Aventurine is a crystal of seemingly dual identities. It's like one of those celebrity look-alike memes you occasionally see, of Bryce Dallas Howard and Jessica Chastain, or Zach Braff and Dax Shepard. Because whenever people approach our store and see Aventurine the first thing they almost always say is, "Ooh look, there's Jade". Aventurine is constantly mistaken for Jade - in fact among some circles it's called 'New Jade' - but the truth is that they couldn't be any further apart from each other. Sure they're a similar green hue, and both are considered extremely lucky, and each crystal was once used and revered in ancient Chinese cultures... oooh we see what you mean. All joking aside though, Aventurine is a quartz-based crystal, unlike the silicates of Jade, comes in a variety of colours (we're focusing on Green Aventurine today, or as we just call it... our Aventurine), and has a distinctive feel to it, so much so that once you get to know the real crystal behind Aventurine, you'll wonder how you ever mistook it for anything else.
Among crystal collecting communities, Aventurine is officially considered to be THE luckiest gemstone on the planet. You'll often find gamblers who keep a piece in their pockets, mathematicians thumbing a sample, or ultra competitive people tightly gripping some on Trivia Nights. This is likely in part due to the fact that Aventurine contains tiny inclusions of Fuschite, one of the very few über happy crystals in the world. This is all a big misdirect though, and most people are surprised when they learn that Aventurine is deceptively all about the heart, and is actually one of the strongest crystals to resonate with the Heart Chakra. It's part of the reason why Aventurine can be seen tracing back to ancient Amazonian and other warrior tribes, being worn in the breastplate and closest to the heart, where most practicing martial artists know is the center of any warrior spirit and must be protected. Aventurine opens the heart right up, pushes it in fact, to flourish and connect with others close by, to see all the potential connectivity available. It opens you up to see potential allies, improve professional or familial relationships, causing a domino effect that links to others around you, creating a network of possibilities that might seem like 'luck' (or 'by chance' as it was named for by Italians) or things being in your favour, but it is really just a clearer line of sight to the answers that were already there in front of you.
The key to Aventurine creating this appearance of success is that it directs energy flow from looking inward to instead surging outward, where it should be going. From only concerning yourself with 'me, and all my stuff', to 'hey, what's that interesting thing out there'. Doing this almost instantly creates a sense in Aventurine users that all the baggage they've been holding on to is no longer there, and is probably better that way, left behind. It frees you to let go of past wounds, to see them in a better - or more constructive - light, to see past defeats or let-downs not as a failure, but as a lesson for what to do better the next time around. And more importantly, to see all obstacles as they should be - not that big of a deal. Sure they happen, but they don't define you, just sharpen you for the next battle. With toxic emotional blockages cleared Aventurine then clears the way, cleans the signals coming from the ethereal chatter in your soul or in your environment, so you can better 'hear' what's going on around you. To drop the habit of constantly studying every moment, looking for the correct answer for everything, and instead to let the answers come to you, as they should do. And if you ever get it wrong, it's okay - Aventurine reminds you not to get bogged down with feelings of inadequacy or disappointment, but that there are always other ways around a problem. In this way Aventurine is not only extremely positive but also very defensive, protecting your heart, especially from those who would use your own feelings against you. It pushes you to stay the course and not let others sway you, to keep shifting out of your comfort zone, try new things, grow as a person, and, you know.... 'venture' out towards the great unknown, no matter what the ending.
To sum up: Aventurine helps you get what you want. But like all things in life, nothing is ever given, it must be reached for, and rather than bringing luck to you Aventurine will push you to go out and reach for opportunities you likely never even realised were there. To make 'chance' your own ally, to embrace whatever change is required to get to your finish line, and roll with the tide of obstacles, not against them. It is ferociously strong with the heart and Heart Chakra, and also stabilises it with your other energy points. Aventurine is also a very happy-go-lucky crystal, and shares the likes of not only Jade but other fantastic gems like Garnierite (or Green Moonstone), and if you keep it close long enough you may even begin to see the funny side to all the junk and problems life throws at you. That these are not obstacles - just another way around on your path to remembering how powerful you already were.