Olivine
(OH-liv-een)What is Olivine?
Olivine is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth, and it occurs in outer space, too. It is widely studied as members of the Olivine group and are regarded as some of the minerals that were essential for the formation of life.
Olivine gives us insight into the processes involved in planetary formation. It is plentiful on Earth and is most commonly found in igneous rocks. It has also been found on Mars and extraterrestrial bodies, including the Moon and in meteorites.
Olivine predominantly can be found as part of rock masses. When it is found as distinct, individual crystals, these crystals are generally referred to as Peridot, a translucent green to olive-green gem.
A magnesium iron silicate mineral, Olivine refers to a mineral group. It contains a solid solution series with the two end members – Fayalite (iron-rich Olivine) and Forsterite (magnesium-rich Olivine).
Olivine is also highly prone to alteration. It changes into different minerals when exposed to water or carbon dioxide at specific temperatures. A common example of an altered Olivine mineral is Serpentine, and a rare one is Iddingsite.
On an energetic level, all members of the Olivine group resonate with primordial life force energy. They are stones of growth, expansion, abundance, connection, and more. Now, let’s delve into the nature of Olivine, including some of its many benefits.
Olivine Healing Properties & Benefits
Vitality
- Olivine crystals are great for increasing vitality. They encourage our awareness and connection to the fresh and constant supply of life force energy that is always abundantly present.
- Wearing a piece of jewelry with Olivine is a great way to keep this crystal close and constantly attuned to the benefit of vitality.
Fertility and Creativity
- This mineral group is strongly associated with the energy of springtime and with Earth energy. This leads to it including the benefits of creative energy and improved fertility for both males and females. On a physical level, weathered down Olivine also contributes to the fertility of volcanic soils due to the minerals it contains.
- Using a visualization practice of your choice while holding a piece of Olivine will work well to connect with the stone’s creative and fertile vibrations.
Confidence
- Many Olivine crystals, especially those that include any hints of yellow, energize the Solar Plexus Chakra and boost confidence and willpower. The ruling Fire element and Mars’ energy of this mineral group also contribute to this confidence.
- Sit up straight, hold your Olivine crystal at the level of your Solar Plexus, and take 11 strong, full deep breaths with the intention of embodied confidence.
Emotional Healing and Wellbeing
- Olivine minerals’ effectiveness for the Heart Chakra leads to many emotional benefits, including transforming stuck emotions, such as jealousy, hatred, anger, depression, and emotional wounds. It also passionately encourages open-hearted, positive feelings.
- Regular meditation with Olivine is one of the best ways to presently and receptively connect with this stone for emotional healing and well-being.
Self-Love
- This is another benefit that is strongly linked to the effect this stone has on the Solar Plexus and Heart Chakras. Olivine’s benefits are powerfully guiding us toward feeling and embodying self-love.
- Get yourself a piece of Olivine jewelry and program it with your intention for this specific purpose of self-love.
Olivine Spiritual Properties & Benefits
Abundance
- These crystals help us to see the abundance of the natural world and attune to abundance consciousness, which encompasses material abundance, abundance of energy, positive emotions, connection, and inspiration.
- Hold your Olivine stone and engage in a gratitude practice where, each day, you acknowledge and give thanks for a minimum of 11 things or experiences that you are grateful for.
Natural Balance and Cycles
- Olivine’s properties help us to restore or maintain natural balance where it is needed. This stone can help balance masculine and feminine energies and also helps us to understand and live in harmony connected to the cycles of the natural world. This crystal encourages an intimate awareness of the Moon cycle and the life-death-life cycle of transformation that also occurs within us.
- Regularly connecting with your Olivine stone while practicing breathwork is a good way to connect with the cycling of the life force within, to balance your energy, emotions, thoughts, and physical body, and be present to other natural cycles. Alternating nostril breathing technique is a good option if you’re seeking to balance masculine and feminine energies within.
Deeper Connection
- This family of crystals is heart-opening and guides us into an active, deep connection with nature. This includes ourselves and the intricate magic of the natural world surrounding us, including other humans, animals, plants, crystals, seasons, etc.
