INTRODUCTION
THE THERAPEUTIC USE OF GEMS AND CRYSTALS
Stones have been used for therapeutic purposes since the beginning of time. Sorcerers and magicians, the “magical” men of the earliest communities, communed with the mineral world and used stones to heal a variety of illnesses. It was believed that stones came from heaven and remained alive after their “fall.”
Some believed they contained a particle of the divine breath, while others imagined that an animal, snake, or toad lived inside even the smallest pebble. It was also believed that each stone retained the heat it received from the sun.
In ancient China, the Manchurian considered stones to be the tree’s sister. To them, stones represented static energy as opposed to the cycle of vegetal growth. Stones, the unchanging principle of integral life, were thus able to restore all human faculties.
This permanent symbol of life also represented the triumph of life over death. Stones still mark the final resting place of our loved ones—we go to the stone to celebrate and remember the life of the person. There is also the widespread custom of throwing or placing stones on a tomb, or of burying the deceased with one or several precious stones. The tombs of the poor were often topped with only a simple stone engraved with a magical sign. In contrast, the royal tombs in Egypt were studded with precious jade and lapis lazuli. The ancients’ knowledge of the power of minerals suggests that the use of these stones ran much deeper than mere aesthetics.
THE THERAPEUTIC USE OF GEMS AND CRYSTALS
Stones have been used for therapeutic purposes since the beginning of time. Sorcerers and magicians, the “magical” men of the earliest communities, communed with the mineral world and used stones to heal a variety of illnesses. It was believed that stones came from heaven and remained alive after their “fall.”
Some believed they contained a particle of the divine breath, while others imagined that an animal, snake, or toad lived inside even the smallest pebble. It was also believed that each stone retained the heat it received from the sun.
In ancient China, the Manchurian considered stones to be the tree’s sister. To them, stones represented static energy as opposed to the cycle of vegetal growth. Stones, the unchanging principle of integral life, were thus able to restore all human faculties.
This permanent symbol of life also represented the triumph of life over death. Stones still mark the final resting place of our loved ones—we go to the stone to celebrate and remember the life of the person. There is also the widespread custom of throwing or placing stones on a tomb, or of burying the deceased with one or several precious stones. The tombs of the poor were often topped with only a simple stone engraved with a magical sign. In contrast, the royal tombs in Egypt were studded with precious jade and lapis lazuli. The ancients’ knowledge of the power of minerals suggests that the use of these stones ran much deeper than mere aesthetics.
THE ANCESTORS OF LITHOTHERAPY
In Asia, jade and jasper, are revered as noble stones. In the past, the medicinal use of these stones was subject to strict laws and breaking a jade object was immediately punished with death.
Jade, believed to be charged with yang energy, was accorded solar qualities. It was believed to be a panacea, the remedy for all diseases. According to the Chinese alchemist Ko-hung, it was thought that gold and jade, placed in the nine openings of the deceased, would keep the cadaver from putrefying. Placing pearls, said to contain yin energy, in the burial place ensured rebirth and reincarnation.
Witch doctors gave certain stones to sick people who rubbed them over the affected part of their bodies. The stone was believed to absorb the disease. Afterward, no one was allowed to touch the stone, since it was thought they could contract the disease contained in the mineral.
During the medieval period, building stones also served as medicine: the powder obtained by scratching the walls of a church was known to cure many illnesses.
Some stones were also used to concoct poisons. During the Renaissance, the Borgias used poison to eliminate their powerful rivals. This led to a curious confusion: it was thought that this murderous family’s favorite poison contained nail clippings. In reality, Borgia's’ poison contained onyx powder (onyx means “nail” in Greek), which, when accompanied by the powder of other minerals, can be-come toxic.
The importance of the black stone in Mecca illustrates the importance of minerals in that civilization. This fifty-foot stone stands in the center court of the Great Mosque. Forgiveness of sin is guaranteed to all who touch it.
Precious stones, from North Africa to Arabia, were charged with precise symbolism and believed to create magical powers. Wearing turquoise ensured victory, while carnelian and amber offered protection from the evil eye. The translucent stones were thought to be especially powerful. They were believed to contain the power of water in crystallized form, and this concentrated force was often used for magical and divinatory purposes. Wise .men and fortune-tellers all made use of these stones.
