Gemstones are gorgeous, and some people believe they hold energies that benefit the body. Colorful gemstones are often used to balance the chakras, which are areas of energy found on specific points on our bodies. The idea is that a particular type (and color) of gems align with the chakras can help to balance out the energies. Some believe this improves wellness; however, I'd only recommend doing this as a calming exercise. Your health should be left to your doc!
If you want to try to balance your chakras for a calming moment of relaxation, the exercise is pretty easy. However, you will need a quiet place to lie down and you need the proper gemstones on hand. The colors of the stones are soothing, and are, again, attributed to each individual chakra.
There are seven different chakras that you need to know: the Root Chakra, the Sacral Chakra, the Solar Plexus Chakra, the Heart Chakra, the Throat Chakra, the Third-Eye Chakra and the Crown Chakra. So where exactly are these chakras? According to MindBodyGreen : the Root Chakra is near the base of the spine, the Sacral Chakra is found "about two inches below the navel and two inches in," the Solar Plexus lies by the stomach (or, as the site notes, "the upper abdomen"), the Heart Chakra is located a little above your heart, the Throat Chakra is obviously on the throat, the Third Eye is located between your eyes on your forehead, and the Crown Chakra is found on the top of the head.
The location of the Chakras are where you place the individual gemstones. Remember, each Chakra is responsible for a unique energy. The Heart Chakra, for example, is responsible for love. The Solar Plexus controls confidence or wisdom, the Throat Chakra is communication, the Crown Chakra is focused on spirituality, the Third Eye focuses on, as noted by MindBodyGreen, "the big picture," the Sacral Chakra is about sexuality or creativity and the Root Chakra is what grounds us (like a tree's roots!).
So what gemstones do you place on each Chakra? While each Chakra has a different energy, the chakras also are represented by a different color of the rainbow. The Root is red (or black), Sacral is orange, the Solar Plexus is yellow, the Heart is Green (or pink), the Throat is a bright sky blue, the Third Eye is a deeper blue or indigo and the Crown Chakra is purple or amethyst in hue. The gemstones used to balance the chakras must correspond to the color of the chakra.
Here are the gems you need, according to EnergyMuse (my source for all listed gems!):
Amethyst is the rightful choice, and, for good reason, it's believed to help reduce stress and anxiety.
Remember all gems should be red! So choose Garnet, Jasper (red!), Smoky Quartz or Onyx.
Go for orange gems like sunstone and Carnelian. You also can use orange calcite, though.
Solar Plexus: A great choice for yellow is the bright and sunny citrine.
Rose Quartz symbolizes love, so it's an ideal gem. Aventurine or Chyrsoprase also may be used.
Sky blue stones to place on the throat can include the beautiful Aquamarine or Sodalite or Blue Apatite.
Amethyst, Flourite or Iolite helps balance the Third-Eye.
Place a gem on each chakra location, turn on some soothing music and just relax! Take a few deep breaths and lie there with those beautiful gems for as long as you need! When you're feeling really stressed or overwhelmed, and you need to unwind or balance your mind, grab your gemstones!
About the author:
Naomi Shaw is a freelance journalist residing in sunny Southern California with her husband and three children. She is a work-at-home mom that enjoys writing on fashion, beauty, jewelry, and everything weddings!