Consisting of carbon and silicate minerals, shungite is no ordinary stone. It is known to possess healing powers, and the ability to protect one from evil. Here’s an overview of the history, properties, and magical benefits of this stone.
Shungite is a black, lustrous, non-crystalline mineraloid that contains fullerenes. It is the only natural source of fullerenes. It is formed by a cluster mixture of carbon, silicon dioxide, and also pyrite, iron oxide, and aluminum oxide particles. Originally meaning a mineraloid that has over 98% carbon, the term shungite may also refer to shungite-bearing rocks. Based on their carbon content, they can be classified as Shungite-1, Shungite-2, -3, -4, and -5, where Shungite-1 has the highest carbon percentage, which is 98 – 100, and Shungite-5 has only 10% carbon. Based on its luster, shungite can be classified as bright (lustrous), semi-bright, semi-dull, and dull (matte).
A unique property of shungite is its conductivity. It is attributed to the carbon nanoclusters in this stone. In its purest form, shungite is known to possess a very high conductivity. In fact, this property is the test to distinguish an authentic shungite from a fake one.
Shungite Properties
Density – 2.2 to 2.4 gm/cm3
Porosity – 1.9 to 2.1 gm/cm3
Compressive Strength – 100-276 MPa
Shungite Varieties
Brilliant Variety
The Brilliant variety is C94, and only 1% of it is extracted of all the shungite mined. It is very hard and difficult to shape, which is why shungites of this variety are merely polished and used as pendants. Its carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and ash content are as follows:
C = 94%
O, N = 1.9%
H = 0.8%
Ash = 2.2%
Matte Gray Variety
The C64 Matte Gray variety is the most common shungite. Its carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, and ash content are as follows:
C = 64%
O, N = 3.5%
H = 6.7%
Ash = 3.3%
History
Shungite got its name from Shunga village in Russia where the first deposits of this stone were found. Other deposits of shungite include the one in the Lake Onega area of Karelia, Zazhoginskoye, one in Vozhmozero, and small deposits in Kamchatka and Chelyabinsk, in Russia. Deposits have also been found in Austria, Congo, Kazakhstan, and India.
As Yet Unknown
Some believe that shungite was formed from the breakdown of certain microorganisms that inhabited the oceans. Others say that it might have come on the Earth from outer space on a meteorite. It is not known how this stone came to our planet.
Why Shungite is a Miracle Stone
Shungite has been put to medical use since the 18th century. It is known as the stone of life. It possesses antibacterial properties, and can be used for water purification. History has it that, Peter the Great, the ruler of the Russian Empire in the 17th century, had set up a spa in Karelia, Russia, where shungite’s water purifying properties were used. It is said that he had the soldiers in his army carry a piece of shungite with them, which was probably a factor that helped the army in the Battle of Poltava.
Fullerene-rich
The fullerene content of shungite is where its healing properties come from. It is believed to be a miracle stone that can help in the treatment of physical health ailments, boost mental health, and induce positive energy.
Fullerenes are powerful and long-acting antioxidants. Antioxidants react with free radicals and stop the chain reactions that can lead to cell damage and degenerative diseases. Fullerenes help normalize cell metabolism, increase enzyme activity, give stability to cells, and boost the regenerative capacity of body tissues. They have anti-inflammatory properties, and can help reduce pain and stress. Shungite, being a rich source of fullerenes, offers these health benefits to the individual using it.
When water is treated with shungite, the antioxidants in this mineraloid eliminate free radicals and other impurities in the water, and the fullerenes give it medicinal properties. It’s no wonder that water bodies (springs or lakes) near the sources of shungite are known to have very pure water which has been used for healing purposes.
Shungite is an Earth Chakra stone, which is to say, it helps provide grounding. Using this stone (wearing it or carrying it with you) offers a good grounding and its associated benefits. This means, it neutralizes the excess charge from your body by draining it into the ground. It also protects against radiations from television, cell phones, computers, microwaves, and the like.
The health effects of the use of shungite can be summarized as follows:
- It provides protection against electrosmog.
- It balances cosmic and telluric energies.
- With the use of shungite, the effects of dirty electricity and geopathic stress can be reduced.
- It induces recovery and speeds up the process of healing.
- It absorbs negative energies and offers protection from anything negative or harmful to an individual.
- It brings about spiritual growth.
- It can help achieve a positive transformation and aid in attaining a higher state of consciousness.
Did You Know?
There is a Shungite room in Paris, among the first few of its kind, 43 sq feet in area, with shungite tiles on its floor and walls, and the ceiling coated with powdered shungite. The room can be used for relaxation sessions as the means to re-energize oneself, and also for carrying out bioenergetic experiments.
How to Use Shungite
In her book Shungite: Protection, Healing, and Detoxification, author Regina Martino (geobiologist and expert in bioenergetics) has suggested using shungite in combination with certain other crystals to reap certain specific benefits. She suggests using shungite with carnelian harmonizers to boost creativity, with tiger’s eye harmonizers to gain confidence, with selenite harmonizers to promote mental peace, and with fluorite harmonizers to strike a balance between the brain hemispheres. To aid intellectual work in an office space or study, rock crystals or fluorite could be used in combination with shungite. This combination is suited for an environment where mental stimulation is needed.
According to Regina Martino, a geobiologist and an expert in bioenergetics, shungite could be used to control hyperactivity in children by having them wear shungite pendants or giving them shungite water in small doses. Similarly, shungite pendants or belts could be worn by the elderly who experience pain due to arthritis or aging.
Wearing shungite bands in painful areas is said to help alleviate pain. One could make use of shungite carpets or cushions to regain strength and energy.
Shungite could be used to fight the fatigue experienced during long journeys. Regina Martino suggests that this fatigue can be attributed to our lost connection with the ground during travel, added to it, the electromagnetic fields produced by GPS and cell phones in the car, acting on our body. This health effect, according to Regina Martino, can be reduced with the use of shungite during long trips. Wearing it, carrying it along, or using a shungite cushion during long-distance travel is believed to balance one’s energy levels and provide him with the benefits of grounding.
Shungite cubes could be of help in reaping the advantages of grounding in a construction that’s not well-grounded. Shungite spheres are a good choice for placing in bedrooms to get a calming effect.
Shungite pyramids could be used to counterbalance negative energies. They are known to give protection against geopathic stress, and are ideal for placement near appliances that generate electromagnetic fields. They should be placed aligned to the cardinal directions (sides of the pyramid’s base should lie along the north-south and east-west lines).
Therapists may experience energy drain during certain therapy sessions. They could make use of shungite as a quick and effective way to restore the lost energy. They can wear the stone as a pendant or use a shungite carpet or cushion while administering therapy.
Caution
✦ Shungite should be used in moderation by people with hypertension.
✦ For the bedrooms, shungite pyramids are not advisable for use, as their high energy levels may cause sleep disturbances in some. It is fine to use shungite spheres or eggs in bedrooms.
Experiments in lithotherapy and experiences of those who have used shungite, go on to say that it is a miracle stone. Yes. The excess energy built up in your body is drained out due to the grounding effect it provides. More importantly, this stone produces a healing effect on the mind and body, and infuses you with positive energy.
