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Jasper: The Gemstone by Jai Johnson

Lately in my jewelry making, I’ve found myself particularly drawn to a variety of colorful jasper stones. Maybe it’s because they’re readily available here where I live. But more so, I think I am drawn to the interesting patterns in the stones.

Since I love to learn new things, I decided to do a little research on these stones, which I really didn’t know too much about.

I gathered a lot of information about Jasper. One of the things which jumped out at me †and may explain why I’m suddenly drawn to these stones †is the information that Jasper is used to help bring about CHANGE.

Now I don’t know about you †you might be completely satisfied with your life and everything in it and think no changes need to be made. But for me, change is something I’m ready for now. I won’t even get into the entire list of what needs to â€change†in my life †let’s just say it’s a lot. I’d like to also see some changes in our world, in others, in the way people behave and act and treat others. I’d like to see certain changes in the lives of my children, my friends, my family, even my church!

So maybeâ€just maybeâ€by making and wearing jewelry with Jasper as the focal stone, changes might subtly happen. And if others purchase and wear my jewelry featuring a Jasper stone, changes may begin to happen for them as well.

Another thing I’ve learned about Jasper is that it’s a slow working stone, therefore it’s considerably more effective when worn for a long period of time. This does nothing for my patience factor, which generally runs more toward being impatient. It makes sense though, because the down-to-earth stone is known to be a methodical and meticulous worker of practical solutions. It is a stone that fosters and nurtures, and its energy is suitable for keeping one grounded. It is a stone that balances energy, making it stabilize and helping to heal things †a process which usually doesn’t happen overnight.

Jasper is a stone of power and protection. Because it works slowly, Jasper provides constant, slow, and deliberate energy, which is especially attractive in times of needed change, yet without the chaos a total upheaval would cause. These days when it seems everything is moving along at such unbearably fast paces, it’s refreshing to know there’s a stone out there which can slow things down for you †just by wearing it. Because of its powerful grounding properties, the stone is an excellent choice to have against your skin when you’re under stress.

Once considered a warrior stone, Jasper fosters courage. It’s a fabulous for working with shy or timid people, as Jasper gives a person the strength to speak out and become independent. It prepares its wearer for any conflict - either physical or emotional.

And all Jasper stones have protective energy †it’s stone that will protect you from others, as well as protect you from yourself, keep you from making mistakes. It will keep you on the right track. Anyone facing issues of choice between two opposite forces (good and evil) can benefit from wearing this stone, as it will lead you in the right direction.

After this incredible gemstone brings about changes, brings you power, and serves you with protection and courage, it then reminds us we are not here only for ourselves, but to also bring joy and guidance to others. It’s a stone that teaches us how to nurture. In fact, the stone is capable of so much, it seems its power is never-ending. That speaks of loyalty to meâ€which is yet another quality the stone brings about in the lives of those who wear it regularly. Not only is the stone solid, constantly working for you, and loyal in its efforts, it also brings out those qualities in those who share its space.

So where did it come from? How long has this wonderful stone been around? There’s lots of answers to this †I’ve seen a variety of historical references. But there’s one in particular which resonated with me and that’s because the image created here is synonymous with extreme beauty.

Referenced in the New Testament, Jasper is listed as one of the foundation stones of the New Jerusalem. I’ll quote from the New International Version of the Bible:

Revelation 4:2-4

2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.
3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and carnelian. A rainbow, resembling an emerald, encircled the throne.
4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.

Revelation 21:10-12

10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
12 It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Revelation 21: 18-20

18 The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass.
19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.

Notice the reference to Jasper being as clear as crystal †Jasper is a microcrystalline variety of quartz. Because the stone contains up to 20% foreign material, the color and appearance of the stone is rarely uniform and doesn’t have the appearance of a â€crystal quartz†stone, although I often see clear crystal-like inclusions in different varieties of the stone. Jasper is usually multicolored, striped, and/or spotted. In other words, it has variety †just like us!

Also notice in Revelation 21:19 how it mentions the first foundation of the city walls †JASPER. It is a solid, strong, protective stoneâ€certainly capable of being a good foundational stone to the city walls.

I don’t know about you, but the more I learn about this stone, the more I like it. The qualities it possesses are things I desire in my life. And I haven’t even begun to speak of the multitude of colors this stone can boast! Jasper is an incredibly versatile and beautiful stone. It is found in all colors including: red, brown, pink, yellow, green, grey/white and shades of blue and purple.

The organic material and mineral oxides it contains give the stones interesting patterns, bands and colors. Many of these patterns resemble landscapes with mountains and valleys, often referred to as â€picture jasperâ€. One of my favorite jasper stones is called â€Fancy Jasperâ€. This jasper varies in color from forest green to burgundy and gold and is useful for general healing and well-being. Fancy jasper brings a lightness to situations, enabling one to lighten up and enjoy life a little more, despite whatever crisis might be occurring elsewhere.

While Jasper stones all have the same underlying qualities, each color of Jasper has additional, specific traits when used alone. You can learn more about specific colors, and how they affect your life, in my free online ebook, Healing With Color.

Medically, Jasper stones have been known to help heal and cure disease, as well as help protect against pain. This is a fact I find very interesting. Especially since I have planter fasciitis in my right heel, and have been suffering with it for almost 6 months. Since I’ve been working frequently with the Jasper stones over the past 30 days, and I’ve been wearing them myself, I’ve noticed an extreme reduction in the amount of pain I’m feeling in that heel! I haven’t changed anything elseâ€I haven’t received treatment for it, I haven’t lost any weight in the last 30 days nor done anything different physically. The only thing which I’ve done different is make more jewelry, and make it with Jasper as a centerpiece. Take that information for what you will †I’m not going to question it, as I’d rather live pain-free.

And here’s one more interesting tidbit about Jasper gemstones - they can help restore a lost sense of smell. So if you once again long to be able to experience a whiff of coffee brewing in the morning, chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven, a Thanksgiving Day turkey, or the smell of pine from the Christmas tree, get yourself a Jasper pendant and wear it every day. You just might wake up one day and find something you dearly missed has returned again to bless your life.

Jai Johnson is a jewelry designer living in Jackson, Tennessee. She spends her days and nights in her home studio, creating beautiful, unique, affordable gemstone and porcelain cameo jewelry for women around the world.
http://www.JaiArt.Com

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