Black Tourmaline (aka Schorl) is a premiere stone of self-protection. Carry a black tourmaline in your right pocket or as a necklace to block negative energies while allowing positive energies to enter into your auric field. Added benefit? Black Tourmaline is a major grounding stone, providing an anchor deep into the earth for times when you may be feeling space or dissociative. Black Tourmaline, along with Rose Quartz and Selenite, makes up a protective trinity of stones for empaths.
Black Tourmaline was known as the ‘stone of wisdom’ (Bernardus Caesius). According to Melody, author of Love is in the Earth, tourmaline has been used in ancient Indian culture as “used to provide direction toward that which would bring ‘good’, [and] it was also recognized as a ‘teller’ stone, providing insight during times of trouble. It was also used by African, Native American and Aboriginal tribes. Melody says “It is thought to bring healing powers to the user and to provide protection from all dangers occurring on the physical plane.”
Black Tourmaline is a part of the Tourmaline family of crystals. Its crystal system is Hexognal (Trigonal) and it has a hardness of 7 to 7.5 on the Moh’s scale. It is formed in magma, getting its vertically striated prismatic crystal form from the process of cooling and solidification of liquid magma, and represent a type of crystal – formed in igneous rock and from primary minerals – that provide support for our inherent potential to become manifest. Often found deeply embedded in rocks when it is excavated, tourmaline is found on every continent, and black tourmaline specifically can be found across the globe, from Maine in the US, to Brazil, Nepal, Africa and Pakistan.
Healing Properties
Black Tourmaline is a crystal most commonly used for the Root Chakra, located at the base of your spine, and the Earth Star Chakra located 6 inches below your feet. It creates a sense of groundedness and is a useful healing crystal for anxiety and dissociation. An excellent crystal to use when working with gently moving through active traumatic states. Be aware that if you lean towards depressive states, black tourmaline is not a good stone to wear without breaks. If you're in a depression, swap out your black tourmaline for Labradorite, which has similar protective qualities for energetically sensitive people.
Black Tourmaline is often found together with quartz (as above). If you find a piece with quartz, try it out! The quartz is a natural amplifier for any other crystal its paired with.
The Empath Trinity
Black Tourmaline is a part of the trinity of stones that I recommend for Empaths, HSPs, or other energetically sensitive folk. Black tourmaline – the friendly shield, acts to block negative energies that may be coming your way from other people. Rose Quartz, the stone of self-love, encourages us to have compassion for ourselves as we navigate the world as sensitive creatures, and creates a natural boundary that says that only loving energies may come into our auric field. The white ray of Selenite helps to keep our aura clear, ridding our auras of “congested energies or negativity from one’s physical and etheric body,” (Robert Simmons).
Simply place the crystals together in a pouch and put them in your pocket or bra. Take a moment to connect with the crystals, asking their help for protection. Envision a bubble around your aura (roughly a foot around your body), layered with pink, white and black, then make it a point to reconnect with your stones and your bubble shield throughout the day.
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