Lapis Lazuli

what a gem!

Lapis Lazuli is a beautifully deep-blue stone with gold flecks through it, reminding me of the night sky.

This stone is very old, much older that a lot of my books even note, in fact, in a 2019 study on micro-remains in the dental cavity of a 45-60 year old female has dated back to AD997-1162 in a medieval church-monastery complex at the site of Dalheim, near Lichtenau, Germany! The scientists in that study aren’t really sure why such a rare & expensive mineral was found in a middle-aged women living a life of apparently low physical labour & buried in a cemetery associated with a woman’s religious community? They do however propose 4 possible scenarios – 1. Perhaps she was a scribe or book painter engaged in the production of illuminated manuscripts, or 2. She may have been employed to prepare artists materials. 3. She consumed Lapis Lazuli in the context of lapidary medicine, or 4. She performed emotive devotional osculation of illuminated books produced by others, either way, really interested stuff!!

But, how did such a precious stone prevailing from the Middle East & the Near East have such a long-distant trade across Asia & Europe?

We know that Lapis Lazuli’s origin, due to specimens unearthed in Egypt, has actually been located by chemical composition analysis & investigations on mineral deposits in Badakhshan in Afghanistan! This suggests that many trade routes of Lapis Lazuli actually began (as far as we know) in to mid-late Bronze Age, or about between 2000BC & 1000BC!! Further archaeological evidence in Iraq & Afghanistan can push the trading of Lapis Lazuli even further to around 3500BC!! In fact, the ancient Greeks & Roman’s originally called this stone sapphirus until the term Lapis Lazuli began to be used in the Middle Ages. Here it was used in scarabs, beads, pendants & other jewellery as far back as 3100BC. In that civilisation Lapis Lazuli was also ground into a powder & used as medicine & even eye shadow!

Buddist’s beliefs recommend Lapis Lazuli as the stone of inner peace & freedom from negative thoughts. But, what I really love is the energetic attributes of Lapis Lazuli! It is one of the best known minerals for activating our higher self & psychic abilities, this stone harmonises our physical, emotional, mental & spiritual levels. Any imbalances we may have in these levels can result in depression & dis-easse (meaning a state that results from physical imbalances, blocked feelings, suppressed emotions & negative thinking), however, when in-balance, the harmony of Lapis Lazuli brings us deep inner-self knowledge.

It is also a stone that has a powerful “Wind” element that works predominantly on our 3rd eye, traditionally used to assist us in connecting to source & invoking divine inspiration for any spiritual seeker & student wanting knowledge & understanding.

This is the stone that also is used in alternate & past-life exploration & my heart-polished stone is always close by when I am exploring a past-life with a patient of mine, as it helps us to access Akashic records so that we can receive information on our past-lives. It’s the stone that links civilisations of one’s lifetimes that used & valued Lapis Lazuli such as Atlantis, ancient Egypt, Peru, Sumeria & India, plus others. When we meditate with Lapis Lazuli, it can assist us in recovering memories of our past-lives & aiding us in our own evolution in this current incarnation by it’s path of uncovering our truth!

An affirmation for Lapis Lazuli is

“I claim the sovereignty & power of my highest self,

& I align myself with my greatest truth”

Lapis Lazuli – what an intriguing gem, and in my opinion, one of the most beautiful rocks in the world!

x Sharon

As always, references available upon request x