Tourmaline - The Rainbow Stone!
In Egyptian mythology, tourmaline is said to have passed through a rainbow on its journey to the earth to produce the wonderful colours. Tourmaline is formed in underground voids that fill with magma and are cooled by rainwater; the host rock is usually granite or marble. It is the different mineral from the rainwater produce the different varieties of tourmaline and there are over 30 different types. Boron is found in magma therefore, all tourmalines contain boron within their silica (quartz) and aluminium structure to produce hexagonal, vertically striated, triangular shaped crystals. Mineral compositions of tourmaline include sodium, calcium, iron, mangesium, manganese and lithium as well as trace elements.
Aboriginal, African and Native American tribes revered tourmaline for its healing powers. It was believed that tourmalines brought power, energy and protection to the user. A reason for this may be due to its piezoelectrical and pyroelectrical qualities. Pyroelectricity is the ability to generate a temporary voltage when heated or cooled; temperature changes modify the position of the atoms within the structure creating polarisation which gives rise to a voltage across the channel. Dutch sellers used to call tourmaline ‘ash-pullers’, as this effect could attract and repel hot ashes from burning coals!
The piezoelectric effect acts a biological force. Tourmaline can be useful for maintaining cellular potentials producing negative ions which we associate with health and energy. Negative Ions come after a thunderstorm or in nature such as forests, mountains and rivers. Under artificial light, electricity, or built up areas positive ions build up and we begin to feel tired, stagnant and headachy. Interestingly, at a cellular level, our body naturally produces free radicals (positive ions) which steal electrons from healthy cells to neutralise their charge (see post on antioxidants).
Positive ions damage the body and can cause us to feel, weak, sick, headaches, tired, anxious. Our single cell has a potential on its membrane which allow substances in and out of the cell. healthy negative levels between 60 and 95 mV. When negative ions are exposed into the body, the calcium and sodium circulating in the blood get ionised. These changes has an overall alkalising effect. cell negative potential falls below 60mV the membrane permeability gets worse. The nutrients, oxygen, and water cannot get into the cell; waste and carbon dioxide cannot get out; and too much sodium and hydrogen stay inside. Such process is called cell depolarisation. Cell potential of an aged or unhealthy cell may fall to 40 mV. Whilst their is no sibstiutue for a healthy diet, tourmaline is a storm crystal which as can be used as a positive support for our body.
Tourmalines provide energy to the body given its piezoelectric and pyroelectric effects as well as the additional coloured elements and mineral contents. I have listed some of the individual properties below:
Schorl (Black Tourmaline). Contains iron and aluminium, it is the most common form of Tourmaline, it is a very protective and grounding stone.
Wear this crystal when you are around negative people or in negative places such as hospitals to stop you picking up on negative or unwanted energies. A great stone for healers but may be too strong for the average person.
Placed near cellphones, computers and electrical items it can reduce electrical stress.
Place black tourmaline on your desk if you need to aid concentration.
Black Tourmaline can soothes panic attacks, hold in the left hand to bring in the grounding energies and breathe out tension.
Carry a piece of black tourmaline with you if you are anxious over a situation, such as a visit to the dentist or doctor or need to find some extra confidence
Place by the front or back door of the home or in your car to bring protection.
Dravite (Brown Tourmaline). Magnesium rich tourmalines ranging from dark yellow to dark brown. It holds a grounding influence due to its natural, earthy hue.
Wear this stone in jewellery to restore emotional balance and relieve worry
Placed on the root chakra dravite can help to balance, ground and transform negative energy into positive energy.
Place a piece of dravite in the work place to encourage community spirit and harmony!
Rubellite (Pink Tourmaline). Rich in the mineral manganese. Encourages compassion and gentleness, enhance love and spirituality.
Wear pink tourmaline to stimulate happiness and joy or carry it with you if you need to find you zest for life!
Placed on the heart chakra makes a nice present for those suffering from gynaecological issues, digestive issues, neuralgia and migraines, as it gently heals the emotional roots of underlying dis-ease.
Mediate with rubellite if you are feeling ungrounded due to emotional issues. It provides energy and vitality to the physical body as well as bringing in a loving consciousness.
