Peridot Meaning: Healing Properties & Symbolism
Stone of Protection, Transformation, Letting Go, & Hidden Realms
Peridot: Forged in Fire, Highly Prized, and Volcanic Gemstone
Peridot is a gemstone that has a fiery magic all its own, stories of fire, the sun, and tears can be found in its folklore. Many gemstones come in a variety of colors, Peridot sticks with what it’s best at... its green color. Its lively hues range from yellow green to a deep olive green. It is also known as Olivine, Chrysolite, or our favorite name, “Evening Emerald.” Originally, Peridot was often mistaken for emerald, sometimes even topaz. It seems to carry a combination of the sun’s light with the green of the earth, shining brightly in the day and even more vibrantly at night (which is how it obtained the moniker, “Evening Emerald”). There are early records of ancient Egyptians mining peridot crystals on a mysterious island in the Red Sea, which goes by several names: Topazos, St. John's Island and Zaborgad. The miners would believe these olive crystals to be Topaz or Emerald, but it is now known to be peridot. It is also the national gem of Egypt.
Peridot is born of fire and earth. Many gemstones and crystals are formed within the Earth’s crust, Peridot however, has an exciting birthing process. Most Peridots are formed in the molten rock of the earth’s upper mantle (as is Diamond), brought to the surface through earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Some specimens of Peridot even have extraterrestrial origins, brought to earth by meteorites (which are known as Pallasites).
In Hawaii, Peridot is associated with the Goddess of Volcanoes, Pele. She is also the creator of the Hawaiian islands. In some circles of folklore, it is believed that peridot are Pele's Tears. There is a beach on Oahu that is made entirely of peridot sand. Should you ever travel to Hawaii and find something shiny on the beach that you want to take home, please kindly leave it alone. Pele is very particular about what is Hers....she has been known to show her fiery anger to those who take without asking. If you don't believe that, do a search on packages that are sent to Hawaii, containing items that were taken from the islands (some even have letters of apology).
Peridot Spiritual Properties: Protection from Evil Spirits & New Levels of Awareness
A Personal Night Light & New Perspective
In Medieval times, the peridot stone, especially when it was set in gold, was worn as a protective amulet against the terrors of the night and evil spirits. Throughout ancient history, many people, from countries and cultures all over the world have believed in evil spirits. There are many explanations for these low vibrational entities, as to what they are and why they like to "haunt" or scare us. One thing is certain, we as human beings like to protect ourselves and loved ones, on a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level. Some use prayer, holy water, crystals, smudging, singing, and also light.
When dealing with "evil spirits", it is said that they tend to feed off of stress, negative energy, and fear. Without realizing it, many people create their own evil spirits, so to speak. If you have ever watched any kind of movie about the paranormal, there is a usually a few scenes in which objects move or fly across the room. These are known as "poltergeists" or noisy spirits. It can be a terrifying experience. It turns out though, some parapsychologists have found, through observation and experimentation, that poltergeist activity, is actually caused by a person within the house. That person tends to be stressed out or incredibly angry for a long period of time. It's only when the person causing the activity (unknowingly) identifies the root of their anger and names that feeling (along with counseling and processing), that the "poltergeist" goes away.
Think about a time that you when you were younger and still learning to brave the darkness. Many of us had night lights in some form or fashion. What we perceived to be a scary monster in the darkness of our room, when given light, turned out to be a pile of clothes on a chair (or something of that nature). It can do the same for us. It can help us to see and name the roots of fears and worries, shining its light as you walk through your own psyche.
In both Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece, peridot was often associated with the sun. This is part of peridot's power, bringing light, the power of the sun and fire, into a situation where we feel scared. Call on its earthy fire when you are in need of courage. The energy of peridot brings new life and a new perspective. If you are having trouble sleeping due to stress or grief, wearing simple peridot jewelry or putting a small piece underneath your pillow while you sleep can assist in bringing relief.
Peridot's Powers: Abundance, Luck, & Prosperity
We love attracting good things into our lives, be it friends, financial stability, home, career, lifestyle. Due to its beautiful green hues, carrying or wearing peridot can help bring in abundance, luck, and prosperity. The thing to remember here, is that these three things are not solely in terms of money or material possessions. It can assist with that, but that really just scratching the bare minimum surface.
