Feel like you need a spiritual security guard? Black Tourmaline is your crystal.
Many times during our spiritual journeys, we feel overwhelmed, frightened, and lost. Black Tourmaline offers grounding, protection, and guidance for the weary spiritual traveler and a unique array of healing properties that help you grow into a more solidly grounded being.
Black Tourmaline is a common mineral that’s prized for its extreme toughness and centuries-old ability to act as a personal guardian. We’ll cover everything you need to know about this inky black crystal and how you can use it in your daily life and spiritual practices.
What Is Black Tourmaline?
Black Tourmaline is the most common color of crystal in the Tourmaline family. Tourmalines are crystals that form inside the crevices and veins of other rocks, usually igneous and metamorphic rocks.
Physical Properties of Tourmaline
Tourmalines are silicate minerals found in more colors than any other group of crystals. Black, however, is the most abundant color and most common that is found. These crystals are formed when hot water, steam, and lava mix with other sediments needed to form a crystal, a phenomenon known as the hydrothermal process.
Tourmalines vary greatly in their structure, which gives them many varied colors. Tourmalines are valuable, and some Tourmaline cavities can even net millions of dollars. Tourmalines can be difficult to find because they often appear as an “accessory mineral.” This means Tourmalines grow inside of other minerals, like granite.
Black Tourmaline has a glass-like surface and a deep black color. It is opaque but slightly reflective. Each Tourmaline has indistinct cleavage, which means it does not break into predictable patterns like other crystals.
Origins of Tourmaline
The first Tourmaline is believed to have been discovered in Germany. Black in color, it was given the name “schorl.” Schorl became a popular mineral, but other Tourmaline varieties were often mistaken for other gems.
Brazil has been the world’s largest resource of Tourmaline for over 500 years. Spanish traders bought Tourmaline from early settlers in this area and brought it back, selling it as rubies and emeralds. In fact, it’s thought that many ancient royal diadems may be laden with Tourmalines! It wasn’t until 1793 that Tourmaline was recognized as its own mineral.
Tourmaline is present in the United States as well. The first Tourmaline mine in the U.S. was located in Maine. However, operations of Tourmaline mining are now located in areas of southern California.
Tourmaline is also mined and exported in Afghanistan and parts of Africa.
Metaphysical Properties of Black Tourmaline
While it famously protects against negative energies, evil spirits, and even one’s own negative thoughts, Black Tourmaline has robust metaphysical properties aside from its ability to protect.
This crystal, which also serves as the birthstone for October, is naturally absorbent. While absorbing negative energy, however, it also has the ability to transform it into usable, positive energy and light.
Black Tourmaline also promotes a person’s sense of self-confidence and empowers them to be more commanding, which can be especially helpful for users who are particularly meek.
This crystal is a grounding stone, which means it helps keep you connected to the earth and the spiritual realm without allowing you to delve too far into either. Maintaining balance is key in experiencing true joy on your spiritual journey.
Black Tourmaline also has magnetism, which allows it to shield you against EMFs (electromagnetic fields). If you find yourself sensitive to EMF intrusion from computers, tablets, or smartphones, this crystal can help.
History of the Use of Black Tourmaline
Legend has it that Tourmaline is found in so many colors because it traveled from the earth across the rainbow, picking up color as it made its journey to its home inside the rocks. While much of Tourmaline’s history involves its misidentification of other stones (like rubies, sapphires, and emeralds), its use as Tourmaline is also historically rich.
Used by ancient magicians and soothsayers, Black Tourmaline was thought to give them protection against evil spirits and negativity as they cast spells and performed healing rituals. Its protection was also sought by men of war, who would place Tourmaline in their breastplates as they prepared for battle.
Meaning of Black Tourmaline
Black Tourmaline is truly a double-meaning crystal. Its most powerful element is that of ultimate protection; however, it is also a stone of purification and cleansing. These two characteristics work together synergistically to:
- Protect you from evil, negativity, and harm
- Help you remove negative thoughts and emotions from yourself
- Remove ideas that don’t serve you
- Keep you grounded
Black Tourmaline is a crystal you’ll want to keep near you at all times, especially when dealing with turmoil or working in an environment that isn't positive. The use of Black Tourmaline clears away the negative, produces neutrality, and protects from evil.
Black Tourmaline and Your Chakras
The Tourmaline crystals are deeply connected to the Root Chakra, and Black Tourmaline is no exception. The Root, or “Base,” Chakra is located at the bottom of your tailbone and provides the foundation for balance and openness for the remaining Chakras above it.
If your Root Chakra is blocked or imbalanced, it will lead to issues with your Heart Chakra and Third Eye Chakra, which can place your entire spiritual journey in jeopardy. Not sure if your Root Chakra is balanced? Here are some signs it might not be.
