- Lapis lazuli is a sodium aluminium silicate with sulphur, chlorine hydroxyl, and variable inclusions of pyrite and white calcite.

- The name means "blue rock" and is always a brilliant blue with violet or greenish tints.

- The rich blue colour is due to the lazurite that is an essential component of this mineral. Small crystals of pyrite are always present in lapis lazuli and their brassy yellow colour is both attractive and diagnostic in distinguishing lapis lazuli from its blue cousin - sodalite, which lacks pyrite. The calcite produces white streaks in the lapis and too much calcite will lower the value of the stone.

- Lapis lazuli has been mined for centuries from a locality still in use today in the Kokcha River Valley, Afghanistan. First mined 6000 years ago, the rock was transported to Egypt and present day Iraq and later to Europe where it was used in jewellery and for ornamental stone. Europeans even ground down the rock into an expensive powdered pigment for paints called "ultramarine". Although no longer the only source of lapis, Afghanistan still produces the finest quality material. Other deposits of generally lower quality are in Chile and Russia.

- The sumerians believed that lapis lazuli contained the spirit of the deities; the ancient egyptians also regarded it as the stone of the gods. This was partly because it reminded them of the stars in the night sky.

- Around the home, lapis lazuli brings contentment and a strong sense of family loyalty. At work, it can help you gain promotion, maintain your integrity and inspire trust in others.

 

- Lapis lazuli eases pain, especially migraines. It benefits the respiratory and nervous systems. It heals the throat, larynx and thyroid. Lapis lazuli cleans organs, bone marrow, thymus and the immune system. It overcomes hearing loss, purifies blood, insomnia, vertigo and lowers blood pressure.

- Lapis Lazuli helps to identify the karmic roots of disease. It can be particularly helpful in identifying habitual thought patterns and emotions sabotaging the healing process.

- Lapis lazuli reduces the effects of inflammatory diseases. Use this stone after surgery or when healing from a sprained or strained muscle or ligament. When used with conscious intent, this stone also improves eyesight.

- Helps with the endocrine system, migraine. lymph glands, ears and nasal passages reduce pain and inflammation, believed to be good for autism and Asperger's syndrome.

- Lapis lazuli is very helpful with children and adults who are highly intelligent, who have Aspergers Syndrome or autistic tendencies, or who suffer from insomnia.

- Lapis lazuli bonds relationships in love and friendship and helps you to be able to express your feelings and emotions. It removes non constructive feelings of martyrdom, cruelty and suffering. If used as crystal water it will remove emotional bondage.

- Lapis lazuli encourages taking charge of your life. It reveals inner truth, encourages self awareness and allows self expression without holding back or compromising. If repressed anger is causing difficulties for you in the throat or in communication, lapis lazuli releases them. Lapis lazuli brings the enduring qualities of honesty, compassion to the personality.

- Lapis Lazuli helps to move your consciousness beyond the mundane and allows you to identify habits, patterns and lessons you may have difficulty perceiving consciously, and which may be blocking you from making spiritual progress.

- Lapis lazuli calms feelings of frustration, agitation and anger. With the stone in hand, you can find ways to deal with the emotional turmoil resulting from abuse (physical, mental and emotional) to heal and find inner peace. The calming energy of lapis lazuli is useful for issues related to inner child work, alcohol and drug addictions. It will help you overcome anger and rage.

- It helps you to take responsibility for yourself rather than blaming others for missed opportunities.

- Lapis lazuli brings you objectivity and clarity and encourages creative thought. It helps you to confront truth were you find it and accept what it teaches. Lapis lazuli helps you to be able to express your own opinions and harmonises conflicts. It teaches you the value of active listening.

- This stone harmonises the physical, emotional. mental and spiritual levels. Imbalances between these levels can result in depression, disease and lack of purpose. When they are in balance the harmony brings deep inner self knowledge. Lapis lazuli cleanses on a mental level by healing outdated thoughts and mental patterns. It will prevent negative thoughts from becoming karmic patterns. It cleanses and releases negative views and facilitates a more positive outlook on life.

- guidance. It is a stone of visionary awareness, bringing new information to the mind in images rather than words. It enhances intellectual ability, making one a better learner and teacher.

- Lapis Lazuli is a stone of self-knowledge and reflection. It helps you to move out of the mundane mind and into an expanded awareness of your motivations and beliefs. This knowledge of self gives you a clearer perspective on life and it's creations. It enables you to identify your gifts and abilities, as well as your limitations and opportunities for growth.

- Lapis lazuli is a grounding stone that helps you focus on your studies. It improves your concentration and focus and it can be used while taking a test to align with the higher knowledge accessible to all. This stone is especially beneficial for integrating the more

 complex, scholarly subjects of higher education.

- If you want to do well in auditions or job interviews wear lapis lazuli.

- Lapis lazuli is a protective stone that contacts spirit guardians. It recognises psychic attack, blocks it an returns the energy back to its source. It will teach you the power of the spoken word, and it can reverse curses or disease caused by you not speaking out in the past.

- Lapis Lazuli opens and balances the throat chakra. It stimulates enlightenment and enhances dream work. Lapis Lazuli will open your psychic abilities and guide you on your spiritual journey which also stimulates your spiritual and personal power. It quickly releases stress and brings a sense of deep calm and peace.

- Lapis Lazuli awakens the third eye and enhances your ability to visualise and receive visual guidance or information. It enhances meditative journeys and facilitates past- and alternate-life viewing. It is a stone for clairvoyance and precognition.

- Lapis lazuli opens the third eye and the intuitive senses when used with conscious intent. This is a good stone for helping you remember your dreams and promoting clarity during dreamtime. use this stone to channel the other side, for mediumship and to access the Akashic Records.

- If the throat chakra is out of balance, you may be hyperactive, domineering or fanatical about your political or religious views. You might also resist change of any kind and slow to respond to tasks and reasonable demands on your time.

 

- With this stone in hand, you will enhance your clairaudience abilities and manifest abundance. When used on the throat chakra this stone encourages and directs your creative abilities. It will help you speak and live your truth.

- This stone will assist in improving and maintaining the health of your throat, oesophagus, mouth, teeth and the respiratory system.

- If the third eye chakra is out of balance you may be oversensitive to to others opinion of you and then you belittle the behaviour of others to make yourself feel better. You could be inpatient with others. You might also be envious of other people's success and unable to acknowledge your own.

- With this stone, you will be able to open and enhance your intuitive perceptions, creative imagination and visualisation abilities.

- This stone will assist in balancing the left and right hemispheres for the brain. It encourages the good health of your sinuses, eyes, ears and the face.