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Introduction to the Meaning and Uses of Lapis Lazuli

Lapis Lazuli is one of the most sought after stones in use since man's history began. Its deep, celestial blue remains the symbol of royalty and honor, gods and power, spirit and vision. It is a universal symbol of wisdom and truth.

In ancient times Lapis Lazuli was most highly regarded because of its beautiful color and the valuable ultramarine dye derived from it. Its name comes from the Latin lapis, "stone," and the Persian lazhuward, "blue." It is rock formed by multiple minerals, mostly Lazurite, Sodalite, Calcite and Pyrite, and is a rich medium to royal blue with gold flecks (pyrites). Lower-grade Lapis is lighter blue with more white than gold flecks, and is sometimes called denim Lapis.

Lapis Lazuli was among the most highly prized tribute paid to Egypt, obtained from the oldest mines in the world, worked from around 4000 B.C. and still in use today. Referenced in the Old Testament as sapphire (unknown in that part of the ancient world), Lapis Lazuli is most likely the fifth stone in the original breastplate of the High Priest, as well as those of later times. [Kunz, 293-294]

The golden sarcophagus of King Tutankhamen was richly inlaid with Lapis, as were other burial ornaments of Egyptian kings and queens. It was used extensively in scarabs, pendants and other jewelry, and ground into powder for dyes, eye shadow and medicinal elixirs. [Simmons, 227] In the dry, barren land of the Egyptians, this deep cobalt blue color was a spiritual contrast to their arid desert hues. The gold flecks were like stars in their night-time sky and by meditating on these colors they felt supernatural forces would transform their lives. The garments of priests and royalty were dyed with Lapis to indicate their status as gods themselves. [Raphaell, 141]

In ancient Persia and pre-Columbian America, Lapis Lazuli was a symbol of the starry night, and a favorite stone of the Islamic Orient for protection from the evil eye. [Megemont, 110] Lapis was much used in Greek and Roman times as an ornamental stone, and in medieval Europe, Lapis Lazuli, resembling the blue of the heavens, was believed to counteract the wiles of the spirits of darkness and procure the aid and favor of the spirits of light and wisdom. [Kunz, 370] Ground and processed into powder, it produced the intense, but expensive, ultramarine color favored by the painter, Michelangelo. [Megemont, 111] Buddhists recommended Lapis as a stone to bring inner peace and freedom from negative thought, and during the Renaissance, Catherine the Great adorned an entire room in her palace with Lapis Lazuli walls, fireplaces, doors and mirror frames. [Simmons, 227]

Lapis Lazuli Uses and Purposes - Overview

Lapis is an excellent stone for executives, journalists, and psychologists, stimulating wisdom and good judgment in the practical world. It aids intellectual analysis in archeologists and historians, problem solving for lawyers, and creates new ideas for inventors and writers. [Mella, 129-133]

Lapis Lazuli is a powerful crystal for activating the higher mind and enhancing intellectual ability. It stimulates the desire for knowledge, truth and understanding, and aids the process of learning. It is excellent for enhancing memory. [Simmons, 227][Ahsian, 228]

A stone of truth, Lapis encourages honesty of the spirit, and in the spoken and written word. Wear it for all forms of deep communication. It is also a stone of friendship and brings harmony in relationships. A Lapis grid brings calm and loving communication for a home with temperamental teenagers, or children with Asperger's syndrome, autism, or attention-deficit disorder. [Eason, 40, 223]

For fame in a creative or public performance-related area, wear or carry Lapis Lazuli to auditions. In the workplace, it attracts promotion, success and lasting recognition in your field. [Eason, 41,223]

Lapis Lazuli Physical Healing Energy

Lapis Lazuli is beneficial to the throat, larynx, and vocal chords, and helps regulate the endocrine and thyroid glands. [Gienger, 54] It overcomes hearing loss and other problems with ear and nasal passages. [Hall, 173][Eason, 223]

Lapis Lazuli enhances circulation and improves cardiac rhythm. [Megemont, 112] It reduces vertigo and lowers blood pressure, and is thought to alleviate insomnia. [Hall, 173]

Relieve oozing or septic sties, and other eye infections, by rubbing the area with a piece of Lapis heated in warm water. Once cooled, the water can then be used for an eye bath. A Lapis heated in sunlight, reduces bruising and is good for skin problems and insect bites. [Megemont, 112]

Lapis is beneficial for women suffering from menstrual irregularities, and relieves cramps, stiffness and lumbago. [Megemont, 112] Lapis Lazuli relieves general pain and inflammations, and is especially effective against migraine headaches. It aids the nervous system and brain disorders, and is believed to help with attention-deficit, autism and Asperger's syndrome. [Gienger, 54][Hall, 173][Eason, 223]

Lapis Lazuli Emotional Healing Energy

Lapis Lazuli is a crystal of truth in all aspects. It reveals inner truth, and promotes self-awareness and the acceptance of that knowledge. It provides for the relief of things that may have been suppressed and allows for them to surface, helping to diminish dis-ease or repressed anger, and allows for self-expression without holding back or compromising. [Hall, 173][Melody, 370]

Lapis encourages dignity in friendship and social ability. [Gienger, 54] It encourages the qualities of honesty, compassion and uprightness when dealing with others. [Hall, 173] It provides an awareness of one's motivations and beliefs, and gives a clearer perspective of one's whole life. It reveals not only one's limitations, but the opportunities for growth and to utilize one's gifts and abilities.

