Rocks and Gemstones: Chrysoprase
CATALOGING THE GEMS
I evaluate a gemstone in a number of ways. First, it falls into one of these categories: Heart Stone, Grounding Stone, Guard Dog Stone, High Energy Stone, Trauma Stone, Mental Stone, Stress Tone, Luck Stone, Psychic Stone, Money Stone, Arthritis Stone and Master Healer Stone. I created this system over the years because each stone has unique skills. Some, like the Master Stones, are diverse, multi-skilled and affect more than one chakra in our aura. With this blog, we’re going to look at an Arthritis and Heart stone, Chrysoprase.
ARTHRITIS STONES
There are certain types of gemstones found in and around copper deposits. Turquoise, malachite, chrysocolla, azurite, chrysoprase are the usual ones. There is also “Peruvian” opals (blue or pink) found in the copper mines of Peru. The energy of copper runs through these stones. Some Arthritis stones are poisonous if ingested, such as azurite; never let a child or animal get a hold of it or put it in their mouth or in any liquid they might consume. Nor do you want to put azurite in water for it will kill anything in it because of the copper.
It’s well known that wearing a copper bracelet, in some people, eases the arthritis pain. It is no different when one wears a necklace containing copper bearing gemstones. And, it’s far prettier than a copper bracelet! Copper has an effect on arthritis. People report a reduction of pain and movement in their joints when they are in contact with copper energy.
HEART STONE
These gems that can help support you with problems of a heart and emotional nature. Chrysoprase is a “heart stone” and works on this level as well. These gems are utilized in situations such as: Grief, breaking up a relationship, a divorce, loss of a loved one, loss of a pet, moving and leaving your friends or family, getting fired from a job, losing your house to a flood/earthquake, are but a few examples. People who, on a more spiritual level who are wanting to work in their heart chakra should consider a “heart stone” helper. These gemstones can open up an emotionally closed down person (repression/suppression).
A heart stone can help them be more sensitive to themselves and to others. It moves narcissistic people toward concern and compassion for others, rather than just focused on their own needs. These heart gemstones help us “emote.” For those who have suppressed or repressed wounds that surround love, being loved, or not loved, also fall under this category. Anything to do with our heart; whether it is learning to love ourselves, love others, loving our enemies, learning the difference between pity, sympathy and compassion, these stone helpers can support you.
THE HISTORY OF CHRYSOPRASE
This is a gemstone few people know about unless they are rock hounds or in the gem business. Chrysoprase is found in and around copper deposits, the most well-known deposits are in Queensland, Australia. It is also found in Brazil, the Ural Mountains, and the U.S. (Arizona and California). It is always a green color and that can range from a dark forest green to a very light apple green–and anything in between with a touch of gold color to it. It is a member of the Chalcedony Family of Quartz. Most green stones owe their color to chromium or vanadium, but in chrysoprase the color is derived from the nickel content. The gemstone has a hardness of 6.5-7 on Mohs scale.
Chrysoprase is an opaque to semi-translucent gem and it has a slight inner glow to it. In Australia it is known as Australian Jade, although it has nothing to do with the Jade family; it’s simply the color is very close to the green jade found in China and elsewhere.
The name comes from the Greek word, “chrysos prason” which means “gold leek.” A leek, as most know, is a type of scallion or onion. This particular leek, when cooked, turns a yellow color. One assumes here that the green and gold colors of Chrysoprase reminded the Greeks of that vegetable. Both Greeks and Romans utilized this stone in jewelry and ornamental furniture because of its pleasing color.
Historically, Chrysoprase was used for amulets and fetishes. The gem was worn to combat weakness of eyesight and to render the wearer happiness. Egyptians utilized it in signet rings, jewelry and other ornamental objects. At one time, it was used for spiritual protection and called a “Victory stone.” As to why, Alexander the Great always kept a Chrysoprase in his girdle for victory in the many battles he fought and won. That is probably why it’s consider a victory stone. Alexander conquered the known world. In the 1800’s it was believed to help thieves escape execution by turning invisible if the Chrysoprase was held in his mouth. This might have to do with an earlier myth. A person who was to be punished to death by hanging or beheading could escape his fate by placing this stone in his mouth. We’ll never know. The Greeks and Romans used it for adornment plus its healing qualities. Chrysoprase is also found in Victorian era jewelry.
