Black Tourmaline is one of the very first crystal-infused finishes I created for our line because it supported my early days of sobriety. Previously, I had struggled with boundaries, negativity in my perspectives and crippling codependency–many themes that Black Tourmaline are associated with for emotional healing.
One of the most common associations with Black Tourmaline is that it “repels negativity and sends it back to the owner/originator.” After becoming dedicated to my healing and working with the stone directly, I stopped resonating with this use of Black Tourmaline. I find the idea of “repelling” and “sending back” negativity just puts the emphasis on being negative without looking for the deeper lessons of why it is coming up. For me, working with the gifts of Black Tourmaline is actually about realizing that what we perceive as negative is more powerful when we place that meaning and attention upon it. When we give it power over us. Negativity can be found everywhere and can be crushing. We cannot avoid it, yet we can reframe it so that we can be more effective at creating more Love, Joy and Peace in our lives. Our planet has seen atrocities beyond comprehension, both globally and individually. Human life is challenging. When we really invest honestly and vulnerably in our healing, eventually we are able to build our resilience and live more in our loving purpose. We are better able to learn from even the most devastating experiences if we take the time to heal. We find that negativity isn’t something we need to give power by being fearful or avoidant of it (it’s impossible to avoid it, btw), rather it is something that we can navigate in a healthier and more loving way.
If we can ask ourselves...
“What lesson is in this negative situation for me and my expansion?”
“What am I being shown through this challenge?”
“What would an infinitely powerful and loving Creator say about this situation?”
“What do I need to do for myself to make this unavoidable negative situation more manageable?”
“What parts of myself need more love in order for me to endure this with grace, or simply survive?”
Negative experiences have the potential to teach us to love ourselves unconditionally. I truly believe that nothing that we can experience on this earth can ever make us unworthy of love from Source. This means being the victim of any wrong does not determine our inherent worth as a human Being. Looking at myself from this perspective is helping to release me from the shame of abuse, of being an addict and all of the other projections that come at me as a person in the world. And this is why I don’t use Black Tourmaline to repel or send any negativity. I don’t want to deprive myself of the lessons available in acknowledging and exploring what a negative experience might have to teach me. I can’t entirely avoid negative situations anyway, so why not figure out how to be healthier in my response to them?
THEMES I LIKE TO WORK WITH WHEN USING BLACK TOURMALINE:
EMOTIONAL: Protection, Energetic and Emotional Boundaries, Grounding, Centering, Cleansing, Clearing, Working with unpleasant emotions or Shadow Work, Codependency
SPIRITUAL: Past Life Work, working with the Unconscious Mind, Energetic Boundaries when doing Spiritual Work
MENTAL*: Focus, Clarity, Letting Go, Finding Calm in Chaos
PHYSICAL*: may block EMF, may support Detoxification
PLANT ALLIES: Allspice, Anise Seed, Basil, Benzoin, Citronella, Clove, Eucalyptus (all types, especially Lemon), Lemongrass, Palo Santo, Palmarosa, Pine, Rosemary, Sage (all types), Tea Tree (and all others in Melaleuca family), Vetiver
ESSENTIAL OILS: for boundaries: Tea tree, Onguard blend, Clove, Oregano, Rosemary, Lemongrass for grounding: Forgive blend, Balance blend, Peace blend, Vetiver for Shadow Work: Copaiba, Black Pepper
This is by no means an exhaustive accounting of Black Tourmaline’s uses or allies. By far the most important and impactful associations are the ones we make individually with the stones, plants and tools through our own intuition and experience. There is no wrong way to work with this stone, so don’t worry about messing it up!
WAYS TO USE BLACK TOURMALINE:
When you feel that you need support from any of its qualities…
carry it in your pocket for support throughout the day
keep it in your space to remind you of the theme you’re working with right now
use it in meditation for grounding
use it to make a ritual arrangement while setting your intentions
combine it with any of its plant allies that resonate with you or whose qualities would be supportive to you right now
place polished Black Tourmaline chips in your favorite essential oil blend
create a Ritual Bath with plant allies that support your theme and place Black Tourmaline crystals around the bath
apply diluted Tea tree to solar plexus and wear or carry Black Tourmaline before setting healthy boundaries in your relationships
My favorite books for essential oil and crystal reference can be found here. I am also a firm believer in relying on my own intuition, especially when creating personal rituals for emotional and spiritual healing. The wisdom we need is already inside of us, we just have to trust ourselves enough to hear it and act upon it.
I hope this has inspired you in your own use of Black Tourmaline, thank you for reading and thank you for being on the Planet. My next post will more thoroughly explore essential oils that pair well with working with Black Tourmaline, so stay tuned for it very soon.
MUCH LOVE.
Shannon
*all associations for mental and physical uses are meant as inspiration only and are not intended to be a replacement for care provided by healthcare professionals. I believe that we should use all the tools available to us and modern medicine is an integral part of well being.
