Maybe you’re interested in getting your collection of healing crystals started or you’re ready to add another piece to your growing assortment. Either way, take some time to get acquainted with jasper gemstones and see if they're right for you.
Jasper is associated with the astrological sign of Leo and is known as the “supreme nurturer” stone, making it an ideal partner in times of stress. It’s also fantastic for igniting your motivation and deepening your connection with yourself and others.
In this guide, you’ll learn a bit about what jasper is and where you can find it. We’ll also explore its historical connections to a long-forgotten burial chamber and discuss how you can start using jasper’s crystal healing in your own life.
What Is Jasper?
Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian share in their book "The Book of Stones: Who They Are and What They Teach" that jasper stones are a variety of quartz and rank between 6.5 and 7 on the Mohs scale.
Jasper is composed of silicon dioxide. While related to chalcedony, jasper's crystal structure is, in fact, quite different. Chalcedony is composed of fibrous layers. In contrast, jasper's microcrystalline structure is much more akin to sugar crystals.
Jasper's name derives from a Greek word meaning "spotted stone," alluding to its composition. It's not uncommon to find a wide array of unique patterns and bands of color in jasper stones. Up to 20% of jasper contains other material, which accounts for its varied appearance.
Deposits of jasper are widespread. Some of the largest mines are in Brazil, France, Germany, India, the United States, and Russia. However, some varieties only have deposits in a few locations.
In her book, "The Encyclopedia of Crystals," Judy Hall shares some of the metaphysical properties attributed to specific stones. These include:
- Bumblebee Jasper: Bumblebee Jasper is typically found in Indonesia or Australia and helps you overcome challenges.
- Cinnabar Jasper: Cinnabar Jasper deposits are found in the United States and assist in letting go of old habits, thoughts, and anything else you've outgrown.
- Poppy Jasper: Poppy jasper is said to balance yin and yang energy. There are deposits in China, South Africa, and California in the U.S.
- Mookaite Jasper: Mookaite or Mook jasper is found in Australia and allows the wearer to become more flexible and calm when faced with new or changing situations.
Jasper in History and Folklore
Because jasper gemstone deposits span the globe, they have a varied history across civilizations and throughout the centuries. According to Maria Leach's "Folklore, Mythology, and Legend," ancient Egyptians sometimes used red jasper in place of carnelian stones where it represented the "blood of Isis." Citizens of Egypt also believed jasper brought young women grace and beauty. For Egyptians, even the dead benefitted from jasper’s properties.
Archaeologists have discovered a tomb dating back 3,300 years, and despite being ransacked at least twice during antiquity, a pendant was left behind. Made from red and green jasper, this piece of jasper jewelry may have been part of a spell from the Book of the Dead to help in the afterlife.
Thousands of years ago, in North and South America, native tribes used jasper for practical and spiritual purposes. People shaped jasper into arrowheads and carried stones as charms for worship.
During the Middle Ages, medieval physicians used jasper’s healing properties to promote quick thinking and practice caution when it was most needed. Physicians continued to use jasper stones in Elizabethan England where they believed it helped them make a more accurate diagnosis. Jasper supposedly warded off evil or harmful spirits as well.
More recently, Italian folklore cites jasper as helping to protect farmers from lightning strikes.
Jasper and Its Healing Properties
Jasper healing crystals are profoundly grounding and nurturing to your lower chakras. There are several different varieties of jasper you can explore, each with metaphysical properties unique to the gemstone. Jasper's metaphysical properties can assist in balancing your emotions, opening your heart center, and taking your meditation practice to the next level.
Red Jasper
When you think of jasper, this variety is likely what comes to mind. The red color of this gemstone has a special connection to both your sacral and root chakras, and can help you increase your life force energy.
Red jasper awakens your kundalini and removes blockages in your base chakra. Simmons and Ahsian note that red jasper can balance a person's sexual energy. It also sparks your creative juices, which connect to your lower chakras. It's terrific for developing more self-confidence and personal power.
