New York - GARNET

The Barton Mine in the Adirondack Mountains is the world's largest garnet mine, mining mostly industrial abrasive grade garnet, but gemstone quality garnet is occasionally found.

Throughout history the Garnet has been a symbol of love and compassion.  It has been used to represent purity and truth in relationships, personal and in business.

Also throughout history Garnets have been used to light the way for sea travelers.  Because of its guiding quality, the garnet was the stone of choice to keep travelers safe on their journeys.

The Garnet has been thought to encourage success in business.  Putting Garnets on your desk is believed to turn-around a declining business.

The Garnet can support ingenuity, encourage charitable giving and enhance creativity.

This beautiful cranberry colored gem can cure ailments of the thyroid, kidneys and spleen, and reduce depression.  It has been known to aid in the healing of blood related disorders & diseases.

The addition of a Garnet to my necklace will foster my creativity, elevate my energy level and keep my blood pressure low.

The wine red garnet was designated the official state gem of New York in 1969.

Oklahoma – BARITE ROSE

The beauty of the Barite Rose symbolizes that all things are possible.  Legend has it that the Indian Warriors that have passed on return at night to carve the magnificent roses. The loveliest of all the rose specimens are found in Norman, OK, also known as the “Rose Rock Capital of the World”. 

The energy from the rose can enhance love and motivate teamwork.  It can encourage the sharing of new ideas and inspire one to make their dreams reality.  The “Rose” motivates us to be independent and frees us from the restraints of others on us. Use your Barite Rose while meditating to calm your inner state.

The Barite Rose can be used to remove toxins from your body and help recovering addicts to stay on their path.  It can also relax jittery nerves.  Barite is thought to absorb radioactivity and can protect one while working around computers.

The “Rose” can assist with memory & the retention of information.

The addition of a bead of Barite Rose to my necklace will keep me calm as I realize my memory is not as good as it used to be.

The Barite Rose was designated the official state rock of Oklahoma in 1968.

Mississippi – PETRIFIED WOOD

We’ve been here several times, with the most recent being 2 posts ago.  Who would have thought so many states would have chosen the beautiful but unsexy Petrified Wood as their state representative.

Although Petrified Wood can be found throughout Mississippi, the largest deposit can be found in the Mississippi Petrified Forest, a privately operated park and museum in Flora, created by a prehistoric log jam that occurred about 36 million years ago.

Borrowed from the Washington entry - Petrified Wood is an excellent gem for leaders who must adapt to the changes of time and become stronger, much like the gem itself.  Petrified Wood can help those who live in the city connect with nature and feel its presence.  Using a piece of Petrified Wood during meditation may help you feel the time when your Spirit was cradled by Nature.

Petrified Wood can help one feel safe and secure, calming natural basic fears.  The lovely but strong gem can strengthen one’s backbone, physically and figuratively.  It is beneficial to the skeletal system, skin and hair. Petrified wood is also known as the stone of patience.

It is said to be able to aid in the healing of age related disorders such as Alzheimer's, osteoporosis, and arthritis.

The addition of a bead of Mississippi Petrified Wood to my necklace will keep me erect as I face my fears.

Petrified Wood was designated the official state gem of Mississippi in 1976. (Just 1 year after Washington.)

Utah - TOPAZ

The Thomas Range of western Utah is one of the world's best sources for finding Topaz. Topaz occurs in a rainbow of colors. Topaz found in Colorado is usually pale blue while the Topaz mined in Utah is sherry or amber in color. True Topaz will lose color when exposed to sunlight.

In ancient Greece one believed that Topaz improved one’s strength and had the ability to render one invisible in times of need. It was also thought to have had the ability to detect the presence of poison in food or drink.

The birthstone of November it said to be able to cure insomnia, asthma and hemorrhages. It promotes relaxation while reducing tension. Topaz can aid with digestion and is thought to combat eating disorders such as anorexia & bulimia. Topaz assists with the treatments of ailments of the liver, gallbladder & endocrine glands.

Then golden stone is believed to encourage truth and forgiveness, openness and honesty. It can be used as a stone of love and good fortune. Topaz can assist with problem solving skills and help one to express their true thoughts & ideas. Utah Topaz strengthens faith and optimism, builds charisma & confidence.

The addition of Topaz to my necklace will help me to approach the daily parade of problems while remaining relaxed and indigestion free.

Utah designated the Topaz as its official state gemstone in 1969.

