Citrine Crystal: Meaning, Healing Properties & Uses

APRIL 17, 2024

What is Citrine Crystal?

Sun-kissed citrine is a captivating sight to behold! This crystal belongs to the quartz family, the second most abundant mineral in the Earth’s crust (right behind feldspar). Citrine is a semi-precious yellow gemstone that can be found in a variety of shades, from pale tweety bird yellow to deeper amber-brown hues.

Often referred to as “golden amethyst,” citrine has also been known as the “Merchant’s stone” for its historical association with gold and its ability to improve communication and bring about wealth. Its warm energy radiates positivity and cheerfulness, making it a popular choice for both its aesthetic and spiritual qualities. Wondering “what does citrine do exactly?” Continue reading to discover the magic of sunny citrine.

Citrine Pronunciation

In english, citrine pronunciation sounds like sih-treen. It gets its name from the french word for lemon.

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Citrine Crystal Meaning & Healing Properties

In general, the spiritual meaning of citrine is positivity, prosperity and confidence.
As a symbol of freshness and vitality, citrine has become increasingly popular in modern spiritual and crystal healing practices. It’s thought that good things come to those who hold citrine close by. Like what you ask? Let’s find out.

OPTIMISM & POSITIVITY
Citrine illuminates the mind and heart, banishing feelings of anger, despair and negativity – filling you with a sense of hope and positivity.

ABUNDANCE & PROSPERITY
Citrine, known as the “Merchant Stone,” brings not only wealth but also a sense of optimism that can help you push through life’s uncertainties (a new job, starting a business, expanding your family, etc.) and focus on your goals.

CREATIVE ENERGY
Citrine’s ability to inspire positive emotions can help clear creative blockages, and unleash a wave of new and exciting ideas.

BOOST SELF ESTEEM
One of the most valuable citrine stone meanings. This stone has an uncanny knack for being able to tap into one’s inner self confidence that may be buried or hidden deep within.

MENTAL CLARITY
Helps to clear the mind of mental fog and provides direction, channeling wandering energy into productivity and purpose.

DECISIVENESS
With its ability to boost confidence and clarify the mind, citrine can help you make decisive choices with ease and grace.

GROUNDING
With its ties to the solar plexus and sacral chakra, citrine has powerful grounding properties that help to anchor the spirit and bring a sense of balance to the mind, body and soul.

Citrine Properties & Physical Characteristics

What does citrine look like? In its natural state citrine is almost always a pale-yellow color with some degree of transparency. It’s quite resistant to scratching, making it a durable choice for jewelry. In the gem market, very light-yellow specimens are often referred to as “lemon quartz” even though the crystal in question is citrine.

The most sought-after citrine specimens are very clear, radiant, and have yellow to browny-orange coloring. However, such specimens are quite rare to come by naturally, making them very expensive. Citrine, being a rare gemstone, is often imitated by heat treating amethyst crystals. But, such heat-treated stones tend to have a reddish tint, which is a dead giveaway to spot a fake.

The world’s largest faceted citrine specimen was discovered in Brazil in 1990 and weighs almost 9 pounds! It is nicknamed “The Malaga”.

Where is Citrine Found?

Citrine is found in many locations across the world including Brazil, Scotland, Spain, Russia, Madagascar, Kazakhstan, and the United States (primarily California, North Carolina, and Colorado).

Citrine Colors & Types

All citrine is classified under the quartz umbrella, however there can be slight differences between specimens that may be considered different “types”.

In the crystal and gemstone world, these are some commonly referenced types of citrine:

GOLDEN CITRINE:
Basic citrine that most people know as citrine.

MADEIRA CITRINE:
Highly sought after for its deep red-orange hue.

PALMEIRA CITRINE:
Less yellow, and more of a warm orangey-brown color, similar to amber.

CHAMPAGNE CITRINE:
Faceted stones with a luxurious, golden hue. Commonly used for rings.

LEMON QUARTZ:
Not actually related to citrine, but sometimes called “lemon citrine”. Instead, this tone is heat treated clear or smoky quartz crystal where the final product has an even yellow (citrine-esque) color.

AMETRINE:
A combination of citrine and amethyst.

GREEN CITRINE:
Natural citrine’s color is usually in a range of yellows, but can almost teeter on being green, especially Kundalini citrine from Congo.

