Outback Jasper Meaning

Outback Jasper connects us with the “Dreamtime,” a place beyond space and time where the creation of everything occurs and the answers to our most important questions can be found.  When we connect to it, we learn who we are, how we are meant to behave, and why the world is the way that it is.  It helps us to look beyond the surface level and to see the complex stories at play.  Outback Jasper helps us to create our own myths while simultaneously honoring the Old Ways.  It is a fantastic choice for anyone who wants to go on a walkabout, whether in the physical realm or in the spirit world.  It can help us to explore our past lives and to connect with animal totems.

Outback Jasper has a very calm and relaxing energy.  When the people and situations around us get stressful, it can help us to stay comfortably grounded.  If the very ground beneath our feet seems to be crumbling, Outback Jasper encourages us to step away from the chaos rather than fight with it.  It is particularly helpful when dealing with overly-dramatic family members or close associates.  It reminds us that we can love people dearly, while also having sensible emotional and physical boundaries.  It is a powerful ally for exploring generational trauma and understanding why our family or community behaves in certain ways.  Outback Jasper helps us to take space when we need it without feeling bad.  It is a great choice for releasing people-pleasing tendencies.  It inspires us to walk through the world with a quiet self-assurance.

Outback Jasper helps us to see the truth, even when it’s less than ideal.  It asks us to call a spade, a spade, and to be wise in the ways of the world and to suffer no fools.  If we still need to grow up, it helps us to do so as swiftly and directly as possible.  It guides us towards our independence so that we can stand tall and proud.  If we are grown up and feel steady on our feet, it helps us to transition into an Elder that other people can look to for guidance and goodness.  Outback Jasper encourages self-reliance and independence, while also giving others a helping hand when needed.

Outback Jasper is recommended when we are getting older and our body isn’t working the way it used to.  It helps us to accept some of these natural changes ruefully, knowing that growing old is a sign of good fortune rather than a curse.  It also helps us to be honest if these changes are due to some poor habits that might need to be fixed.  If we need to make changes, it helps us behave pragmatically – no crash diets or frantic choices, just slow and steady sensible changes.  It is a lovely talisman for weight loss and for calming autoimmune disorders.  It is ideal to hold when stressed out about genetic disorders that run in the family.

Outback Jasper formed in a narrow seam within an outcropping of Chert, indicating there was a brief moment when silica-rich liquid flowed through the area. Australia is known as the Red Continent due to the high presence of iron in the soil.  As a result, red and pinkish stones are fairly common in the continent’s interior.

Outback Jasper’s energy works well with its “friends” – crystal associates formed in the same geological environment.  Try it in combination with Amazonite, Chrome Chalcedony, Mookaite Jasper, Red Jasper, and White Opal

The name “Jasper” is a generic name given to any spotted or multicolored stone.  It comes from the French word jaspre, which literally means “spotted or speckled stone”   Some Jaspers are “true Jaspers,” meaning they are an opaque variety of spotted Chalcedony, like Brecciated Jasper.  However, monochromatic chalcedony, such as Red Jasper and multicolored chalcedony without spots, like Desert Jasper, are often called Jaspers as well.  The name Jasper is also given to a variety of spotted rocks.  Because so many different types of stones may be referred to as a Jasper, it is difficult to know exactly which stone is being referenced in ancient and medieval writings.

Outback Jasper is a sedimentary rock composed of chiefly of red and pink Jasper, mixed with opal and other minerals.  It is mined exclusively in the Outback of Western Australia.  The Outback is the remote and sparsely populated areas of Australia, they are often pictured as the red desert, but the Outback also includes tropical and temperate regions.  It is notable for its low human population and largely intact natural environment.  The two most common human activities in the Outback are ranching and mining.

Outback Jasper is found near Payne’s Find, a former gold rush settlement 267 miles / 430 kilometers northeast of Perth.  The town was named after the prospector Thomas Payne (1866-1924) who first discovered gold in the area in c.1910.  The town that sprang up around his claim had a peak population of 500.  Today, it has shrunk to only 50 people in a few houses.  The only notable building is a roadhouse that serves as a tavern and gas station along the Great Northern Highway.  From late July-September, wildflower season blankets the area in a vibrant carpet of pink, yellow and white flowers.  Year round, kangaroos and emus can be seen in their natural habitat.  Outback Jasper was discovered in 2009 and is legally mined with a low environmental impact.

Additional References:

1. High Beach, “A Payne Family of the Western Australian Goldfields,” http://www.hibeach.net/payne1.html
2. Mindat.org, “Pinyalling Hill,” https://www.mindat.org/loc-246031.html
3. Outback Mining, “Outback Jasper,” https://www.outbackmining.com/outback_jasper.htm
4. Shire of Yalgoo,”Payne’s Find,” https://www.yalgoo.wa.gov.au/tourism/visit-paynes-find/paynes-find.aspx