MAY – OCTAHEDRAL CRYSTALS
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 March and April, I hope you enjoyed our classrooms on trigonal and hexagonal 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 pretty darn good tangible example.
This month, we will be focusing on octahedral crystal structure. You received gorgeous examples of this structure in your Gem Wise kits – grossular garnet, a magnetite octahedron, and a beautiful fluorite palm stone engraved with “clarity,” the theme of this month’s overall course curriculum, along with manifestation. As divine beings, we must each be confident in our unique calling, empowered to take action toward its fulfillment. If it is clarity we seek in order to confidently pursue our Highest Good, we can employ the magic and energy of crystals to provide clearer vision. Specific crystals vibrate at such a frequency that they aid the manifestation process in various ways. How is this possible? Let’s dive into crystal structure.
Octahedral Crystals
Chakra: Heart, Element: Air, Planet: Mercury/Venus
The Octahedron falls under the isometric umbrella, along with the cube, dodecahedron, and several others. It has eight symmetrical faces, six vertices, twelve edges, and appears to have an identifiable “top” and “bottom” (however, isometric shapes actually have no top or bottom). This shape is essentially two pyramids stacked base to base, or you could think of it as a compilation of eight equilateral triangles stacked and arranged just so, with each face parallel to its opposite. The Octahedron is one of the five Platonic Solids, which we look to as our geometric connection to literally everything in the world. The entire matrix of existence can be traced to these shapes in one form or another.
Among the known minerals that make up the octahedral family, we can identify magnetite, fluorite, spinel, diamond, gold, grossular garnet, and sphalerite, to name a handful.
Due to the mirrored appearance of its symmetrically inverted pyramids, the octahedron is a shape of reflection. Energetically speaking, it provides a perfect mirrored reflection of the self, as well as clearly reflecting what we are to one another. In that sense, octahedral crystals help us to see, bringing the clarity we seek. And with clarity, manifestation follows. Because once we have unobstructed sight on the path, we are able to take the informed steps to make our dreams a reality. The diamond is the most popular octahedral crystal, and as the world-famous representative of octahedrons, it does its job well. Diamonds are clear – and the clearer they are, the more market value they hold.
Octahedral crystals may not display this shape outwardly, but still possess the structure inwardly, no matter what. For instance, a fluorite sphere is outwardly spherical – a round ball, or orb. However, just like DNA, the inner structure of fluorite remains true to its octahedral patterning. In other words, its microscopic innerworkings repeat the octahedral shape like a scaffold. If a crystal (or any other object) is carved outwardly into an octahedron (for instance, the magnetite provided with your Gem Wise kit) it can be used in magic similarly to a double-terminated wand. The energy will flow through the crystal end-to-end and can be intentionally discharged in dual directions at the same time. This makes it a perfect tool for sending and receiving energies simultaneously.
| Fluorite | Magnetite | Grossular Garnet |
| Structure: Octahedral/Cubic
Chakra: All (different colors resonate with specific chakras) Mineral Class: Halide Astrological Sign: Capricorn, Pisces Element: Wind Mined in: Germany, England, China, Argentina, USA, Mexico, South Africa |
Structure: Octahedral
Chakra: All Mineral Class: Oxides Astrological Sign: unknown Element: Earth Mined in: Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Italy, USA Colors: Gray to black |
Structure: Hexagonal
Chakra: Solar Plexus, Heart Element: Earth Mined in: Kenya, Mali Colors: Emerald green, orange orange-brown |
Fluorite
“I welcome the Soul Path clarity that paves my way to manifestation. Focused vision and a clear energy field create boundless potential. I own that potential. I am connected to the element of wind.”
Fluorite is a clarifier, a “psychic broom” so to speak. It sweeps the cobwebs from your energy field, purifying cluttered thoughts and clouded mental frequencies so that your vision along the path remains focused. Fluorite is one of the stones to keep nearby when making decisions, big or small, because it is a decision-making guide. It will keep you aligned with your Highest Truth, accountable to your soul contract in this life. While fluorite corresponds to all the chakras, it has a particular influence on the Third Eye.
Specific fluorite colors carry varying properties. For instance, purple fluorite resonates with the Crown Chakra and opens a clear channel to the Spirit Realm. Yellow fluorite enhances the intellect and harnesses Solar Plexus power, heightening one’s manifestation ability. Green fluorite is a heart healer and opens a flow of creativity. Pink Fluorite is also a heart healer, working to cleanse the emotional body. Black fluorite is the supreme auric detoxifier. And teal blue fluorite (the rarest color) is the stone of Divine Flow, which means its entire purpose is to get you back on track and into a state of grace, manifestation, acceptance, and peace.
Magnetite
“I invite a balance of polar energies. I activate my latent potential. I magnetically attract what I seek. Grounded and awakened to my truth, I am aligned in body and spirit – connected to the element of earth.”
The stone for harnessing dual energy, magnetite balances all types of polarities – masculine/feminine, light/dark, right/left, etc. This is especially handy for those of us who identify as “right-brained” or “left-brained” as almost all people do. Magnetite is able to create cohesion between the right and left hemispheres of the brain, forging a connection for those who are dominated by one side or the other, and facilitating an infusion of that missing half. Magnetite can also bring balance to the auric meridian by aligning all the chakras, to keep the spiritual body in a state of equilibrium. Having a balanced energy field is imperative for long-term health and wellbeing in mind, body, and spirit.
Finding this ideal state of balance can feel very “light,” but the strong grounding and protection properties of magnetite help prevent psychics and healers from becoming too spacey or disoriented. Magnetite also magnetizes us (hence the name) to our dreams and desires, while attracting the necessary resources in return. In this way, it is an excellent manifestation stone. Overall, magnetite facilitates balance, flow, fruition, and a healthy sense of rootedness.
Grossular Garnet
“I manifest my dreams in the physical world. I am optimistic about the future, and trust that my vision of wealth will cross the threshold of reality in due time, aligned with my Higher Truth. I prosper in the flow – connected to the element of earth.”
Tsavorite (African green garnet) and hessonite (gem-quality grossularite) are the two varieties of grossular garnet, which is its own rare variety within the greater garnet family. Both varieties of grossular garnet are extremely potent for manifestation. If there is a dream or goal which you can clearly envision, grossular is your go-to gem for bringing that vision into the physical world. Its frequency kicks up confidence levels, as well as the motivation to walk your path of highest achievement and abundance.
These are immense wealth stones – of financial success, yes. But also all other kinds of wealth: spiritual, creative, artistic, emotional, physical wellness, and so forth. Any type of wealth, abundance, and prosperity you seek, these are the stones to energetically call it into existence. As a stone of the powerful and healing Green Ray, grossular garnet activates the Heart Chakra, cleansing it of negativity and leaving behind a sense of benevolence and charity instead. Grossular garnet is also a beautiful tool for zest, vitality, and optimism about life.
