Properties and Virtues of Jasper

A mineral with a thousand shades and patterns, jasper offers multiple properties that serve well-being and health. Prized for its aesthetic qualities, it has been shaped into exceptional jewellery and objects of art or decoration since the dawn of time. Its virtues at the heart of communication and human relationships make it a particularly precious stone in lithotherapy.

The mineral properties of jaspers

Jaspers are mostly composed of silica. These volcanic or sedimentary minerals prove to be very similar to chalcedonies and agates. Jaspers are widely found, yet each one is unique. They can take on an infinite range of colours and patterns.

Group	Microcrystalline quartz
Crystal system	Rhombohedral
Composition	Silicon dioxide
Colours	Most colours of the chromatic spectrum: beige, white, pink, brown, black, green, red…
Density	2.75
Hardness	6.5 to 7
Transparency	Translucent to opaque
Lustre	Bright, vitreous, matte
Deposits	Brazil, India, Madagascar, France, Germany

The main varieties of jasper

There is a vast collection of distinct jaspers all around the world. Here are a few remarkable varieties of this rock with its endless variations of colours.

• Landscape jasper: brown in colour, this variety displays layered striations reminiscent of the contours of a natural landscape.
• Bloodstone: as its name suggests, this category includes red and brownish specimens that recall the colour of blood.
• Leopard jasper: spotted like the coat of a wild cat, leopard jasper is dotted with small rounds in dark shades.
• Ocean jasper: rather greenish, this kind of jasper features orbicular inclusions and bluish colourations.
• Dalmatian jasper: this category brings together white stones speckled with black spots, in the image of the famous canine breed of the same name.

Jasper jewellery and objects

Etymology of the word “jasper”

The name of this age-old stone comes to us from ancient languages. The word “jasper” is inspired by the Latin term “iaspidem“, itself derived from the Greek “iaspis“. These words meant “spotted or speckled stone”.

The history of jaspers

Prehistoric tools

Jaspers were already used, in prehistoric times, to make tools. They also served to light fires and to cut various stones.

Jewellery and decoration

In the ancient world, it was in the form of jewellery that this mineral of remarkable aesthetic qualities distinguished itself. In Crete, archaeological discoveries have brought to light the use of jaspers in the making of seals. In the Middle Ages, this stone was regarded as decorative; jasper inlays adorned religious scenes on church paintings.

Current uses

Today, jasper is still valued, for its multitude of colours and patterns, in the fields of jewellery and decoration. In lithotherapy, its benefits for body and mind, long recognised, are increasingly being brought to light for the general public.

The properties of jaspers in lithotherapy

Jaspers are diverse and manifold stones, in terms of colours as much as patterns and shapes. It is no surprise, then, that their properties in lithotherapy are particularly varied. It is thus reductive to associate this mineral with a single symbol. Its most spectacular virtues nonetheless crystallise around communication, vitality and energy.

Jasper and chakras

Three of our chakras particularly benefit from the potent powers of jaspers:

The throat chakra, a vital point of expression and communication, benefits from the exceptional vibrations of this stone. It encourages self-expression with diplomacy and respect for others. Associating jasper with the throat chakra is a way of caring for the bond with others by favouring dialogue.

The root chakra, in its role as foundation and grounding, combines with the benefits of jaspers to improve growth, strengthen the skeletal system and promote a supple, sturdy build.

Owing to its central position, the solar plexus chakra influences the functioning of the other chakras and the flow of energy. In the event of a blockage, the person feels a drop in tone and confidence, causing a growing difficulty in reaching their goals. The virtues of jaspers help open the solar plexus chakra, freeing access to a positive inner dynamic. They promote the balance of cellular development and combat premature ageing.

Jasper and astrological signs

Several signs of the zodiac form privileged bonds with the benefits of this stone, such as Cancer, Capricorn and Aquarius. Aries, in particular, develops greater endurance and perseverance in contact with jaspers.

