Black Tourmaline: Meaning, Properties, Benefits & More

Black Tourmaline is one of the most popular stones in the crystal healing community. It’s known for its strong properties and ability to make a positive impact on just about anyone!

This guide will go over everything you need to know about Black Tourmaline. You’ll learn about its meaning, healing properties, benefits, cleansing tips, and more!

Black Tourmaline stone containing strong properties

History & Overview

Black Tourmaline is a medieval-age stone with some rich history and lore. Also known as Schorl, this inky black mineral has been in the human zeitgeist for centuries. Considered a shamanistic stone, it was said to banish demons from the Earthly realm to keep humans safe from evil!

The reputation and meaning of Black Tourmaline has changed a lot since those days! In the late 1800s, a mineralogist sold a Tourmaline sample to the famed Tiffany and Co. The rest is history as far as the stone’s popularity is concerned.

Despite its availability on nearly every continent, Black Tourmaline is still highly sought-after. Considering its unorthodox physical appearance, its wide popularity is surprising. This stone doesn’t have the luster or mystical sheen of precious crystals.

Instead, it’s rough, texturized, and pitch black. Aside from a few milky white inclusions, Black Tourmaline is as dark as night.

But like all things mysterious, the properties of this stone continue to captivate!

Forged in high-temperature pockets deep within the Earth’s crust, Black Tourmaline is a beautiful byproduct of its chaotic birthplace. It’s a silicate crystal made up of Sodium Iron Aluminum Borate Silicate. However, high concentrations of iron and manganese mix with smaller trace minerals to create its signature color.

Black Tourmaline Meaning

The primary Black Tourmaline meaning is connected to its role as one of the most powerful bodyguards in the Crystal Kingdom. While other stones can grant you protection from one or two avenues, this jet-black silicate crystal will keep you safe from a wide range of negative forces!

From dark energy to EMF radiation, Black Tourmaline has your back.

Many say that the physical appearance of Black Tourmaline reflects its relationship with dark energy. Like a sponge, its properties soak up all the darkness that surrounds you. No matter where it’s coming from, this stone has the ability to take on that burden for you.

Sad looking lady getting help from stones and crystals for grief and comforting energy.
17 Best Stones & Crystals For Grief (Comforting Energy)

Read the full article

It’s like looking into a self-sacrificing well. Black Tourmaline takes all that dark energy on to ensure that it doesn’t take hold of you. It’s your shield in the battle of life, casting a shell around your physical and metaphysical being. Regardless of where life takes you, this stone is the perfect companion to stay safe.

Healing Properties & Benefits

Crystal practitioners have been taking advantage of Black Tourmaline’s healing properties and immense power for years. More than just a foreboding mineral with an attractive meaning, this stone is said to influence many aspects of your life.

Here are just some of the benefits and ways it can create change for the better!

Emotional

Most healers gravitate towards Black Tourmaline for its emotional healing properties and benefits. Everyone can use some emotional support every once in a while, and this stone is here to provide that in droves.

A long Black Tourmaline stone

As we mentioned earlier, Black Tourmaline is a powerful protector. It doesn’t just keep you safe in a physical sense. The stone also creates an invisible shield that stops dark energy from penetrating your aura.

A young girl looking for best crystals for protection to help to uplift and guard against negativity.
27 Best Crystals For Protection (Plus How To Use Them)

Read the full article

It’s convenient against complainers and soul-suckers! We all encounter those people in our day-to-day lives. Not content with being miserable on their own, these people have a knack for sucking the joy out of everything.

Black Tourmaline that is being used for affirmations
35+ Black Tourmaline Affirmations For Protection & Safety

Read the full article

They strive to spread their negativity to anyone they encounter, burdening their problems onto you.

Black Tourmaline treats that energy like water off a duck’s back. Its meaning and protective qualities make those forces and unwanted thoughts slide right off you, ensuring that you can continue with your positive vibes.