What is Citrine Good For? – Top Uses

Citrine can be incorporated in one’s life in many ways! For some, to be a part of a crystal healing ritual, and for others, simply for the stone’s aesthetic value. Here are some straightforward citrine uses that can be incorporated into everyday life.

CITRINE AFFIRMATIONS
Below are some examples of citrine affirmations that tap into the crystal’s joyful spirit.

1. Today I am filled with joy and positivity
2. I will allow prosperity to flow into my life
3. I am surrounded by abundance and joy
4. My future is bright and filled with endless opportunities
5. Today is a new opportunity for joy and success

WEAR IT
Citrine has been a coveted gem for thousands of years and can be found in almost all forms of jewelry. It’s recommended to wear “backless” pendants, so the stone is in direct contact with the skin.

ALTAR DISPLAYS
Enhance the beauty of your altar by displaying your citrine crystals on it. This not only adds visual appeal, but also makes them easily accessible for you to touch and connect with the energy of the crystals when desired. Citrine is an especially effective as a centre stone in a grid for prosperity.

HOME DECOR
Radiate positive, joyful energy throughout a room by displaying a piece of sunny citrine! Place the citrine in dark, or low light rooms to bring in the (metaphysical) light.

YOGA
Elevate your yoga practice. Place a citrine crystal at the end of your mat and take a glance at it during your practice, to allow the crystal to help release any negative energy.

FOR YOUR CAREER
Citrine is said to help you attract what you want. Either hold it, or place it on your desk to flush away negatively and promote the self confidence and optimism required to fulfill all your career aspirations.

MEDITATION
Place your citrine specimen in the palm of your hand during your meditation practice to walk away feeling a boost of positivity and optimism. Absorb the stone’s cheerful energy.

REIKI SESSIONS
During a reiki session, citrine may be placed on the solar plexus or sacral chakras to release emotional, mental, or spiritual blocks.

MANIFESTATION & INTENTION SETTING
Place your citrine crystal in your receiving hand (left hand), close your eyes and ask for exactly what you want. Keep your eyes closed and ruminate on what it feels like to have that, as if you already do.

CHAKRA BALANCING
Citrine can have a wonderful balancing effect on all chakras, but particularly resonates with the solar plexus chakra and sacral chakra.

GOOD NIGHT’S REST
If you have trouble falling asleep at night due to stress, or general negative feelings, try sleeping with a piece of citrine nearby or under your pillow. This crystal for sleep is also said to help stave off nightmares.

Forms & Shapes

Despite citrine crystal’s rarity in nature, it still comes in many different forms and shapes. When deciding between rough citrine and polished, and choosing among all the different shapes, it’s important to remember that no form is better than the other. It all comes down to personal preference for what fits with your wellness routine and budget. Below are some of the most common forms of citrine.

RAW CITRINE
Raw citrine crystals (or rough citrine) is in its most natural state, free from manipulation by machinery or lapidary work. Some believe that rough crystals have a purer energy than polished stones, however it is up to personal preference.

FACETED
Cut and polished pieces of citrine for use in jewelry.

TUMBLED CITRINE
Small pieces of citrine specimens that have been processed in a tumbling machine. The final result is small pieces of round, smooth, shiny citrine to be used as is or made into citrine beads for jewelry.

CITRINE TOWERS & POINTS
These polished, six or eight-sided crystals are perfect for focusing energy, as the point allows for energy to be directed upward.

CITRINE SPHERE
Smooth, heavy, cold, and perfectly round. The spherical shape allows the stone’s energy to be radiated in all directions.

CITRINE HEARTS & PALM STONES
Also known as meditation stones, these citrine pieces are cut and polished into a round or heart shape, fitting comfortably in the palm of your hand.

PYRAMID
The ancient and sacred shape of a pyramid is known for its grounding properties and ability to transmit energy through its points and apex, making it an ideal form for channeling citrine’s cheerful energy.

CUBE
Known for their grounding properties, and having six perfectly smooth surfaces – perfect for flaunting citrine’s dazzling yellow hues.

EGG
Rough citrine can be cut and polished into a smooth, shiny round egg shape. The egg shape is tied to fresh starts, an excellent form that goes with citrine’s optimism and self confidence properties, two things that aid in starting something new.

CITRINE JEWELRY
As a semi-precious gem, this crystal is incredibly sought after for jewelry pieces, particularly citrine rings, necklaces, and bracelets.