In Greece and Rome, stones were used for counting. Small stones were worth one unit; others, five or ten units—as with the Chinese abacus. This made it possible to make a list of the herds, evaluate merchandise, and inventory goods. In Latin, a pebble was called calculus or scrupulous. The word calculate has stayed with us and is still used in a mathematical context. These commercial practices led to speculation about the symbolic meanings of numbers. Stones were used in this debate, which eventually led to the esoteric practice of numerology
The ancient Mexicans made hatchets and knives out of polished stone. These instruments of death, serving in human sacrifices, also represented rebirth, the cycle of the seasons—even eternity. These sacred tools were often made out of jade or obsidian, two stones that have great symbolic meaning.
In the Celtic tradition, stones were associated with fertility. Women in Brittany would scratch the tablets of the dolmens—megalithic monuments consisting of a large, flat stone laid horizontally across upright stones—and rub their bellies with the stone powder to become fertile. Granite, with its slight radioactivity, is conducive to pregnancy.
In Asia, jade and jasper, are revered as noble stones. In the past, the medicinal use of these stones was subject to strict laws and breaking a jade object was immediately punished with death.
Jade, believed to be charged with yang energy, was accorded solar qualities. It was believed to be a panacea, the remedy for all diseases. According to the Chinese alchemist Ko-hung, it was thought that gold and jade, placed in the nine openings of the deceased, would keep the cadaver from putrefying. Placing pearls, said to contain yin energy, in the burial place ensured rebirth and reincarnation.
Witch doctors gave certain stones to sick people who rubbed them over the affected part of their bodies. The stone was believed to absorb the disease. Afterward, no one was allowed to touch the stone, since it was thought they could contract the disease contained in the mineral.
During the medieval period, building stones also served as medicine: the powder obtained by scratching the walls of a church was known to cure many illnesses.
Some stones were also used to concoct poisons. During the Renaissance, the Borgias used poison to eliminate their powerful rivals. This led to a curious confusion: it was thought that this murderous family’s favorite poison contained nail clippings. In reality, Borgia's’ poison contained onyx powder (onyx means “nail” in Greek), which, when accompanied by the powder of other minerals, can be-come toxic.
The importance of the black stone in Mecca illustrates the importance of minerals in that civilization. This fifty-foot stone stands in the center court of the Great Mosque. Forgiveness of sin is guaranteed to all who touch it.
Precious stones, from North Africa to Arabia, were charged with precise symbolism and believed to create magical powers. Wearing turquoise ensured victory, while carnelian and amber offered protection from the evil eye. The translucent stones were thought to be especially powerful. They were believed to contain the power of water in crystallized form, and this concentrated force was often used for magical and divinatory purposes. Wise .men and fortune-tellers all made use of these stones.
In Greece and Rome, stones were used for counting. Small stones were worth one unit; others, five or ten units—as with the Chinese abacus. This made it possible to make a list of the herds, evaluate merchandise, and inventory goods. In Latin, a pebble was called calculus or scrupulous. The word calculate has stayed with us and is still used in a mathematical context. These commercial practices led to speculation about the symbolic meanings of numbers. Stones were used in this debate, which eventually led to the esoteric practice of numerology
The ancient Mexicans made hatchets and knives out of polished stone. These instruments of death, serving in human sacrifices, also represented rebirth, the cycle of the seasons—even eternity. These sacred tools were often made out of jade or obsidian, two stones that have great symbolic meaning.
In the Celtic tradition, stones were associated with fertility. Women in Brittany would scratch the tablets of the dolmens—megalithic monuments consisting of a large, flat stone laid horizontally across upright stones—and rub their bellies with the stone powder to become fertile. Granite, with its slight radioactivity, is conducive to pregnancy.
