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Citrine

A quartz crystal or cluster which is yellow or orange in color is known as citrine. This stone gets its name from the French word “citron” which means “lemon”. It is a semi-precious stone and one of the most common forms of quartz after colorless quartz (rock crystal). It is also classified by gemmologists as an oxide. Citrine deposits are very rare and most of the gems sold as citrine in the market are treated amethysts. It is also known as golden topaz or smoky topaz as it resembles the topaz in color. Citrine gets its color from colloidal suspended hydrous oxide. The Madeira citrines are dark in color and are named after the Spanish wine which it resembles. Citrines get their golden color when amethyst naturally gets heated deep inside the earth.  Ancient Romans used citrines to make beautiful jewellery like necklaces, rings and ear-rings. In modern times citrine is the favoured stone for the budget minded women. It is usually sold as a substitute for the yellow sapphire in India.

The color of citrine ranges from straw and sun yellow to clay orange, to deep, wine colored Madeira red. In the past, the Madeira colored stones were the most valuable, but today, the more vivid yellows and oranges are the most popular. Natural bright yellow citrine is the rarest of the quartz varieties.

According to legend, Caesar’s legions had worn citrine on the chest when fighting to use the gemstones’ life saving property. This gemstone is also said to cleanse, purify and eliminate poisons found in the body.

Citrine has been popular for thousands of years and used to be revered for its rarity, though that has changed with time. The ancient Romans used it for beautiful jewellery and intaglio work. It was also very popular for jewellery in the 19th century. During the Art Deco period between World Wars I and II, large citrines were set in many prized pieces, including the massive and elaborate Art Deco inspired jewellery pieces made for big Hollywood stars such as Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford.

Nowadays however, the stone is not as rare, and thus, the use of citrine has little to do with opulence and luxury anymore. In fact, for years, Citrine became so cheap and plentiful, no one took it seriously. Now however, there is a full-scale renaissance for this gem. Its bargain price is no longer a handicap, but an asset, as it allows for use of very large stones in jewellery. As part of the trend, jewellery makers are using big, bold gems- many cut in a cubist manner, to give lots of splash for the money. Citrine has found favour with budget minded women looking to expand their wardrobes with affordable pieces of jewellery. When it comes to providing earth-toned colors for women on a budget, citrine has no real competition.

Mystical Properties:

In ancient times, citrine was carried as a protection against snake venom and evil thoughts. Citrine is known as a "success" stone because it is told in folklore to promote success and abundance, especially in business and commerce. 

Citrine is one of the only stones that dissipates negative energy and never requires cleansing or clearing. It emits a warm energy that promotes optimism. It attracts abundance and is known as "a merchant's stone" to be placed in a cash register or where one conducts business, to not only acquire positive wealth but to maintain it as well. It enhances the body's healing energy and opens the conscious mind to intuition. It helps one adjust and adapt to process changes, feeling confident and secure. Citrine's magnetic radiating energy can aid in voice projection, making this the perfect stone for actors and public speakers.

Assists in acquiring wealth and to maintain the state of wealth.  Citrine is helpful for directing creative energy into the physical body.  Some find it helpful in building self-esteem. This crystal is an invaluable aid to the digestion of all emotions; place it on the solar plexus in crystal healing layouts.  I find that Citrine is useful in combating decisiveness allowing me to make important decisions on a regular basis. 

Healing Properties:

Physically, citrine can aid digestion, increase visual ability, and to balance the thyroid.   It is beneficial to the endocrine and digestive system - cleansing, purifying and eliminating poisons that have built up. Citrine has the power to calm and soothe distressed conditions. It reduces ulcer flare-ups and is good for detoxifying all the bodies. Citrine gem is used for the maintenance and treatment of the Heart, kidneys, liver, muscles, red and white corpuscles, digestive tract etc. Citrine is valuable in the treatment of depression and eliminates self-destructive tendencies. This stone also aids digestion and removes toxins from the body. It also helps in fighting diabetes.

Chakra Classification:

Citrine is generally to be called upon when there is a creativity block, an inability to solve problems, repressed anger, sleeplessness, nightmares, problems with the stomach and digestion, obesity and other physical problems regarding circulation and vision. 

Citrine is used to heal and balance the 2nd, Sacral or Navel Chakra.

The main sources of citrine include Brazil, Argentina, Madagascar, Myanmar, Namibia, Russia, France, Scotland, Spain and the US.

Most citrine comes from Brazil, but almost all of the Brazilian material is heat-treated amethyst. Natural citrine can also be found in the Ural Mountains of Russia, in Dauphine, France, and in Madagascar. The inexpensive low grade amethyst is heated at high temperatures to produce the popular orange, reddish and sherry colored citrine. Darker colors are considered more valuable, including the medium golden orange and dark sherry-colors.

Citrine may be mistaken for the more expensive orangish-yellow topaz and, at times, may be sold as topaz by dishonest gemstone vendors. Due to this, citrine buyers are sometimes suspicious of any citrine and think it may actually be fake topaz.

Citrine is the anniversary gemstone for the 13th & 17th year of marriage.

Citrine along with topaz is birthstones of Scorpius (Scorpion): Oct. 24 - Nov. 21. 

Pooja procedure for wearing Citrine

Pooja should be performed in the hora of Jupiter on any Thursday between 6.00 a.m to 7.00 a.m or 1.00 p.m to 2.00 p.m. It should be wear in gold on first finger (Index Finger). In the natal chart, if Jupiter is in any start where Sun is transiting, like Kritika, U Phalguni or U Ashada, yellow sapphire will give beneficial results.

Materials for pooja

Dark yellow cloth, Bengal gram, marigold flowers & incense.

Procedure

Spread the rice over the yellow cloth before the god. First wash the stone embedded ring milk followed by water. Then apply paste of sandal, vermillion (kumkum) on it and place it on the cloth. Light the lamps and burn incenses perform the pooja to the ring with marigold flowers reciting guru mantra.

GURU MANTRA

“Vrishaba dhwajaaya vidmahe, Gruni hasthaaya dheemahi

Thanno guru prachodayaath”   || 108 times ||

Offer some fruits and sweets, and then wear the ring. Additionally the wearer can donate the Bengal gram to get maximum benefit.