CITRINE TREE
For those who follow Feng Shui, a citrine tree is also called a “money tree” which is thought to help attract success and abundance.

CITRINE CLUSTERS
Natural citrine is most often found as single crystals, or small clusters of a few crystals. This crystal is never found in extra large cluster formations or geodes (but heat treated amethyst can, and are often sold as citrine clusters).

Caring for Your Citrine Stone

Regularly cleansing and charging is important for helping your crystal friends work their magic. Caring for your crystals doesn’t have to be a cumbersome task – here are some simple, yet effective ways to cleanse and charge citrine.

How to Cleanse Citrine Crystals

Unlike most crystals, it’s said that citrine does not “hold onto” negative energy, and may need to be cleansed less than other stones. However, it’s still a good idea to give your citrine a little refresh now and again.

WATER – Citrine is the only stone that likes the cold! Cleanse it with cold water, or by rubbing snow on it.

SMUDGING – A simple, yet effective way to cleanse your citrine is by smudging it with sage. Light the bundle, blow out the flame, and waft your citrine through the smoke. Voila!

OTHER STONES – Place your citrine against some selenite healing crystals or clear quartz overnight to purify your stone.

SOUND THERAPY – Place the crystal near a singing bowl or bell and strike it to produce a soothing, resonant sound. The vibrations from the sound are thought to purify and realign the energy of the crystal.

BREATHWORK – Hold your stone in your hands and think about the crystal in its purest, cleanest form, free from negative energy. Blow onto the citrine crystal to complete the cleansing process.

How to Charge Citrine Crystals

To get it ready for action and to maximize its metaphysical goodness, charge (activate) your citrine in any of the following ways.

OTHER STONES – Should you have some clear quartz or selenite available, use their energy to charge your crystal. Simply place the stones near each other.

WEAR IT – It is thought that having the stone in direct contact with your skin can activate the metaphysical properties of citrine, as your energy and the stone’s energy combine and flow with each other.

MOONLIGHT – Citrine and the moon make a perfect pair. Place your stone under the light of a full moon to invite the moon’s energy to recharge and energize the stone.

IN THE EARTH – Allow your crystal to soak up the energy of the earth by burying it for 24 hours, recharging and realigning its natural vibrations and energy.

Citrine Chakra Placements

Citrine is associated with two chakras: the solar plexus chakra and the sacral chakra.

SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA – for tapping into our personal power. For maximum inner strength and confidence, make sure this chakra is unblocked.

SACRAL CHAKRA – is tied to creativity, passion and manifestation. Unblock your sacral chakra to boost feelings of intimacy and shake up the imagination.

Citrine Birthstones & Zodiac Signs

Sunny citrine is one of November’s birthstones. Yes, plural! Citrine shares a space with topaz under the eleventh month. These golden crystals offer a little sunny lift during a gloomy time of year (depending where you’re located of course!)

Citrine has ties to the sun signs of Leo, Aries and Libra.

LEO
Known for their pride and sometimes jealous tendencies can benefit by allowing citrine to unblock their sacral chakra, and channel any negative emotions that have been stewing into positive ones.

ARIES
Can feel a sense of competition with those around them, so having citrine in their arsenal is a good idea for a little boost of self confidence (and to prevent feeling the need to keep up with the Jones’!)

LIBRA
Wishy-washy Libras have a hard time committing to decisions. Tip the scales in favor of feeling confident in your own inner wisdom and decision making skills with citrine’ powers.

Pairings

Crystal healing often involves pairing different stones together to amplify their natural properties and benefits. When two or more crystals are used in combination, they create a synergistic effect that enhances the energy of each individual crystal. One crystal that works well with others is citrine, here are some common crystals that work well with it.

1. AMETHYST & CITRINE
Wear amethyst and citrine together to supercharge both of their properties. The perfect combination for promoting abundance, mental clarity and inner strength. These two crystals are actually so good together, that a stone has been created that’s a mix of the two: ametrine.

2. ROSE QUARTZ & CITRINE
Soft, gentle rose quartz is an excellent companion for positive, joyful citrine. Pair these love crystals together for feelings of affection and fulfillment.

3. CARNELIAN & CITRINE
A fantastic pair! Use carnelian and citrine together for boosting creative energy and enhanced vitality.

4. CITRINE & PERIDOT
A striking color combination with synergistic qualities to boot. Use citrine and peridot together to invite abundance and good fortune into your life.