Aye, the Ides of March bring more than bone chilling winds. March brings St. Patrick’s Day, with its parades and bright green shamrocks.  Looking deep into Scarlett O’Hara’s famous green eyes, her vigorous verve conjures up that voracious Irish Spirit.  Who doesn’t want to kiss the Irish? Even the great and powerful Oz lives in the Emerald City.  March is the harbinger of spring and heralds its aspirations. Longer days bringing more sunshine that tempts each creature out of the oddest of places, reminding us of the glory to come. Tender sprouts have already begun to shoot out of dormant grasses, buds seem to peel from frozen branches, and mossy streams begin, once more, to bubble.  Green is an amazing and healing color that symbolizes hope and growth; a lush paradise not lost. Chrysoprase murmured in my ear that she would like to be the focus of this month’s Gemstones Whisper column.  Who am I to blow against the wind?  Here at RootieBird’s I’ve recently taken up the skill of hand-knotting meditation beads, using Chinese Green Chrysoprase in my first endeavor. If you are looking for a deep meditation stone, this is it. The time spent caressing the luscious green orbs was well worth the effort. Chrysoprase’s mellow strength oozes a green aura of calm, comforting energy. Green is the resonating color of the Heart Chakra (Anahata).  So much compassion and love radiates out from our Heart Chakra to touch our fellow inhabitants of this Universe, stretching out to the highest planes. The heart is the center of our Chakra system and the color green is smack dab in the middle of the color spectrum.  While red or pink may be the color of love to most, in my mind, green is the color of love. To be fair, any green stone can resonate with the Heart Chakra, but Chinese Green Chrysoprase has a certain tug for me with its marbled strains of black and ivory and opulent olive hues. There is mathematics involved with this bosky color. Mathnovatory states “Green is the color of Addition-Subtraction (Stage 1 of Numerical Structure)… This is where Fibonacci numbers belong.”  If you look at some of nature’s examples you will find loads of Fibonacci in various green pigments. Watch a fern unfolding its sleepy tender shoots, Romanesque broccoli under a microscope, or spiral aloe, and discover the mystery of it all.  Nature in springtime is jam-packed with both rich and subtle green hues that hint at the geometry of Fibonacci. The number three is fifth in the Fibonacci sequence.  Chrysoprase vibrates with the number three. Three represents intelligence and inspiration as well as creativity and compassion. The number three is a unique number used in many cultures and religions. Christianity uses various three’s in symbolization including the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) … three in one.  Some prefer the Triad to show the unification of mind, body and spirit.  In time, there is past, present and future. Creation expresses vibrations through the number three, and three is the number of communication.   Communication comes in many forms, including verbal and non-verbal. Consider Botticelli’s Birth of Venus; Protection, passion, vulnerability and more are all communicated by oil paint on a canvas; no words are needed. The goddess Venus is representative of birth and symbolizes spring. When I think of Venus, I think of love, compassion and sexuality. Actually, Venus began her journey as a Deity of gardens, vegetation and agriculture in Rome.  Take a closer look at this Chinese Chrysoprase. Does it bring visions of lush green foothills, or perhaps a vineyard with dense fuzzy foliage? I envision a heady sun beaming through trees, speckling her light against mountain streams that tumble into the rich fertile soil and dense undergrowth of a rainforest. That’s what I call the embodiment of sensuality.  As usual, the poetry and romance got me off track. Chrysoprase is not associated with the goddess, Venus, but rather the planet. The planet Venus is named after the Roman goddess and is the slowest rotating of the major planets. Venus, as a planet, teaches us patience and persistence.  It is backlit by the Sun and can often be seen during daylight hours, its mirror reflection is so bright. Venus can either be a ‘Morning Star’ or an ‘Evening Star’, depending upon its orbit in relation to Earth. In ancient times, Venus was adored.  