Signs and Stones

Each astrological sign is associated with at least one precious gem, or soul stone; one power stone; and one heart stone. The most precious gem for each sign is another kind of birthstone, the jewel marking entry into the world—a guide for your life, if you will. Power stones are lucky omens, and heart stones are the more affordable of crystals, so we can all afford to keep them in our homes, on our desks, and in our bedrooms. I highly recommend them as altar crystals.

Aries, First Half: March 20-April 3

Pink diamond is the soul stone of choice for early-born Aries. Among the rarest of all diamonds, pink diamonds became a huge fad in late 2002, when actor Ben Affleck gave one to lady love Jennifer Lopez as her engagement ring. They are both Leos, but no matter! Aries babies are ruled by the planet Mars. The finest-quality pink diamonds usually come from Western Australia. A secondary precious-crystal stone for this part of Aries is the pink sapphire, also rare.

Sunstone is the power crystal for these Aries folks. Appropriately red with an iridescent glow, sunstone is a gold-flecked good-luck charm for the Mars-ruled.

Jasper and heliotrope are the other power stones for this part of the year. These red rocks will amp up your lust for life.

The heart stones for these zodiac pioneers are dolomite, rose quartz, and cinnabar. So, Aries, put a rose quartz by your bedside for self-esteem, self-love, and spiritual comfort.

Aries, Last Half: April 4-April 18

Alexandrite is the designated soul stone here. It is not as rare as pink diamond but is very precious indeed—the scarcest of the chrysoberyls. Usually a dark green, alexandrite shows red under certain types of light. This royal stone is fitting for the first sign of the zodiac. Another soul stone for later-born Aries is rhodonite, a pinkish red crystal that’s a favorite of Carl Faberge’s.

The power stone for this half of Aries is bowenite, a stone of great strength in a mossy green. While many of the crystals assigned to late Aries are red or pink, this one is green, signifying the other side of the planet Mars. Bowenite is especially precious and sacred to the Maori of New Zealand, where some of the finest specimens come from, and was highly prized by the ancient Indians and Persians. Carnelian is second in line as a power stone and was commonly carved ceremoniously by the Egyptians, the Greeks, and the Phoenicians in the pre-Christian era. Egyptians loved scarabs carved out of the umber-colored chalcedony. Explore the cavalcade of crystal stores on the Internet to find yourself a carnelian carved scarab for a personal power boost.

The heart stone for later-born Aries is the pale pink iridescent stone known as the youngite, which looks like a lighter-colored red jasper. One thousand years before Christ, the Egyptians made much jewelry out of this heart stone.

Taurus, First Half: April 19-May 2

Emerald is the soul stone for those born in the first half of this luxury-loving and Venus-ruled sign. Tauruses are frequently very good with managing wealth and investments, so it makes sense that emeralds are the color of money. If you are an early-born Taurus, you would do well to obtain an emerald and wear it to work and to the bank for enhancing energy.

The power stone for this group is another gorgeous green stone, malachite, which also corresponds to the planet Venus. An earthy rock, it is befitting for this earth sign of the zodiac and has many magical tales to its credit. A malachite heart pendant or paperweight is perfect for early Tauruses.

Pyrite, or fool’s gold, is the heart stone for people in this family, who, again, tend to be bankers and money managers. Stunning and shiny, pyrite has a hardness of six, the number sacred to Venus. Pyrite brings great luck to early Tauruses along with abundance and an atmosphere conductive to joy. Delight everyone at work by keeping a chunk of fool’s gold on your desk.

Taurus, Second Half: May 3-May 19

Andalusite is the precious soul stone here, a magically metamorphic crystal. Tauruses are deeply rooted to the earth, and andalusite represents that elemental energy through its range of colors, from earthy black to clear and watery. In fact, andalusite comes in nearly all the colors of the rainbow (yellow, green, red, purple, brown, and gray), manifesting another Venusian quality—glamour.

Jadeite, the power stone for later Tauruses, also comes in many colors. Jadeite is a symbol for abundance and permanence. Jadeite rings with a lovely tone when struck, representing the natural musical talent possessed by members of this sign. A jadeite bracelet, ring, or bowl is essential for the May-born.

Tauruses in this group have a most whimsical heart stone, the Irish fairy stone. This is a mutable crystal made up of several elements: bluish galena, clear quartz crystal, yellow sphalerite, and pyrite. While Irish fairy stone is composed of these different stones, it has its own unique qualities of endurance and stability. This stone brings many blessings to the May Tauruses.

Gemini, First Half: May 20-June 4

Orange sapphire has long been associated with communication, specifically the telling of truths. As a soul stone, it can help early-half Geminis achieve the mastery of communication that is their karmic due. Sapphires are the hardest of gems after diamonds. In India of old, the orange sapphire was prized beyond any other; it was called padparadscha, the Sanskrit word for lotus blossom. The Chaldeans associated this stone with this sign after observing the orange tint of the planet Mercury, the ruler of Gemini.

Moss agate, quartz with a plantlike pattern caused by metallic crystalline grains, is the power stone for first-half Geminis and represents the dualism of this sign of the Twins. The ancients actually thought the dark green markings inside the stone were fossilized moss. They used moss agate for water divining, so it was especially sacred to farmers. It is associated with the metal-rich planet Mercury and makes a great grounding stone for members of this air sign, who need to keep their feet on the ground.

The heart stone for early Geminis is staurolite, named from the Greek word staurus, which translates to “cross.” Staurolite forms a natural crucifix because of the way the iron molecules in the stone line up. Bright red is one of the colors associated with Geminis, and staurolite most commonly appears in this vibrant color, causing it to be mistaken for garnet. This stone can help Geminis align with their true purpose, so they will benefit from keeping it at their bedsides or on their desks.

Gemini, Second Half: June 5-June 20

Cat’s-eye, the lovely golden yellow gem, is the special soul stone for late-born Geminis. The ancient Greeks, who called this crystal cymophane, meaning “waving light,” believed this stone guarded against danger to the soul and the body. The iridescent surface of the stone causes it to appear in different colors; the shade depends on the angle from which the cat’s-eye is being seen. This mutable stone reflects back to Geminis their changeable nature and helps them to acknowledge their quicksilver personalities and to grow from that deep recognition. Geminis, wear a cat’s-eye ring and see your soul reflected back at you.

Late Geminis can count on the garnet known as Transvaal jade, or grossular, for their power. People most often think of garnets as red stones of great clarity, but this specimen is opaque and a beautiful bright green. Under certain light, it appears as a blazing yellow color. This ability to change color symbolizes the dual nature of the June-born. Originating many millions of years ago in the deep core of the earth, Transvaal jade contains many metals in its makeup, a fact that also corresponds to the Gemini nature of having so many different qualities and talents. Wearing this garnet can awaken hidden talents in Geminis and bring them to the fore.

Geode, which usually comes in two split halves, is the ideal heart stone for later-born Geminis, but they must have both halves to help integrate the two parts of their nature and make for a complete, whole person. Geodes are formed from old volcanic bubbles and are usually solid agate outside with a center of gorgeous amethyst, opal, or rock crystal. If you are a Gemini, I recommend keeping one of the geode halves at home on your altar or in a special spot where you can see it every day and the other half at your place of work, to reflect and connect the two parts of your nature.