspiration, brings success in love as well as business matters and offers protection on land and at sea. The moonstone is associated with the moon and was the stone of the goddess Diana. The most powerful time to use the moonstone is in a full moon. It has been worn as an amulet to bring good emotions to the wearer, while protecting those of a sensitive nature. It can reunite lovers who have quarreled. Moonstone is also considered a good luck stone. Moonstone is a very personal stone. It is a reflection of the person who owns it. It does not add or detract, only shows how it is. This is why the moonstone is said to perceive that which "is". Moonstone is an excellent stone to use in meditation to understand oneself. Placing it in the moonlight of a moon reaching its fullness, not a full or waning moon, can revitalize it. This is a particularly good gemstone for women. It is a good stone for young women or teenagers. Moonstone is used by healers to stimulate the functioning of the pineal gland and balance internal hormone cycles with nature's rhythms. Moonstone is a stone of inner growth and strength. Though often considered to be a woman's stone, it can be beneficial to men in opening the emotional self.

Onyx: Known to separate. It can help release negative emotions such as sorrow and grief. It is used to end unhappy or bothersome relationships. Onyx guards against negativity. Onyx jewelry is worn to defend against negativity that is directed at you. Black stones have protective energies in the sense that black is the absence of light, and sharpens your senses and encourages a healthy egotism.

Quartz Crystal: A clear variety of quartz that was first found high in the frozen mountains of the Alps. Ancient people believed it was a form of ice crystals that would never melt. It is said to have cooling powers and is a romantic stone. Crystal is a common stone, but a powerful one. It is mainly used in healing as amplification for the energies of the other working stones. In healing, the crystal point is best and the size can be important. For meditating the crystal ball or point can be used. As it is a powerful stone the user should experiment with each to find what is best for him. The Quartz Crystal has a similar vibration as humans. This is why using Crystal to meditate and keeping a Crystal helps one to know oneself. It will sometimes not work for a negative person.

Rose Quartz: Your marriage can have more sparkle and fire when you keep a rose quartz under your pillow. You will look younger too. Rose quartz is known as the love stone. It helps the user feel a strong sense of self-worth, therefore being worth love. Rose quartz is the stone of universal love. It is also the stone of love in marriage. When worn in jewelry the wearer feels a sense of self-worth. Rose Quartz has a gentle vibration of love for the owner. It gives inner peace and helps in all matters pertaining to love in all its forms. Rose Quartz opens the heart to love. It also helps as a rejuvenator to the skin. It is a lovely stone for a young person. It is said washing the face in water charged by rose quartz will help fade wrinkles and keep the skin young.

Smokey Quartz: Nature's stone of endurance. If you need a extra boost, carry a smokey quartz gemstone with you. It promotes: personal pride and joy in living, creativity in business, and opens the path for perception and learning. Smokey Quartz is a protection stone that cleanses and clears negative energy. A grounding stone that transmutes negative energies and facilitates your ability to get things done in the practical world. It enhances organizational skills and is good to have around in the workplace or home office. Smokey Quartz is connected with the sounds of the universe. It makes you more aware of sounds including telepathic sounds. Smokey Quartz helps relieve depression.

Tourmalated Quartz: This super lucky stone has the luck of both the quartz and tourmaline. The luck in this stone is very strong. Many use it by rubbing it when powerful luck is needed. Tourmalated Quartz is clear or milky Quartz with black Tourmaline needles. The clear quartz is an amplifier while the black tourmaline is a cleansing, protects from unhealthy energies and clears energy patterns.

Sodalite: Brings logic into harmony with intuition. It is a powerful stone to increase your spiritual perception, pulling the knowledge of the higher mind down to the physical level. Sodalite brings emotional balance and enhances self-acceptance.

Snowflake Obsidian: A stone of purity. It balances mind body and spirit. Placed on the sacral hara chakra, snowflake obsidian will calm and soothe and allow you to view unhealthy patterns in your own behaviour, thus opening the door to change. Obsidian draws hidden imbalances to the surface and releases them. The blackness of this stone enhances the ability to reach your inner self. It is one of the earliest known stones to be used for scrying (seeing into the future). Snowflake obsidian is used by healers to relieve muscle cramps. It is considered a good detoxification stone.

Tiger Eye: Lets you see everything. Use it for insight and you can be a very lucky person. When used in jewelry the tiger eye may bring good luck and protection from the evil eye to the wearer. It also known to bring clear thinking and insight. Tiger's-eye or Cat's-Eye is a stone for the mind, not the body. Tiger Eye is used to focus the mind. It will cause the mind to have feeling of oneness and feel more direct in all thoughts. It makes one aware of one's own needs related to the needs of others. A personal symbol carved in Tiger eye is excellent for the spiritually advanced to use in meditation.

Black Tourmaline (Schorl): Rub black tourmaline for luck and happiness. This is a powerful stone and a very lucky stone. When the tourmaline is rubbed it becomes charged with magnetic electricity and the luck intensifies. Tourmaline is black, but also shades of red, pink, green, blue and what is known as watermelon tourmaline, which is a crystal with green on the outside and pink in the middle. The green tourmaline brings success. The pink tourmaline will bring love and friends. Tourmalated quartz aids peace of mind. Tourmaline uses differs as its colors differ. All colors are very powerful and it must be used carefully. Each person seems to react differently to Tourmaline. It has been used with intestinal problems, but only a healer should use it. Black Tourmaline pushes all negativity away.

Turquoise: One of the oldest protection amulets, and was also known as a symbol of wealth in many ancient cultures. Strength, protection from harm, psychic sensitivity and connection to the spirit world. If given a turquoise by a loving friend, that stone would protect the wearer from negative energy and bring good fortune. The turquoise is the symbol of friendship. It also brings peace to the home. This stone is a very personal and meaningful stone to one who wears it. Turquoise takes on the characteristics of the owner. Turquoise carries great wisdom of basic truth within it. It is one of the oldest stones known. This is a stone that a person must learn to attune to instead of the stone attuning to the person. It is important that the owner of a Turquoise give it the proper attention. Healing properties of Turquoise: neutralizes overacidity, alleviates rheumatism, gout, stomach problems, viral infections, increases growth, muscular strength, alleviates pain, relaxes cramps, contains anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effects. Application: should be worn on the solar plexus. Use with copper to increase the power of turquoise.