spotlight on rocks, gems,crystals and minerals

Shiva Lingam

Alternate Names & Name Spellings: linga, ling, Shiva linga,

Shiva Lingam available at We Rock Rocks

The Shiva Lingam stone is a sacred stone in the Hindu culture that is in it’s naturally occurring form. They are collected at the banks of the Narmada river once a year. This very rare and powerful stone comes exclusively from the Narmada River in Onkar, Mandhata, one of India’s seven sacred holy sites. It is of high significance in the Hindu culture because it’s markings symbolize those on the forehead of Lord Shiva. They are formed by a mineral called Cryptocrystalline Quartz, which is said in lore to have been implanted in the riverbed by a meteorite millions of years ago.

Narmada River, India

**Lingams are carved or styled from a wide variety of materials such as stone, wood, gold, silver, mercury, crystal etc., but there is one type of Lingam which is revered and sought after above all others – this is the naturally formed stone Narmadeshvara (Lord of the Narmada).**

Once a year, after the long dry season and just before the beginning of the monsoon season, when the river is at it’s lowest, the villagers, working with oxen and rope, go out into the riverbed and pull the stones from the water. The stones are then hand polished, a large one taking several months to complete. These stones occur in all sizes, from smaller than a dime to larger than a man. About twenty to thirty very large pieces are taken from the river each year.

Narmada River, India

Narmada River is, according to Hindu mythology, one of the seven most sacred rivers of India*. It was born out of Lord Shiva’s sweat when he performed his cosmic Tandava dance**.

Narmada River, India

The banks of Narmada are lined with temples and bathing Ghatts. It flows through beautifull landscapes, holy cities, from Amarkantak (“Neck of Shiva”), which is the source of the river through Mandla, Dhuandar Falls (the river drops 25m at this place), Bhedaghat (marble rocks), Hoshangabad, Omkareshwar (OM-shaped island with two of the famous Jyotir Lingam temples, Omkareswara and Amaleswara) and Maheshwara.

Sugarcane, cotton and bananas grow along the river.

It is said that these Lingams were created millions of years ago when a meteorite collided with the earth at what is now the source of the Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh, a mountainous province some 300 miles northeast of Bombay, India.

Shiva Lingam available at We Rock Rocks

The tremendous heat of the collision caused a fusion of the ambient rock and the meteoric material. Over the ages a river began to flow through this area and the combination of these factors produced the unique condition in which pieces of the fused matter, revolving in the river bed over thousands of years took on the distinct ovoid form. The oval form is markedly different from the flatter, thinner rocks normally appearing in the river bed.

These pillar or egg shaped stones are called LINGAMS (literally “sign” or “characteristic” in Sanskrit language). To certain groups of the Hindu Religion, the stones are considered to symbolize or even represent directly, the Transcendental Being, the Living God, Divine Existence, Divine Consciousness and Divine Bliss (Satchitananda). According to the Skanda Purana, and ancient Hindu scripture, the Lingam represents the all-pervading space in which the whole universe is in the process of creation and dissolution. Other groups consider the Lingam, with its phallic form to be symbolic of the generative force of life itself.

Once a year, after a long dry season and just before the beginning of the monsoon, when the river is at its lowest, the villagers, working with oxen and rope, go out onto the river bed and pull the stones from the water. The stones are then hand polished, a large one taking several months to complete. About twenty to thirty large pieces are taken from the river each year.

The density of the Narmadeshvara Lingam is close to emerald. The red markings you see on the stones are the meteorite material and are considered spiritually auspicious. The red markings also represent the energizing female energy which arouses the masculine urge to create. The markings vary from what appears to be a pair of parted lips to wide strong brush marks extending around the entire perimeter of the Lingam. No two stones are alike.

*MEANINGS AND SYMBOLISM OF SHIVA LINGAMS: It has been highly venerated and used extensively throughout history for both worship and ritual.

Shiva Lingam available at We Rock Rocks, Tampa Fl

The shiva lingam represents both male and female, as well as the cosmic egg from which all creation emerged.

This stone resonates with energies of all the elements – Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Stone.

Use shiva lingam to:

Charge the entire chakra system
Activate kundalini energies
Boost vitality
Enhance inner transformation
Break up old patterns and open the path for new life
Help to feel unity, even during times of separation
Healers use shiva lingams to treat impotence, infertility, strengthen and balance the whole body.
The actual physical properties of the stone (both in shape and material) are said to give theNarmadeshvara Lingam a supreme ability to hold vibrational force and power.
Shiva Lingam available at We Rock Rocks Tampa, Fl

Traditionally the stones are set in an upright position with most of the markings being on the upper half.

The strong, graceful lines of the Lingams are an expression of an ageless and universal beauty and the lingam’s natural and religious history gives them the mystery of an object that will be appreciated forever.

composition	Cryptocrystalline Quartz
name source	marking symbolize those on the forehead of Lord Shiva
other accepted names	linga, ling, Shiva linga
history	The oldest example of a lingam which is still used for worship is in Gudimallam and dates to the 2nd century BC
naturally occurring shiva	An ice lingam at Amarnath in the western Himalayas forms every winter from ice dripping on the floor of a cave and freezing like a stalagmite.
color	tan and / or gray stones with various reddish brown markings
color source	The red markings you see on the stones are the meteorite material
significant sources	Narmada River in Western India
MOH scale	7
energy	Earth, Fire, Water, Air and Stone.

