Garnet: History and Properties

By who in this month are born,
No gem save Garnets should be worn:
They will ensure your constancy,
True friendship and fidelity*

January’s birthstone, Garnet gets its name from the Latin granum or granitus, which means grain or “like seeds” due to its resemblance to Pomegranate seeds. It was referred to as the “glowing” gem due to its intense color and the belief that it glowed with its own light. It has been used since ancient times (centuries before Christ) for both its vibrational properties and beauty. One of the earliest known, and most likely the most famous, was a Garnet called “The “Wise One” which was set in the crown of the German emperor Otto (912-973). Warriors and knights used garnets to decorate shields, and weapons which they believed would protect them and give them the strength and courage needed to endure battle. In India, Garnet is seen as a holy stone that “enlightens the soul and gives wisdom”. It has its place in Vedic texts as part of the story of the death of Vala.

Throughout the centuries Garnet has held a very important place as jewelry, personal talismans, in the home, and was said to relieve countless ailments and emotional issues. Due to its red color it was said to be good for healing the blood and the heart. It was also a popular antidote for poisons as well as a treatment for inflammatory disease, over-indulgence, driving away the plague and evil spirits, and bringing sleep to the sleepless. Worn on the body as jewelry or as a talisman, it was said to attract riches, wisdom, honor and glory. It assured a long life, large family, and great happiness.

Garnet is a very powerful stone used for love, grounding, healing, protection, meditation, self-confidence, and strength. It increases sexual energy, psychic ability, and extracts negative energy from the Chakras. Also called the stone of commitment, Garnet brings devotion, rekindles feelings, renews and strengthens love, and is often exchanged between parting friends to symbolize affection and magically ensure they meet again. Known as the “stone of health” Garnet has been used to treat skin conditions, inflammatory disease, insomnia, and disorders of the spine, heart, lungs and blood. (Chakras: Heart, Root).

Color: Ranging in color from deep burgundy red to rust. Newer varieties may be green, orange, yellow, and black.
Country of Origin: Bohemia, Madagascar, India, Canada, South Africa, Australia, and United States of America.
MOHS Hardness: 6-7.5

(*Excerpt from Gregorian Birthstone Poems)

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Uses for Crystals and Stones: A Quick Reference Listed by Purpose

*The information provided is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any illness, or injury and is provided for informational purposes only.

AMPLIFIER: Clear Quartz, Herkimer Diamond, Lapis Lazuli

ANGER: Amethyst, Aragonite, Hiddenite, Kunzite, Larimar, Lepidolite, Lithium Quartz, Magnetite, Moss Agate, Rose Quartz

ANGUISH: Magnetite, Tibetan Pink Quartz

ANTI-CONFUSION: Carnelian, Fluorite, Hematite, Rhodonite, Selenite,

ANXIETY: Amethyst, Aventurine, Labradorite, Lithium Quartz, Labradorite, Pyrite,  Rhodonite, Sugilite, Tourmalinated Quartz

ASTRAL PROJECTION: Ametrine, Angelite, Apophylite, Dioptase, Quartz, Crystal, Tourmalinated Quartz, Tektite, Hematite, Celestite, Geode, Kyanite, Moldavite, Tektite, Tourmaline

ALCOHOLISM: Amethyst

AURA CLEANSING: Amethyst, Ametrine, Charoite, Citrine

BALANCE EMOTIONS: Moss Agate, Peridot, Topaz

BALANCER: Bloodstone, Chiastolite, Emerald, Howlite, Jasper, Kunznite, Malachite, Moldavite, Moonstone, Pearl, Rhodocrosite, Rose Quartz, Snowflake Obsidian,Tiger’s Eye, Tourmalated Quartz, Tree Agate

BEAUTY: Amber, Emerald, Cats Eye, Cowrie Shell, Jasper Opal, Zircon

BLOCKAGES: Aegrine, Ametrine, Black Obsidian, Chrysocolla, Snowflake Obsidian, Unikite

BUSINESS SUCCESS: Bloodstone, Lepidolite, Malachite, Tourmaline (green), Tree Agate

CALMING: Angelite, Amblygnite, Celestite, Fuchsite, Hematite, Infinite, Kyanite, Lepidolite, Lithium Quartz, Malachite, Rose Quartz, Selenite, Strawberry Quartz, Tourmaline (Blue and Green), Tree Agate

CLARITY: Amber, Apatite, Lapis Lazuli, Larimar, Tourmaline

CENTERING: Aragonite, Bloodstone, Calcite, Celestite, Tibetan Quartz, Tigers eye, Zircon (brown)

CHANGE: Black Obsidian, Botswana Agate, Epidote

CHILD BIRTH: Geode, Moonstone, Rose Quartz, Tibetan Pink Quartz

CLAIRVOYANCE: Cobalt Aura, Herkimer Diamond, Moonstone, Tibetan Herkimer Style Quartz , Rainbow Obsidian