Chrysoprase is crypto crystalline (chalcedony branch of the mighty quartz family). Crypto crystalline refers to the extremely small size of its crystals, which are so fine that under normal magnifiers they do not appear as separately distinct particles. Other examples of this kind of crystals are the carnelian and agate. One of the most valuable chalcedony gem stones, chrysoprase is prized for its color and rarity.
This gem has feminine energy and exudes a gentle, quiet sensation to the wearer. It has been utilized for people who have arthritis, chronic illness, heart related grief and depression. The energy gives a person more grace to handle the tough situation than normal. And it is said that it increases fertility, although I have not personally seen this aspect of it. More importantly, this stone is about ACCEPTANCE of the way things are–not the way you wished they were. This is where the “grace” element plays a strong part in the stone’s nature. It also increases one’s patience and tolerance toward others.
Arthritis is a chronic and continuous eroding disease of the joints within our body. If you could put yourself in the shoes of someone who is having their foundation literally dissolving around them, you might understand their anger, helplessness and frustration. I have seen Chrysoprase ease all of these emotions in a person. And who knows? By the acceptance of where one is now and not where they used to be, Chrysoprase helps the pain turn down in volume. Acceptance of our body “as is” and “as its going to deteriorate with age anyway,” is something all of us will grapple with sooner or later. And people who are not flexible and stuck in a rut and want a fixed way of life, do well with Chrysoprase. Fixed signs, astrologically are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. They are very disgruntled and upset when thrown out of their fixed rut routine. Chrysoprase to the rescue!
There is no silver bullet or quick medicine to this aging scenario that will happen to all of us. When we get angry, it actually harms us a lot more. Worse, for someone who has arthritis or a chronic illness, it really makes their symptoms worsen. Chrysoprase’s saving ‘grace’ is that it helps the person accept Life fully and helps them roll with the punch. That attitude can be a huge benefit in the long run. And with ANY dis-ease that is chronic, this gemstone can help with a person’s attitudes. As we all know, some attitudes are far better than others. And a hopeful or positive attitude gets a person feeling better or improving.
THE ASTROLOGY OF CHYRSOPRASE
Ruled by gracious Venus, Chrysoprase is the soul of this planet’s highest and more refined expression: compassion through the heart that radiates not only to Self, but to others as well. This is about the heart, one’s feelings and how we accept (or not) the trials and tests that we all get put through to develop into a better human being. This facet of the heart is about accepting one’s Fate. When we can gracefully and graciously accept and understand that we are like a gemstone being sanded down to become more beautiful, Chrysoprase can aid in this attitude transition.
Venus, on its highest spiritual frequency is compassion, patience, seeing beauty in the worst of situations and experiences and of being able to love others and self equally. The higher octave connection with Venus is the mystical Neptune. When we can transition from mundane Earthly feelings and reactions and make that transformation to our heart, the world changes inside and out for us. It also attracts an entirely different group of people into our lives, as well, and this is good.
ASTROLOGY TRANSITS AND PROGRESSIONS WITH CHYRSOPRASE
When one’s natal Venus is under hard aspects by any planet, either for a day or for months on end, this is when Chrysoprase will work to activate your acceptance to “things as they are.” There are many things that hit our Venus and most have to do with family, spouse and friends. There can be awful things happen to them that binds us to them as a result. This gemstone helps everyone involved in such an experience. Wearing the necklace will give one the ability to climb into their heart chakra and to accept–and then move on with grace and graciousness of Spirit.
WEST DIRECTION
The West is the element water, dying and transforming. This is also the position of the Wounded Healer archetype; wounding and then working through the emotional trauma to come out the other side of the gauntlet, healed. And then to turn around and show others how to heal from a similar trauma. The West is about surrendering over to a higher power, letting go, releasing and having faith in the unknown that you will survive this and get through it. This is the position of “grace” to accept one’s Fate and yet, try to improve upon one’s attitude toward it in a positive and graceful way.
WHO SHOULD WEAR CHRYSOPRASE?
