Many fantastical roles played by gemstones in helping our lives

A simple exploration about how gemstones can bring prosperity and betterment in our lives.

Introduction:

Why do we wear different ornamentation on our bodies? Why do we feel nice every time we get noticed or complimented for them? Because who doesn’t want to feel nice or grand or strong in some form. The same rule follows when it comes to precious gemstones like Rubies, Amethyst, Aquamarines, Emerald etc. For centuries people have worn these exquisite and sometimes precious gemstones as a sign of grandiosity or in many ways to symbolize a higher power, ranging from Ancient Egypt where gemstones have been found in intricate jewelry pieces to world renowned gems like the Black Prince’s Ruby and the Timur Ruby. Both are set in the Imperial Crown of the British crown jewels. But what gives these gems all this allure, mystique, and fascination? Is it their crystalline form? Or is it the fascination with the way they reflect back rays in the sunlight? Or perfection of their shape? And how do these jewels impact and empower our own lives as a result of possessing and owning them? Let’s dive directly into some of these aspects:

Status symbol, honour and glory:

• Sense of prestige from its rarity: In their rare forms, possessing them can give an inner confidence and a sense of glory amongst people due to their mesmerizing shapes and cuts.
• Aesthetic appeal: Visual appreciation of their beauty can render the wearer aesthetically pleasing and bring one compliments and status amongst people who can appreciate this beautiful form

From love and healing to protection and compassion:

• Use in alternative therapies such as Reiki, massages and other forms of non medicinal healings:  

Nowadays there is a frequent use of gemstones in practices of new age healing sciences and many alternative therapies. Although there is no definitive scientific research to back up these sources of powers found in gemstones, there are some very credible lines of thinking that may stand to reason.

For example, it is commonly believed that certain gems impact certain ailments as well as people’s emotions and psychology. Given the fact that the human body and gemstones are both made of minerals, the human body is naturally receptive to the vibrations of gemstones as they transmit, reflect, store light and receive energy. If the gems are placed directly on the body or one wears them, their energies transfer via so-called vibrations and do their magic in restoring balance, mood and vitality in our bodies.

• As good luck charms against evil eye, protection or bringing positivity into our lives in many cultures: Their popularity stems from the fact that they have existed in our lives and human kind’s shared experience as something possessing special energies for thousands of years. This ranges from ancient stories to their prominence in historical cultures and from biblical anecdotes to their high importance in various kingdoms even up to this day.

As a symbol of transcendence and metaphysical power:

• They have mystique pull and spiritual sense associated with them: In the realm of religion, gemstones are often mentioned in writings and used to decorate important religious objects, as it is thought that gemstones manifest transcendence and the light of the heavens. E.g. The Roman Catholic church considers amethyst as a gem of purity often associated with the church’s bishops, the Buddhist prayer beads in Tibet are often crafted using the gemstones etc.
• They symbolize purity, faith and perfection for many religions: For example, they were used to describe the purity of the Virgin Mary. And in the Koran, the 4th Heaven is composed of carbuncle (garnet). In a similar vein, they are mentioned in the story of the breastplate of Aaron, or the “High Priest’s Breastplate”- also known as the story of the origin of birthstones-, appearing in the book of Exodus.

The domain of birthstones and the influence they can exert on our lives

To better understand the influence our birthstones might exert in our lives a vital question that arises here is: What are birthstones and where has all this belief about their influence originated from? Birthstones are gems traditionally associated with each of the twelve months of Gregorian calendar and physically wearing them, according to some archaic legends and thinkings, will heighten these effects, especially if the birthstone matches the wearer’s birth month. 

Most scholars have traced the origins of birthstones back to the book of Exodus in the Bible. In this book, a high priest during the time of Moses named Aaron had a special religious garment. This garment was a breastplate with 12 jewels, each of which was engraved with the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. 

The gems in the plate are said to have been chipped off the throne of God. According to Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (1st century AD), the breastplate had miraculous powers. And the special powers associated with each gem corresponded with an astrological sign, and wearing them at the right time would have therapeutic or talismanic benefits.

Now here is a list of some of the gemstones that are associated beneficially with each of the twelve months of the Gregoria’s calendar:

January – Garnet (happiness, health, wealth)

February – Amethyst (peace, courage, stability)

March – Aquamarine, Bloodstone (preservation of health)

April – Diamond (love, prosperity)

May – Emerald (mental health, passion)

June – Pearl (purity), Alexandrite (intuition), Moonstone (good fortune)

July – Ruby (love, success)

August – Peridot (prosperity), Sardonyx (confidence), Spinel (energy)

September – Sapphire (wisdom)

October – Tourmaline (happiness), Opal (inspiration)

November – Topaz, Citrine (calm, good fortune)

December – Tanzanite (psychic powers), Zircon (virtue), Turquoise (love, success)

Source: American Gem Society