STONES AND RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS
In the Judeo-Christian tradition stones symbolized wisdom and permanence. They quenched the mystical thirst, just as water satisfies the body’s thirst. Traces of this symbolism can be found in the story of Moses who, when entering and leaving the desert, strikes a stone with his stick to create a stream of water. The “philosopher’s stone,” referring to the gospels, was also called “the Lord’s bread.” The angular stone has many, apparently contradictory, esoteric meanings.
Stones that are nurturing are another biblical theme: the devil tempts Christ by asking him to change stones into bread. Christ changed the name of a fisherman, calling him Peter (Pierre in French, which means stone) and “on this stone” founded the Church. Man, who is perishable and mortal, would become the first stone of a mystical edifice that has survived for two thousand years.
Precious stones in the Judeo-Christian tradition also represent transmutation, the sister of transfiguration. We move from the opaque to the transparent in the course of our evolutionary journey.
The German mystic Hildegard of Bingen wrote one of the first treatises on mineralogy that included the therapeutic qualities of each mineral. During the building of the great cathedrals in Europe, an extremely rich symbolism of the stones was developed. It was the era of the “stone masters,” the original freemasons. These builders were said to have passed along esoteric secrets to the less educated laborers as they traveled from site to site.
The city walls of the New Jerusalem were built in jasper and enhanced with various stones. The first stratum was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, carnelian; the seventh, chrysotile; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, hyacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. The twelve gates of the city were said to be twelve delicate pearls. It was not just a question of beauty or munificence; the symbolism of each stone was believed to be beneficial to the city.
In the Judeo-Christian tradition stones symbolized wisdom and permanence. They quenched the mystical thirst, just as water satisfies the body’s thirst. Traces of this symbolism can be found in the story of Moses who, when entering and leaving the desert, strikes a stone with his stick to create a stream of water. The “philosopher’s stone,” referring to the gospels, was also called “the Lord’s bread.” The angular stone has many, apparently contradictory, esoteric meanings.
Stones that are nurturing are another biblical theme: the devil tempts Christ by asking him to change stones into bread. Christ changed the name of a fisherman, calling him Peter (Pierre in French, which means stone) and “on this stone” founded the Church. Man, who is perishable and mortal, would become the first stone of a mystical edifice that has survived for two thousand years.
Precious stones in the Judeo-Christian tradition also represent transmutation, the sister of transfiguration. We move from the opaque to the transparent in the course of our evolutionary journey.
The German mystic Hildegard of Bingen wrote one of the first treatises on mineralogy that included the therapeutic qualities of each mineral. During the building of the great cathedrals in Europe, an extremely rich symbolism of the stones was developed. It was the era of the “stone masters,” the original freemasons. These builders were said to have passed along esoteric secrets to the less educated laborers as they traveled from site to site.
The city walls of the New Jerusalem were built in jasper and enhanced with various stones. The first stratum was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, carnelian; the seventh, chrysotile; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, hyacinth; the twelfth, amethyst. The twelve gates of the city were said to be twelve delicate pearls. It was not just a question of beauty or munificence; the symbolism of each stone was believed to be beneficial to the city.
THE BASIC VIBRATORY PATTERN
The intuitions of the ancients regarding stones are confirmed by modern science. The basic vibratory pattern, which controls the color and sound spectrum (the same word, chromatic, is used in both cases), is found in all physical phenomena, from electromagnetic waves to ripples in the water, or the infinite movement of electrons.
The apparent inertia of the smallest pebble shouldn’t fool us; each pebble is both a transmitter and a receiver of various vibrations. Each stone vibrates and emits its own unique radiance. This radiance interacts with the electromagnetic field of our bodies in ways that still remain mysterious.
The great assemblage of megaliths at Carnac (in Brittany, France) and Stonehenge (England), and the obelisks and pyramids of Egypt and of pre-Columbian America, can all be thought of as wave receivers. These monuments captured cosmic energy and redistributed it to the ground. The stones, believed to be connected to the planets, had not yet revealed all their secrets to the ancients, but people did note strange phenomena associated with them. In fact, we only know a little bit more about them today; the stones still have many secrets to reveal.
