Humans and rocks have a relationship that goes back to the beginning. To relate to an inanimate object as if it has energy or consciousness might sound odd in today’s world. Yet there are modern-day shamans, mystics, healers, and highly attuned sensitives who have vivid experiences with crystals. Some can sense energy emanating from stones that feels like heat, vibration, or tingling. Some see colors or an aura around rocks. Others describe opening a line of communication with a crystal to receive images, information, and guidance on how to work with it.

Are these people victims of a vivid imagination, prone to hallucinations, or is there something to it? Many ancient cultures across the globe believed in the power of crystals, incorporating them into their medicine, rituals, and daily spiritual routines. Working with crystals and gemstones was widely embraced by ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Sumerians, Mayans, Native Americans, Chinese, and other cultures. Interestingly, you can find commonalities in the healing properties assigned to specific stones from cultures that supposedly had no contact with each other. It could be a coincidence, or perhaps the ancient people were picking up the signals from the crystals.

The power of gemstones has been recognized in many religions and religious texts, and Christianity is no exception. You can find references in the Bible to the use of stones, and perhaps the most interesting one is found in the Book of Revelation.

The Book of Revelation is an enigmatic read, filled with visionary accounts of the end of the world and the second coming of Christ. The final two chapters, 21 and 22, are said to metaphorically describe the heavenly realm, and it is where we find mention of a future holy city. This city made of gold was described as having twelve stones in the foundation.

What are the Twelve Foundation Stones?

Revelation 21:19–20 reads, "The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every jewel; the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst."

There’s debate among experts today about the accuracy of this list of foundation stones. This is because the ancient names of gemstones don’t correspond with our modern mineral classifications. Instead of categorizing gemstones based on their crystalline forms and composition, like we do today, in ancient times stones were named based on their color, place of origin, or how they were used.

The International Gem Society published this list of the twelve foundation stones as the one they believe is the most accurate and correct version: garnet, amethyst, jasper, diamond, emerald, agate, turquoise, carnelian, chrysolite (peridot), beryl, topaz, and ruby.

Each article in this series will cover the geological properties, historical uses, and metaphysical qualities of one foundation stone. This month, it’s all about the sixth foundation stone, carnelian.

Carnelian:

This vibrant, semi-precious stone is a form of chalcedony, which is a cryptocrystalline quartz. Carnelian captures the color rays of a bonfire or a sunset, ranging from light orange to dark reddish-brown. It gets its color from iron impurities in the stone, such as hematite. Carnelian is sometimes heat-treated to enhance and intensify the color.

Carnelian is a durable stone with a hardness of 6.5-7. It displays a range of transparency, from opaque to translucent. It has a vitreous luster similar to glass, which makes it shiny and aesthetically pleasing. Carnelian is widely used today in jewelry and decorative objects. It is the 17th anniversary gemstone, and it was historically recognized as a July birthstone.

Carnelian is created through a process called diagenesis. Solutions that are rich in silica permeate sedimentary rocks, gradually depositing layers of chalcedony. It is an abundant stone mined in various locations around the world, most notably in India, Brazil, Madagascar, the United States, and Uruguay.

Historical Uses:

The original name of carnelian was cornelian, which comes from the Latin word cornum. The translation of cornum is “the fruit of the cornelian cherry tree,” which carnelian stones resemble.

Carnelian was one of the stones the ancient Egyptians used most. It symbolized Isis, the Egyptian goddess of motherhood, magic, and healing. They called carnelian “the blood of Isis” and used it in burial rituals. The ancient Egyptians carved special amulets made of carnelian and placed them on the throats of the dead during the mummification process. The carnelians were carved in the form of a heart or a scarab (the symbol of eternal life), with the name of the deceased engraved on the scarab’s belly. This was to invoke the protection of Isis on the soul’s journey to the afterlife. Also, the master architects of Egypt wore carnelian as a symbol of their status and rank.

The Romans used carnelian to make seals and signet rings since wax did not stick to it. They carved images of deities or animal predators into carnelian to bring luck and protection. They also adorned their battle armor with carnelian due to the belief that it brought courage and strength.

Carnelian was named the Mecca Stone by Muslims and was believed to bring ultimate happiness and the manifestation of one’s desires. It is reported that the prophet Mohammed wore a carnelian ring set in silver to create an inseparable connection with God. In the Middle East, carnelian was also carved into pendants to protect against the evil eye.

According to the Bible, carnelian was the first stone in the breast plate of the high priest and the sixth foundation stone. Ancient Hebrews believed that carnelian offered protection against the plague, and Arabs believed it could stop bleeding. Aboriginals strung carnelian and wore it around the waist to cure all diseases. Interestingly, a belief that carnelian could protect the wearer from falling houses or walls was shared in Zulu, Native American, and central European lore. Another belief that crossed cultures was that carnelian helped with public speaking and overcoming anger.

Metaphysical Properties:

Carnelian is popular today for its sunny, vitalizing vibration and life-enhancing healing properties. Its energy feels like a soothing soak in a hot tub and sunshine kissing your skin on a picture-perfect summer day.

Due to its color range, carnelian is recognized as a powerful stone for activating and healing the lower chakras, especially the sacral and solar plexus. At the sacral, it enhances and supports creativity, vitality, and sexuality. At the solar plexus, it amplifies self-confidence, manifestation ability, and personal power. Grab carnelian when you have important life goals that require energy, creative thinking, and decisive action. It gives you the can-do attitude and the power to make it happen.

Carnelian does wonders to support healing and well-being in the physical body. If you feel like you are coming down with something, such as a cold or flu, consider carnelian to be a crystalline form of Echinacea. Carnelian activates and energizes many systems of the body: the immune, endocrine, reproductive, and lymphatic systems. It treats hormonal imbalances, a sluggish metabolism, and a general lack of life force. Carnelian can increase the productivity of the lymphatic system, and it also permeates deep down to the cellular level to encourage the release of toxicity and disease.

Carnelian also shines its bright light into the emotional body, lifting your spirits and addressing heavy emotional states. Carnelian is a stone of positive energy that is recommended for alleviating depression, bad moods, and negative thinking. Carnelian can also subdue fear and anxiety while helping one heal from abuse. It is still regarded as a stone that transmutes anger, rage, jealousy, and other fiery emotions.

Carnelian’s reputation as a protection stone has stood the test of time. It is known to create a shield around one’s home to prevent theft and harm from outside forces. It can protect against psychic attacks and negative vibes of all kinds.

The color palette of the Heavenly City includes a fiery red frequency due to the addition of carnelian. Treasured throughout time, carnelian is still popular today to enhance vitality, positivity, power, health, and emotional well-being. Stay tuned for the next article in this series, which will dive into the history and properties of the fascinating foundation stone, peridot (chrysolite).