Many of the stones in this section are sedimentary stones, formed in the crust of the Earth through the interaction of minerals with water from rainfall, streams, or rivers. Other stones included in this section, such as tourmaline, do not form at the sedimentary level but nonetheless have a strong effect on the Defensive/Wei energetic level of the body.
The stones that affect the Defensive/Wei level generally address health conditions manifesting on the exterior, perhaps on the skin, or perhaps as chronic respiratory allergies. They also affect the Wei level as it relates to acute flare-ups of chronic Wind conditions, such as seizures and convulsions or joint pain.
These stones are beneficial for people who have difficulty establishing boundaries between the self and the outer world. How safe do we feel as we live in the world? If we do not feel safe, our Wei Qi will be hyperactive, continually on the alert for an offending factor, or it will collapse, causing us to rely on the protection of other people.
Some of the health issues represented at this level are related to survival—those aspects of life that are controlled not by our conscious choices, but by all the continual, subtle adjustments in our autonomic nervous system that are needed to accommodate the changes we encounter in life. For example, people who have difficulty adjusting to environmental and weather changes, or who are particularly susceptible to external pathogenic factors, might benefit from wearing a bracelet of tourmaline to support them in their ability to respond to external changes.
From an emotional point of view, the stones in this section are appropriate for conditions related more to mood than to conscious emotion or constitutional temperament.
Therapeutic Qualities
Most of the stones in this section have a spicy taste—generating movement toward the exterior—and a cooling nature. Notable exceptions are tourmaline, fluorite, and aragonite, which are warming.
An important stone that warrants examination is gypsum, used traditionally to treat serious and acute Heat conditions. It contains sulfur, a very warming mineral that insulates energy inward. Nevertheless, gypsum is classified as cold. It “quells Fire” to reduce high fevers, not by cooling it or releasing the Heat through sweating but by pulling the Heat inward to protect against loss of Yang. Gypsum is given a sweet taste, making it a nourishing stone.
Another important stone in this category is calcite, which behaves very differently than gypsum. It is classified as cold because it actively cools Heat. It has a spicy taste, which mobilizes energy and fluids to the exterior to be released.
Fluorite can be confusing in its therapeutic effect. The trace element fluoride derives from fluorine, a toxic, acidic gas. From this we can assume that fluoride has the ability to dissolve obstructions. At the same time, fluoride brings its effect to the bone level. At that deep level it can either induce latency by binding to the bone, or it can melt pathologic accumulations and release them to the exterior, depending on color, dosage, placement, and combinations.
Softness and Color
Generally, these Wei-level stones are soft, a quality that allows their therapeutic effects to be felt more quickly than harder stones. This makes them particularly suitable for acute conditions. The prime example of a soft stone is talc, which measures as 1—the softest stone—on the Mohs scale, due to its extremely weak structural bonding.
When used topically, soft stones generally require direct contact with the skin. Their soft quality often makes them too vulnerable to be worn as jewelry, but we can use these stones effectively in stone layouts, taped to points, or crushed and powdered as a poultice or in a cosmetic cream. In general, soft stones resonate with the upper region, making them useful for symptoms occurring in the region of the head. For example, when a person has a headache, we can immediately think of placing calcite or a clear fluorite on the area of pain.
Many of these stones, such as calcite, fluorite, and tourmaline, appear in a variety of colors. We can choose colors based on what we consider the root cause of the headache—for example, green for Liver Yang ascending.
Affecting Qi and Fluids
Working at the Wei level means that we need to affect not only the Qi but also the Fluids. Even if we have sufficient energy, adequate hydration is required to move stagnation. Our skin needs moisture to protect us from external factors. We need the ability to sweat to clear pathology out of the body. Fluids soften and loosen phlegm so we can expectorate it; they nourish our muscles, the external Sinews as well as the smooth internal muscles of the gut, to prevent spasms and cramping.
Proper hydration is particularly important if we are practicing qigong or taiji. As weight moves around the bottom of the foot during practice, we are stimulating the point Bubbling Spring/Yongquan/KI-1, which acts as a pump to draw Fluids upward to the low back/Mingmen. This is why we sweat so much during practice, even though we are not working that hard physically. Without adequate hydration, our Fluids burn up too quickly as they interact with the Qi. In addition to drinking sufficient amounts of water before practice, we can use Wei Qi stones that generate Fluids to support the circulation of energy, such as apophyllite.
Treatment Considerations
When treating an acute condition with soft Wei-level stones, we want a quick effect. When a person wears jewelry with harder stones (quartz, diamond) or stones with high amounts of copper (azurite, malachite) or iron (hematite, tiger eye), the strategy can be impeded because these stones bring energy more deeply to the Blood level.
When applying stones topically in the treatment of Bi/Obstruction syndrome caused by Wind-Damp, Wind-Cold, or Wind-Heat, it is preferable to place the stones both locally and distally to the site of pain. For example, for knee pain we can place a stone or poultice directly on the point of pain, but also on the bottom of the foot. Usually the period of treatment is short-term for acute flare-ups of chronic conditions.
When making a combination including transformative stones, moss agate and the various agate-jaspers are good choices to support the Defensive/Wei level.
Evolutionary Transformation of Sedimentary Stones
Earlier we discussed how stones with silicon dioxide chemistry are striving to become quartz crystals, which they accomplish deep within the Earth through the interaction between Fire and Water. There is also an evolutionary tendency within the sedimentary world, and the goal is to become calcite. When ancient statues made of dolomite marble (CaMg) are exposed to the elements, specifically rain, which contains carbonic acid, they develop a patina of pure calcite (CaCO2), because the carbonic acid leaches out the magnesium and replaces it with carbon dioxide. This patina is one of the measures of authenticity for ancient sculptures.
From the Chinese perspective, many of the stones in this section, including gypsum and selenite, will all evolve to become calcite when exposed to environmental factors.
Accessing the Defensive/Wei Qi Level—The Sinew and Divergent Channels
Wei Qi has its roots in Kidney Yang, with its primitive urge to survive. Wei Qi is warm and moving in nature.
Wei Qi is the first line of defense against the external pathological factors of Wind (Wind-Cold, Wind-Heat, and/or Wind-Damp). The two channel systems most associated with the Wei level are the Sinew and Divergent Channels.
Sinew or Tendinomuscular Channels
Sinew is a collective term that refers to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. The Sinew Channels are broad bands that circulate Defensive/Wei Qi through the musculature of the body, which also includes the internal smooth muscles of the gut and heart. When Wei Qi is deficient, there are symptoms such as numbness, flaccidity, or weakness in a muscle group; in the extreme, there is paralysis. When Wei Qi is excessive, there are symptoms of tightness, tremors, spasms, or twitching.
The Trajectories of the Sinew Channels
All of the Sinew Channels begin at the Jing-Well points, found at the corners of the cuticles of the fingers and toes. They are called Well points because they respond to the action of pumping or pulsing. They are noted for their ability to release Wind and Heat. When we manually pump these points, we are promoting the flow of Wei Qi within the Sinew Channels.
Wei Qi is yang in nature, even though it travels through both Yin and Yang regions of the body.
· Yin regions include the inner legs and arms, the front of the body, and the internal muscles of the gut and heart. The Yin Sinew Channels travel to the central axis of the torso. The Yin Leg Channels meet at the midline of the lower abdomen, just above the pubic bone (CV-3). The Yin Arm Channels meet at the lateral torso, about one hand’s width down from the armpit (GB-22).
· Yang regions include the outer aspects of the arms and legs, the back, and the head. The Yang Sinew Channels travel to the head. The Yang Leg Channels meet under the cheekbone below the outer corner of the eye (SI-18); the Yang Arm Channels meet slightly above the hairline on the sides of the forehead, in line with the outer corner of the eye (GB-13).
Although Wei Qi is largely concerned with autonomic functions, the flow of Wei Qi through the Sinew Channels affects a deeper, more conscious response in the body. As Wei Qi moves through the central Yin areas of the body, it brings external experiences to the Heart and eventually to the Brain, giving us the opportunity to feel and think about our experiences. Whether our response is more emotional or more rational in nature, it can lead to a state of imbalance.
As Wei Qi moves to the cheekbones, it enables the sensory organs to perceive the world. Our perceptions, in turn, affect the Shen. If our senses are hyper- or hyposensitive, Shen disturbances can result. Symptoms of disturbed Shen can include insomnia, restlessness, and irritability.
Additionally, tension in the temples can disrupt the normal flow of Wei Qi to the cheekbones, resulting in headaches, chronic eye conditions, or other sensory disturbances.
When working with the Sinew Channels, complex and subtle treatments are not required. Massage easily accesses the Sinew Channels. If we release tension in the shoulders, we release the external armoring that keeps excessive Heat in the upper region, potentially treating chronic nosebleeds or high blood pressure. If we release tension in the hamstrings, there is less urgency to be overactive in the world.
Although the Sinew Channels have no direct relationship to the joints, excessive Heat traveling through the channels can inflame tissue around the joints, causing tendinitis or bursitis. Pumping the Jing-Well points can help release the excessive Heat.
When treating the Sinew Channels with stones affecting the Wei level, the major intention is to release Heat and Wind. This is accomplished by rubbing the cuticles, using smooth stones of an appropriate size to massage tight muscles, or by placing stones on the points where the channels converge:
· The Yang Leg Channels converge in the depression under the cheekbone, below the outer corner of the eye/SI-18.
· The Yang Arm Channels converge slightly above the hairline on the sides of the forehead, in line with the outer corner of the eye/GB-13.
· The Yin Leg Channels converge at the midline of the lower abdomen, a thumb’s width above the upper border of the pubic bone/CV-3.
· The Yin Arm Channels converge on the side of the torso, about a hand’s width under the armpit/GB-22.
For further information about the names of zones and actions, refer to the “The Six Divisions or Stages” in chapter 4 and to “Topical Application” in chapter 11.
Divergent Channels
The Divergent Channels connect the superficial Defensive/Wei Qi level to the deep level of Source/Yuan Qi. These channels come into play when an external factor overwhelms Wei Qi. If Wei Qi is inadequate to repel a pathogenic factor, the body’s first priority is to protect the Internal Organs. The Divergent Channels provide a route to move the pathogen inward, to be hidden deep within the body, ultimately reaching the level of bone and the joints. Yang Qi retreats inward to be held by the body’s Yin, which is substantial in nature. This process is called creating latency.
This process can occur in an acute manner, when we encounter a threatening, dangerous external factor, whether emotional or pestilential. Sexual abuse, war trauma, or tick bites causing Lyme disease are events that can activate the Divergent Channels. A potentially life-threatening event is brought from the superficial Wei level to a deeper anatomical terrain, in an attempt to lessen the intensity of the danger.
The process can also happen over a long period of time, and again, it is always motivated by the body’s priority to protect the integrity of the organs. Habitually poor posture or a job that requires standing on a hard surface for hours at a time can challenge the Wei Qi in the region of the lower back, hips, or knees. Over time the stress, or Heat, in these areas moves gradually inward. First, the Heat consumes the Qi. The body responds by bringing Fluids to cool the Heat, perhaps causing swelling. Over time the Fluids are depleted, and the Blood gathers to manage the Heat. This creates Blood stagnation, often accompanied by fixed pain. Finally, the Heat finds its way to the bone, where the body tends to create bone spurs or arthritic accumulations in an effort to contain it.
The Divergent Channels are involved in the multitude of autoimmune conditions endemic to modern society, such as Sjogren’s syndrome with its dryness, or multiple sclerosis with its damage to the nerves.
Working with the Divergent Channels
These channels originate in or pass through the large joint articulations of the body, most especially the hips and shoulders.
The method used for working with the Divergent Channels depends on the strength of the patient. If the person is weak, the strategy is to support the Yin that holds the pathology to keep it latent. If the person is strong, the strategy is to stimulate a release to the exterior by strengthening Qi.
Stones are an interesting choice for use with the Divergent Channels. By their intrinsic nature of heaviness, many stones encourage a movement of energy inward to maintain latency. Many of the stones that work at the Wei level, however, help strengthen the Qi level to bring the pathology gradually outward, to finally release to the exterior.
Other discussions of the process of latency can be found in “The Process of Latency—Hiding Our Pathology” and “The Bony Cavities: A Home for Latent Pathogens”.*22
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• Amazonite • |
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(See color insert plate 14) |
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Taste |
Sweet, spicy, bitter |
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Nature |
Cooling |
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Affinities |
LU/LR/HT/KI |
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Hardness |
6–6.5 |
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Crystal structure |
Triclinic |
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Stone group |
Framework silicate |
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Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan, metamorphic/Ying, sedimentary/Wei |
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Chinese Name
Lu zhang shi, “green long stone” (green feldspar)
Color/Appearance/Light
Green. It can have consistent color or a grid-like mottled pattern of light green and white. It can also be bluish. It is opaque to translucent, and rarely transparent.
The green color addresses both physical and mental-emotional issues.
Chemical Composition
Potassium aluminum silicate (KAlSi3O8)
Historically, the green color was thought to be from copper inclusions. Lab testing now suggests that the green color is due to traces of intrastructural lead, or occasionally iron.
Amazonite is rich in silica, an element that supports the body in using calcium efficiently to strengthen the bone and sinews.
Key Characteristics
Amazonite regulates Qi and is anti-inflammatory. It is generally moving and clearing for stagnation, and it addresses all three levels of Qi, Blood, and Essence.
· At the level of Qi, it supports the dissemination of Fluids in the body, which in turn help release Wind to the exterior.
· At the level of Flesh (Blood/Ying), it supports the integrity of the Sinews to address conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, pain, or general flaccidity.
· At the deepest Source/Yuan level, it supports the structure of Bone.
Amazonite is excellent for including in a “beginner’s kit” as it is a very forgiving stone.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Anatomical level: flesh
Triple Heater mechanism
As a framework silicate, it supports the channels of elimination for urination and defecation and is therefore detoxifying. It relates to the Lesser/Shaoyang level—pathology trapped half in and half out.
Directs Blood into the Sinews and Bones.
Accesses the Source/Yuan and Exterior/Wei levels as they pertain to the Qi of the Bladder and Kidney and directs it inward to induce latency.
Luo Channels
Functions and Uses
Regulates Qi, especially Liver Qi. Indicated for:
– Liver invading Spleen signs and symptoms: cramping, abdominal distension, flatulence, bloating, fullness; eating disorders due to stress
– menstrual cramping, anxiety
– physical aches and pains
– psychosomatic stress, such as asthma
– allergies due to changing weather
Breaks up Blood stagnation and Yin stasis. Indicated for:
– headaches due to emotional stress
– anxiety, palpitations
– glandular swellings, tumors
Nourishes Yin; hydrates; generates Fluids to expel ecological factors, especially those that weaken the Bones and the Sinews. Indicated for:
– electromagnetic radiation from cell phones and microwaves
– fluoridated water
Benefits the fascia and the bones; treats relatively acute muscular/skeletal injuries. Indicated for:
– sinew issues, such as torn meniscus
– bone issues, such as tooth decay or osteoporosis
Expels Wind; clears Internal and External Heat. Indicated for:
– tremors, convulsions, Parkinson’s disease
– diabetic neuropathy
– seasonal allergies
– Heat in the Bowels/Fu organs
– violent or angry outbursts
Calms the Shen; opens sensory orifices. Indicated for:
– chest distress, frustrations
– poor vision, inability to smell
Emotional use. Indicated for:
– strengthening willpower and the determination to overcome the obstacles of life
– helping release the fear that keeps a person frozen or stuck in life
– someone who feels victimized; a martyr
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– promoting clarity in meditation
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Place amazonite directly:
· on phlegm nodules.
· on the midline of the abdomen, at the “V” where the ribs meet the base of the sternum/CV-15, to boost the immune system. It stimulates the thymus to increase T-cell production in the case of AIDS.
Rub the cuticles of the toes with amazonite nightly for neuropathy.
Wear a pendant at the center of the chest/CV-17 to regulate Qi.
Wear a bracelet to stimulate the inner wrist and forearm/PC-6, or hold to stimulate the center of the palm/PC-8, for restlessness and irritability.
To intensify its effect of discharging pathology, spray acupuncture points with colloidal silver and place amazonite on the points.
Internal Application
For elixirs, use a potentiated quartz crystal because of aluminum and potential lead content.
Drink the elixir (made with the potentiated quartz crystal) to clear Heat from the Stomach, Bladder, and Large Intestine and to address other functions and uses.
Intentional Application
Place under the pillow to promote sleep and calm the Shen.
Promotes dreams that give images of the future.
Use as an amulet to protect against snakes.
The green color represents health. For fengshui, place a sculpture or specimen with a generator quartz in the east corner of the house or in a health clinic.
Cautions and Contraindications
It contains aluminum and has the potential of lead content. Use potentiated quartz crystals for preparing elixirs.
Amazonite is sometimes substituted for jade, and indeed, it sometimes goes by trade names such as Colorado jade or Pike’s Peak jade.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
It is similar to aventurine in its therapeutic properties, but amazonite addresses relatively acute issues. Aventurine works more with constitutional conditions.
Pyrite is warming and moves stagnation due to Cold. Amazonite is cooling and moves stagnation due to Heat.
Combinations
As jewelry, amazonite does well set in silver.
It is a good associate stone in a combination intended for neurological/Wind disorders.
It combines well with red aventurine (also formed at all three levels) to address neurological/Liver Wind signs and symptoms such as tremors and convulsions.
Combine amazonite with spinel to stimulate Wei Qi and anchor it inward, such as when addressing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water. Dry in a bed of sea salt to cleanse it further. Charge in the sun. It can also be placed in an amethyst geode for charging.
Stone History
Amazonite was commonly worn as bi, a doughnut-shaped pendant. Chinese literature explains that the root cause of rigidity in attitude or judgment of life is a feeling of being victimized. Amazonite was worn to break up the stagnation of fixed attitudes based on judgments and criticisms.
Amazonite was also associated with clairvoyance and was used for reading the Yijing as if it were a coin.
Common Locations
China, Russia, Brazil, Madagascar, Australia, United States
In Colorado, well-formed crystals often grow with smoky quartz, unlike in other locations, where it tends to form as massive shapes.
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• Amber (Fossilized) • |
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(See color insert plate 15) |
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Taste |
Sweet, spicy |
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Nature |
Warming or neutral |
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Affinities |
LU/LR/HT*23 |
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Hardness |
3–3.5 |
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Crystal structure |
Amorphous |
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Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
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Chinese Name
Hu bai/hu po, “soul of the tiger”
The tiger, considered in China to be the king of beasts, is associated with the Metal element, the Lungs, and the soul of the Lungs, the Po. With the ferocity and strength of the tiger, amber captures or chases away ghosts and evil spirits.
Color/Appearance/Light
Golden brown, yellow, orange, green. It appears with varying degrees of color and translucency; opaque amber nourishes Yin, while translucent amber tonifies Yang.
Before it fossilized, amber was pine resin, a natural antibiotic. The most prized amber contains insects trapped in the resin, demonstrating amber’s quality of capturing Pestilent Qi. Such a stone wards off evil spirits.
Chemical Composition
67–87% carbon; 15% oxygen; 8.5–11% hydrogen; 0.26– 0.34% sulfur; 0.5% inorganic matter (highly variable CHO ratios)
Amber is not technically a stone but is a product of nature. More subtle than its chemical constituents, amber contains the essence of pine, a tree associated with the Lungs. The resin of pine is a natural antibiotic, and it is sticky enough that it can trap insects.
Taken internally, the pine resin binds to toxins, whether digestive or external pestilent factors, in order to eliminate them.
Its sulfur content gives it a consolidating effect.
Key Characteristics
Its association with the Conception Vessel/Ren Mai makes amber appropriate for very deep-rooted conditions.
Amber helps the body release Pestilent Qi, which can be seen on the tangible level as parasites, or on a less tangible level as people who are “energy vampires” or act in some other kind of parasitic manner.
Amber is a record keeper. It brings with it an ancient history; it has “witnessed” and survived many changes and upheavals in the world.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Descending
Conception Vessel/Ren Mai
Accesses the Defensive/Wei and Source/Yuan levels; supports a Lung–Large Intestine Divergent Meridian treatment.
Functions and Uses
Calms the Shen; stabilizes the Will/Zhi; relaxes the sympathetic nervous system. Indicated for:
– childhood fright, nightmares, seizures, colicky or teething children
Invigorates the Blood; breaks up Blood stagnation that has contaminated the Kidneys, such as with fear, and excretes it through the Urinary Bladder. Indicated for:
–Yin stasis
– emotional stagnation, experiences from the past not yet resolved
Amber and Genitourinary Conditions
When we are working with menstrual disorders, our first thought is usually to address the Blood. The Lungs, however, have an important role to play in a treatment strategy. The Lungs have two vectors of energetic movement: descension and dispersion.
The Lungs descend energy to the lower region, and this movement of energy helps invigorate Blood, break up stagnation, and flush it out of the lower region. Amber strengthens the Lungs, especially their descending vector, to address stagnation in the genitourinary system of both women and men.