The intuitions of the ancients regarding stones are confirmed by modern science. The basic vibratory pattern, which controls the color and sound spectrum (the same word, chromatic, is used in both cases), is found in all physical phenomena, from electromagnetic waves to ripples in the water, or the infinite movement of electrons.
The apparent inertia of the smallest pebble shouldn’t fool us; each pebble is both a transmitter and a receiver of various vibrations. Each stone vibrates and emits its own unique radiance. This radiance interacts with the electromagnetic field of our bodies in ways that still remain mysterious.
The great assemblage of megaliths at Carnac (in Brittany, France) and Stonehenge (England), and the obelisks and pyramids of Egypt and of pre-Columbian America, can all be thought of as wave receivers. These monuments captured cosmic energy and redistributed it to the ground. The stones, believed to be connected to the planets, had not yet revealed all their secrets to the ancients, but people did note strange phenomena associated with them. In fact, we only know a little bit more about them today; the stones still have many secrets to reveal.
THE ANCIENT ART OF LITHOTHERAPY: HEALING WITH STONES
Throughout recorded history, scholars, magicians, alchemists, and doctors have studied the stones with inexhaustible patience. Some spent their lives at it, and centuries passed before the effects of some stones were established with certainty. This slow transmission, this thousand-year-old journey, is the basis of modern lithotherapy.
Many interesting discoveries were made along the way. A king who was subject to epilepsy, abrupt attacks of anger that were dangerous for the country, or digestive problems that made him spiteful or cruel would turn into a wise and skillful politician as soon as he wore a crown or a pectoral ornamented with diamonds. Scholars noted this fact and used the diamond’s intrinsic property to cure others with the same problems.
Since not everyone was a king, efforts were made, using the quality of the colors, to find less costly stones with similar effects. It was found that rock crystal could be used in place of diamonds to heal some illnesses. In the same way, a peasant woman suffering from menstrual problems could be healed with coral, malachite, or chrysocolla, while the queen was treated with rubies for the same problem. The stone’s purity is part of the equation. Rubies transmit more energy than the less costly stones, and the queen healed more quickly. Nevertheless, the peasant women still saw their pains and irregularity disappear. In ancient China and Egypt, the poor were allowed to rent or borrow stones when needed for lithotherapy.
Throughout recorded history, scholars, magicians, alchemists, and doctors have studied the stones with inexhaustible patience. Some spent their lives at it, and centuries passed before the effects of some stones were established with certainty. This slow transmission, this thousand-year-old journey, is the basis of modern lithotherapy.
Many interesting discoveries were made along the way. A king who was subject to epilepsy, abrupt attacks of anger that were dangerous for the country, or digestive problems that made him spiteful or cruel would turn into a wise and skillful politician as soon as he wore a crown or a pectoral ornamented with diamonds. Scholars noted this fact and used the diamond’s intrinsic property to cure others with the same problems.
Since not everyone was a king, efforts were made, using the quality of the colors, to find less costly stones with similar effects. It was found that rock crystal could be used in place of diamonds to heal some illnesses. In the same way, a peasant woman suffering from menstrual problems could be healed with coral, malachite, or chrysocolla, while the queen was treated with rubies for the same problem. The stone’s purity is part of the equation. Rubies transmit more energy than the less costly stones, and the queen healed more quickly. Nevertheless, the peasant women still saw their pains and irregularity disappear. In ancient China and Egypt, the poor were allowed to rent or borrow stones when needed for lithotherapy.
LITHOTHERAPY AND MODERN MEDICINE
Today, lithotherapy is a safe alternative to over prescribed pharmaceuticals. Repeated throat problems, for example, don’t always need to be treated with antibiotics. An amber, tourmaline, topaz, or chalcedony stone worn as a pendant can be just as effective. Cortisone is often prescribed for skin diseases. Aventurine, sapphire, or rock crystal can also treat these problems without the frightening side effects of that drug. This radiance of the mineral world is similar to electrotherapy or radiology—but without the potential dangers. There is not much risk with stones used externally. The most that might happen is a slight fever or a bit of vertigo, if you have too much contact with a powerful stone.
