August's Awe-Inspiring Birthstones
The eighth month of the year brings a trio of birthstones to the table for Leos and Virgos. They are peridot, spinel, and sardonyx. Uncover important info about these August birthstones like their physical properties, origins, uses, and visual varieties in this explorative article.
Peridot
Unlike other birthstones, peridot only comes from two mind-boggling places, volcanoes, and meteorites. Mainstream scientists agree our moon's mantle contains peridot. Humans have harvested meteorites all over the world for their precious peridot for over 4,000 years. Hawaiian volcanoes are the one source for Earth made peridot. An eruption of the Kilauea volcano in 2018 caused it to rain peridot on the surrounding area.
The word peridot originates from the French term peritot, meaning gold, which refers to the golden-green color of this otherworldly gemstone, which is also called olivine. Translucent and luminous when polished and cut, peridot makes for a gorgeous green setting piece for personal adornments like jewelry.
Traditionally, this gemstone is a shield against the evil eye. Other spiritual uses include gaining motivation, emotional healing, and abundance. Peridot also aligns with the solar plexus chakra.
Spinel
Do you want to open your heart chakra? Try spinel. It's used for its spiritual assets because this crystalline gemstone helps people gain good fortune in love. Additionally, spinel is known by spiritualists to increase energy and stamina both in mind and the body.
Human-made versions of blue spinel are the settings in class rings, but naturally formed spinel comes in pink, red, purple, and clear (no color) versions. Most highly prized and rare is the vibrant red ruby spinel, which is formed by alluvial deposits only found in Tanzania. Other colors come from mines in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal, and Nigeria.
Sardonyx
Appropriately enough, sardonyx stones are alternating bands of sard and onyx. Colored by iron oxide impurities, silica minerals turn red, orange, or brown, forming the sard. The lines running throughout are typically made up of white onyx but can also be black onyx.
These semiprecious birthstones most often come from mines in India but are also found in Brazil, Russia, the USA, and Germany. Evidence shows sardonyx was mined as far back as the Bronze Age and may get its name from the ancient Turkish city of Sardis.
More than any other birthstone, sardonyx lends itself well to making cameos, and small hand-carved sculptures are to be worn or held for spiritual purposes. Sardonyx offers positive protection, boosts self-confidence, and promotes verbal communication. For meditation and yoga, sardonyx aligns with the root and crown chakras.
In closing, this August, remember you are a gem. How? By increasing your spiritual connections with peridot, spinel, and sardonyx. Celebrate your birthday by experimenting with using the raw or polished forms of your three remarkable and powerful birthstones.
