What is African Bloodstone?
The alternative name for African Bloodstone is Setonite. It is a form of chalcedony Quartz with inclusions of Red Jasper that give it its distinctive “blood-spattered” appearance. It measures 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness.
African Bloodstone is a powerful healer stone as it combines the qualities and properties of both Quartz and Jasper.
The Origin: Where Is African Bloodstone Found?
This red-green variety of Bloodstone is found in Australia, Brazil, the Czech Republic, China, Africa, USA, Russia, and India.
The History & Lore of African Bloodstone
There are many myths surrounding African Bloodstone and references to it appear in many ancient texts.
In the world of gemstones, it would be difficult to find another stone with as rich a history as African Bloodstone.
The ancient Greeks and Roman athletes used this crystal to increase their endurance during sporting competitions.
Roman soldiers often carried pieces of African bloodstone in the belief that it would protect them from harm in battle.
It also had the reputation for preventing wounds from becoming infected and was said to staunch bleeding.
Early Christians maintained that African Bloodstone was created when blood from the wounds of Christ dripped onto the rocks beneath the cross during his crucifixion.
Egyptian apothecaries used bloodstones extensively in their treatments of the Pharaohs and other nobility to cleanse the blood, restore vigor and vitality to a weakened constitution, increase sexual potency and regulate menses to improve the chances of conception.
African Bloodstone is widely believed to be a stone of protection. Soldiers and military personnel in various cultures used it in the form of talismans to protect against physical harm in battle.
But it is equally effective as a stone of psychic protection in many cultures.
It was believed to offer protection from spells and curses, ill wishing, and black magic.
African Bloodstone has a long history of use in divination, fortune telling, and oracle reading.
It was widely believed, in ancient times, that the stone imparted insights and information about the future through the medium of sound, thus acquiring the name of “audible oracle” in some societies.
The ancient Egyptians are believed to have used African Bloodstone to shrink tumors.
When Portuguese and Spanish sailors arrived in the New World, they are reported to have used African Bloodstone to prevent sepsis and to staunch blood flow from wounds sustained in battle.
Description of African Bloodstone
African Bloodstone is a form of Quartz, known as Chalcedony, combined with Jasper.
Chalcedony consists of a collection of many tiny crystals, whereas other forms of Quartz, such as Rose, Amethyst, and Citrine, have large crystals.
The deep green background color of African Bloodstone comes from the inclusion of other minerals within its structure, such as Chlorite, or a mixture of minerals known as Hornblende.
The red spots found in specimens of African Bloodstone are the result of inclusions such as iron or Hematite.
Red Jasper is in fact yet another form of Quartz and is micro granular, so it is classed as a form of Chalcedony.
Most specimens of African Bloodstone are made into rounded shapes known as cabochons or beads.
How to Identify African Bloodstone
African Bloodstone is opaque, meaning that light cannot pass through it.
The background color varies from pale blue-green to a deep forest green and is rarely uniform through the stone, depending on the size of the specimen.
The spatters of color also vary from stone to stone, with those that have many distinct spots distributed evenly across its surface being the most desirable.
The spots of color can be brown, purple, or red.
Types of African Bloodstone
Bloodstone is always a combination of the minerals in the Quartz family called chalcedony.
There are two main types of Bloodstone:
Heliotrope
which is characterized by a bold background color that is slightly transparent, with a high shine or luster, and many distinct spots of color, usually red or brown, distributed evenly across the surface of the stone.
Plasma
This type of Bloodstone is opaque, the background color is denser, often shading into greys and browns and the spots of color are far fewer in number than those of Heliotrope.
African Bloodstone Birthstone Meaning & History
African Bloodstone is the official birthstone for the zodiac sign of Aries. (March 1 to April 20).
Aries is represented in the zodiac by the sign of the Ram.
Typical Aries traits include spontaneity and courage.
An African Bloodstone, in the form of a palm stone or piece of jewelry, makes a wonderful gift for this sign as African Bloodstone is a stone of courage and valor.
Aries people are not afraid of conflict, and they can be highly competitive, honest, and direct.