If you are having a tough time ACCEPTING some situation in your life, then Chrysoprase will support your change and help you be more flexible. We all get stuck in our favorite rut and hate when we get blown out of it by Life’s surprising twists and turns. Whether it is a loss of a job, a loved one who is sick, having to become a caregiver to a spouse/child/parent, having to move and leave your friends/family, or any other upsetting and unhappy situation, Chrysoprase makes the transition smoother and less choppy for a person. And, in cases where there is grief and loss of a pet, person or object (like a house, etc.), wearing this gemstone necklace will alleviate some of the anguish/pain that goes with it. Only when we accept what has happened to us, can we honestly move on. Why is this important? Because in the laws of the Cosmos, when one door closes to us another cannot open until we surrender it over emotionally. This isn’t a head trip, it’s an emotional/feeling trip. The quicker we accept what has happened, work THROUGH the feelings, the faster that new door with new and positive/supportive opportunities will open up to us.
SPIRITUAL CONSIDERATIONS
Chrysoprase, by its color, green, makes it a Heart stone. It relates to and supports the heart chakra. It provides a calming to the ragged and raw emotions of our heart. It is especially helpful in any situation involving grief and loss. Its strength is in helping people who have to deal with a chronic disease of any kind, especially arthritis sufferers because it has copper energy. All dis-ease is a loss to us in some way. It can be the loss of the physical body to work the way it once used to work before we fell ill. It can be the loss of some of our mental functions. We attract a disease to learn compassion. It can be a loss of some of our emotions. Chronic disease of any kind is a spiritual fast track in my opinion. Sickness deepens and widens us as nothing else can in this Earthly existence. It’s a path of severe suffering that can bestow upon us more patience, more sensitivity toward others who suffer too, and Grace to accept our condition and yet live positively. Acceptance is a keyword for Chrysoprase. And that can apply to any sphere of our life. If we are fired from a job, we can accept it and move on. If we lose a parent, there is acceptance of that loss and we move on. If we fail at a job, we pick ourselves up and move on. More importantly, we learn from the failure and we don’t repeat it again in the future.
HEALTH RAMIFICATIONS
Since ALL our dis-eases come from our fouled and toxic emotions (either dragged in from past incarnations into this one or we’ve created a new batch in this present lifetime….), then it stands to reason that Chrysoprase can be a source of help.
Chrysoprase is used by healers to speed the healing of wounds. The stone is held over the affected area to bring about speedy relief. The quartz element in Chrysoprase can absorb the positive ions and give the wound relief from this pressure. That will help it close faster. For people who have a wound but can move about, the stone is worn as a necklace. It is used to protect the individual from negative energy. It also said to aid the eyes.
When grief gets lodged and is repressed or suppressed, Chrysoprase is a good stone to unlock this toxic condition and discharge it over time.
HOW TO WEAR CHRYSOPRASE
Chrysoprase is something that can be worn at any time by anyone except children twelve and under. Wear this lovely gemstone necklace when you are feeling resistant to what Life is asking you to do– change, and you don’t want too. This gem aids the surrendering process, the acceptance, so you can get on with your life and not be a stumbling block.
IN SUMMATION….
Chrysoprase, by its very nature, is low key and few know of its existence. And yet, it’s such a needed gemstone in our culture; especially today as we are transitioning through the decay and dissolving of our reality as it sinks deeper into chaos. The smart cookies who understand what is going on, also know that ACCEPTANCE of this roller coaster ride we’re all on, is imperative. We will all get blown out of our fixed ruts sooner or later if we resist what is happening to us. Chrysoprase helps us make the transition with grace instead of anger/frustration/resistance.
For arthritis sufferers, it helps them to accept their body’s deteriorating state. Because this gem is found in copper deposits it radiates the copper energy into a person’s aura. There may be a lessening or alleviation of the pain associated with arthritis in some. In others, it may help them transition to a state of acceptance, freeing them from the anger/frustration that is frequently felt by them. This, in and of itself, helps the individual see life as more positive, instead of more imprisoning. It opens up the mind and connects to the person’s heart so that they see the beauty of life, not what they’ve given up and lost.
Copyright 2010 Eileen Nauman. All Rights Reserved.
