Do I Need Hematite? Meaning and Healing Properties
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Hematite is metallic iron ore that’s one of the most abundant crystals found on the earth’s crust. It’s also a very important substance with an intrinsic history that connects to the earth’s evolution and the development of humanity. In short, without hematite, there wouldn’t be the life we see today and it’s all due to water oxygenation.
This stone is not only a hero to the history of the world, but it also has a plethora of physical, spiritual, and emotional healing abilities. It’s commonly used in jewelry, statuettes, or in crystal therapy. Although it may not look like much, hematite is truly a remarkable gemstone. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the uses of hematite, as well as its symbolism and healing properties.
What is Hematite?
Hematite is pure iron ore, which is a mineral. The creation of its crystalline structure happens by way of tabular and rhombohedral crystals, masses, columns, and granular shapes. It also produces plate-like layers, botryoidal configurations, and rosettes.
This crystal’s luster can be earthy and dull to a semi-metallic or a full-on shimmery metal. On the Mohs scale, hematite is rated at a hardness of 5.5 to 6.5. It’s a fairly hard mineral, but it’s not quite as hard as some other minerals such as quartz or topaz, which are rated at 7 and 8 on the Mohs scale, respectively.
Hematite is relatively durable and resistant to scratching, but it can be prone to chipping or breaking if it’s subjected to too much force or impact.
Do You Need Hematite?
Hematite is a grounding and protective stone that’s believed to have a number of beneficial properties, making it useful for a wide range of people. Some people who would find it useful include the following:
- Those who are seeking to improve their mental clarity and focus. Hematite is thought to help with concentration and decision-making, making it a useful stone for students or anyone who needs to be mentally sharp.
- Those who are looking for relief from stress and anxiety. Hematite is believed to have calm and grounding properties, making it a good choice for people who are feeling overwhelmed or anxious.
- Those who are looking for protection. This stone is thought to absorb negative energy and provide a protective shield. This makes it a useful stone for people who are feeling vulnerable or exposed.
- Those who are interested in the healing properties of crystals. Hematite is believed to have a number of physical and emotional healing properties, including the ability to improve circulation and reduce inflammation.
Hematite Healing Properties
The hematite crystal has potential mental, emotional, and spiritual healing abilities properties.
Hematite Healing Properties: Physical
On a physical level, hematite is excellent for blood disorders like anemia as well as leg cramps, insomnia, and nervous disorders. It helps align the spine, allowing for the proper healing of fractures and breaks. It can help keep the body cool, removing excess heat. Placing even the smallest piece can draw out heat from fever.
Hematite Healing Properties: Mental
Hematite is believed by some to have grounding and balancing properties, which may help to improve focus and concentration. It’s also thought to help with stress and anxiety, as it can have a calming effect on the mind.
Some people also use hematite as a tool for healing past traumas and for developing a stronger sense of self-worth. It can provide a calm, inviting atmosphere while inspiring ambition and a desire to achieve goals. It’s also ideal for dealing with self-limiting concepts that no longer work in a person’s life.
Hematite Healing Properties: Spiritual
Hematite is a grounding and protective stone that can help to promote inner peace and clarity of mind. It can connect the wearer with the Earth and help them tap into their inner strength and personal power.
It’s also believed to be a stone of transformation, helping to bring about positive changes in one’s life. Some people use hematite in meditation practices, as it can help quiet the mind and promote a sense of inner stillness.
Hematite Healing Properties: Removing Negativity
Hematite is believed by some to have the ability to absorb and remove negativity. It’s also thought to be particularly effective at grounding and protecting the wearer, helping to shield them from negative energy and emotions. Some people believe that hematite has a strong yin (feminine) energy, which is believed to be calming and centering.
It’s also thought to have a balancing effect on the mind and emotions, helping to clear away negativity and promote feelings of inner peace and calm. Some people use hematite in meditation practices, as it’s believed to help quiet the mind and to promote a sense of inner stillness.
Symbolism of Hematite
Hematite is a mineral that’s often associated with strength, courage, and protection. It’s said to have grounding and balancing properties and is thought to help the wearer feel more centered and focused. Hematite is also associated with the element of earth and is sometimes used to connect with the energies of the earth or to ground oneself.
How to Use Hematite
Hematite has a wide range of uses and can bring you many benefits if used properly. If you’re not someone who wears jewelry, you can choose to carry a hematite with your or have it displayed somewhere in your home or office to attract positive energy. Here’s a look at the various uses of hematite:
Wear Hematite as Jewelry
Hematite is a popular choice for jewelry for a few reasons, one being its durability and strength. It’s a hard mineral, which makes it resistant to scratching and wear and this makes it a good choice for jewelry that will be worn on a daily basis.