COMMUNICATION: Amazonite, Angelite, Apatite, Apophylite, Aqua Aura Quartz, Aquamarine, Celestite, Chalcedony, Chrysocolla, Chrysoprase, Dumortierite, Epidote, Fire Agate, Geode, Girasol, Howlite, Kyanite, Opal Aura Quartz, Rutilated Quartz, Sodalite, Spinel, Blue Tourmaline, Turquoise

COMMUNICATE with SPIRITS: Apophylite, Zoisite

COMPASSION: Celestite, Lemurian Quartz, Rose Quartz, Green Tourmaline, Zebra Rock

CONCENTRATION: Chalcedony, Fluorite, Girasol

CONFIDENCE: Amazonite, Black Onyx, Bloodstone, Citrine, Goldstone, Kunzite, Rose Quartz, Tigers Eye, Topaz, Tourmaline, Yellow Tourmaline, Vogesite

CONNECT TO NATURE: Tree Agate

COURAGE: Agate, Amethyst, Aquamarine, Bloodstone, Blue Lace Agate, Carnelian, Diamond, Girasol, Hematite, Lapis Lazuli, Pietersite, Ruby, Sard, Sardonyx, Tiger’s Eye, Tourmaline, Turquoise

CREATIVITY: Apatite, Aragonite, Aventurine, Botswana Agate, Carnelian, Chalcedony, Citrine, Epidote, Girasol, Goldstone, Larimar, Magnetite, Picasso Stone, Smokey Quartz, Topaz, Green Tourmaline, Pink or Red Tourmaline, Turquoise, Vogesite

DEBT ELIMINATION: Iolite

DECISIONS: Amber, Geode, Rutilated Quartz, Tanzanite

DEFENSIVE MAGIC: Black Onyx, Sapphire

DEPRESSION: Aqua Aura Quartz, Amber, Botswanna Agate, Cat’s Eye, Fluorite, Jet, Lapis Lazuli, Kunzite, Rutilated Quartz, Tourmalinated Quartz, Zircon

DIETING/WEIGHT LOSS: Apatite, Moonstone, Picasso Stone, Rhodonite, Topaz, Green Tourmaline

DIVINATION: Azurite, Hematite, Jet, Labradorite, Moonstone, Obsidian, Pyrite, Tiger’s Eye

DREAMS: Amethyst, Azurite, Chalcedony, Herkimer Diamond, Jade, Kyanite, Prehinite, Smokey Quartz

ELOQUENCE: Carnelian, Celestite, Emerald, Sardonyx

EMPLOYMENT: Vogesite

EMOTIONS: Botswana Agate, Chrysocolla, Citrine, Fluorite, Jasper, Larimar, Malachite, Moonstone, Moss Agate, Ocean Jasper, Peridot, Rhodocrosite, Selenite, Topaz, Pink or Red Tourmaline

ENDURANCE (physical): Aragonite, Zebra Rock

ENDURANCE (mental): Lapis Lazuli

ENERGY: Botswana Agate, Moss Agate Rhodocrosite, Rutilated Quartz, Selenite, Tigers Eye, Zebra Rock

ENHANCER: Lapis Lazuli

ENLIGHTENMENT: Lapis Lazuli

ESP: Lapis Lazuli, Apophylite

FEARS & PARANOIA: Aquamarine, Aventurine, Carnelian, Charoite, Chrysocolla,  Jet, Magnetite, Peridot, Rhodocrosite, Rose Quartz, Rutilated Quartz, Snowflake Obsidian, Sodalite, Sugilite, Topaz, Tourmaline, Zoisite

FIDELITY: Agate, Lapis Lazuli, Stibnite

FOCUSING: Flourite, Rhodonite

FORGIVENESS: Rhodocrosite

FRIENDSHIP: Chrysoprase, Rose Quartz, Pink Tourmaline, Tourmaline, Tree Agate, Turquoise

FERTILITY: Emerald, Geode, Jade, Malachite, Moldavite, Ruby, Tibetan Pink Quartz

GAMBLING: Amazonite, Aventurine, Cats Eye

GARDENING: Agate, Blue Lace Agate, Jade

GRACE: Emerald

GRIEF: Apache Tears, Bloodstone, Infinite, Lithium Quartz, Rose Quartz

GROUNDING: Bloodstone, Garnet, Hematite, Lodestone, Mosandrite, Petrified Wood, Pietersite, Pyrite, Smokey Quartz, Tourmalinated Quartz, Black Tourmaline, Turquoise, Zircon

GROWTH: Moldavite, Peridot, Tree Agate

GUILT: Charoite, Peridot, Rutilated Quartz, Sodalite

HAPPINESS: Amethyst, Blue Lace Agate, Carnelian, Chrysoprase, Epidote, Goldstone, Kunzite, Rose Quartz, Smokey Quartz, Sunstone

