Perennially popular, amethyst once cost more than gold and diamonds, and it remained valuable until large deposits were uncovered in South America. Amethyst is classified as a semiprecious gemstone, and it is the best known birthstone for the month of February. This...
Arguably the most iconic part of most New Year's celebrations, fireworks have lit the night sky for centuries. A mixture of flammable fuel and other mineral substances elicits loud bangs and bright colors once ignited. What kinds of minerals are found in fireworks,...
Perhaps one of the very first uses of sacred stones and talismanic gems was to provide safety and protection under the auspices of the mineral kingdom. By flipping through the pages of a book of gemstone lore--ancient or modern--you’ll find many a stone with...
The mineral kingdom has held a perennial allure over humankind. Metals and ores, gemstones and building materials, crystals and rocks alike have fascinated us since the dawn of time. Nowadays, the spiritual properties of crystals have reached an all-time high in...
Talking about energy is challenging, because we just don’t have the language to convey every nuanced or numinous experience. I don’t doubt that we’ve all had trouble expressing the profound sensation of being deep in meditation or the transmission of energy from a new...
Back in the year 2000, a special configuration of quartz was discovered for the first time, or so the community of crystal healers will tell you. These unusual crystals were exceptionally clear on the interior with matte-textured surfaces. The crystals were generally...