Expels Phlegm; opens the sensory portals. Indicated for:
– swellings, especially in the throat
– diminished sensory acuity, especially if associated with habituated emotional pattern
Consolidates Yang; resuscitates Yang to return the ability to move through life; regenerates muscle tone. Indicated for:
– Wei/Atrophy syndrome (infestations that have gone to the Sinews, such as with multiple sclerosis); neurological signs and symptoms, such as with Parkinson’s disease; nervousness; Alzheimer’s disease
Directs Lung Qi downward; breaks up Qi and Blood stagnation in the Lower Burner; warms the lower region. Indicated for:
– asthma
– dysmenorrhea, fibroids, ovarian cysts
– Lin syndrome, urinary tract infections (especially from stress, where Fire is sublimated into the Kidneys), prostatitis, testicular pain
Rectifies inherited predisposition to disease, because it is a record keeper. Indicated for:
– congenital disease, constitutional generational disease, breast cancer that “runs in the family”
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– strengthening both the Po, the soul of the Lungs, and the Hun, the soul of the Liver
– keeping us grounded in the present moment and stopping distractions of the past and future; releasing emotional events from the past that continue to haunt us
– promoting dreams to help us understand ourselves and to help us release unresolved issues
– supporting clairvoyance to help us see into the past in order to discover the original cause of the emotions that haunt us (associated with reincarnation)
– strengthening solar plexus and throat chakra functions
– career palace—cultivating a vocation for divination
– warding off negativity and helping us overcome difficult situations
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Grind amber into a powder and mix into skin preparations to eliminate toxins from blemished skin.
Mix the powder with a medium, such as egg white or petroleum jelly, and use as a poultice:
· over a goiter on the neck.
· over the navel to promote menstruation or to break up fibroids and other stagnation in the Lower Burner.
· over the scrotum for prostatitis, testicular pain, or genital swellings.
Massage on the first trinity of Sun Simiao’s “Ghost” points: use a piece with a pointed edge and scrape the central area between the nose and lips (the philtrum)/GV-26 until the area gets red, then massage the cuticle of the thumb/LU-11 and the medial cuticle of the big toe/SP-1 to release hauntings of the past or for an acute possession. The stone will get cloudy as it absorbs perversity.
Rub the stone on the gums of teething children, to help calm them.
Spray points with colloidal silver and place amber on top to discharge pathology.
Massage, place, or tape:
· on the navel to promote diuresis or for painful urination, urinary tract infections, testicular pain, swellings in the lower region, or parasites.
· on the navel and heat with moxa for wheezing. (Note: heat should not be used with tape.)
To release Fire Toxins (for example, the residual effects from infection or fever), massage, place, or tape:
· on the medial aspect of the lower leg, a little more than a hand’s width up from the high point of the inner anklebone on the border of the tibia/LR-5 (Luo point of the Liver).
· about a hand’s width up from the wrist crease on the forearm, in line with the thumb/LI-7 (Xi-Cleft point of the Large Intestine meridian).
· in the groove between the fibula and tibia (shinbone), on the lateral aspect of the lower leg, almost midway up from the high point of the lateral anklebone to the crease behind the knee/GB-36 (Xi-Cleft point of the Gall Bladder meridian).
· on the back of the wrist, in the depression just medial to the tip of the ulnar styloid process (on the little-finger side)/SI-6 (Xi-Cleft point of the Small Intestine meridian).
Internal Application
Suck on a small piece of amber for multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s. (It will slowly dissolve and get smaller.)
As a powder, place under a baby’s tongue to reduce epileptic seizures and colic.
As an elixir, drink 8 ounces a day for a urinary tract infection.
For a decoction, place 9 to 15 grams of amber into 2 cups of water and boil down to 1 cup.
Intentional Application
As an amulet, amber is protective against “evil perversity.” It helps one overcome difficult situations, especially where Wind is involved. Historically, it was very popular to use for children to prevent nightmares.
Cautions and Contraindications
Amber-colored plastic is sometimes substituted for genuine amber. A simple test is to heat a pin or needle and touch it to the amber. If it emits the smell of pine, it is genuine.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Amber is associated with the Conception Vessel/Ren Mai; coral has a stronger relationship to the Penetrating Vessel/Chong Mai. Amber protects against fright and disruptions coming from the Liver/Hun. Coral treats the Running Piglet Qi associated with panic attacks and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Pearl is similar to amber, but it has restorative qualities not found in amber. Amber is more about clearing out disturbance and pathology.
Amber and dolomite both contain trace amounts of sulfur and are used as substitutes for this very powerful element. Dolomite contains silica, which brings the effect more directly to the Kidneys. Amber does not contain silica.
Copal amber is a resin that has not yet petrified. Amber comes specifically from pine resin; copal can come from a variety of resinous trees. It is used as incense.
Combinations
Combine amber with:
· tourmaline to emphasize its ability to break up stagnation.
· silver to intensify amber’s effects.
· selenite for skin preparations to clear toxins from blemished skin.
· dolomite for asthma.
Cleansing and Charging
Rub the stone with vegetable oil, then rinse with water or put the oiled amber in a basin of hot water. The heat pulls out perversity and the oil carries it away as it floats on the water. Alternatively, cleanse with running water and charge with quartz.
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• Angelite • |
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(See color insert plate 16) |
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Taste |
Sweet |
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Nature |
Cooling |
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Affinities |
SP/LR |
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Hardness |
3–3.5 |
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Crystal structure |
Orthorhombic |
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Stone group |
Sulfate |
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Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
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Color/Appearance/Light
Pale blue (“angelic” blue). Angelite is the trade name for anhydrous gypsum with a pale blue color.
The color gives an association to the Liver. It is opaque to translucent.
Chemical Composition
Calcium sulfate (CaSO4)
Some references note that it is a dehydrated, compressed celestite, and that it contains strontium or barium.
Angelite is an anhydrous sulfate. When exposed to water it becomes gypsum.
Key Characteristics
Angelite has a resonance with the Uterus.
It is a very dry stone, powerful for absorbing water.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Descending
All sulfates draw Heat inward, toward the Kidneys, resulting in an overall cooling effect.
Functions and Uses
Absorbs Dampness. Indicated for:
– swelling
Draws Blood into the Uterus. Indicated for:
– dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea
Clears Heat. Indicated for:
– sexually transmitted disease
– infection in the lower region
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– strengthening third eye chakra function
Methods of Application
Topical Application
As a wand, angelite is a point-finder—it locates energy/conductivity/water in the body.
Massage, place, or tape:
· on areas of swelling to absorb Dampness.
· on the lower abdomen for conditions of Damp-Heat, sexually transmitted disease, or infections in the lower region.
· on the lower abdomen for dysmenorrhea or amenorrhea.
Cautions and Contraindications
As a sulfate operating at the Wei level, it is appropriate for relatively acute conditions. It is not for use as an elixir.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse and recharge in sunlight.
Do not cleanse in water, because it can dissolve.
Stone History
Li Shizhen describes the use of anhydrite for clearing Stomach Heat, especially for a person with cold extremities.
Common Locations
Peru, Mexico
Angelite occurs in very arid locations. It can form a base on which quartz crystal or prehnite might form. With water, the anhydrite washes away, leaving a hollow cast with small mineral crystals covering the surface.
|
• Apophyllite • |
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|
(See color insert plate 17) |
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|
Taste |
Sweet, spicy |
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|
Nature |
Neutral, slightly cooling |
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|
Affinities |
LU/ST/KI |
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|
Hardness |
4.5–5 |
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|
Crystal structure |
Tetragonal |
||
|
Stone group |
Sheet silicate |
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|
Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Clear, white, green, pink, and (rarely) violet. Transparent, four-sided, terminated crystals with a bright clarity; it appears often in clusters with stilbite.
Chemical Composition
Hydrated potassium calcium sodium silicate fluoride hydroxide (KCa4(Si4O10)2F·8(H2O))
The water content enhances any treatment by hydrating the body to support the movement of Qi and Fluids at the Defensive/Wei, Nourishing/Ying, and Source/Yuan levels.
Potassium regulates the Upper Heater, affecting the Heart and Lungs, and emphasizes calcium’s alkalizing effect to the chest in general.
The fluoride content can promote either latency or detoxification (by stimulating the Defensive/Wei Qi to clear out pathology), depending on placement, length of treatment, and combinations.
Key Characteristics
Apophyllite generates and regulates Fluids. It brings warmth and comfort to the body as it hydrates the Fluids of the Nourishing/Ying and Source/Yuan Qi levels, allowing hypersensitive Defensive/Wei Qi to relax.
Its relative softness has a quick effect for acute conditions.
Apophyllite has a strong affinity with the Metal element. Its tetragonal crystal structure is very organized. It stabilizes the vertical and horizontal axes of the body; it maintains the stability of the upper and lower regions. It harmonizes through its structure.
Its clarity helps us see our role in life more clearly.
It conducts Qi through the environment and the body by virtue of its water content.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Anatomical level: skin
Anatomical region: chest
The Lung and Stomach affinities give apophyllite a relationship to both Defensive/Wei Qi and Fluids. The sweet, spicy taste is both tonifying and invigorating for the Fluids of the Lungs and Stomach, encouraging the release of pathology to the exterior.
It establishes Heart–Kidney communication, especially to bring Kidney Qi up to the Heart.
Apophyllite accesses the Source/Yuan and Defensive/Wei levels. It forms at the Yuan level, giving it access to the deep level of energy in the body, and its spicy taste encourages a release to the exterior, allowing for the release of latency.
As a sheet silicate, it relates to Greater/Taiyang conditions; it regulates Qi and nourishes Fluids to release colds, sinusitis, and respiratory and sensory orifice issues.
Functions and Uses
Generates Fluids/Jin-Ye; regulates the waterways/fluid metabolism; tonifies and regulates Qi. Indicated for:
– skin conditions: burns, dry skin, flaky skin, rash, itching, allergies
– cold, clammy hands; excessive sweating
– respiratory conditions: common cold, sinusitis
– dry sensory organs, cataracts, glaucoma
Absorbs or clears Heat in the chest. Indicated for:
– excessive desires, intemperance
– smoking (especially from nervousness)
– high blood pressure
Calms the Shen. Indicated for:
– insomnia; depression due to long-term issues of the Lungs, such as disappointment and sadness
– shock
Breaks up Fire Toxins, poisons, and accumulations; releases latency and helps repair Essence/DNA/Jing. Indicated for:
– cancer
Emotional use. Indicated for:
– people who are drifting and aimless in life
The Metal element gives order. A weak Metal element has to contend with guilt, for having done something the wrong way, for being judged. If we engage with these beliefs, Heat consumes the Fluids, leading to respiratory or skin conditions, especially allergies that result from nervousness.
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– travel palace—promotes astral travel or prophetic dreams when placed next to the bed
– enhancing qigong practice, Reiki, or massage treatments due to its hydrating effect on the conductivity of Qi
Methods of Application
Apophyllite is better used topically than taken as an elixir.
Topical Application
With topical placement, the crystal’s termination and striations convey directionality. Some crystals are double-terminated, giving them a bioregulating effect.
Use as a wand to massage along the fleshy part of the palm at the base of the thumb to affect the Lung channel for skin conditions.
Massage locally for carpal tunnel syndrome.
Hold the stone, wear it at the center of the chest/CV-17, or tape a small stone in the depression on the bottom of the foot, behind the ball/KI-1, to enhance qigong practice, or during Reiki or massage treatments, for its ability to conduct Qi.
Place on the inner corner of the eyes/UB-1 to calm the Shen and promote deep sleep or for fatigue in the eyes.
Apply it along the Lung meridian to absorb Heat causing tremors in the arms and hands, as with Parkinson’s disease.
Hold as an amulet or talisman to:
· protect the body from the spreading effects of chemotherapy and radiation.
· moisten dry skin or dry mouth.
· moisten and soothe the Lungs, especially for asthma due to dry phlegm irritating the lungs.
Powder and mix with sesame or grapeseed oil as a poultice for psoriasis.
owder and mix with ointment or cream for dry, wrinkled skin.
Use the elixir as a wash, spray, or compress for:
· dry or wrinkled skin.
· dry skin or psoriasis, especially around the joints (for example, psoriatic arthritis).
· Heat in the chest area.
Internal Application
Soak apophyllite for eight to twelve hours in spring water and drink to hydrate the body. The effect is intensified by adding a pinch of sea salt to the soaking elixir. The sea salt pulls the water content of the stone into the elixir and the elixir becomes more powerful, whether for tonifying or dispersing. The salt also takes the life force from the stone, and it cannot be recharged.
Drink for:
· coughing, wheezing, allergies, or shortness of breath due to dryness in the Lungs.
· clearing Heat or preventing it from burning tissue in the Lung in chronic smokers. It works quickly.
· irregular heartbeat.
Intentional Application
Place apophyllite crystals around a chair during Reiki treatments.
Cautions and Contraindications
When taking as an elixir, use only for short duration for relatively acute conditions.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Clear apophyllite consolidates Source/Yuan Qi by directing Defensive/Wei Qi into the Yuan level. Use as an elixir for cancer to help reduce the loss of Essence and help insulate the body to prevent the spreading of cancer. It is protective against radiation and chemotherapy. It also addresses impotence or infertility.
Green apophyllite moistens Liver Yin to provide hydration and restore nerve transmission to the muscles, for seizures and convulsions. Use as an elixir for post-stroke conditions.
Pink apophyllite clears Heat in the Blood, especially for Heat in the Blood coming to the surface level, as in macular skin eruptions that are worse at night, dark purple lesions, or Kaposi’s sarcoma.
White apophyllite moistens Lung Yin to bring moisture to dry skin, as with psoriasis, especially around the joints (psoriatic arthritis).
Like fluorite, apophyllite contains fluoride, a halogen that stimulates a Wei Qi response. Unlike fluorite, apophyllite is moistening. Apophyllite is slightly harder than fluorite.
Apophyllite is similar to opal, chrysocolla, and malachite in their ability to nourish Fluids.
Apophyllite and quartz both conduct Qi, but apophyllite is softer and works more quickly.
Calcite clears Stomach Fire, but if there has been damage to Stomach Yin, apophyllite will be stronger to clear Stomach Fire and strengthen Spleen Qi.
Apophyllite is usually found in the company of zeolites such as stilbite, but it is not a zeolite. Apophyllite is a sheet silicate; zeolites are framework silicates.
Apophyllite and lepidolite are both sheet silicates. Apophyllite works on the Shen level to bring direction to life. Lepidolite is for shedding that which we no longer need.
Apophyllite, quartz crystal, and tourmaline are all harmonizing stones. Apophyllite harmonizes by its shape, keeping everything in order; quartz harmonizes by “helping everybody get along”; tourmaline harmonizes by drawing attention to issues that need resolution, to eliminate them and move forward in a more harmonious way.
Combinations
Use apophyllite as an associate in a combination that requires a quick-acting stone with water content.
In combination with scolecite, apophyllite helps break up mucus and phlegm in the chest.
Moss agate combines well with apophyllite.
For warts or a viral problem, potentially with complications of Dampness, such as with the human papillomavirus (HPV), combine apophyllite with peridot.
Cleansing and Charging
Clean under running water for thirty minutes to one hour, once a week. It cannot be cleansed with salt, which will ruin its hydrating nature.
Common Locations
India, South Africa, United States
|
• Aragonite • |
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|
(See color insert plates 18 and plate 102) |
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|
Taste |
Spicy |
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|
Nature |
Warming |
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Affinities |
KI/SP/LR |
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|
Hardness |
3.5–4 |
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|
Crystal structure |
Orthorhombic |
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|
Stone group |
Carbonate |
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|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei, metamorphic/Ying, igneous/Yuan |
||
Chinese Name
Wen quan shi, “hot springs stone”
Aragonite forms around hot mineral springs. The “hot springs stone” is very yang in nature. It relates to geysers pumping hot water out of the Earth.
Color/Appearance/Light
Usually white or colorless but may have bluish, brown, gray, green, or violet hues. It can appear as transparent or translucent crystals with a flat-topped hexagonal habit. They often appear as clusters. Massive material is opaque and often found in horizontal layers.
Chemical Composition
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
It can contain traces of strontium, lead, and/or zinc.
Although it has no water content noted in its chemical formula, it forms in the presence of water (hot springs and other wet environments) and brings conductivity to its effect.
Key Characteristics
A very protective stone, aragonite builds Yang Qi.
Unusual for the carbonate group, it is warming.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
It recycles Heat inward toward Mingmen/GV-4 and is thus cooling to the exterior.
Aragonite originates from hydrothermal activity deep in the Earth but is found on the surface. It is appropriate for interior conditions manifesting on the exterior.
Functions and Uses
Returns the Yang to Mingmen; anchors ascending/floating Liver Yang. Indicated for:
– weakened immune system
– poor growth
– osteoporosis, bone problems
– seizures, epilepsy, mania
– low back pain or stiffness, weak knees
– impotence
– high or low blood pressure
– spasms, twitching, convulsions
Calms the Shen by drawing it back in. Indicated for:
– nightmares, fright palpitations, fear
Clears toxins from the Essence/Jing. Indicated for:
– hyperthyroidism, metastatic cancer
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– placing in areas with electromagnetic interference or geomantic stress—it gets rid of “killing” Qi
– helping resolve disputes and conflicts (when in the form of a cluster)—it brings harmony to groups
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Massage, place, or tape on the low back in the depression below the L2 spinous process, a little above waist level/Mingmen/GV-4, to reduce feelings of fear and improve immune function.
Use aragonite to massage along the spine/Bladder Shu points to generate Heat:
· downward strokes bring energy to Mingmen/GV-4 (similar to cinnamon bark/rou gui).
· upward strokes bring Yang Qi to the extremities (similar to cinnamon twigs/gui zhi).
Use as a massage wand on and along the spine for herniated disks or spinal stenosis.
Scrape the metatarsal region between the first and second toes/LR-2/LR-3 for skin conditions related to the Liver.
Aragonite enhances needling of Mingmen/GV-4 when placed adjacent to it.
In conjunction with acupuncture or other treatments to release external pathogenic factors, use as a massage wand to scrape on the lateral aspect of the upper chest, in the hollow under the shoulder and the lateral end of the collarbone/LU-1/LU-2, to help regulate the waterways in order to release the pathology.
Internal Application
Use a potentiated quartz crystal to make an elixir. It will generate fluids and enhance calcium absorption.
Drink the elixir to address functions and uses.
Intentional Application
Place under a pillow at night to calm the Shen. Reduces nightmares and fright palpitations.
Hold the stone to balance mood swings.
For qigong, the water content enhances Qi conductivity. Wear a pendant that touches the center of the chest/CV-17, or tape tiny stones in the depression on the bottom of the foot, behind the ball/KI-1.
For fengshui, place where there is destabilizing electromagnetic interference near the home or office, or other geomantic stress.
When using it in the form of a cluster, it brings harmony to groups by helping resolve conflicts and disputes.
Cautions and Contraindications
Aragonite is a soft stone potentially containing lead; use a potentiated quartz crystal for elixirs.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Aragonite draws Heat inward, as compared to calcite, which releases Heat to the exterior.
Aragonite is slightly softer than calcite.
It is similar in its effects to the herbs inner bark of cinnamon/rou gui and eucommia/du zhong in its ability to return Yang to Mingmen.
Combinations
Aragonite combines well with zincite to support the gonadal hormones/Kidney Yin.
Common Locations
Transparent crystals of aragonite are found in many places, particularly in Bohemia, Spain, and the north of England.
Aragonite forms the basis for many organic “stones,” such as coral, mother-of-pearl, and pearl.
A layered sedimentary marble-like aragonite is sometimes referred to as Mexican onyx and is used for carvings and ornamental objects.
|
• Barite • |
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(See color insert plate 19) |
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Taste |
Spicy, bitter, salty |
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Nature |
Cooling |
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Affinities |
LU |
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Hardness |
3–3.5 |
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Crystal structure |
Orthorhombic |
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Stone group |
Sulfate |
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Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
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Chinese Name
Chong jing shi, “heavy crystal rock”
The stone feels very heavy in relationship to its size and hardness.
Color/Appearance/Light
Colorless, white, yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, brown, blue, green, gray, and black. It may also be multicolored and banded. It appears as transparent, translucent, or opaque tabular or platy crystals.
Chemical Composition
Barium sulfate (BaSO4)
Given its sulfur content, barite is by nature warming, but its overall effect is cooling because it draws Heat inward.
Key Characteristics
Barite is the primary Defensive/Wei-level stone to treat Damp-Heat conditions.
The Lung affinity brings the effect of barite to the skin. The spicy taste is moving for pathology, but in this case it does not release to the exterior; it draws downward to the Kidneys, as noted by the salty taste.
The bitter taste tells us it is descending and clearing for Heat as well as drying for Dampness. It has a purgative effect for incomplete evacuation of the stool or other stagnation in the Lower Burner.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
The heaviness anchors. It is descending. It prevents Heat from traveling to the upper region; it is protective to the brain, eyes, and heart.
Anatomical level: vessels
Functions and Uses
Clears Dampness complicated by Heat. Indicated for:
– skin conditions characterized by Damp-Heat (pustules, oozing with redness), such as dermatitis, acne, and eczema
– parasites, systemic candidiasis, oral thrush
– gassiness, bloating, belching
Dries Dampness. Indicated for:
– mental dullness, obsessive-compulsive behavior
– dysbiosis, vaginal yeast
– Wind-Damp Bi/Obstruction syndrome
– benefiting bone structure
– osteoporosis resulting from Heat, Damp-Heat, or yeast in the joints
Clears Heat and/or Pestilent Qi—that is, external pathogenic factors that have gone internal to the Blood level. Indicated for:
– ultraviolet radiation, sunburn, x-rays, radiation therapy, electromagnetic radiation
– epidemics, such as the Ebola virus outbreak
– herpes virus, shingles
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– relationship palace—it is symbolic of friendship
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Place or tape directly:
· on Damp-Heat skin conditions, such as shingles lesions, or on the sinus region.
