Birthstones
The following write up on crystal healing is for your information only- no scientific studies have ever found any therapeutic effects or properties in gemstones.
JANUARY- Garnet
Colours: Bright red, deep red, orange, yellow, green, purple, brown, black, pink and colourless.
History: Garnet was found in a necklace in 3,500 BC, in an Egyptian mummies tomb, so it’s use in jewellery can be dated back to over 5,500 years ago. It has also been found in Ancient Greek and Roman sites.
Meaning: Garnet is seen as the ultimate stone of love. It is a symbol of love, passion, eternity and warmth.
Healing: Garnet has long been associated with protection, and has been worn as a talisman against negative energy. It has been used in crystal healing as a way of bringing the seven chakras back into alignment. Aside from its protective aspects, it has been associated with having a calming influence that encourages the transformation of negative emotions and states to positive ones. It has been considered lucky for love and for increasing confidence in oneself. It is also associated with the zodiac sign of Aquarius.
FEBRUARY- Amethyst
Colours: Purples, light pinks, green (Prasiolite).
History: The Ancient Greeks believed that their god, Dionysus, was the very first being to ever stumble upon the purple gemstone. Amethyst was deemed exquisite enough to be featured in Ancient Egyptian and British crown jewels.
Meaning: Amethyst is the stone for protection. It is a symbol of purity of spirit and peace.
Healing: Amethyst is considered by some to be a symbol of peace of mind and modesty. Some believe that Amethyst holds powers to change anger to tranquillity, and it is used by crystal healers to revert negative energy into positive energy. It’s popularity has been linked with its perceived healing and meditative powers, and is thought to purify the mind, body and spirit, helping to realign the chakras. It is also associated with the zodiac sign Pisces.
MARCH- Aquamarine/ Bloodstone (USA)
Aquamarine
Colours: Pale blue through to light green.
History: Aquamarine has always been associated with the sea. Used in jewellery since at least 500 BC, its tropical ocean blue tones effortlessly invoke images of landless skies and the waters below. Once believed to be the treasure of mermaids, it was often worn by sailors and travellers as a talisman to protect against being shipwrecked and to ward off sea sickness.
Meaning: Aquamarine is a stone of harmony and joy. It embodies youthful vitality, purity, loyalty, hope, and truth.
Healing: Because of its clarity and association with the sea, Aquamarine has long been associated with relaxation and with being soothing and protective. The stone is thought to keep us connected to the water, the origin of all life on the planet. As well as being associated with courage, faithfulness and friendship, it has been said to protect one from the negative influences of gossip and also increase one’s wisdom and happiness. It is also associated with the zodiac sign of Scorpio and the planet Neptune.
Bloodstone
Colours: Deep green with red markings.
History: Treasured in ancient times, Bloodstone is also known as Heliotrope. Once referred to as the martyr’s stone, medieval Christians often carved scenes of the crucifixion into Bloodstone. Numerous Roman intaglio signet rings featuring Roman gods and mythological creatures survive from the 1st and 2nd century Rome. Bloodstone is one of the oldest gems known to man.
Meaning: Bloodstone is known a stone of courage and wisdom.
Healing: Bloodstone is associated with good circulation of both energy and blood in the body. It is said to aid in the removal of energy blocks, and placing several pieces of this gemstone in the home is suggested to enhance the flow of life’s energy.
APRIL- Diamond
Colours: Clear, yellow, blue, black, pink.
History: Diamonds are believed to be used as a gemstone in India for more than 3,000 years–possibly even 6,000 years! Craftsmen in Stone Age China used diamonds to polish ceremonial axes left in graves. From its use in religious icons in ancient India to the glittering Hope diamond necklace in the Smithsonian, this gemstone has captured the human imagination for millennia.
Meaning: Beyond their modern representations as the stone of marriage and commitment, diamonds also represent faithfulness, purity and innocence.
Healing: Diamond is the traditional birthstone for the month of April, and is heralded as the stone of purity and constancy. It is thought to be the gemstone of the intellect, preventing misunderstandings (romantic and otherwise). Diamond is also believed to provide clarity of thought, encouraging the resolution of problems which comes with clear understanding.
MAY- Emerald
Colours: Yellow-green to blue-green
History: Emerald has been mined for around 4,000 years. From Ancient Egypt to the modern day. This precious stone has been held in high regard since antiquity. The first known mines were in Egypt, and date back possibly as far as 4,000 BC, incredibly. Cleopatra was said to be hypnotized with the unique charm of this gemstone, and so adorned herself in the very finest Emeralds. The Greeks, who were working at the mines of Alexander the Great, were said to have yielded their gems to the Egyptian Queen too. In 1817, Cleopatra’s mines, which were once thought to be nothing but myth, were re-discovered on the coast of the Red Sea, adding significant credibility to her legend.
