Spotlight on | Lapis Lazuli

High valued since the beginning of time, Lapis Lazuli is an incredibly powerful stone that is steeped in history; your own personal history, past lives, ancient civilisations – all the way back to the Big Bang and dawn-of-time itself.  The powers of Lapis are as plentiful as the peyote at Burning Man.

Lapis Lazuli is said to create and maintain connections between the physical and celestial planes, intuitive and psychic awareness are energies this stone brings to the fore, helping to awaken our true destiny and divine purpose. It is also a powerful crystal for positive or white magic.

The History of Lapis Lazuli

Obtained from the oldest mines in the world and worked from around 4000 BC, Lapis Lazuli is one of the most powerful gemstones in the mineral kingdom. 

In the dry, barren land of the Egyptians, this deep cobalt blue colour was a spiritual contrast to their arid desert hues.  It was the iconic beauty and fashion icon Cleopatra who used the crushed powder of the Lapis in her eye shadow design, creating a lasting symbol of the Egyptian pharaoh that is still recognised today.  The golden sarcophagus of King Tutankhamen was richly inlaid with Lapis and it was used extensively in scarabs, pendants and other jewellery.  The gold flecks reflected the revered stars in their nighttime sky and by meditating on these colours they felt supernatural forces would transform their lives. The garments of priests and royalty were sometimes dyed with Lapis to indicate their status as gods themselves.

In ancient Persia and pre-Columbian America, Lapis Lazuli was a symbol of the starry night, and it was a favourite stone of the Islamic Orient for protection from the evil eye. Lapis was used in Greek and Roman times as an ornamental stone, and in medieval Europe, Lapis Lazuli, resembling the blue of the heavens, was believed to counteract the wiles of the spirits of darkness and procure the aid and favour of the spirits of light and wisdom. Buddhists recommended Lapis as a stone to bring inner peace and freedom from negative thought. 

During the Renaissance, sapphire blue was considered a sacred colour (sacre bleu), which is why the Lapis Lazuli stone was ground into a powder and used to paint the Virgin Mary's robes and other iconic artwork in historic cathedrals throughout Europe.

Recognising Lapis Lazuli

Lapis Lazuli is a deep blue metamorphic rock used as a semi-precious stone that has been prized since antiquity for its intense colour.

Its name comes from the Latin lapis, "stone," and the Persian lazhuward, "blue". Lapis Lazuli is a rock formed by multiple minerals, mostly Lazurite, Sodalite, Calcite and Pyrite, and is a rich medium to royal blue with gold flecks (pyrites). Lower-grade Lapis is lighter blue with more white than gold flecks and is sometimes called Denim Lapis.

What is Lapis Lazuli used for?

A stone of truth, Lapis encourages honesty of the spirit, and in the spoken and written word. Wear it for all forms of deep communication. It is also a stone of friendship and brings harmony in relationships. A Lapis grid brings calm and loving communication for a home with temperamental teenagers, or children with Asperger's syndrome, autism, or attention-deficit disorder.

Lapis Lazuli is a powerful crystal for activating the higher mind and enhancing intellectual ability. It stimulates the desire for knowledge, truth and understanding, and aids the process of learning. It is excellent for enhancing memory.

For fame in a creative or public performance-related area, wear or carry Lapis Lazuli to auditions. In the workplace, it attracts promotion, success and lasting recognition in your field.

Lapis is an excellent stone for executives, journalists, and psychologists, stimulating wisdom and good judgment in the practical world. It aids intellectual analysis in archaeologists and historians, problem solving for lawyers, and creates new ideas for inventors and writers.

Lapis Lazuli is beneficial to the throat, larynx, and vocal cords, and helps regulate the endocrine and thyroid glands. It overcomes hearing loss and other problems with ear and nasal passages.

Lapis Lazuli enhances circulation and improves cardiac rhythm. It reduces vertigo and lowers blood pressure, and is thought to alleviate insomnia.

Relieve oozing or septic sties, and other eye infections, by rubbing the area with a piece of Lapis heated in warm water. Once cooled, the water can then be used for an eye bath. A Lapis heated in sunlight, reduces bruising and is good for skin problems and insect bites.

Lapis is beneficial for women suffering from menstrual irregularities and relieves cramps, stiffness and lower-back pain. Lapis Lazuli relieves general pain and inflammations, and is especially effective against migraine headaches.