What is Black Tourmaline?
Black tourmaline is a variety of tourmaline, which is a crystalline boron silicate mineral. It's actually the most abundant (and affordable) type of tourmaline, and it's filled with iron, resulting in its rich, dark colour.
A lot of iron-based minerals have this historical connection—and modern connection—with protection, adding that true Black Tourmaline will always be opaque. You shouldn't really be able to see light through it.
It's known to offer protection.
The two primary properties of black tourmaline are protection and grounding. "It's a go-to stone for protection and for shielding or the removal of unwanted energy," Reiki with Zen says, adding, it can be helpful if you know you're going into a situation that will be difficult or challenging.
It's Grounding.
Along with being protective, black tourmaline is also a crystal that will help you come back down to earth, so to speak. As Van Doren explains, it can help offset more high-energy crystals that aren't so grounding, with Leavy adding it helps to keep you present and centered.
It clears away negative energy.
And lastly, black tourmaline can be helpful for clearing negative energy, whether it be negative thought cycles or patterns or simply offering a general "shield."
It cleanses your energy body, particularly when paired with a stone like selenite crystal. It has this great ability to keep you mindful of the present moment and really tuned in to what's going on.
How to use Black Tourmaline:
Place it in your home for protection.
One of the most common ways to use black tourmaline is to simply keep it in your home for protection. Reiki with Zen says she thinks of it like a bodyguard or guard dog: "It protects the boundaries of your space, so it's good to keep it near the entrances of your home, your office, or wherever you spend time."
Keep it on you when you're out and about.
Of course, it's also a good stone to keep on you whenever you're out in the world, especially if you know you're going into a difficult situation. Reiki with Zen recommends keeping one in your car, as well.
Sleep with it nearby.
Reiki with Zen recommends keeping some black tourmaline nearby while you sleep, whether you place one under your pillow or mattress or keep it on your nightstand. Thanks to its grounding and protective energy, it'll help you unwind before bed and sleep with a little extra feeling of protection.
Combine it with other crystals.
As aforementioned, Reiki with Zen suggests using black tourmaline in tandem with Selenite Crystal, which can help cleanse your energy body. You can simply keep them side by side, or meditate with both of them in your hands.
Cleansing & charging your crystal.
Any of your preferred methods for cleansing and charging crystals will work well for black tourmaline, as it's a pretty durable crystal, according to Reiki with Zen. It isn't negatively affected by water or sunlight, so those are both good options for giving yours a good clean.
Reiki with Zen does note that if you're working with a Brazilian variety of black tourmaline that's very striated, you might want to avoid water, but other types (such as round, tumbled stones) should be fine.
Whether you opt for cleansing with sound, moonlight, or sunlight, your black tourmaline will hold up just fine.
The Takeaway
Black tourmaline might not be the flashiest crystal in the shop, but it's still very much worth having when you could use some protection. As Reiki with Zen tells it, it's a basic building-block stone and a must-have for any crystal collection!
Buy yours here today at Black Tumbled Touramaline Crystal Collection at Reiki with Zen.