Meaning: Emerald has long been thought of as the stone of compassion, unity and unconditional love.
Healing: Emerald is the birthstone for May, and is often used as a healing stone to bring a freshness and re-invigoration to the spirit. It has also been said to imbue its owner with the positive qualities of loyalty, patience and friendship and has been linked with reviving passion, whether that be for a job, a hobby or a person.
JUNE- Pearl/ Moonstone/ Alexandrite
Pearl
Colours: (natural) White, cream, pink, purple, blue, champagne, gold, silver, lavender and chocolate.
History: Pearls were discovered before written history began, so it’s hard to attribute their discovery to one particular time or place. We know that they have been worn as a form of jewellery for millennia thanks to a fragment of pearl jewellery found in the sarcophagus of a Persian princess that dates back to 420 BC, which is now on display at the Louvre museum in Paris.
Meaning: White pearls symbolise innocence, purity, peace, beauty, new beginnings and sincerity, and their ageless nature ensures they will stand the test of time.
Healing: Pearls love to lend a hand when it comes to soothing our emotions. Known as a stone of inner wisdom, pearls help us to find the confidence we need to be our own advocates in the world. They also lighten the mind and your mood meaning that you feel a bright spell of optimism and ease wash right over you. Pearls help us to let go of anxiety, nervousness, and that negative inner voice.
Moonstone
Colours: Blue, white, yellow, green, pink, grey, purple, orange and brown.
History: Surrounded by mystery and magic, this gemstone has featured in different cultures for thousands of years. In India it is regarded as a magical and holy gemstone and is often used as a ‘dream stone’ bringing the wearer beautiful visions at night. In Arabian cultures Moonstone was often worn on female garments as they were viewed as a sign of fertility. Moonstone was also extremely popular in Roman times, as they thought the gemstone was formed out of moonlight. Romans were setting the gemstone in their jewellery as early as 100AD, and in more recent times the gem was popular in the Art Nouveau period.
Meaning: Moonstone represents inner clarity, cyclical change, and a connection to the feminine. It is a symbol of light and hope and also encourages us to embrace new beginnings. It is closely linked to themes of femininity such as fertility, balance, softness, and intuition.
Healing: A Crown Chakra crystal, Moonstone has long been the stone of love and fertility, of intuition and magic, protection, and of hope and spiritual purity. Moonstone calms and encourages, teaching us the natural rhythms of life, opens the heart to empathy, and assists in the acceptance of love. Moonstone is said to increase our sensitivity to the Feminine Divine, to heighten intuition and open us up to our psychic gifts. It encourages hope and inspiration, allowing us to wish and aspire and flow in harmony with our dreams, and opens us to serendipity and synchronicity. Moonstone is also said to induce restful sleep, and aid in lucid dreaming.
Alexandrite
Colours: Green, blue, purple, red, yellow, pink and grey- they also change colour in different light!
History: The first alexandrite ever discovered was found on the birthday of Russia’s Prince Alexander II in 1830 at the Ural Mountains. Miners who were mining emeralds close to the Ural Mountains discovered it accidentally. In 1839 the stones were officially identified and given the name alexandrite in honour of the prince. The stone was also made the official stone of Russia as the colours happened to be the same as the Old Imperial Russia’s military colours.
Meaning: Alexandrite is the gemstone of luck, prosperity, and intellect. It represents the balance between the physical and the spiritual, and can bring you into the balance of who you are.
Healing: The stone strengthens intuition, promotes creativity and increases imagination. When used on a daily basis during meditation, it can significantly open up your heart and crown chakras. Alexandrite can provide the courage for decision making and promotes self-confidence. Furthermore, wearing Alexandrite will help you expand your consciousness and awareness by facilitating a connection with the higher realms.
JULY- Ruby
Colour: Red
History: As early as 2500 B.C., rubies were first discovered in the Mogok region of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. At the mining site at Mogok, Stone Age tools have been discovered, serving as links to the antiquity of the location. As stones were mined in ancient times, the largest of the rubies were to be taken directly to the ruler of Burma, becoming his property.
Meaning: For centuries, rubies have signified passion, protection, and wealth. The ruby has become a symbol of love and commitment.
Healing: Ruby encourages joy, spontaneity, laughter and courage. It promotes positive dreams and stimulates the pineal gland. Aids in retaining wealth and passion. Ruby encourages removal of negative energies from your path. It overcomes exhaustion and lethargy and imparts potency and vigour.
AUGUST- Peridot/ Spinel
Peridot
Colours: Green, yellow-green, to olive green and dark green.