They are naturally ambitious and driven and may need the calming, grounding influence of African Bloodstone to enable them to calm down and avoid burn-out.
Rams tend to meet the world head-on without fear, which can sometimes end in disaster.
Their desire to prove themselves, and to show the world their strength, means that they often occupy the leader’s position in both work and social situations.
They tend to be ambitious, determined, and bold, don’t like to waste time, and are good at making quick decisions.
African Bloodstone can enhance this quality in Aries, bringing in discernment and mental clarity and dispelling mental confusion.
Rams tend to have strong opinions, are sometimes idealists, and do not like to play mind games.
They see what they want and have no patience with those they perceive to be time wasters.
This tendency can sometimes lead Aries into tricky situations, and the steadying influence of African Bloodstone can help them to take a little time to see the situation clearly.
Although they often have a well-developed sense of self-preservation, even they can fall prey to rash and hasty actions which they later regret.
If there is one trait that Aries needs to work on it is their impatience.
They can be hotheaded and are often reluctant to apologize for showing anger.
This can lead to hurt feelings all around, especially if the recipient of an angry outburst is a sensitive, gentle soul.
African Bloodstone teaches patience and helps to disperse anger and irritability, both qualities that can be extremely useful to a Ram.
The ruling planet for Aries is Mars, the ancient Roman god of war, and its element is fire.
Conflict and fiery tempers abound when Aries is crossed, and it is important for them to realize that the world is not always going to turn according to their own wishes.
In relationships, including friendships, Aries can be extremely loyal.
However, they are also set in their opinions and can easily lose respect if they think they are being disrespected or treated unfairly.
In cases like this it all too easy for an Aries to lose respect for the other person, and their rigid mindset does often allow for compromise of listening to the other side of the argument.
On the plus side, Aries will give love freely and unconditionally, although not necessarily for life.
They are easily bored and always seek out new challenges and experiences.
This trait makes a typical Aries great fun to be around, as long as you don’t expect long-term commitment from them.
They are driven by passion, and once the fire of passion has died an Aries is likely to move on.
The influence of African Bloodstone can be helpful to an Aries who finds that they struggle to commit to either a person or project as it brings courage with patience.
Most Aries people have great difficulty in trusting anyone else to steer them through life in the correct way.
Whilst this independent streak is sometimes admirable, it does reveal a sense of insecurity in their own ability to control their destiny.
If you want to upset an Aries, try taking their power away! Rams lead with confidence, but this can often mask a deep-rooted need for reassurance.
If you can match their confidence, they will be more than happy to let you take the wheel.
African Bloodstone Treatment
How to Clean and Care for African Bloodstone
To clean surface dust and debris from your African Bloodstone you can either hold it under clear running water for a minute or so, or you can leave it for about 3 hours in a bath of saltwater.
Allow it to dry in the air, or dry with a soft cloth.
To cleanse and charge your bloodstone you use a variety of methods.
You can leave it in sunlight or moonlight for a few hours, or you can submerge it in a bowl of brown rice overnight.
African Bloodstone is particularly good at absorbing negative or toxic vibrations from the atmosphere, so it is important to recharge it at regular intervals.
Placing your African Bloodstone next to an Amethyst or Citrine cluster will also restore its vibration to its original efficacy.
Buyers Guide: Tips & Advice
When buying African Bloodstone, the overriding factor for quality is color.
The most desirable specimens have a deep green background that has a natural sheen or luster, often enhanced by polishing and tumbling the stones.
The surface of the stone should be liberally sprinkled with red, brown, or purple spots.
African Bloodstone Quality Factors
Color:
Deep green background with many red spots on the surface.
African Bloodstone can also be found with a blue, almost navy background, and the spots of color can be brown, gray, or purple.
Clarity:
The stones should be completely opaque, not allowing any passage of light through the specimen.
Cut:
Owing to the structure of the stone, African Bloodstone is most often cut into cabochons, beads, ovals, or other curved shapes.
Palm stones, like a small, polished plate, are popular and you may find African Bloodstone shaped in eggs or spheres.
