I thought this week we’d take a look at a stone that is quite easy to find here in America that is also usually quite inexpensive in it’s raw, tumbled and polished forms.  Turquoise is a beautiful stone that usually makes people think of ornate Native American themed jewelry, however this blue and green stone can be a great “go to” stone for any healer.  With it’s many properties for healing, protection, stress relief and the ability to help with emotional issues such as mood swings, how could you not have this in your healing stone collection!

Turquoise is believed to have been around since 200 B.C. and it is a stone that has long been associated with Native Americans North America and Indian tribes in Mexico, however jewelers and historians have come to believe that the use of turquoise with silver in the form of the popular “Indian jewelry” is a fairly recent trend dating back to the 1880s which started with work from a Navajo craftsman.

The origin of the name for the stone has a few possibilities; some believe that it came from the word Turquie, French for Turkey (the country, not the animal) since it was believed that this was where the stone had come from, however more likely came from either Persia or Egypt.  Another possible origin, also French in nature, is “pierre turquin”, which means dark blue stone.

Different forms of turquoise can be found in various parts of the world including the US, Egypt, Mexico, China, Iran, Peru, Poland, Russia, France, Tibet, Afghanistan and Arabia.  In the US turquoise is most often found in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada.  New Mexico was the largest US producer of turquoise until the 1920s when the stone was found in great quantities in Arizona and Nevada.  Nevada was the top producer until the 1980s; currently Arizona produces the most of the stone that comes from America.

There are two different types of turquoise that are very distinct.  The stone that comes from most of the places where it is found is typically some shade of blue, ranging from a very deep, true blue to a blue green.  Another kind of turquoise, known as Tibetan Turquoise, carries a different color and energy.  The Tibetan variety is much more of a green color with blue overtones, rather than the other way around.

Working with Turquoise
Turquoise can be used for several different healing and metaphysical uses.  Many cultures, specifically in the Middle East, have used turquoise for protection.  The stone was believed for centuries to be a natural deterrent of the Evil Eye and was used for making amulets to ward against it.  In Navajo myth it was believed that throwing a piece of turquoise into a river while praying to the Rain God would bring much needed rain to an area.  One interesting new age use for turquoise suggests wearing the stone in some form close to the body during times of stress.  When your body begins to react to the stress around you the copper levels in the body will rise and react with the stone causing it to change colors, thus alerting you of a need for a break and a need to bring yourself back into balance.

In a healing sense, turquoise, being a blue stone, works great for dealing with issues of physical and energetic healing of the throat.  As a strengthening stone it helps to build up one’s ability to speak up for themselves and can also help to release any words or actions related to communication that can create a self-sabotage situation.  Turquoise also works well with issues of mood, mood swings and panic attacks.

Turquoise is a stone that is said to contain both energies of earth and sky working to unite both male and female energies.  This makes it a great stone for balance in all areas.  It can be used to help balance all the chakras or a specific chakra, even if it’s not the throat.  Use the stone on your third eye and throat chakra areas for clarity and balance in receiving and sharing psychic and intuitive messages.

Turquoise can be great for making an elixir, especially for mood elevation, however this is a toxic stone as it contains copper, to remember to use it in and indirect method when creating your elixir.

Healing a Sore Throat with Turquoise
With allergy season in full swing soar throats are a possibility for many allergy sufferers.  Here is a simple method for working with turquoise to alleviate soar throat irritation.

If you’re able to do this during the waning moon, all the better since the decreasing energies of the moon can be a great help in decreasing your irritations, but you can do this any time you need to.  Each night, usually for about a week, spend some time laying down with a piece of turquoise resting on your throat.  Allow your throat chakra to open up and absorb the healing energy from the stone for about 10-15 minutes.  When you’re done, place the stone in a bowl of salt to help remove the unwanted energies that it has taken from you.  Leave the stone in the salt overnight. In the morning remove the stone and place it in a fresh, clean bowl of spring water.  This will complete the clearing and cleansing of the stone making it ready for another use.  Take the stone out of the water a hour or so before you intent to use it, allowing it to air dry.  When you have finished working with the stone for the week, cleanse it a final time and place it in a cloth or charm bag to keep it safe for the next time you need it.