· on phlegm nodules to attract Yang Qi to break them up.
Use the elixir as a spray for skin conditions.
Use barite powder:
· for dermatitis or other Damp-Heat skin conditions, such as with pustular eruptions, acne, and eczema.
· to protect against sunburn, ultraviolet radiation, radiation therapy, and computer radiation.
Internal Application
Drink the elixir to purge.
Use the elixir:
· as a suppository (for rectal itch) or as a douche.
· as a mouthwash for thrush (thick coating on the tongue).
Cautions and Contraindications
As a sulfate, barite can only be used for a short time.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Selenite’s therapeutic effect reaches the Qi level; barite’s therapeutic effect reaches more deeply to the Blood level.
Barite and calcite are both cooling and spicy. Barite is also bitter and salty, emphasizing its descending effect. It cools because it draws Heat inward and downward. Calcite cools by releasing Heat to the exterior.
Barite sometimes appears as rosettes, which are called desert rose. Gypsum also has a desert rose, but it is much lighter in weight.
Combinations
Combine barite with:
· rhodochrosite, either as a powder or as an elixir sprayed over fungal or yeast infections. rmoldavite, powdered, for Damp-Heat dermatitis or acne.
· calcite to address Heat and rainbow obsidian to bring the effect to the glands for breast cancer.
· Herkimer diamond to make the effect of barite longer lasting.
· selenite to moisten and direct the effect to the upper region for dry sinus conditions.
Cleansing and Charging
Soak the stone in water for several hours. Do not cleanse in running water. Charge with hematite.
Common Locations
Barite is widely available across the planet.
|
• Biotite • |
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|
(See color insert plate 20) |
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|
Taste |
Spicy, sweet |
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Nature |
Cooling |
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Affinities |
LR/SP |
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Hardness |
2.5–3 |
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|
Crystal structure |
Monoclinic |
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|
Stone group |
Sheet silicate |
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|
Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan, metamorphic/Ying |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Black, brown, dark green. It is dark-colored mica, often with translucent sheets, like a book. The sheets often show a hexagonal outline.
Chemical Composition
Potassium iron magnesium aluminum silicate hydroxide fluoride (K(Fe,Mg)3AlSi3O10(OH,O,F)2)
It is sometimes called “iron mica” because it is more iron-rich than other micas.
Its silica content promotes healing of wounds and stops bleeding.
The fluoride promotes a Wei Qi response to release toxicity. The hydroxide aspect is purgative.
Key Characteristics
Absorbs Damp-Heat.
It can be observed to swell during the summer as it attracts heat and dampness into it.
It helps reestablish boundaries or layers of protection.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Biotite accesses the Source/Yuan and Defensive/Wei levels as they pertain to the Liver and Gall Bladder.
It supports the movement of Nourishing/Ying Qi (Fluids/Jin-Ye or Blood) toward the Defensive/Wei Qi level.
As a sheet silicate, biotite helps “peel off” pathology, to exfoliate. Since it works in layers, it is gentle.
Functions and Uses
Absorbs Heat and Dampness; detoxifies. Indicated for:
– Hot Bi/Obstruction syndrome, such as hot swollen joints, arthritis, gout, bunion pain
Mends wounds and stops bleeding.
Affects the lower trajectories of the Liver and Gall Bladder meridians, including the Uterus. Indicated for:
– sciatica, spinal neuralgia
– difficult labor and delivery
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Biotite powders easily. Pulverize and mix the powder with petroleum jelly or honey. Spread the paste on an area of pain, cover, and tape. Leave it on overnight. It will irritate the area and promote a healing crisis. Alternatively, leave it on for less than one hour to stimulate Wei Qi more mildly. It can be used repeatedly as a poultice over joints.
Put biotite in bathwater and soak with it for twenty to thirty minutes for detoxification. It absorbs water; sheets will likely separate.
In Western tradition biotite is called the birthing stone. A mother can hold the stone during labor, for its ability to promote labor and delivery.
Intentional Application
Carry biotite in a pouch for generalized anxiety disorder or to protect against Wind, including allergies.
Cautions and Contraindications
Do not use biotite as an elixir. Use a potentiated quartz crystal.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Biotite is called black mica, as compared to muscovite, which is called white mica. They often occur side by side in their host rock.
Combinations
Combine with apatite to treat neurological presentations and blood issues.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse every two weeks, in the sun, for an hour or two. Recharge in quartz crystal.
The stone can be used repeatedly between cleansings.
Common Locations
Biotite is found widely. It is often included in granite.
|
• Calcite • |
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|
(See color insert plate 21) |
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|
Taste |
Spicy, sweet |
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|
Nature |
Cold |
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|
Affinities |
LU/LR/HT/ST/KI |
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|
Hardness |
3 |
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|
Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
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|
Stone group |
Carbonate |
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Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
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Chinese Name
Han shui shi, “cold water rock”
It was believed that placing bags of the stone into wells made the water colder.
Fang jie shi, “prescription to release exterior rock”
To release to the exterior is a treatment strategy that encourages the body to release pathology outward, through sweating, expectoration, or urination.
Color/Appearance/Light
White, blue, green, emerald, honey, orange, yellow, pink, or coral. It ranges from transparent to opaque.
Chemical Composition
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
The calcium content binds to other minerals or metals and acts as a chelating agent.
Key Characteristics
All calcites are important stones to clear Heat expressing on the Defensive/Wei level. They release Heat outward and direct cooling energy inward. The Kidney affinity tells us they have a diuretic effect.
Because they are spicy and relatively soft, they are among the most reactive stones and are helpful to bring quick effect for relatively acute manifestations of chronic conditions. Their yang nature particularly affects the Yang organs of Stomach and Heart.
Calcite increases calcium absorption for the bones or dissolves calcification through chelation, depending on placements, combinations, and length of treatment.
Although it has a trigonal crystal structure, calcite takes on the growth habit of stones in its immediate environment, an indication of its ability to adjust to the external environment.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Releases to the exterior.
Cautions and Contraindications
None known.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Calcite is appropriate for acute conditions or to cause a stone combination to act more quickly. Quartz, being harder, is more appropriate for chronic conditions and to make the therapeutic effect of a stone combination last longer.
Calcite is sufficiently adaptable that it is able to take on the growth habit of surrounding stones in its formation. Quartz takes on the Qi of other stones.
Calcite clears excessive Stomach Fire, but if the Fire has damaged the Yin, the treatment strategy should include a stone with water content to conduct the Qi and support the Fluids. Aragonite or apophyllite is stronger than calcite to support Fluids, strengthen Spleen Qi, and clear Stomach Fire.
Combinations
Combine calcite with harder stones, such as quartz or topaz, to bring a quicker effect to any combination intended to Clear Heat.
To slow the effect of a Defensive/Wei-level treatment, add harder stones to a combination that includes calcite and/or other soft stones.
Sulfur enhances calcite.
Calcite supports the Defensive/Wei Qi effect of agate and amethyst.
Powdered calcite’s Heat-clearing properties increase when soaked in an elixir of moss agate.
Calcite and selenite do not combine well.
Calcite is somewhat antagonistic to opal, unless using the combination for an acute condition requiring a fast result.
Hematite will slow the therapeutic effect of calcite. Remove any jewelry that might contain hematite, including tiger eye, or others with high iron content, such as red garnet. Also, remove any jewelry containing copper or stones high in copper, such as malachite or azurite.
If using herbal medicine, calcite and sanguisorbia/di yu are incompatible.
Combine calcite with:
· Herkimer diamond to increase the longevity of calcite’s effect to clear Heat.
· citrine to balance the Nourishing/Ying and Defensive/Wei levels.
· aventurine to help break up and eliminate kidney stones.
· jasper to clear inflammation and break up accumulations.
· topaz and amazonite for perimenopausal symptoms—to hydrate and mobilize moisture to the exterior.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water for five minutes, or leave overnight in spring or mineral water. Charge in rock crystal.
Stone History
Calcite has been used in Chinese medicine since the early Han dynasty. Shen Nong’s Ben Cao describes calcite as having the ability to rid the body of the “Three Worms.” These worms can be actual parasites, causing disruption in digestion, or a figurative description for the emotional issues that gnaw at us. They are:
· the Hungry Worm, causing us to eat excessively, reflective of unfulfilled desires;
· the Wandering Worm, where we feel a loss of purpose or destiny, a loss of Will; or
· the Sexual Worm, causing lustful addiction.
From a modern point of view, these “worms” can be interpreted as food poisoning, diseases contracted while traveling, or sexually transmitted diseases. Calcite is used to purge the system of contaminants.
Li Shizhen recommended drinking calcite water long-term to reduce the appetite. He also suggests that it particularly affects the thorax, to clear “remaining Heat.”
Common Locations
Calcite is found widely around the planet. The clear Iceland spar variety was originally mined at the Helgustadir Mine in Iceland, beginning in the 1600s. In modern times most Iceland spar is mined in Chihuahua, Mexico. In the United States, many different colors and habits are found in numerous areas in Kansas, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. It is also found in China, Myanmar, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Peru.
|
BLACK CALCITE |
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|
(See color insert plate 21) |
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|
Taste |
Spicy |
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|
Nature |
Cold |
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|
Affinities |
KI |
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|
Hardness |
3 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
||
|
Stone group |
Carbonate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
The black color associates with the Kidneys. It absorbs light and heat, especially when used with an infrared lamp.
Chemical Composition
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) + carbon
Key Characteristics
Black calcite resonates with the Kidneys.
Functions and Uses
Clears Empty and Full Heat. Indicated for:
– Excess Kidney Yang, that is, adrenaline with low estrogen levels
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Calcite absorbs heat well. It draws the heat from an infrared lamp inward more effectively than the lamp alone.
In combination with far-infrared heat or moxa:
· place a black calcite on the lower abdomen for infertility due to Cold in the Uterus.
· place a stone on a bone fracture.
Massage the center of the crease behind the knee/UB-40 for weak knees or knee pain.
Massage the big toe for gout.
Cautions and Contraindications
None known.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Black calcite addresses excessive adrenal activity and low estrogen levels (such as with menopausal symptoms). Rose quartz and pearl reduce excessively high estrogen levels. Moonstone regulates the hormones in general.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water for five minutes, or leave overnight in spring or mineral water. Charge in rock crystal.
|
BLUE CALCITE |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 21) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
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|
Affinities |
LR/KI |
||
|
Hardness |
3 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
||
|
Stone group |
Carbonate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Light to medium blue, which usually results from natural radiation in the Earth. It is usually opaque and chunky in shape.
The blue color gives association to the Liver and Kidneys and to the throat chakra.
Chemical Composition
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
It may contain impurities of iron.
Key Characteristics
Blue calcite clears Heat affecting the Liver and the throat region.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
The Liver meridian passes through the throat on the way to the eyes and the brain. The Kidney meridian ends at the throat. In the “end,” who we are is what we say about ourselves.
Functions and Uses
Breaks up throat Bi. Indicated for:
– sore throat, swollen tonsils, plum pit throat
– thyroid conditions, goiter
– inability to express one’s self or to fulfill ambitions
Clears Liver Fire and expels Wind. Indicated for:
– neurological conditions, including acute and/or renal hypertension, seizures, anxiety, and nervousness
– drug withdrawal symptoms
Clears Fire Toxins. Indicated for:
– liver cancer
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Hold blue calcite in the hand for thirty minutes, two or three times a day, for acute hypertension, anxiety, and/or nervousness.
For headaches, place on areas of pain.
Massage, place, or tape:
· in the “V” on the top of the foot where the metatarsal bones of the first and second toes meet/LR-3 and on the chest, in the intercostal space below the breast tissue, in a line below the nipple/LR-14, for anxiety.
· on the throat to address functions and uses.
Mix the powder with a medium such as egg white, sesame oil, or petroleum jelly to make a poultice. Apply to the throat, on cramping muscles, on the head for headache pains, or on areas of inflammation, such as with tendinitis or bursitis.
Put the powder into socks for hypertension or anxiety.
Internal Application
Drink as an elixir or water to affect the throat or conditions related to Liver Fire.
Calcite is soft enough that it can very slowly dissolve in water and introduce actual minerals into the body, in addition to its vibrational effect.
Cautions and Contraindications
None known.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water for five minutes, or leave overnight in spring or mineral water. Charge in rock crystal.
|
EMERALD CALCITE |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 21) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
||
|
Affinities |
HT/LR/ST |
||
|
Hardness |
3 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
||
|
Stone group |
Carbonate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Emerald calcite is a relatively bright green, sometimes with an almost aqua cast, and has more clarity than most of the colored calcites.
The green color brings its effects to the physical body in general, and the Liver function in particular, especially addressing all aspects of Wind and the accumulation of toxicity. Of the calcites, the emerald color has the strongest effect for cancer.
The clarity of color imparts a strong effect for intentional work, for example when working to release addictions.
Chemical Composition
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
It usually contains chromium, but possibly also aluminum.
The cooling effects of calcite are combined with minerals that further emphasize its ability to clear Heat. Chromium clears Heat in the Blood; aluminum clears Liver Fire.
Key Characteristics
Emerald calcite is very effective in reducing the spreading effect of Heat.
Functions and Uses
Clears Heat, induces latency. Indicated for:
– agitation during drug detoxification
– metastatic cancer
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– releasing addiction, bringing clarity for understanding the reasons for the addiction
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Apply emerald calcite powder on local areas of inflammation, such as the site of a tumor.
Internal Application
If there is a concern about heavy metal toxicity, use a quartz crystal potentiated with emerald calcite in an elixir to clear Heat.
Calcite is soft enough that it can very slowly dissolve in water and introduce actual minerals into the body, in addition to its vibrational effect.
Keep a piece of emerald calcite under the tongue to bring malignancy to latency.
Intentional Application
In a cancer clinic, surround a generator crystal with emerald calcite to subtly affect the environment with its Heat-clearing properties.
Cautions and Contraindications
It is a soft stone, with the potential of aluminum content. Use a potentiated quartz crystal if there is concern for heavy metal toxicity.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water for five minutes, or leave overnight in spring or mineral water. Charge in rock crystal.
|
GREEN CALCITE |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 21) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
||
|
Affinities |
LR/HT |
||
|
Hardness |
3 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
||
|
Stone group |
Carbonate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Dull green, sometimes with reddish streaks
Chemical Composition
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) + iron
Key Characteristics
Green calcite is the most stabilizing and descending of the calcites and generally has the most therapeutic functions.
It is the best calcite for bone issues.
Functions and Uses
Clears Wind-Heat. Indicated for:
– acute bacterial infections
Extinguishes Wind and directs it downward. Indicated for:
– symptoms in the upper region in general: hypertension, facial tics, eye tics, neuroses, nervousness, headaches
– shoulder tension
Regulates Liver Qi to release stagnation; opens the chest. Indicated for:
– diaphragmatic constriction, heart pain (emotional or physical), heartburn
– PMS, fibrocystic breasts (during the menses, not chronic)
Emotional use. Indicated for:
– anxiety, anger, rage
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Massage a smooth green calcite on the cuticle of the big toe/LR-1 and place on or massage the intercostal space below the breast tissue, in a line below the nipple/LR-14, for premenstrual syndrome.
For headaches, place on areas of pain.
In a stone layout, hold a green calcite in the hand to promote the discharge of pathogenic factors, especially Wind.
Use the elixir as a wash for red, irritated eyes.
Powder and mix with vinegar to create a poultice. Apply the paste to joints two or three times a day and wrap to soften calcification resulting from rheumatoid or osteoarthritis.
Internal Application
Calcite is soft enough that it can very slowly dissolve in water and introduce actual minerals into the body, in addition to its vibrational effect.
Boil with distilled water to make a decoction for Hot Bi syndrome.
Intentional Application
Place a specimen or sphere in a cancer clinic to subtly affect the environment with its Heat-clearing properties.
Combinations
Combine green calcite with barite to drain Damp-Heat, especially in the Uterus, such as with yeast infections, human papillomavirus (HPV), or genital herpes.
Cautions and Contraindications
None known.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water for five minutes, or leave overnight in spring or mineral water. Charge in rock crystal.
|
HONEY CALCITE |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 21) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
||
|
Affinities |
ST/LR |
||
|
Hardness |
3 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
||
|
Stone group |
Carbonate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
The honey color brings its effect to the digestive function.
Chemical Composition
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) + iron
Key Characteristics
It clears Heat to support the Thick Fluids/Ye (mucous membrane) of the digestive tract. It benefits the process of detoxification and digestive cleansing, especially where something has been ingested causing digestive upset, as in an exterior factor going to the interior.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Anatomical level: flesh (especially the shoulder region)
Functions and Uses
Regulates Qi. Indicated for:
– Liver invading Spleen signs and symptoms, such as bloating, abdominal fullness, or eating disorders – overeating when nervous
– pain and sensitivity in the muscles, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, Lyme disease
Clears Empty Heat manifesting on the surface. Indicated for:
– hot flashes due to hormonal changes
– bed-wetting in children
– anxiety and vulnerability that occur during the night
Clears Fire Toxins. Indicated for:
– swollen spleen, lymphoma, stomach cancer
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Massage, place, or tape:
· on the midline of the lower abdomen at the upper border of the pubic bone/CV-2 for bed-wetting.
· on the medial aspect of the foot (touch the inner heel under the inner anklebone and run the thumb toward the arch of the foot), in the depression just before hitting the first bump/KI-2, or on the medial aspect of the lower leg, in a depression about a hand’s width below the depression at the base of the inner knee, in line with the high point of the medial anklebone/SP-8, for hormonal balancing.
In a stone layout, hold a honey calcite in the hand to promote release of stagnation from the middle region.
Hold during the night for anxiety, hot flashes, or bed-wetting.
Internal Application
Drink as an elixir to regulate Qi and clear Full Heat and Empty Heat.
Cautions and Contraindications
None known.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Honey calcite supports the Thick Fluids/Ye; orange calcite supports the Thin Fluids/Jin.
The herbal equivalent for honey calcite is pueraria/ge gen.
Combinations
Combine honey calcite with blue lace agate to speed resolution of Liver invading Spleen signs and symptoms.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water for five minutes, or leave overnight in spring or mineral water. Charge in rock crystal.
|
ICELANDIC SPAR/OPTICAL CALCITE |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 21) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/LR/HT |
||
|
Hardness |
3 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
||
|
Stone group |
Carbonate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Clear. The stone appears clear to the eye, but it magnifies or distorts images (place optical calcite on written words to see the effect).
It draws energy in from all sides of its square-ish structure, including the top and bottom, to amplify and strengthen its effect.
Chemical Composition
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
Key Characteristics
Optical calcite is an enhancing stone and is used primarily for intentional work. It magnifies one’s intention.
The clarity of optical calcite is the result of the external force exerted by water during its creation. This calcite in particular has a greater ability to help the body absorb water.
Functions and Uses
Acts as a generator due to its transparency and ability to magnify. Indicated for:
– supporting intentional work
Clears Heat from the Lower Burner. Indicated for:
– excessive desires, sexual frustration, constant sexual arousal
– low back pain, sciatica
Invigorates Qi. Indicated for:
– poor stamina, poor strength
– pain conditions, especially low back pain or sciatica
Emotional use. Indicated for:
– fear and shyness due to deficient Gall Bladder
– strained interpersonal relations
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– helping us become more adept in managing interpersonal relationships
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Optical calcite is an important “opening stone” in the initial stage of a healing session. It acts to invite revelation.
Place on the Lower Burner and focus a far-infrared lamp on the area. It absorbs the heat, magnifies it, and draws the heat/light into the Lower Burner region.
Massage the medial aspect of the lower leg, a little more than a hand’s width up from the high point of the inner anklebone on the border of the tibia/LR-5, for excessive sexual desire.
Apply as a powder on inflamed joints/Hot Bi syndrome to quickly clear Heat.
Internal Application
As an elixir it doubles the strength of a stone formula.
Intentional Application
For fengshui, place large pieces in the areas of the house that need “magnification.” Optical calcite has a particular association with the san xing/Three Stars, which relate to the most fundamental aspects of life: health, wealth, and prosperity.
Cautions and Contraindications
None known.
Combinations
Place with agate on tight paravertebral muscles.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water for five minutes, or leave overnight in spring or mineral water. Charge in rock crystal.
|
MANGANO/PINK CALCITE |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 21) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
||
|
Affinities |
HT/LR/ST |
||
|
Hardness |
3 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
||
|
Stone group |
Carbonate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Pale pink. When tumbled or polished as a sphere or egg, it often has layers of varying shades of pale pink.
Chemical Composition
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) + manganese
Key Characteristics
Among the calcites, mangano is the most appropriate for intentional work.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Establishes Heart–Kidney communication; strengthens willpower.
Functions and Uses
Clears Heat and its resulting agitation, allowing for greater focus and clarity; clears Heat in the Blood. Indicated for:
– tension and agitation
– high blood pressure
– varicose veins
Strengthens Heart Qi and moves Heart Blood. Indicated for:
– cardiac insufficiency, shortness of breath
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– career palace—helps cultivate vocation for energy healing, especially qigong and Reiki
– cultivating channeling, meditation, visualization, and astral travel
– enhancing qigong practice
Methods of Application
Intentional Application
Mangano calcite enhances meditation practice and energy treatments by increasing Qi circulation in the body. Place under the tongue during meditation to bring the Shen into the Kidneys.
