Chalcedony Meaning and Healing Powers

Introduction to Chalcedony

Technically Chalcedony is a type of quartz. Quartz comes in two varieties, one with large crystals such as amethyst and citrine and one with tiny crystals such as agate and carnelian.

To a geologist, all quartzes with tiny crystals are the same stone just with different colors, stripes and patterns - jasper, onyx, agate, carnelian, bloodstone and many more.

With such enormous variations of color, pattern, banding, stripes and so on there is bound to be a bit of overlapping between the types but in the world of gemstones 'chalcedony' refers to a translucent stone with solid pale colors such as blue, violet and white.

Spiritually, all quartz gemstones are renowned for their beneficial powers and they have been used as much for their symbolic meaning and healing strengths as much as for their alluring looks for thousands of years.

The chemical make-up, crystal structure and light blue to violet color of Chalcedony have led to this gemstone to be associated with a number of particular emotional and physical health benefits. Amulets and seals made from Chalcedony have been discovered in archaeological sites in Crete which date back to the ancient Minoan Kingdom nearly 4000 years ago.

• Boosts Communication Skills
• Calming and Soothing
• Helps Overcome Shyness
• Increases Confidence
• Promotes Generosity
• Absorbs Negative Energy

Ignoring scientific categorization, Chalcedony gemstones are pale and evenly colored, usually in colors such as light blue, lavender, lilac and violet. This gemstone can be dyed so look out for any outlandishly or brightly colored Chalcedony as these are very suspect stones.

Blue is the most popular color in the world and is found in nature as in the sky and the sea but not so much in vegetables and fruits. The light blue of Chalcedony conjures up feelings of peace and serenity as well as more spiritual and ethereal feelings.

Most of Chalcedony's physical healing takes place around the upper chest and neck area - sore throats, stiff necks, pain in the jaw or toothache. It is also excellent for lung function as well as lowering blood pressure.

Chalcedony is an anti-inflammatory and can be used whether the swelling is due to injury or to reaction by the body's immune system. It is especially good for edema cases.

See our Chalcedony for sale here

The Chakras are seven energy points situated around the body each having an influence on a particular physical, emotional or mental state. These Chakras have associated colors and a gemstone which has the same dominant color will be connected with that color's chakra point.

Being a generally blue gemstone, Chalcedony is linked to the Throat Chakra.

The Throat Chakra has an association with all forms of communication, including public speaking, meeting people, making friends, maintaining relationships, empathy and confidence.

Physically, the Throat Chakra affects the throat, neck, jaw and thyroid.

Please read our Chakra Gemstones article for more details

Yes, Chalcedony can be used to unblock or realign the Throat Chakra.

Classic signs of a blocked Throat Chakra can include a fear of expressing yourself, anxiety about an upcoming speech or presentation, apprehensions about meeting people and a lack of self-confidence. You could also be suffering from chronic sore throats, toothaches, a stiff neck or thyroid problems.

There are a few ways to use Chalcedony to unblock the Throat Chakra or to keep it in constant alignment. Wearing a Chalcedony pendant or necklace or even earrings will keep the gemstone and its powers close to the Throat Chakra location - right at the centre of the neck in that little hollow above the breast plate.

Alternatively, find a quite spot where you can lie down and relax. Place a Chalcedony gemstone on the Chakra point. Breathe in through your nose and out through the mouth and picture yourself enveloped in a cool and calming blue aura.

I would say, no.

Chalcedony is listed as a birthstone for May on a number of websites but I believe this is a little tenuous. Chrysoprase, as a green form of Chalcedony, could be linked to May, and Agate is a banded form of Chalcedony that is also traditionally connected to May.

However, the light blue Chalcedony we are discussing in this article has only the vaguest links to May.

Please read our Birthstone by month article for more details

Blue Chalcedony might not be the birthstone for May but it is a zodiac stone for Gemini which happens to cover the dates 21st May to June 20th.

Please read our Zodiac Gemstone article for more details

From time to time, spiritual gemstones need to be cleansed and recharged, especially if they have been dealing with any tough issues lately.

There are a number of simple ways to do this - running under water, smudging with smoke, using sunlight or moonlight are just a few methods.

Chalcedony is a tough little quartz so it can take a fair bit of handling but I would suggest fresh spring water for the cleansing and NOT sea water or a salt bath as this may damage the surface of your stone.

Similarly I would recommend an evening or overnight under a full moon rather than a day in sunlight to avoid fading.

Visualizations and affirmations are a great way to energize or recharge your chalcedony gemstone particularly if there is something you really need help with.

With any gemstone you want it to be close by where it can be the most influential.

Chalcedony can be easily worn as jewelry or carried in the pocket or handbag that way it will be with you throughout the day.

You can decorate your home with some chalcedony gemstones placed on shelves or side tables in various rooms where its presence would be most useful.

It can go in the dining area to ensure a peaceful and argument free meal time, in the bedroom for a restful night's sleep or in a meeting room where open expression and communication is needed.

See our Chalcedony for sale here

You can easily carry chalcedony around all day in your pocket or purse where it can spread its influence over all aspects of your life. Similarly you could make it into an item of jewelry so it will never leave your body unless you choose to take it off.

As we shall see later, Chalcedony is a great meditation and yoga stone so having one or two beside you on the mat or floor will ensure a fantastic session.

We read earlier that blue Chalcedony can fire up the Throat Chakra so find a quiet area where you can lie down and relax with a gemstone place in the small of your throat and let it do its work.