Lapis Lazuli Chakra Healing and Balancing Energy

Lapis Lazuli activates the psychic centers at the Third Eye, and balances the energies of the Throat Chakra.

The Brow Chakra, also called the Third Eye, is the center of our perception and command. It directs our sight and everyday awareness of the world. Our consciousness is located here, and we relate to ourselves through this chakra.

It balances the important and the unimportant, sorting meaning from data and impressions. It commands the energy flow within the body. When the brow chakra is in balance we see clearly and understand what we see. We can interpret visual cues and our perception is high. Our thoughts and internal communications within ourselves are healthy and vibrant. We are open to new ideas, dreams, and visions. We can be quietly observant, and reflective. We can control the flow of energy within all the chakras.Lapis Lazuli

The Throat Chakra is the voice of the body, a pressure valve that allows the energy from the other chakras to be expressed. If it is blocked or out of balance, it can affect the health of the other chakras. In balance, it allows for the expression of what we think and what we feel. We can communicate our ideas, beliefs, and emotions. When the throat chakra is in balance and open, we can bring our personal truth out into the world. We have an easy flow of energy within the body and spirit. The energy that springs upward from the lower chakras can continue its path enabling free expression and natural release. Blue crystal energy will unblock and balance the throat chakra. The darker shades of blue carry the power of truth.

Lapis Lazuli Spiritual Energy

Lapis is one of the oldest spiritual stones known to man, used by healers, priests and royalty, for power, wisdom and to stimulate psychic abilities and inner vision. It represents universal truth. [Mella, 89-90]

Lapis quickly releases stress, allowing for peace and serenity. Placed over the third eye, Lapis expands awareness and conscious attunement to the intuitive self, stimulating enlightenment and enhancing dream work. It permits spiritual journeying, and tapping into personal and spiritual power. Lapis provides a connection with dream forces that are working to both guide and counsel during altered states. [Melody, 370][Hall, 172]

As a protection stone, Lapis Lazuli recognizes psychic attack and blocks it, returning the energy back to its source. [Hall, 172]

Lapis Lazuli in Ancient Lore and Legend

Lapis Lazuli was considered a cure for melancholy and for "quartern fever," an intermittent fever returning each third day, or fourth day counting in the previous attack. [Kunz, 93] It was also said to cure apoplexies, epilepsies, diseases of the spleen, and dementia. It was worn around the neck as an amulet to drive away frights from children, strengthened sight, prevented fainting and abortion if taken near the time of delivery. [Fernie, 330]

Lapis Lazuli was used extensively in ancient Egypt and Assyria for amulets carved with various symbols, scarab seals, signets and cylinder seals. It was the material for the image of Truth (Ma), which the Egyptian chief-justice and High Priest wore around his neck suspended with a gold chain. [Kunz, 92-93, 119]

The earliest recorded instances of semi-precious stones used for religious purposes comes from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, a ritual ceremony for safe passage and protection from evil for their deceased. Lapis Lazuli, named chesbet by the Egyptians, was used in many amulets to be placed on the body, including the tet, a mason's table symbol placed on the neck for protection, and the ab, heart, regarded as the seat of life and placed in its own receptacle. It could only be reunited with the body after being weighed in the balance of the underworld. Two special chapters were engraved on Lapis Lazuli, the 26th chapter referencing the heart, and the 140th chapter on the symbolic eye, made from Lapis and ornamented in gold. It was an amulet of great power, and an offering was to be made to this symbol to the supreme god Ra. [Kunz, 227, 229]

In Assyrian texts, the uknu, Lapis Lazuli, was one of the seven gemstones placed in an ornament to be worn on the breast of the king as an amulet. Its power was so great it was believed to constitute an ornament for the gods as well. In the Gilgamesh epic of the Babylonians, legends tell of trees which grow precious stones, and Lapis Lazuli grows from its crown. Lapis Lazuli ornamented the yellow girdles worn by Chinese emperors of the Manchu dynasty for the services in the Temple of Heaven. [Kunz, 230, 232, 245]

In Summerian mythology, the goddess Inanna (a forerunner of Aphrodite and Venus) journeyed into the underworld carrying Lapis Lazuli rods and measured time and the length of a person's life. It was believed crystals were the flesh of the gods and that the gods were crystal beings. [Hall 2, 14]

One legend holds that King Solomon was given a special Lapis ring by an angel of the Lord that allowed him to control legions of demons which he used to build his temple. [Melody, 370]

Ancient Egyptians believed the soul existed in the mind and was housed in the brain, and Lapis blue was a mental healer and soul purifier. Lapis was used to purge the soul of demonic possession by pulverizing the stone, mixing it with gold, making it into a poultice and placing it on the crown of the head. As it dried it would draw out the demons. In extreme cases, a small hole was drilled in the skull and the mixture was poured into the head. [Raphaell, 141]