Garnet

Garnets are an ancient gemstone, originally known as a carbuncle. Found all over the world, they make up a family of complex silicates with a wide variety of chemical compositions, but very similar crystal structures.

Garnets form under the great heat & pressures that only metamorphic & igneous rocks can endure. Geologists may use garnets to gauge extreme temperatures & pressures in a specific area.

Calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, & aluminum are among the more common metals found in Garnets. Regardless of the chemical content, Garnets always grow in symmetrical, cube-based crystals. The basic trademark shape of this gemstone is the rhombic dodecahedron, a 12 sided crystal.

There are 7 main classes of garnets & 3 sub-classes. A description of each class follows this article. Colors in this gemstone range from dark blood reds to brilliant greens.

Since these gemstones are so easy to find, (Italy, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Norway, Bohemia, Africa, India, Brazil, California, New Jersey, North Carolina & Arizona) they are not highly valued as a jewelry stone. Its value as a magical gem however, has a long & mythical history.

Garnets were believed to glow in the dark & Noah used a Garnet lantern to guide the ark at night. In both ancient Asia & the American Southwest, the Garnet was used as a bullet. It was believed that the gem’s blood red color would inflict greater damage.

Normally considered a January birthstone, Garnets also work well for those born under the sun signs of Aries, Leo, & Virgo.

Garnets are associated with the base chakra and are often used to stimulate the Kundalini. They can open the flow of energy from the base to the Crown Chakra, awakening the Kundalini.

In fact anytime you are working to control the flow of energies, Garnets are a wonderful ally. They can be used to store energy for later use, or assist in extracting negative energy & transmuting it into positive.

Garnets make a wonderful stone for business. They can implement creative powers & prevent chaotic & disruptive growth. This gemstone brings good news, builds cooperation & creates charisma. Use a Garnet to stoke your internal fires, strengthen your commitment & improve your self esteem.

You may also use Garnets to promote success in your spiritual journey. Garnets help stabilize the connection between the spiritual & physical world. They help bring about balance by assisting you in controlling your personal energy flow.

For healing, Garnets may be used in treating ailments related to the spine. They are powerful in helping repair cellular structure in the heart, lungs & blood. They also help the body utilize minerals like iodine, calcium & magnesium & vitamins A,D & E.

Garnets can be found in the Happiness Stone Power Prayer Pouch from Ozark Rock Exchange.

Garnet Classes

Almandine - deep red color with heavy content of iron. Used in older Victorian era jewelry

Pyrope - fire red, often the largest growing garnets, contain magnesium

Rhodolite - reddish purple with excellent clarity, combination of iron & magnesium

Spessartite - orange to orange/brown, heavy mineral content of manganese

Grossular - a yellow garnet from Sri Lanka, mineral content is calcium

Hessonite - yellow/brown, related to Grossular & containing calcium

Tsavorite - a sparkling green containing chromium (like emeralds)

Andradite - black, no value as a jewelry stone, considerable spiritual value, combination of calcium & iron

Demantoid - a lively green but brittle & soft specimen, like Andradite, its mineral content is calcium & iron

Uvarovite - another emerald green garnet, though its color is not always consistent, contains chromium & calcium