Astrologer Gary Brand states “Pythagoras and his followers revered Venus because it is the only planet bright enough to cast a faint shadow on moonless nights.” Also, Venus is a ‘sister’ to Earth, due to similar planetary characteristics. No wonder Chrysoprase is associated with this planet. While Chrysoprase may be associated with Venus, its element is Earth. Green is the color of the earth and that couldn’t be more apparent, gazing upon Chinese Chrysoprase.  Earth element brings practicality, dependability, and diligence. Individuals with a heavy concentration of this element love using the five senses to their fullest extent. Stopping to smell the roses, listening to the gentle strum of nature, placing your hand upon the rock to feel its vibration, seeing the definition of shadow, or tasting the sweetness of a kiss. Use of Chrysoprase helps promote our connection to Gaia and unconditional love of this physical realm.  If you would like to generate more of Earth’s energy into your environment you can rest assured Chrysoprase will lend a hand. Chrysoprase is the rarest member of the Chalcedony family and its color is derived not only from the nickel it contains, but also silicon dioxide.  Nickel is beneficial to the body in small doses, but too much can be toxic.  It is a trace mineral that is found in every individual on a cellular level and helps your body create nucleic acid and DNA, and aids in the production of hormones. Silicon is a naturally occurring element and Silicon dioxide is Silicon’s usable form.  The benefits of Silicon Dioxide include healthy bone formation, and slowing of the aging process as well as diminishing the negative effects of aluminum. Chrysoprase has been used in the treatment of heart disorders (heart chakra) and fertility problems (remember nickel’s benefits?). It helps with absorption of Vitamin C, and can help build dexterity (think silicon dioxide). On a deeper level, Chrysoprase helps with the flow of Chi, for connecting with higher vibrations.  Most people use stones in a vibrational or etheric manner.  I recommend its use physically. What better way to incorporate these benefits into your essence than letting it brush against the skin.  After all, the skin is the largest organ of the body. If physicians and pharmacists recommend patches for the absorption of pharmaceuticals, it is not a far stretch to theorize that the skin can also act as a sponge to utilize nature’s healing, through gemstones. If green is color of compassion and healing, then Chinese Chrysoprase is a fundamental gemstone to introduce the wonderful properties she brings for you.  Shakespeare warned us to beware the Ides of March…. I say embrace the winds of change. If you would like to connect with me or have any questions please email me Rootiebirds@gmail.com or visit my website http://www.chakrayourkarmagems.com/ If you would like more information about the jewelry shown  feel free to visit RootieBird’s Etsy Shop   http://www.etsy.com/shop/Rootiebirds?ref=si_shop Sources:  Chrysoprase, Healing Crystals, http://www.healingcrystals.com/Chrysoprase_Articles_117.html Color, The Art of Qualitative Mathematics, http://www.mathnovatory.com/color.html  Health Benefits of Nickel, Joe King M.S., Livestrong, http://www.livestrong.com/article/511598-health-benefits-of-nickel/  Metaphysical Venus, Gary Brand, Gary Brand Astrology, http://garybrandastrology.com/articles/echo/MetaphysicalVenus11-10-2007.html Natural Foods That Contain Silicon Dioxide, Livestrong, http://www.livestrong.com/article/518021-natural-foods-that-contain-silicon-dioxide/  Sacred Geometry and the Mayan Calendar, Ian Xel Lungold, Miscellaneous 2012 and Beyond, http://www.maya12-21-2012.com/lungold-sacred-geometry.html The Birth Of Venus – Botticelli, History of Paintings, http://www.historyofpaintings.com/history-of-paintings/renaissance-paintings/the-birth-of-venus.html The Fibonacci Sequence in Nature, Inspiration Green, http://inspirationgreen.com/fibonacci-sequence-in-nature.html  Venus, Metaplanets, http://metaplanets.org/venus/ Vibrations of the Numbers 0 to 10, NUMBERS-Joanne Sacred Scribes, http://sacredscribesangelnumbers.blogspot.com/p/vibrations-of-numbers-0-to-10.html ]]>