My love affair with Calcite Crystals

I’ve fallen in love. I’m completely smitten by honey, blue and mangano calcite crystals and their gentle healing properties. In fact, I’ve become rather obsessed lately with collecting every different calcite crystal I can lay my hands on.

It wasn’t that long ago that I was still sceptical of the healing properties of crystals. Then one day, the very day after saying just that to a friend, I found myself in a crystal shop in Brighton buying a handful of pretty stones, curious to know more. Since then, I’ve been addicted.

If like me, you have an ever-growing collection of crystals, you may find it a little confusing remembering which stone is which and what their healing properties are. I certainly do. The phone app Rock Identifier is a great help but I’ve also started photographing both my stones and the information that comes with them when there is any. And I thought the easiest way for me to organise this is in a series of blog posts that I can easily refer back to.

Having bathed in the calcite-rich waters of the White Spring in Glastonbury earlier this year, I have felt particularly drawn to these gentle healing crystals ever since. So my A to Z of crystals is actually starting at C with the healing properties of calcite crystals and some of their many different colour variations, most notably for me, blue and golden-hued calcite.

I’d be really interested in your experiences with calcite crystals so please do leave a comment at the end of the post if you have anything to add and equally if you disagree with anything.

above: Calcite formations in Grotte di Castellana, a fascinating cave system I visited many years ago in Puglia, Italy

What is calcite?

Calcite is an extremely common mineral that makes up a significant portion of the Earth’s crust. It’s the principal constituent of limestone and marble and most stalactites and stalagmites are made of calcite. It has a great many industrial uses but it is also known for its gentle healing properties. With over 300 different crystal formations, calcite has the greatest variety of crystal structures. The largest recorded calcite crystal measured six by six by three metres and weighed 250 tonnes.

Pure calcite is transparent, however, small amounts of different impurities produce many different colours of calcite including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, brown, white, grey or even black. These different varieties each have their own healing properties.

Calcite has a hardness of 3 on the Mohs scale, which means it is easily scratched and should not be immersed or cleansed with water.

Calcite is classified as a carbonate, and its chemical formula is CaC03. The name comes from the latin word for lime – calx.

It’s been used by man for thousands of years in a great variety of ways from sculptures to building blocks, optical instruments to medicines. The Great Pyramid of Giza was once encased in 5.5 million tons of white limestone, the primary ingredient of which is calcite. The Sphinx of Memphis which has a length of 8 m (26 ft) and a height of 4 m (13 ft) is believed to have been carved between 1700 and 1400 BC. It is the largest known calcite statue.

Thanks to its great abundance, calcite has little intrinsic value so costs a lot less than many other crystals.

How was calcite formed?

Over the millennia, the shells of marine animals that have died fell to the bottom of the ocean. Year after year, century after century, the layers of calcite built up and slowly turned into rock, millions of years ago, long before we walked on the earth.

Today much of the earth’s crust is formed of calcite. The South Downs, the limestone and chalk hills near where I live in West Sussex are rich in calcite, culminating at the white cliffs of the Seven Sisters in East Sussex.

How to recognise a calcite crystal?

I particularly love the rough calcite crystals. They all feel a little soapy to the touch and have a sheen to them, unlike rough quartz, for example, which is rough to the touch and has a matt appearance. With the polished stones, it is harder to recognise them but the rough ones are fairly easy to spot. The app Rock Identifier recognised all my calcite stones although it didn’t distinguish between the different colours.

The healing properties of the different coloured calcite crystals

Calcite crystals, formed beneath the seas intertwined with the energies of the ocean, are gentle healing crystals. While I do not claim to be an expert, this is my understanding of some of the healing properties of the different coloured calcite crystals.

Please note, there’s no scientific proof that crystals have any significant effect on our physical, metal, emotional or spiritual health. You should never use crystal therapy instead of conventional medicine and treatment.

If you feel you gain a benefit from using crystals, use them to complement conventional treatments. At the very least, the placebo effect, that is to say, the belief that something will have a positive (or indeed negative) effect can be greatly beneficial. A growing number of people believe the healing power of crystals goes way beyond the placebo effect and in the case of calcite includes the following.

Red Calcite Crystals

Red Calcite connects with the Root Chakra and is believed to have a wide range of healing properties. Its colour is due to the presence of iron oxide. Red calcite is said to:

• Promote grounding.
• Protect your energetic, physical and emotional boundaries.
• Increase your energy and vitality.
• Encourage the release of pent-up emotions.
• Alleviate anxiety, insomnia, headaches, joint pain, skin conditions, and digestive problems.
• Lower blood pressure.
• Promote positive energy.
• Cleanse and heal the environment, particularly in work/commercial places.
• Balance hormones.
• Help to prepare women for pregnancy and childbirth.
• Strengthen bones and enhance the function of our red blood cells

Brown Calcite Crystals

Brown Calcite connects to the Sacral and Root Chakras and is said to:

• Aid mental clarity.
• Bring a feeling of peace.
• Enhance balance and stability.

Orange Calcite Crystals

Orange calcite also connects to the Sacral Chakra. It is good to meditate with to remove negative energies. I’ve also read it can offer a boost to your sex drive! Its orange colour The orange colour is due to microscopic particles of hematite or iron oxide. Orange calcite is believed to:

• Balance and stimulate energy.
• Cleanse your aura and remove negative energy.
• Encourage self-trust and confidence.
• Alleviate stress.
• Enhances sexual energy.
• Boosts creativity.

