9 Things You Didn’t Know About Apatite

Apatite, the stone of mystics, seers, travelers, and dreamers. This magical healing stone lends its properties to the psychic eye, promoting visions and enhancing lucid dreaming. It incites astral projection, drawing back the veil so one can communicate with spirit guides of all sorts. Apatite stimulates the mind, feeds the spirit, and opens the throat chakra. For such a truly captivating stone, you may not have heard all there is to it, so here are nine things you didn’t know about apatite.

1. The Origins of Apatite

Named for its deceptive appearance in its resemblance to other stones, and despite not having been officially discovered until recently, apatite has interesting roots in Greek Mythology. The name Apatite itself is derived from the Greek word apatan meaning ‘cheating’ or ‘to be wrong’. It is named after the Greek goddess Apate, daughter of Nyx and the personification of fraud, deception, trickery, and dishonesty. Apatan is one of the evils inside Pandora’s Box. 

2. Apatite, the Witch’s Fire

Although it was only discovered at the end of the 18th Century and named by mineralogist A.G. Werner, the first mention of Apatite was made in 1767 when naturalist Pedro Francisco Davila identified it as a “phosphoric stone”. In Spain there is a legend that surrounds such a stone, recounting of witches that met in the Cercon de Brujas or Witch’s Circle. It is said that a witch discovered the ore and one dark winter night, she pulverized the stone between her fingers to scatter them upon the embers of the hearth. This invoked thousands of suffering souls from purgatory which swarmed above the embers with phosphorescent eyes that reflected the greenish glow of infernal sulfur, the thickest pieces of the powder resembling “precious emeralds”. 

3. Apatite, a stone of the mind, literally

The apatite ore, as the main source of phosphorus and phosphate, is the only ore that is found inside the bodies of humans and animals. While apatite ore is found mainly inside the teeth and the nails, there is a crystalline bone within human beings. This bone is made of apatite and is found within the epiphysis endocrine gland which is located right in between the two hemispheres of the brain. 

4. Apatite, the stone of Gaia 

Contrary to popular belief, the first Greek god was a goddess, Gaia (the mother of the earth and all creation). As many as her cultures are, so are her names. In Egypt, she is Isis, to the Sumerians she is Innana, and to the Hindus she is Bhumi Devi. Whatever you know her as, she is undeniably the source of all magic. Some would associate apatite with mother earth for its popular hues of blue and green, although it comes in various colors. This association is possibly derived from the stone’s ability to connect one to higher realms as well as its relationship with the etheric planes.  

5. Apatite, the stone of life

Curiously enough with its association to Mother Earth, apatite was long since used as fertilizer for crops. As it is the main source of phosphorus (a main nutrient required for plant growth), apatite or “phosphate rocks” are mined elusively for the purpose of fertilizing soil. 

6. Apatite, the perfect partner stone 

In mythology, many beliefs surround this magical stone. Yet, perhaps one of the most fascinating is the belief that wearing this stone in jewelry paired with another crystal can invoke different things. When paired with rose quartz, apatite will bring about unconditional love. When paired with clear quartz, it will allow the wearer to see the changes they need to make in life. When paired with aquamarine, it will provide the wearer with the necessary tools to go ahead and make those changes. 

7. Apatite, a prehistoric treasure 

Apatite is the name given to many phosphorus stones, but few are actually of gemstone quality. Since it is the only crystal ore that can be found in both animals and humans, it’s not so surprising that the apatite stones we know today come from bones. Or is it? Research has found that these fascinating stones actually come from fossilized dinosaur bones. 

8. Apatite, the celestial communicator

As mentioned earlier, apatite is the stone of the third eye that can open portals and thin the veil between this life and others unseen. While it builds a connection with the divine and allows for communication with spirit guides, that’s not quite the type of celestial communication we mean. Some say that the stone may be able to build a connection with UFOs, perhaps because of its far-reaching abilities. 

9. Apatite, a physical healer 

Aside from its many metaphysical benefits, apatite also offers a range of physical healing benefits. As it is associated with bones and teeth, naturally it can help to strengthen these areas of the body. It is also great for the digestive system, speeding up metabolism, and even aids in the relief of arthritis pain as well as osteoporosis.