Lapis Lazuli stone is a beautiful deep-blue, semi-precious, metamorphic rock.

It’s one of the earliest traded and sought-after luxury goods in ancient civilization.

For more than 6 millennia, it has fascinated people all around the world.

The Lapis Lazuli Stone has been admired as jewelry or part of ornamental pieces and used in various religious and esoteric rituals;

This article will uncover the origins, uses, and mysteries surrounding the Lapis Lazuli stone.

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What Is The Lapis Lazuli Stone Made Of

Lapis Lazuli is a semi-precious deep-blue colored stone made of several minerals, each with its own characteristics and hardnesses.

The main component is lazurite, which covers most of its mineral structure. As a member of the sodalite family, lazurite is the reason for its deep-blue shade.

Some of the other minerals that contribute to its beauty are sodalite, calcite, and pyrite. It can also contain mica, hornblende, enstatite, diopside, and augite.

The Lapis Lazuli stone has always been associated with nobility, mysticism, and power. That’s why it has always fascinated people beyond its physical beauty.

In pre-Columbian America, Lapis Lazuli was compared to the color of the starry sky before dark. In some cultures, it represented a talisman for protection, while in others a simple ornamental stone.

But perhaps the most esoteric attributes come from ancient Egypt, India, and Mesopotamia. Since then, people have identified it as a mystical artifact and remained so throughout history.

Before diving deeper into its esoteric properties, let’s understand its origins and why this stone became so valued throughout history.

Where Does The Lapis Lazuli Stone Come From, And How Does It Look Like

For thousands of years, Afghanistan has been the leading source of Lapis Lazuli. The region of Badakhshan is one of the oldest and most important recorded mining sites. Unfortunately, because of the brutal conflicts in the area, many think of this stone as the “conflict mineral.”

But as for the first recorded encounter with the Lapis Lazuli stone, we need to go back as far as 7500 BCE, in the Indus Valley of North India. This is because some of the oldest artifacts containing the Lapis Lazuli stone were found in this region.

Back then, it was used in various rituals and decorations by the Greeks, Chinese, Romans, and Egyptians. In fact, one of the most notable uses of the Lapiz Lazuli stone was on the funeral mask of King Tutankhamun (cca. 1300 BCE). It was believed that this stone would open the gateway to a higher dimension for the King and ease his passing.

Lapiz Lazuli stone “arrived” in Europe around the beginning of the Middle Ages. It was mostly used as a decorative stone. Still, its true value was given by extracting the ultramarine pigment used by the renaissance artists, including Leonardo Da Vinci. As a result, the stone was priced higher than its weight in gold at the time.

Today, it’s mined in smaller quantities in Chile, Russia (Lake Baikal), Canada, Iraq, Pakistan, and Argentina. While still used in jewelry making, it has significantly less value than centuries ago.

What Is The Color Of The Lapis Lazuli Stone

The Lapis Lazuli stone comes in various shades of deep and indigo blue.

Some pieces have part of white calcite inserted within them. This is the second most abundant mineral found in Lapis. Gray inclusions or gold pyrite can also be present.

As expected, these variations have lower desirability than a pure, deep-blue piece.

The stone has a relatively soft texture making it easier to cut and manipulate when placed in jewelry and decorative items.

Pronunciation And Meaning Of The Words

The name comes from a combination of the Latin word “Lapis”, which translates as “stone”, and the Persian word “lazhward” which means “blue”.

Pronunciation: la·pis la·zyuh·lai

Because of its intense blue color and lack of technical information at that time, Lapis Lazuli was often confused with sapphire, which is known to be one of the four precious stones alongside rubies, emeralds, and diamonds.

Although not as pricy as a real sapphire, Lapis Lazuli is still a sought-after gemstone today.

Lapis Lazuli Stone Throughout History And Legends

Even though the discovery and trades of this beautiful stone date back to 7500 BCE, the first use of Lapis Lazuli stone in jewelry goes as far as ancient Mesopotamia. In other words, the Lapis has been present in human life since the dawn of civilization.

The Egyptians were fascinated by this stone, and through excavations, ornaments were found, dating back more than 3000 years BCE. In ancient Egypt, the high-priests and leaders wore necklaces with Lapis Lazuli. These amulets would stimulate their potential and intuition. They would improve their communication and help them speak the truth. Cleopatra used the blue pigment from the Lapis Lazuli stone for her famous blue eyeshadow make-up.

The Egyptians believed that a combination of gold and Lapis was the perfect cleanser for the soul and body. This mixture would remove dark energies and even dark entities with the cost of shattering the gemstone. In fact, in the Egyptian Book of The Dead, a chapter specifies a Lapis Lazuli amulet in the shape of an eye, representing a token of great power. On the last day of each month, an offering was made for this type of amulet, believing it signifies a supreme being.

In the Mesopotamic era, the Assyrian kings considered Lapis Lazuli a gift from the gods. So they wore it as a talisman for protection.

The stone even made it to the Chinese Emperors who wore it as an ornamental sign. It signified loyalty and courage in serving their land.