Chalcedony is not one of the first gemstones I think of when recommending a gemstone for gaining financial wealth. However in a roundabout way it can improve your communication skills at work which in turn may lead to more clients or a promotion.

If you run your own business or manage staff, some blue chalcedony will promote team work and an enjoyable workplace.

I think of Chalcedony as more a stone to promote a wealth of friends and happiness.

See our Gemstones for Wealth article here

As a relaxing and calming gemstone, Chalcedony is perfect for both meditation and yoga. As an added bonus the boost in communication skills that this gemstone provides will open you up to improved deep meditation practices.

A Chalcedony gemstone placed next to the mat during yoga can really enhance a session.

Please read our Gemstones for Meditation and Yoga article for more details

Gemstones vibrate at different frequencies and will affect people in different ways according to their own unique energy vibrations. Sometimes gemstones can be too powerful and take getting used to but I would be surprised if cool and calm Chalcedony had that effect.

I would suggest wearing or carrying a Chalcedony gemstone or two for a day and see if it is a bit overwhelming. If so, take a break and slowly wean yourself to be able to wear each day.

See our Chalcedony for sale here

Chalcedony is linked to Gaia, the Greek goddess that represents Mother Earth.

Gemstones and crystals can be just as effective in helping our pets as they are in helping us. I think Chalcedony would be most beneficial to any pet that is showing any signs of anxiety - it will calm them down and can be particularly useful in quieting a noisy animal.

If your pet is suffering with any throat or neck issues, Chalcedony may be of some comfort.

Please take a look at our special Gemstones for Pets article here

Natural chalcedony is an ideal stone with which to make elixirs through the direct method. (Be careful of any brightly colored gemstones or any stone with an 'unnatural' color.)

The direct method is basically placing a gemstone into a glass or jug of fresh spring water and leaving it overnight. By the morning you will have a gemstone elixir - just remove the stone or stones and you are ready to go.

You could give it an additional booster by placing it out under a full moon if you like.

You could then use the elixir to drink, for tea, to add to a bath, to spray your home or office even to water your plants.

Chalcedony is linked to the Throat Chakra so gargling with an elixir made with this gemstone can work wonders for sore throats - add some honey, lemon or salt for extra efficacy - or in preparation for a speech or presentation.

Remember that some gemstones CANNOT be used as elixirs because of their dangerous content.

Chalcedony is a soothing and comforting gemstone so placed under the pillow at night it could encourage pleasant dreams. Its powers of communication will also help to make sense or interpret any puzzling or precognitive dreams.

Dreaming about owning or finding a chalcedony gemstone could be a sign of sudden riches coming your way!

See our Chalcedony for sale here

Chalcedony can work with most other blue or bluish gemstones if you want to really boost your communication or speaking skills and that includes Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise and Kyanite amongst many others.

As part of the large microcrystalline group, Chalcedony will also work well with its brother or sister gemstones - agate, carnelian, chrysoprase and jasper. They will complement each other very nicely and allow you to tackle more than a few emotional or physical issues.

If you work in a team environment, then Chalcedony is an ideal office or workplace gemstone - it will encourage harmony between colleagues and help the exchange of new and interesting ideas and thoughts.

It will also be very useful if your work includes presentations, speeches, meetings and the like because of its excellent communication benefits - its nickname is 'The Speaker's Stone', after all.

Actors, singers or anyone in the performing arts where the voice or physical communication is involved could benefit from Chalcedony in the studio, on the stage or in the rehearsal rooms.

As a stone of communication, Chalcedony is ideal for pendulums.

In the simplest terms, a pendulum is just a weight suspended from a string or chain that can swing freely when held up. The motion or movement of the pendulum can indicate a yes or a no when asked straightforward questions.

Using a pendulum is just a fun way to reveal some hidden truths about yourself, not an answer to all of life's difficulties.

See our article on Gemstone Pendulums here

While chalcedony is an excellent workplace gemstone for boosting teamwork and connection it is not one I would recommend for EMF protection.

With the smart phones, computers, wifi routers, lap tops, Bluetooth devices and GPS that surround our lives, we are constantly exposed to electromagnetic radiation or EMF. A better choice would be Black Tourmaline or Malachite.

See our article on EMF Protection Gemstones here

Legend has it that Cicero, the Roman Lawyer and Politician who was famous for his speeches in the Senate, wore a Chalcedony pendant because he felt it helped him 'master the art of powerful persuasion'.

Perhaps this was how Chalcedony first got the nickname "The Speaker's Stone".

There is another legend to do with how this gemstone got its name. The town of Chalcedon was located on the opposite side of the Bosphorus River to the famous city of Constantinople (now Istanbul) and was the site of a famous ecumenical meeting that ultimately led to the split in the Christian Church.

The town was on the shores of the Sea of Marmara and the stone supposedly got its name from its similarity in color to the sublime blue waters of this inland sea between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean.

Unfortunately this is now very difficult to check as pollution has changed the color of this sea to a murky gray although attempts are being made to clean up this historic waterway.

Whatever its real history, Chalcedony is a wonderful gemstone with subtle pastel colors and a soothing and inspiring spirituality that is sure to delight no matter your needs.

Please read our Chalcedony information article for more details

Handy Guide to Chalcedony

Category	Details
Nickname	The Speaker's Stone
Color	Light Blue, Lavender, Lilac
Chakra	Throat
Birthstone	May (tenuous)
Zodiac	Gemini
Main Virtue	Boosts Communication Skills
Health	Sore Throat/Anti-inflammatory
Gem Partner	Turquoise/Jasper
Cleansing	Water/Moonlight/Smoke
Goddess	Gaia