Virtues against ailments of physical origin

Energy and vitality

Jaspers constitute a powerful source of vitality. In the service of health, they provide fresh, restorative energy, specifically for people recovering after an illness. They optimise blood circulation and the supply of blood to the organs. Thanks to regular contact with the mineral, the human body recovers its spirit and dynamism.

Support for digestion

The benefits of this mineral are also expressed at the level of the digestive system. It regulates, balances and strengthens the functions of the liver, the gallbladder and the pancreas. These auxiliary organs, intended notably to eliminate toxins, then make their maximum contribution to the good health and optimal functioning of the body.

Sexual fulfilment

Red jasper is renowned for its powerful effect on a man’s sexual vitality. It balances and strengthens the functions of the male genital organs. On the woman’s side, this stone provides support for a smooth childbirth. It also promotes the recovery and rebalancing of the body. The use of red jasper accompanies the return of regular menstruation.

Virtues against ailments of psychic and psychological origin

Harmony & balance

From the standpoint of psychological fulfilment, jasper is a true source of peace and serenity. The use of this mineral promotes inner harmony, in matters of emotions as well as thoughts. The mind reaches a state of deep calm and the freed emotions naturally find their balance. Jasper is an ideal stone to accompany meditation sessions, so much does it foster calm and introspection.

Willpower & protection

Jaspers form a resource of willpower and power, particularly useful in difficult moments and trials. They act as a protective shield against outside disturbances and suffering. Through this benevolent action, the stone accompanies each person to get through painful situations as best they can.

It helps you find access to your own positive willpower to guide the user towards the best. Jasper is therefore a mineral of choice when facing a life challenge, one that is both essential and complex.

Back to basics

In periods of questioning and doubt, using jasper is an excellent option. This stone places the user in the ideal disposition for serene and constructive introspection. It brings wandering minds back to the essential and dispels needless mental disturbances.

To strengthen the connection with reality and with the fundamental identity of the being, jaspers support grounding. A force of anchoring and clear-sightedness, they are the ideal companion for the work of psychological centring for people with scattered energies.

Relational skill and communication

Jasper is, above all, a stone of communication. It helps rid difficult interactions of their angry, aggressive or resentful dimensions. It drives away harmful interference to recover the essence of the bond between people.

By developing diplomatic skills, this stone fosters relational skill and gives access to dialogue, empathy, listening to others and the calm expression of oneself. A very useful mineral in the process of learning non-violent communication.

Discretion and measure

This stone is also a wise choice for very extroverted or hot-tempered personalities. It holds a powerful and beneficial influence over agitation and noise, whether internal or external. In contact with jaspers, the person calms down and re-centres. From this comes an ability to favour discretion, delicacy and restraint. These properties encourage both common sense and flexibility of mind, precious qualities in managing relationships.

Finding your place

It can be difficult to manage to take your place, to be able to feel like yourself wherever you are. Jaspers are used, for therapeutic purposes, to accompany a person in this search for meaning and personal legitimacy. They allow each person to situate themselves in relation to themselves and to position themselves in relation to others, with serenity and a willingness to exchange.

Which stones to pair with jaspers?

For an energising effect, pairing jaspers with carnelian, amber and garnet is recommended. Ruby, sapphire and chrysoprase multiply the properties of jaspers dedicated to courage and confidence. Grounding and anchoring will be optimised in contact with celestine and lava stone. Tourmaline and onyx, alongside jaspers, particularly activate blood circulation and the renewal of energy.

How to cleanse and recharge jaspers?

In lithotherapy, making the most of stones endowed with precious virtues involves rituals of cleansing and recharging. Ideally, it is advised to cleanse the minerals between each session of use. An appropriate recharging time and frequency allow you to benefit from the stone’s virtues at their peak.

The cleansing step can be carried out using lukewarm running water or salted distilled water. Soaked in the liquid or rinsed at length, the stone recovers its original purity. Classically, recharging jaspers works very well by exposure to sunlight or on a cluster of quartz. There are also other methods, such as burial or incense smoke.