December Birthstone: The Symbolism & Meaning

Historically, there are three December birthstones—turquoise, tanzanite, and zircon—however Kadlec, together with multi-modality healer Mariah de La Mer, founding father of ASTARA and creator of Crystal Therapeutic for Girls, additionally rely blue topaz as considered one of them. Every December birthstone is blue, which in response to integrative drugs and crystal professional Elizabeth Trattner, AP, DOM, is reflective of the season. “Blue stones, for my part, are very consultant of winter within the Northern Hemisphere,” she says. Shade apart, every has distinctive bodily and metaphysical properties—and whether or not otherwise you have fun your birthday this month, chances are you’ll resonate with considered one of these stones.

Associated Tales

If you wish to study extra, Kadlec, de La Mer, and Dr. Trattner break down every December birthstone’s properties, that means, and symbolism under.

Properties of turquoise, the December birthstone of interconnectedness

• Birthstone colour: Blue
• Chakra: Throat chakra
• Origin: Different

From azure to robin’s egg blue and sea inexperienced, turquoise is available in colours which can be paying homage to the ocean and the sky as a result of copper and aluminum inside it, says Dr. Trattner. Generally, you’ll additionally discover a turquoise laced with veins or splotches, that are indicative of the rock from which it got here, lending every stone its personal distinctive traits. The mineral “comes from all around the world,” says Dr. Trattner, however main turquoise deposits are within the US, China, and Iran.

Birthstone that means and symbolism of turquoise

Turquoise has an extended and diverse cultural historical past, however it’s maybe mostly related to Native Individuals, who believed it to be a stone of safety and an emblem of “heavenly purity.” In different components of the world, turquoise was buried within the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs and Persian shahs, and featured within the portrayals of Aztec gods, lending the mineral shades of that means. Nevertheless, if there’s a frequent thread to tug at, it’s its associations with the divine.

“Turquoise attunes to the convergence of every little thing within the universe so that you just see your self because the bridge of heaven and earth.” —Mariah de La Mer, multi-modality healer and founding father of ASTARA

Amongst some crystal consultants, that is an affiliation that holds true immediately. “Turquoise attunes to the convergence of every little thing within the universe so that you just see your self because the bridge of heaven and earth,” says de La Mer.

In response to Kadlec, turquoise brings a few deep reverence for what has existed earlier than us. “We’re extra capable of honor what’s come earlier than to really feel the reverberation of all that’s occurred,” she says. As such, turquoise can function an lively reminder of our interconnectedness with our Earthly dwelling and all that lives inside in it. This understanding “helps one to see the sacred in on a regular basis life,” says de La Mer, and, furthermore, how our current actions will depart an indelible mark on every little thing that extends past us.

“When we’ve that context, we’re recognizing that we are going to be part of the long run,” says Kadlec. “All the pieces that comes from us, all of our actions, all we produce, whether or not it’s offspring or artwork, and the way in which we deal with our fellow earthly inhabitants, it’s all about seeing ourselves as a part of this higher tapestry of life.” This understanding can, in flip, assist folks act with the data of our mutual accountability to 1 one other.

Turquoise can be linked to the throat chakra, which pertains to our expression, fact, and communication, says Dr. Trattner, including that the majority blue-colored stones are usually related to the throat. As such, the stone might help convey this chakra into stability, which, when in test, permits us to obviously talk and specific our fact.

In response to Kadlec, the stone additionally strongly pertains to the important thing traits of Sagittarius. “Considering of Sagittarius as an explorer, it pertains to the energetic exploration of the previous, current, and future,” she says—and we’ve the chance to do the identical as we replicate upon how we’d need to take embolden steps into the brand new 12 months.

Properties of tanzanite, the December birthstone of give up

• Birthstone colour: Blue
• Chakra: Crown, third-eye, and throat chakras
• Origin: Tanzania

Tanzanite is a blue and purple mineral that comes from Tanzania—therefore its title—and nowhere else, making it an uncommon and extremely beneficial gemstone. The stone’s colour and radiance can rival that of blue sapphires, which it’s typically mistaken for, says Dr. Trattner. She provides that it additionally has a reasonably younger historical past courting again to the late Sixties, when it was first found in Merelani in Northern Tanzania. Though solely a latest discovery, it has come to be related to its personal distinctive that means and symbolism.