Tape a small stone in the depression on the bottom of the foot, behind the ball/KI-1, during qigong practice.
Tape a small stone on the tailbone after qigong practice to ground the energy.
Hold the stone to promote relaxation and calmness.
Cautions and Contraindications
None known.
Combinations
Combine with pink opal to relax and cool hyper-adrenal function.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water for five minutes, or leave overnight in spring or mineral water. Charge in rock crystal.
|
ORANGE/YELLOW CALCITE |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 21) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
||
|
Affinities |
SP/ST/HT/LR |
||
|
Hardness |
3 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
||
|
Stone group |
Carbonate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
The yellow color associates with the Earth element and the Spleen and Stomach. The orange color represents the dynamic between red/Fire and yellow/Earth.
Chemical Composition
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) + iron
Key Characteristics
Yellow calcite and orange calcite are the best calcites for digestive disorders and other conditions involving the Spleen.
The orange color specifically helps transform Phlegm.
Functions and Uses
Transforms Phlegm. Indicated for:
– puffy eyes or stuffy sinuses in the morning
– nasal discharge
– lipomas, cysts
Resolves emotional disturbances associated with the Spleen. Indicated for:
– depression with excessive worry/thinking, obsessive-compulsive behavior, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidal tendencies
Clears Heat consuming the Qi. Indicated for:
– chronic fatigue syndrome
Resolves acute conditions affecting the digestive system. Indicated for:
– acute hepatitis
– irritable bowel syndrome
Clears Fire Toxins. Indicated for:
– lymphoma
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– strengthening solar plexus chakra function
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Place orange or yellow calcite on the eyes for puffiness.
Massage a smooth stone around the sinuses.
Place or massage over points or areas to release Heat. For example, for Stomach Fire causing acute digestive issues, place directly over the stomach region, or on the high point of the dorsum of the foot where there is a pulse (run your finger up a line from between the second and third toes to find the pulse)/ST-42, or on the cuticle of the second toe/ST-45.
Internal Application
As an elixir, it helps a person keep calm in acute situations, but generally it is for the person who overthinks and worries too much.
Apply as a powder on oral abscesses to clear Heat and Fire Toxins.
Cautions and Contraindications
None known.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Orange calcite supports the Thin Fluids/Jin; honey calcite supports the Thick Fluids/Ye.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water for five minutes, or leave overnight in spring or mineral water. Charge in rock crystal.
|
RED CALCITE |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 21) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
||
|
Affinities |
HT/LR/KI |
||
|
Hardness |
3 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
||
|
Stone group |
Carbonate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
The red color associates with Blood and the Heart.
Chemical Composition
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) + iron
Key Characteristics
Red is the best calcite for emotional issues associated with mood. It is useful for mood or generalized anxiety disorders.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
One of the attributes of Defensive/Wei Qi is the ability to be alert, to pay attention to the immediate situation. If there is excessive Wei Qi, we put our attention on many different things and cannot focus well.
Functions and Uses
Relaxes hyperactive Defensive/Qi. Indicated for:
– attention deficit disorder (ADD)
Cools Heat in the Blood; detoxifies the Blood. Indicated for:
– insomnia
– excessive thinking
– urinary tract infections
– infertility due to sexual anxiety
– emotional or food-related allergies
– addiction to alcohol, chocolate, nicotine, or drugs
Clears Fire Toxins. Indicated for:
– chronic inflammatory skin conditions
– leukemia
Clears toxins via the Urinary Bladder. Indicated for:
– intoxication due to excessive alcohol or drugs
– food poisoning
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– strengthening heart chakra function
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Rub smooth red calcite on the cuticles/Jing-Well points, especially on the thumb and big toe, to cool and relax hyperactive Defensive/Qi.
Internal Application
Drink as an elixir for ADD, for Heat in the Blood, and to address other functions and uses.
Cautions and Contraindications
None known.
Combinations
Combine red calcite and honey calcite for varicose veins.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water for five minutes, or leave overnight in spring or mineral water. Charge in rock crystal.
|
WHITE CALCITE |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 21) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/LR/ST |
||
|
Hardness |
3 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
||
|
Stone group |
Carbonate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Chinese Name
Bei han shui shi, “northern cold water stone”
Color/Appearance/Light
White; sometimes opaque, sometimes translucent
Chemical Composition
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
Key Characteristics
Clears Heat.
Protects the Essence/Jing or prevents its weakening by clearing Heat from the Source/Yuan level that eventually burns the Essence. It does not, however, tonify Essence.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Releases to the exterior.
Functions and Uses
Clears Full and Empty Heat. Indicated for:
– fevers, deficient Yin fevers
– Heat in the Lungs, such as with dry and unproductive coughs
– Stomach Fire, such as with excessive appetite
Generates Fluids. Indicated for:
– dry skin, thirst
Benefits the bones and teeth. Indicated for:
– Hot Bi syndrome, pain due to inflammation of the joints
– low back pain
– toothache
Benefits the eyes. Indicated for:
– poor eyesight; dry, red eyes
Breaks up accumulations and clears Fire Toxins. Indicated for:
– Pestilent Qi—that is, external pathogenic factors that have penetrated to the Blood level
– parasites/vibrational infestations/gui
– cancer, especially lung cancer
Regulates Qi. Indicated for:
– diaphragmatic constriction due to constrained Liver Qi
Emotional use. Indicated for:
– shyness resulting from deficient Gall Bladder Qi
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Massage the inner wrist crease, in the depression under the thenar eminence/LU-9, for Lung Heat caused by smoking.
Place white calcite on areas of pain for headaches.
Make a poultice with white calcite powder and vinegar and apply to hot, swollen joints for osteo- or rheumatoid arthritis.
Apply as a powder to burns and scars from injury or surgery; wrap the area to clear Heat and regenerate the skin.
Soak the powder in an elixir of moss agate. Mix the powder with honey or petroleum jelly and apply as an anti-inflammatory poultice, especially for inflamed muscles on the inner aspect of the legs/knees.
Mix the powder with sesame oil. Place on an inflamed joint for twenty to thirty minutes. The poultice can be reused for up to three days.
Mix the powder with red clay as a poultice for swollen knees or ankles.
Use the elixir as a topical wash for burns.
Internal Application
Leave a piece of calcite in a water glass, continually sip, and refill as needed as a weight-loss beverage or to relieve a dry cough. This can be used for months at a time. Smokers can use this calcite water on a regular basis.
Add white calcite to any elixir formula intended to clear Heat to speed the formula’s effect.
Calcite is soft enough that it can very slowly dissolve in water and introduce actual minerals into the body, in addition to its vibrational effect.
Cautions and Contraindications
None known.
Combinations
Calcite and gypsum both clear Heat. Calcite has a stronger effect on the lower region, for example to clear Heat in the urinary bladder causing a urinary tract infection. Gypsum has a stronger effect on the upper region, for example to clear Lung Heat. Both stones have effect on the middle region for heartburn and nausea.
Calcite is on the soft scale what quartz is on the hard scale. Both clear Heat. Calcite clears Heat in the Stomach channel; quartz clears Heat in the organs of the Stomach, Large Intestine, and Small Intestine. Calcite clears Heat at the Qi level; quartz clears Heat at the Blood level.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water for five minutes, or leave overnight in spring or mineral water. Charge in rock crystal.
|
• Celestite/Celestine • |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 22) |
|||
|
Taste |
Sweet, spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
||
|
Affinities |
LR/ST/KI |
||
|
Hardness |
3–3.5 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Orthorhombic |
||
|
Stone group |
Sulfate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
White, light blue, red brown, or orange. The bluish color is the result of light refraction, not chemical composition.
The blue color gives resonance to the Liver and Wind signs and symptoms, as well as the throat chakra.
The orange color resonates with the Stomach to clear Fire.
Chemical Composition
Strontium sulfate (SrSO4)
The strontium content is strengthening for the bones and joints and stabilizing for teeth. The sulfur content stimulates Yang Qi but also draws it inward.
Key Characteristics
Celestite is primarily for emotional use. Its softness makes it act quickly, to initiate momentum to change a chronic condition.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Stimulating and inward-drawing for Yang Qi
Functions and Uses
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– calming the Hun, the soul that gives us our relationship to the past
– creativity palace
– someone who is chronically worried about becoming ill
Nourishes Liver Blood and directs it to nourish Kidney Yin. Indicated for:
– menopausal signs and symptoms
– Steaming Bone syndrome: feeling hot from the bone out
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Massage, place, or tape a small cluster on the central notch at the base of the throat/CV-22 to affect the throat chakra.
Mix powdered celestite with a medium and place over a fracture or on joints with bone loss.
Internal Application
For short-term use, drink as an elixir to nourish Liver Blood and strengthen the bone.
Intentional Application
Hold a sphere or place in the work area to promote creativity.
Place under a meditation pillow to relax the body, when the intention is to work out the karma of past lives.
Place in the northwest corner (associated with the creativity palace) of the house or in the studio of artists and musicians to attract creativity.
Cautions and Contraindications
As with all the sulfates, celestite can only be used for a short time.
Combinations
Combine with Herkimer diamond to support the throat chakra in voicing concerns, asserting oneself, or speaking what needs to be said.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse and recharge in hematite.
Common Locations
The most beautiful crystals come as clusters from Madagascar.
Ohio boasts a very different-looking crystal. It is large, flat, striated, and single-terminated. It is popular among Reiki practitioners to enhance energetic circulation.
|
• Danburite • |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 23) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy, bitter |
||
|
Nature |
Cooling |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/LR |
||
|
Hardness |
7–7.5 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Orthorhombic |
||
|
Stone group |
Framework silicate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan, metamorphic/Ying, sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Clear, yellow, yellow brown, or, rarely, very pale pink. Danburite is similar in appearance to topaz. When faceted, it is very reflective.
Chemical Composition
Calcium borosilicate (CaB2(SiO4)2)
Key Characteristics
Clears Heat.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Releases to the exterior.
Functions and Uses
Clears Heat. Indicated for:
– allergies
– stress, especially during transitional phases of life or during seasonal changes
Enhances other stones.
Methods of Application
Topical Application
In a stone layout, have the receiver hold danburite to amplify energetic circuitry.
Use an elixir as a wash to relieve inflamed eyes due to allergies and for skin rashes or eczema.
Internal Application
Use an elixir made with distilled water in a neti pot for nasal polyps and sinusitis.
Intentional Application
Holding danburite helps us adjust to the change of returning to the rhythm of society after a period of convalescence, or after coming out of a spiritual retreat.
Cautions and Contraindications
None known.
Combinations
Danburite is used as an associate stone in a combination, not a primary stone.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse under running water and recharge in quartz crystal.
Common Locations
Mexico, Japan, Myanmar, Madagascar. It was originally found in Danbury, Connecticut, but the area is now built over.
|
• Fluorite • |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 24) |
|||
|
Taste |
Sweet, spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Warming |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/LR/HT |
||
|
Hardness |
4 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Cubic/isometric |
||
|
Stone group |
Halide |
||
|
Level of formation |
Produced at all levels, predominantly igneous/Yuan |
||
Chinese Name
Chong shi, “worm stone”
Fluorite is antiparasitic. In ancient times, the Chinese word for parasites was the same as for ghosts. In modern times, the concept of “ghosts” is more about psychological issues, the unresolved issues that continually gnaw at us. Parasites, however, often appear as worms; hence the name “worm stone.”
Color/Appearance/Light
Green, yellow, brown, white, clear, purple, or blue. The crystals can be somewhat translucent, depending on their size. The most common shape, with clean, square-ish edges, is probably from the metamorphic level. Stones formed at the igneous level are rough edged. The darker colors tend to form at the sedimentary level.
The colors are caused mostly by natural irradiation, but some are from mineral impurities. The many colors give a wide range of resonance for different conditions and organs.
Fluorite is the most common example of a stone that changes colors with ultraviolet light.
Chemical Composition
Calcium fluoride (CaF2)
It can contain traces of cobalt (dark colors), chromium (green), and iron (blue and yellow).
Impurities include ytrrium, cesium, silica, aluminum, iron, magnesium, oxygen, and chlorine. (Cesium chloride is anticancer according to some alternative medical practitioners.)
The combination of calcium, which binds to other minerals and metals, and halogen fluoride, which has the potential to bind Fire Toxins back to the Essence/Jing level/Marrow, has the potential to promote latency. At the same time, halogens are toxic. Although their poison is held inert in the stone, there remains an energetic signature that can provoke the Defensive/Wei level into a response to expel the toxicity. This explains the spicy taste and warming nature.
Whether fluorite brings pathology into latency or melts and releases it to the exterior depends on color choice, length of treatment, placement, and stone combinations. The shorter the treatment, the more likely it will release to the exterior. Placing stones distally also encourages a release. Combining fluorite with other stones that release to the exterior will emphasize that action. In general, purple fluorite is more likely to bring pathology into latency.
Key Characteristics
With its halogen content, fluorite can either stimulate the Defensive/Wei Qi to draw pathogenic factors out of latency and release them to the exterior or bind them more deeply in the body and keep them latent.
Fluorite is important for Pestilent Qi, such as with epidemic diseases.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Generally, with placement on the hands or feet, fluorite directs energy to the exterior to release pathology. When placed toward the midline of the body, it is more likely to induce latency.
The purple color in particular is descending, bringing pathology into latency.
One of fluorite’s habits is to grow in the shape of a diamond, which gives the potential to direct energy in either an upward or downward movement. This action allows for deep penetration into repressed psychological issues and subsequently brings the issues more into consciousness for their release.
The cubic structure affects the facial structure, in particular the jaw region, the bite, and the cheeks. The cubic structure, especially in clusters, tends to encourage latency.
Cautions and Contraindications
Use the elixir for a short term only, due to fluorite’s relative softness and halogen content.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
For chronic allergies, use tourmaline, not fluorite.
Generally, fluorite is better for treating Heat than Dampness. For Heat in the:
· Lungs, use white or clear fluorite.
· Stomach, use yellow fluorite.
· Liver, use green or blue fluorite.
· Blood, use purple fluorite.
When uncertain about the location of the Heat, use rainbow fluorite.
The various colors of fluorite can be differentiated for specific conditions:
· Use blue fluorite for conditions related to the bones and teeth and the sensory organs.
· Use brown fluorite for conditions related to skin.
· Use clear fluorite for painful conditions.
· Use green fluorite for acute Wind conditions or Food Stagnation.
· Use purple fluorite for Shen disturbances and to induce latency.
· Use yellow fluorite for conditions related to Phlegm and Heat stagnation.
Combinations
In jewelry, fluorite does well set in gold. It will tarnish silver.
To support a Divergent Meridian treatment, combine fluorite with a stone to target the appropriate confluence (see the discussion of tourmaline later in this chapter).
In a combination, fluorite can be the principal for acute pain conditions or an associate for chronic pain conditions.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water. Charge in a quartz bed or amethyst geode.
Common Locations
South Africa, Mexico, China
|
BLUE FLUORITE |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 24) |
|||
|
Taste |
Sweet, spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Warming |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/LR/GB |
||
|
Hardness |
4 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Cubic |
||
|
Stone group |
Halide |
||
|
Level of formation |
Produced at all levels, predominantly igneous/Yuan |
||
Chemical Composition
Calcium fluoride (CaF2)
It may also contain iron.
Key Characteristics
The blue color gives it relationship to the Liver and Gall Bladder. It brings its effects to the bones and teeth.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
It affects the trajectory of the Gall Bladder meridian in the head to affect conditions in the sensory orifices, such as chronic sinusitis, tinnitus, glaucoma, blockage in the tear ducts, and throat Bi, such as with goiter or thyroid conditions.
Draws pathogenic factors from the level of the Bone to release to the exterior.
Functions and Uses
Clears Fire Toxins and draws pathogenic factors to the surface; releases pathogenic factors from the bones and teeth. Indicated for:
– parasitic infestations
– joint pain, arthritis, osteoporosis, bone pain
– toothache, Heat in the teeth causing cavities
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Place blue fluorite directly on areas of pain, or powder and apply as a poultice.
Internal Application
Drink as an elixir to clear Fire Toxins or parasitic infestations.
Cautions and Contraindications
Use the elixir for a short term only, due to fluorite’s relative softness and halogen content.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water. Charge in a quartz bed or amethyst geode.
|
BROWN FLUORITE |
|||
|
Taste |
Sweet, spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Warming |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/LR |
||
|
Hardness |
4 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Cubic |
||
|
Stone group |
Halide |
||
|
Level of formation |
Produced at all levels, predominantly igneous/Yuan |
||
Chemical Composition
Calcium fluoride (CaF2)
Key Characteristics
Brown fluorite brings its effect to the level of the Skin.
Functions and Uses
Clears Fire Toxins, especially on the skin. Indicated for:
– liver spots, pigmentation or loss of pigmentation, in the extreme skin cancer
– neurodermatitis
Resolves acute skin conditions. Indicated for:
– shingles
Regenerates skin; breaks up scar tissue. Indicated for:
– scleroderma
Emotional use. Indicated for:
– the person who is fixated in attitude and belief, who cannot let new ideas in
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Tape brown fluorite to warts.
Scrape the Bladder Shu points along the spine for shingles.
Apply directly to shingles lesions.
Pulverize and apply as a poultice for bruises or scar tissue.
Internal Application
Drink as an elixir to address functions and uses.
Intentional Application
Place on the bed where a person has died to purify the home.
Cautions and Contraindications
Use the elixir only for a short time, due to fluorite’s softness and halogen content.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water. Charge in a quartz bed or amethyst geode.
|
CLEAR FLUORITE |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 24) |
|||
|
Taste |
Sweet, spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Warming |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/LR |
||
|
Hardness |
4 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Cubic |
||
|
Stone group |
Halide |
||
|
Level of formation |
Produced at all levels, predominantly igneous/Yuan |
||
Chemical Composition
Calcium fluoride (CaF2)
Key Characteristics
Clear fluorite regulates Qi to alleviate pain.
Functions and Uses
Resolves Cold Bi/Obstruction syndrome; regulates Qi; moves Qi stagnation. Indicated for:
– Cold Bi syndrome, such as fixed sharp pain that is better with warmth
– headache, chest pain, stomach pain
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Apply clear fluorite directly on an area of pain.
Use as a massage wand, or place stones on the bony holes/Liao points on the sacrum or in the depression under the cheekbone below the outer corner of the eye, to soften and move accumulation.
Cautions and Contraindications
Use for a short period only, due to fluorite’s softness and halogen content.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water. Charge in a quartz bed or amethyst geode.
|
GREEN FLUORITE |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 24) |
|||
|
Taste |
Sweet, spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Warming |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/LR/HT |
||
|
Hardness |
4 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Cubic |
||
|
Stone group |
Halide |
||
|
Level of formation |
Produced at all levels, predominantly igneous/Yuan |
||
Chemical Composition
Calcium fluoride (CaF2) + chromium
Key Characteristics
It brings its effects to the sinuses, sensory orifices, and nerves. Among the fluorites, the green color is most appropriate for acute Wind-Cold conditions.
Functions and Uses
Warms and expels Wind-Cold pathogenic factors and viral infections. Indicated for:
– common cold; viral influenza; infections of a viral nature; ear, nose, or throat conditions; chills and fever; chronic recurring infection
– conjunctivitis; ear infections, especially infections that occur repeatedly
– shingles; pathology hiding in the myelin sheath
Resolves Liver invading Stomach and Intestines. Indicated for:
– acute episodes of vomiting and diarrhea (Sudden Turmoil disorder)
Breaks up accumulations. Indicated for:
– Food Stagnation
Releases toxins; detoxifying. Indicated for:
– withdrawal from drugs, alcohol, or other addictions
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Use green fluorite as a wand or gua sha tool:
· Massage around the eyes, sinuses, or ears to drain congestion due to Wind-Cold.
· Massage the sinus region for sinusitis; around the eye socket for swelling around the eyes, such as with conjunctivitis; around the ears for ear infections; or along the jaw for TMJ or toothache.
· Rub around herpes lesions to reduce pain.
· Scrape along the upper paravertebral muscles/Bladder Shu points for viral influenza.
· Rub on the cuticles/Jing-Well points to encourage release of pathology to the exterior.
In a stone layout place green fluorite in the hands or under the feet to release pathogenic factors from the skin or sensory orifices, to break up accumulations resulting from Food Stagnation, or for external factors affecting the Lungs.
Internal Application
Make as a tea and drink it hot to enhance Defensive/Wei Qi for managing the common cold or chronic recurring infections.
If fluorite is decocted with herbs, it is the first substance to be added. If decocted with other stones, it is the last to be added.
Cautions and Contraindications
Use the elixir for a short term only, due to fluorite’s relative softness and halogen content.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water. Charge in a quartz bed or amethyst geode.
|
PURPLE FLUORITE |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 24) |
|||
|
Taste |
Sweet, spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Warming |
||
|
Affinities |
HT/LU/KI |
||
|
Hardness |
4 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Cubic/isometric |
||
|
Stone group |
Halide |
||
|
Level of formation |
Produced at all levels, predominantly igneous/Yuan |
||
Chinese Name
Jia ying shi, “false outstanding stone”
In early times, purple fluorite was confused with amethyst, the true outstanding stone.*24
Color/Appearance/Light
Purple is associated with Heart–Kidney communication. The red of Fire/Heart is “corrupted” by the blue and/or black, the darkness of Water/Kidney. The combination emerges to become crimson or purple.
