Crystal/Gemstone Meaning/Property Guide T1

Tanzanite

(aka Blue Zoisite)

The unique, blue-lavender color of tanzanite has been called "a wonderful addition to the gemstone palette." This calcium aluminum silicate develops in fissures of igneous rocks. It is actually a blue form of zoisite that was renamed tanzanite by the renowned jewelry store Tiffany & Co. The name tanzanite comes from where the stone was first found: Tanzania (neighboring Kenya now produces some as well). The gemstone closely resembles, and is often confused with, sapphire and iolite. However, it is less lustrous and hard than sapphire, and has a lower density and refractivity than iolite. Almost all tanzanites on the market have been heat-treated to 500°C (932°F) to produce a deeper color. This is an essential process because the rough form comes in a brown-yellow color. The stone has a very pronounced pleochroism (different colors at different angles) and can be seen as dark blue, green-yellow and red-purple. Blue tanzanite is more desirable than purple. Lesser stones may have a brownish color due to the mixing of blue, purple and green.

Tanzanite is not particularly durable, so it should be protected from knocks or blows. It should not be cleaned in an ultrasonic machine or steamer, because the high temperatures could cause damage to the stone. Likewise, tanzanite is very sensitive to extreme and sudden changes in temperature; do not submerge it in hot water after exposing it to cold air, and vice versa, or the stone could crack.

Tanzanite is one of the more recently discovered gemstones. In July 1967, a tailor named Manuel d'Souza was prospecting for rubies in Africa when a group of Masai tribesmen led him to a deposit of blue stones. The Masai held to a legend that cattle herders of their tribe had first noticed this stone some 30 years previously, after a fire caused by lightning burned areas in Tanzania. The herders noticed that brown (zoisite) crystals had turned a deep blue-purple due to the heat from the fire. Although he initially believed these stones to be sapphires, d'Souza soon realized the material was too soft. Subsequent lab tests revealed that the stone was a previously unknown form of zoisite. He registered four claims, but another prospector was hot on his heels. The area soon became covered in mines, and d'Souza was unable to maintain close control over his claims; he estimated that as much as 80% of his gems were taken. In 1971, the Tanzanian government took control of the mines and in 1976 turned them over to the State Mining Corporation, whose methods caused production to drop. By the late '70s, Tiffany's, which had named and promoted the stone, stopped purchasing tanzanite because of its now-undependable supply. The Tanzanian government lost control of the area by the end of the 1980s, at which time thousands of illegal miners flooded the area; by 1991, the government regained control. Ever since, Tanzania has been issuing licenses to private domestic parties, which has somewhat helped increase the supply.

Tanzanite sometimes is called "the workaholic's stone," because it is believed to help the wearer slow down and take it easy. The gemstone is said to awaken the mind and heart, placing the mind's genius under the command of the heart's wisdom. Meditation leaders believe it activates the throat chakra for clear communication of one's highest truth. It also can be used to enhance psychic abilities, composure, poise and harmony. Physically, it is considered beneficial for stress-related illnesses, high blood pressure in particular.

The Massai Tribesmen give Tanzanite to all their newborn children as a bearer of good fortune. It is also said to have many mystical and healing powers. It uplifts and opens the heart. It is a gemstone that shows us a graceful, gracious way to live. It is said that people who wear Tanzanite feel spiritual power pulling them up. It also encourages the wearer to help others because it helps them realize that their own individual truth is connected to eternal truths and the two would sustain each other. They are well grounded in truth, nature, and spirituality. Tanzanite activates the throat chakra for clear communication of one's highest truth and can also be used to enhance psychic abilities.