Hematite also has a distinctive, shiny metallic luster that makes it visually appealing. Its dark, almost black color makes it a popular choice for men’s jewelry, but it can also be polished to a high shine and used in more feminine designs. Hematite is also relatively inexpensive, which makes it an affordable choice for use in jewelry.
Use Hematite as a Decorative Element
Hematite is a popular choice for decorative elements because of its shiny metallic luster and black color. It’s used in decorative items such as figurines, paperweights, and bookends, as well as in decorative tiles and mosaics. Hematite is also often used in the creation of decorative objects such as candleholders, vases, and bowls.
Due to its hardness, hematite is a good choice for decorative items that will be handled frequently or placed in high-traffic areas. Its durability and strength also make it a good choice for items that will be placed outdoors, as it’s resistant to weathering and damage.
Use Hematite in Crystal Therapy
In crystal therapy, hematite is typically used for its grounding and balancing properties. It’s said to help the wearer feel more centered and focused and to reduce stress and anxiety.
Hematite is also believed to have the ability to absorb negative energy, which makes it a popular choice for use in spiritual practices and rituals.
This healing crystal can be worn as a piece of jewelry, carried in a pocket or pouch, or placed on the body during meditation or energy work. It can also be placed in a room or space to create a sense of calm and stability.
Some people use hematite in combination with other stones, such as clear quartz or amethyst, to amplify its energy and enhance its healing properties.
Other Uses for Hematite
Hematite has a number of unique uses beyond its use as a decorative stone, jewelry, and in crystal therapy. Some of the other unique uses for this mineral include:
- Pigment: Hematite is a natural pigment that has been used for centuries to color a variety of materials, including paint, ink, and ceramics.
- Polishing: This stone is used as a polishing agent, due to its hard, smooth surface and shiny metallic luster. It’s commonly used to polish steel and other metals, as well as to polish stones such as jade and turquoise.
- Water filtration: Hematite is sometimes used in water filtration systems due to its ability to remove impurities from water.
- Industrial uses: This healing crystal is used in a number of industrial applications, including the production of iron and steel, as a weighting agent, and as a polishing agent.
How to Clean and Care for Hematite
To clean and care for hematite, it’s important to handle it gently and avoid exposing it to harsh chemicals or abrasives. Here are some guidelines for cleaning and caring for hematite:
- Avoid using harsh cleaning agents or abrasives: Hematite is a relatively soft and porous mineral, and it can be easily scratched or damaged by abrasives or harsh chemicals. To clean hematite, it’s best to use a soft, damp cloth and mild soap. Avoid using abrasive cleaners or polishes, as they may scratch or damage the surface of the stone.
- Store hematite carefully: Hematite should be stored in a soft, dry place to prevent it from becoming scratched or damaged. Wrap hematite jewelry in a soft cloth or place it in a padded jewelry box to protect it from bumps and scratches.
- Protect hematite from moisture: This mineral is prone to discoloration and rusting when exposed to moisture, so it’s important to keep it dry at all times. Avoid wearing hematite jewelry while showering, swimming, or participating in water sports, and store it in a dry place when not in use.
- Protect hematite from heat: Hematite can become brittle and break if it’s exposed to high temperatures. Avoid leaving it in direct sunlight or in hot cars and remove hematite jewelry before using heat-producing appliances such as hair dryers or ovens.
- Clean hematite regularly: Hematite can accumulate dirt and oils over time, which can make it appear dull or discolored. You’ll need to clean it regularly to keep it looking its best. Simply wipe it down with a soft, damp cloth and mild soap, and dry it thoroughly afterward.
What Gemstones Pair Well with Hematite?
There are a number of gemstones that pair well with hematite, depending on the desired effect and the specific properties of the other stones. Here are some examples:
1. Clear Quartz
Clear quartz is a versatile and powerful stone that’s often used to amplify the energies of other stones. It’s said to enhance clarity and focus and to promote balance and harmony. Clear quartz pairs well with hematite for its ability to amplify hematite’s grounding and protective properties.
2. Amethyst
Amethyst is a purple variety of quartz that’s known for its calming and soothing energies. It’s said to promote relaxation and tranquility and to help to reduce stress and anxiety. Amethyst pairs well with hematite for its ability to enhance hematite’s calming and balancing properties.
