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The Magic of Rocks and StonesBloodstone Written and compiled by - Patricia Jean MartinBloodstone
is also known as Heliotrope. The
name Heliotrope is derived from the Greek words meaning "sun" and
"turning" because of a notion that when the stone is immersed in water
it would turn the sun red. Polished
stones were escribed as reflecting the sun.
The more common name of Bloodstone was derived by the stone's appearance;
usually a very dark green with splotches or veins of red resembling droplets of
blood. Bloodstone,
sometimes called Blood Jasper in the trade, is not quite a jasper but rather a
dark green Chalcedony which is a cryptochrystalline variety of Quartz, and which
contains inclusions of red to brown. Although
the color is not consistent, the red spots are caused by iron oxide and the
green color is from chlorite particles or Hornblende needles.
Bloodstone is primarily found and mined in India, Australia, United
States, Germany, Scotland, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, and Russia. Chalcedony
is the variety name given to fine cryptocrystalline Quartz, of which Bloodstone
is one. In this variety, crystals are too small to be seen with the
unaided eye or even with an ordinary microscope. Instead, the crystallinity is determined with the use of an
electron microscope. Chalcedony
occurs in almost any color or combination of colors.
Varieties include Agate (colored bands), Moss Agate (milky-white
background with dendritic green or brown inclusions), Carnelian (orange to
reddish brown), Sard (light to dark brown), Chrysoprase (apple green), Tiger's
Eye (banded yellow-brown), Flint or Chert (white, dull gray, or black), Jasper
(opaque red), and of course Bloodstone or Heliotrope (green with red flecks).
Today,
finely powdered Bloodstone is used as an aphrodisiac and medicine in India. General Information:
*Chemistry:
SiO2, Silicon Dioxide. Chalcedony, a variety of Quartz with nodules of
red iron oxide distributed throughout its mass. *Class:
Silicates. *Subclass:
Tectosilicates. *Group:
Quartz. *Color:
Opaque dark green with red to brownish spots or veins. *Luster:
Glassy to waxy. *Crystal
System: Hexagonal. *Crystal
Habit: Cryptocrystalline. Forms in
massive formations. *Cleavage:
Absent. *Fracture:
Conchoidal. *Hardness:
6.5 - 7 *Specific
Gravity: 2.58 - 2.64 *Streak:
White *Other
Characteristics: Highly sensitive to heat. *Notable
Occurrences: India, Australia, United States, Germany, Scotland. *Best
Field Indicators: Crystal habit, color and hardness. *Uses:
Mineral collection specimens, ornamental stone and sculpture. Myth
& Lore:
Believed
to be a very magickal stone, in ancient times Bloodstone was thought to have the
ability to stop hemorrhages by merely touching the stone.
Ancient warriors often carried a Bloodstone amulet which was intended to
stop the bleeding when applied to a wound. In
the Middle Ages, special powers were attributed to Bloodstone because it was
believed to have been formed when some drops of Jesus' blood fell and stained
some Jasper at the foot of the cross. From
that time on, this stone was used in sculptures representing flagellation and
martyrdom, leading it to be dubbed "The Martyr's Stone."
Believed to have great healing powers, the stones were crushed into
powder and mixed with honey and egg whites; a conconction believed to cure
tumors and to stop bleeding. Alchemists
used Bloodstone to cure blood poisoning as well as draw out the poison from
venomous snakebites. Engraved
Bloodstone was used by the Babylonians in divination, and both they and the
ancient Egyptians used it to magickally defeat enemies, usually by employing the
stone's abilities to increase personal strength and yet make one
"invisible" when they wanted attention focused strategically
elsewhere. The Leyden Papyrus
declared that "The world has no greater thing than bloodstone," it
opens all doors for its owner, breaks down the walls of prisons and averts many
disasters. Also known as a Mother
Goddess stone, it is associated with images of Isis and Horus and the Black
Madonna. Bloodstone
is used in weather magick. It can
also be a good charm for athletes who require added strength.
It can be used to dispel bewilderment and clarify obscure thought,
allowing you to recognize the beneficial aspects of "turmoil prior to
perfection." Along
with Aquamarine, Bloodstone is the traditional March birthstone. Metaphysical
Properties:
Astrological
Sign(s): Pisces, Aries Root
Chakra. "Stone
of Courage" Increases
physical strength. Centers
and grounds. Healing. Calms
anxieties. Invisibility. Guards
against deception. Past
life exploration. Increases
self-esteem and self-appreciation. Promotes
love of family. Enhances
wealth. Legal
matters and business. *Gives
physical aid in treating: Blood disorders, anemia, and circulation. Detoxifying.
Strengthens immune system. Relieves
menstrual and menopausal symptoms. Liver, kidneys, bone marrow and intestines.
Heart. *NOTE:
Stone therapy should NOT take the place of medical evaluation and
procedures, and should be used merely to enhance one's health and well-being. My
own thoughts and experiences:
Whenever
in the company of Bloodstone, it is not unusual to feel a strong vital force;
something which reaches into the far recesses of our ancestry, while at the same
time piercing straight into your very own core.
Looking at the "bloodlines" or rich red spots on an otherwise
deep field of dark earthy green, you can almost feel the stone pulsate with the
life force inherent in us all. Although
another excellent healing and grounding stone, I have three names for
Bloodstone... "the Rock of Ages"... "the Now & Then"
stone... and "the Motivator"... all of which I feel tap into this
stone's more emphatic qualities. In
regard to the first, this stone can help you reconnect with your ancestral line
and the Ancients. For the second,
it can simultaneously connect your present thoughts or feelings (your Now) to
those who came before you (their Then), integrating
the two so that you come to know no space and time between you and the
Ancestors. Here you may reach into
the treasure chest of deep-seated knowledge and pull forth the necessary healing
and/or proper judgments in answer to your questions.
As "the Motivator," Bloodstone possesses the uncanny ability to
swiftly reach the root of an issue by bringing you abruptly to the core of
whatever issue is in your Now; it enhances your perception of the "fight or
flight" survival syndrome; and finally, it bestows whatever fire, courage
or resolve is needed to move you into beneficial action. It
is a beneficent Mother Dragon of stones. Listen
closely and let her take you on the journey through time.
But be prepared to visit the intense realms of both Fire and Earth. End.
Sources:
"The
Crystal Bible" ~ Judy Hall "Love
Is In the Earth" ~ Melody "Rocks
& Minerals" ~ Discovery Publications http://www.themysticeye.com/info/bloodstone.htm http://www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go340/gb.htm
©
Patricia Martin 2006
Website:
http://www.peacefulpaths.com/
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