HARMONY: Aqua Aura, Bloodstone, Kunzite, Larimar, Quartz, Tourmalinated Quartz, Vogesite

HEALING/HEALTH: Aegrine, Agate, Amber, Amethyst, Aventurine, Azurite, Bloodstone, Blue Lace Agate, Calcite, Carnelian, Cats Eye, Celestite, Chrysoprase, Copper, Coral, Fire Agate, Fluorite, Garnet, Hematite, Infinite, Jade, Jasper, Jet, Lapis Lazuli, Larimar, Lemurian Quartz, Mosandrite, Peridot, PetrifiedWood, Quartz, Rose Quartz, Ruby, Shiva Lingam, Sodalite, Sugilite, Tibetan Quartz, Tibetan Pink Quartz, Green Tourmaline, Topaz, Turquoise, Zircon

HOSTILITY:  Chalcedony, Sugilite

INDEPENDENCE: Aventurine, Copper, Lemurian Quartz, Vogesite

INDIVIDUALITY: Topaz

INGENUITY: Girasol

INNER STRENGTH: Chrysocolla, Tourmalinated Quartz

INNER TALENT: Zoisite

INTELLECT: Amber, Ametrine, Hiddenite, Howlite, Rhodocrosite, Sunstone

INTUITION: Cat’s Eye, Epidote, Fluorite, Hematite, Labradorite, Moonstone, Mosandrite, Seraphinite, Turquoise

INSPIRATION: Azurite, Celestite, Dumortierite, Labradorite

JOB HUNTING: Black Obsidian, Sunstone

JOY: Lapis Lazuli, Larimar, Rainbow Obsidian, Ruby

KNOWLEDGE: Apatite, Fire Agate, Howlite, Tektite

LONELINESS: Rose Quartz, Rutilated Quartz

LONGEVITY: Agate, Blue Lace Agate, Jade, Petrified Wood

LOVE: Agate, Amazonite, Amber, Amethyst, Angelite, Blue Lace Agate, Calcite, Charoite, Chrysocolla, Copper, Emerald, Garnet, Jade, Kunzite, Lapis Lazuli, Larimar, Lemurian Quartz, Lepidolite, Lodestone, Magnetite, Moldavite, Moonstone, Mosandrite, Ocean Jasper, Rainbow Obsidian, Rhodocrosite, Rhodonite, Rose Quartz, Ruby, Strawberry Quartz, Tibetan Pink Quartz, Tourmaline, Green Tourmaline, Pink Tourmaline, Turquoise,  Zircon

LUCID DREAMING: Tektite

LUCK: Agate, Amazonite, Amethyst, Amber, Apache Tears, Angelite, Aventurine, Blue Lace Agate, Calcite, Cat’s Eye, Chalcedony Chiastolite, Chrysoprase, Jet, Lepidolite, Olivine, Opal, Pearl, Pyrite, Sardonyx, Sunstone, Tigers Eye, Turquoise

MEDITATION: Amethyst, Ametrine, Apophylite, Aqua Aura, Aragonite, Azurite, Calcite, Celestite, Geode, Fluorite, Kyanite, Pietersite, Quartz, Selenite, Serpentine, Sodalite, Stibnite, Tibetan Quartz, Turquoise

MEMORY: Amber, Chalcedony, Chiastolite, Dumortierite, Emerald, Fluorite, Howlite, Pyrite, Rhodocrosite

MENTAL POWERS, Aventurine, Emerald, Zircon

MONEY, WEALTH: Aventurine, Bloodstone, Cat’s Eye, Chrysoprase, Emerald, Jade, Lodestone, Malachite, Peridot, Pyrite, Tiger’s Eye, Tourmaline, Tree Agate, Zircon

MOTIVATIION: Aventurine, Topaz

NEGITIVITY (to absorb): Black Onyx, Chalcedony, Jet, Lodestone, Clear Quartz, Snowflake Obsidian

NEGITIVITY (to repel): Black Tourmaline

NEGITIVITY (to transform to positive): Zoisite

NIGHTMARES (to halt): Carnelian, Chalcedony, Chrysoprase, Citrine, Jet, Kyanite, Lepidolite, Sugilite, Ruby

OPTIMISM: Citrine, Copper, Hematite, Sunstone, Tiger’s Eye

PAST LIFE: Apophylite, Petrified Wood

PATIENCE: Aragonite, Larimar, Ocean Jasper, Zircon

PEACE: Blue Lace Agate, Calcite,

Amethyst, Apache Tears, Aventurine, Blue Lace Agate, Calcite, Carnelian, Chrysocolla, Howlite, Kunzite, Larimar, Lepidolit, Lithium Quartz, Malachite, Ocean Jasper, Opal Aura Quartz, Rhodocrosite, Rose Quartz, Selenite, Sodalite, Tibetan Pink Quartz, Tourmaline, Turquoise, Zircon