When combined, amethyst and hematite can create a balancing energy that helps to ground and calm the wearer while also promoting a sense of spiritual connection and higher consciousness.
3. Black Tourmaline
Black tourmaline is a grounding and protective stone that can help absorb negativity and promote feelings of calm and stability. It pairs well with hematite for its similar energies and properties. Together, these stones can work to balance and protect the wearer.
4. Obsidian
Obsidian is a glossy, black volcanic glass, known for its grounding and protective energies. It’s said to help to absorb negativity and to promote feelings of strength and stability. Obsidian pairs well with hematite for its similar energies and properties.
5. Smoky Quartz
Smoky quartz is a variety of quartz that is known for its grounding and protective energies. It is said to help to absorb negativity and to promote feelings of calm and stability.
Together, smoky quartz and hematite can create a strong and protective energy focused on grounding and balancing the wearer. They can be used in combination in crystal healing, meditation, or energy work, or they can be worn as a piece of jewelry to bring their energies with you throughout the day.
Where is Hematite Found?
Hematite is a mineral that’s found in a variety of different types of rock, including sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous. It’s also commonly found in places with high iron content, such as banded iron formations and iron ore deposits as well as in hydrothermal veins and hot springs.
This stone is mined in many countries around the world, including the United States, Brazil, Russia, China, and Australia. In terms of metamorphic formation, hot magma encounters cool rocks, thereby collecting surrounding minerals and trapping gasses along the way.
When found among sedimentary rock, most of the deposits will appear as bands of iron oxide and shale as well as silica in the form of chert, chalcedony, or jasper.
At one time, mining efforts were a global phenomenon. But, today, mining operations occur in places like Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Russia, South Africa, Ukraine, the US, and Venezuela. In the US, Minnesota, and Michigan have some of the most important mining sites.
However, one of the more unexpected places to find hematite is on the planet Mars. NASA found that it’s the most abundant mineral on its surface. In fact, scientists estimate that it’s what gives Mars its reddish-brown landscape.
The Color of Hematite
Hematite often appears as gunmetal gray but it can also be blackish, brownish red, and pure red with or without a metallic luster. However, it’s important to note that all hematite will produce a red streak to some degree when rubbed against a white surface. Some are brilliant red while others are much browner.
Inclusions of other minerals give it a magnet-like quality such as when magnetite or pyrrhotite are present. However, if the piece of hematite produces a reddish streak, neither mineral is present.
History & Lore of Hematite
Hematite has a long history as a pigment, indicated by the etymology of its name. In fact, the word for it comes from ancient Greek called, “haimatitis,” or “blood red.” So, iron ore mining has been an essential part of human history.
A Historical Pigment
For the last 40,000 years, though, people crushed it into a fine powder for use in paint and cosmetics. Even ancient tombs, cave paintings, and pictographs comprise hematite, used in chalk form. Evidence for this comes from Poland, Hungary, France, and Germany. Even the Etruscans had mining operations on Elba Island.
Another important piece of evidence is ochre, which was a popular substance all over the ancient world. This is clay colored with varying amounts of hematite to produce a yellow or red color. For instance, red hematite has dehydrated hematite, but yellow ochre has hydrated hematite. People used this in a variety of tints for clothing, pottery, textiles, and hair.
During the Renaissance, pigment names came from the hematite’s original mining place. They would mix this powder with white pigment to produce a variety of flesh-toned pinks and browns for portraits. Even today, artistic paint manufacturers use powdered hematite to produce ochre, umber, and sienna shades.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hematite
Aries and Aquarius have deep associations with hematite. However, due to its proximity to Aries and Aquarius, it may also apply to Pisces.
Yes, there is a type of hematite called “magnetic hematite” or “magnetite.” It is a form of iron oxide that is naturally magnetic, meaning it is attracted to magnets.
Hematite is often associated with the root chakra, which is located at the base of the spine and is associated with the colors red and black.
Yes, it’s generally safe to wear hematite every day. Hematite is a natural and durable material and wearing it as a piece of jewelry is not likely to cause any harm.
Wrapping Up
Hematite is essentially iron ore, which means it’s a very dark metallic stone. While an excellent jewelry crystal, it has capabilities and uses far beyond that. Since ancient times, it has provided a means for people to create works of art including paintings, pictographs, and colorants.
According to various sources, the development of hematite from cyanobacteria from over 2.4 billion years ago, without which the earth wouldn’t have had the oxygenation necessary to foster all life we see today. Therefore, this is an important stone to add to your lapidary collection.
