Known since antiquity as heliotrope, Bloodstone has been carried for centuries as a stone of courage, protection, and vitality. Its green chalcedony body flecked with iron-red inclusions gave rise to enduring legends and a long practical reputation as a cleanser and protector.

Bloodstone is a cryptocrystalline variety of quartz, a green chalcedony colored by chlorite or amphibole inclusions with red spots of iron oxide. Its chemical formula is SiO2 and it crystallizes in the trigonal system with a Mohs hardness of about 6.5 to 7.

Medieval Christian legend held that Bloodstone formed when drops of Christ's blood fell onto green jasper at the foot of the cross, earning it the name martyr's stone., The Greek name heliotrope, meaning sun-turning, came from the belief that the stone placed in water could turn the sun's reflection red., and Ancient warriors and athletes carried Bloodstone as an amulet believed to staunch bleeding and lend courage in battle and contest.

I stand steady in my own strength. I meet difficulty with grounded courage, protect my energy from what would drain it, and let renewal move through me until I feel whole and present again.