Black Tourmaline doesn’t just absorb dark energy and hold onto it for nothing. It can also transform it into something useful. The stone can turn pain and strife into blissful fun.

Black Tourmaline is also a great crystal for anxiety and stress if these are things you suffer from regularly (many of us do). Keeping this stone handy at all times can help you maintain a sense of calm throughout the day. It can encourage destructive emotions to become something much more productive.

27 Best Stones & Crystals For Anxiety Or Stress

Read the full article

Rather than cowering in doubt and fear, it instills some deep-seated confidence that can make you work harder and become the person you were destined to be!

Spiritual

Spiritual healing is not something that many people think they need. But when they receive it, the impacts can be life-changing.

Black Tourmaline is one of those stones that manages to put you on a path toward spiritual enlightenment without realizing it. The granted protection naturally nudges you in that direction.

Despite the stone’s dark and moody appearance, its healing properties are like a beacon of hope in a sea of lost souls. It works to shine a light for those drawn to its powers.

Black Tourmaline is said to illuminate the world and universe for what it truly is. Even in the toughest of circumstances, it encourages you to maintain a sense of spiritualism. It reminds you that you’re not alone. 

Love and light are all around you. You just have to find it.

The meaning of Black Tourmaline pushes you to look inward while also exploring beyond the confines of the earthly realm. It teaches you to love who you are, embrace all of your traits, and trust in your intuition.

As you go on a journey toward spiritual awakening, you can trust in all the things you know to be true while learning more about the secrets of the cosmos.

Physical

There’s no doubt that emotional healing is where Black Tourmaline truly shines. However, practitioners believe that the properties of this stone also have some sway on your physical health.

Beyond the physical protection it’s said to grant, Black Tourmaline is often used by practitioners who want to shield themselves from EMFs. Those who believe in the unruly effects of cellular communication may want to invest in this crystal. Many consider it to be the most effective at protecting you from waves that emanate from these devices.

More directly, some say the stone is a powerful warrior against diseases. Practitioners say that it imbues your body with an extra boost of toughness. Some even say that it makes your heart pump more effectively, gives your immune system the gusto to fight off foreign invaders, and improves your metabolism for better overall health.

The stone might help with back and leg pain as well. Practitioners often recommend it to those who have spinal alignment issues. It’s said to stimulate reflex points in the feet, ankles, and spine. As a result, you may feel some tension relief and pain reduction in torn muscles.

Metaphysical Properties

In order to understand the metaphysical properties of Black Tourmaline, you need to think back to where it comes from. It’s created deep below the Earth’s surface, and is the result of seemingly impossible odds. Mother Nature formed it with high pressure, extreme temperatures, and just the right amount of trace elements.

One piece of Black Tourmaline

The crystal is a thing of beauty and a perfect example of what our planet is capable of. It’s no wonder why this is considered to be such a strong stone for the root chakra.

Meditating woman with base/rook chakra symbol and crystals for base chakra helping with for stability
21 Strong Root Chakra Stones & Crystals For Stability

Read the full article

Called Muladhara, the root chakra is responsible for keeping your feet on the ground. It governs your sense of stability in life, offering up a sense of security. 

The root chakra is the first of seven primary energy points. Some would argue that it’s the most important, as it takes energy from the Earth and distributes it throughout your body. When this chakra is clogged, many experience feelings of listlessness.

People get complacent and lost. They see no real reason to live their life to the fullest, as they don’t understand where they belong. It’s an unsettling feeling that can set you back decades if you don’t address it.

Black Tourmaline triggers this chakra, keeping the energy flowing and helping you find your footing. Before you know it, you’ll feel safe and balanced while discovering a newfound sense of self.

How To Cleanse Black Tourmaline

With an energy absorber like Black Tourmaline, cleansing is a must. 

This stone is like a vessel. It can only take on so much. Once it’s filled to the brim with dark energy, its effects can start to deteriorate.

