October Birthstone - Opal

Healing Properties and Interesting Information

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Healing

Opal Clears, maintains and stimulates each chakra of the body. Attracts inspiration and diminishes fear. Balances the male/female energies in the body, as well as the mind and chakras. A 'teller' stone providing insight to shamen. This October birthstone is believed to be beneficial to eyesight.

Where Found

Old World sources for opal were Czechoslovakia and Hungary. Many important opal fields were discovered in New South Wales, South Australia, and Queensland in Australia in the late 19th Century. These fields still produce much of the world's opal but newer sources have been discovered in Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. In the United States, opal has been found and commercially worked in Nevada, Oregon and Idaho. The finest opals come from Australia, but are also found in Japan, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, India, New Zealand, Iceland, and the western United States (Nevada, Idaho, and California). Black opals, the most rare and valuable, are found only in Australia and Indonesia.

History, mythology

For the ancient Romans, opals symbolized hope and good luck. During early Medieval times,people even wore opals to maintain a strong heart, prevent fainting, protect against infection, and cleanse foul-smelling air.

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