Interesting Facts:

The Narmadeshvara Lingam appeared on the cover of House and Garden magazine in June 1984 and on the cover of Architectural Digest in May 1985.

If you remember the movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, the Shiva is the sacred stone they were searching for.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indiana_Jones_and_the_Temple_of_Doom

We have many sizes of Shiva Lingams(as well as a huge selection of rocks, minerals, fossils, crystals and more, from the natural rough form through handmade jewelry).
If you’d like to know more about our assortment,
please call us at 941-915-1046
or visit us at one of our fun flea market venues :

Big Top Flea Market booth x404 off of I75 and Fowler Ave, Tampa Florida on Saturdays and Sundays and Webster East Side Flea Market Booth B77&79 on Mondays. All others time and days by special request.

Shiva Lingam at We Rock Rocks, Tampa Fl

*This is for information purposes only. The information is not intended to replace proper medical care. No claims are made. These alleged powers are gathered from writing, books, folklore, personal testimonies, experiences and various sources.

Citrine

Alternate Names & Name Spellings: Success Stone, Merchant’s Stone, Citrina, Citron

Citrine is a joyful stone with bright energy which lights up many aspects of lives of those who work with it. It has energies of good fortune and good luck, though these may appear in unexpected ways.

Beautiful Citrine from We Rock Rocks Tampa Fl

Natural citrine is a rare form of quartz crystal found in amethyst deposits. Many natural citrines may have started out as amethyst but heat from nearby magmatic forces caused the change to citrine. Natural citrine’s yellow color is due to the presence of ferric iron.

Many citrine as well as amethyst mines are near the equator, including those in Brazi, all of the Amethyst and Citrine currently for sale in our Tampa Bay Florida location is from Brazil.

Brazil map

Brazil Mine

History:

Citrine was first considered a gem stone during ancient Greece’s Hellenistic Age (323-146 BC), in the first centuries AD the Romans also made use of citrine in one of their favorite jewelry styles.

Some believe citrine was the tenth stone of the twelve identified in Genesis as being in the High Priest’s breastplate. However, given the fact that all ‘precious’ stones were, at best, haphazardly identified until relatively recently, Biblical scholars may never agree on what the ‘real’ stones were.

Citrine from We Rock Rocks

Citrine’s historic reputation as the “success stone” or “merchant stone” — as it is supposed to attract money, especially through sales — was probably fueled by citrine’s color affinity with gold.

One myth about citrine was that if one kept a piece of citrine in a drawer, one’s wealth would accumulate.

Citrine from We Rock Rocks Tampa Fl

Like so many other stones in the ancient and medieval worlds, citrine was sometimes worn as a protective talisman as well as used for medicinal purposes — it was thought to protect against plague, aid in digestion and cleanse toxins from the body.

It wasn’t until 1556 that the term “citrine” was formally used — up until that time, the stone had been known simply as yellow quartz.

A prized stone among the medieval Celts and Scots for whom it served as a protective talisman against the plague, bad skin and evil thoughts, citrine was also employed as a charm against the poisonous bite of Scotland’s one venomous snake.

Moving into the Romantic Period (c.1837-1860), citrine was increasingly used in jewelry as it became more available.

England Circa 1820

At various times throughout history, citrine has symbolized hope, youth, health, and fidelity.

MEANINGS AND SYMBOLISM OF GEMSTONES

Warming and energizing, citrine represents the power of the Sun, cleansing and regenerating.

Serving as a bridge between higher and lower consciousness and balancing yin/yang energy, citrine helps align one’s self-realization and personal goals, encouraging them to work together in harmony.

On the physical side, citrine acts as an antioxidant, helping counteract the effects of radiation and allergies, working on the second (sacral) and third (solar plexus) chakras.

Also used to help maintain the health of the digestive, circulatory, and urinary system, citrine works with diseases affecting the heart muscles, kidneys, liver, colon, gall bladder, and digestive organs — such as acid indigestion, poor blood circulation,.

Citrine is well known as a success and prosperity stone to the point that it is called the “Success Stone.” It is said to promote and manifest success and abundance in all areas, and in many ways. It is particularly used to promote success in business if used in the cash box of a shop, carried or worn, earning it another nickname, “Merchant’s Stone.” In addition to manifesting abundance, citrine also brings energies of generosity so that the prosperity and success is shared.

One of the few stones that never needs cleansing, citrine doesn’t retain negative energy — it absorbs, grounds and dissipates it.

Facts and Information:

composition	silicon dioxide
name source	from an old French word, citron, meaning “yellow”
other accepted names	citrine quartz, yellow quartz
birthstone month	November
folkloric aliases	“the success stone,” “the merchant stone”
color	from yellow to yellow-brown, orange, dark orange-brown, or reddish-brown
color source	presence of ferric iron
significant sources	Brazil, Madagascar, Russia and Spain
MOH scale	7
energy	projective / yang