There is an adage that goes, "Luck is where preparation meets opportunity." This statement holds a major truth. Luck, wishing, and things like that can only get you so far. We have an agreement with the Universe to do our part in our lives. The decisions we make, the work we put in, our emotional wellbeing...It's up to us to take responsibility for those things. That being said, Peridot has a wonderful energy that has the ability to banish laziness and lethargy. Its vibrant green can breathe life into our bodies and minds so that we can have the motivation to do what needs to be done.
In the Medieval period, people in England wore Peridot with a symbol of a "Torchbearer" engraved on it. This was said to bring wealth and prosperity. It is known as a stone of "increase."
Peridot Healing Properties: An Ancient Gemstone for Emotional Healing & Letting Go
This is the juicy part of Peridot Power. This green gem is associated with both the Heart Chakra and the Solar Plexus Chakra. Peridot healing properties include a positive power that allows us to let go of baggage. Anything that holds us back, especially jealousy, resentment, guilt, obsessions. It also helps us to break and release negative patterns. Remember how we discussed that Peridot has fire energy. The element of fire bring about transformation. It can take those nasty things listed above and help you bring them to cinders. When we hang on to those kinds of feelings, they begin to fester. They are part of what creates the "bad luck" or spirits that we need protection from. It is our responsibility to tend to our own mental healing. We cannot grow if we cling to things that hold us back.
Use Peridot during meditation to help yourself release what gives you pain and holds you back. On that same note, peridot energy helps us to also stop playing the blame game. When things go wrong in life, many people are looking for someone or something to blame. Their misfortune is always someone else's fault. On occasion, that may be true, but in truth, there are many things that contribute to a situation in terms of a persons psychology and life choices. Like a mirror, Peridot helps us to take a clear look at ourselves and see where we are contributing to our lives in unsupportive and unhealthy ways. This takes courage. Peridot lends that courage. It also allows us to let go of the guilt and forgive ourselves. We can admit our mistakes and move forward. We can also have the courage to let go of toxic situations and people in our lives. On top of that, Peridot also allows for emotional healing. When we work on a soul level, we release things to the fire. That allows our heart space to be filled with positive power, love, and life. It also helps to strengthen our intuition. Doing these things allows for new abundance and changes in our life.
The cherry on top is that peridot powers us to discover our own self worth. We are able to see ourselves in a new light, with confidence. We can see that we are "spiritual beings" having a human experience. It's when we step into our self worth that we are able to receive the gifts of the universe.
Peridot Energy & Metaphysical Properties: An Crystal for Connecting to the Realm of the Fae
Peridot is connected to the Zodiac of Leo, Virgo, Libra, and on occasion, Scorpio. It is also associated with planet Venus. Peridot has many uses, one of them is connecting to interdimensional realms. It has been said that Peridot is connected to Nature and Faeries. Use peridot when you want to communicate with the plants, animals, nature spirits, or the Fae. It has a connection to dragonflies especially and to the Angelic Realms as well. Bare in mind that if you go looking for faerie realms, always bring an offering as a sign of respect. It can be as simple as bread and milk or something shiny. It is also said that peridot can offer protection from the more mischievous of the Fae. If you go walking in the woods, carry a peridot in the form of a necklace (and for goodness sake, never reveal your true name...).
How to Work with Peridot
One of the most enjoyable ways to work with Peridot is to wear it. Self-decoration is a time honored practice that includes intention and love. It is available in necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings. When you wear this stone, you carry courage, light, and self awareness. Simply touch the piece that you are wearing if you need a moment to pause and “tap in”.
An efficient way to work with Peridot is simply to carry it in your pocket. The point is to have it accessible. Just having it near you is enough to feel and call on its energy. You can also keep it by your bedside. If you are feeling angry, defeated, or in need of guidance, take some time to meditate with it. You can do this while holding it in your hand or placing it on your body near your root chakra.
Another way you can work with Peridot (or any gemstone) is to research the stone. Not just the properties or the healing aspects, but the lore of the gem from different cultures throughout history and the world. Looking up geological and mineralogical information is useful as well. There is power in understanding. Once you have learned what others have discovered, you can observe how Peridot is showing up in your path, then compare and contrast. As you do this, you will begin to make your own connections, meanings, and discoveries about the properties of Peridot.
Peridot Care and Cleaning
For Peridot, use warm, soapy water for cleaning. Do not clean with ultrasonic or steam cleaners