Birthstone that means and symbolism of tanzanite

If turquoise is a reminder of our interconnectedness to the world round us, this December birthstone focuses on the reference to ourselves. “It’s used for accessing greater realms of data, in addition to deep areas of the unconscious thoughts, making it an exquisite stone to work with for meditation, lucid dreaming, and artistic processes,” says de La Mer—and as a way to entry the knowledge embedded inside our unconscious, tanzanite additionally asks that we give up management to obtain these messages.

“Once we work with tanzanite, we’re inspired to cease making an attempt so exhausting and simply see what occurs, permitting ourselves to acknowledge that one thing hasn’t felt proper—and for a very long time.”—Sadie Kadlec, religious mentor and creator of Crystals

“It’s about surrendering to the universe and creating area for innovation by means of that give up,” says Kadlec. On this method, tanzanite helps urge us to interrupt out of cyclical habits and patterns, which may forestall us from initiating much-needed change, not to mention envision its chance. “We will’t really faucet into an area for reflective progress as a result of we’re making an attempt to do issues as we’ve all the time accomplished, and we are able to’t see one other method as a result of we’re so centered on how issues are alleged to go,” she says. “Once we work with tanzanite, we’re inspired to cease making an attempt so exhausting and simply see what occurs, permitting ourselves to acknowledge that one thing hasn’t felt proper—and for a very long time.”

In response to de La Mer, tanzanite not solely permits us to entry the nicely of data inside our unconscious minds but additionally perceive and act upon it. “It helps to open the upper three vitality facilities—the crown chakra, third-eye chakra, and throat chakra—and acts to bridge of all three to have the ability to successfully obtain greater ranges of data (from the crown), interpret and construction it (the third eye), and create it (the throat),” she says.

De La Mer mentions that the stone could be particularly advantageous for Sagittarius. Kadlec agrees, saying that it might help the zodiac signal of their quest for data, although she additionally says that it might additionally serve Capricorn—and, basically, all earth indicators. “An essence of stubbornness is inherent to all earth indicators in various levels, and it may be just a little myopic,” she says, and in consequence, “this restricts or inhibits the sense of movement and ease.”

Properties of zircon, the December birthstone of safety

• Birthstone colour: Blue
• Chakra: Throat chakra
• Origin: Different

The third December birthstone, zircon—to not be mistaken for cubic zirconia—is “one of many oldest minerals on earth,” says Dr. Trattner, with the oldest zircon courting again to about 4.4 billion years, and scientists have even discovered the minerals to include clues in regards to the environments that fostered life on early Earth, describing them as “time capsules.” (Though a latest examine questions whether or not zircons present an correct perception into our planet’s formative levels.)

This apart, colorless zircons can shine as brightly as diamonds, and so they are available an array of colours, together with yellow, inexperienced, purple, brown, and blue, the final of which is commonly related to the month of December. No matter colour, most of zircon is present in deposits in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka.

Birthstone that means and symbolism of zircon

There’s loads of mythology surrounding the that means and symbolism of zircon. It was thought to chase away evil, for instance, and assist folks convey folks into bodily, emotional, and religious stability, incomes it the moniker “stone of advantage.”

“Zircon helps proudly owning one’s energetic discipline and private journey.”—de La Mer

In response to de La Mer, zircon “helps proudly owning one’s energetic discipline and private journey.” It really works to strengthen the auric discipline, serving to to guard in opposition to damaging vitality (like, say, a good friend who’s all the time making an attempt to pull you into drama) whereas enhancing your personal innate energy. As such, “zircon is a good stone to work with for reaching private targets and sustaining a transparent course on one’s path,” she says. “Zircon additionally helps to maintain one’s feelings vibrant and clear, particularly in instances of problem and overwhelm,” she says—which is commonly an inevitable a part of the journey.

