Black Tourmaline

Stories and legends

The name tourmaline comes from “turmali” or “turamali” which is actually a Sinhalese name given to this fabulous stone from Sri Lanka by Dutch explorers in the early 18th century.

In Sri Lanka, a legend tells that tourmaline comes from the sky and, during its descent to earth, passed through a rainbow which gave it its variations in color. This explains the origin of its name, meaning "the stone of a thousand colors".

In fact, tourmaline has been known for millennia. Traces of this stone date back to the 3rd century BC. In Greece, it was Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) who brought this stone back from his expeditions. However, due to its many colors, tourmaline has very often been confused with other minerals.

Thus, very few legends or myths are associated with this stone due to its late identification. However, some tourmalines have piezoelectric properties, meaning they possess an electrical charge, negative at one pole and positive at the other. Tourmaline attracts particles.

When the philosopher Theophrastus (322-288 BC) described a stone with the ability to attract bits of straw or wood, it was understood that he was referring to tourmaline. Later, during the 18th century, Dutch explorers used tourmaline to clean their pipes, as the stone attracted ashes.

As an interesting side note, in the 16th century, a Spanish conquistador discovered a green tourmaline in Brazil, which he mistook for an emerald. This discovery sparked a rush to various regions of Brazil in search of these famous emeralds. The error was corrected in the 19th century, and emeralds were reclassified as tourmalines.

Often mistaken for precious stones, tourmalines are found in many pieces of jewelry, and even in the British Crown Jewels. Examples include the Timur Ruby, a 352-carat jewel believed to be a ruby ​​until 1851, and the Black Prince's Ruby, a 170-carat gem that is actually a tourmaline.

Tourmaline is increasingly popular among connoisseurs and collectors. Empress Dowager Cixi of China (1861-1908) loved this stone so much that she began collecting it. She commissioned sculptures, brooches, watch clasps, rings, and other items. She now rests on a cushion of tourmalines.

Tourmaline comes in a variety of hues. It can also be bicolored or multicolored. There is a wide variety of tourmalines, ranging in color from opaque to transparent, with striated or hexagonal structures. It has a rhombohedral crystal system. It is an igneous and metamorphic rock that can originate from hydrothermal deposits.

Thus, there are several types of tourmalines with varying compositions, including magnesium silicates, sodium silicates, iron silicates, clay silicates, fluorides, and borosilicate silicates. Tourmalines are actually an entire family of stones that share the same internal structure but differ in chemical composition, and therefore in color and appearance.

The main deposits are located in Brazil, Afghanistan, Australia, Brazil, Russia, Thailand, Burma, Madagascar, India, and the United States.

Black tourmaline

Black tourmaline is the best-known variety of tourmaline. It is also known as schorl. While it is described as black, it can also be dark brown. It has gained notoriety over time due to its numerous properties.

So, black tourmaline, or schorl, is the most common type of tourmaline and can sometimes grow up to 2 meters tall. Its very high iron content gives it its black, opaque, and intense appearance. It's worth noting that it's the only type of tourmaline with a uniform color.

Thus, schorl, a mineral species of tourmaline, belongs to the silicate group, specifically the cyclosilicate subgroup. The name "schorl" comes from German. It has a vitreous luster, with a conchoidal fracture and a white streak. It is a mineral found in metamorphic rocks, leucogranites, and pegmatites.

Like all tourmalines, schorl is composed of a complex silicate of boron, sodium, and aluminum, and has a hardness of 7 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale. Its crystal system is rhombohedral. Schorl, or black tourmaline, occurs as well-formed, elongated prismatic crystals with striations along their length, or as small aggregates of tiny crystals.

Black tourmaline is a very ancient stone, mentioned in numerous traditions, notably among the Brazilians, Egyptians, Greeks, and Indians. It is a stone renowned for its protective properties. It is also a grounding stone used today in crystal healing and meditation. Due to its piezoelectric properties, black tourmaline is also used in electrochemistry.

The main deposits are located in Brazil, Madagascar, etc.

The benefits of black tourmaline in crystal healing

Its benefits on a psychological level

Tourmaline is a very powerful grounding stone. It helps keep you grounded, calms scattered thoughts, and refocuses attention. It soothes the mind and irrational fears. It allows you to connect with your inner self, perceive your deepest needs, and identify the root cause of certain blockages. These are often childhood traumas. It is an excellent meditation stone that channels the mind's wanderings.

Thus, schorl possesses strong protective properties. It is capable of absorbing the negative energies emitted by angry, jealous, or envious people. It is said to neutralize harmful influences and to absorb electromagnetic waves. It is a protective stone for both people and places. Placing various black tourmalines in the home, or wearing a black tourmaline bracelet, allows the person or home to be protected. This black stone eliminates the negative effects of an unhealthy environment or the waves emitted by household devices (telephones, computers, etc.).