- You feel disconnected, far away, or distant from life, reality, and/or loved ones.
- Spiritual practices seem to leave you feeling empty instead of full and energized.
- You experience consistent feelings of lethargy, sleepiness, and lack of motivation.
A balanced Root Chakra eliminates these feelings, brings you back into safe, healthy grounding, and empowers you to become independent. Balanced Root Chakras are essential for anyone in a leadership role and also important for taking leadership in your own life.
Healing Properties of Black Tourmaline
Black Tourmaline has amazing healing benefits that you can turn to for physical ailments and limitations, mental and emotional issues, and spiritual malfunctions.
Physical Healing Properties of Black Tourmaline
Black Tourmaline has a protective property over your nervous system. This allows it to help you experience events that normally bring you anxiety with more peace and calmness. If you suffer from panic attacks, keeping Black Tourmaline near you when you are triggered can help reassure you, keep you grounded, present, and calm.
Many users also take Black Tourmaline with them to the doctor and dentist. If you have trouble in situations where you experience a lack of control, Black Tourmaline can protect you from becoming anxious or feeling threatened. It also allows you to process information around you more rationally.
Black Tourmaline can also assist you if you have motion sickness, so keeping it in your car for long car rides or wearing it around your wrist during a flight or a cruise can help settle your stomach.
This crystal is powerfully effective on the digestive system, helping keep your gut balanced and easing digestive discomfort. It’s also a great way to help support your immunity and is even regarded as a way to keep your hair shiny and nails strong.
If you suffer from issues with your lower extremities, Black Tourmaline can help. Because it is so closely connected to the Root Chakra, physical manifestations that are associated with Root Chakra imbalance can be treated with Black Tourmaline. Joint pain, balance issues, and nerve pain in the lower limbs can all be aided with the use of this crystal.
Mental and Emotional Healing Properties of Black Tourmaline
Possibly the greatest benefit the Black Tourmaline affords you mentally and emotionally is protection against people, places, and things that can drain you emotionally. Black Tourmaline acts as an absorbent shield.
When you are faced with something that could emotionally drain you, Black Tourmaline volunteers itself as a place for that negativity to reside. It’s even able to channel some of that negativity into positive, useful energy.
Black Tourmaline is also beneficial in balancing the right and left hemispheres of the brain. If you have issues that involve right/left brain communication (like dyslexia and hand/eye coordination), you can benefit from the involvement of Black Tourmaline.
Suffering from OCD issues or practices that could be harmful to your well-being? Keep Black Tourmaline nearby. It has the power to re-ground you and remove the obsessions that keep you addicted.
Spiritual Healing Properties of Black Tourmaline
Black Tourmaline is the guardian of the light of the universe. It helps prevent your aura from becoming filled with negative smog and gives you protection as you traverse the spiritual realm.
When you are faced with problems, Black Tourmaline removes the negative veil through which you see them, helping you experience situations with neutrality. If you uncover past trauma on your journey, Black Tourmaline can help protect you against experiencing any further pain from the event so that you can properly heal.
Uses of Black Tourmaline
Ready to find out how to use Black Tourmaline in your everyday life? It’s as simple as carrying it with you, but incorporating it into your spiritual ceremonies, using it in your home, and keeping it near you at work is highly beneficial.
Meditations and Ceremonies With Black Tourmaline
Black Tourmaline is a very popular crystal for use in meditation. It helps clear mental fog so you can properly concentrate.
During cleansing rituals, it is thought to absorb the negative energy you release and protect you from receiving anything negative from your subconscious or the spiritual realm.
Holding Black Tourmaline between your knees or feet with the end pointing downward increases its ability to swallow your negative energy and send it out from your body. You can use Black Tourmaline in connection with other crystals to help protect you during meditations and keep your aura clear.
If you are involving particularly intense psychic abilities in your practice, Black Tourmaline should be an essential part of your ceremony to offer protection.
Home and Work With Black Tourmaline
Did you know that Black Tourmaline heightens your sense of smell? It’s true! As such, it’s often used in the home as an aphrodisiac. Placing it around your bedroom or under your bed can heighten arousal and spice up your love life.
Using it in the entryway to your home also offers protection to your house against negative energy all who enter may be carrying with them. It also absorbs negative energy that may be trapped in your home.
It’s a great idea to keep Black Tourmaline in a few rooms of your home where you usually congregate with family and friends. This can help keep the peace, reduce negative energy, and encourage more productive conversations.
At work, you can use Black Tourmaline to protect against negative energy (so common in the workplace) and restore your self-confidence and leadership qualities. Black Tourmaline bracelets, which carry a magnetic charge, also help protect you from EMFs, which is always helpful if you’re in front of a screen all day.