- Committing to daily meditation with your Olivine crystal is a way that you can foster a deeper connection with yourself and all of life that you interact with.
Transformation and Renewal
- Olivine also has a resonance with renewing and transformational power. It includes a ruling Fire element that burns away illusion and all that no longer serves, and it transforms energy rapidly and completely. It brings us to a state of infinite potential, will, and passion to act and harness the creative, fertile, and fresh energy of spring.
- One way to work with your Olivine crystal for this purpose is by using affirmations or visualization while holding your crystal. Affirm or visualize your highest intentions that you wish to embody through your process of transformation and renewal.
Extraterrestrial Awareness
- For those interested in the cosmos surrounding Earth and beyond, this can be a fascinating spiritual benefit. As this mineral originates both on Earth and in space, it can also strengthen our link with the energies and knowledge of the vast cosmos.
- Hold your piece on Olivine when connecting with a specific celestial body, star being’s consciousness, or when exploring cosmically through deep meditation, astral projection, or lucid dreaming.
Side Effects of Olivine
- Increased energy levels: Some people may be sensitive to the influx of energy that these stones facilitate. You may also take some time to adjust, integrate, or learn to direct this increased level of energy.
- Deep Empathy: This may create overwhelm in the beginning stage of working with these crystals, especially if you identify as an empath or are not yet able to hold space for the emotions. The reason Olivine increases empathy is because this is part of the process of deepening authentic connection to all beings.
Olivine Meaning: What Does Olivine Symbolize?
The meaning of Olivine is Abundance
Olivine makes up over 50% of the Earth’s upper mantle. This mineral is physically abundant in many of its forms, which leads to it also symbolizing abundance.
The symbolism and frequency of abundance not only include material wealth and possessions but also an abundance of energy, love, connection, and health. Peridot (Olivine crystal) is also associated with spring, which contributes to it symbolizing nature’s abundance and fertility.
This mineral has been called by different names throughout time, but the term Olivine, representing its olive green color, was decided by the geologist AG Werner in the 18th century.
Olivine crystals were known to be a favorite stone of Cleopatra and of the Ancient Egyptian royalty, in general. Today, it is still the national gem of Egypt.
The green gem form of Olivine, Peridot, is widely popular worldwide in jewelry, and it is the official birthstone for those born in August.
Fun Fact: There are places in the world with green-sand beaches, and this is due to Olivine. Two examples are Papakolea Beach in Hawaii and Hornindalsvatnet in Norway.
Types of Olivine
- Peridot: The most popular translucent green gemstone variety of Olivine. Peridot is a fantastic emotional healing stone, and it is also a stone of increased abundance.
- Chrysolite: This naming is sometimes used interchangeably with Peridot. It is often regarded as the more yellow Olivine gemstone. Chrysolite is an excellent crystal to work with to increase self-love and inner strength.
- Forsterite: Forsterite is the more common magnesium-rich variety of Olivine. It is usually green, pale yellow, or colorless. Forsterite includes all the benefits of Olivine and is especially beneficial for balancing the Solar Plexus and Heart Chakras.
- Fayalite: This is the iron-rich variety of Olivine. The crystals are usually green-yellow, yellow, or brown. It is good for grounding and clarifying thoughts and emotions.
- Dunite: Also known as Olivinite, it is a coarse-grained igneous rock predominantly made up of Olivine. A powerful stone for connection and heart health on energetic and physical levels.
- Tephroite: A dark brown, red-brown, olive-green to gray Olivine mineral that is useful for its grounding energy as well as physical healing and manifestation.
- Calcio Olivine: Light yellow to light rose, thin sections are colorless. This stone has an energy that encourages kindness and compassion.
- Glaucochroite: A gray-blue, brown, pink, or white crystal that is part of the Olivine group and often formed in combination with other minerals. This stone is useful for physical and emotional balance and wellness.
- Kirschsteinite: Pale green to greenish-gray member of the Olivine group. Work with this variety of Olivine for improved emotional stability.
- Monticellite: Greenish, gray, or colorless transparent or translucent crystal from the Olivine group. Monticellite is a good stone for emotional healing and clarity.
