Hematite: Meaning, Properties and Powers

Meaning Of Hematite

Hematite means ‘blood stone’ and it is an element of iron/metal, which is why Hematite is an essential stone to work with during your spiritual journey.

Why was Hematite called ‘blood stone’? Because, when it is found naturally, the iron content is covered in rust which makes it look red.

In Ancient Rome, Hematite was a popular stone for decorative purposes. Jewelry, weapons, and even armor decorated with Hematite were traded widely.

The dark color was thought to be especially intimidating or protective.

But aside from the literal meaning or translation, there also are spiritual meanings and wisdom to tap into.

Hematite’s spiritual meaning is to bring balance to both the etheric body and the physical body. And due to its magnetic nature and our ying-yang energies, it’s nature is to bring us back to equilibrium.

Hematite belongs to the planet of Mars, the god of war, the god of the battlefield. Therefore it is a stone of invincibility on all levels – physical, astral, and mental.

Although a warrior stone, it is also very fragile in nature. And thus paradoxically, it looks to be nurtured and cared for by its owner.

This beautiful metaphor of appearing strong on the outside but delicate on the inside represents how as humans we give so much more importance to our Ego and the external world than we do to our Soul.

The ego hinders our evolution of more profound self-discovery and creates an illusion that we each have an identity or are separate from each other.

Upon detaching from the illusion that we are just a physical body, magic starts to manifest in our lives.

Through awareness as observers of our thoughts, and as observers of the outer world, we can ascend much faster on our souls’ journey into higher levels of awareness.

As you see, just the observation of crystals alone can be enough to shed light and wisdom about the world we live in.

Looking for the Hard Truth? Then Hematite is your crystal. Hematite has the ability to draw out deep-rooted traumas. Like pulling out weeds that were a part of your current belief system that the conscious mind is not aware of.

This type of shadow work may be intense and overwhelming but will bring you closer to new truths. It will help you recognize your current mental state. This level of awareness on a conscious level is actually your hidden power.

And through becoming more conscious of your behaviors, you will be able to reprogram your subconscious into a new way of thinking.  

Unlike other dark and earth stones, say, for example, Obsidian, Hematite is a nurturing stone. It is taking you on a gradual path during your Spiritual evolution, without causing too much shock or stress. That is why it’s ideal for those who wish to heal through confronting their past, slowly and gently.

Healing these traumas and rewriting old thought patterns will initiate your connection back to Mother Earth, helping you reconnect with your body, bring your clarity, and focus on the positive parts of life.

My preferred way to understand the spiritual meaning of Hematite is through connecting with a Hematite Palmstone.

Palmstones being polished, carry an even energy across their surface area and therefore will bring you a much more stable experience than raw stones, which are a bit more volatile.

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And if you would like to skip ahead and read about how to use Hematite, click here.

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Properties Of Hematite

Physical Properties

Hematite is a shiny, dark-colored reddish-brown stone found in South Africa and all over the world. It consists mainly of iron, which gives it its metallic sheen.

Hematite stones are opaque, not the strongest of stones (it has a 5-6 on the Mohs hardness scale). And they have a strong metallic luster.

When found in nature, Hematite will be rough and blood red – because of its iron content. But once polished, it takes on a beautiful, mirror-like sheen, which makes it extremely popular in semi-precious jewelry.

Metaphysical Properties

Hematite’s main metaphysical property could be described as “grounding.”

If you tend to have a ‘flighty’ mind, prone to distraction, lack of focus, or anxiety, or even if you feel that you have a strong imagination, but that it’s impacting you negatively, this could be the perfect stone for you.

It won’t “kill” your imagination – quite the opposite, as described above! But it will give you an increased ability to focus your mind in a productive way. Rather than becoming psychically distracted.

Just like Amethyst, Hematite’s energy is earthy. It is one of the best stones that you can use to harness the power of the element of earth to lend you strength and dispel negativity.

Benefits Of Using Hematite

Hematite’s powerfully earthy energy means that you can use it for almost any project that involves the power of the element of earth.

