Green tourmaline (also called verdilite), the most common tourmaline variety, is a powerful healing crystal for the physical and spiritual bodies. Anyone who feels weak and weary can count on this stone for renewed strength, courage, and stamina. Green tourmaline is also a great stone for connecting with the Divine and the Earth's energy.

The Physical Properties of Green Tourmaline

Tourmaline is a group of aluminum borosilicate minerals that forms as an accessory mineral in igneous and metamorphic rocks. It occurs as elongated crystals with 6-sided cross sections and round edges.

It comes in a diverse range of colours: green, pink, black, blue, yellow, red, etc. Some crystals can be bi-coloured or multicoloured which is an effect of its chemistry. Crystals that are green at one end and pink at the other (or pink on the inside and green outside) are called watermelon tourmaline.

Green tourmaline alone has a broad spectrum of colours. It can be light to dark green. Dark green ones can be so intensely dark that you can only recognize its greenness when you hold it against the light. There are also tourmalines that are olive green, yellowish green, bluish green, bottle green, and brownish green

It is rated 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale. This makes it a durable stone for jewellery (it is often cut and polished into beads, cabochons, tumbled stones, and wands). However, tourmalines have a complex crystal structure. This causes them to crack during the cutting process when they're exposed to tension.

The History of Green Tourmaline

Green tourmaline was first found in Uno, Sweden in 1818. It was the Swedish chemist Johan August Arfwedson who discovered the mineral. He also discovered lithium in 1817 by isolating it as a salt.

Important deposits of green tourmaline are found in Afghanistan, Brazil, Namibia, Pakistan, and the USA.

The Lore of Green Tourmaline

According to Egyptian legend, tourmaline came to the Earth by passing over a rainbow and absorbing all its colours. Ancient Romans used the crystal to sleep peacefully and calm the mind and body. In ancient India, tourmaline was believed to be a teller stone that could reveal who or what was causing trouble or what direction one ought to go.

Others say that up until the 1700s, tourmaline was neither considered special or important until some children in Holland saw its brilliant optical properties. Playing with tourmaline pieces lapidaries gave them, these children discovered that when heated by the sun, the crystals they were playing with attracted straws and ashes.

The baffled children reported this to their parents who also couldn't explain the phenomenon, much less name the crystal. Because of this, tourmaline was named aschentreckers, meaning ash drawers’‘ (in some translations, stone with mixed colours). Dutch traders then started to use tourmaline crystals to extract ashes from Meerschaum pipes.

Tourmalines are said to relax the mind and body. It is also believed to treat anxiety, arthritis, blood poisoning, and heart disease.

The Metaphysical Properties of Green Tourmaline

Green tourmaline is an energetic crystal that revives your energy and zest for life. It heals and energizes the heart chakra so you can have beneficial and satisfying relationships with people.

An unbalanced heart chakra or anahata may cause you to be controlling or critical of others. You may find yourself becoming too reactive to people, things, and situations around you. The soothing energy of green tourmaline will help restore the balance in your heart chakra so you can manage your emotions well.

It will help you sort your emotions and understand where they come from. As a result, you'll be able to respond accordingly and not be mastered by your feelings and urges.

As a crystal of growth, green tourmaline serves as the channel of the Earth's energy of birth, creation, development, and renewal. If you're working on improving yourself, nurturing new relationships, or launching a career or business, green tourmaline will assist you in accomplishing your goals.

Light green tourmalines promote spiritual growth and strengthens your commitment to your purpose. On the other hand, dark green tourmalines serve as an amulet for physical growth, strength, and safety. Meditate with the right tourmaline that fits your needs to incorporate its power into your life.

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Sources:

Crystal Vaults. (2021, November 16). *Green Tourmaline Meanings and Uses. https://www.crystalvaults.com/crystal-encyclopedia/green-tourmaline/

Green Tourmaline. Gemstone Information at AJS Gems. (n.d.). https://www.ajsgem.com/gemstone-information/green-tourmaline-43.html

Green Tourmaline Meanings and Crystal Properties. (n.d.). The Crystal Council. https://thecrystalcouncil.com/crystals/green-tourmaline

Houston, D. (2020, April 20). Green Tourmaline: Meanings, Properties and Powers. CrystalsandJewelry.com. https://meanings.crystalsandjewelry.com/green-tourmaline/