Given all its metaphysical properties, zircon is especially apropos for December, the place many individuals are gearing up for the brand new 12 months and setting their targets. “It may be an excellent stone for Capricorn,” provides De La Mer, and maybe as a result of the zodiac’s sea-goat is understood to be extremely bold and goal-oriented, zircon might help assist these key Capricorn character traits.

Properties of blue topaz, the December birthstone of fact and alignment

• Birthstone colour: Blue
• Chakra: Crown, coronary heart, and throat chakras
• Origin: Different

Topaz is a gemstone with unbelievable selection. It might probably seem in quite a lot of colours, together with yellow, orange, and pink, or no colour in any respect. It might probably additionally are available blue, but it surely’s as a rule handled to create its vibrant hue, as naturally occurring blue topaz is uncommon to return by. Whereas topaz, particularly yellow topaz, is taken into account as one of many November birthstones, Kadlec and de La Mer say that blue varieties are linked to the month of December.

Birthstone that means and symbolism of blue topaz

“Blue topaz is about fact and alignment.” —Kadlec

“Blue topaz is about fact and alignment,” says Kadlec. This stone helps to floor what it’s that we need to specific and share our expression with others with out sugarcoating phrases, making it particularly helpful for these of us who wrestle to vocalize our ideas and feelings with energy and readability. Simply as importantly, it encourages a way of vulnerability.

“It encourages us to be daring, to be brave in our expression, and to have these depths of sincerity and never be simply swayed by the higher energies round us,” says Kadlec. Given all this, it is smart that blue topaz aligns with our throat chakra, which as talked about above, governs expression, fact, and communication, although she provides it additionally resonates with the crown and coronary heart chakras.

Kadlec mentions that Sagittarius additionally embodies blue topaz’s metaphysical properties. “We see the signal being about sincerity, being about voicing their fact, and a boldness of their honesty, and that’s the largest a part of blue topaz,” she says—qualities that we are able to all stand to study this Sagittarius season. The stone may also profit Capricorn by aligning their intentions with their actions. “It’s a cardinal signal, so there’s a volatility to its expression,” she says. “Blue topaz is available in to assist, serving to launch attachment and are available into consciousness of its energetic need to have the ability to absolutely domesticate and focus its vitality in direction of targets.”

What are birthstones?

Birthstones are gems that characterize an individual’s beginning month or zodiac signal. Their origins are believed to hint again to biblical instances, and the first-century historian Flavius Josephus related the 12 gems on Aaron’s breastplate within the E book of Exodus with the months of the 12 months and the 12 zodiac indicators. Nevertheless, the customized of sporting a person gem per 30 days didn’t start till across the fifteenth or sixteenth century in Germany or Poland. Birthstones are additionally discovered to have origins in Jap Tradition. The Ratna Pariksha, a fifth-century Hindu textual content, linked particular gems to deities, celestial our bodies, and days of the week, whereas Vedic astrologers suggest sure gems to people primarily based on their astrological beginning chart.

In 1912, the American Council Affiliation of Jewelers (which is at present generally known as the Jewelers of America) created a standardized listing of birthstones in america. This listing was up to date by the Jewellery Trade Council of America and later by The American Gem Commerce Affiliation to incorporate new varieties of birthstones for sure months of the 12 months.

An outline of the birthstones for each month of the 12 months

Wish to discover a crystal or gemstone that corresponds to your beginning month? Right here’s a fast overview of the birthstones for each month of the 12 months:

Incessantly requested questions

What’s the birthstone of December?

December boasts three birthstones—turquoise, tanzanite, and zircon—however de La Mer and Kadlec additionally contemplate blue topaz as a December birthstone.

What’s the December flower?

The beginning flower of the month is narcissus, which symbolizes honor, kindness, prosperity, in addition to reflection, Valerie Ghitelman, vice chairman of product growth, design, and sourcing at 1-800-Flowers.com, beforehand informed Effectively+Good.

Is the December birthstone uncommon?

Tanzanite, which is among the December birthstones, is the rarest of all of them, primarily as a result of it’s discovered solely in Tanzania and nowhere else on the earth.