Earth is the element that rules the physical world, money, practical thinking, and decision making. This makes the powers of earth extremely popular and beneficial!

Thinking in a solid, logical way that will also improve your material and financial life is a pretty positive way to go through life.

Specifically, Hematite is a good stone for organizing one’s thoughts and developing logical thinking skills.

Hematite has an almost steely quality and feel to it which means that intellectually speaking, you always feel as though you have a solid footing.

In debates, you might not always win the day. But with Hematite, you will certainly find yourself more capable of articulating your points than you might usually be.

It’s welcome energy indeed, but luckily it doesn’t make you wilfully confrontational. Instead, you’re more likely to calmly and confidently defend your position on something assertively. Rather than going out looking for wrongs to right or sticking your nose into other peoples’ affairs.

Indeed, if you find it hard not to try and rush in and save others, Hematite can prove a wonderfully grounding stone.

It will help you to remember that the here and now demands your attention. And it’ll make you calm and collected enough that, if people really do need a hand, you’ll be someone they come to of their own volition. How flattering!

It is a useful stone for improving your skills in subjects such as mathematics, argumentation, and debate, or problem-solving.

If you’re put off by the idea of a stone benefiting ‘logical’ thinking and worried that it might negatively impact your creativity: Fear not!

In fact, logical thinking is a prerequisite for creative thinking.

The most creative thinkers, from painters like Picasso to scientists like Einstein, or even young children, are actually the most ruthless appliers of logic.

They apply logic so rigorously that they come very quickly to conclusions or ideas that other people would dismiss as ‘crazy’.

In other words, if you feel that your creative thinking is stagnant and you’d like to up it a notch, then using Hematite to improve your logical thinking skills is the best thing you can possibly do for yourself!

Like Amazonite, it also has strong emotional benefits. Because, as many dark-colored stones do, Hematite dispels negativity and “purifies” the emotional realm.

It balances its user’s self-esteem and self-vision by sweeping away all the negativity that so often clouds our understanding of ourselves.

By using Hematite, you make way for more positive energy to enter into your life.

How To Best Use Hematite

Hematite As Jewelry

Because Hematite is both very aesthetically pleasing and relatively inexpensive and common, Hematite jewelry is quite easy to procure.

I recommend wearing Hematite as a necklace or bracelet. Both necklaces and bracelets place Hematite over your vital pulse points, thus maximizing its protective energy.

Wide cuff bracelets and choker-style necklaces are especially good for driving the point of the protection home. They will make you feel a little more like Wonder Woman or Superman. But bangles, pendants, or strings of stones are great too!

Don’t forget to consider options for Hematite rings, too. It’s a more discreet but no less powerful way to enjoy the energies of this stone, primarily if you work at a place that doesn’t allow wearing larger pieces of jewelry.

However you choose to add Hematite to your accessories and jewelry, you can guarantee that your life will feel the energizing and soothing effects of this protective and powerful stone.

It all depends on what kind of statement you want your jewelry to make!

It’s this protective quality that distinguishes Hematite among other precious stones and crystals. With it, you can’t help but feel intrinsically connected to your inner well of confidence.

All the usual things that people do and say that get under your skin will somehow seem that much less daunting if you’re able to really connect well with your Hematite’s energy.

Often, people don’t realize how their actions affect us. And you might find that something you have built up in your mind is not as difficult once you speak it aloud.

When you prepare for a difficult confrontation (especially one that has to do with money), put on your Hematite like armor!

This strong, protective stone will keep you emotionally and spiritually safe. And you should think of it as having that purpose.

When putting it on, think of yourself like a knight in a movie putting on his armor before going into battle.

If you don’t feel like wearing jewelry, then carrying a piece in your pocket is perfectly fine, too.

Make sure to carry some Hematite with you when going to a job interview, a meeting with your boss, or a promotion or tenure appeal.

In Your Home

Placing Hematite around your house is a great way to dispel negativity. Especially if you feel that your home is in the path of some sort of negative energy.

