Carnelian - a stone of creativity, grounding & vitality

History of Carnelian
Carnelian belongs to the mineral family quartz. Its history dates back 4,500 years, at which time Ancient Sumerians and Ancient Egyptians fashioned it into body ornaments. The Ancient Greeks and Romans also favored the semi-precious gemstone for intaglios which they used in signet rings. Given its long history, the beautiful reddish-brown stone often appears in antique jewelry.

Midway through this long stone age (around 5,500 BC), Bulgarian tribes began fashioning red chalcedony into beads. Since carnelian belongs to the red chalcedony family, it is likely that this is the first use of the stone in history.

Evidence surfaced in the Varna Necropolis, an ancient burial site, demonstrating that the Bulgarians not only used the rich red stone, but also faceted it. These early faceted crystals contained 16 facets on each side.

In spite of this compelling evidence, the Sumerian culture, thriving in 4,500 BC, often receives credit as the first peoples to use carnelian. Around the same time, Egyptians fashioned the stone into talismans and amulets for protection.

Clearly, the rich red stone captivated many cultures across time. No wonder the ancients identified it as the zodiac birthstone for the sign Virgo. The red variety of chalcedony has been known to be used as beads since the Early Neolithic in Bulgaria. Carnelian was used widely during Roman times to make engraved gems for signet or seal rings for imprinting a seal with wax on correspondence or other important documents. Hot wax does not stick to carnelian.

 

Origin of Carnelian

It is a colorful quartz of the Chalcedony variety. It usually comes in red-orange, pink, and brown color, and it’s often a translucent stone. Carnelian is also known as the Cornelian stone. Its name comes from two Latin words: carnel, meaning “flesh,” and even further back, cornel meaning “berry.”

Both of these origins convey its spiritual power to impart a rich life force energy into those who meditate with respect and diligence upon it.

The Arab peoples consider the carnelian one of the stones of kings. The stone’s rich, warm color often links it to projective, proactive energies associated with lions and fire. Traditionally, the stone lends courage to those in need and helps with public speaking. It would certainly benefit a king to speak like a lion, boldly roaring, and with fiery passion.

Carnelian can be found in India, Japan, Madagascar, Russia, Poland, Iceland, Slovakia, Peru and Romania. Major deposits are found on the lower Narbada river, in western India; Queensland, Australia; Bohemia, in the Czech Republic; Franche-Compte, in France; the Black Forest and Bavaria, in Germany; Cornwall, England, and Ratnapura, in southwest Sri Lanka. In the United States, carnelian is found in Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, Tennessee and Washington. The very best stones however, come from India, where they are transformed from brown to red by being placed in the sun.

  

Healing Properties

Physical Healing Properties
Like all fire stones, Carnelian infuses the body with life and light calling on the powers of physical energy. It’s all about stimulating the muscles, helping oxygen to find its free flow, and keeping your tissues and organs flushed with the finest health.

Those who suffer from lower back problems or rheumatism will also find Carnelian properties a kiss of relief. The warm vibrations seep through, bringing healing to bones and ligaments and helping you to feel loose and limber rather than stiff and cold. Carnelian also brings a detoxifying flush to those who may be in a battle with alcohol, drugs, and other stimulants that don’t serve your overall health and wondrous wellbeing.

 

Mental & Emotional Healing Properties
It isn’t called The Artist’s Stone for no reason, Carnelian invites you to write, paint, dance and sing and it does so, by stimulating warmth and heat, loosening the limbs, letting energy flow, and encouraging you to embrace your inner child and say a sweet yes to spontaneity.

When you let our creative juices go wild, this gives you a whole new lease of life and keeps you feeling motivated and confident now that you have been able to step out of the shadows. If you have been holding on tight to anger or reigning yourself in, this is the time to let it all go.

