Within this momentous day a very unexpected and negative situation arose in my life and I dealt with it in a magnificently courageous and graceful manner. Lucky to have a somewhat idyllic life, partly because I choose to see the beauty in everything and also choose to think positive even in the face of overwhelming circumstances, these relatively few negative situations are foreign to me. I was amazed at how calm I remained. In fact, the ugliness of this event did not seem to even touch me, seemingly deflected by some mysterious but wonderful shield that magically appeared and gave me monumental coping skills. I felt invincible, confident, and peaceful all at the same time. Thank goodness I can tell you that I usually do feel very confident in most circumstances, however, this time my sense of empowerment was overwhelming. I thought, “Hey, there really must be something special about this hematite.” Being a gemstone lover, I naturally credited the hematite with my grace under fire. This was just the beginning of what will surely be my life-long love affair with hemitite. Upon further research, I learned that in addition to being a stone of incredible beauty, hematite is also one of the three most important crystals of the healing stones
Interestingly, and of key importance, I knew nothing of the characteristics of this healing stone when the ‘incident’ occurred. When I did some research on the Internet I learned that hematite is a very complex and inspiring stone which lends courage and self-confidence in battle, and was very important to warriors in ancient times. Native American folklore states that war paint made from hematite will make one invincible in battle.
Hematite helps to center oneself, and can be useful for a mental "tune up". It helps memory enhancement, original thinking, and technical knowledge. Hematite is a calming stone, and offers support for your hopes, dreams, wishes, and desires by encouraging you to "reach for the sun". Hematite reminds you the only limitations that exist are those you place upon yourself. (Courtesy of Emily Stones at www.crystal-cure.com)
Hematite helps to balance out the emotions and energies between the body, mind, and spirit. It has the magical quality to dispel negative energy as in my example above. Hematite is a strong grounding and protection stone and balances and harmonizes the mind, body, and spirit.
Hematite is also useful in overcoming addictions and is widely used as a sobriety stone in and as follow-up to 12 step programs. It also stimulates concentration and focus while enhancing memory and original thought. Hematite is also used to improve relationships. Hemitite also increases intuition and when worn as jewelry is best as a ring worn on the left hand.
The word hematite comes from the Greek word for blood and has been used as an amulet against bleeding, and so it is known as the "blood stone". When arranged like the petals of a flower, it is referred to as the "iron rose". People in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries wore hematite jewelry during mourning.
Hematite stimulates iron absorption in the small intestine, which in turn improves oxygen supply to the body. It can be in direct contact with the skin, but results in inflammation for some people, so test it carefully on yourself before use.
Brazil is the most important source of hematite. Other sources include: China, Canada, United States, England, and Germany.
Polished hematite has been used in jewelry for at least 50 years in North America, especially in the western United States where it is found in jewelry and art created by the Native Americans. It is widely used in jewelry today and enriches designs with its rich charcoal gray to black sheen.