Luckily, recharging and cleansing Black Tourmaline is very easy. The goal is to wipe the slate clean so that the properties of the crystal can start anew. 

Can Black Tourmaline go in water?
Can Black Tourmaline Go In Water? The Simple Answer

Read the full article

One way you can do this is through smudging. Using smudge sticks of dried herbs and flowers, scrub the stone’s aura clean. This process empties the energy well, prepping it for continued work as a protector.

A setup used for cleansing crystals with sage
How To Cleanse Crystals With Sage: Smudging & More!

Read the full article

You can also soak it in water for about 24 hours. Black Tourmaline is safe for prolonged submersion thanks to its hardness. Use clear spring water and feel the negativity ripple away.

Ways To Use Black Tourmaline

The possibilities are endless with Black Tourmaline. It’s a versatile crystal that works in mysterious ways. You can add it to your life in many ways while still reaping its protective rewards.

The simplest option is to wear it as jewelry or carry it in your pocket. Keeping it on your person ensures that it’s within your auric field and close to your base chakra. You’re free to absorb its healing properties while sending negativity in its direction for transmutation.

You can also place the stone in areas where you need protection most. Place several stones around your home or workplace. Try putting some in your car as well. Some practitioners also utilize it to create a protective grid. 

The shielding nature of this stone will get to work keeping you safe from dangerous high and low.

Black Tourmaline is also a wonderful meditation stone. Hold it in your hands while you get lost in your thoughts. Some say that visualizing the thing you want to protect helps to focus its energy in the right place. You can also reflect on its meaning to inspire you.

Black Tourmaline that is being used for affirmations
35+ Black Tourmaline Affirmations For Protection & Safety

Read the full article

Finally, you can create a healing and protecting elixir. This stone naturally harnesses earth and water energy. Letting the stone soak in clean water overnight is said to infuse it with beneficial minerals and all the calming energy you could ever want. 

Zodiac Connection

Black Tourmaline is not exclusive to one zodiac sign. Its meaning and properties are capable of benefiting anyone. However, it does seem to resonate with the needs and personality traits of a few different zodiacs.

Practitioners believe that this stone represents the darkness of night. Because of this, it’s associated with signs that occur later in the year. More specifically, it’s thought to benefit Libras and Scorpios.

Libras are strong-willed and creative. They get along with most people and have no problem empathizing with the needs of others. However, their biggest weakness is their tendency to flee from conflict.

Black Tourmaline eliminates the fear of conflict, pushing you to embrace difficult discussions and all the transformative effects that come with them. This Libra stone gives them the strength to stay strong while also feeling protected.

Opal - Libra birthstones and alternative birthstones
Libra Birthstone: The Complete List (Plus Meanings)

Read the full article

For Scorpios, this stone is all about addressing indecision. Scorpios are notorious for skirting responsibility because they lack the ability to make impactful decisions. Like Libras, they also don’t like conflict too much.

The properties of this stone push Scorpios to face the music and find it within themselves to make those difficult decisions.

In addition to Libras and Scorpios, Black Tourmaline is said to benefit Capricorns. Those born under this sign are known for being a bit cynical and sensitive. They’re unwavering realists who find it hard to show faith in anything that moves beyond the standard conventions they’re used to.

The meaning of Black Tourmaline teaches Capricorns strength. It creates a boost of optimism and encourages Capricorns to focus on the positive side of things a bit more.

Conclusion

The main Black Tourmaline meaning is synonymous with protection. This is a stone that can provide a powerful shield to keep you radiating with positive energy throughout the day.

It’s no mystery why this is one of the most popular healing crystals around. There are very few situations where Black Tourmaline couldn’t make a positive impact!

If you have any thoughts or experiences with this stone that you’d like to share we’d love to hear them. We love hearing stories from our readers!

Affiliate disclaimer: If you purchase a product using a link on the Crystal Viden  website, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This is one way you can support this website.