Herbs are harvested. Fruits and vegetables also. So is grain. We must remove water from its source to drink it. Stones and metals are removed from their source as well (by mining). We take from the earth, as every creature does. Some of it is unnecessary, but when used for magick or for our health, I feel it is justified.
As long as we remember to give back! Every year I plant flowers and herbs. I only take from them what I need for food or magick. Instead of buying bottled water, I have a water cooler that is refilled when needed, so I throw out so much plastic. (My tap isn't the greatest!) I recycle. I'm not perfect with it, but I do what I can.
Hematite translates directly from greek meaning blood stone. It comes from iron ore.
The red in heliotrope (aka the green and red "bloodstone") is actually fragments of iron oxide therefore it is also "blood stone". Some heliotrope has yellow flecks which are referred to as "plasma".
The iron in our own blood mixed with oxygen causes our blood to become red. The smell of our blood is similar to the smell of iron. I believe the ancients put these two together and connected iron to blood.
Heliotrope comes mostly from india or china. While iron can be found virtually anywhere. So the greeks and romans were not aware of heliotrope until merchants were traveling farther throughout the world.
Crystals cn be used for many things. They naturally store energies, and can reemitt them if you so desire. You can "program" or "charge" them with specific enrages to do specific things. They are commonly used for healing, but can be used for basically anything.
Though the history of stones and their names are interesting, I would like to know the magickal properties of the stones. Seeing as this is a forum on crystal magick, I see this as an apporpriate request