Purple fluorite loses color with exposure to the sun because it contains halogens, which react chemically with the heat. We might see color changes when we wear the stone as a pendant, as it absorbs Heat from the body.
Chemical Composition
Calcium fluoride (CaF2)
Key Characteristics
Purple fluorite is the preferred fluorite for Shen disturbances.
Its warming nature has the ultimate effect of cooling off the body by directing Heat to Mingmen. As the Heat comes back to the root of Yang, it supports fluid distribution through the body via the Triple Heater mechanism. The net effect is cooling.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Descending
It brings the warmth of Yang Qi toward the Kidneys and the Lower Burner. It works with illness at the Defensive/Wei level by drawing the pathology inward toward the deepest aspect of the body—that is, the bones, the nucleus of cells, and DNA.
Stimulates the Liver to move Blood to nourish the Kidneys.
Functions and Uses
Establishes Heart–Kidney communication. Indicated for:
– Shen disturbances due to excess Yang activity, including mania, hyperactivity, insomnia, or Cold in the Lower Burner that rushes up and overwhelms the Heart (Running Piglet Qi); anxiety attacks
Purple Fluorite and Ascending the Pure Yang of the Stomach
The Pure Yang of the Stomach ascends the Fluids of Stomach Yin toward the head, hydrating and cooling the upper region of the body, especially the lungs, throat, face, and sensory organs. Sjogren’s syndrome is an example of a condition where this ascension has failed.
Purple fluorite “recycles” Yang Qi to its root in the lower back. If the root of Yang is strong, so is all the other Yang Qi in the body. The use of fluorite thus supports this ascension process, and can provoke a release of latency.
The acupuncture point most associated with the ascension of Yang Qi is located on the high point of the dorsum of the foot where there is a pulse (run your finger up a line from between the second and third toes to find the pulse)/ST-42/Surging Yang.
– depression (by suppression; by moving it deeper)
Clears Heat by returning it to Mingmen to support Fluid distribution via the Triple Heater mechanism. Indicated for:
– seizures, convulsions, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
– infectious Heat conditions
– high fevers causing delirium/Shen disturbance
– convulsions, palpitations
– thirst, especially from diabetes
– headaches
– hot, dry eyes
Regulates and generates Fluids and Yin to flush out pathology; nourishes Lung and Stomach Yin to support Defensive/Qi. Indicated for:
– dryness in the sensory organs and in the upper region of the chest and head
– Sjogren’s syndrome
Directs Lung Qi down to the Kidneys. Indicated for:
– asthma, shortness of breath
– epigastric pain
Breaks up Cold in the Uterus. Indicated for:
– infertility Breaks up Blood stagnation and calms the Shen. Indicated for:
– Heat in the Heart, arterial plaque
– Shen disturbance, insomnia
– pathogenic accumulations in the Blood that eventually damage the Marrow/Jing, such as happens with tooth decay
Induces latency; binds with Fire Toxins to draw them back to the Essence/Jing level to prevent their spread. Indicated for:
– aggressive lymphoma or leukemia
– bone cancer, marrow cancer, teeth conditions
– infections lodged in and damaging the bone
Emotional use. Indicated for:
– easing grief
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Tape purple fluorite at the navel for three to five days for infertility due to Cold in the Uterus.
Massage the first trinity of Sun Simiao’s Ghost points (philtrum/GV-26; medial big toe cuticle/SP-1; and radial side of the thumb cuticle/LU-11) with a purple fluorite wand for disturbed Shen.
In a stone layout:
· place the stone in the hands or under the feet to draw pathogenic factors from the Blood.
· use as a distal stone to draw pathology outward. The receiver can hold the stone to release Heat from the interior, especially from the chest and the abdominal region.
Place a small diamond-shaped crystal in the navel for acute anxiety or agitation.
Wear a bracelet to affect the outer aspect/Yang points on the wrist to stimulate release to the exterior.
Wear a necklace that allows it to touch the center of the chest/CV-17 to break up arterial plaque.
Wear as earrings for chronic conditions.
Internal Application
Drink the elixir both before and after dental work.
Cautions and Contraindications
The drawback to using purple fluorite, especially when treating a deep, chronic condition such as Cold in the Uterus, is its relative softness and halogen content, which require only short-term use.
Combinations
For chronic conditions, purple fluorite can be used to jump-start a process of breaking up Cold. After a short time of treatment, follow the fluorite with a harder stone. A possibility is citrine, placed in the navel and heated with moxa. This will continue the process and give durability and permanence to its effect.
Angelite is a good associate stone for purple fluorite to emphasize descension.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Purple fluorite is the most warming of all the fluorites. It nevertheless has an overall cooling effect on the body by bringing Heat back to Mingmen.
Both purple fluorite and amethyst have a cooling and moistening effect. Fluorite forms in the absence of water. It does not generate Fluids but cools Heat by circulating Fluids and hydrating the body via the Triple Heater mechanism. Amethyst forms in the presence of water, and it actually nourishes Fluids. If the treatment principle is to cool Heat without adding to Dampness, fluorite is the more appropriate choice (for the short term).
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water. Charge in a quartz bed or amethyst geode.
Stone History
Li Shizhen first differentiated purple fluorite from amethyst. He called it the “false outstanding stone.”
Most information for fluorite in the old materia medicas refers to the purple color.
|
YELLOW FLUORITE |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 24) |
|||
|
Taste |
Sweet, spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Warming |
||
|
Affinities |
LR/ST |
||
|
Hardness |
4 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Cubic |
||
|
Stone group |
Halide |
||
|
Level of formation |
Produced at all levels, predominantly igneous/Yuan |
||
Chemical Composition
Calcium fluoride (CaF2) + iron
Fluoride melts and calcium binds, for a chelating, detoxifying effect.
Key Characteristics
Brings its effects to transform Phlegm and to clear Fire Toxins. It binds to accumulations in the Blood and eliminates them through the stool.
Functions and Uses
Breaks up Phlegm and Heat stagnation due to Fire Toxins. Indicated for:
– thyroid conditions, allergies
Clears toxicity, especially in the Liver. Indicated for:
– liver stagnation, high cholesterol, cirrhosis
Clears Stomach Fire. Indicated for:
– gastritis
Breaks up Blood stagnation. Indicated for:
– high cholesterol with high blood pressure
– Wei/Atrophy syndrome: multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease), Parkinson’s disease, neuropathy
Emotional use. Indicated for:
– the person with very strong boundaries who is “stuck” with narrow-minded attitudes; “psychosclerosis”
Methods of Application
Topical Application
In a stone layout, place yellow fluorite in the hands or under the feet, or use it to massage the cuticles/Jing-Well points on the first and second toes and thumb and index fingers, to draw phlegm out.
Wear a pendant at the center of the chest/CV-17 to stimulate Defensive/Wei Qi.
Internal Application
Drink as an elixir to address functions and uses.
Cautions and Contraindications
Use the elixir for only a short period due to fluorite’s relative softness and halogen content.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water. Charge in a quartz bed or amethyst geode.
|
• Gypsum • |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 25) |
|||
|
Taste |
Sweet |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/ST |
||
|
Hardness |
2 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Monoclinic |
||
|
Stone group |
Sulfate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Chinese Name
Shi gao, “stone that can be made into plaster”
Color/Appearance/Light
Colorless, white, sometimes translucent. It appears as thin or thick tabular crystals, as well as in massive beds. Any gypsum with a crystalline appearance is called selenite.
Chemical Composition
Hydrated calcium sulfate (CaSO4·2H2O)
The calcium content slows down the absorption of minerals. When combined with other stones in a combination, it consolidates their effects, making it like a timed-release agent. It also slows down symptoms; it is a binding agent to help the body reorganize, in order to resolve vulnerability.
Sulfur draws Yang Qi inward.
Key Characteristics
Gypsum treats the “Four Greats”: fever, thirst, sweat, and a bounding, flooding pulse.
Gypsum quells Fire to reduce high fevers, not by cooling or releasing the Heat through sweating, but by pulling the Heat inward.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Draws fever inward.
Functions and Uses
Quells Fire. Indicated for:
– burns and eczema
– high fevers without chills, with thirst, sweat, and a flooding pulse
Clears Heat from the upper region to the Urinary Bladder, via the Small Intestine. Indicated for:
– urinary tract infections
Clears and absorbs Heat, both external and internal. Indicated for:
– Heat in the Qi level of the Stomach and Lungs: heartburn, nausea, excessive hunger, dry cough
– Heat in the Blood: Pestilent Qi, external pathogenic factors that have gone internal to the Blood level, electromagnetic radiation
– mouth conditions: ulcers, toothache, inflamed gums
– burns, inflamed skin conditions
Clears excess Fire that generates Wind. Indicated for:
– acute nervousness
Regulates Counterflow Qi. Indicated for:
– coughing, wheezing, nausea, vomiting
Secures the exterior. Indicated for:
– emotional volatility
– hypersensitivity to external factors
Disinhibits the bowels. Indicated for:
– constipation
Promotes lactation.
Gypsum and Fevers Complicated by Damp
If an external pathogenic factor bypasses the Qi level, it penetrates to affect the Blood and Fluids. Very high fevers can result. If a person already has Dampness, the Dampness can hold on to the Heat, causing it to linger and become even more severe. Gypsum is particularly suited for fevers complicated by Dampness. It quells Fire that damages the Blood and Fluids and that generates Wind.
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Apply gypsum powder to burns, oral abscesses, or inflamed skin conditions. It can also be used as a base for a poultice.
Make a plaster for the chest for wheezing or coughing.
Internal Application
Popular in herbal medicine, gypsum dissolves easily in the boiling process of making a decoction. It is the chief herb in White Tiger Formula/Bai Fu Tang and other formulas intended to clear Heat in severe, acute conditions. It goes into the Lungs and carries the essence of the tiger to get rid of pestilent factors.
Intentional Application
Carry a stone in the pocket and hold it for protection when feeling acutely nervous, or for someone who is always nervous and fidgety.
Cautions and Contraindications
Gypsum is not for long-term use because it is too consolidating. Use it only for acute conditions, or short-term to kick-start treatment of chronic conditions.
Excessive internal use can cause hardening, cramps, and spasms.
Use caution with fever due to Yin deficiency, or with any underlying condition of Cold.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Gypsum generally affects the upper region; in particular, it clears Heat in the Lungs. Calcite affects the lower region, in particular the Urinary Bladder. Both stones affect the middle region. Talc also affects the lower region.
Gypsum clears Heat from burns faster than calcite.
Gypsum and serpentine both bring a cooling effect to the upper region.
Gypsum and alabaster are very similar, but alabaster has a finer grain and can be polished.
Combinations
Gypsum consolidates the effects of other stones in a combination.
Cleansing and Charging
Do not cleanse in water; it will soften or dissolve. Cleanse and recharge with quartz crystal.
Stone History
According to Li Shizhen, gypsum eliminates Fire from the Lungs, Stomach, Large Intestine, and Triple Heater and disperses pathology from the muscles to induce perspiration and reduce tidal fevers.
|
ALABASTER |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy, sweet |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/ST |
||
|
Hardness |
1.5 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Monoclinic |
||
|
Stone group |
Sulfate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Pale colors. Alabaster is a finely grained gypsum that takes a high polish, even though it is very soft.
Chemical Composition
Hydrated calcium sulfate (CaSO4·2H2O)
Key Characteristics
With its spicy taste, it has an immediate effect.
Functions and Uses
Quells Fire. Indicated for:
– high fevers, headaches
– Hot Bi/Obstruction syndrome: hot, swollen, painful joints
Clears Heat in the upper region. Indicated for:
– headache
– acne, rosacea
Resolves signs and symptoms of Empty Heat. Indicated for: –hot flashes
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Roll alabaster on burns, eczema, or outbreaks of acne to draw out Heat.
Mix the powdered stone with egg white or other medium and use as a plaster for Hot Bi.
Cosmetically, the powder is used on the face for rosacea or for the ruddy complexion of an alcoholic.
Wear as a necklace for conditions of Heat in the upper region, such as hot flashes or chronic headaches.
Cautions and Contraindications
Not for use as an elixir.
Stone History
Alabaster was carved into bowls and bottles to hold perfume.
|
DESERT ROSE (GYPSUM) |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 25) |
|||
|
Taste |
Swee |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/ST |
||
|
Hardness |
2 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Monoclinic |
||
|
Stone group |
Sulfate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Opaque crystal clusters making flowerlike shapes
Chemical Composition
Hydrated calcium sulfate (CaSO4·2H2O)
Key Characteristics
It is consolidating; it directs Yang Qi down toward Mingmen.
Desert rose forms only a few feet below the surface of arid regions but is revealed at the surface by the effects of wind erosion and seasonal fluctuations in the water table. The stone represents the influences that the exterior has on our lives. It helps promote relaxation to support intentional work and meditation.
Functions and Uses
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– relaxation during meditation
A rose growing in the desert is an unlikely image. A person working on realizing abundance or prosperity can use the stone to support the idea that even in the midst of scarcity, prosperity might be found.
Beneficial for mood swings.
Consolidates Qi; draws energy inward to maintain latency, especially for a person who is very weak; brings Pestilent Qi to latency. Indicated for:
– aggressive, inflammatory, or painful conditions
– external pathogenic factors that have gone internal to the Blood level, such as with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or hepatitis
Methods of Application
Topical Application
For short-term use.
Place or tape on areas of pain, such as headache.
Massage, place, or tape on the back, a hand’s width from the center line of the back, at the lower border of the T9 spinous process (at the same level as UB-18)/UB-47/Hunmen, for disturbed Hun/Soul of the Liver.
Intentional Application
Someone who has difficulty relaxing during the initial stages of meditation can hold desert rose in the hand. It is especially helpful for a person who needs to clear stagnation from his or her life.
Carry the stone when feeling emotionally vulnerable or susceptible to weather changes.
A firefighter or chef can use it as an amulet to protect against being burned.
Cautions and Contraindications
Not for use as an elixir.
Combinations
Desert rose combines well with Herkimer diamond, which causes the soft, quick-acting stone of desert rose to have a longer-lasting effect.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse with smudging or through intention.
Do not cleanse in water. Gypsum softens in water and specimens may be damaged.
Common Locations
Desert locations including Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and the United States (Texas).
|
SELENITE |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 25) |
|||
|
Taste |
Sweet, spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/ST/UB |
||
|
Hardness |
2 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Orthorhombic |
||
|
Stone group |
Sulfate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Chinese Name
Tou ming shi, “illumination coming out stone”
The stone shines with light, but the name is also associated with a treatment strategy of the Wen Bing/Heat Disease school. This school developed during a time when Chinese culture was becoming less agrarian and more urban. Crowded, faster-paced living conditions in developing cities, combined with poor hygiene practices, began to create epidemics that spread through the population.
The Wen Bing school evolved from the recognition that, with changing living conditions, Heat was the major pathogenic factor leading to illness, as compared to the earlier understanding that the fundamental causes of disease were Wind and Cold. The treatment strategy to “outthrust the Qi” was developed to push out Heat that has gone to the internal level.
Clearing the distraction and agitation caused by Heat brings clarity and illumination.
Color/Appearance/Light
White, green, clear, golden, or orange. The clear stone can also have rainbows. Selenite is a glassy form of gypsum with an almost mirrorlike shine; it appears to reflect light outward.
Chemical Composition
Hydrated calcium sulfate (CaSO4·2H2O)
Calcium and sulfur combine for a binding and consolidating quality. Sulfur initiates movement quickly to break up stagnation.
Key Characteristics
Selenite is a Defensive/Wei Qi stone that generates and regulates Fluids. Fluids enable the body to clear Heat.
Its softness and sulfur content promote a quick effect.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
It draws pathological Heat inward and downward, where Fluids are able to eliminate the infection.
Selenite affects the paravertebral muscles because of its relationship to the Bladder Shu points. It is helpful for postural misalignment, such as with scoliosis.
Functions and Uses
Regulates Fluids via the waterways along the Bladder Shu points/paravertebrals: the “aqueducts” along the spine that bring fluids to flush out accumulations of pathology anywhere in the body, including cerebrospinal fluids. Indicated for:
– Phlegm misting the mind: confusion, poor concentration
– chronic tension and/or structural pain, especially in the low back and neck
– postural misalignment, scoliosis
– incontinence
Generates Fluids to sweat out Heat from the internal level. Indicated for:
– acute infections that damage the nerves or spine
Benefits the Yin, especially for the skin. Indicated for:
– burns
– wrinkles, dry skin
Selenite and the Fluids
Treating conditions at the Defensive/Wei level requires that adequate fluids are available to flush out the pathogenic factor through sweating, expectoration, urination, or defecation. Selenite has the action of both generating and regulating fluids. Do we want fluids to go up or down? We can affect the movement of fluids in the body with massage and or/placement of stones:
· To bring fluids up and out, for sweating or expectoration, massage, place, or tape the selenite on the center of the sternum, in line with the nipples/CV-17.
· To bring fluids down and out, via urination or defecation, massage, place, or tape the stone on the midline of the lower abdomen, a thumb’s width above the upper border of the pubic bone/CV-3.
· If uncertain of the strategy, place selenite on the midline of the abdomen, midway between the navel and the “V” where the ribs meet the base of the sternum/CV-12, and let the body decide how best to manage the condition.
Wherever the stone is placed, the gender hand (right for women, left for men) should also be touching it, so that the center of the palm/PC-8 is stimulated. This point opens the chest, allowing the release of pathology, and gives a focus of attention for the mind. The receiver can also suck on a small piece of tumbled selenite to help generate Fluids.
Breaks up Yin stasis resulting from Yin deficiency. Indicated for:
– fibroids, breast lumps
– scanty menses, amenorrhea
– water retention during menstruation
– poor milk flow in a nursing mother
Clears Pestilent Qi—that is, external pathogenic factors that have gone internal to the Blood level. Indicated for:
– toxicity from mercury fillings and other heavy metals; environmental toxicity, such as from electromagnetic radiation
– jet lag
Clears Heat; returns Fire to Mingmen; warms the Lower Burner; warms and invigorates the Governor Vessel/Du Mai. Indicated for:
– Yin deficiency conditions that require Yang to move Qi, such as children with poor growth
Promotes latency. Indicated for:
– genital infections
– Wind-Cold-Damp Bi syndrome
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Selenite does not need to make contact with the skin to be effective. It can be placed on top of clothing.
Scrape the paravertebral muscles with a selenite wand to arouse the Yang Qi to move fluids:
· Massage upward to direct fluids up and out for expectoration and sweating.
· Massage downward to direct fluids downward for urination.
Massage, place, or tape:
· on the center of the sternum, in line with the nipples/CV-17, to generate and move fluids upward and outward.
· on the midline of the lower abdomen, a thumb’s width above the upper border of the pubic bone/CV-3, to encourage movement of fluids downward and outward or for Deficient Qi causing frequent urination.
· on the midline of the abdomen, midway between the navel and the “V” where the ribs meet the base of the sternum/CV-12, to allow the body’s own prioritization with regard to the movement of fluids.
· on the spine to affect cerebrospinal fluid. Hydration insulates the nerves and affects reactivity to the world.
In a stone layout, hold selenite resting in the hands to touch the center of the palm/PC-8 to open the chest.
Place at the occiput to enhance craniosacral therapy and to balance cerebrospinal fluid.
With a bent arm, use selenite to scrape the muscle around the crease where the elbow bends (in line with the index finger)/LI-11 to clear Heat (it is more effective than a porcelain spoon). For example, use for an infant with excess Yang who is displaying neurological signs and symptoms, such as seizures. (Also place selenite under the child’s pillow.)
Massage the upper back, neck, or chest with selenite to clear Heat.
Apply powdered stone to burns.
Stir the powder into face cream to moisten and cool the skin and to relax wrinkles.
Internal Application
Place selenite under the tongue to generate fluids and moisten the Defensive/Wei level.
Drink selenite water to chelate environmental toxicity, such as after receiving x-rays or airport scans.
For short-term use, drink the elixir to help:
· poor milk flow for a nursing mother.
· hot flashes, night sweats, or profuse sweating.
Intentional Application
Protective for pregnant women; place in a small bag and wear on a belt for restless fetus syndrome.
Cautions and Contraindications
Always for short-term use, and generally best topically, but selenite can be used as an elixir or as a stone water for acute conditions.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Selenite has a greater effect on the lower region, as compared with gypsum, which affects the upper region.
Fishtail selenite clears Heat-generating Wind: tremors, twitching, spasms, epilepsy, nervousness.
Green selenite clears Heat in the skin that causes wrinkles.
Black selenite is not as common as the other forms of selenite. It contains impurities that make it very dark, even though there still may be areas of transparency. It appears dark on the surface, but there is darkness within as well. Used with an infrared lamp, it absorbs Yang Qi to help conditions of Cold in the Uterus, such as with infertility.
Combinations
Combine selenite with Herkimer diamond to make its effect more long lasting.