The Greeks and Romans deeply appreciated Lapis and used it for both ornamental and esoteric purposes.

People in the Middle-ages used it to remove evil spirits. This way, they would create a pathway for the entities of light, compassion, and wisdom.

Later on, they transformed the stone into a powder called “ultramarine”. This is a derived pigment that is still very valuable and has been used in many works of art throughout history, especially in the Renaissance era.

It seems that Leonardo Da Vinci used this dye in some of his paintings.

There are many references to the Lapis Lazuli stone in the Epic Of Gilgamesh and Buddhist texts.

It’s one of the few mystical elements that has been around from ancient times and is still present today.

Legends

In Sumerian mythology, gods were considered crystal entities. The crystals we have here on earth represent their embodiment.

The legends linked to this mystical stone tell the story of Inanna. She represented the goddess of love and courage in Sumerian mythology.

Inanna ventured in and out of the underworld wearing a Lapis Lazuli necklace. Doing so, she was able to learn how much a person is going to live.

One of the earliest records of Lapis Lazuli, as well as other semi-precious stones, is found in ancient Egypt. Besides jewelry and ornaments, Egyptians used the Lapis Lazuli stone in mystical practices. Among others, it was considered an amulet that generated a field of protection from evil and the dead.

What Are The Healing Properties Of The Lapis Lazuli Stone And Its 3 Main Benefits

You can use the Lapis Lazuli stone to repel negative energies and build a layer of protection against malevolent intentions.

Any activated crystal or stone can bring its mystical healing properties from the etheric realm into the physical. But we’re the ones who have to guide that beneficial energy and use its “practicability.”

Moreover, the Lapis Lazuli stone helps stimulate the energy flow and activation of the throat and third eye chakra. This means that it has a beneficial impact on the physical elements located at these levels.

The Lapis Lazuli Stone’s Influence At The Physical Level

At this level, it stimulates the health of:

• The thyroid  and endocrine glands;
• The larynx;
• Vocal cords;
• Eye and throat infection;
• Hearing and sinus problems;
• Pituitary gland;

Among its multiple physical benefits, the Lapis Lazuli stone can relieve menstrual pain, migraines and even helps alleviate insomnia;

Place an activated piece on an inflamed (swollen) body area to accelerate the healing process.

It also has a positive effect on the nervous system and helps clear the mind of stray thoughts. In addition, it balances the brain waves and allows you to stay focused on the task at hand.

The Lapis Lazuli Stone At The Mental-Emotional Level

Here’s where things get really interesting. 

The Lapis Lazuli stone has the main attribute of stimulating communication and truth-telling. Therefore, keeping a cleansed and activated piece close to you can potentially determine all the people in that room to speak their minds and reveal the truth within a conversation.

Remember: communication is the physical vocalized manifestation of our deep emotions and thoughts. This is different than talking.

Meditating on this stone will bring quite a few benefits. One of them is triggering your thirst for knowledge and wisdom. But through a deep and healthy connection with this stone, you will gain the three important values:

1. Self-awareness – in regards to your inner-self understanding and relationship you have with the world around you;
2. Self-compassion – learning how to accept and love yourself with both qualities and flaws;
3. Self-confidence – once you know yourself, you are able to go over your weaknesses and imbalances and heal them over time. Also, you learn how to enhance your qualities for the benefit of others and yourself.

From a mental perspective, Lapis Lazuli has the power to stimulate:

• Fast thinking and problem-solving;
• Desirability to learn. Grow one’s knowledge and wisdom;
• Intellectual analysis and good judgment;
• Inspiration for new ideas, inventions, and artistic creations;

That’s why Lapis Lazuli is popular among, but not limited to, lawyers, psychologists, journalists, writers, inventors, historians, and scientists. It attracts success, appreciation, and respect within their work environment.

The Lapis Lazuli Stone At The Energetic-Spiritual Level

There’s one thing you need to understand before moving on. 

The inner-self represents our true nature as spiritual beings. Given that we are social beings, we tend to externalize our inner emotions, desires, and feelings. One way of doing this is through verbal communication. This form releases accumulated residual emotions, frustrations, and also positive feelings. In turn, this gradually helps heal our inner-self, leading to better physical, mental and emotional health. You cannot grow from a spiritual perspective if you cannot express your inner-self in a balanced way.

The Lapis Lazuli stone helps enhance this whole process.

It can boost your confidence level and the honesty of your expression through words and intentions. 

Also, due to its energetic structure, Lapis can transform chaos into order. Therefore, it can bring tranquility and harmony within relationships by triggering the desire to communicate in a calm, loving manner. Its energy helps improve your life by concentrating it on success.

With time, through meditation, and with the help of crystals and stones, you can develop the ability to tap into dormant skills that can change your life. By using the Lapis Lazuli stone, you activate the pituitary gland, the center of inner awakening and self-realization.