Many people living in cities feel that the ‘vibrations’ of the city disturb their home, making them feel nervous and stressed.

Placing Hematite near doorways or windows (ideally over the door and on the windowsills) will purify the energy that is entering your home. This also applies if, for whatever reason, the “energy” of your house itself feels wrong.

Many people who believe that traumatic memories haunt their houses would benefit from placing some Hematite in the house to ‘suck out’ the residual negative energies.

Hematite Against Nightmares

If you or a loved one are suffering from nightmares, place Hematite under your (or their) bed or pillow. This will keep the negative energies that cause nightmares at bay.

This can also be beneficial if you have insomnia, especially insomnia brought on by anxiety, although I recommend speaking to a medical professional if this is a persistent issue.

Divination And Foretelling

Hematite is a highly sought-after gemstone because it can be used for divination.

Hematite is often used in foretelling by positioning it to reflect a candle’s flame. Focus on the flame’s reflection on the Hematite and think about a question that you want to be answered.

Many believe Hematite to be a male gemstone because of the excess of iron in its structure. Iron is typically a male element.

However, anyone can use it, especially if your intention is to create, invite, inspire, restore, or strengthen love.

Its healing energies will promote peace and balance in any relationship. Many also believe that this stone will give you better concentration and mental clarity.

Powers Of Hematite

Hematite is a healing stone that can benefit you in multiple different fields of your life. It is best known for its positive effects on business and career fields.

But it can also be helpful in your romantic relationships, your family life, your spiritual development, and your general perspective towards yourself.

Taking that career perspective into account, you’ll find that being around this stone or wearing it as an accessory while on the job, will help you stay consistently energized throughout your workday.

Better still, it will give you a solid rational mind to deal with unexpected challenges that occur.

Similarly, we often encounter unexpected challenges in love, or when trying to enjoy smooth family relationships.

These issues are always made to look so much easier on TV or in books and movies than the real world hard work that goes into being harmonious with our loved ones in all we do.

While Hematite isn’t a substitute for hard work, it can ease the journey of getting everyone on the same page and collectively stronger for it.

It’s always best to put Hematite directly on your skin. Others recommend making an elixir, but the best way to use your Hematite and enjoy its healing powers is through direct contact.

Hematite For Wealth

Because of Hematite’s connection to the element of Earth, it’s one of the best stones you can use for its financial benefits.

Remember, Earth is the element that rules money – why do you think American money is green?

If you’re seeking a promotion, a raise, or maybe a new job that will benefit you from a financial perspective, Hematite is an excellent stone to incorporate into your life.

Its power will not only make people see you more positively. But it will also give you the skills of healthy logical thinking and practicality that are so rare and valuable in most career fields.

Hematite, Love And Relationships 

When it comes to interpersonal relationships – whether romantic, familial, or just friendly or social – this is the perfect stone for keeping you far away from ‘drama.’

While some people seem to attract fusses like magnets, Hematite will repel all that unnecessary, negative, attention-seeking behavior.

From a spiritual and emotional perspective, Hematite is a good stone for fostering gratitude for what you have.

Appreciating what you have in the here and now is one of the single healthiest things you can do for your mind and spirit.

Of course, there are other kinds of healing you can gain from using this stone to help you in love, too.

For example, you might find from time to time that you cave into your partner’s demands despite a small voice of intuition saying that you should try things your way.

Before you know it, things have gone awry. Both of you are upset and you can’t help but think that your notion may have avoided all that.

Hematite can help you to connect to the moment. It helps to ensure that you can lovingly inform your partner that you’d feel a lot better if they tried tackling a certain situation your way.

When you speak from this position of clarity and confidence, you can’t help but really sell your vase, so to speak, in a strong yet compassionate way.

Of course, sometimes things go wrong no matter what you and your lover do. In moments like this, the stable energies of Hematite will help you bond in these moments. Instead of finding that you drift apart or grow resentful for them.

Healing Powers Of Hematite

Hematite has a long history as a healing stone for physical ailments. Hematite has been used for centuries in medicine for a very good reason – it contains iron!