Black tourmaline helps to deflect negative thoughts and improves concentration, creativity, inspiration, and imagination. It is recommended for children or hyperactive individuals. It helps restore serenity and harmony. The wearer feels calmer, less distressed, and less anxious. They regain peace and wisdom.

Its physical benefits

A remarkable anti-stress stone, black tourmaline radiates energy and vitality. It dispels fatigue and inspires the desire to expend this energy through physical activity or manual work. It relieves nervous tension.

This incredible stone also combats insomnia and promotes restful, quality sleep. The person should place a black tourmaline on a bedside table or under their pillow.

It fights against electromagnetic pollution.

Black tourmaline and associated astrological signs

Black tourmaline, a powerful protective stone, bestows its benefits upon all zodiac signs. It sometimes develops a stronger affinity with certain astrological signs. This is the case for the following zodiac signs:

• Cancer : symbol of family, origins, and imagination. This sign represents nostalgia, sensitivity, and fertility. Wearing a black tourmaline helps them regain serenity and harmony, encouraging calm and reducing anxiety. Indeed, this sign tends to live with stress and worry. They have a constant need for reassurance. When within their family circle, they feel secure. This allows them to be creative and unleash their imagination. They are very generous and love to share with those around them. They enjoy helping others and feeling indispensable. Extremely shy, they build up a protective shell and can become unpleasant and aggressive. They sometimes have childish reactions and can sulk for hours over trivial matters. Suffering from hypersensitivity, they have great difficulty controlling their emotions. They are a hard worker who is loyal, serious, and conscientious. In love, they are tender, gentle, and sentimental. He is one of those people who are emotionally dependent. His partner will need to constantly reassure him. Extremely loyal, he is often possessive and jealous. Very affectionate, he seeks tenderness and harmony. He wants to start a family quickly, as casual flings don't appeal to him.
• Sagittarius : symbol of philosophy, higher education, and religion. This sign represents law, esotericism, and long journeys. Wearing a black tourmaline protects them from negative energies emanating from angry, jealous, or envious people. It reinforces their natural authority. This sign is optimistic and often lucky. Friendly, they are jovial, enthusiastic, and naturally bring people together. They have a great ability to defuse tense situations. As a sign of long journeys, they need a professional activity that allows them freedom of movement. They cannot stand being confined to an office. Rather honest, they can be quite hypocritical in the workplace. Always giving 100%, they hate routine and take on numerous projects, which they rarely finish. They tend to get worked up quickly and are then impatient and enthusiastic. Very generous, they love to share with their circle of friends. They possess a great sense of humor, sometimes bordering on irony. He's moralistic, but hates being given advice. In love, he adores the game of seduction. He loves going out to conquer new conquests. Paradoxically, he dreams of finding his soulmate while behaving like a libertine. He's not necessarily in favor of marriage, because he loves his freedom too much;
• Capricorn : symbol of ambition, perseverance, and solitude. This sign represents simplicity, patience, and method. Wearing a black tourmaline helps keep one grounded, calms scattered thoughts, refocuses attention, and soothes the mind. This sign is organized and often associated with knowledge and expertise. From a very young age, they know exactly what they want to do with their life. A hard worker, they will do everything to achieve their goals. They often appear very serious, even overly reasonable. They have great difficulty trusting others and opening up. Possessing great patience, they never act impulsively. Their actions are always deliberate. They need to succeed both socially and professionally. They are a solitary individual who is self-sufficient. They have very few friends and can be quite rigid. They enjoy acquiring movable and immovable property. It takes them time to realize their own worth. In love, he suffers from crippling shyness and numerous insecurities. He struggles to let go and doesn't easily give his trust. Full of doubts, he prefers to give up on a beautiful relationship rather than risk rejection. Over the years, he learns to trust and reveals himself to be tender and passionate.

Black tourmaline helps balance the root chakra . This chakra is located at the base of the spine, at the level of the perineum. A balanced root chakra makes a person confident and self-assured. They possess positive energy.

An unbalanced, overactive root chakra makes a person closed off to sensual pleasures. They become authoritarian, selfish, and sometimes even violent. They suffer from hyperactivity and are excessive in everything they do. They may develop addictions. They are obsessed with accumulating material or real estate possessions.

An unbalanced or blocked root chakra causes dysfunction, leading to a loss of bearings. The individual suffers from various fears, such as financial insecurity or job loss. They exhibit a profound lack of self-confidence and lose all interest in sexual relations.