The 3 Main Benefits Of The Lapis Lazuli Stone

1. Helps activate your communication and intuition;
2. Has the power to cleanse and bring harmony;
3. Stimulates truth and creativity;

How To Cleanse The Lapis Lazuli Stone

One of the easiest ways to cleanse the Lapis Lazuli stone is with Reiki.

• Activate your palms and hold the stone each day for 10-15 minutes;
• Visualize how it becomes engulfed with light and love;
• This will purge any negative thoughts, energies, and/or entities;
• Use Reiki symbols to further cleanse and activate the Lapis Lazuli stone;

Using physical elements for cleansing:

• Incense, frankincense, myrrh, sage, or palo santo can also help cleanse this stone. They will release any accumulated negative energies; smudge the crystal into the emanated smoke for a minute, and the Lapis Lazuli stone will gradually begin to cleanse;
• Even washing it with lukewarm water and soap will have an energetical cleansing effect;
• Exposing it to high-vibrational music daily will keep it cleansed and activated;
• Salt is another popular option for cleansing crystals. Still, given the sensitive texture of the Lapis Lazuli stone, I would not expose it to coarse salt for a prolonged amount of time. You can simply wash it using lukewarm water and salt as if you would use soap. The salt will absorb the negative and residual energies;

The Two Chakras The Lapis Lazuli Stone Works Best With

Although the Lapis Lazuli stone can enhance the energy and vibration of all energy fields and centers, there are two chakras this stone resonates with, in particular.

It can activate latent spiritual potentials from within the Ajna and Vishuddha chakras. Ajna is the gateway towards self-awareness, peace, and understanding, while Vishuddha is the “transponder” that brings these values from the spiritual world to the physical one.

Vishuddha Or The Throat Chakra

When properly cleansed, Vishuddha is responsible for helping us manifest our thoughts, emotions, and experiences verbally.

To achieve this, you need to activate the chakra, and a powerful stimulant such as the Lapis Lazuli stone is one of the best ways to do it.

• Place one piece in the pit of the throat;
• This will help you relax and stimulate the activation of the throat chakra;
• At the physical level, it will influence the thyroid gland and balance the energies that govern it;
• At the energetic and spiritual levels, the activation of Visshuddha will enable you to harmoniously express your mental and emotional side;

Ajna Or The Third Eye Chakra

The third eye chakra handles wisdom, intuition, and intellect.

When properly cleansed, it can become an incredible tool for spiritual evolution and Divine inspiration.

Therefore, this chakra needs attention, care, and a beneficial stimulant. The Lapis Lazuli stone is highly recommended for Ajna. Amethyst or white quartz work very well too.

• Lay down with a Lapis piece on the third eye chakra and close your eyes;
• Allow yourself to enter a relaxing, meditative state;
• The stone will gradually remove stress and help you expand your awareness. Doing so will help you understand the potential that lies beyond what you normally see;
• It will help activate the chakra and its inert structures. These are useful for your growth as a spiritual being;

How Can The Lapis Lazuli Stone Help Us In Our Reiki Practice

I believe Lapis can enhance the self-treatment and treatment of others.

Its particular healing properties can boost the vibration of the throat and third eye chakra.

Be sure to activate the Reiki symbols on the stone as well as your chakras before using it. This will significantly increase its power and beneficial effects.

NOTE: The Lapis Lazuli stone can enhance the cleansing effect of your energy fields and stimulate your chakras when used with clear quartz.

This combination is a fantastic tool for emotional and mental healing.

The Lapis Lazuli Stone And Zodiac Signs

Although we can use any stone or crystal for our overall health, there are specific signs the Lapis Lazuli stone resonates with.

These are:

• Sagittarius;
• Libra; 
• Capricorn;
• Taurus;

This means that Lapis will potentially have a quicker energetic transfer with people who belong to these 4 zodiac signs.

Still, I believe each one of us can create a unique connection with any crystal or stone. Through this connection, we can attract health, emotional balance, and prosperity on all levels. So, at the end of the day, it’s worth experimenting.

Where Can We Find The Lapis Lazuli Stone And How Much Does It Cost

Many websites sell crystals and gemstones. 

While some can be more reliable than others, I always recommend going into a physical shop. It’s always better to see and touch the stones and crystals. Local conventions and fairs can be an excellent choice as well.

Taking the time to look at them will allow you to feel their intense energy and vibration. In addition, you get to hold them in your hands and make an informed decision when choosing the right one for you.

Besides, you can inspect it and see if it’s real or not.

Just so you know, the Lapis Lazuli stone is not cheap. Still, there are always deals that pop up, so be patient with your research.

I had the opportunity to buy a small one for about $3.00 in a shop in downtown Sarasota, Florida. I guess there are many options across the country. http://www.pixiedustsarasota.com

One Last Word

The Lapis Lazuli stone is one of the oldest one used in spiritual practices and jewelry making.

It has a vast array of properties, and it’s specifically beneficial to the throat and third eye chakras.

For me, Lapis still has a lot of mystery. It’s one of my favorite stones, and I’m sure the future will reveal many unknowns. 

On the other hand, it works differently for each individual, and that’s why I encourage you to explore it as much as possible.