Welcome to a new month of Gem Wise! I am so excited to take this journey deeper into the world of gems and crystals with you. No matter if you’re brand new to gems or more experienced and knowledgeable, this class is a place for all to take their learning deeper. If you’re new to Gem Wise, welcome! And if you were with me in June and July, I hope you enjoyed our classrooms on tetragonal and monoclinic crystal structure.
To start with, you must remember that crystals grow naturally in the shape of polyhedra, which are solid shapes whose faces are polygons. Crystals are the closest physical representations of the Platonic Solids that we have. Though they are not perfectly formed as Plato’s ideals were, they offer us a good tangible example.
This month, we will be focusing on orthorhombic crystal structure. You received gorgeous examples of this structure in your Gem Wise kits – pink imperial topaz, danburite, and a beautiful dumortierite palm stone printed with “vision,” which corresponds to this month’s overall course curriculum surrounding clear sight, vision, and knowing. My intuition prompted me to include peridot, so as a special gift this month, you will receive this fourth beauty with your kit.
As beings searching and striving for our Soul Purpose, we must have access to our own inner wisdom and deep knowing. If we’re unable to tap into our innate vision, we must practice the energetic work required to uncover it. And we can look to specific crystal energies to activate this latent store of liminal sight. Distinct stones and gems vibrate at the exact frequency to crack your untapped field of vision wide open. Crystal structure is truly a magical thing.
Orthorhombic Crystals
The orthorhombic crystal structure is, in the simplest terms, a cubed lattice stretched or elongated out into a series of rectangular prisms. All vectors intersect at 90 degree angles in the orthorhombic crystal system, however, each of the three vectors are of different length (ie. length, width, height). Despite the disparate length, all three axes have two-fold symmetry, and maintain an unchanging appearance throughout a 180 degree rotation. Orthorhombic crystals are known as dispellers and restorers, meaning they banish all types of negative energies – those manifesting in the physical body, solely in the emotional/spiritual bodies, or any other manifestation of negativity – and restore balance. They set right whatever is topsy-turvy. The four sharp “rectangular” corners found throughout the orthorhombic lattice serve as potent channels of energy, to release flow outward.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of minerals crystallize with an orthorhombic structure. To name a handful: Dumortierite, danburite, iolite, sulphur, marcasite, cementite, cerussite, olivine, barite, aragonite, staurolite, orthoenstatite, enargite, and topaz are among the orthorhombic crystals.
If you’re typically a confident person, but suddenly find yourself plagued with doubt, orthorhombic crystals will help you neutralize back to a place of confidence. This can be applied to most any emotion or situation. All dispeller gemstones serve as powerful talismans for clearing the mind and spirit, enabling the release of crippling and limiting belief systems and habits. Simply carrying this stone with you and holding it in the palm of your hand whenever fear, anxiety, and doubt start to kick in will assist you in raising your own frequency, and harnessing the power to push through.
| Pink Imperial Topaz | Danburite | Dumortierite |
| Structure: Orthorhombic
Chakra: Heart, Crown Composition: Aluminum silicate fluoride hydroxide Hardness: 8 Mineral Class: Silicates Astrological Sign: Sagittarius Element: Fire Mined in: Brazil, Russia, Pakistan Colors: Pink |
Structure: Orthorhombic
Chakra: Heart, Crown Composition: Calcium borosilicate Hardness: 7 to 7.5 Mineral Class: Sorosilicates Astrological Sign: Leo Element: Wind Mined in: Mexico, Bolivia, Russia, Madagascar, Japan, Burma Colors: Colorless, white, wine-yellow, pale pink |
Structure: Orthorhombic Chakra: Third EyeComposition: Aluminum borate silicateHardness: 7 Mineral Class: Silicates Astrological Sign: Leo Element: Wind Mined in: Madagascar, Brazil, Sri Lanka, Canada, Poland, France, Namibia, USA Colors: Dark blue, violet blue, red-brown |
Pink Imperial Topaz
“I stand in my truth, as it is ever being revealed to me. I visualize myself sailing into uncharted territory, rediscovering myself on the journey. The great fire of Spirit burns within me and I open my heart to receive my own wisdom. I am my cosmic consciousness, in my human body.”
Imperial topaz is the rarest topaz variety and natural pink imperial topaz is very, very rare and valuable. It will likely be mined out within our lifetimes, already mined out of most areas. Pink imperial topaz stimulates the Heart Chakra, connecting it with the Crown Chakra. By promoting a free flow of energy exchange between our hearts and higher awareness, it increases our self-realization and experience of interconnectedness. The Crown Chakra, where our soul meets body, fills our hearts with hope, faith and love. This crystal restores openness, preparing us to receive more wisdom and truth.
Imperial topaz is a spiritual and creative charger. By streaming heightened energies from the Crown Chakra into the Heart and Solar Plexus Chakras, it facilitates breaking self-imposed limitations of all kinds. This gemstone assists in knowing and expressing clear and solid boundaries, including physical, mental, and spiritual. Synchronizing your thoughts, actions, and intentions with the Greatest Good, imperial topaz assists with visualization, ingenuity, and generosity.
