this is an agressive stone. beginners might have problems handling this stone. if you are using this stone it should be cleansed either daily to weekly.

Historically many mid-eastern cultures viewed this stone as a link to the gods including the Egyptians. At some point after this when this stone arrived in Europe many referred to its color as "ultramarine" which some believe translates as "from beyond the sea". Within some cultures this still holds true with the spiritual connection as these cultures regarded areas beyond the sea as the homes of the ancestors hence we still have the spitirual connection. As time passed the link to the sea continued but some forgot the aspect which connected it to the realms of our ancestors.... the connection with the gods has remained with us throughout history. When the modern pagan paths began most kept the connection to the sea and those who chose to work with Egyptian and other eastern dieties worked with this stone for its connection to the gods.

What this really boils down to is that most modern metaphyical workers connect this stone with the sea/water. Reconstructionists tend to place it in the realm of Spirit due to it's ancient connection to lands of the dead and our ancestors as well as its connection to the gods. People who follw the paths of eastern dieties tend as well to associate it with the spirit realm due to its connection with gods but they also tend to ally it to the sea as a secondary association

Lapis lazuli is a composition of several minerals. It is mostly lazurite, but contains small amounts of augite, calcite, mica, pyrite, and other minerals. It is a deep blue color, often with flecks of pyrite.Lapis lazuli has a hardness of 5 to 6 on the Mohs' scale, and a specific gravity of 2.40 to 2.90

helps with psychism and with one's intuition. can be used as a pyschic shield. as it can protect the wearer from negative energy or pschic attacks.Lapis lazuli's energies can amplify mental ability. It is said to help filter out the distractions that can keep you from remaining focused. It can also aid you to harmonize body and mind, resulting in a more balanced state.Lapis lazuli can also help you achieve spiritual enlightenment. By calming the mind and soothing the body, it allows you to be more open to the subtle messages of the spirit world. Lapis lazuli can help you understand how to apply these spiritual lessons to your life.
Lapis lazuli can help you see the positive aspects of negative situations. It will help you let go of fears based upon past experience and leave you open for a richer, more meaningful life. It is said to clear negative karmic patterns.

said to help with insommina and nightmares. also said to enchance tarot readers as it strengthens their readings and shields them.

a manifestor stone. You may place it on your 3rd eye in meditation to generate the result which you visualize. this stone also for transition to after-life.

some people who wear it will feel overheated while wearing it.

this is an excellent stone for sagittariuses . secondary for taurus and aquarius'

artists used to ground it up to make the blue pigments.

also closely associated with Inanna,Isis and Nut

Egyptians revered it for ancient wisdom and knowledge. also ground it up but was used as make-up

strongly assciated with the medicine Buddha. and linked to the sacred Mount Meru

Links:
this one shows lapis used in ancient Egypt.

http://www.virtual-egyptian-museum.org/Collection/FullVisit/Collection.FullVisit...

for an Asian Buddhas
http://www.uwec.edu/philrel/shimbutsudo/yakushi.html