Practicing lithotherapy does not mean that we turn our backs on the extraordinary accomplishments of modern medicine. Antibiotics, when not overused, can be effective, and vaccines have saved the lives of millions of people.
Lithotherapy can be used to treat many types of ailments but it cannot cure everything. Some serious illnesses and infections require more invasive medical treatment. If this is the case, lithotherapy can be used to mitigate any harmful side effects. For example, this kind of therapy will work wonders for postoperative shock. Although lithotherapy can’t heal psychoses—modern medicine cannot heal it either—it can help to soothe those who suffer from these illnesses.
Some stones, such as calcium and magnesium, have pharmaceutical qualities. This is the effective principle of mineral waters and many medicinal preparations. Compounded lithium, a mineral element, is used for serious mental disturbances. Silica, among other minerals, is included in the basic substances used in homeopathic drugs. In the past, various infections were cured by absorbing powdered stones. Even so, some of the remedies could have been more harmful than the disease. Orpiment, for example, was long considered a panacea. Although it was able to alleviate some pains momentarily, it is nonetheless a source of arsenic, and its effects can be fatal over time. Likewise, you will not heal anything by ingesting calcite or limestone: the dosage, grinding, and dis-solving are factors that only professionals know how to control. Instructions for making stone waters are given in this book for some of the safer stones. However, it is always best to consult a trained medical professional before ingesting any stone preparation.
Today, lithotherapy is a safe alternative to over prescribed pharmaceuticals. Repeated throat problems, for example, don’t always need to be treated with antibiotics. An amber, tourmaline, topaz, or chalcedony stone worn as a pendant can be just as effective. Cortisone is often prescribed for skin diseases. Aventurine, sapphire, or rock crystal can also treat these problems without the frightening side effects of that drug. This radiance of the mineral world is similar to electrotherapy or radiology—but without the potential dangers. There is not much risk with stones used externally. The most that might happen is a slight fever or a bit of vertigo, if you have too much contact with a powerful stone.
Practicing lithotherapy does not mean that we turn our backs on the extraordinary accomplishments of modern medicine. Antibiotics, when not overused, can be effective, and vaccines have saved the lives of millions of people.
Lithotherapy can be used to treat many types of ailments but it cannot cure everything. Some serious illnesses and infections require more invasive medical treatment. If this is the case, lithotherapy can be used to mitigate any harmful side effects. For example, this kind of therapy will work wonders for postoperative shock. Although lithotherapy can’t heal psychoses—modern medicine cannot heal it either—it can help to soothe those who suffer from these illnesses.
Some stones, such as calcium and magnesium, have pharmaceutical qualities. This is the effective principle of mineral waters and many medicinal preparations. Compounded lithium, a mineral element, is used for serious mental disturbances. Silica, among other minerals, is included in the basic substances used in homeopathic drugs. In the past, various infections were cured by absorbing powdered stones. Even so, some of the remedies could have been more harmful than the disease. Orpiment, for example, was long considered a panacea. Although it was able to alleviate some pains momentarily, it is nonetheless a source of arsenic, and its effects can be fatal over time. Likewise, you will not heal anything by ingesting calcite or limestone: the dosage, grinding, and dis-solving are factors that only professionals know how to control. Instructions for making stone waters are given in this book for some of the safer stones. However, it is always best to consult a trained medical professional before ingesting any stone preparation.
MEDITATION AND LITHOTHERAPY
Lithotherapy is not just a type of medicine. In addition to their curative applications, stones can also help to strengthen us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Wearing a particular stone can have a regenerative effect. But meditating on a particular stone is an even more active way of balancing our inner energies. We can start by looking, touching, and playing with a particular stone. We can connect even more deeply by meditating on its beauty, origins, qualities, and symbolism. There are many different meditation techniques—Zen, Hindu, and Christian contemplation—that can connect us with the telluric, primeval force of each mineral.
Lithotherapy is not just a type of medicine. In addition to their curative applications, stones can also help to strengthen us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Wearing a particular stone can have a regenerative effect. But meditating on a particular stone is an even more active way of balancing our inner energies. We can start by looking, touching, and playing with a particular stone. We can connect even more deeply by meditating on its beauty, origins, qualities, and symbolism. There are many different meditation techniques—Zen, Hindu, and Christian contemplation—that can connect us with the telluric, primeval force of each mineral.
