Lapis Lazuli, Egypt and snippets

I have been working on my crystal workshops and decided to share just a few titbits with you.  I hope you enjoy!

Anyone with any interest in Ancient Egypt will know that the crystal Lapis Lazuli was a much sought after stone.

Pharoahs made good use of it in amulets, statues and jewellery, seeing its brilliant blue colour as a sign of power and protection.  They used ground lapis lazuli as a colour base for the paintings they produced in temples and tombs, and also used it as an eye adornment.

Pharoah was considered divine, and to use lapis lazuli was to initiate divine communication, thereby endowing the user with divine understanding and mental facilities. 

Lapis Lazuli has been found at pre-dynastic settlements, including that of Naqada, circa 3300-3100BC.

It is associated with the sky goddess Nut and Ma’at, the goddess of truth and justice. It is also claimed that the sun god Ra, had hair made of Lapis Lazuli.

Its Ancient Egyptian name is Khesbed.

The stone has also been used in medicine.  As indicated in a medical papyrus located in the Berlin Museum, the stone, along with malachite and jasper, were strung together and hung about the neck of a child suffering from a nasal illness. 

The Ebers Papyrus, dated from about 1600 BC, contains a formula for a medicine used to cure cataracts of the eye, and this includes lapis lazuli, milk and slime from the Nile (also called "crocodile earth"). The Ancient Egyptians, Sumerians and Babylonians also gave the stone credit for relieving neuralgia and head pains.

Other tales speak of gifts of lapis lazuli cementing the fidelity of friends, and dreaming of Lapis denoting a successful affair of the heart.

Judges in Ancient Egypt had to wear small lapis lazuli pendants of Maat on gold chains, as a sign of the responsibility of their office. If you wished to call upon one of these goddesses, you placed a piece of lapis lazuli as an offering on your altar.

Astrologically, Lapis Lazuli is associated with Sagittarius.  It is under the influence of the planet Venus and represents the 4^th hour of the night.

When working with Lapis Lazuli in crystal healing treatments, it is a versatile tool, allowing us to work on the third eye and throat chakras.  It treats migraine headaches, throat, larynx, thyroid and thymus problems.  It also helps in the treatment of bone marrow problems, insomnia and vertigo.

On a spiritual level it assists in Stargate work and spiritual journeying. It gives deep peace, provides protection, blocks psychic attack and amplifies thoughts.  It expands the senses by opening the third eye, connecting heart and head to create balance.

Lapis Lazuli is linked with Archangel Michael (strength, protection and truth), Raziel (knowledge, chief angel of the Supreme Mysteries) and Zadkiel (abundance, wisdom and kindness).

In addition, from a Feng Shui point of view, Lapis Lazuli brings skills and knowledge when placed according to the Feng Shui principles.

In Buddhism, the “Medicine Buddha” is the Buddha responsible for healing and medicine.  His title is Medicine Master and King of Lapis Lazuli Light.

In 1669, according to William Rowland, translator of The Complete Chemical Dispenstory, the stone “purgeth chiefly melancholy, cures quartans, apoplexies, epilepsies, diseases of the spleen, and many forms of dementia. It is worn about the neck for an amulet to drive away frights from children; it strengthens the sight, prevents fainting, and abortion, but it must be removed near the time of delivery lest it keep up the child."

And finally, for the football fans among us, the first World Cup trophy was made of gold plated sterling silver and lapis lazuli. Sadly it was stolen (for the second time) in 1983 and has never been recovered. Its replacement uses malachite instead of lapis lazuli, still staying with the ancient traditions.