For an insulin-dependent diabetic patient who has damage to the pancreas, make an elixir with charoite, which supports the Spleen/Pancreas; smoky quartz, to bring Qi from the Spleen to the Kidneys; and selenite to flush out dead tissue.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse and recharge in hematite.
|
• Jet (Lignite) • |
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|
(See color insert plate 26) |
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Taste |
Spicy |
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Nature |
Cooling |
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Affinities |
LU/LR |
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|
Hardness |
2.5–4 |
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Crystal structure |
Amorphous |
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Stone group |
Mineraloid (organic) |
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Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Opaque black. Black absorbs all the colors and heat. Jet takes a very good shine when polished.
Chemical Composition
Fossilized carbon (C)
Jet contains about 25 to 30 percent carbon. It is a mineraloid derived from decaying wood under extreme pressure. It can also contain pyrite inclusions, which give it a metallic luster when polished.
Carbon is the foundation of organic life. It absorbs unhealthy Qi.
Key Characteristics
When rubbed on the skin or clothing, jet creates a static charge. It attracts Qi.
Jet is chemically the same as diamond or coal, but its formation at the sedimentary level gives it very different properties. As a fossil, it has captured records of the past.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Descending
Yang Qiao Mai—for the person who is always complaining, judging, or protesting about the external world (see “Yang Qiao Mai—How We Stand Up to the World,”).
Functions and Uses
Absorbs Heat from the body; removes stagnation. Indicated for:
– acute tendinitis, bursitis, inflamed muscles
– dysmenorrhea, menstrual cramping
– agitation
Absorbs External Wind. Indicated for:
– allergies, issues of vulnerability or nervousness
– Acute Wind issues, such as Wind-Cold with chills and headaches or Wind Bi/sciatica or other radiating pain
– electromagnetic radiation that agitates the nerves, such as from microwaves or computers
Benefits Yang Qiao Mai; resolves issues of excessive Yang energy. Indicated for:
– insomnia, migraines, headaches
– epilepsy, tremors
Emotional use. Indicated for:
– bereavement, dark nights of the soul, loss of willpower
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– grounding (but since jet is amorphous in crystal structure, it imposes nothing)
– returning to the normal rhythms of life after astral projection or other practices related to other dimensions of life or time
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Rub jet over areas of deficiency. It attracts Qi to the area.
Rub the spine on the low back in the depression below the L2 spinous process, a little above waist level/GV-4/Mingmen, to lift the spirit.
Massage the temples for headache, or over areas of pain characterized as radiating/Wind Bi, such as with sciatica.
Tape over acute, inflamed muscle pain, tendinitis, or bursitis.
Rub around the inner corner of the knee crease/SP-9 to treat Dampness, such as with swellings or achy pain.
Intentional Application
Wear as jewelry or an amulet during times of difficult challenge.
Cautions and Contraindications
Jet is for external use only.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Jet has two levels of hardness. Soft jet forms in the presence of freshwater; hard jet forms in the presence of saltwater.
Jet and selenite both clear Heat, but jet does not generate fluids.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water; charge in hematite.
Stone History
Protective amulets of jet have been dated to the Stone Age.
In the nineteenth century, jet jewelry was fashionable during mourning.
Common Locations
Spain, England
|
• Marcasite Nodules/Boji Stones/Moqui Balls • |
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(See color insert plate 27) |
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Taste |
Spicy |
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Nature |
Warming |
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Affinities |
LU/SP/KI |
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|
Hardness |
6–6.5 |
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|
Crystal structure |
Orthorhombic |
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Stone group |
Sulfide |
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|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Dull, dark brown balls. These are popularly available as pairs, with one relatively smooth (yin) and one relatively bumpy or rough (yang). When cut in half, the inside of a marcasite nodule has a metallic radiating pattern. Boji stones, or moqui balls, show a layer of hematite grown around a center of sandstone.
Chemical Composition
Marcasite: iron sulfide (FeS2)
It readily alters to iron oxide (rust).
The iron content supports the Spleen’s production of Blood.
The sulfur content is stimulating to Yang Qi and is a chelating agent that helps break up and dissolve metals, and hence aids with detoxification.
Boji stones or moqui balls: iron oxide (FeO2)
Boji stones and moqui balls are iron oxide concretions grown around sandstone. They can also contain palladium, pyrite, marcasite, or other minerals.
Key Characteristics
Balances the energetic circuitry in the body.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Is balancing and detoxifying.
Manages Yin and produces Yang.
Functions and Uses
Balances Yin and Yang. Indicated for:
– polarity issues
– tension headaches
Tonifies Lung Qi. Indicated for:
– weak immunity, fatigue
Strengthens the Spleen’s function, especially in the production and management of Blood. Indicated for:
– anemia
– inability to concentrate, poor short-term memory
– obsessive behavior, especially related to eating disorders
Transforms the Middle Burner. Indicated for:
– bloating, swollen spleen
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– a person who is in a transitional state; the sulfur stimulates Yang Qi for fortitude
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Hold one stone in each hand for twenty to thirty minutes to balance polarity.
Roll the balls over varicose veins.
Rub or place a marcasite nodule:
· on a swollen spleen organ, and at the same time tape bloodstone on the lateral torso, about a hand’s width below the armpit/SP-21, and hold a smoky quartz in the gender hand (right for women, left for men).
· on the lateral aspect of the torso, about a hand’s width below the armpit/SP-21, for pain all over the body.
Internal Application
Do not use the marcasite directly in elixirs. Place the stone in contact with a quartz crystal for twenty-four hours, then use the quartz in an elixir. Drink for anemia, for fatigue, and to address other functions and uses.
Cautions and Contraindications
Not for internal use. Use a potentiated quartz crystal for creating elixirs.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Both marcasite and pyrite are iron sulfides. Their chemical formula is the same, but their crystal structure is different. Marcasite is much less stable.
Cleansing and Charging
Charge in the sun. Marcasite can be very unstable in its crystal structure and will easily disintegrate with exposure to water.
Stone History
Paleolithic fire technology as we know it included striking pyrite with flint. It is likely that the stones used were oblong nodules of marcasite, not pyrite.*25
|
• Obsidian • |
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|
(See color insert plate 28) |
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Taste |
Spicy, bitter |
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Nature |
Cooling |
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Affinities |
KI/HT/LU |
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|
Hardness |
5–5.5 |
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|
Crystal structure |
Amorphous |
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|
Stone group |
Volcanic/glassy |
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Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
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Chinese Name
Huo shan shi, “fire mountain stone”
Obsidian is produced by volcanic activity. Red-hot magma loaded with silica cools rapidly as it encounters cold air or water and forms a glassy stone.
Color/Appearance/Light
Black, rainbow, snowflake, or mahogany. Depending on the gases and minerals present and way the stone cools, obsidian can take on different spectrums of color, for example gold or silver sheen. There are also “manufactured” colors that can be useful for intentional work.
Obsidian contains Fire energy from its origin deep in the Earth. The Fire energy combined with the dark colors helps make connection between the Heart and Kidneys.
Chemical Composition
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
It includes a small percentage of water, gases, and other minerals.
The water content makes it an effective stone to conduct Qi, especially to support intention or mind-set; it is a helpful adjunct to massage, Reiki, and qigong practice.
Key Characteristics
The amorphous crystal structure makes obsidian particularly appropriate for emotional conditions. It takes on our “form,” our pathology, to help cultivate the awareness to make change.
Although cooling in nature, it can have a warming effect on the body because it stimulates Defensive/Wei Qi to come to the surface.
The spicy taste gives it a quick effect, making it appropriate for acute conditions. The bitter taste clears Heat.
Obsidian has the dynamics of Fire, but the volcanic molten material cooled so quickly it was “shocked” into being glass. By the law of signatures, obsidian is good for treating shock. Sometimes shock is a mechanism to cause a major change in life. The shock can establish balance, or homeostasis. If, however, we are unprepared for the change, it can cause us to retreat from life and become depressed. In this case, obsidian can help in the process of finding balance by bringing Kidney Yang to support the Defensive/Wei level to help us deal with the challenges of life.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Ascending; draws energy up and out; arouses the Yang Qi of the body to come to the surface.
Obsidian is the bridge from the Source/Yuan level to the Defensive/Wei level. It is the Yang Qi of the core emerging upward to the surface. As Yang Qi disseminates from Mingmen, it moves upward, adjacent to the spine, like a volcano erupting up and out. It brings the Fire of the Kidneys to support Wei Qi on the surface.
Generally, Yin Wei Mai
Cautions and Contraindications
Obsidian is appropriate short-term for acute conditions.
It can cause a healing crisis.
Do not place in the center of the chest or abdomen for people with anxiety.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
All obsidian treats emotional issues, especially for conditions that “run in the family,” and for constitutional issues that are coming out quickly.
· Apache tears treats withdrawal and manic-depressive states.
· Mahogany addresses anxiety.
· Rainbow treats depressed states.
· Snowflake improves enthusiasm.
Further differentiations:
· Apache tears address Fluid.
· Mahogany addresses Blood.
· Rainbow establishes Heart–Kidney communication.
· Snowflake addresses Qi.
Pumice/fu hai shi/“floating ocean rock” is also the result of volcanic eruptions, but it contains a significant amount of trapped gas, making it a light, porous stone. While obsidian works with issues that are coming strongly and quickly out from the constitution, pumice works with constitutional conditions that are manifesting more slowly, in particular lymphatic congestion. It draws Heat outward.
Obsidian and opal both have Fire energy and promote Heart–Kidney communication.
Obsidian is the result of Fire coming up from the Earth. Meteorite is the result of Fire coming down to the Earth from heaven.
Combinations
Combine obsidian with a stone containing halogens, such as fluorite, to bring pathology out of latency.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in warm running water for twenty minutes. Charge in the sunlight for one day.
Alternatively, cleanse with hematite, which grounds it back to the volcanic origin.
Obsidian itself can be used to recharge the internal Fire of other stones.
Stone History
Obsidian was traditionally used for blades, arrowheads, and other cutting tools. Its edge is extremely sharp, with a cleaner edge than surgical steel. By the law of signatures, it has the ability to cut through obstacles, making it a potent tool for emotional work.
Common Locations
Italy, Mexico, Scotland, United States (Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Utah, Idaho, California, and Washington State)
|
APACHE TEARS |
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|
(See color insert plate 28) |
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|
Taste |
Spicy, bitter |
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Nature |
Cooling |
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Affinities |
SP/ST/HT/LU |
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|
Hardness |
7 |
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|
Crystal structure |
Amorphous |
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Stone group |
Volcanic/glassy |
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Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
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Color/Appearance/Light
Black. The black color gives it a strong ancestral relationship; it can help us resolve the traumas suffered by our ancestors.
Chemical Composition
Silica dioxide (SiO2)
It includes a small percentage of water, gases, and other minerals.
The water content makes it an effective stone to conduct Qi, especially to support intention or mind-set, and makes it a helpful adjunct to massage, Reiki, and qigong practice.
Key Characteristics
Apache tears address depression and generational traumas.
The Spleen/Stomach/Earth affinity gives the stone a harmonizing effect, to balance extremes. This harmonizing energy affects both the digestive process and the mood. The amorphous crystal structure imposes nothing.
Moving the Qi (spicy taste) also moves the Blood and promotes the ability to let go of habitual emotions.
The name tells us that this obsidian was an important stone among Native Americans. It was said that the stones were the tears of their ancestors, because their legacy of land and sovereignty had been lost. In the Native culture, Apache tears represent the cultural values of health, freedom, and power, similar in cultural value to the Three Stars of Chinese culture—health, wealth and prosperity.
The name also reminds us that the stone is helpful for depression.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Ascending
It is very stimulating for Defensive/Wei Qi (as are all obsidians).
Apache tears brings its effect to the skin.
Functions and Uses
Resolves generational traumas. Indicated for:
– post-traumatic stress disorder, grief, sadness, depression, withdrawal from addictive substances, loss
– manic-depressive states
Harmonizes the Stomach and the Spleen; useful for digestive problems. Indicated for:
– Stomach Fire, stress-induced gastritis
– constipation, intestinal heat, irritable bowel syndrome
– food allergies, such as to MSG
Stimulates and cools Defensive/Wei Qi; regulates Fluids. Indicated for:
– skin conditions resulting from food allergies causing Stomach and/or Large Intestine imbalances
– early childhood skin or diaper rashes resulting from Wind
Emotional use. Indicated for:
– promoting the virtue of forgiveness—letting go requires that the Qi move the Blood
Methods of Application
Internal Application
Drink as an elixir for emotional or digestive imbalances.
Use the elixir as a wash for skin conditions.
Intentional Application
Wear or hold to strengthen the Lungs’ dispersal to release emotional attachments.
Cautions and Contraindications
Apache tears are appropriate to use short-term for acute conditions.
They can cause a healing crisis.
Do not place in the center of the chest or abdomen for people with anxiety.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Apache tears stimulate and cool the lower regions, while snowflake obsidian stimulates and warms the upper orifices.
Apache tears are slightly harder than the other obsidians.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in warm running water for twenty minutes. Charge in the sunlight for one day.
Alternatively, cleanse with hematite, which grounds it back to the volcanic origin.
|
BLACK OBSIDIAN |
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|
(See color insert plate 28) |
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Taste |
Spicy, bitter |
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Nature |
Cooling |
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Affinities |
SP/ST/HT/LU |
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Hardness |
5–5.5 |
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Crystal structure |
Amorphous |
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Stone group |
Volcanic/glassy |
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Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
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Color/Appearance/Light
Black. It has no crystal structure. Broken or chipped areas are very shiny and show the water-like ripples of the force that made the chip.
Chemical Composition
Silica dioxide (SiO2)
It includes a small percentage of water, gases, and other minerals.
The water content makes it an effective stone to conduct Qi, especially to support intention or mind-set, making it a helpful adjunct to massage, Reiki, and qigong practice.
Key Characteristics
Harmonizing and tonifying; grounding, especially for shock
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Ascending
Stimulating to Defensive/Wei Qi
Functions and Uses
Accesses the Defensive/Wei and Source/Yuan levels; moves excess Heat from the Wei level inward. Indicated for:
– acute childhood seizures
– shock
Stimulates Wei Qi and the Bladder Shu/Transporting points to promote the dissemination of Essence/Jing and bring us greater awareness. Indicated for:
– depression; gives light where there is darkness
– low blood pressure
Regulates Qi and Blood; harmonizes and tonifies. Indicated for:
– pain, tension
– adhesions, wounds, sores
– digestive disorders
– skin problems resulting from food allergies
Opens the diaphragm, especially when anxiety restricts the circulation of Wei Qi to the four limbs. Indicated for:
– cold hands and feet, Raynaud’s syndrome
– restlessness and irritability
Secures the exterior. Indicated for:
– external pathogenic factors, including electromagnetic radiation
Emotional use. Indicated for:
– the person who is anxious, who doesn’t have the courage to move through what she’s feeling, who has “cold feet”
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– career palace—helps cultivate a vocation for tui na massage because it moves Defensive/Wei Qi in the muscles and sinews
– wisdom palace, to cultivate knowledge that gives way to transformation
Methods of Application
Topical Application
When placed distally—in the hands or under the feet—obsidian disperses heat from the center of the body. When placed more centrally on the body, or locally, as on scar tissue, it is warming and stimulating to break up accumulations. (Do not apply on the chest or abdomen for people with anxiety.)
Apply on scar tissue.
Rub the body after a hot shower to bring the Yang Qi up and out for the day.
Massage or apply for Wind-Heat Bi syndrome or for inflamed and painful joints or muscles.
Hold to warm the hands, for Raynaud’s syndrome.
Place on the navel to release repressed emotions—to see one’s “shadow.”
Useful as a tool for massage or Reiki, to move Qi and flush out stagnation.
Use for gua sha on the paravertebral muscles/Bladder Shu points, scraping upward lateral to the spine. Redness will demonstrate excesses, or, with no reaction at all, deficiencies of Yang Qi. This treatment is particularly helpful for a client who presents with many different signs and symptoms. Obsidian helps release excess Yang Qi and also draws Yang Qi to areas of deficiency.
After performing an “aggressive Qi” treatment, acupuncture practitioners can place obsidian on the points that were treated to increase stability to the treatment.
In a stone layout, place stones on the back along the spine to treat conditions on the Defensive/Wei level.
Internal Application
Drink as an elixir for high blood pressure.
Intentional Application
Place a specimen or sphere in the north or northeast section of the home to cultivate knowledge or wisdom.
Wear at the center of the chest/CV-17 during qigong or taiji practice to support Qi movement.
Gaze for a short time into a black obsidian sphere to gain insight into the darkness of life.
Hold the stone. Because of the darkness of its color, it helps us find an inner sanctuary, or inner light, and promotes Heart–Kidney communication.
Cautions and Contraindications
Obsidian is appropriate to use short-term for acute conditions.
It can cause a healing crisis.
Do not place in the center of the chest or abdomen for people with anxiety.
Combinations
After “aggressive Qi” treatments, where there are red areas, apply jasper, aventurine, or agate to begin slowly breaking up blockages in the areas of excess.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in warm running water for twenty minutes. Charge in the sunlight for one day.
Alternatively, cleanse with hematite, which grounds it back to the volcanic origin.
Obsidian itself recharges the internal Fire of other stones.
|
GOLD SHEEN OBSIDIAN |
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|
(See color insert plate 28) |
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Taste |
Spicy |
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Nature |
Cooling |
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Affinities |
LU/LR/ST |
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|
Hardness |
5–5.5 |
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|
Crystal structure |
Amorphous |
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|
Stone group |
Volcanic/glassy |
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Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
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Color/Appearance/Light
Black or brown with a gold sheen
Chemical Composition
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
It contains a small percentage of water, gases, and other minerals.
The water content makes it an effective stone to conduct Qi, especially to support intention or mind-set, making it a helpful adjunct to massage, Reiki, and qigong practice.
Functions and Uses
Breaks up obstruction in the upper region.
Treats lethargy in children.
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Massage the neck.
Internal Application
Drink as an elixir for lethargy.
Intentional Application
Meditate with a sphere to build back something that seems to be missing from life.
Place a specimen or sculpture in the west corner of the home to support the palaces of travel and adventure and creativity.
Cautions and Contraindications
Obsidian is appropriate short-term for acute conditions.
It can cause a healing crisis.
Do not place in the center of the chest or abdomen for people with anxiety.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in warm running water for twenty minutes. Charge in the sunlight for one day.
Alternatively, cleanse with hematite, which grounds it back to the volcanic origin.
Obsidian itself recharges the internal Fire of other igneous stones.
|
MAHOGANY OBSIDIAN |
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|
(See color insert plate 28) |
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Taste |
Spicy |
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Nature |
Cooling |
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|
Affinities |
LR/ST |
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|
Hardness |
5–5.5 |
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|
Crystal structure |
Amorphous |
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|
Stone group |
Volcanic/glassy |
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|
Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Mottled dark brownish red with black. The red color is the quality of red called dan, a color used for early stages of meditation.
Red gives association with the Blood.
Chemical Composition
Silicon dioxide (SiO2) + iron and magnesium
Key Characteristics
Of the obsidians, mahogany has the strongest effect on Blood and cools inflammation. It is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Yin Wei Mai
Ascending
Functions and Uses
Clears Liver Heat; addresses emotional components of Liver Wind. Indicated for:
– vexation, anxiety, irritability
– seizures
– inability to concentrate
– impulsiveness, irrationality, excess emotional sensitivity, obsessive-compulsive behavior, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
– dyslexia, autism, difficulty expressing thoughts
– early stages of meditation
Clears Wind-Heat. Indicated for:
– fevers
– chronic sinus/Yangming inflammations
– Wind-Heat Bi/Obstruction syndrome
– gum swelling
– inflammatory pain conditions that show red skin and feel hot to the touch
Clears Heat in the Blood. Indicated for:
– delayed menses
Cleansing for the Soul/Ling; gives light where there is darkness. Indicated for:
– depression
– fear, shock, post-traumatic stress disorder
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– depression or despair
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Place a mahogany obsidian sphere on the navel to move
Blood to the lower region.
Roll a sphere over the pubic region for delayed menses.
Place at the top of the head for low blood pressure.
Carry a worry stone for depression, fear, or ADHD.
Internal Application
Drink as an elixir to clear inflammation.
Use as a mouthwash for red, swollen gums.
Intentional Application
Hold a sphere during meditation.
Cautions and Contraindications
Obsidian is appropriate to use short-term for acute conditions.
It can cause a healing crisis.
Do not place in the center of the chest or abdomen for people with anxiety.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Of the obsidians, mahogany obsidian has the strongest relationship to Blood.
Combinations
When set in gold, mahogany obsidian addresses symptoms in the upper region, such as sinus infections. When set in silver, it addresses symptoms in the lower region, such as delayed menses.
Massage the neck with gold sheen obsidian and take an elixir of mahogany obsidian for inflammation.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in warm running water for twenty minutes. Charge in the sunlight for one day.
Alternatively, cleanse with hematite, which grounds it back to the volcanic origin.
Obsidian itself recharges the internal Fire of other igneous stones.
|
RAINBOW OBSIDIAN |
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|
Taste |
Spicy |
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|
Nature |
Cooling |
||
|
Affinities |
ST/LR |
||
|
Hardness |
5–5.5 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Amorphous |
||
|
Stone group |
Volcanic/glassy |
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|
Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Dark. Rainbow rings, sometimes quite colorful, appear when polished. These are likely the result of trapped gases bending the light.
Chemical Composition
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
It can also contain aluminum and calcium, as well as sodium, iron, or magnesium oxides.
Key Characteristics
Of the obsidians, rainbow obsidian has the greatest effect on glandular imbalances.
