Lapis Lazuli
Description: Lapis Lazuli crystallizes in masses, dodecahedral crystals, and cubes. Its color is always a deep blue. Lapis is a combination of minerals, primarily Lazurite and Calcite, with Pyrite sometimes being contained, as in the prized massive Afghanistan Lapis.
Location: Most of the world’s Lapis Lazuli is currently mined in Russia and Afghanistan
Astrological Sign: Sagittarius, as well as Taurus and Aquarius
Spiritual Uses: Lapiz lazuli is a healing and soothing stone; its energy, when touched, can improve one’s physical, spiritual, psychic, and emotional condition. It is an uplifting, spiritual stone and its deep-blue color reflects peaceful vibrations. Lapis is a stone said to have existed since before “time was born,” a very old stone indeed. It can assist one in gaining admission to the domain of the unknown mysteries of the sacred texts and the esoteric ideas and enhance the wisdom to understand the information. It further allows one to gain access to, and to explore, the esoteric planetary knowledge. Use it to promote spirituality and for meditation. It also helps relieve depression and stimulates gentleness in its wearer. To attract spiritual love, Lapis can be used. It is also considered a potent fidelity charm and is worn to strengthen the bonds that have grown between lovers. A bringer of psychic awareness, Lapis breaks the hold of the conscious mind on the subconscious (psychic) mind, allowing intuitive impulses to become known. Wear a necklace of Lapis beads or hold a piece in your hand to enhance awareness of intuitive impulses. Lapis can be worn every day to generally increase one’s psychic awareness. Lapis is also a protective stone, especially for children. Its influence of protection and courage-giving is utilized by adults also, and is probably due to Lapis’ psychic properties. Lapis is especially connected with the throat and brow chakras and helps activate and energize both. For the purpose of maintaining the “perfection” within the person, Lapis clears these chakras and provides for unification of all of the chakras. It is a “stone of total awareness,” expanding awareness and intellectual capacity, and allowing for conscious attunement to the intuitive and psychic aspects of one’s nature. It also can help one to remain objective about the subjective, providing for stimulus to the process of reasoning and reinforcing the acceptance of subsequent knowledge. Lapis assists one in attuning to the creative source by stimulating the expansion and the realization of consciousness toward the awakening of the perfection of the self. It promotes the insight to a structured plan that can help one to evolve upward toward the light of the total unification with “All That Is.” It can be placed over the third-eye to aid one in developing insight into one’s own dreams, providing a connection with the dream forces which are working to both guide and counsel one during altered states. By using Lapis, we can become more in touch with our essence and play a more active role in the control of our existence. Lapis is used by many to broaden self-knowledge and knowledge of one’s environment. It is one of the greatest stones for attaining an enlightened state and should be worn as close to the throat as possible. It should also be worn above the diaphragm so that the energy of the wearer is drawn upward. This stone brings forth the power inherent in the individual wearing it, so in this way, it is an enhancer and a leveling force.
Physical Uses: It is used specifically to alleviate fevers and diseases of the blood, strengthening also the eyesight if habitually worn. Lapis can be beneficial to the respiratory system, especially the throat and lungs, the cleansing organs, and the nervous system. It is considered a good stone for purification of the blood and for boosting the immune system. It is a powerful stone for use in any healing ritual and should be held in the hand of the magician to focus energy on the intention of the ritual. Although it is somewhat expensive, Lapis is one stone that every magic-using person should own and utilize. It is useful also in helping one to overcome depression and enhancing the states of serenity and self-acceptance. It is said to bring success in relationships and to bring cheer to the user. Lapis can be used in the treatment of disorders of the throat, bone marrow, thymus, and immune system. It can help to relieve the symptoms of insomnia, vertigo, and dizziness and can assist in preventing and in relieving RNA/DNA damage. It has been used to activate the regenerative energies within the body and can be used to stimulate cellular re-structuring with respect to both hearing loss and the Eustachian tube. The crystalline form of Lapis can be used to access the energy to sustain health and to restructure cellular, muscular, and skeletal disorders. It can assist one in the organization of one’s life and in the routine, day-to-day activities in which one is involved.
History: In ancient Sumer, Lapis was closely associated with the deities in a general sense, but especially with Isis, Venus, and Nut. By carrying it, its possessor bore the potent magical power of a deity because of the stone’s containment of the force behind all divinity. Seals used to sign documents were also made of Lapis in Sumer. These seals were cylindrical in shape and were made from small, round stones deeply carved with images of deities as well as their symbols. They were pressed on to wet clay documents and were also prized as talismans. In India, Lapis beads are strung on gold wire and the necklace worn by children to ensure health, growth, and protection. Lapis was highly valued in ancient Babylon and Egypt. In the Middle Ages, Albertus Magnus stated it was a cure for melancholy and for the “quartern fever,” (a fever that returned every third day.) Lapis was also used to pay tribute to ancient Egypt, brought by those countries under her influence. It was often listed among the gifts sent by Babylonia, Babylonian Lapis being from the oldest mines in the world. These mines were being worked in 4000 B.C. and some are still being worked to this day. The Egyptian high priest is said to have worn, suspended from his neck, an image of Mat, goddess of truth, made of Lapis Lazuli. Lapis was also used as expensive and luxurious makeup after being ground up and mixed with pigment. It was also used as a paint for only the finest artists. Legend has it that the ancient King Solomon (the greatest stone-wearer of all) was assisted by an angel of the Lord who gave him a special ring which allowed him to control legions of demons which he used to build the temple. Lapis was also used by the ancient Hebrews to adorn their ceremonial robes.
Different Types: The Afghanistan Lapis has been known to promote the connection between the physical plane and the celestial kingdom. It represents the forces of initiation into wisdom and the mystical realm, and has been compared to the night sky bedecked with stars.