Yellow Calcite Crystals

Yellow calcite connects to the Solar Plexus Chakra. This mood-enhancing crystal is wonderful to meditate with or to place on your desk while studying. Yellow calcite is said to:

• Promote deep relaxation.
• Enhance meditation.
• Enhance self-worth.
• Promote efficient learning.
• Promote feelings of trust and encourages healthy bonds with family, friends and partners.

Gold or Honey Calcite Crystals

Gold calcite (also known as honey calcite) connects with the Solar Plexus and Crown Chakras. Like yellow calcite it can be a wonderful support to anyone studying and is a perfect crystal to meditate with.  Impurities of iron from the mineral hematite give it its golden hue. Honey calcite is said to:

• Improve focus, concentration, and memory.
• Stimulate creativity.
• Enhance leadership qualities.
• Encourage feelings of self-worth.
• Enhance meditation.

Green Calcite Crystals

Green Calcite, with its soothing energy, connects with the Heart Chakra. Its green hue is due to the presence of chlorite. Green calcite is believed to:

• Enhance gratitude and abundance.
• Release negative emotions.
• Release stagnation.
• Shifts rigid beliefs.
• Offer protection from and absorb electromagnetic frequencies and pollutants in general.

Blue Calcite Crystals

Blue calcite connects with the Throat and Third Eye Chakras, helping you to communicate and express yourself more clearly. It’s one of my favourite healing crystals.  Its blue hue is caused by oxidised copper impurities, Blue calcite is said to:

• Soothe.
• Calm.
• Ease anxiety.
• Enhance mental clarity, allowing you to think more clearly and rationally.
• Aid your understanding of your own emotions.
• Enhance memory and learning.
• Enhance communication and self-expression.

White and Clear Calcite Crystals

White or clear calcite connects with all of the chakras but in particular the third eye. It is said to:

• Cleanse.
• Revitalise
• Support you through periods of change and new beginnings.

Mangano vs Pink Calcite Crystals

With its loving energy, mangano or pink calcite is a particularly popular calcite crystal, especially in its polished form in jewellery. Mangano connects with the heart chakra.

The colour of pink calcite is caused by the presence of manganese. It can range from a light white pink to a bold violet in colour. It emits radiant pink under UV light.

The technical difference between mangano and pink calcite has been strongly debated but having at least 30% manganese is now the official threshold for the stone to be classed as mangano calcite. Many pink calcite crystals, however, are still sold as mangano crystals when they do not pass this 30% threshold.

Both stones, however, have similar loving energetic qualities. They are said to:

• Promote inner peace and harmony.
• Enhance feelings of compassion, love and joy including self-love.
• Promote self-healing.
• Relax and soothe muscles.

Rose quartz has similar healing properties but is a much more heavy-handed approach when compared to the gentle feminine healing energy of mangano calcite.

Optical Calcite, Icelandic Spar and the Icelandic medieval sunstone

Premium quality clear calcite known as optical calcite has many optical and scientific uses. It is a transparent form of Calcite, which displays the rare property of double refraction. For example, when placed over text it will show double the image, slightly offset.

It is also called Icelandic Spar and may well be the crystal used by ancient Vikings, the Icelandic medieval sunstone, used to locate the sun in the sky during navigation when it was hidden from view.

A summary of calcite crystals and their associated chakras

Root Chakra – red or brown calcite

Sacral Chakra – orange or brown calcite

Solar Plexus Chakra – yellow or gold/honey calcite

Heart Chakra – green or mangano calcite

Throat Chakra –  blue calcite

Third Eye Chakra – White, clear cor blue calcite

Crown Chakra – Gold/honey calcite

How to cleanse and charge your calcite crystals

Crystal healing advocates stress the importance of cleansing and recharging crystals regularly, especially for use during meditation. It’s important to note that while water is a great way to cleanse many crystals, it should not be used for calcite.

My preferred method of cleansing my crystals is moonlight. While the best time for this is a full moon, it will still work at any point of the lunar cycle as long as the moonlight falls directly on the stone. This may be through a window pane and, as you should not get calcite crystals wet, it is safest to place them inside a window sill overnight rather than outside.

Once cleansed your crystals need recharging and handily moonlight does this at the same time as cleansing.

Another good way to cleanse calcites, I’m told although I’ve never tried it, is by burying them in organic rice in a glass or ceramic bowl overnight. Make sure the crystals are completely covered by the rice.

How to use calcite

To enjoy the many benefits calcite is believed to bring you can wear it as a piece of jewellery, or carry it in your pocket, meditate with it either in front of you or by holding it in your hands, or you can place it in your home.

Meditation

Any calcite crystal is perfect to meditate with bringing a sense of calm and love. In particular, blue calcite is said to be soothing. It also brings mental clarity helping communication, both with others and with understanding of your own emotions. Orange calcite is said to cleanse your aura and remove negative energy. Yellow, orange and honey calcite help enhance your meditative practice and promote self-esteem.

Enhancing your home

Calcite in your home clears negative energy and restores balance. Orange calcite is particularly useful in an office space or artist studio, helping to remove creative blockages and promoting confidence. Honey calcite on your desk can improve focus, concentration, and memory. Blue calcite is also said to enhance memory and learning.

Jewellery

I have seen a lot of mangano calcite jewellery available and have a lovely teardrop pendant my sister bought me.

Have you used calcite? What healing benefits have you found it brings?