Placed in the bedroom it can help can revitalise passion and sensuality.
Verdelite (Green tourmaline) is rich in chromium, producing a range of greens, from the most pale to a dark, emerald green.
Verdelite holds the essence and wisdom of the plant kingdom and the devic kingdom making it a wonderful present for those who work closely with nature and in herbalism.
Worn as a necklace it can help to fortify the nervous system and cardiovascular system, thyroid by creating a flow of wholesome energy. It also contains chromium which has been known to support diabetes and may be useful to wear on the skin.
Place verdelite near your plant friends to help them to grow and remain healthy as well as helping you to harmonise with their earthly energies
Placed in the home it is said to increase luck and prosperity and inspires creativity.
Elbaite / Liddicoatite (Watermelon Tourmaline)
A popular stone as it looks just like a slice of watermelon and imparts an essence of divine love! In Elabaite the divine feminine and divine masculine meet. Green provides the masculine, yang, energy imparting an essence of strength, courage and vitality; pink, yin energies provide, compassion, gentleness and spirituality.
Works beautifully as a necklace placed over the heart area, helping to channel electrical energies particularly suited to those suffering from exhaustion and chronic fatigue.
Placed on the heart chakra during meditation it can support all types of emotional healing especially father/mother related issues. Green Tourmaline assists in overcoming emotional problems associated with a father figure and pink, the mother.
Place in the centre of the home it can stabilise family relationships and impart a sense of homeliness and love.
Indicolite (Blue Tourmaline). One of the rarer forms, it varies from dark blues to turquoise hues due to impurities of iron. Paraiba, an almost neon variety of blue-green also contains traces of copper. Indicolite and Paraiba invoke the water element - it teaches us to surrender our thoughts and let go into the abyss.
Indicolite is a powerful healer of grief, especially unresolved emotional memories without justice. Mediate with Indicolite to enter into a deep meditation to begin the process of healing deep rooted emotional hurt.
Use, wear or place Indicolite where there is a need for honest communication. It enables one to speak their truth, from the heart. Placed on the throat chakra it can help to express ideas, beliefs, and speak freely. A useful crystal to support those with speech difficulties too when placed on the throat chakra.
It makes a lovely gift for those that work in public speaking, actors and singers or those involved in charity work as it promotes harmony, free speech and service to humanity.
Siberite (Purple Tourmaline). Again, one of the rarer colours. It contains lithium or a mix of manganese (pink) and iron (blue).
A holder of spiritual energy it is a perfect stone when placed on the third-eye for dreamwork, simply place next to the bed or under the pillow.
Our consciousness is seated in the third-eye and crown areas. Holding a Siberite or placed on the third-eye during meditation can help us to balance our thoughts and internal communications becoming open to new ideas and experiences.
Tourmaline has been used to support dyslexia by improving eye/hand coordination and the assimilation of information. Tourmaline is said to balance the right and left hemispheres of the brain aiding alignment between mental processes and the chakras.
Tourmaline is a seven on Moh’s scale of hardness so it suitable for jewellery but it can be prone to breaks; if you do wish to carry them, always wrap them up to avoid damage. Best cleansed in moonlight, incense and avoid strong sunlight as this will fade the colours. Due to the wide ranging minerals and trace elements (such as lead or lithium) tourmaline should not be made into a gem water and drank. Be careful when buying tourmalines as some are artificially radiated to enhance their colour; a true Rubellite shines just as intensely in artificial light as it does in daylight and in fakes you can see brown in artificial light.
Black or Red Tourmaline - Base Chakra Found at the base of the spine, it controls kinaesthetic energy and is the foundation of both our physical and spiritual energy. A balanced base chakra allows us to maintain a strong, healthy body as well as being independent and grounded. Spiritual energy is pulled up from our root to the crown chakra so a balanced root chakra provides the security we need to grow into our power.
Watermelon or Pink and Green Tourmaline - Heart Chakra Our heart chakra regulates our interaction with the outside world, we decide what we want to embrace or avoid. When our heart chakra is balanced we have the ability to understand these needs clearly. A balanced heart chakra can help us to cope much better with the ups and downs of emotional relationships and accept change.
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