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STONES AND INDIGENOUS CULTURES
Women in India and the aborigines of southern Australia absorb the dust from the monolithic representations of lingua (a stone statue representing a male sexual organ) to become fertile. The Fang, a tribal group in the West African country of Gabon, place granite between the legs of a laboring woman to aid in childbirth. The women of the Yakout, an aboriginal ethnic group in eastern Siberia, drink stone water made from a similar stone before giving birth.
In the Cordillera mountain chain of the Andes, in Chile and Peru, and in Tibet and Siberia, piles of various stones are found at crossroads and at the entrance to mountain passes; every traveler adds to the pile. These stones are said to bear a bit of the soul of each traveler. The fragments of these individual souls will create a powerful, collective “mineral soul” to protect travelers from the hazards of the road.
Stones in Africa are used to gather the energy of the souls of the dead. These stones can protect people from thunder or provoke misfortune in those who have offended or defiled them. In this area, stones are also believed to be symbols of fertility.
In Mongolia, shamans range continuously across the mountains and plains, trying to find a stone with magical climatic properties in the belly of a steer or the head of stag. These stones are said to have the power to bring wind, rain, ice, and snow to their enemies and are also used to control the severity of the seasons.
Women in India and the aborigines of southern Australia absorb the dust from the monolithic representations of lingua (a stone statue representing a male sexual organ) to become fertile. The Fang, a tribal group in the West African country of Gabon, place granite between the legs of a laboring woman to aid in childbirth. The women of the Yakout, an aboriginal ethnic group in eastern Siberia, drink stone water made from a similar stone before giving birth.
In the Cordillera mountain chain of the Andes, in Chile and Peru, and in Tibet and Siberia, piles of various stones are found at crossroads and at the entrance to mountain passes; every traveler adds to the pile. These stones are said to bear a bit of the soul of each traveler. The fragments of these individual souls will create a powerful, collective “mineral soul” to protect travelers from the hazards of the road.
Stones in Africa are used to gather the energy of the souls of the dead. These stones can protect people from thunder or provoke misfortune in those who have offended or defiled them. In this area, stones are also believed to be symbols of fertility.
In Mongolia, shamans range continuously across the mountains and plains, trying to find a stone with magical climatic properties in the belly of a steer or the head of stag. These stones are said to have the power to bring wind, rain, ice, and snow to their enemies and are also used to control the severity of the seasons.
AGATE
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Etymology and General Characteristics
According to the ancient philosopher Pliny the Elder, Agate is the name of a Sicilian river in the region of Sélinonte where this stone is found. The name of the river, like the name of the stone, evokes a Greek word meaning that which is beautiful and good.
This stone is part of the quartz group, a variety of chalcedony delicately laid down in concentric layers. Agate is found in various forms: lined, milky, arborized, herborized (moss agate), or banded according to the arrangement of colors. Agate has many colors and each color is associated with unique meanings.
Therapeutic Uses
Agates represent life in its most earthly, material aspect. This stone should be worn against the skin. Recommended for pregnant women, it enhances pregnancy and birth. It helps women avoid the “baby blues” new mothers often experience after giving birth. An agate jewel worn between the breasts activates lactation. It also has a noticeable effect on male sexual problems.
For neurasthenics and people suffering from depression, this “life stone” has proven to be very effective. Look at a
translucent agate after you have worn it against your skin, and see the light play with its different colors and veins.
Agates cure fevers: a cold stone placed on one’s forehead is generally effective.However, if the fever returns, consult a doctor. Agate also reduces the symptoms of epilepsy. For some people, it guards against sleepwalking. The German mystic Hildegard of Bingen recommended it for heart ailments, and also for everything concerning the heart and emotions. She recommended wearing a disk in the middle of the chest to strengthen the cardiac muscle. Agate also helps to treat wounds by slowing down the flow of blood, and it relieves itching due to insect stings and bites.