- Laihunite: Dark brown to blackish sub-metallic or metallic member of the Olivine group. Laihunite is grounding and protective.
- Liebenbergite: A yellow-green, dark green, or brighter green translucent or transparent nickel Olivine. These crystals often form clustered together. Liebenbeegite is a good stone to work with when dealing with heartbreak or emotional stress.
- Olivine with Calcite: Usually, the Forsterite variety of Olivine form together with light-colored Calcite crystals. This combination is deeply healing on physical, emotional, and mental levels.
- Olivine with Spinel: Olive-green to brighter green Forsterite crystals can be together with or form the matrix for dark Spinel crystals. Olivine with Spinel is great for improving fertility and provides a refreshing energy.
- Olivine with Magnetite: Grayish-black to iron black Magnetite together with the Olivine mineral Forsterite. Together, these minerals have a strengthening and energizing effect.
- Olivine with Basalt: Specimens that include Olivine crystals and black volcanic Basalt. A good combination for increased courage and creative energy.
How to Cleanse Olivine?
- Earth: Place your Olivine crystal on the Earth’s surface or buried under soil for up to 2 hours.
- Smudging: Light up a natural incense or herb smudge bundle and circle the smoke around your crystal 5 times.
- Affirmations: Hold your stone and cleanse it with the power of your intention and energy of the words, like, “I now completely cleanse this Olivine crystal.”
Questions and Answers
Yes, due to its moderate hardness, Olivine can be in water for short periods.
Yes, Olivine can be exposed to sunlight, but avoid long periods of full sun exposure.
Yes, Peridot is a green translucent gem from the Olivine group, but there are also other crystals different from Peridot that can be classified as Olivine minerals.
Olivine crystals are especially great for emotional healing, self-love, and connecting to the natural world, including yourself, other beings, and cosmic energies beyond Earth.
Olivine is found in Hawaii as it is mostly found in igneous (volcanic) rock, and Hawaii is a volcanic island. There is even an entire green beach in Hawaii covered in tiny pieces of weathered Olivine.
No, Olivine is one of the most abundant minerals on Earth. However, some high-quality precious gemstone pieces of Olivine may be considered rare.
Olivine is not known to be toxic to humans to touch, but naturally, dust when cutting this stone should not be inhaled as this can pose physical harm. On an energetic level, Olivine is definitely a great help to humans.
The chemical formula can vary according to the variety, but in general, the Olivine formula is (MgFe)2SiO4.
Interactions with Olivine
Olivine vs. Emerald
Olivine and Emerald can be worn together as they share ruling chakras and are both associated with the Earth element. Together, these stones are wonderful for increased prosperity and emotional harmony.
| Crystal | Olivine | Emerald |
| Chakras | Solar Plexus and Heart. | Root, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye, and Crown. |
| Ruling Planets | Earth, Moon, Sun, and Mars. | Mercury and Venus. |
| Ruling Elements | Earth and Fire. | Earth |
| MOHS | 6.5 to 7. | 7.5 to 8. |
Olivine vs. Green Aventurine
Olivine and Green Aventurine complement each other well energetically, although their associated ruling planets are not always compatible. The strong influence of both these crystals on the Heart Chakra means they work well together for healing and opening this energetic center.
| Crystal | Olivine | Green Aventurine |
| Chakras | Solar Plexus and Heart. | Heart |
| Ruling Planets | Earth, Moon, Sun, and Mars. | Mercury and Venus. |
| Ruling Elements | Earth and Fire. | Air, Water, and Earth. |
| MOHS | 6.5 to 7. | 6.5 to 7. |
Olivine vs. Basalt
It’s not shocking that Olivine and Basalt are compatible on an energetic level as they are both formed in volcanic environments and often seen combined within rock specimens. Together, these stones are strengthening, transformational, and energizing.
| Crystal | Olivine | Basalt |
| Chakras | Solar Plexus and Heart. | Root, Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye and Crown. |
| Ruling Planets | Earth, Moon, Sun, and Mars. | Earth, Sun, and Pluto. |
| Ruling Elements | Earth and Fire. | Fire and Earth. |
| MOHS | 6.5 to 7. | 4 to 9. |
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