Washington – PETRIFIED WOOD

Well, we’ve been here before.  We’ve already explored Petrified Palmwood in Texas and Teredo Petrified Wood in North Dakota.  And now to Washington state…..

You can see a great selection of Petrified Wood at Gingko Petrified Forest State Park in Vantage, Washington.

Petrified Wood is an excellent gem for leaders who must adapt to the changes of time and become stronger, much like the gem itself.  Petrified Wood can help those who live in the city connect with nature and feel its presence.  Using a piece of Petrified Wood during meditation may help you feel the time when your Spirit was cradled by Nature.

Petrified Wood can help one feel safe and secure, calming natural basic fears.  The lovely but strong gem can strengthen one’s backbone, physically and figuratively.  It is beneficial to the skeletal system, skin and hair. Petrified wood is also known as the stone of patience. 

It is said to be able to aid in the healing of age related disorders such as Alzheimer's, osteoporosis, and arthritis.

Addition of a bead of Petrified Wood to my necklace will improve my patience and help me to connect with my natural side.  Peace, Love & Rock ‘n Roll.

Petrified Wood was designated the official state gem (although really a fossil) of Washington in 1975.

Minnesota - LAKE SUPERIOR AGATE

Well, it’s been almost a year since I made my last post.  At the rate, I will be retired before I finish all 50 states.  Hopefully I can submit my next post in the next few weeks and, hopefully, someone out there is still listening.

The Lake Superior Agate is a beautiful stone made up of geometric patterns of deep reds, browns and oranges, no doubt a product of the iron rich soil.  Found mostly in northeastern and north central Minnesota, Lake Superior Agates were deposited there by the last Ice Age glaciers.

This country is rich with a vast variety of agates, many of which represent the states in which they are found.  South Dakota has the Fairburn Agate, Kentucky the Fortification Agate, while Montana has the, you guessed it, Montana Agate.  (Take a journey back to these states to get a broader picture.)

Historically, the Lake Superior Agate was placed in cooking or drinking water to drive out a variety of illnesses.

The Lake Superior Agate can promote courage and improve one’s self-confidence.  It can be used to repair and improve personal relationships.

All Agates can be used to enhance creativity and fortify the intellect, making them beneficial stones for both students and artists.  Look to the Lake Superior Agate if you are too serious and need help finding your inner child.

The Lake Superior Agate encourages one to be faithful.  It helps to improve perception and memory, strengthen one’s concentration and is thought to develop one's analytical skills.

When you need an extra boost of energy put a Lake Superior Agate in your pocket.  The Lake Superior Agate can help to ease stress and anxiety and can cure insomnia. 

Select a Lake Superior Agate to assist in the healing of tooth & stomach issues, cure arthritis and reduce headaches.  It is also thought to improve digestion and heal ulcers.

The addition of a Lake Superior Agate to my necklace will encourage my creativity (maybe with finger paints and Play-Doh).

The Lake Superior Agate was designated the official gemstone of Minnesota in 1969.

Iowa - GEODE

Most people have been exposed to Geodes from childhood.  Who doesn’t remember the excitement of taking a hammer to that ugly, boring gray rock just to reveal its inner beauty of sparkling crystals?

The majority of Geodes have quartz crystals in their interior but there can be Amethyst, Jasper and Citrine as well.

Geodes can be found all around the world, mostly located in deserts and volcanic regions.  They are especially plentiful in the U.S. in California, Illinois, Nevada, Arizona, Missouri, Kentucky, Utah, and, of course, Iowa.

A Geode can be good for family harmony by encouraging a willingness to work together.  This can work in family, social & business situations.

Geodes in general are known to have very strong powers.  It is believed that they can help one to see situations from different viewpoints or to see the whole picture when making important decisions.  It is also believed that they can stimulate creativity.

A Geode can help you to remember to do something; exercise, make a call or buy a present.  The trick is to find one that connects to you.

Agate Geodes are especially powerful in alleviating stress, although all Geodes can be good for soothing & de-stressing.  The Geode helps to stimulate positive thought and boost moods.  This sparkling gemstone can help one to deal with difficult memories from the past.

The Geode can aid in the treatment of disorders of the nervous system, hands & lungs.  It can also promote the healing of allergic reactions and control obsessive behavior.

The addition of a Geode to my necklace will encourage me to work well with other and remind me when I forget to do so.

The Geode was designated the official rock of Iowa in 1967 to encourage state tourism.