Gemstones
According to ancient spiritual traditions, crystals, gemstones, and other minerals of the earth have special properties which can assist in maintaining overall health and wellbeing. Below you will find a list of the gemstones we offer in our jewelry and the various healing energies they are believed to possess. As you read on, you may be surprised to find that the stones in the jewelry to which you are drawn are actually helping you to ever so subtly grow, heal, and evolve.
*The information provided below are small excerpts taken from research conducted by Melody as outlined in her book, <i>Love is in the Earth</i>.
AMBER: transmutes negative energy into positive energy, allowing the body to heal; calms nerves and enlivens the disposition; also aids in manifestation and opening the crown chakra Historical fact: a sacred stone to Native American Indians
AMETHYST: stimulates the throat and heart chakras, providing tranquility and a calming effect; known as a “stone of spirituality and contentment” due to its ability to transmute heavy energies into higher frequencies and to balance energies of the intellectual, emotional, and physical bodies; aids in meditation
APATITE: stimulates the intellect; related to service and the development of humanitarian pursuits; attuned to healing, storing information, communicating, balancing energy, and teaching; can also stimulate development of clairvoyance, clairaudience, and clairsentience; assists in deepening states of meditation and enhances creativity
AQUAMARINE: known as the “stone of courage;” assists in acquiring knowledge about the physical world and oneself; acts as a shield for the aura; emits a gentle, compassionate energy, and allows those who are overwhelmed by responsibility to bring order to the process; believed to cleanse the throat chakra and provides stimulus to the ideal of service to the world
AVENTIRINE: balances male/female energies, enhancing creativity; reinforces decisiveness and amplifies leadership qualities; balances and aligns mental, emotional, physical, and auric bodies
BLUE TOPAZ: stimulates the throat chakra, thus assisting in the manifestation of goals and communication; aids in freeing oneself from arrogance and the confines of passion; brings body, mind, and spirit into union with the forces of the perfection of the universe
CARNELIAN: stimulates analytical capabilities, perceptiveness, and inquisitiveness, awakening one’s inner talents and initiative; protects against envy, fear, rage, and banishes sorrow; stabilizes energy of the home; may aid in increasing physical energy, personal power, creativity, and compassion
CITRINE: dissipates and transmutes negative energy; known as the “merchant’s stone” it has been reported to assist in acquiring and maintaining a state of wealth; aligns the chakras and balances yin-yang energies; opens solar plexus, illuminates the root chakra, and stimulates the crown; promotes circulation and aids digestion
GARNET: known as a “stone of health,” it transmutes negative energy of the chakras to a beneficial state; acts with speed; enhancing one’s internal fire, it aids in commitment to purpose, others, and oneself; stimulates development and movement of Kundalini energies Historical fact: a sacred stone to the Aztecs, Mayans, North and South American Indians, as well as African tribal leaders
LAPIS LAZULI: known as a “stone of total awareness” and is said to enhance wisdom, facilitating knowledge and understanding of sacred texts and esoteric ideas; provides clarity, objectivity, and mental endurance during the release of excess emotional baggage; can aid in the interpretation of dreams when placed on the third eye Historical fact: Lapis was used by the Hebrews to adorn their ceremonial robes.
MOONSTONE: a stone for hoping and wishing, it allows for the absorption of that which is needed from universal energies; facilitates change on physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels; supports intuition and emotional thoughts, bringing calmness as well as awareness, perception, and discernment; alleviates emotional tension and enhances creativity and self-expression; cleanses negativity from the chakras; stimulates confidence and composure; known as the “traveler’s stone,” it is a talisman of good fortune; allows for tenderness to arise within the self and brings happiness to the current environment in which it resides
OPAL: amplifies one’s traits and characteristics; helps one to feel the creativity which already resides within; aids in spontaneous action and the release of inhibition; strengthens memory; instills faithfulness and loyalty; used to awaken psychic and mystical qualities; tiny spheres of silica within the stone, commonly called “fire,” may inspire flashes of intuition and insight; assists in the alignment of the spiritual self and the psychic and astral planes Historical fact: Native American and Australian aboriginal shamen have used opal to invoke visions during vision quests and ceremonial “dreamtime.”
