May 2009

May Crystal of the Month

“Kunzite”

Kunzite was discovered at the Pala Chief Mine near San Diego, California and named after gemmologist GF Kunz, who first described it after the turn of the twentieth century. Kunzite is an unusual, and rare, stone. Kunzite has only been known for a little more than a hundred years, and yet it is now going through something like a second Renaissance.

Wear kunzite to be blessed with good fortune. Its soft pastel colours symbolize purity. It can also be a sign of new life and is sometimes regarded as a symbol for pregnancy.

Kunzite is a calming, relaxation stone which:

Releases tension
Promotes a peaceful disposition
Emits exceptionally tranquil vibrations

Kunzite opens the heart to all forms of love.

The gentle energy of Kunzite helps to release blocks in matters of the heart and allows one to move to a more receptive state.

Gaze at or hold a kunzite to release daily stress, smooth out knotted muscles, calm nerves, anger or fear.

In the world of geology, the occurrence of Spodumene in the colour pink is known as kunzite ; however, there is little distinction made between Kunzite and the other forms and colours of Spodumeme when the mineral is sold.

Physical Properties
Spodumene is a lithium aluminium silicate. It is a relatively rare pyroxene found mainly in lithium rich pegmatites. Rough crystals of Spodumene have been found in gigantic proportions, one of the largest was a single crystal measuring over 47 feet long and weighing 90 tons! Spodumene is the principle source of lithium, which is the lightest of all metals. Gem Spodumene occurs very rarely and in much smaller crystals.

The colour in gem Spodumenes ranges from colourless to yellow, pink to violet (kunzite), yellowish-green to medium deep green (hiddenites) and an extremely rare light blue colour. The colour in the gem varieties of Spodumene is due to impurities of iron (producing yellow to green coloured Spodumene), chromium (producing medium-deep green coloured Spodumene) or manganese (producing pink to lilac Spodumene), all substituting for aluminium in the crystal structure.

Kunzite crystallises in the form of a flattened prismatic crystal which are vertically striated, and in massive formations which are perfectly cleavable.

The mineral activates the heart chakra and aligns the heart chakra with the throat chakra and third eye. It synthesizes the energies to produce loving thoughts and loving communication. Just holding this stone produces the feeling of a powerful piece gently penetrating the inner core of ones being. It connects one to the infinite source of love, providing for purification on all levels. It further initiates the internal acknowledgment and the external expression of self love, unconditional love, and romantic love. It is an excellent stone for those who are not totally relaxed when expressing the emotions of the heart space.

Kunzite can be used to remove obstacles from ones path. It further provides indication of the procedural steps required to attain the desired end result and acts as a facilitator in the physical, emotional, and intellectual realms.

Kunzite can be used to both strengthen and reinforce the physical heart muscles. It can be used in the treatment of disorders of the lungs and circulatory functions, and to ameliorate stress related disease. It has been used to eliminate energy blockages which encourage the onset of dysfunctions within the body. It can also be used to stimulate the secretion of hormones of well being.

This gemstone is the youngest member of the Spodumene family, to which the green or yellowish-green hiddenite, discovered about a quarter of a century earlier, also belongs. Hiddenite too bears the name of its discoverer, W. E. Hidden.

As a variety of Spodumene, Kunzite belongs to the class of the chain silicates. It has minute traces of manganese to thank for its fine lilac colour. However, the colour can fade in direct sunlight. For that reason, jewellery with kunzite should never be worn while sunbathing or on the beach.

Its hardness is fairly good, between 6_ and 7 on the Mohs Scale.

This gemstone with its fine, delicate pink is not only an ideal precious stone for lovers; it is also popular as a healing stone. Kunzite is said to enhance a person's capacity for devotion and understanding and to bestow inner peace and joie de vivre on its wearer. And since it is also said to activate the mind and liberate us from worry and anxiety, it is an excellent gemstone for those suffering from strain or exam nerves. Its fine pink with a hint of violet radiates a serene composure and keeps moods of depression and anxiety at bay right from the outset.

Many people on a spiritual path believe that to truly evolve they must never get angry, they must never refuse the demands of others, even if these demands seem unreasonable. Kunzite can mediate between the heart which says, "yes" and the mind which says "not on your life." It tells us that there are times when anger may be a loving response, and that sometimes to not express it is an act of unkindness. It tells us when saying no is a loving choice. It helps us to set wise boundaries.

This stone is part of the heart triad which also includes rose quartz and pink tourmaline. Rose quartz heals the wounds of the heart and allows us to experience unconditional love for ourselves. Pink tourmaline enables us to give unconditional love to others. Kunzite is the catalyst for the transformation of self-love into love's external expression. It's a stone of balance, creating a state of emotional calmness, security, and maturity.

In appearance it is a flat crystal with parallel striations (ridges) running its length.

Tourmaline, Topaz,Aaquamarine, Morganite share this characteristic. Energy runs through such stones at a rapid rate, making them helpful for dissolving energy blockages.

Kunzite's colour is a lavender-pink. This indicates its ability to help blend the energies of mind (purple) and heart (pink).

In meditation, kunzite can be placed on the heart chakra, either alone or with rose quartz and pink tourmaline or pink calcite. It can also be placed on the third eye, with rose quartz on the heart centre, to further blend the energies of heart and mind.

It's a wonderful stone to give to anyone who is experiencing emotional confusion, a troubled mental state, or putting unrealistic (and unloving) demands on themselves.

Sources of Kunzite

Kunzite is mined in US, Brazil, Madagascar, Afghanistan,

The crystals, or fragments of crystals, often badly eaten away, can attain sizes of up to several kilogram’s.

Key words

Ø Grounding.

Ø Peace.

Ø Promotes feelings of peace and inner strength.

Ø Promotes self-love and self worth.

Ø Aid one to relax.

Ø Dissolves negativity.

Ø Protects aura and shields against unwanted energies.

Ø Good for meditations.