Its effect moves through the Fluid system of the body to bring light, revelation, and realization, to begin breaking through “stuckness”—the Qi stagnation that burns us up. Heat consumes the Qi; Heat burns the Jing/hormonal system and causes the loss of latency.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Supports both Heart–Kidney communication and the Lung–Kidney relationship.
It directs Lung and Heart Qi down to be grasped by the Kidneys and brings the Kidney Qi up to the upper region.
Functions and Uses
Brings light and revelation to break through darkness or emotional “stuckness.” Indicated for:
– depression, addictions
Clears Fire Toxins in the hormonal glands. Indicated for:
– hyperthyroidism
– glandular cancers (breast, adrenal, ovarian, thyroid)
Emotional use. Indicated for:
– people who are stuck in their way of being and can’t change
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– wisdom palace, to cultivate the knowledge that gives way to transformation
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Place rainbow obsidian on the lower abdomen to feel more rooted.
Place small stones on the bottoms of the feet to ground energy during qigong practice.
For glandular issues, massage, place, or tape:
· on the upper border of the pubic bone, about two fingers’ width lateral to the center line/ST-30 to access the ovaries.
· on the anterior border of the sternocleidomastoid, lateral to the Adam’s apple, where the carotid artery pulses/ST-9 to access the thyroid glands.
· on the midline of the abdomen, midway between the navel and the “V” where the ribs meet the base of the sternum/CV-12 to access the pancreas.
For sadness because of disappointments in love, massage or tape on the inner edge of the wrist/forearm in line with the thumb, in the depression proximal to the bony landmark of the radial styloid process/LU-7, and also four fingers’ width proximal to the bony landmark at the end of the radius in line with the index finger/LI-6 (Luo points).
For the feeling of helplessness, tape to the inner forearm three fingers’ width above the wrist crease (looking at the palm side of the hand), between the tendons/PC-6.
Use the elixir as a wash for cradle cap.
Intentional Application
Wear as an amulet for depression and feelings of helplessness.
Place a specimen or sculpture in the north corner of the home to cultivate the palace of wisdom.
Cautions and Contraindications
Obsidian is appropriate to use short-term for acute conditions.
It can cause a healing crisis.
Do not place in the center of the chest or abdomen for people with anxiety.
Combinations
For breast cancer complicated by Heat, combine with calcite; or, if complicated by Dampness, combine with barite.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in warm running water for twenty minutes. Charge in the sunlight for one day.
Alternatively, cleanse with hematite, which grounds it back to the volcanic origin.
Obsidian itself recharges the internal Fire of other igneous stones.
|
SILVER SHEEN OBSIDIAN |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Cooling |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/LR/ST |
||
|
Hardness |
5–5.5 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Amorphous |
||
|
Stone group |
Volcanic/glassy |
||
|
Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Black or brown with a silver sheen
Chemical Composition
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
It contains a small percentage of water, gases, and other minerals.
The water content makes it an effective stone to conduct Qi, especially to support intention or mind-set, making it a helpful adjunct to massage, Reiki, and qigong practice.
Functions and Uses
Calms and sedates a colicky, restless infant.
Breaks up obstructions in the lower back.
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– breaking up an attitude or behavior no longer necessary in life
– creativity palace
Methods of Application
Topical Application
For a colicky baby, gently roll a body-temperature sphere around the abdominal area.
Massage, place, or tape on the low back.
Cautions and Contraindications
Obsidian is appropriate to use short-term for acute conditions.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse once a month in running water. Place with rock crystal for a couple of days to charge.
|
SNOWFLAKE OBSIDIAN |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 28) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Warming |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/LR/HT/KI |
||
|
Hardness |
5 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Amorphous |
||
|
Stone group |
Volcanic/glassy |
||
|
Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Black with whitish “snowflakes.” The combination of black with white gives association to the Kidneys and Lungs.
Chemical Composition
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
The whitish snowflakes are bits of quartz.
Key Characteristics
Generally affects circulation and the sensory orifices.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Supports the relationships of Lung–Kidney (bringing Defensive/Qi inward to give stamina) and Heart–Kidney (offering hope), especially for Kidneys grasping the Qi.
Yang Wei Mai
Functions and Uses
Invigorates Blood; breaks up stagnation. Indicated for:
– low blood pressure
– venous congestion, poor circulation in the legs, varicose veins, bruises, wounds, scar tissue
– Raynaud’s syndrome
Supports both Heart–Kidney and Lung–Kidney relationships. Indicated for:
– asthma
Brings its effects to the upper orifices: eyes, nose, sinuses, and throat region. Indicated for:
– allergies
Emotional use. Indicated for:
– offering hope—snowflake obsidian allows us to go inward and return to our roots; in so doing, we cut through the sense that there is no solution to our suffering
– increasing stamina and enthusiasm to allow for easier accommodation to the changes the world provides; makes the invitation to integrate into society
Methods of Application
Topical Application
For Raynaud’s syndrome, hold and play with snowflake obsidian to warm up the hands.
Tape on the spot identified as HT-5—on the little-finger side of the inner wrist/forearm (on the palm side of the hand), touch the hollow in the wrist crease in line with the little finger and slide your finger proximally over the bump to find the next hollow area one thumb’s width medial to the tendon—to support Heart–Kidney communication, especially when one is feeling hopeless, when after a long-term crisis one has no belief that there is a way out.
Cautions and Contraindications
Snowflake obsidian increases blood pressure. Do not use with hypertension.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Snowflake obsidian promotes hope, a function of the Heart–Kidney relationship. When a person feels helpless, rainbow obsidian is more useful for its impact on the Pericardium–Heart relationship.
Of the obsidians, snowflake is the most warming, giving it a relatively stronger Defensive/Wei Qi affinity.
For a treatment to release trauma, use snowflake obsidian after a process of treatment that has included the other obsidians.
Snowflake obsidian is the most grounding of all the obsidians.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse once a month in running water. Place with rock crystal for a couple of days to regenerate its energy from the quartz, with that quality of “polishing clarity from the Earth.”
|
• Petrified Wood • |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 29) |
|||
|
Taste |
Sweet, salty |
||
|
Nature |
Cooling |
||
|
Affinities |
LR/SP/ST |
||
|
Hardness |
5.5–7 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Trigonal (agatized) or amorphous (opalized) |
||
|
Stone group |
Oxide |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Dull gray or brown, sometimes red, pink, yellow, and even blue to violet. The color depends on the type of tree and the minerals in the environment. It is opaque—sometimes the grain of the wood is still visible.
Chemical Composition
Silicon dioxide (SiO2)
It can include iron and carbon.
Some petrified wood is “agatized,” with characteristics of a trigonal crystal structure and a hardness of 7. Other forms are “opalized,” with an amorphous crystal structure and a hardness of 5.5–6.
It is possible to find petrified cactus and coral. The patterns of growth are still visible.
Key Characteristics
It is grounding and stabilizing.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Petrified wood has a strong relationship to the Hun, the soul of the Liver that gives access to the past and the future and engages with the collective consciousness.
Functions and Uses
A record keeper—it has stood up to time; stabilizes the Hun, the soul of the Liver. Indicated for:
– poor memory, either short-term or long-term; Alzheimer’s; forgetfulness
– daydreaming, indecisiveness, distractibility, sleeping with the eyes open
– past life recall, astral projection
Regulates Liver Qi; cools Liver Blood. Indicated for:
– red eyes, hypertension, headache
Resolves Liver invading Spleen/Stomach. Indicated for:
– nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension
– colicky babies
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Petrified wood requires direct skin contact.
Massage or place on the midline of the abdomen, midway between the navel and the “V” where the ribs meet the base of the sternum/CV-12, for colicky babies, to absorb Heat.
Rub the soles of children’s feet, especially in the depression behind the ball of the foot/KI-1, to relax convulsions.
Place on the navel and heat with moxa or a far-infrared lamp, to pull energy downward, for headaches.
Internal Application
Drink as an elixir for hypertension, for red eyes, and to address other functions and uses.
Intentional Application
Hold and meditate with a sphere just before sleep, to see what emerges.
Cautions and Contraindications
None known.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
As a record keeper, petrified wood is a tool for looking into the past. Meteorites are also record keepers, but they allow us to look into the future or into other planes of existence.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse in running water (especially the opalized variety, to support its water content).
Charge with quartz crystal, or bury in the earth for a day or so.
|
• Scolecite • |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 30) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy, Bitter |
||
|
Nature |
Warming |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/SP |
||
|
Hardness |
5–5.5 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Monoclinic |
||
|
Stone group |
Framework silicate (zeolite) |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei, igneous/Yuan |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Mostly white, sometimes pink or colorless. It typically appears as brittle clusters of transparent, translucent, or opaque crystals with vertical striations. They are sometimes fibrous.
Scolecite is unusual among white stones for its warming nature. Most white stones are cooling, because they reflect Heat outward.
Chemical Composition
Hydrous calcium aluminum silicate (CaAl2Si3O10·3H20)
Common impurities include small amounts of sodium and potassium.
Key Characteristics
The spicy taste and Lung affinity give scolecite an expectorant quality. The bitter taste, however, with its descending effect, brings mucus downward in the body to be excreted through the bowels.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Descending
Functions and Uses
Breaks up Fluid and Phlegm stagnation and moves it through the bowels. Indicated for:
– chronic sinus congestion, postnasal drip
– irritable bowel syndrome, mucus in the stools, intestinal stagnation
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Massage, place, or tape:
· two thumbs’ width lateral to the navel/ST-25 for constipation.
· next to the nostrils for sinus congestion.
Internal Application
Use a potentiated quartz crystal to make an elixir. Drink to break up Fluid and Phlegm stagnation.
Cautions and Contraindications
Scolecite is relatively soft and contains aluminum. Use a potentiated quartz crystal for an elixir.
Combinations
In combination with apophyllite, scolecite helps break up phlegm; apophyllite clears Heat in the chest causing coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse and charge in quartz crystal.
Common Locations
Iceland, India
|
• Septarian Nodules/Dragon’s Egg • |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 31) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy, sweet, bitter |
||
|
Nature |
Cooling |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/LR/ST/KI |
||
|
Hardness |
3–4 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Orthorhombic/trigonal |
||
|
Stone group |
Carbonate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
Compact masses combining calcite (fossilized seashells), aragonite, barite, and limestone. Rough specimens are brown, roundish “mud balls” with protruding “walls” defining geometric shapes. Polished specimens have angular cavities and cracks filled with yellow calcite, white or clear barite, or gray limestone, all outlined by brown aragonite.
Chemical Composition
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
Barium sulfate (BaSO4)
Key Characteristics
It is rich in calcium, while its sulfur absorbs and retains Heat effectively. The combination supports the Bones and structure.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
A composite stone, it accumulates energy inward and dissipates negativity.
Functions and Uses
Stimulates calcium metabolism. Indicated for:
– osteoporosis
– fractures
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– health palace
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Septarian is particularly effective when used with heat from moxa or a far-infrared lamp.
Place on the navel/CV-8 and focus far-infrared heat to tonify and restore Yang for the integrity of the skin and for the dynamics of bone loss.
Intentional Application
Place a specimen or sphere in the eastern area of the home to support the palace of health.
Cautions and Contraindications
It includes sulfur in its chemistry, mandating only short-term use.
It is not appropriate as an elixir.
Cleansing and Charging
Polished specimens can be cleansed in running water for only a short time. They lose their shiny finish if left in water too long.
Common Locations
Madagascar, New Zealand, England, United States (Utah)
|
• Stalactite/Stalagmite • |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 32) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy, sweet, salty |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
||
|
Affinities |
LU |
||
|
Hardness |
3.5–4 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
||
|
Stone group |
Carbonate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Sedimentary/Wei |
||
Chinese Name
Chong ru xiang shi, “heavy nipples of the cavern” (“milk coming down from the cavern”)
This name is an allusion to its action of promoting lactation.
He guan shi, “goose neck rock”
It resonates with the throat and neck.
Color/Appearance/Light
In addition to the formation of the stone through dripping action, crystals of quartz, amethyst, and calcite often appear around the core calcium carbonate stone of the stalactite.
Chemical Composition
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3)
Calcium protects the bones and softens phlegm.
Key Characteristics
It is useful for moving stagnation. It strengthens Yang, but it is also cold in nature, which promotes latency.
It helps give direction, especially to navigate a spiritual path.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Descending and draws inward.
Functions and Uses
Assists Kidneys to grasp Lung Qi. Indicated for:
– wheezing and coughing
– restoring latency for cancer, especially breast cancer
Generates fluids; hydrates; promotes lactation.
Softens hardness; transforms and breaks up phlegm and stagnation. Indicated for:
– goiter, hyperthyroidism due to Stomach Fire
– breast cancer
Clears Heat in the joints. Indicated for:
– Hot Bi/Obstruction syndrome, or joint pain, especially with redness or swelling
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– receiving spiritual guidance regarding our curriculum; it is a stone of prophecy
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Massage, place, or tape on the lateral torso, just below and in front of the tip of the eleventh rib, usually on a level slightly higher than the navel/LR-13, to drain Dampness from the Belt Channel/Dai Mai.
Use the elixir as a wash for breast cancer with necrosis.
Internal Application
Soak stalactite in spring water for one month prior to use. Drink 8 ounces a day to replenish fluids and restore latency for cancer.
Drink stalactite water to reduce the effects of radiation.
Intentional Application
Stalactites are included in sculptures representing spiritual endeavor. Contemplating the images in relationship to the movement of water can help give spiritual practitioners direction to navigate spiritual growth, letting go of the past as they enter the cavity of their own self-consciousness.
Cautions and Contraindications
None known.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Aragonite and stalactite are both calcium carbonates. Aragonite is found near hot springs and is warming in nature; stalactite is found in caves and is cold in nature.
True stalactites are difficult to find on the market. Caves where they grow are protected environments. China has forbidden their export, and in the United States, it is illegal to gather them. There are, however, stalactite-like growths called “fingers” that have similar properties.
Combinations
It is potentiated by garnet.
Stone History
Gehong considered stalactite a harmonizing stone.
|
• Stilbite • |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 33) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
||
|
Affinities |
LR/HT/KI |
||
|
Hardness |
3.5–4 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Monoclinic |
||
|
Stone group |
Framework silicate (zeolite) |
||
|
Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan, metamorphic/Ying |
||
Color/Appearance/Light
White, pink, orange, brown, or yellow. The stone grows with many terminations, promoting more Qi flow. It reflects light and seems to have its own light shining out. We can almost imagine that it is working on the level of light more than on the form level.
Chemical Composition
Hydrated sodium calcium aluminum silicate
(NaCa2Al5Si13O36·nH2O)
There are two “strains.” In one, the calcium dominates over sodium; in the other sodium dominates over calcium. We cannot know which is which without testing. It can also contain traces of potassium.
Overall, the chemical composition addresses Fluids and Phlegm. The water content gives conductivity.
Key Characteristics
Stilbite does not nourish. The spicy taste moves stagnation out. The cold nature gives it a diuretic quality, so it clears toxicity through urination more than by sweating.
When the Heart is overwhelmed by life challenges, the Kidneys develop fear. Urination gives a route to clear the Heart of stress and the pressure we put on ourselves, ultimately to reduce fear.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Establishes Heart–Kidney communication.
Anatomical level: sinews
It affects the Brain through the trajectory of the Liver channel.
Functions and Uses
Clears Heat from the Heart through the Urinary Bladder (via the Small Intestine). Indicated for:
– anxiety, internal pressure on the self
– chest pain
Clears Heat and Fire Toxins; chelates heavy metals. Indicated for:
– heavy metal toxicity, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease
– tumors
– synthetic hormones absorbed from food and water stored in plastic containers
– skin conditions, inflamed pustular eruptions, cellulite
– injuries, such as torn ligaments or tendons
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– enhancing the flow of energy during qigong practice
– helping us to reflect on our condition
Methods of Application
Topical Application
For chest oppression or pain, place stilbite on the chest.
For cancer, apply topically on the site of metastasis, where Heat is concentrated. Apply only in the darkness, so that the stone can reflect the Heat outward. If used with light, it is possible that it would reflect back into the body, adding Heat to the metastasis.
Pulverize the stone and use as a poultice over torn ligaments or tendons.
Make a massage liniment by adding alcohol to an elixir, 50:50, and use for injuries.
Use the elixir as a wash for skin conditions.
Internal Application
If the elixir is intended for drinking, use a potentiated quartz crystal.
Cautions and Contraindications
It is a soft stone containing aluminum. Use a potentiated quartz crystal for elixirs.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Stilbite is similar to tourmaline in its ability to remove toxins from the body.
Its appearance is very different from some of the other white stones. For example, howlite has a uniform growth pattern, and magnesite is choppy and rounded in shape. Stilbite is jagged, with more terminations, giving it the capacity to stimulate more Qi flow.
Combinations
Stilbite is an associate stone in a combination, not a principal stone.
It combines well with apophyllite when the intention is to chelate heavy metal toxicity.
For a liniment (not an elixir to drink), combine stilbite with a stone high in copper content, for example malachite, in an elixir, and mix 50:50 with alcohol. The combination draws Fire Toxins out of an area and is beneficial to the Sinews and Bones.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse with smudging. Recharge in quartz crystal.
Common Locations
India, Scotland, Iceland, Canada (Nova Scotia), United States (New Jersey)
|
• Talc • |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 34) |
|||
|
Taste |
Sweet, bland |
||
|
Nature |
Cold |
||
|
Affinities |
ST/UB |
||
|
Hardness |
1 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Triclinic |
||
|
Stone group |
Sheet silicate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Metamorphic/Ying |
||
Chinese Name
Hua shi, “slippery stone”
The stone has a slippery feel when wet, and it treats a slippery pulse.
Color/Appearance/Light
White to almost silver, green, or gray. Crystals are rare, but they can be translucent. The massive form is opaque.
Chemical Composition
Magnesium silicate hydroxide (Mg3Si4O10(OH)2)
Magnesium is purgative and clears Heat from the lower region.
Some talc can include asbestos.
Key Characteristics
With a hardness of 1, talc is the stone used in the Mohs scale to denote the softest stone. Talc has the weakest structural bond, making it very vulnerable, highly reactive, and soluble. Its therapeutic effects are felt quickly.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Descending
Functions and Uses
Stabilizing and descending. Indicated for:
– anxiety
Clears Damp-Heat. Indicated for:
– hot, painful dribbling urination
– hot, oozing rashes or sores
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Apply as a powder directly on sores or rashes.
Internal Application
As a decoction—wrap talc in a cloth bag to prevent residual sediment.
Cautions and Contraindications
Talc is relatively toxic. Do not use during pregnancy (because of its strong descending energy). If using internally, its weight can interfere with the dissemination of Yang Qi. It is contraindicated when there is Yang deficiency or Spleen deficiency. It is a diuretic, so a person needs to drink a lot of water during treatment to replenish.
Talcum powder has been implicated in certain cancers, probably due to its asbestos content, and most likely from inhaling the powder. In the United States, talcum powder used cosmetically is free of asbestos.
Cleansing and Charging
It cannot be cleansed in water. Place with hematite or a quartz crystal.
Stone History
Talc was a favorite stone of Liu Wansu, a Daoist practitioner who developed the school of Cooling and Cold. His interest in alchemy brought his attention to minerals. He used talc in his 6:1 formula to direct energy downward to manage fear and apprehension.
Common Locations
Germany, Italy, Austria, Scotland, South Africa, United States (Appalachian Mountains, California, and Texas)
|
• Tourmaline • |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 35) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy, bitter, salty |
||
|
Nature |
Warming or cooling, depending on color |
||
|
Affinities |
LU/LR/KI |
||
|
Hardness |
7–7.5 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
||
|
Stone group |
Ring silicate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
||
Chinese Name
Di qi shi, “electrical Qi rock”
Tourmaline has both a pyroelectric and piezoelectric effect, meaning that if heat or pressure is applied to the stone, it generates an electrical charge.
Color/Appearance/Light
Black, blue, brown, green, pink, watermelon, or yellow. It grows with a trigonal crystal structure but often appears in the shape of a hexagonal crystal.
It is Wood becoming Fire. It is very active and has a commanding effect on Qi. It is the general commanding the body’s resources. Any tourmaline crystal with a termination will have greater moving quality.
Chemical Composition
Tourmaline is the name of a group of stones with varying chemical composition. Elbaite is the name used for most of the varying colors of gem-quality stones. Its formula is:
Sodium lithium aluminum borosilicate hydroxide
(Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH))
Other varieties can also contain calcium and potassium, along with many color-causing trace minerals.
Key Characteristics
Tourmaline promotes the ability to tolerate the negativity we encounter in the world, including our relationships and environmental pollutants.
Tourmaline helps draw all types of stagnation and/or poisons from the constitutional level out of the body.
Tourmaline’s warming nature makes it stimulating to Defensive/Wei Qi. It is a very protective stone that allows for greater communication with and connection to the external environment. It protects against Wind, radiation, and any kind of poisoning: food, heavy metal, and people.
It is more regulating than clearing, though it is a powerful chelating agent. A ring silicate, it absorbs and draws toxins from the body.
Temperamentally, tourmaline is an excellent stone to choose for a person who has Wood qualities, especially if he is reluctant to live his Wood temperament—he doesn’t want to be “in charge”; he doesn’t want to be responsible; he doesn’t want to be Wood.