Moss agate, named for its mosslike appearance, cures buzzing in the ears and intestinal cramps. The agate’s effects can be very powerful. Those suffering from depression or in mourning should avoid this stone. In addition, agates with an empty center (geodes and hollow stones) may accentuate the feeling of helplessness and despair. In general, agates protect people against traffic accidents and other problems when traveling. Agates with regular designs will help those who desire peace and harmony. However, stones having irregular designs may have the reverse effect; these stones can stimulate us to take effective action and help us to make important decisions.
According to the ancient philosopher Pliny the Elder, Agate is the name of a Sicilian river in the region of Sélinonte where this stone is found. The name of the river, like the name of the stone, evokes a Greek word meaning that which is beautiful and good.
This stone is part of the quartz group, a variety of chalcedony delicately laid down in concentric layers. Agate is found in various forms: lined, milky, arborized, herborized (moss agate), or banded according to the arrangement of colors. Agate has many colors and each color is associated with unique meanings.
- Blue agate: Dear to the French poet Francis Jammes, its color evokes the “April skies.” Yet this is also one of the most earthly stones. Its color evokes a complementary sense of balance.
- Yellow agate: When mixed with crystalline traces, it evokes gold and wealth, from the material point of view. This is why a great many traditions believe it has the power to help discover hidden treasures. From the spiritual point of view, gold represents both faithful friendship and burning desire. An agate that is mostly yellow is thought to be a stone of seduction and good for men who want to attract women. It can also cause us to long for wealth and spiritual powers.
- Black agate (and its varieties—sardonyx, carnelian, and onyx): These stones enhance the inner life and meditation. They act as a mirror enabling us to contemplate and go within. Black agate is the stone of the spiritual quest, the one that Theseus, the legendary king of Athens, found in the sea and offered to his queen. This stone of the inner life can sometimes cause us to brood and feel moody. It can also cause a spiritual intoxication that the amethyst can heal. The name black agate is sometimes mistakenly given to jet, and obsidian is often called Icelandic agate.
- Crimson agate: The color of nobility and wealth for the Romans, crimson symbolizes the elevation of the spirit, as well as sadness, blood, and death. It is the stone of cameo engravers and artists. It also represents their destiny, for better or for worse. This stone is one of energetic action, will, and relentlessness.
- Green agate: This stone symbolizes hope for the future and growth, evolution, germination, and fertility. It is the stone of the creative imagination. It also represents fatality and temptation. The Tartarus idol, a statue of green agate with seven featherless arrows in his silver hand, tormented St. Anthony during his painful visions.
- Colorless agate: This stone represents earthly solidity and love of the nurturing soil.
Therapeutic Uses
Agates represent life in its most earthly, material aspect. This stone should be worn against the skin. Recommended for pregnant women, it enhances pregnancy and birth. It helps women avoid the “baby blues” new mothers often experience after giving birth. An agate jewel worn between the breasts activates lactation. It also has a noticeable effect on male sexual problems.
For neurasthenics and people suffering from depression, this “life stone” has proven to be very effective. Look at a
translucent agate after you have worn it against your skin, and see the light play with its different colors and veins.
Agates cure fevers: a cold stone placed on one’s forehead is generally effective.However, if the fever returns, consult a doctor. Agate also reduces the symptoms of epilepsy. For some people, it guards against sleepwalking. The German mystic Hildegard of Bingen recommended it for heart ailments, and also for everything concerning the heart and emotions. She recommended wearing a disk in the middle of the chest to strengthen the cardiac muscle. Agate also helps to treat wounds by slowing down the flow of blood, and it relieves itching due to insect stings and bites.
Moss agate, named for its mosslike appearance, cures buzzing in the ears and intestinal cramps. The agate’s effects can be very powerful. Those suffering from depression or in mourning should avoid this stone. In addition, agates with an empty center (geodes and hollow stones) may accentuate the feeling of helplessness and despair. In general, agates protect people against traffic accidents and other problems when traveling. Agates with regular designs will help those who desire peace and harmony. However, stones having irregular designs may have the reverse effect; these stones can stimulate us to take effective action and help us to make important decisions.