Red jasper is an excellent stone to work with when you’re craving more focus and a boost of motivation. Much like how fluorite can be used to problem-solve, keeping red jasper nearby can help you focus and ground your ideas.
Jasper helps your inner landscape feel less like a jumble of thoughts and more like a concrete plan you can execute. Perhaps you’ve already gotten the ball rolling on a project, but your enthusiasm has waned a bit. If that’s the case, slip on a chakra bracelet with red jasper beads and allow it’s healing energy to help you roll up your sleeves with a little more ease.
Consider picking up pyrope garnet, ruby, or fire opal if you’re looking for more gemstone healing and energy clearing in your lower chakras. If you’re interested in enhancing the grounding effects of red jasper, both obsidian and hematite could be just the ticket.
Rainforest Jasper
Rainforest jasper is the perfect gemstone when you want to deepen the connection you have to yourself and your life. This type of jasper works on your entire chakra system. It can help instill a greater sense of self-love and compassion, encouraging you to treat yourself with kindness. When you genuinely love yourself, breaking unhealthy habits becomes much more painless.
Suppose you're trying to make the switch to a healthier lifestyle, but you're struggling to make it stick, or you can't seem to enjoy the change no matter what you do. Don't let yourself get caught up in feelings of frustration. Work with rainforest jasper's soothing properties by wearing a chakra bracelet and allowing yourself to look at things in a new way. When you're motivated by a desire to treat your mind and body with the utmost care and kindness, you'll notice just how much easier it can be to turn over a new leaf.
Other healing crystals you may find helpful are malachite, chrysoprase, and rose quartz. All of these stones cultivate more self-love and greater compassion for yourself and others.
Picture Jasper
Sometimes known as Bruneau jasper, picture jasper is associated with both your root chakra and your third eye chakra. Simmons and Ahsian report this gemstone to be especially supportive of taking inner journeys. You can use it for deepening your meditation practice, connecting with your goddess energies, or astral travel. Many crystal healers also believe picture jasper helps resolve past life traumas.
Hall notes how helpful picture jasper can be for inviting feelings of stability and balance into your life as well as overcoming fear.
Carve some time out of your day for yourself and settle into a peaceful meditation, holding a picture jasper cabochon in your hand or placing it on your body. Take a few healing breaths and allow your body to relax into a peaceful state where jasper's metaphysical properties help you tap into your higher self for guidance. The more you practice connecting to your inner wisdom, the stronger your intuition will become.
If you’d like to strengthen your intuition some more, think about using amethyst or lapis lazuli during your next meditation session.
Orbicular Jasper
Orbicular jasper is sometimes known as ocean jasper and comes from deposits in Madagascar. Some believe orbicular jasper is connected to the lost city of Atlantis. According to Hall, this gemstone has similar properties to quartz and agate. It’s a perfect stone to have in your collection and use when working through emotional issues or coping with change.
Whenever you find yourself shifting from one phase of your life to another, this is one gemstone you'll want on hand. Let's say you're starting a new job or you've moved to a brand new city for a fresh start, but you're having second thoughts or wonder if you've made the right choice. Don't second guess yourself until you've given your new circumstances a chance.
Much like the ocean, sometimes all you can do is ride the waves until you reach the shore. Allow the healing properties of this gemstone to help you embrace the changes you face in life rather than being overwhelmed by them.
Think about working with labradorite and chrysocolla to help move through transitional times with more grace and ease.
Use Jasper To Balance Your Energy and Improve Your Well-Being
People around the world have used healing stones for centuries. If you find yourself going through a period of change, aspiring to have more motivation to follow through on projects, or yearning for greater self-love, you can benefit from jasper's healing properties.
Trust the intuitive nudges you receive to help you decide which form of jasper is right for you. You’ll be helping your body, mind, and soul find balance and harmony.
Find more Jasper bracelets, pendants, and talismans in our collection!