PERIDOT: emits a warm, friendly energy; assists in providing insight into the inner aspects of any circumstance or situation; cleanses and stimulates the heart and solar plexus chakras; aids in the regulation of physical, mental, emotional, intellectual, and cycles; helps to lessen anger and jealousy; inspires happiness; believed to strengthen and regenerate the body
PINK TOURMALINE: relates to creativity and to conceiving the “new;” stimulates the crown and heart chakras, bringing forth the synthesis of love and spirituality; aids in the actualization of love and promotes joy and peace during periods of growth and change; promotes feelings of joy and enthusiasm for life by assisting in the release of destructive tendencies; opens the door to allowing one to trust in the power of love; a special stone to give to someone you hope will love you
ROSE QUARTZ: emits a calming, cooling energy which can work on all of the chakras to remove negativity; brings calm and clarity to emotions and restores the mind to a peaceful state of harmony after crisis situations; helpful to heart and crown; effective in treatment of illness related to emotional wounds and the emotional body; balances love emotions in the upper four chakras
RUBY: stimulates the heart chakra, assisting in selecting and attaining one’s ultimate values; promotes and stimulates mental concentration; a “shielding stone” which protects on all levels and is particularly useful in guarding one’s consciousness against psychic attack; aids in relinquishing the need to constantly take on the role of the martyr by encouraging one to follow bliss; can bring lucidity to the dream state and stability to one’s economic status Historic fact: In ancient cultures, the ruby was used in the tradition of “casting lots.”
TURQUOISE: strengthens and aligns all chakras, meridians, and subtle bodies; valuable for grounding and spiritual attunement; stimulates throat, heart, and solar plexus chakras while assisting in communication of emotional issues, creativity, and intuition and allowing for the application of love in all areas; a healer of the spirit, it brings peace of mind; acts as a guide through the unknown, protecting while promoting one’s independence in action Historical Fact: It has been esteemed by Tibetan shamen and used in ceremony. Also, turquoise has been considered by Native Americans to be both a protective stone and to attract goodness.
Native American Symbols
Please note that the definitions of symbols provided here may not be the only meanings for such symbols. It is quite common for the significance of images and symbols to vary among individual artists, tribes, and cultures. Our purpose here in attempting to define some of the designs used in the jewelry we sell is not to offend, but to help our customers acquire a greater appreciation for the artists, their cultural beliefs and practices, and the art itself.
NAJA: The naja is a symbol which is seen frequently in Navajo jewelry and is one that actually originated with the Moors, who used it as a bridal ornament for the protection of their horses and themselves from the “evil eye.” The symbol was passed on to the Spanish after the Moors’ invasion of the peninsula in 711, and later passed on to the Mexicans and Native Americans of the Southwest.
SQUASH BLOSSOM (COURTSHIP): The squash blossom is another symbol which is used repeatedly in Navajo jewelry. It is portrayed with long, slender petals that are just beginning to open and an oval sphere at its base. The flower is believed to be a representation of the pomegranate, which is the official symbol of the city of Granada in Southern Spain. During colonial times, Spanish gentlemen wore variations of the pomegranate on their clothing as adornments.
THUNDERBIRD: The thunderbird is known to be a good omen of unlimited happiness. According to the native legends of various tribes, the thunderbird actually causes storms to form as it flies. Pulling clouds together, it makes the sound of thunder as its wings clap against the wind, sending out flashes of lightning with a blink of its eyes and lightening bolts with the snakes it carries in its possession.
WATER DROP: The water drop is said to be a symbol of prosperity and abundance. When rains fall on the dry desert, crops are able to grow, and the people prosper.