PEACE OF MIND: Chrysoprase, Ocean Jasper, Turquoise

POWER: Malachite, Opal, Quartz Crystal, Ruby

PREGNANCY HEALTH: Tibetan Pink Quartz, Unikite

PRIDE: Epidote

PROBLEM SOLVING: Chiastolite

PROTECTION: Agate, Amber, Apache Tears, Blue Lace Agate, Calcite,Carnelian, CatsEye, Chalcedony, Chrysoprase, Citrine, Coral, Emerald, Garnet, Hematite, Jade, Jasper, Jet, Lapis Lazuli, Lepidolite, Lodestone, Magnetite, Malachite, Moldavite, Moonstone, Ocean Jasper, Olivine, Onyx, Opal, Peridot, Petrified Wood, Quartz Crystal, Sard, Sardonyx, Serpentine, Sugilite, Sunstone, Tibetan Quartz, Tigers eye, Topaz, Tourmaline, Tourmalinated Quartz, Turquoise, Zircon

PSYCHIC ATTACK: Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli, Tourmalinated Quartz

PSYCHISM: Amethyst, Aquamarine, Azurite, Citrine, Emerald, Labradorite, Lapis Lazuli, Lepidolite, Moonstone, Clear Quartz, Serpentine, Sugilite

PURIFICATION: Aquamarine, Calcite

QUIETS EMOTIONS : Jade, Lithium Quartz

RECONCILIATION: Diamond, Selenite

RELAXATION: Chrysocolla, Citrine, Kunzite, Lithium Quartz

RESPONSIBILITY: Jasper, Ocean Jasper

SECURITY: Fire Agate, Vogesite

SELF CONFIDENCE: Amber, Black Onyx, Bloodstone, Citrine, Rose Quartz, Tiger’s Eye, Topaz, Yellow Tourmaline

SELF-CONTROL: Aragonite, Black Onyx, Serpentine

SELF-ESTEEM: Hematite, Moss Agate, Sodalite, Spinel

SELF REALIZATION: Turquoise, Zoisite

SEXUAL ENERGY: Carnelian, Sunstone

SLEEP AIDS: Amethyst, Azurite/Malachite, Kyanite, Lepidolite, Malachite, Moonstone, Peridot, Rhodocrosite, Sugilite, Blue Tourmaline

SOOTHING: Infinite, Jade, Lithium Quartz, Ocean Jasper, Rose Quartz, Tourmaline

SPIRITUALITY: Amethyst, Calcite, Lepidolite, Sugilite

SPONTANEITY: Apache Tear, Hematite, Turquoise

STABILIZING: Fluorite, Herkimer Diamond, Jet, Lepidolite, Rhodocrosite, Selenite, Pink Tourmaline, Vogesite

STAMINA: Zebra Rock

STRENGTH (spiritual, and emotional): Aegrine, Agate, Aventurine, Black Onyx, Bloodstone, Blue Lace Agate, Chrysocolla, Fire Agate, Garnet, Goldstone, Magnetite, Moss Agate, Ocean Jasper, Petrified Wood, Sugilite, Strawberry Quartz, Tourmalinated Quartz, Green Tourmaline, Pink or Red Tourmaline, Tree Agate

STRESS: Amethyst, Apophylite, Aquamarine, Aragonite, Blue Lace Agate, Chrysoprase, Copper, Fluorite, Herkimer Diamond, Howlite, Kunzite, Labradorite, Larimar, Lithium Quartz, Moss Agate, Peridot

SUCCESS: Amazonite, Chrysoprase, Lodestone, Malachite, Sunstone, Green Tourmaline

TENSION: Celestite, Chrysoprase, Fuchsite, Herkimer Diamond, Lithium Quartz, Strawberry Quartz, Tibetan Quartz, Tree Agate, Zircon

TRAMA & CONFUSION: Carnelian, Rhodonite, Selenite

TRANQUILITY: Aquamarine, Opa Aura Quartz

TRANSFORMATION: Azurite, Epidote, Petrified Wood, Seraphinite

TRAVEL: Moonstone, Turquoise

TRUST: Sodalite, Zoisite

TRUTH: Agate, Apophylite

UNDERSTANDING: Apache Tear, Apophylite, Emerald, Jade, Pyrite, Zebra Rock

VISIONS: Pietersite, Tanzanite

WEIGHT LOSS: Apatite, Picasso Stone, Green Tourmaline

WISDOM: Amber, Chrysocolla, Emerald, Jade Sodalite, Ruby, Sodalite, Sugilite, Tektite, Tibetan Quartz

*The information provided is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, or treat any illness, or injury and is provided for informational purposes only.