Gemstones of the Zodiac - Part 11 - Bloodstone

Welcome to Part 11 of our “Gemstones of the Zodiac” series.

The eleventh sign of the Zodiac is Aquarius (January 20 - February 18).  The Mystical Zodiac stone for Aquarius is Bloodstone.

History/Mythology

Bloodstone is a chalcedony belonging to the quartz family.  The red spots of color are from iron oxide.  Medieval Christians named it bloodstone because they believed the red spots were formed as a result of Christ’s blood falling onto jasper stones that were laying at the foot of the cross.

Because of this belief, they also refer to Bloodstone as “The Martyr’s Stone”.  It was often used in religious pendants as a result.

Bloodstone is also known as Heliotrope.  This word is derived from the Greek words for “sun” and “turning”.  They believed if you submerged the stone in water, the sun would turn red.

In ancient times, warriors would often go into battle wearing a bloodstone amulet.  They believed that it would stop the bleeding (or hemorrhaging) if they applied it directly to the wound.  Alchemists would grind it into powder, and mix it with honey and egg whites.  This mixture was used to stop patients from bleeding and help cure tumors.

Pagans also value this stone, and will place it on an altar to give them energy and as a protection stone.

A wonderful tale from the 14th Century tells of a gypsy who traveled from Romania to Rome to steal a sacred bloodstone.  This stone was presented to the Vampire King.  They believed it contained the blood of all saints.  They thought it would give them enough sustenance so that they would no longer have to kill to feed.

To the Babylonians, divination was a way of life.  It was used to such an extent that armies would almost always have a diviner amongst their ranks.   Many times, they acted as the General of the army.  Divination was their way of communicating with the Gods, to determine the Gods’ will prior to battle and to increase the energy of the troops.  If there were any unwelcome predictions, purification rituals would then be performed to help achieve the desired outcome.  This divination could be achieved either by using a divining pendulum or through the use of runes carved from Bloodstone.

 

Bloodstone Properties

As previously discussed, bloodstone was thought to stop bleeding/hemorrhaging. It was also used in mixtures to help with tumors.  It was also used in ancient times to treat anemia, blood disorders, aid in blood flow, even to ease menstrual or menopausal issues.

Armies used it to help increase their physical strength, their courage, and to quell their anxiousness as they headed into battle.

There are some that believe that the stone will turn more red when you are near danger.

Bloodstone is also used to alleviate evil and jealousy, and help promote a better spirit and longevity, as it will drive out the negative environmental energies around you.  This will help eliminate the negative energy surrounding you, and allow you to make decisions from a much clearer and centered place.

If you are currently keeping a dream journal, you might want to consider keeping a bloodstone sphere by your bed.  Bloodstone is also good for helping you tune into past lives, especially through the dreamworld.

Cleanse and Purify Your Stones

For information on how to cleanse your stones, see this wonderful article  published recently right here on Mind Body Spirit Odyssey.

You can read Giani's Tarot reviews in the Review section of this blog.

This is the eleventh article in this wonderful series, and I am definitely looking forward to reading more

 in the upcoming months!  I thank Giani

 for his wonderful continued contributions to Mind Body Spirit Odyssey. 

The beautiful jewelry pictured above can be found in Giani's website and on CraftStar.

                                                                                  

 ~ diane

  

Series Article Part 1 - Opals 

Series Article Part 2 - Sapphire

Series Article 3 - Amethyst

Series Article 4 - Moonstone

Series Article 5 - Diamonds 

Series Article 6 - Agate 

Series Article 7 - Jasper

Series Article 8 - Pearl

Series Article 9 - Onyx

 Series Article 10 - Emerald

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