African Bloodstone and Chakras
African Bloodstone is closely aligned to the lower chakras, specifically the Base or Root chakra and the Sacral chakra.
Bloodstone is a stone of grounding, protection, and courage, all qualities we carry in our lower chakras.
When they are in balance we are firmly rooted into the physical reality of this earthly plane, and we feel safe and secure in our material world.
When the base chakra is out of balance, we can feel fearful, indecisive, anxious, and lacking in support.
If you are experiencing any of the following physical or emotional symptoms your Base chakra may need some attention.
- Feeling unstable or wobbly on your feet
- Pain and stiffness in the ankles, legs, and lower back
- Home life feels chaotic or out of control
- You feel unsettled, with vague feelings of dread or threat
- You feel stuck and unable to see how to move forward in your life.
African Bloodstone is an excellent grounding stone and can be carried in your pocket, or on a belt to be near to your Base chakra all day.
You can place it directly over the base of your spine, either on your back or your front, as you lie down and relax.
Breathe in the stabilizing influences of the crystal and visualize roots growing down through your knees and ankles, then out through the soles of your feet and deep into the Earth, holding you steady and keeping you safe.
The Sacral chakra is the seat of creativity and also sensuality.
This chakra allows us to feel the joy in living that is our natural state.
All too often, this chakra becomes blocked and out of balance and we find ourselves unable to feel pleasure in the operation of our senses.
We literally lose the will to live, and all seems gloomy and despondent.
When you lose interest in hobbies and activities that used to spark a fire in you this is a sure sign that your Sacral chakra requires bringing back into balance and harmony.
Energy blockages need to be released so that the Life Force Energy can flow freely throughout your chakra system and your body.
African Bloodstone, along with Carnelian and Red and Brown Jasper, can be used to remove stagnant energies from your Sacral chakra and bring it back into harmony with your other chakras.
When African Bloodstone is used to activate and stimulate the Heart chakra it brings the energies and vibrations of both the higher and lower chakras to the center of your physical and etheric bodies.
When the Heart chakra is out of alignment our interactions with the external world become skewed or one-sided.
We can feel controlled or controlling and become critical of those around us, and of ourselves.
African Bloodstone works on the green ray of healing to shift blockages and to re-balance the Heart chakra energies so that they work in harmony with the overall flow of Life Force Energy.
African Bloodstone Healing Properties
African Bloodstone has been revered by humans for centuries for its healing qualities, especially those concerned with the healthy circulation of blood.
It is believed to have mystical and magical qualities that are of enormous benefit to mental, emotional, and spiritual health as well as to the muscles, tendons, tissues, bones, and cells of the body.
Physical Healing Properties
African Bloodstone is an energy cleanser and immune system stimulator, which makes it ideal for dealing with acute infections, especially those arising from minor wounds or injuries.
It enhances the metabolic processes and stimulates the lymphatic system, encouraging the flow of lymph to carry antibodies to sites of infection.
When both mind and body are exhausted, African Bloodstone revitalizes and reenergizes.
This stone is also an excellent detoxifier, purifying the blood and supporting the organs of the liver, kidneys, intestines, spleen, and bladder in the process of ridding the body of waste.
African Bloodstone support the blood-rich organs of the heart and liver.
It regulates blood flow and stimulates a sluggish circulation, ameliorating excessive coldness in the extremities.
African Bloodstone is also believed to reduce the formation of pus and helps neutralize excessive acid in the stomach and esophagus.
Mental & Emotional Healing Properties
African Bloodstone can be used to calm the mind and to ameliorate the effects of over-thinking and scattered thoughts.
It is an excellent stress reliever, bringing in vibrations of serenity and organization.
If you are mentally exhausted, try using African Bloodstone to revitalize your tired mind.
It dispels mental confusion and aids in the decision-making process.
This stone is good for those undergoing change and transition as it helps with acceptance of new situations.
Emotionally, African Bloodstone supports the Heart and assists in grounding Heart energy.
It is a calming stone that helps to dispel anger, aggression, and irritability.