Tektite

(aka Indochinite, Libyan Desert Glass)

You might mistake these small, black blobs for bits of asphalt, but they are actually glassy stones formed by a meteor crash. Still poorly understood, tektites have no crystal structure, and are therefore similar to obsidian, but are not associated with volcanic processes. Their chemistry is unique and somewhat unexplained. Usually opaque, tektites are essentially silica glass containing minuscule particles of meteoritic material. Their name comes from the Greek word tektos, meaning "molten." This is in reference to how the stone is formed. The leading theory is that they are fused glass, formed during an impact of a meteor with layers of rock on the Earth's surface. The tremendous heat and pressure produced is believed to have melted pieces of rock as they flew up into the atmosphere; as the material cooled on the return to Earth, strange and wonderful shapes formed and solidified. These shapes include teardrops, dumbbells, buttons, spheres and ellipses. Tektites are found strewn in specific localities in different parts of the world. These fields produce characteristically similar tektites and are sometimes loosely associated with meteorite craters or suspected craters. Therefore, many scientists believe these fields represent splash material from an impact. The largest band of tektites covers most of Australia. Tektites vary in color from pale golden-yellow to black, depending on the chemicals and minerals present in the terrestrial material that was knocked away by the meteor. Tektites found in the Czech Republic, known as moldavites, are especially prized for their clarity and unique green color.

In prehistoric times, tektites were apparently considered to be religious objects by some people, magical by others and omens of evil by still others. Tools made of tektite have been found that date back to 6000-4000 B.C., and after the Iron Age (500 B.C.), tektites were worn as good luck charms. It's said that some Australian aborigines venerated tektites as "sky charms." The first written reference to tektites appeared around 950 A.D., when China's Liu Sun named them lei-gong-mo, meaning "Inkstone of the Thundergod." Some people of the 1700s believed they were the product of a prehistoric glass factory. The first reference in scientific literature appeared in 1788, when Joseph Mayer began insisting that tektites were of extraterrestrial origin. He believed them to be glass meteorites, and because his work was highly read, people began referring to tektites as such; as a result, many universities and museums displayed tektites with meteorites for years. But in 1844, Charles Darwin described the tektites he observed in Australia as "obsidian," an Earthly stone. In 1917, meteor expert F. Berwerth discovered that tektites were similar chemically to certain sedimentary rocks, the first hint that they came from Earth itself. But it was the return of lunar materials from the Apollo missions in the late 1960s that provided evidence that tektites are compositionally unrelated to lunar material, convincing the majority of scientists that tektites are terrestrial in origin.

Metaphysically, tektites are used for wisdom, knowledge, and to help withstand mental or emotional "stumbling." They are also believed to diminish or overcome challenges with mental processes. They are thought capable of allowing extraterrestrial communication, astral travel and lucid dreaming. Mystics say tektites strengthen one's energy field.

Thulite

(aka Pink Zoisite, Unionite)

Thulite is a useful stone for those who need to put on a performance, such as actors and teachers. It encourages extroversion, eloquence and showmanship. Thulite is also said to enhance problem-solving skills, helping you to find inventive solutions to tricky problems. In addition it can encourage the expression of passion and sexual feelings.

Thulite is a strengthening and regenerating stone that is said to stimulate healing. It is believed to be beneficial in cases of extreme exhaustion and to treat calcium deficiency and gastric upsets. Thulite is also thought to enhance fertility; placing it on the pubic bone it is believed to stimulate the reproductive system and to heal diseases of the ovaries and testicles.

Thulite stimulates the sacral and heart chakras and aligns the energy of the heart with the energy of the mind. Thulite facilitates the integration of the inner world with the external world, the energy of love with the energy of reason.

Thulite encourages healthy relationships with others and oneself. Thulite dissolves negative emotions and teaches one how to find joy in all aspects of life. Thulite helps break self-destructive habits of thought.

Allows one to recognise themselves. Dispels vanity, selfishness and laziness. Treats disorders associated with calcium deficiency.

Thulite, sometimes called unionite or pink Zoisite is a stone of nurturing in a deep and full way. It aids understanding and healing the pains and illnesses caused by a lack of nurturing, even abuse. Crystal healers and psychic healers will find Thulite helpful when working with survivors of incest, physical abuse, emotional abuse, abandonment, and neglect. Survivors themselves often find Thulite comforting and helpful in combating self-sabotage, low self-esteem, and other life-long symptoms of abuse and neglect. Others will find that Thulite can help them too, by helping them nurture themselves and those they love. Thulite is helpful for bringing healing of eating disorders including anorexia and bulimia, loneliness. Thulite helps bring nurturing love and understanding of love to one's life, and can help bring harmony in relationships or communities. In addition, Thulite is a stone for the central nervous system that enhances coordination, concentration, and dexterity by bringing the mind and body into alignment together to work together at their highest capacity. Artists, craftspeople, and others who work with their hands can find Thulite extremely helpful. Athletes can also find Thulite very helpful because of its boost of these qualities, which can improve their athletic performance. Thulite is usually related to the root chakra, particularly the darker shades, although many also relate it to the heart chakra.