Iron deficiency is the cause of many health problems. So it’s only natural that a stone containing iron would be touted for its healing properties.

Hematite has been said to have positive effects on the heart and the circulatory system. It can also ease symptoms that are exacerbated by stress or anxiety, due to its grounding properties.

It has been widely reported to help ease problems associated with the legs and arms. Specifically leg cramps and related pains.

Remember, however: crystology is never an acceptable substitute for professional medical attention! Never use any stone as a replacement for seeing a qualified doctor or medical professional.

Furthermore, it should be noted that, due to Hematite’s iron content, any sort of healing process that requires you to consume any quantity of the stone should be regarded with extreme caution and skepticism.

Iron is an important micronutrient. And if you’re an Ancient Roman, then taking a Hematite elixir might be a great way to get it. But it can quickly become toxic if you’re literally eating the metal.

Get your iron nutrients from spinach or red meat instead, and save Hematite for spiritual nutrition.

Meditating With Hematite

As a meditative aid, holding or wearing Hematite stone in any form is a very grounding and strengthening action to take.

Meditation is a wonderful practice, yet it can also often have unintended side effects. Especially for those trying it for the first few times.

Oftentimes, the visions presented by this meditation are surprising or startling and they can be so vivid that it’s almost a form of culture shock.

Hematite will keep you strong in moments like these and also help you to stay courageous and connect only to your higher and lighter self during these meditative journeys.

It is a stone of thinking and intellectualism. So it will also help you make sense of much of the symbolism and visions that you might encounter.

The Best Crystals And Stones To Combine With Hematite

Combinations Based On Elements

Considering Hematite’s earthy energy, it can very effectively be combined with stones that display the powers of the other three elements (air, fire, and water).

Sets of these stones will promote balance in your life, as incorporating the energies of the four elements is one of the best ways to create a well-rounded psychic lifestyle.

The best stones for the other three elements to combine with Hematite (earth):

• Clear Quartz for air
• Topaz for fire
• Aquamarine for water

But there are plenty of other options! Do your research and choose stones that feel right for you.

When you are using elemental stones, you can use all four of them at the same time. Or you can use them at different times of day, depending on the type of energy you need.

For example:

• Fire when you’re waking up,
• Air when you’re going to work,
• Earth partway through the day when you need the discipline to get through difficult tasks,
• Water at the end of the day when you go home to your family.

Combining Stones Of Different Energies

Like all stones that dispel negativity, you should regularly combine Hematite with a stone that increases positive energy.

Hematite healing often is a means by which to protect against negative influences. That could be the actions and unkind words of others, or us falling afoul of our own ways and sabotaging ourselves.

There’s a rock-steady energy to Hematite that helps to soothe anxiety and promote a healthy kind of confidence. Never arrogant, but always quietly assured in its own conviction. We could all use a little more of this from time to time.

Especially if you are a natural empath, you can use Hematite to help prevent you from taking on too many of the energies of others, or likewise, losing yourself to the problems of others and their needs. Your needs are important also, and you are within your rights to fulfill them for yourself.

By combining Hematite effectively with other stones and crystals in your collection, you can create wonderfully harmonious energies that ensure that no one way of being overpowers the other.

As with any stone that dispels negativity, if positive energy is not brought into life in a balanced way, the outcome can be a void. And while negative feelings are removed, they may be replaced by a certain numbness, apathy, or sense of detachment.

Good options for stones that increase positivity include Pearls, Ametrine, and Aventurine. All of these stones improve harmony and strong relationships within your life.

By incorporating these stones alongside Hematite, you can pull out the toxic energies and relationships from your life. And you can replace them with positive, healthy energies!

Chakra Crystal Combinations

Since Hematite is associated with the Root chakra (the chakra that grounds us in our physical reality), it can be effectively combined with other chakra stones, to address problems that involve two or more chakras that are either blocked or overactive.

For example, when the root chakra is blocked, it frequently indicates a ‘spacey’ attitude and a disconnect from reality.