It teaches patience and promotes emotional acceptance of those aspects of a situation that are simply beyond your control.
Metaphysical Properties
African Bloodstone imparts courage and valor.
It teaches how to avoid dangerous situations by promoting a flexible approach, enabling you to withdraw from a potentially threatening or damaging set of circumstances.
It encourages the acceptance of chaos as a precursor to change, teaches stoicism in the face of challenging situations, and promotes selflessness.
This crystal is a stone for idealists, helping us to stay true to our vision of how the world should be.
This crystal has strong protective qualities that transform and disperse negative influences in the environment and the human aura.
It is also a crystal for manifesting abundance and can be used alongside other crystals in grids or mandalas intended to attract abundant wealth, health, or happiness.
Placed near to a computer or other electronic devices, African Bloodstone provides protection from harmful electromagnetic waves.
Placed in a bowl of water by your bedside African Bloodstone can help to promote peaceful, refreshing sleep.
Spiritual Healing Properties
African bloodstone can be used to aid and promote spiritual self-development and growth.
As you progress along your spiritual path there will be times when your faith or belief waivers, and when you begin to doubt yourself and the signs or messages that are appearing for you.
African Bloodstone brings in grounding energies that keep you firmly rooted in the present and allow you to examine your spiritual goals, hopes, and aspirations with clarity and firmness of purpose.
African Bloodstone aligns all of the chakras and helps to ground the insights and wisdom of the Third eye and Crown chakras down into the Heart and the physical body.
How to Use African Bloodstone
As Jewelry
It is possible to find African Bloodstone fashioned into unique and beautiful pieces of jewelry.
A Bloodstone pendant will help to keep your Heart chakra in balance, and Bloodstone adorning belts can be especially useful for keeping you grounded and in the present moment.
In-Home and Office
Place African Bloodstone next to your bed, in a bowl of water, for a peaceful night’s sleep.
Use it next to an electronic device to mitigate the effects of electromagnetic smog and harmful emanations.
Best Crystal and Gemstone Combinations with African Bloodstone
African Bloodstone and Shungite
When you combine the power of Bloodstone with the remarkable cleansing properties of Shungite you access the qualities of both crystals to help you get rid of toxic situations, energies, and people from your life.
African Bloodstone gives you the courage to deal with tricky situations, but Shungite allows you to let go of the negative energies completely.
Shungite has the ability to render even impure water clean and drinkable, and it will do the same for any impurities in your aura.
African Bloodstone and Amethyst
Bloodstone is very closely aligned with the physical body and has a natural affinity with the Base chakra and with your connection to the Earth, this earthly plane, and the day-to-day realities of life.
Amethyst, on the other hand, is a crystal with a high spiritual vibration.
Putting the two together allows you to bring the wisdom and insights you have from your Crown Chakra and Third Eye chakra into your intellectual center and conscious mind.
This gives the perfect balance for dealing with problems effectively.
Read more about the best crystal combinations for Amethyst.
African Bloodstone and Turquoise
When it comes to physical healing, one of the best combinations is African Bloodstone and Turquoise.
Both crystals help with the absorption of nutrients and minerals, and both have pain relieving properties that are beneficial in conditions of the eyes, migraines and headaches, and for stomach cramps.
Both of these stones are believed to relieve over-acidity and can alleviate the symptoms of gout, rheumatism, and viral infections.
Read more about the best crystal combinations for Turquoise.
Final Thoughts & Conclusion
African Bloodstone is a versatile crystal with many beneficial applications.
It can alleviate a host of physical ailments and boost the circulation and immune systems.
Applied topically to minor wounds and injuries it can help staunch blood flow and reduce inflammation and bruising.
African Bloodstone supports you emotionally by promoting courage and imparting the strength needed to deal with tricky situations.
It improves mood and lifts the spirit.
It also encourages us to take note of what our bodies are telling us about our emotional state and to ground ourselves into the Earth when we are feeling fearful or anxious.
In short, any crystal collection is incomplete without a specimen of African Bloodstone.
References
American Gem Society | Tejas Beads | Crystal Vaults | Chopra