Turquoise is one of the most recognizable gemstones in the world with its bright coloring in a wide variety of aqua, teal, and blue shades. Across history, turquoise has been associated with wealth, nobility, and status across ancient cultures, but in today's day and age, the obsession with turquoise spans across almost all social statuses and cultures. The prized turquoise gemstone has multiple meanings, healing properties, and uses which are all as unique as the shades of natural turquoise that are mined today!
THE ORIGINS OF TURQUOISE
Turquoise was favored by ancient civilizations such as the Aztecs and Ancient Egyptians due to its vibrant and enticing coloring. It was one of the first gemstones mined for ornamental purposes. The earliest trace of turquoise dates back to 3000 BC, found in ancient Egyptian tombs. Ancient Chinese artisans also used turquoise in carvings and art in some of their earliest dynasties. From iconic Egyptian gold burial masks inlaid with turquoise to Russian swords inlaid with the gemstone, there has been no shortage of turquoise found across history amongst nobility and wealthy families. It was believed that turquoise was a holy, powerful gemstone and would offer protection and good luck.
Because turquoise is so unique and sought-after, many known turquoise mines around the world have been depleted. Iran, Sanai, and the United States are all rich in turquoise production. There are also small amounts of turquoise mined throughout China, Egypt, and Mexico.
In North America, Native Americans discovered a wealth of turquoise seams in the Southwest throughout Arizona and New Mexico in the late 1890s, and the gemstone is highly esteemed with Navajo artisans as they incorporate it in many of their silver pieces of jewelry. Native Americans believe that everything in and on the Earth is a living thing, including turquoise. In some Navajo tribes, turquoise is held in high regard. Some tribes believe that turquoise is a piece of the sky that fell to the Earth, while other tribes associate turquoise with the rain that comes with a rainbow.
TURQUOISE MEANING
Turquoise is a very versatile stone and has many meanings across different cultures. Ancient cultures believe it carried a powerful meaning of protection against negative energy. For centuries, it was believed that turquoise offered a profound power of protection for anyone who wore or yielded the stone.
In the present day, turquoise is still held in high regard and carries a strong meaning for many people. Most commonly, turquoise is used to cleanse negative energy and is thought of as a stone of renewal. Turquoise is thought of as a very feminine gemstone with a pure energy as well. It is highly uplifting and carries a meaning of renewal and being refreshed. Turquoise is also associated with good fortune, wholeness, and creativity.
Because turquoise is also a stone of positive energy, it is associated with cultivating more joyful, happy energy as well, while simultaneously cleansing the wearer of negative energy and protecting against anything that may disrupt the wearer's peace. Turquoise is such a vibrant and bright color that it is easy to make the association to a more positive, joyful energy!
Wisdom has also been another meaning associated with turquoise. Self-enlightenment, our ability to be creative, and our ability to process things more thoughtfully are ways turquoise has been connected to greater depths of wisdom. Some people also like to use turquoise as a reminder to communicate more intentionally and openly.
TURQUOISE HEALING PROPERTIES
It is said that turquoise has healing properties, and is considered to be a protective, purifying, and renewing gemstone.
The healing properties of turquoise are associated with the healing energy of water, which is thought to be the ultimate source of life. Because of this association and water-like quality, turquoise is thought to provide tranquility, calmness, and can reduce feelings of anxiety and negativity. It provides renewing, refreshing energy. Consistent with Native American beliefs that turquoise is associated with life and water, the properties of turquoise can be thought of as a representation of life, fluid and fresh.
Because of its association with renewal, turquoise is also thought to help balance our emotions, stabilize mood swings, and guide our conversations with peace. According to yoga tradition, we all have chakras which are the energy centers within our bodies. These energy centers can be balanced in a myriad of ways, but because turquoise is a renewing stone, it can also be used to balance our chakras.
TURQUOISE USES
Since turquoise can provide tranquility, it is an excellent gemstone to use in your mediation practice. You can use it to ground yourself in a mindset of peace as you relax further into your meditation.
You can also use turquoise to serve as a reminder of the healing properties that it holds and let it inspire you and connect you with those properties. You can wear turquoise or carry a turquoise stone around to remind you to focus on tranquillity, renewal, peace, and protecting personal energy and heal your heart from negativity, anger, or anxiousness.
People also use turquoise to protect their personal energy or the energy of the space they are in. Turquoise stones can be placed around a room or incorporated into art to harness its protective powers and keep the space in a more peaceful, pure environment. It can be used to shield you from negativity that may arise and ensure you are left feeling serene and renewed.
TURQUOISE AND GRATITUDE
Turquoise can also help ground you in a mindset of gratitude. Turquoise is associated with renewal. Gratitude allows for you to renew your views on situations, people, hardships, and yourself, and lean into thankfulness when you focus on that situation. Turquoise also promotes friendships, and our wish for gifting gratitude is a strengthened relationship with yourself and the recipient. Gratitude is associated with a few other gemstones, but our favorite gemstone to anchor gratitude to is turquoise!
Today, because it is such a highly sought-after gemstone, there are many poor-quality pieces of turquoise being sold. Quartz can be dyed to look like turquoise, and many times, turquoises gemstones are highly treated and enhanced with synthetics beyond their natural state to reduce costs. At Gratitude Gifted, we source and use ethically sourced, grade-A turquoise in every single turquoise bracelet we sell, which is in the top 10% of turquoise that is mined and sold around the world. The rating system is determined by the hardness, pattern, and coloring of the stone itself, ranging from C, B, A, to AA.
Because turquoise has such a presence in Arizona, it is particularly special to us at Gratitude Gifted. If you are familiar with Our Story, you know we were founded in Sedona, Arizona. The largest turquoise mine in North America is actually in the state of Arizona and turquoise is easily the best-known gemstone to come out of our home state. We wanted to design a gift of gratitude that incorporated this incredible gemstone and we created the Refresh with Gratitude Turquoise Bracelet.
Turquoise is such a stunning gemstone that we are proud to feature in our gratitude gifts and stamp every single gift with the symbol for gratitude on a sterling silver charm. If turquoise is a gemstone that is close to your heart, we invite you to share it with someone and send an anonymous gratitude gift!
SPREAD GRATITUDE.
CHANGE THE WORLD.