Topaz is solidly associated with clear sightedness. Legends tell of topaz’s power to break spells, illusions and manipulative seductions. It facilitates clear “sight” or knowing on all levels, even improving physical eyesight. The Greeks said topaz would change color in the presence of poisoned drink or food; a truth seeker exposing lies and deception meant to cause harm. This crystal is like an integrity barometer, and helps us grasp the “bigger picture” of what is going on inside and outside of us alike. African bushmen use topaz for connecting with departed spirits, another channel for knowledge and interconnection.
By making us more aware of our thoughts, feelings and actions – and the alignment of these, topaz stimulates our cosmic awareness and our teacher within. The Romans associated topaz with the god Jupiter. Jupiter, among many things, stands for truth, wisdom, expansion of consciousness, confidence, and trust in the Universe. Jupiter represents ever-expanding fiery energy, with the intention of revealing more and more personal truth, in broader contexts and experiences. Topaz, if you ask, and are open to receive, will help you access more of your own innate wisdom; your inner guru.
Danburite
“I open myself to the Higher Realms, to connection, contact, and communion with Source. May this supreme vibration bring me into alignment with truth and consciousness. I am a channel to Eternity.”
For connection to the higher realms, outer realms, extraterrestrial contact, and astral dimensions, danburite is one of the very best gemstone allies you could have by your side. This crystal has a soaring frequency attuned to the Heart and Crown Chakras – serving as a bridge between the two to facilitate heart centered Spirit guidance. It opens and expands the heart space, to make room for the Divine Source to enter and move through you as a channel for Source energy on Earth. What is extraordinary about danburite is that it allows for this exploration of the outer realms, angelic communion, and extraterrestrial contact to occur on the inner planes, not just the outer.
Danburite is among a powerfully harmonizing group of gems called the Synergy Twelve. These precious stones have the ability to activate an uplifting balance and alignment of the etheric self – including the physical, magnetic, electromagnetic, and auric fields, as well as the causal, subtle, and astral bodies. Working with this gem brings total assurance that all will be well. Its high, clear vibration banishes stress and worry, allowing you to act in accordance with consciousness and truth. This shielding from anxiety also enables you to get restful sleep, as it sweeps away the mind’s unserviceable chatter. Wear danburite for ongoing immersion in its highly spiritual frequency, meditate with one danburite stone in each hand to bring balance, and sleep with danburite under your pillow to aid restful sleep.
Danburite is a very powerful healing crystal. It has been used for ages to ease allergies, support the liver and gallbladder, detoxify the body, regulate cell disorders, alleviate pain, and lessen shock. It is known and depended upon to treat and prevent heart conditions, fatigue, headaches, stress, and addictions. The healing properties associated with this crystal are nearly endless.
Dumortierite 
“I step through the doorway, into a corridor of indigo light. Here, all psychic channels are open and active. Here, I transcend. The impossible becomes possible. I am connected to Wind.”
Dumortierite is a doorway into the psychic hallways of the mind. Once you’re in, this stone can lead you to divine inspiration, prophetic vision, enhanced mental capacity in mathematics and language, clairaudience, clairsentience, and clairvoyance. Truly, it offers the gamut of Third Eye awakening. These powerful insights enable you to surmount even the most difficult of circumstances through mental transcendence. Even the impossible can become possible. There may be a mountain before you, but when you can see through it to the other side, you can build a strategy for successful passage and preserve hope along the way.
Dumortierite is an incredible stone for students and learning, stimulating mental enhancement and discipline, and increasing patience. It boosts memory retention, enabling you to hold onto large amounts of information, even when learned rapidly. This is your gemstone ally in any situation when new symbols or systems are being learned. This crystal is ideal for assistance with language and translation, and a special companion for those using the Tarot or astrology, as these tools combine mass memorization of pictograms and symbolism with synthesis, intuition, and psychic attunement. Dumortierite assists with both the remembering of said symbols and the deciphering of their messages.
Work with this crystal by wearing it as jewelry, holding it in mediation, or sleeping with it under your pillow to facilitate and strengthen all types of psychic channeling – and to make the reception of that information incredibly precise.
Peridot – Bonus Crystal
This month, I’m including this fourth crystal, as a special gift. Peridot is another orthorhombic crystal with exceptionally positiv
e power. Its energy is warm and friendly, bringing forth prosperity, increase and well-being on all levels. It’s a tonic that strengthens the entire body. Peridot helps harmonize the Solar Plexus and Heart Chakras, integrating love and will. It also increases our ability to receive, by removing blockages.
In keeping with our theme of clear sight, vision and knowing, peridot is an Elven gemstone. Instilled with the wisdom of earthly magic, it serves as a doorway to worlds of devas, fairies and nature spirits of all kinds. It opens our awareness and connection with these magical realms. Communication and healing in partnership with the plant and animal kingdoms are greatly supported and enriched with peridot.
Allowing peridot to magnify the inner aspect of any circumstance increases knowledge and understanding, including furthered understanding of personal and collective changes and transitions as they are happening. A crystal for seeking and recovering, peridot is used to bring results to one’s search, from physical mundane matters to the quest for enlightenment.