 

It Helps With Meditation
Carnelian is a good meditative aid for this reason. It helps you to remain rooted in the physical world while your spiritual and esoteric self reaches out to experience new and uplifting things. When we begin our spiritual journeys in earnest, it’s so easy sometimes to be swept away. Yet Carnelian will help to anchor you in the ‘here’. It ensures that you are safe and can find your way back to yourself fully and with all of the benefits of the vision you have been shown.

 

It Helps Stabilize Your Life
However, Carnelian and its energies have plenty of day to day applications too. This is a stone that encourages a practical yet compassionate point of view.

You’ll find that you react to others with kindness but also remain more solid in your footing as you make your own progress in the world.

For sensitive people and those in tune with their inner empath, experiencing these moments without the right protection can be particularly frightening. Carnelian works wonders in helping you here.

 

It Gives Energy And Inspiration
What’s more, if you incorporate a Carnelian accessory or piece of jewelry into your collection, you’ll likely find that this sense of energy and inspiration becomes contagious!
It’s important to be humble in moments like these, as lots of people will, through no fault of their own, attribute their new feeling of vivaciousness to being around you. And while that could well be the case, it’s your carnelian stone that is letting out much of that energy.
Carnelian is massively prized for this reason, as it has been since ancient times.
It will keep you motivated, and you will never run out of stamina. It’s a perfect stone for women who have demanding careers and need to churn out creative output on a regular basis.
It’s also perfect for women who work in creative fields or the arts, and for women who have a passion for dance, music, art, or drama.

 

It Helps With Relationships
Carnelian is also a stone of truth, love, and faith, just like Rose Quartz. If you want to have more honesty, more love, and more devotion in your life, this is the perfect stone for you. It will work for the wearer and those that they love!

 

It Helps With Motivation
This stone will give you courage and help you discover your hidden talents. It will also awaken your curiosity.
When you put Carnelian stones close to your body, they can dispel any feelings of apathy or indolence.
You will be awash with energizing vibrations that will help you accomplish all the things that you need to.

 

It Brings Positivity
Carnelian stones will bring more positivity to your life. You will feel more energetic and optimistic, and you will be able to overcome past traumas. You will also be able to let go of unnecessary emotional baggage.

 

Placement
Bring Carnelian into your home and boost the harmony and balance that can be found in the center. If you want to invite abundance in, then place your crystal in a spot on the south side of the house.

If you are looking to kick start your creative heart then find a place facing west for your Carnelian, and for those seeking the healing glow of self-worth, the stone sits in the south-east.

 

The Chakras

Sacral Chakra
Carnelian, in its beautiful shades of orange, stimulates the Sacral Chakra, or Second Chakra, located below the naval and above the pubic bone at the front of the pelvis. It is the center of the Life Force of the body, and controls the flow of information from the body to the mind and from the mind to the body.

Gut feelings, intuition, and other “non-linear” communication comes from this chakra. When it is out of balance the symptoms will manifest themselves as confusion, over dependency on others, repression of feelings, inability to feel joy, fear of sensuality or sex, and frustration. When it is in balance you have grace, feel pleasure in life, find you are flexible and can “go with the flow” and do so in good spirit.

 

Root Chakra
Carnelian, in shades of red, is also a powerful ally in healing Base Chakra blockages and traumas. The Base, or Root Chakra, is located at the base of the spine, and controls the energy for kinesthetic feeling and movement. When physically out of balance the symptoms will manifest themselves as lethargy, low levels of activity, low enthusiasm, and a need for constant stimulation. When the Base Chakra is in balance, the physical body regains its strength and stamina, and spiritual energy is rekindled in the form of security and sense of one’s own power. It often leads to independence and spontaneous leadership.

 

 

Zodiac sign

Sign	Date	Birthstones
Virgo	Aug 23 to sep 23	Carnelian for confidence and passion

  

 

Birthstones
August/ carnelian
Carnelian is the birthstone for the zodiac sign of Virgo (August 23 - September 22). For most cultures, from the 15th to the 20th century, carnelian was one of four birthstones for August.