Birthstone: N/A
Meaning: Cleansing, reconciliations, protection
Chakras: Soul Star Chakra, Crown Chakra, Heart Chakra, Sacral Chakra, Solar Plexus Chakra
Zodiac: Cancer, Leo, Capricorn
Planet: Venus, Moon, Sun
MOH’s Scale: 3
Element: Fire, Earth
God/Goddess: Sekhmet
Anniversary Gift: 6th Anniversary Gift
Alchemical Symbol: N/A
Calcite is a carbonate mineral and the most stable polymorph of calcium carbonate. Other polymorphs of calcium carbonate are the minerals aragonite and vaterite. Aragonite will change to calcite over timescales of days or less at temperatures exceeding 300 °C, and vaterite is even less stable. Calcite has a hexagonal crystal system but can form many different shapes. Rhombohedral, prismatic, and needle like crystals occur. The stone can also form large solid masses.
Calcite is a very soft stone. It is often carved into geometric shapes such as spheres, cubes, and pyramids rather than be used for jewelry. You can also find it in crystal form or as a large rough chunk. It is a very common mineral, particularly as a component of limestone. Calcite is derived from the German Calcit, a term from the 19th century that came from the Latin word for lime, calx with the suffix “-ite” used to name minerals. It is thus etymologically related to chalk.
Calcite is transparent to opaque and may occasionally show phosphorescence or fluorescence. Single calcite crystals display an optical property called birefringence (double refraction). This strong birefringence causes objects viewed through a clear piece of calcite to appear doubled. The birefringent effect (using calcite) was first described by the Danish scientist Rasmus Bartholin in 1669.
Ancient Egyptians carved many items out of calcite, relating it to their goddess Bastet, whose name contributed to the term alabaster because of the close association. Many other cultures have used the material for similar carved objects and applications.
A transparent variety of calcite known as Iceland spar was been used by Vikings for navigating on cloudy days. Iceland spar, formerly known as Iceland crystal, is a transparent variety of calcite, or crystallized calcium carbonate, originally brought from Iceland, and used in demonstrating the polarization of light. It occurs in large readily cleavable crystals, is easily divisible into parallelepipeds, and is remarkable for its birefringence. Mines producing Iceland spar include many mines producing related calcite and aragonite as well. It is also found productively in the greater Sonoran Desert region as in Santa Eulalia, Chihuahua, Mexico and New Mexico, United States, as well as in China. The clearest specimens, as well as the largest, have been from the Helgustadir mine in Iceland.
It has been speculated that the sunstone (Old Norse: sólarsteinn, a different mineral from the gem-quality sunstone) mentioned in medieval Icelandic texts was Iceland spar, and that Vikings used its light-polarizing property to tell the direction of the sun on cloudy days for navigational purposes. The polarization of sunlight in the Arctic can be detected, and the direction of the sun identified to within a few degrees in both cloudy and twilight conditions using the sunstone and the naked eye. The process involves moving the stone across the visual field to reveal a yellow entoptic pattern on the fovea of the eye, probably Haidinger’s brush. The recovery of an Iceland spar sunstone from a ship of the Elizabethan era that sank in 1592 off Alderney suggests that this navigational technology may have persisted after the invention of the magnetic compass.
High-grade optical calcite was used in World War II for gun sights, specifically in bomb sights and anti-aircraft weaponry. It was used as a polarizer (in Nicol prisms) prior to the invention of Polaroid plates and still finds use in optical instruments. Experiments have even been conducted to use calcite for a cloak of invisibility.
The largest Calcite producing and exporting countries are Malaysia, Belgium-Luxembourg, Norway, Vietnam, and France. The top importer countries include India, Germany, Finland, and Indonesia. Calcite is the most common mineral of hydrothermal caves developed in carbonate rocks. In addition, such minerals as quartz, barite, fluorite, and sulfides are commonly reported from the deep-seated hydrothermal caves. The largest documented single crystal of calcite originated from Iceland, measured 23 ft × 23 ft × 6.6 ft and 20 ft × 20 ft × 9.8 ft and weighed about 250 tons.
The major uses and applications are dimension stones, mortar, blocks of pyramids, monuments, statuary, calcite alabaster for sculpture and artifacts, flooring, tiles, architecture, acid neutralizer, medicine, and in anti-aircraft weaponry.
Calcite is a transformation stone that bridges communication between body, mind, and spirit. It is an energy amplifier and helps ground and center you. It can help balance your mental and emotional state. It transmits energy well by skin contact so it makes an excellent large size worry stone or paperweight. Simply hold it in your hand while meditating on your purpose.
Witch tip: If the environment of a room is feeling negative, place a piece of cleansed calcite in the center of the room to cleanse and wipe away any unwanted energy. Its purifying and healing nature will help dispel negativity and centers the room.
It helps to alleviate stress and enhances memory, making us more energetic and enthusiastic. It also stimulates the metabolism, alleviates skin and intestinal complaints, and strengthens the heart. This stone reduces fear and stress, while providing protection and healing. It aids in memory and is a great stone for the arts and science. Calcite’s more specific mystical properties depend on its color. Varying in colors, this stone is a good balancer.