When combined with, for example, a blocked solar plexus chakra (the chakra that rules ambition), this could lead to extreme complacency and unwillingness to take the next steps in your life. The stereotypical ‘adult living in their parents’ basement’.

In a situation like this, combining Hematite with a solar plexus chakra stone, such as Prehnite or Imperial Topaz, can address this problem as efficiently as possible.

The kinds of metaphysical properties you can expect from Hematite, as you work with this stone’s energies more and more, will see you or those around you overcoming these tendencies towards lounging around or giving up on ambitions at the first sign of failure.

Hematite has a solidness to its energy that promotes stability, intelligent thinking in terms of moving projects and ideas forward, as well as more confident ways of communicating with those around you.

If social anxiety is a big reason behind why you don’t feel you’re leading the successful life you deserve, spending time meditating with Hematite can do wonders for opening you up to your inner conviction and giving you the strength you need to push through.

The difference really surprises most people!

How To Tell If A Hematite Is Real?

Watch out for fake Hematites that are quite common. There’s a synthetic form of Hematite that can be purchased for a more affordable price and it’s known as Hematine.

Here’s how you can find out if a Hematite is real or not:

• The best way to know if your Hematite is real is by streaking your Hematite on porcelain (like a porcelain plate or a porcelain tile). If it’s real Hematite, it will leave a red streak. If it’s not, it will streak gray.
• You can also perform the magnet test: a real Hematite does not get attracted to a magnet while the fake Hematines do.
• If you’re shopping for a Hematite and you see gemstone dealers advertising its magnetic powers, they are peddling the synthetic and man-made kind.

Most of the Hematite stones that you will see have a metallic gray color because they have been highly polished. But the appearance of Hematite is not really metallic gray. It’s more like a silvery dark gray.

Hematite is harder than iron but also more brittle. It’s sometimes called a black diamond.

If you would cut a Hematite in very thin plates, it would look transparent and red.

Genuine Hematite does not have magnetic properties. The magnetism in the fake Hematine is because of the powdered iron oxide.

It’s important that you find reputable and credible gemstone dealers when you’re buying Hematites. Or any other gemstone for that matter.

A gemstone’s price is not always a guarantee that what you’re buying is the real thing. However, a company’s good reputation should put your mind at ease.

Do your research about new gemstone dealers and try to avoid incredibly flawless but inexpensive crystals.

Check out the seller or dealer’s credentials on their websites. You can find many credible sources that sell authentic gems and crystals. But there are also those who sell manufactured stones.

How To Cleanse Hematite

If you own a piece of Hematite, make sure that you don’t cleanse its energies with water.

There are other ways to cleanse it, like using other cleansing crystals. Hematite itself can also cleanse other stones and crystals.

My Final Thoughts On The Power Of Hematite

Hematite stones are a great option to introduce into your life if you feel that you are having trouble grounding yourself in reality.

This might mean an overactive imagination, persistent feelings of anxiety, or difficulty progressing in your career.

Hematite promotes logical, practical thinking, which is the foundation for all great ideas.

It is also a surprisingly wonderful stone for relationships since its ability to ground you in logic and practicality will prevent the flights of fancy that cause problems in some relationships!

Anxiety, doubt, and imagination are at the core of many of the communication problems that couples face.

Yet this, among others, is just one of the problems Hematite can help you to solve.

And while it might be associated with rust, this crystal will keep you sharp and shiny!

It’s rare to find an energy that so capably combines logic and creativity in such a harmonious balance. Hematite encourages this balance within you and gets your head and your heart pulling in the same direction.

When your emotions seem to be going haywire, this is the healing stone that will ground you. And likewise, when your mind is so critical and cutting in incisive thinking that you forget the feelings involved, Hematite will guide you home.

This stone is welcome in any crystal lovers’ collection. And how it balances, energizes, and harmonizes with your home is wonderfully serene.

If this helped you deepen your understanding of Hematite and its spiritual meaning and uses for healing, please like and share this article with your friends to help spread love and light in our world.