Love has acquired many different names and definitions over the centuries. Regardless of which type you look at though, all forms of Love require a subject, namely one’s self or someone/something else. It is important to balance the love of self with the love of others, lest we become sociopaths or lose ourselves completely to the world around us. For this reason, the Love Stone Triad becomes an indispensable tool for finding love, including Rhodochrosite (manganese carbonate - MnCO3), Rhodonite (manganese inosilicate – MnSiO3), and Rose Quartz (silicate with trace iron aluminosilicate inclusions – SiO2).

As any therapist would tell you, in order to truly give (and to an extent receive) love from others you must first learn to love yourself. Although there are many psychological principles that lead to this conclusion, the basic principle is that loving yourself is practice for loving others. If you cannot forgive yourself or accept yourself, how can you ever give forgiveness or acceptance to someone else? How can you value another person, if you do not recognize your own value? How can you provide emotional support for another, when you yourself have no emotional resources to give? By learning how to love yourself, you learn to love others. Rhodochrosite, the stone of self-love, helps us to put this basic principle into practice. According to Robert Simmons’ The Pocket Book of Stones, Rhodochrosite encourages emotional healing through the “necessary work of recovering, reliving and release the memories of one’s emotional woundings,” while also allowing for self-forgiveness and acceptance. Associated with the elements of Fire and Water, Rhodochrosite blends our passionate energy with our emotional selves to drive this healing process to receive love first from ourselves and then others.

Of course, learning to love ourselves is wonderful and healthy, but rarely the ultimate goal we have in mind when we think of Love. Furthermore, solely loving oneself can become a malignancy that in its totality leads to narcissism. The balance to self-love is the act of loving others, whether they are lovers (Eros), family & friends (Philia), pets (Storge), or humanity at large (Agape). The key to loving others is taking action. Contrary to popular belief “being in love” is fleeting and passive. It is a state of being that happens to you as the result of biochemistry as triggered by the environment around you. Even the phrase “to be in love” uses passive voice, grammatically speaking. To love is active and requires conscious effort and the application of one of our greatest treasures, free will. Rhodonite, the stone of altruism, inspires us to practice charity with our Love. Robert Simmons says “Rhodonite encourages using one’s gifts and talents for the benefit of the community…and in so using them, one can experience fulfillment of the deep desire to love and be loved.” Although referencing the community at large, Simmons’ statement can be applied to tighter communities, such as family, circles of friends, or even romantic partnerships. As a stone associated with Fire and Earth, Rhodonite blends our passionate energy with our nurturing selves to drive active engagement with and generosity towards others.

Conversely, giving too much of ourselves can lead to a feeling of being drained or resentment, or worse yet, a complete loss of our sense of self. For this reason, finding balance between our love of self and

love of others becomes the most important step in our search for Love. Rose Quartz, the stone of universal, unconditional Love, aids with balancing the energies of Rhodochrosite and Rhodonite (as well as any of the stones associated with the heart chakra) and can be considered an overseer of sorts. Rose Quartz teaches self-compassion while strengthening the bonds of love we share with others. “Rose Quartz is the pure stone of love-for oneself, one’s partner, children, family, friends, community, the Earth, the Universe and the Divine,” as stated by Robert Simmons. While on the journey to seek out and find Love, Rose Quartz reminds us that we are already there and already a part of it. Love Love!