Tiger Iron

This ironstone rock is a natural mixture of hematite, jasper and Tigereye. Tiger iron is a great example of a metamorphosed gemstone. More than two billion years ago, deposits of these three materials were slowly mashed together as tectonic plates shifted. The tremendous pressures on the original crystals resulted in the intricate, banded designs of tiger iron. Each stone can be seen distinctly in layers of gold, silver, brown and red, drawing unique vertical and horizontal patterns. While the stone is many millennia old, it only recently has become known on the market.

This unusual trinity stone is believed to carry the energies of its three parents. It is said to stimulate vitality, strengthen force of will and courage, and breathe a new spiritual life into creative efforts. Mystics say it helps with multi-tasking, and that wearing tiger iron or keeping it near your desk will help you stay focused on your goal as you plow through work. Physically, it is purported to improve the condition of the blood and eliminate toxins from the large intestine.

Tiger Eye

(aka African Cat's-Eye, Cat's-Eye, Crocidolite, Tigereye, Tigerseye, Tiger's-Eye)

Tiger Eye is a quartz with rich yellow and brown stripes, and a fine golden luster. When viewed from the opposite direction, the colors are reversed. This gemstone consistently has been one of our best sellers. It contains oriented fibers of crocidolite (a mineral of the amphibole group) that have been replaced by silica. The fibers are twisted or crumpled instead of straight, reminiscent of sand and sunlight. Tiger Eye is also vitreous (hard, unbendable and glasslike). With its strong chatoyance, the gemstone gets its name from its resemblance to the eye of a tiger. Other "eye" quartzes exist as well, and their names depend only on their background colors and reflections: Green-gray stones are called cat's-eye; blue-grey to bluish varieties are called hawk's-eye; and deep brown stones are called bull's-eye or ox-eye. As with all gems, protect Tiger Eye from scratches and sharp blows. Also avoid large temperature changes. Because of its chatoyance, Tiger Eye should not be cleaned with alcohol or abrasives; however, it is helpful to treat the stone with oils like Goo Gone®.

Roman soldiers reportedly wore Tiger Eye for protection in battle, and the stone was thought to be all-seeing, due to its ocular appearance. However, tigereye didn't make its gemstone debut until sometime in the late 19th century. It was much more valuable back then than today, fetching several dollars per carat. The stone has previously been called "griqualandite," a throwback to the origin of the best Tiger Eye examples, which came from Griqualand West, in Africa.

Traditionally, Tiger Eye has been used as a gift between lovers to ease sexual tension and help partners tune in to each other in a psychic or telepathic way. It also is believed to pull one into a more positive and flexible attitude, and is said to be especially effective for stubborn people. Conversely, many wear the stone to strengthen convictions, and to acquire courage and confidence. It also is reputed to relieve such physical conditions as high blood pressure, bronchial asthma, heart disease and psoriasis.

Tiger Eye stimulates wealth and prosperity, and once gained, helps you to retain it. In addition, Tiger Eye has a wonderful reputation for attracting people who can help you in your career or goals, wealth, money, and luck. Tiger Eye is for protection, for divination, and inquiry into past or future lives.

Tiger Eye is helpful for individuals seeking clarity and for those who must deal intelligently with the scattered details which must be brought together in some pattern. It can be used to enhance the psychic abilities and can assist in the gentle attunement of third eye activity. This stone is best suited to earthy people. It has been used to stimulate wealth and to enhance the stability required to maintain wealth. Produces soothing vibrations, generating a calmness to unsettled turmoil, and allowing one to enjoy the actions of being unfenced and uninhibited. Can be used to enhance self empowerment.

Powers: Wealth, Protection, Courage, Energy, Luck, Balance.

Magickal Uses: Carry to attract luck and money.