History: Peridot jewellery dates back as far as the second millennium BC. These ancient Egyptian gemstones came from deposits on a small volcanic island in the Red Sea called Topazios, now known as St. John’s Island or Zabargad. Ancient Egyptians called peridot the “gem of the sun,” believing it protected its wearer from terrors of the night. Some historians believe that Cleopatra’s famed emerald collection may have actually been peridot.
Meaning: Peridot is a prized gemstone known for its summer spirit, its good-luck vibes, and its uncanny ability to keep you calm and feeling safe
Healing: Pure of heart, bringer of light, and never shying away from its playful side, Peridot is always the belle of the ball. This gorgeous gemstone is connected to the heart chakra and is always ready to help crack your love wide open so you can share in the sublime joy of the universe. To open the heart, it’s important to loosen your grip on anxiety, to let go of envious thoughts, and to let clarity lead the way out of old barren fields and into bright and sunny new pastures.
Spinel
Colours: Black, blue, green, yellow, red, pink, white, purple, orange and brown.
History: It wasn’t long ago that spinel was thought to be a ruby due to its lustrous orange-red color. Mineralogist Jean Baptiste Louis Rome de Lisle was able to identify differences though between rubies and spinel minerals in 1783. Multiple stones previously assumed to be rubies are now able to be identified as spinel. There are two spinel gems, in fact, in the English crown jewels.
Meaning: Spinel is a stone of hope, revitalization, and feeling the joy of being alive.
Healing: Spinel is associated with the root Chakra, making it effective in increasing physical energy and stamina. It seems spinel also has an effect on mental stamina as it is said to reduce forgetfulness and boost intellectual power.
SEPTEMBER- Sapphire
Colours: Blue, yellow, black, white, green, pink, purple, grey, orange and brown.
History: Sapphires have been mined and prized since at least 800 BC. They take millions – sometimes even billions – of years to form. The exact details of the initial discovery of Sapphire are lost to time, but we can be reasonably sure that the earliest stones would have been discovered in stream beds and the banks around them, having been washed from their original source by rains and erosion, and deposited downstream by nature.
Meaning: Sapphire, by tradition, has long been associated with nobility, truth, sincerity and faithfulness, and has been the stone of choice for royalty for generations.
Healing: Sapphire is steeped in folklore and legend stretching right the way back through its fascinating history. As a talisman, it was once thought to protect from poison and fever and it was linked with heightened concentration. It has been called a stone of wisdom, faith and hope, and has also been said to represent strength, power and kindness. In many faiths throughout history, there are similar stories about Sapphire aiding spiritual enlightenment.
OCTOBER- Opal/ Tourmaline
Opal
Colours: Black, white, blue, green, yellow, pink, red, grey, purple, orange, brown.
History: Archeologists have dated early Opal finds to over 10,000 years ago in North America and 6,000 years ago in Kenya. This latter discovery was thought to be Ethiopian in source, as Ethiopia borders Kenya to the north. Both of these deposits must have been forgotten by Roman times however, as before major discoveries in Australia in the late 19th century, the only noted source was in Cervenica, Slovakia.
Meaning: The Opal stone represents amplification, higher hope, and divine purity. These light dancing gemstones are here to boost those feelings of balance and peace.
Healing: Opal has been revered throughout history for the explosion of colour trapped within, and this rainbow of different hues has bought a wide array of associations to the stone. Hope, happiness, love, luck and innocence have all been linked with Opal, as have creativity and optimism. The stone has been thought to help bring ones repressed negative feelings to the surface, helping to purge them. Each individual type of Opal also carries its own meanings, with Fire Opal being linked with artistic expression and Crystal Opal with intelligence and joy.
Tourmaline
Colours: Black, green, pink, blue, yellow, red, white, purple, grey, orange and brown.
History: Because of its colourful occurrences, tourmaline has been confused with other gemstones throughout history. In the 1500s, a Spanish conquistador found green tourmaline in Brazil—which he mistook for emerald. His error held until the 1800s, when mineralogists finally identified tourmaline as its own mineral species. Variations of the name “schorl” may have been used to describe black tourmaline even before 1400.
Meaning: Tourmaline has been said to be a stone of reconciliation, a stone that fosters compassion and cool headedness.
Healing: Tourmaline aids in understanding oneself and others. It promotes self-confidence and diminishes fear. Tourmaline attracts inspiration, compassion, tolerance and prosperity. It balances the right-left sides of the brain. Tourmaline balances male-female energy within the body. Enhances energy and removes blockages.
NOVEMBER- Topaz/ Citrine
Topaz
Colours: Blue, yellow, white, green, red, pink, grey, brown, purple, clear and orange.
