Bloodstone Symbolism, Origin, and Uses

Bloodstone Heliotrope Tumbled Stone, Heliotrope gemstone
© Yuriy Buyvol/Shutterstock.com

Written by Nina Phillips

Published: December 30, 2023

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Bloodstone is a unique gem. It’s not one of the more well-known semiprecious stones, like diamond and sapphire, and it’s not as well-known as quartz like amethyst, but it does have a lot of symbolism and uses, for those who know what they’re looking for. If you want to know more about bloodstone’s symbolism, then continue reading below.

What Is Bloodstone?

macro photography of sample of natural mineral from geological collection - tumbled Heliotrope (Bloodstone) gemstone on black granite background

Bloodstone is often somewhere between blue and green, with a marbling or speckling of red.

©vvoe/Shutterstock.com

Bloodstone is a mostly green stone, with swirls or spots of red on the surface. This is where it gets its name. These spots of red come from high concentrations of iron. The stone itself is made of quartz, mostly green jasper.

Another name for the stone is heliotrope, which means “sun turner” in Ancient Greek. This name came from the fact that the Ancient Greeks believed that if this stone was placed in water, it would change the color of the stone to red.

Heliotrope is found throughout the world. History and pieces of this gemstone are found in Australia, Madagascar, China, Brazil, and the eastern states of the United States including Washington, California, and Nevada.

What Uses Does Bloodstone Have?

pendant from Heliotrope (Bloodstone) gemstone on black granite background

Bloodstone looks fine in a ring or earrings, but pendants allow the stone to really shine with the multiple colors it has.

©vvoe/Shutterstock.com

Bloodstone supposedly has many uses. It helped a lot with blood, as the red speckles on the stone were supposedly related to the blood in the body.

Healing Properties

Most of the original uses of bloodstone had to do with healing. It was said to purify the blood, remove toxins, and improve circulation. Not only did it help with blood-related issues, but it also assisted the immune system in the fight against infections and diseases.

Bloodstone was said to help with childbirth as well. Because it brought the wearer strength, courage, and vitality, the stone was said to help out with the birth of a child. Primarily, the stone provided the child and the mother vitality to endure the painful ordeal.

Bloodstones were effective for women and their unique issues as well. Since it’s a stone in touch with blood, it supposedly helped with menstruation. The stone assisted with all things related to periods, including regulation of the cycle, hormones, PMS, and pain.

Physical Endurance

It also helped with endurance, specifically stamina and energy. This made it a great stone for people trying to improve their health or athletes trying to beat their personal record.

Emotions

Another main use of bloodstone was for emotions. Reportedly, bloodstone helped to keep emotions stabilized and keep the wearer level-headed. It did this by boosting self-confidence, reducing stress, and increasing inner peace.

Many people have found that the stone was especially helpful for users who’ve experienced trauma. The iron in the stone builds resilience when it comes to negative emotions. Those who built resilience were better able to see the positives and handle new troubles that came their way.

Chakras and Feng Shui

Bloodstone is also connected to chakras. Specifically, it’s connected to the root chakra. This is the chakra mostly associated with grounding, stability, and physical well-being. Though it’s primarily connected to the root chakra, it does also work with the heart chakra. It helps to break up blockages surrounding love, trust, and compassion.

In Feng Shui practices, this gemstone should bring balance and courage.

Other Purposes

Away from healing and grounding, bloodstone was said to enhance psychic abilities, strengthen your energy, and improve your ability to make decisions.

The Symbolism Behind Bloodstone

Even unpolished bloodstone has a rather eerie appearance.

© James St. John/CC BY 2.0 – Original / License

This gemstone is known for healing and emotional stability, but that’s not all. It’s also a stone full of symbolism.

For one, this gemstone has been used for centuries as a talisman. People believed that the stone brought good fortune and protected against evil.

In Christianity, many people believed that this stone came into being because of the blood of Christ. When his blood fell to earth, it spilled onto the stone and stained it, creating bloodstone. Some variations twist it to the blood of Christ turned into bloodstone itself, instead of staining another stone.

Bloodstone is connected to the zodiac sign of Aries. This is why a person who is an Aries is said to be full of positive energy and a nurturing nature.

Though not a birthstone for Libra and Pisces, bloodstones work with those under these two star symbols as well. It helps to keep them grounded and focused so they keep an eye on the realistic side of things, instead of just letting their imagination run wild.


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About the Author

Nina is a writer at A-Z Animals, FIDIS Travel, and Giant Freakin Robot. Her focus is on wildlife, national parks, and the environment. She has been writing about animals for over three years. Nina holds a Bachelor's in Conservation Biology, which she uses when talking about animals and their natural habitats. In her free time, Nina also enjoys working on writing her novels and short stories. As a resident of Colorado, Nina enjoys getting out in nature, traveling, and watching snow hit the mountains from her enclosed porch.

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