Metaphysical and Mineralogical Properties of Garnets
Garnets are vitreous, translucent hexocatahedral gemstones with a hardness rated significantly above quartz crystal, characterized by the presence of aluminum and manganese, which imparts their striking reddish color.
The garnet derives its name from the pomegranate seed. Pomegranate is called punica granatum in Latin.
The garnet family contains a variety of gemstone members, all significantly harder than quartz crystal, which generally form either dodecahedral or rhombohedral crystal formations.
Garnets of all colors, ranging from emerald green to bright orange, and on into shades of deep, deep infrared have been highly prized by collectors for centuries, are often associated with royalty. The garnet family of stones have somehow generated an aura of sensuous opulence which this stone exemplifies for many collectors.
Garnets have been used for millennia in shamanistic healing and spiritual traditions across the globe, by Native American Indians, Aztecs, Mayans, and African medicine men and healers. Garnet is also one of the stones found in the breastplate of the Israeli High Priest in the Old Testament.
Garnets were traditionally considered stones of protection in both the Middle East and European spiritual traditions, used to ward off demons and evil environmental influences, and to protect warriors in battle. Garnets were also used as stones of sexual healing, to promote passionate connection between loving partners.
Most of all, garnets are the quintessential stone of prosperity, used to manifest abundant wealth and income for millennia in cultures around the world. All these properties are connected to the garnet's connection to the root chakra, which is colored red in the Western chakra system, and which governs issues of survival, adequate prosperity to sustain life, and sexual energy. The root chakra is the site of the coiled kundalini energy which is the fountainhead of all spiritual experiences, and thus the garnet is also thought to awaken the kundalini energy which normally lies dormant in human beings until awakened by a spiritual teacher or by intense spiritual experience of some kind.
Garnets typically are used by spiritual healers to transmute negative energy or stuck energy within a sick person into healthy energy, and to restore the proper flow of life force energy throughout the individual's body. The red color of the garnet indicates its affinity with the root chakra, normally associated with the color red in the Western chakra system, and with the second chakra, normally associated with the color orange in the Western system. In addition, this garnet works to energize the "hara" center, located about two fingers width below the navel, which is the location where the individual's "chi", "prana" or universal life force energy is stored.
The garnet works to equilibrate, cleanse and energize the root chakra and the second chakra, grounding the bearer, strengthening the bearer's self-confidence and sense of physical security, enhancing the sexual energy, the flow of kundalini, and the store of universal life force energy in the physical body.
Jane and I have used garnets in Reiki treatments on ourselves and with clients, and have found that this is one of the most powerful gemstones we have ever used to enhance the flow of universal life force energy, "chi", or "prana" in the body.
Spessartine Garnets
Spessartine garnets are vitreous, translucent hexocatahedral gemstones with a hardness rated significantly above quartz crystal, characterized by the presence of aluminum and manganese, which imparts their striking reddish orange color.
Jane and I have used spessartine garnets in Reiki treatments on ourselves and with clients, and have found that this is one of the most powerful gemstones we have ever used to enhance the flow of universal life force energy, "chi", or "prana" in the body.
First the user experiences a warm rush of chi into the root chakra region, and then a flow of warm energy upward into the second and third chakras. It feels so good! These are some of the most powerful crystals of their size that we have seen. Jane says that she feels the energy traveling all the way from her root chakra up the spine and into the heart!
We have found meditation with this type of garnet to be very restorative and have felt a deep connection to a vast "library" of cosmic wisdom contained within these etched Tanzanian garnets, similar to the experience of meditating with an elestial crystal.
Demantoid Garnets
Demantoid garnets are calcium and iron-bearing gemstones, an unusual pale green variety of andradite garnet and typically grow in metamorphic rock formations.
The demantoid variety of garnet is a relative newcomer to the garnet family. This particular variety of garnet gemstone was discovered in 1850 in Russia.
Today, collectors favor darker colored demantoid garnets, which often achieve higher valuations, but the more pale specimens often exhibit more fire and thus may be attractive to those seeking more luminous, energy-filled garnets.
The degree of "fire" within a gemstone is related to its ability to disperse light, and some extremely valuable demantoid garnets can display a higher dispersion than diamonds.
Demantoid garnet gemstones tend to be quite small as you can see looking at the size of the demantoid garnet pictured here. You should be aware that cut and polished demantoid garnet gemstones tend to be quite small, averaging 1 carat to 2 carats and anything over 5 carats considered totally museum quality.
Green garnets are usually associated with the heart chakra, which is often depicted as green in color, according to the Western chakra system. Thus green garnets are thought to energize the heart, help open the heart, and resonate with all spiritual practices involving compassion and service.
Green garnets are also traditionally used to attract abundance in life, as the color green is traditionally associated with fertility.
Green garnets also impart an enhanced energetic connection with nature and nature spirits as most green stones tend to do for the bearer. Green garnets are associated with true love, a union based upon the workings of the heart rather than lower chakra activities.
Garnets work to equilibrate, cleanse and energize the root chakra and the second chakra, grounding the bearer, strengthening the bearer's self-confidence and sense of physical security, enhancing the sexual energy, the flow of kundalini, and the store of universal life force energy in the physical body.
The Demantoid garnet is very unusual in that it works not only with the heart chakra & hara center or root & 2nd chakras, but seems to help the bearer access a chthonic connection with our Mother Earth, deep within the deepest parts of ourselves.
Visit the Garnet section of our Crystal Store to find Garnet specimens and pendants.