Black Tourmaline For Healers
Healers rely on Black Tourmaline for their own protection and for the protection of their clients. Experienced healers and those with psychic abilities may use Black Tourmaline for scrying, as it provides a safe journey to the spiritual realm.
A shamanic stone, Black Tourmaline is extremely useful during ritual work. When working with a client, a healer may use Black Tourmaline to help a client point out the source of their pain. Black Tourmaline helps the source of the pain rise from the subconscious to the conscious and gives insight on how to heal from the pain.
Black Tourmaline Jewelry
Black Tourmaline is the perfect crystal for wearing; who doesn’t want 24/7 protection against negativity? Not only does it provide you protection, but it’s also gorgeous when set in pendants and bracelets.
Keeping Black Tourmaline on your wrist is a smart decision. When you meet a new person, you won’t absorb their negative energy into your aura when you shake hands. You’ll also protect yourself from being robbed of your positivity and energy from people who would attempt to drain you emotionally.
Black Tourmaline pendants worn close to the Heart Chakra keep your heart protected from bad relationships as well as the desire for harmful behaviors or actions. Keeping the Heart Chakra protected keeps you rooted in joy and peace.
Cleansing and Recharging Black Tourmaline
If any of your crystals will need cleansing regularly, it’s Black Tourmaline. Because it is so incredibly effective at absorbing negativity, it’s important you cleanse it regularly and thoroughly.
If you’re going through a particularly difficult event, like a relationship status change, or a conflict at work, you’ll want to wash and recharge your Black Tourmaline even more frequently.
We recommend cleansing and recharging at least once a week, but your mileage may vary depending on your circumstances. Not sure if it’s time for a cleanse? Here are some signs that can indicate your Black Tourmaline needs cleansing.
- You are experiencing feelings of fear and self-doubt.
- Negative emotions are more present than neutral or positive emotions.
- You find it especially difficult to get along well with others.
- You are no longer experiencing a positive outcome during your mediations and spiritual rituals.
These signs indicate it’s time to cleanse and recharge your crystal. If your Black Tourmaline is in an office space or other area where it is frequently visited by numerous people, it will need to be cleansed more frequently due to the amount of energy it receives from a high volume of traffic.
Water Cleansing
Water cleansing is a classic way to cleanse practically any crystal. The use of running water is especially effective on grounding stones, like Black Tourmaline, because it helps connect the stone with an element of the earth.
You can use natural, running water from a spring or stream to cleanse your stone or simply hold the crystal under your tap. It’s useful to recite or focus on a cleansing mantra while you work. Simply focusing on removing all energy that is not beneficial for the greater good and for your good can help remove the negative frequencies from your crystal.
Sound Cleansing
If you’re like many, you may find yourself with an abundance of Black Tourmaline. If this is the cause, sound cleansing can help you cleanse all your Black Tourmaline stones at once.
Using a chant, music, tuning fork, or another instrument, let the sound waves pass over your crystals, allowing the frequencies to harmonize with the vibrations of the Black Tourmaline, cleansing them and restoring them.
Sun Charging
Many crystals love the sun’s energy, and Black Tourmaline is no exception. A great way to cleanse and recharge your Black Tourmaline is by sitting it in direct sunlight for at least two hours. When the sun is at its zenith, sit your crystal directly on the earth in the light.
It’s important to keep it on the earth so that negative energy can pass out of the crystal into the earth.
Quartz Charging
Another method of recharging your Black Tourmaline is to place it next to Quartz crystals in order to cleanse it of all negative energy so that it’s ready for use.
Cleansing and Recharging Tips and Tricks
If your crystal is physically dirty, wipe it off with a microfiber towel or run it under water. Most Black Tourmaline crystals are very durable and can withstand any type of cleaning you subject them to.
If you have Black Tourmaline jewelry, you’ll want to make sure you check with the manufacturer before you cleanse it. There may be elements of your jewelry that shouldn’t be exposed to water or salt.
The Takeaway
Black Tourmaline is the guardian of all other crystals and somewhat of a spiritual bodyguard. It offers safety against negativity and spiritual smog that can clog your aura and make you feel emotionally drained and spiritually sick.
Black Tourmaline is also a great stone for helping keep you grounded and can help cleanse and purify your thoughts so that they are no longer negative, but neutral.
You can use Black Tourmaline in your daily life by incorporating it into your meditations and ceremonies. It’s a great addition to help you keep focused and to protect you as you engage in your psychic abilities.
Using Black Tourmaline at home and work can protect you from negative energy in those places, absorbing those negative energies and helping channel them into positive, usable energy that helps build self-confidence and encourage you to be the best version of yourself.
You can wear Black Tourmaline to help keep negative energy away from you and also to help absorb the negative energy you may experience in your own mind and body from time to time. It’s a great crystal that loves keeping you spiritually protected and grounded and can be added to any ritual or life experience to increase positivity.