History: The Greeks and Romans greatly valued topaz as a gemstone. In medieval times, small wine-yellow Saxonian topaz was mined at Schneckenstein in the Erzgebirge Mountains in Saxony Germany, and several rulers wore these specimens in jewellery. Deep mining was later used at the site from 1737 to 1800. Topaz was always a prized and rare stone from the time of the middle Ages until discoveries of large deposits in Brazil in the mid 19th century.
Meaning: Topaz has long been associated with soothing, healing and re-motivating, and has been called the gemstone of good fortune and love.
Healing: Topaz soothes, heals, stimulates, recharges, re-motivates and aligns the meridians of the body – directing energy to where it is needed most. It promotes truth and forgiveness. Topaz brings joy, generosity, abundance and good health.
Citrine
Colours: Pale yellow, yellow, deep yellow, orange and brown.
History: Citrine has been used ornamentally for thousands of years. In fact, in Ancient Greece, the stone was used as a decorative gem during the Hellenistic Age between 300 and 150 B.C. In addition, 17th century Scottish men used citrine on the handles of daggers and swords for decorative purposes. However, there is also record of entire sword handles that were crafted from citrine. More recently, citrine was particularly popular during the Art Deco era between World War I and World War II. During this time, movie stars wore oversized and elaborate citrine jewellery.
Meaning: Citrine is associated with positivity and optimism, which is not surprising given its cheerful colour.
Healing: Citrine is all centred around good vibrations, excitations, and not letting go of that personal power. If you ever feel like you have lost your grip, Citrine is here to remind you to simply take it back with a smile. It helps you to crack open your mind, to release those tense feelings of negativity and anger, and to take deep cleansing breaths that help you to overcome muddled feelings of confusion, depression, and destructive tendencies.
DECEMBER- Turquoise/ Ziron/ Tanzanite
Turquoise
Colours: Blues and greens.
History: The earliest evidence of turquoise gemstones comes from ancient Egyptian tombs, which contain elaborate turquoise jewellery dating back to 3000 BCE. Egyptians set turquoise in gold necklaces and rings, used it as inlay, and carved it into scarabs. Most notably, King Tut’s iconic burial mask was extravagantly adorned with turquoise. The oldest turquoise mines are in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. One sat near an ancient temple dedicated to Hathor, the Greek goddess of love and joy who was worshiped as a protector in the desert and as the patron saint of mining.
Meaning: Turquoise is a popular gemstone that has long been prized in many cultures. It’s said to bring luck, peace, and protection.
Healing: Turquoise has a strong connection to the throat chakra and helps to enhance communication and expression. It also aligns all of the chakras and is often used for healing purposes. Turquoise can also help you become more open to love and forgiveness, and release patterns of self-sabotage.
Zircon
Colours: White, brown, blue, yellow, green, red, pink, grey, purple, brown and orange.
History: Natural zircon, known for its vivid colors and diamond-like appearance, is one the most ancient materials on Earth. A gemstone able to withstand incredible pressure, some pieces of zircon date over 4 billion years old. In the middle ages, zircon was believed to promote sleep, as well as bring prosperity, honor, and wisdom to its wearer. The name of this gem comes from the Persian word zargun, meaning “gold-hued.”
Meaning: Zircon is said to clear negative energy and has a protective aura.
Healing: Zircon is considered a stone of purity and chastity. This stone is able to help in balancing emotions and increasing self-respect and integrity. Due to its ability to protect against illnesses, injuries, and insomnia, zircon is an ideal talisman for the travelers, enabling them a warm welcome whenever they go. Zircon is said to exhibit magical powers in its battle against evil spirits. It also possesses healing abilities, as it can be used as an antidote and a means for improving digestion. Zircon brings restful sleep and prosperity, and promotes honour and wisdom to the bearer.
Tanzanite
Colours: Blues and purples.
History: Tanzanite is relatively new to the coloured stone galaxy. As the most common story of the tanzanite mining boom goes, in 1967 a Masai tribesman stumbled upon a cluster of highly transparent, intense violet-to-blue crystals weathering out of the earth in Merelani, an area of northern Tanzania. He alerted a local fortune hunter named Manuel d’Souza, who quickly registered four mining claims. D’Souza hoped that he’d been shown a new sapphire deposit. Instead, the deposit contained one of the newest of the world’s gems.
Meaning: Tanzanite gems are believed to represent heart and intellect combined with intuition and purity. These stones are used as symbols of dignity, truth, judgement and longevity.
Healing: Tanzanite is a stone of transformation that can help dissolve old patterns of disease and karma. It enables us to move forward with optimism and inspiration, giving us a sense of direction and allowing us to manifest our powers for the highest good. Tanzanite enhances healing at all levels, as well as protecting those who are doing the healing.