The healing properties and meaning of Larimar stone.
Have you ever heard of the Larimar stone?
This lovely semi-precious gemstone that seems to capture the very essence of the Sea and Sky.
Have you ever wondered what the Larimar stone is used for?
Then come along, let’s discover this exotic and powerful throat chakra stone with its many wonderful metaphysical properties.
Larimar can promote peace, calm, tranquility, helping you to live a more fulfilling and balanced life.
What is the Larimar Stone?
Larimar is an extremely rare blue variety of the sodium-calcium silicate mineral pectolite born of fire and water.
Its crystals grow together in a solid mass that forms in the cavities within the basaltic lava created by volcanic eruptions.
Larimar’s blue color comes from calcium deposits and is often streaked with white.
Its unique color and patterns are the result of the mixing and cooling elements that occur during the crystallization of the stone.
Larimar crystals may contain reddish or brown spots, caused by the oxidation of iron within the matrix of the stone.
Very intense and bright shades of blue larimar are very rare, valuable, and expensive.
The Mohs hardness scale for Larimar is between 4.5 – 5.
Larimar is sometimes called the Atlantis Stone, Dolphin Stone, or Stefilia’s stone due to its ocean-like qualities.
Where does the Larimar gemstone come from?
Larimar is found in only one place in the entire world.
A small mineral deposit in a remote mountain located in the province of Barahona in the Dominican Republic, a Caribbean Island.
This exotic blue stone lay undiscovered in the heart of a Volcano until an earthquake caused the hidden gems to dislodge and tumble into the local river.
According to the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Mining records, Father Miguel Domingo Fuertes Loren the Parish priest of Barahona requested permission on 22 November 1916 to explore and exploit the mine but permission was not granted.
Larimar was re-discovered by Miguel Méndez of the Dominican Republic and Norman Rilling an American Peace Corp. Volunteer on a beach at the foot of the Bahoruco Mountain Range, in the coastal province of Barahona in 1974.
The two explorers named the blue stone after Miguel Mendez’s daughter Larissa (LARI) and (MAR) which is the Spanish word for “Sea” creating the unique name LARIMAR
What are the healing properties of Larimar?
Did you know that Larimar is not only a beautiful gemstone but also a throat chakra stone, with lots of wonderful healing benefits?
10 HEALING PROPERTIES OF THE LARIMAR STONE
- It harmonizes the body and soul.
- Promotes peace, calm and tranquility.
- Enhances strength and boosts courage.
- Calms tempers and helps you manage your anger.
- Diminishes bad habits & patterns that no longer serve you.
- Helps you overcome fears and alleviate emotional stress.
- Promotes balance and helps you maintain your equilibrium.
- Promotes clear and effective communication.
- Helps you connect with your Higher Self for guidance.
- Helps you let go of the past so you can live in the now.
How is the Larimar stone mined?
Larimar mining relies mainly on human physical labor, therefore, it is considered as an artisan form of mining.
A cooperative of local villages is responsible for the mining of each piece of Larimar.
This cooperative ensures that only the members of their local communities have access to the Larimar mines.
The mining of Larimar is not an easy task, accessing the mines is rather difficult.
The stones must be mined by hand as dynamite and heavy machinery can destroy them, making the task extremely labor-intensive.
Miners equipped with hand tools and safety gear follow the small purplish-red veins of Larimar.
The best quality blue larimar is often found over 50 to 100 feet below the surface.
Digging through the rocks by hand makes is a very time-consuming process.
Torrential rains and the hurricane season sometimes cause the mines to flood and shut down for months at a time.
These natural factors contribute to the difficulty of larimar extraction which limits the supply of Larimar even further.
Larimar is mined for over 35 years, due to its dwindling supply, scarcity and increasing demand, more effort is required to mine it.
How is the Larimar stone transformed into Jewelry?
How is Larimar graded?
There is no standardized gemological grading for the Larimar stone.
A combination of factors plays a role in determining the grade of the Larimar crystal.
Several aspects and characteristics are taken into consideration when assessing the highest quality of the Larimar stones:
- Color – The intensity and depth of its blue palette.
- Patterning – Its richness, interesting and detailed patterns
- Luster – Its shiny glossy finish
- Clarity – Free of defects eg. carbon deposits, cracks, inclusions, pits, etc…
- Translucence – opaqueness (light should not pass through the stone)
- Chatoyance – Its optical reflectance effect or Cat’s eye effect.
Keep in mind that the pattern and luminosity may play a role in increasing the grade of a stone that is not intensely or deeply blue.
The whiter the larimar the lower its quality tends to be, though its pattern can help to increase its value.
The majority of mined Larimar has qualities that are not suitable for quality jewelry, due to inclusions, greenish palettes, flaws, etc…
A word of caution, please beware of FAKE Larimar stones!
Given the high demand and scarcity, it may only be a matter of time before unscrupulous manufacturers and vendors introduce Fake versions of the stone into the market.
What are the uses of Larimar?
Use Larimar as a worry stone or wear it as jewelry etc… to:
Improve the energy and pleasantness of your home, workplace, or wherever you may be.
Enhance the places that you use for rest, calm reflection, career, etc… to help ensure a balance of energy.
Overcome self-sabotaging behavior and self-victimization talk.
Help you connect with your divine feminine especially when you meditate.
Enhance alternative treatments, especially those that involve water, heat, light, etc…
Relieve stress-related illnesses.
Bring about a sense of peace in truthfulness (speak from the heart).
Since Larimar is a recent addition to Crystology its powers are not yet fully discovered and understood.
How do you care for Larimar stones and jewelry?
Clean regularly with a soft, lint-free cloth to keep your Larimar jewelry or stones beautiful.
You may also consider:
Cleaning your Larimar stones with clear, unscented dish soap and a toothbrush.
– Gently wash with a soft brush using mild soap & warm water,
– rinse beneath lukewarm water,
– pat gently with a clean, dry and soft cloth,
– allow to dry completely before storage,
– store in small, clear, resealable bag (if possible).
Additional tips:
Be sure to store your Larimar treasures in a safe place, away from light, in a jewelry box, cloth pouch or drawer to extend its beauty.
Where can I find Larimar?
If you have read this far, you may be wondering where and how do I get my hands on some of that lovely, healing Larimar?
Well you’re in luck, I know just the place 😉
But first, remember how you choose a gemstone depends a lot on your taste and if the pattern in the stone calls to you.
Mother nature created each Larimar stone with unique characteristics so no two stones are ever the same.
Enjoy!! I send you all the blessings that are mine to give.
Theresa
P.s I hope that you enjoyed this in depth look into Larimar.
If you have any questions or want to leave your personal review of this article, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below 🙂
An Interesting insider look on Larimar.
Disclaimer: The information above is provided ‘as is’ and for reference only; with no guarantee or warranties regarding its accuracy. This
information is provided for the sole purpose of assisting you in obtaining information about the Larimar gemstone.
