The most popular colour for aquamarine is a clear sky-blue, but most are a bluish- green colour. This does not affect the healing properties, for both shades are excellent. Under this group may be added the clear green beryls, which owe their colour to iron and do not have the verdant green of the chromium-coloured emerald. Large crystals have been found and sometimes, due to particular growth conditions, striations (lines) are clearly visible on the surface. Aquamarine, the “gem of the sea”, derives its name from “sea water”. The reference is obvious: aqua sparkles like the sea and its colour is pale to medium blue, sometimes with a slight hint of green. Legends say that it is the treasure of mermaids, with the power to keep sailors safe at sea. Aquamarine is said to be a particularly strong charm when immersed in water. The ancients also believed aquamarine gave protection against the wiles of the devil and to dream of aquamarine meant that you would meet new friends.
Heliodor, or golden beryl, is named after the Greek words for sun – helios – and gift – doron. The sunny yellow colour of this beryl lives up to its name. Red beryl is the most rare member of the beryl family. It is mined in only one place: the Wah Wah Mountains in Utah. The colour is a pure vibrant red. Unfortunately this deposit produces only a small quantity. Colourless beryl, which is also known as Goshenite, is also relatively rare. It is named after a deposit where it was found in Goshen, Massachusetts. The Greeks used colourless beryl as lenses; the first spectacles were probably beryl. Very rarely the crystal has the appearance of ancient writing or hieroglyphs on the surface. These special crystals arc record keepers.
Aquamarine gives freedom from the impressions and influences of others. Calming, soothing to the emotions, cooling and an excellent meditation stone, it helps you go with your own ‘flow’, finding your perfect karmic path with courage, fortitude and, most of all, compassion for yourself. It will shield the aura from anger, hatred, envy and hostility.
It opens the gateways to understanding the archetypal realms, gives mental and emotional stability, promotes greater understanding of the dramas we may be caught up in and facilitates being able to step out of the drama to see the underlying emotion. Archetypes are universal themes, or models, of the ‘human condition’. They are illustrated through myths, fairy stories and even modern plays and films; they serve to provide us with an understanding of our emotional experiences – both what we are and what we would like to become. Once you understand your ‘drama’ or ‘life role’ you can then change it for one that is more in tune with the life you really want.
Aquamarine also identifies the underlying patterns we may have embedded into our neural pathways, which are outwardly projected as particular behaviours; we can choose at any moment to discard those that no longer serve us. Aquamarine teaches us to take up our emotional reins and the emotional challenges that face us every day in order that we can choose a different direction and move into a new stage of development.
The throat chakra is also fully activated by aquamarine. Indeed it is very stimulating when placed on the throat chakra in a gemstone layout, but we find we can safely use this stone on any area of the body; it will release stored stress, induce peace and healing resonance. It alleviates all problems of the throat, swollen glands, the teeth, jaw and upper chest. Aquamarine really feeds the central nervous system and calms nervous stress and breakdown. The stillness of aquamarine calms the panic that can follow emotional shock. It stops the person running away from their hurt self and the painful situation. It is a good stone to use when encountering problems in relationships. It encourages you to be able to speak what is in your heart. It is useful in overcoming self-sabotage and in centering oneself.
This stone is said to put you in touch with the dolphins and whales, whose loving energy really makes you look at your resistance to being totally loving and forgiving. Anger or rage initially prepares the body to correct injustice, but it must be released from the body. When it is not released, it solidifies and hardens into hatred. We need to honour and own our emotions, but we also need to elevate our consciousness, which is a conscious act of personal will power. When we know there is someone or something we cannot forgive, we need to ask ourselves what we would have preferred. When we forgive, we rescind our expectations and conditions for loving. We forgive for our own sakes, but our forgiveness will affect the people we have not been able to forgive. If we hold on to resentment, anger, hatred and bitterness, it gives them power over us and eventually these negative emotions make us sick. Sometimes we refuse to forgive in order to punish. A simple way of releasing anger towards someone is to first acknowledge what you are truly feeling about their behaviour or injustice, and then consciously choose not to punish yourself for carrying this feeling. You can say “I now intend to let go and release my suffering over the situation”. Then visualise the person you need to forgive standing before you. Tell them what you would have preferred to happen and choose to release the expectations. You now want to be free. They are totally accountable for their own actions, good or bad. Unite your consciousness into the light of your cosmic self and imagine and experience the light, compassion and love flowing into you. Experience unconditional love for yourself. As this feeling builds in you, send this love out to the true self of the person and say “I send this love out to you just as you are and have been, I have no expectations regarding your behaviour past, present or future”. When you feel honestly and completely at peace with the situation, you are ready to finally release it. Until then, you are bound in karmic chains of hatred and you will be linked to this person or situation for eternity.
Affirmation: I now release and let go of my past suffering and pain, knowing I release others too.
Keyword: Release.