Studies using pulverized tourmaline demonstrate that the smaller the particles, the stronger the far-infrared emission properties.*26
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
All colors affect the first confluence of the Kidney– Bladder Divergent Meridian.
Tourmaline is a good stone for distal placement because of its ability to bring movement from the Source/Yuan level to the Defensive/Wei level.
Cautions and Contraindications
As an elixir, use only for the short term, though it can be used longer than fluorite.
Tourmaline is not appropriate for use with the Triple Heater or Lung Divergent Meridians, because at this relatively deep level of illness, the person has insufficient strength to bring pathology to the exterior.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Tourmaline, quartz, and apophyllite are all harmonizers, though they behave very differently. Quartz harmonizes by helping “everybody to get along.” Tourmaline harmonizes by drawing attention to issues that need work, to ultimately resolve them and move in a more harmonious fashion. Apophyllite harmonizes by its shape, keeping everything in order.
Jasper and tourmaline both work well on the Mu points on the front of the body, but tourmaline is stronger for these points.
With its access to both the Defensive/Wei and Source/Yuan levels as pertaining to Qi, any color of tourmaline affects the KI–UB Divergent Meridian. Different colors can be used to target other specific Divergent Meridian systems:
· black—KI/UB
· yellow—ST/SP
· green—LR/GB
· red or pink—HT/SI
Tourmaline is similar in effect to the use of the acupuncture Xi-Cleft points for crisis or emergency.
Tourmaline is similar to reishi or maitaki mushrooms in its effect on the immune system.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse with running water; recharge with quartz or amethyst. Cleanse every two weeks or once a month, depending on frequency of use. Do not put in the sun.
Stone History
In the early days of acupuncture, thin crystals of tourmaline were used as needles.
There was very little interest in tourmaline anywhere in the world until the nineteenth century, when the dowager empress of China developed a passion for it. Large pieces from Maine and California were shipped to China to be carved into works of art. When she died, the industry of mining tourmaline also died, until relatively recent times.
|
BLACK TOURMALINE/SCHORL |
|||
|
(See color insert plate 35) |
|||
|
Taste |
Spicy, bitter, salty |
||
|
Nature |
Warming |
||
|
Affinities |
KI/LU |
||
|
Hardness |
7–7.5 |
||
|
Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
||
|
Stone group |
Ring silicate |
||
|
Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
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Chinese Name
Ci tian shi, “penetrating (stabbing) the field stone”
The tian refers to the Elixir Field of the lower abdomen. The stone penetrates into deep energetic levels of the body to change the Essence/Jing.
Color/Appearance/Light
It appears as striated terminated crystals, some of which are rather large. They are opaque but often have shiny areas.
The opaque black color absorbs Heat and toxicity from the body. Because black also absorbs light, the stone can be helpful for people with seasonal affective disorder, when exterior light has diminished.
With its association to the Kidneys, black tourmaline works with ancestral issues.
Chemical Composition
Sodium iron aluminum borosilicate hydroxide
(Na(Fe,Mn)3Al6B3Si6O27(OH)3(OH,F))
Hydroxides are purging.
It can also contain traces of magnesium, potassium, or calcium.
Key Characteristics
Of the tourmalines, the black color is the most Defensive/Wei Qi oriented. It is a strong chelating agent, releasing toxicity back to the exterior.
It is very moving and can provoke a healing crisis.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Black tourmaline stimulates Yang Qi and has a very strong Defensive/Wei Qi relationship. It works with both the Kidneys and the Lungs to release to the exterior.
It directs pathology away from the Source/Yuan level/DNA, to allow for cellular repair.
Functions and Uses
Expels internal or external pathogenic factors to the exterior; breaks up accumulation of stagnation and brings it to the exterior; lowers viral load. Indicated for:
– environmental and ecological factors, such as heavy metal toxicity or mercury poisoning
– autoimmune conditions
– shingles
– chronic infestations or infectious disease causing damage to the Jing/Essence or RNA/DNA; cancer
– heavy metal toxicity, electromagnetic radiation, and other environmental toxins
– autism, adults stuck in a rut
Strengthens Heart and Lung Qi. Indicated for:
– cold hands, neuropathy
Breaks up Cold-Bi obstruction. Indicated for:
– gout, arthritis
Breaks up blockages, especially at the Mu points. Indicated for:
– hepatitis, gastritis, heart conditions
Emotional use. Indicated for:
– working with fear: either feeling vulnerable to the environment or fearful of the people around you
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– opening the third eye center, because it absorbs divine light into the brain
– offering the wisdom of “finding yourself”; promotes knowledge of self
– improving vision
– protecting against evil curses, absorbing negativity and repelling it; as a talisman against black magic
– protection when practicing channeling, psychic development, or astral projection
– enhancing a treatment to balance the chakras
Methods of Application
Topical Application
In a stone layout, place black tourmaline in the hands or under the feet to help release Wind to the exterior.
For a person whose fundamental imbalance is on the Defensive/Wei level, such as with poor emotional boundaries, place tourmaline directly on the spine to stimulate Kidney Yang in its relationship to the unfolding of the Tree of Life—that is, to stimulate Triple Heater dynamics.
For shingles, apply as a powder to areas of pain.
Apply the powder to scarring from injuries or burns.
Internal Application
Black tourmaline water is beneficial to drink when traveling because it helps protect and clear the body of radiation.
Black tourmaline elixir is protective when undergoing radiation therapy.
The elixir works quickly to detoxify and is especially helpful for autoimmune disease.
Intentional Application
Wear as jewelry to feel protected and secure.
Place on the third eye for two to three minutes. It is slow acting but potent.
Place next to the computer or on the bedside table to attract electromagnetic radiation away from the body.
Cautions and Contraindications
Black tourmaline is very strong. It can cause a healing crisis. It is contraindicated for people who do not sweat easily, cannot lose weight, or have no coating on the tongue (indicative of deficient fluids).
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Black tourmaline is stronger than jasper in its effect of breaking up blockages on the Mu points.
It is the best tourmaline for eliminating environmental toxins.
Combinations
Combine pulverized tourmaline with jasper to break up accumulations, especially on the Mu points. Apply as a poultice or plaster and leave on for twelve hours.
Combine tourmaline with:
· obsidian. Together, they each potentiate their Defensive/Wei Qi functions.
· agate to break up Cold Phlegm and move lymphatic congestion.
In addition to its ability to absorb toxins from the body, tourmaline also absorbs Excess Qi, making it a good stone to balance the strong Yang-building nature of citrine.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse with running water; recharge with quartz or amethyst. Cleanse every two weeks or once a month, depending on frequency of use. Do not put in the sun.
Common Locations
Myanmar, India, Madagascar, Sri Lanka
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BLUE TOURMALINE/INDICOLITE |
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Taste |
Spicy, bitter, salty |
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Nature |
Cooling |
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Affinities |
LU/LR/KI |
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Hardness |
7–7.5 |
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Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
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Stone group |
Ring silicate |
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Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
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Color/Appearance/Light
The blue color gives relationship to Wood/Liver and Water/Kidney. Good-quality indicolite is transparent.
Chemical Composition
Sodium lithium aluminum borosilicate hydroxide
(Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH))
(Formula given is for elbaite—most indicolite is elbaite.) The blue color comes from inclusions of iron.
Key Characteristics
Blue tourmaline regulates Liver Qi as it affects the Lungs and Kidneys.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
The Liver affinity associates with Defensive/Wei Qi but also relates to the upper trajectory of the Gall Bladder channel, the Liver’s Yang pair. This trajectory travels to the upper region, affecting the eyes, ears, and throat. It also affects the thyroid glands, which are very sensitive to Wei Qi.
Functions and Uses
Resolves issues of Liver insulting the Lungs. Indicated for:
– stress coughs, asthma with nervousness, asthmatic wheezing
– bronchial asthma
– diaphragmatic constriction relating to respiration
Affects upper trajectory of the Gall Bladder meridian and the sensory organs. Indicated for:
– chronic allergies or other symptoms affecting the eyes, nose, or throat
Drains Dampness. Indicated for:
– water retention, edema
– incontinence
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– wisdom palace—it helps convert knowledge into wisdom
Temperamentally, the Wood type pursues external discoveries leading to knowledge. A Water type is more interested in internal discoveries, using self-reflection to bring wisdom. A person with a combination of these two constitutional types will often create a life of contradictions, perhaps trying to fit the laws of science into a spiritual framework. Blue tourmaline relaxes the need to pursue the external knowledge and brings more attention to the internal pursuit.
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Place near the eyes, nostrils, or throat.
Tourmaline is one of the best stones to enhance chakra balancing and to change the auric field. In a chakra treatment, place an appropriately colored tourmaline to enhance another stone’s color, such as a blue tourmaline with blue aventurine.
Internal Application
Drink as an elixir to address functions and uses.
Use the elixir as a rinse for a sore throat.
Intentional Application
Wear as jewelry to feel protected and secure.
Cautions and Contraindications
Not as strong as black tourmaline, but still use with caution for weak people who are unable to eliminate well.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse with running water; recharge with quartz or amethyst. Cleanse every two weeks or once a month, depending on frequency of use. Do not put in the sun.
Common Locations
Brazil, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Nigeria, Mozambique, United States (Maine and California)
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BROWN TOURMALINE/DRAVITE/UVITE |
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(See color insert plate 35) |
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Taste |
Spicy, bitter, salty |
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Nature |
Warming |
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Affinities |
LR/KI |
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Hardness |
7–7.5 |
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Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
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Stone group |
Ring silicate |
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Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
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Color/Appearance/Light
Brown, dark orange brown, dark yellow, or brownish black. They usually appear as chunky, opaque crystals.
Chemical Composition
There are two named varieties with similar chemical composition—dravite contains sodium; uvite contains calcium.
Dravite: Sodium magnesium aluminum borosilicate hydroxide (NaMg3Al6B3Si6O27(OH)3(OH,F))
Uvite: Calcium magnesium aluminum borosilicate hydroxide (CaMg3(Al5Mg)B3Si6O27(OH)3(OH,F))
The fluoride accesses areas of the body where pathology is held latent. It brings with it the softening effect of sodium, to break up accumulations and move them out of the body.
It can also contain traces of iron, manganese, titanium, calcium, chromium, and potassium.
Sodium, magnesium, and potassium regulate the fluids. Iron and chromium cool Heat in the Blood.
Key Characteristics
An anchoring, grounding stone
Functions and Uses
Regulates Fluids; softens hardness and moves accumulations. Indicated for:
– constipation
– cancer
Breaks up Fire Toxins and moves them out. Indicated for:
– cancer, especially of the skin
– shingles
Cools Heat in the Blood. Indicated for:
– blood in the stool, bleeding ulcers
Stimulates Essence/Jing to promote regeneration of tissues, organs, and cells. Indicated for:
– after surgery on a major organ
– skin cancer
Stimulates Defensive/Wei Qi to resolve bacterial infection, especially in the Urinary Bladder. Indicated for:
– urinary tract infections with frequent urination
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– health palace
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Place on the midline of the lower abdomen, a thumb’s width above the upper border of the pubic bone/CV-3, for urinary tract infections or frequent urination.
For shingles, apply powdered brown tourmaline to areas of pain.
Use the elixir as a wash for skin conditions.
Internal Application
Drink as an elixir to address functions and uses and for detoxification.
Intentional Application
Wear as jewelry to feel protected and secure.
Place a specimen in the east corner of the home to support the palace of health.
Cautions and Contraindications
Not as strong as black tourmaline, but still use with caution for weak people who are unable to eliminate well.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse with running water; recharge with quartz or amethyst. Cleanse every two weeks or once a month, depending on frequency of use. Do not put in the sun.
Common Locations
Myanmar, Sri Lanka
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GREEN TOURMALINE/VERDILITE |
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(See color insert plate 35) |
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Taste |
Bitter, salty |
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Nature |
Cooling |
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Affinities |
HT/LR/KI |
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Hardness |
7–7.5 |
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Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
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Stone group |
Ring silicate |
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Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
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Color/Appearance/Light
The typical green color is relatively strong and dark, though it can also be slightly yellowish. It is often available as an almost needlelike crystal, which can be used to tap points directly, and even to bleed them. It is somewhat transparent.
There is also a rare emerald green color called chrome tourmaline.
Chemical Composition
Sodium lithium aluminum borosilicate hydroxide
(Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH))
The green color probably comes from iron impurities.
The chrome color comes from chromium and vanadium impurities.
Key Characteristics
Green tourmaline addresses Heat responding to Dampness.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
Moves Kidney Yang to support Liver Blood (which in turn supports Heart Blood and Qi).
Functions and Uses
Regulates Qi and Blood; strengthens Heart Qi and breaks up Blood stagnation. Indicated for:
– heart conditions, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, poor circulation
– chronic fatigue syndrome, lethargy, fatigue due to weak Heart Qi
– anxiety, high blood pressure, mania
– pain conditions
Regulates and tonifies Defensive/Wei Qi and Postnatal Qi. Indicated for:
– acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), low T-cell count
– Lyme disease
– weak immunity, vulnerability to climatic factors
– poor digestion, constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome
– wasting and thirsting, diabetes
– environmental toxic factors; radiation
Stimulates Kidney Yang. Indicated for:
– convalescence
– Cold and fixed joint pain
Opens the throat to affect the sensory orifices. Indicated for:
– Qi stagnation in the eyes, mouth, and tongue
Emotional use. Indicated for:
– regulating Wood emotional excesses, such as frustration and resentment
– the person who is impatient, impulsive, a risk-taker
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– contributing to harmony between couples and partners—it is an excellent gift for couples
– career palace, to cultivate a career as an herbalist (a specimen was traditionally conferred from generation to generation of herbalists)—the green color represents the Wood element and the world of plants
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Massage, place, or tape:
· at the top of the head/GV-20 to extinguish Wind, which has the potential of leading to a stroke.
· to areas of Cold, fixed pain, especially in the joints.
· at the central notch at the base of the throat/CV-22 to open the throat.
· on the sacrum to stabilize excessive Liver Yang.
For athletes, hold a gem-quality green tourmaline to increase stamina and invigorate circulation before working out or competition.
Rub the cuticles/Jing-Well points to stimulate Defensive/Wei Qi. Some small crystals of tourmaline are sharp enough to bleed the points.
Wear a bracelet or ring when going through a health crisis, such as when receiving chemotherapy or radiation for cancer.
Internal Application
Drink as an elixir for diabetes, to lower blood sugar.
For people who regularly take herbs, vitamins, or stone elixirs, every three months or so take a break for a week and drink the elixir of green tourmaline to help clear the Liver.
Drink for detoxification.
Intentional Application
Place green tourmaline in a bath for relaxation.
Wear as jewelry to feel protected and secure.
Cautions and Contraindications
Not as strong as black tourmaline, but still use with caution for weak people who are unable to eliminate well.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Not as strong or potentially depleting as black or blue tourmaline.
Green tourmaline is protective against climatic pathogenic factors; black and red tourmaline protect against environmental toxins.
Combinations
Green tourmaline modulates the effects of other stones that have very strong therapeutic effects.
Combine green tourmaline with:
· amethyst or ametrine to clear Heat in the Blood, break up Blood stagnation, and strengthen Heart Qi or to clear Heat burning the Blood, causing destruction to the Essence/Jing/DNA, such as with the virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Ametrine in particular brings energy to the Spleen to support the thymus gland and the lymphatic system.
· any stone that drains Dampness, such as sodalite.
· aventurine to enhance a chakra-balancing treatment.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse with running water; recharge with quartz or amethyst. Cleanse every two weeks or once a month, depending on frequency of use. Do not put in the sun.
Common Locations
Afghanistan, Brazil, China, Myanmar, Madagascar The chrome green variety is found only in East Africa.
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RED OR PINK TOURMALINE/RUBELLITE |
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(See color insert plate 35) |
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Taste |
Spicy, bitter, salty |
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Nature |
Cooling |
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Affinities |
HT/LR/KI |
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Hardness |
7–7.5 |
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Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
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Stone group |
Ring silicate |
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Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
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Color/Appearance/Light
The pink or red color associates with Fire and the Heart. It appears as transparent crystals.
Chemical Composition
Sodium lithium aluminum borosilicate hydroxide
(Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH))
It also includes manganese.
Key Characteristics
The red or pink color is the principal tourmaline to affect the Blood and promote Heart–Kidney communication.
It addresses physical or emotional conditions affecting the Heart.
Directionality/Energetic Mechanism/Channel System
It recycles Yang Qi to the Lower Burner to yield an overall cooling effect on the body.
By supporting the Heart and Kidney relationship, it treats Yin Wei Mai issues, especially early childhood abuse. It heals the inner child.
Functions and Uses
Establishes Heart–Kidney communication; draws Yang Qi back to Mingmen. Indicated for:
– excess Yang Qi, excess in the Governor Vessel/Du Mai
– infertility caused by Cold in the Uterus
– anxiety, depression
Clears Heat and breaks up stagnation in the Blood. Indicated for:
– palpitations due to Heat in the Blood
– cardiac insufficiency causing cold hands or feet, shortness of breath upon exertion
– heart disease, angina
– hypertension
– menstrual irregularity, heavy menses due to Blood stagnation in the Lower Burner
– varicose veins
Clears Fire Toxins; protective against environmental toxins. Indicated for:
– electromagnetic radiation
Drains Dampness. Indicated for:
– edema
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– relationship palace—encourages spiritual love, to cultivate a devotional relationship to the divine
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Apply pink or red tourmaline to the center of the armpit/HT-1, a point association that treats early childhood abuse. Since the stone also treats the wounded child, there is double resonance.
Tape on the navel/CV-8 during the night, once a week, to support Heart–Kidney communication.
Intentional Application
Wear as a ring on the fourth or fifth finger to support cultivation of unconditional love and a devotional relationship to the divine.
Wear as jewelry to feel protected and secure.
Cautions and Contraindications
Not as strong as black tourmaline, but still use with caution for weak people who are unable to eliminate well.
Compare/Contrast/Differentiate
Red tourmaline is more cooling than the green color.
Combinations
Combine red or pink tourmaline with rose quartz and rhodochrosite in a stone layout to open the chest. Place the rose quartz at the center of the chest, with rhodochrosite on one side and tourmaline on the other.
Pink tourmaline enhances other pink stones in a chakrabalancing treatment.
In a combination, it is a principal stone to address the Blood.
Combine with kunzite (as an associate) for a person with a history of childhood abuse—someone carrying many bad memories and with chronic pain.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse with running water; recharge with quartz or amethyst. Cleanse every two weeks or once a month, depending on frequency of use. Do not put in the sun.
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WATERMELON TOURMALINE |
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(See color insert plate 35) |
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Taste |
Spicy, bitter, salty |
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Nature |
Cooling |
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Affinities |
LR/SP/HT/KI |
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Hardness |
7–7.5 |
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Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
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Stone group |
Ring silicate |
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Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
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Color/Appearance/Light
Pink with a green “skin,” it combines the qualities of Fire/Heart and Wood/Liver.
Chemical Composition
Sodium lithium aluminum borosilicate hydroxide
(Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH))
Functions and Uses
Regulates Qi and Blood; clears Heat from the endocrine system. Indicated for:
– any pain condition
– menopausal heat, overactive adrenals
– dark rings under the eyes, adrenal exhaustion
Brings Blood into the sinews; regenerates nerves. Indicated for:
– Wei/Atrophy syndrome: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease), multiple sclerosis
Establishes Heart–Kidney communication. Indicated for:
– Shen disturbances, fright palpitations, Running Piglet Qi
Intentional use. Indicated for:
– lessening potentially frightening or uncomfortable images of the future during the cultivation of higher levels of consciousness or astral projection
Methods of Application
Topical Application
Use a watermelon tourmaline wand to balance the chakras.
Internal Application
Drink as an elixir for protection during travel.
Intentional Application
Wear as jewelry to feel protected and secure, especially during travel.
Cautions and Contraindications
Watermelon tourmaline will fade if placed in the sunlight.
Combinations
Watermelon tourmaline enhances the other tourmalines.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse with running water; recharge with quartz or amethyst. Cleanse every two weeks or once a month, depending on frequency of use. Do not put in the sun.
Stone History
The classics describe using the tourmalines with combined colors, such as watermelon, for the treatment of Wei/Atrophy syndrome.
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YELLOW TOURMALINE |
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Taste |
Spicy, bitter, salty |
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Nature |
Cooling |
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Affinities |
SP/ST/KI |
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Hardness |
7–7.5 |
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Crystal structure |
Trigonal |
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Stone group |
Ring silicate |
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Level of formation |
Igneous/Yuan |
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Color/Appearance/Light
The yellow color relates to Earth, to digestion. The yellow color is relatively rare but appears as translucent to transparent crystals.
Chemical Composition
Sodium lithium aluminum borosilicate hydroxide
(Na(Li1.5Al1.5)Al6(Si6O18)(BO3)3(OH)3(OH))
Key Characteristics
Assists Kidney Yang to support Spleen Qi.
Functions and Uses
Resolves poor digestive function. Indicated for:
– cockcrow, or early morning diarrhea; jaundice –abdominal spasms
– fatigue
Increases focus, concentration, visualization. Indicated for:
– deep fears, obsessions from which we are unable to free ourselves
– post-traumatic stress disorder
Cautions and Contraindications
None known.
Cleansing and Charging
Cleanse with running water; recharge with quartz or amethyst. Cleanse every two weeks or once a month, depending on frequency of use. Do not put in the sun.