Clear Calcite (Iceland Spar)
Clear calcite corresponds with air, inspiring a lightness of being.
White Calcite
White calcite connects with the moon, feminine energy, and water. It is the stone of spiritual awakening and is an energy amplifier that helps overcome laziness increasing and stimulating your energy. It is a spiritual stone linked to the higher consciousness, aiding in spiritual development. It is cleanses auras and chakras while also used in relation to the Soul Star Chakra and Crown Chakra.
White calcite is a cleanser of energy, grounding you and bring joy and light heartedness into your life. It helps to balance the emotions, boosts the memory, calms the mind, alleviates stress, enhances trust in oneself, and strengthens the ability to overcome setbacks connecting the emotions with the intellect.
Pink (Mangano) Calcite
Mangano calcite helps with contacting higher realms and aids in emotional healing of any form of trauma. It is known as the “Reiki Stone” and is connected to the Heart Chakra and Crown Chakra. Mangano calcite encourages self-confidence, compassion, and unconditional love of yourself and others. It grounds and centers fostering self-love and the ability to love others. It is connected to the sign of Aquarius.
Witch Tip: To bring in love, wear by your heart, place mangano calcite on your heart Chakra, hold in your left hand, place by your bedside, or put the crystal on top of your written intention to bring unconditional love into your life. Recite your intention aloud:
“I am opening my heart with ease and trust”
Red Calcite
Red corresponds to fire and opens the heart chakra. Red calcite can be used against negative patterns. Keep red calcite next to your bed to help prevent repeating negative patterns.
Orange Calcite
Orange calcite is an excellent crystal for helping to strengthen your emotions and for encouraging energy to flow more feely around the body, bringing more warmth into your life. Orange generates deep joy. Orange Calcite is a stone of Sekhmet and represents the element of earth and fire. This stone is often found in Mexico and works well with the Sacral Chakra and Solar Plexus Chakra. It represents the sun and is said to aid in the acquisition of wisdom. This stone warms the soul and brings comfort to those who possess it.
Witch Tip: Enhance your creativity: Vanadinite, orange calcite, and carnelian together are a trio that brings the obstacle removing properties of vanadinite with the courageous energy of carnelian and the sacral chakra healing properties of orange calcite. You are a force of creative genius and have the stamina and courage to bring your visions to life.
Gold Calcite
Carry gold calcite with you, put it under your pillow, or even add it to your bath for relaxation. Golden relates to solar energy and earth and fire. It is a good healing stone and helps relieve depression.
Honeycomb Calcite
Newly discovered in Utah, this translucent stone emits a soothing glow when lit with candles, LED’s, electric lights or sunlight. Even though honeycomb calcite is a fairly new discovery, the stone is actually quite old, between 150 – 200 million years old. Its colors, patterns, variations in translucency / transparency and ability to accept a high polish sets this type of calcite apart from other forms of calcite
If you are interested in purchasing honeycomb calcite, click on the two images below to see Shamrock Mining Company and It’s A Glow. It’s A Glow is actually down here in South Texas, located in Fredericksburg. I love going into their shop. Their items are always so creative, including a honeycomb calcite chess set!
Calcite (Yellow)
Yellow calcite invites you to activate your inner power. True power comes from within. It comes from knowing and honoring yourself. When you activate your inner power, you expand. You begin to feel grounded and you begin to flow with the natural cycles of your life. Yellow calcite stimulates the aura, helping to overcome depression, lethargy, and hopelessness. It helps remove blockages from meridians, stimulating the Crown Chakra, Sacral Chakra, and Solar Plexus Chakra.
Yellow calcite is for those who need new and innovative strategies to long term problems or stalled projects. It Lets you see how eliminating what is not working is in your best interest. It helps people recover that have experienced deep shame and sexual abuse. It helps heal emotional wounds that impact creativity, sexuality, and will. It stimulates physical, sexual, and creative energy centers. It represents Leo and Capricorn.
Green Calcite
Calcite connects to the earth and water and correlates with the Third Eye Chakra and Heart Chakra. It is associated with Cancer and Virgo while its planet is Venus.
Green calcite makes one feel clear and relaxed during the stresses of daily life and helps improve the quality of meditations by stilling the voice of the thinking mind. It brings emotional balance while removing blockages. Additionally, sleeping with this stone can make dreams more pleasant. Calcite clears negativity and self-doubt while reducing anxiety and stress. It enhances spiritual growth and brings success. Green calcite can be used to encourage love and balance into your life. It has a receptive energy and can be used in financial spells to bring prosperity and good luck.
Blue Calcite
Blue calcite corresponds to water and the Throat Chakra and Third Eye Chakra. It promotes peace, reconciliation, and sleep. It has a receptive energy that is both cleansing and healing. Blue calcite brings optimism and is a stone of purification.
Black Calcite
Black calcite is a high vibration stone of the ancients. Native Americans considered it a powerful protective talisman. It helps to speak with your spirit guides and power animals, offers spiritual protection, and cleanses negativity.
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