Signs and Stones: Aquarius

Aquarius, First Half: January 20-February 3

Olivine is the soul gem of choice for first half Aquarians, and it is a stone with a royal heritage. The Egyptians believed this peridot to be the stone of the gods. The long, convoluted, and quite bizarre history of this stone entirely suits Aquarians, who are ruled by Uranus, the planet of chaos and unexpected change. Wear a dark green olivine on momentous occasions to mark them as special in your life.

Onyx, the deep, dark power stone for early Aquarians, was beloved by peoples of prehistory and by craftsmen of the classical era. Onyx is super for grounding you airy Aquarians! The heart stone for this group is moldavite. With its otherworldly origin as a meteorite, it is perfect for the Uranian bolt-from-the-blue these scientist-philosophers represent. Moldavite is a mysterious and powerful crystal with many mist-shrouded legends and theories. No doubt, an Aquarius will get to the bottom of them all one day. Moldavite will add to your Aquarian brilliance and boost your personal creativity to new heights.

Aquarius, Second Half: February 4-February 18

Diopside is the beautiful blue soul stone for later-born Aquarians. This stone has ties to both Uranus, the official ruling planet of Aquarius, and Saturn, the sign’s ruler before Uranus was discovered. In 1964, star diopside, an included type, was found; it is a magical and stunningly gorgeous stone that has a quality of electric enlightenment, just like these February-born inventors, artists, and visionary businesspeople.

Late Aquarians have jade for a power stone. It is a universal healer and love stone that can keep these very intellectually oriented people in touch with their hearts and bodies. The heart stone for second-half Aquarians is charoite, a purple mineral that corresponds with Venus, Saturn, and Uranus. This is a fairly recent rock, perfect for the modern-minded February-born, who are generally fifty years ahead of everyone else. Chaorite was discovered circa 1947 near the Chara River in Russia and was immediately greeted as a very special stone for the new centuries.

Signs and Stones: Leo

Leo, First Half: July 22-August 5

Yellow diamond is a brilliant soul stone, befitting the king of the zodiacal wheel. Diamond is pure carbon and the hardest substance on Earth, and its name appropriately originates from the Greek word adamas, meaning “invincible.” Yellow diamonds represent the Sun, the ruling planet for Leos and the symbol of this sign’s high level of consciousness—true heart, great generosity, and incredible courage. Yellow diamond earrings will keep you Leos in balance.

First-half Leos can count zircon as their power stone. Beloved by early cultures, the brilliant zircon was believed to safeguard against poison and was thought to be a holy healer in India. In the early Roman Catholic church, it was held to be the sign of humility. For Leos, whose downfall can be pride, zircon can guard against this and keep the astrological Lions on an even keel.

Early-born Leos have a special heart stone in lesser-known vandanite, which can be a beautiful red orange or a glorious yellow gold. Vandanite is rich in lead and also vanadium, the mineral used to strengthen steel. Vandanite is formed at intense temperatures, which can be related to our Sun, a furnace in the heavens. For Leos, this unusual heart stone can help them deal with the pressure of a lot of attention, which Leos naturally attract with their vibrant and magnetic personalities. You should keep your heart stone at home and at work for optimum stability and inspiration.

Leo, Second Half: August 6-August 21

White diamond is the soul gem for late Leos. It is regarded as the purest of all the hard, pure- carbon crystals. Old cultures deemed this diamond a guard against harm and a bringer of great fortune and enlightenment. Gemologists sometimes refer to this stone as “of the first water,” in reference to its unmatched purity. The lion is the king of the beasts, and Leo the Lion is zodiacal royalty; white diamond is as hot as the Sun itself. Leos can use this rock in all jewelry to aspire to the greatness within it.

Heliodor, named for Helios, the Greek god of the sun, is the ultimate power stone for second- half Leos. Heliodor, a member of the beryl family, is the sunny yellow sister of the popular green emerald and blue aquamarine. It is formed under extremely high temperatures and pressures. Heliodor can help you Leos call upon your greatest qualities and talents and provide the impetus to go out and try to make your dreams come true!

The heart stone for later-born Leos is the most unexpected—sulfur, called brimstone in biblical times. Sulfur is a very dynamic rock; the crystals enlarge even by the heat of a hand that holds it. If you rub sulfur, it will give off a negative charge. A cluster of sulfur is a luminous mass of gold crystals and is quite beautiful despite the images its name may conjure. Obviously, sulfur is associated with fire and has been used for centuries in explosive materials such as gunpowder, fireworks and matches. Leo is a fire sign, and Leos can hold emotions in until they ignite and explode. Keeping sulfur at home can help Leos stay balanced and release their energy in healthy and positive ways.

Signs and Stones: Gemini

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.

Sowing the Seeds of Change

Nature is the ultimate creator. Get an array of seed packets, and plant newness in your life. If your thumb is not the greenest, I suggest nasturtiums, which will grow in any soil and seem to thrive on neglect.

On a new-moon day, draw a square in your yard or planter with a natural wand—a willow branch or an oak stick, for example—and mark each corner with a candle and a stone:

    -orange candle and stone for higher intelligence (onyx or jasper),

    -green candle and stone for creativity and growth (jade, peridot, or malachite),

    -blue candle and stone for serenity and goodness (lapis lazuli, turquoise, or celestite),

    -white candle and stone for purification (Herkimer diamond, quartz, or limestone).

Repeat this chant as you light each candle:

    “Great Gaia, I turn to you to help me renew,

    Under this new moon and in this old earth. Blessed be.”

Poke the seeds under the soil with your fingers and tramp them down with your wand. Gently water your new-moon garden, and affirmative change will begin that very day.

Jewels of Wisdom

• Agate worn as an amulet around your neck will ensure that you speak only your truth. It can also attract favors from powerful people!
• A black agate on a short chain or in a ring will ensure success in business and athletics.
• If you wear moss agate while gardening, you will have a healthy harvest.
• If you wear amazonite while gambling, you will have great luck.
• Amber will attract love into your life and increase sexual pleasure if you wear it during lovemaking.
• If a man wears an amethyst, the stone will draw a good woman to him.
• Apache tear in a pendant will protect a woman in her pregnancy.
• Frog-shaped jewelry is the ultimate traveler’s amulet; pilots, stewards, sailors, and anyone who frequently travels across water should wear aquamarine in frog-shaped jewelry for enhanced safety and protection from drowning.
• Wear bloodstone in court for victory in legal matters.
• Carnelian jewelry will keep you from being struck by lightning.
• Cat’s-eye worn as a ring will retain your youthful beauty and lift any depression.
• Ladies, coral earrings will attract men into your life. Pacific Islanders believe this “nature’s jewel” contains the very essence of life.
• A diamond with a six-sided cut will offer you great protection; set in platinum, it will ensure victory in any conflict.
• Jade carved into the shape of a butterfly will attract love into your life.
• Lapis lazuli beads strung on gold wire will offer health, growth, and protection.
• A diamond set in onyx will overcome sexual temptation and incite the loyalty of a partner.
• Opal earrings will awaken your psychic powers.
• A red pearl ring or pendant will heighten intelligence.
• A dark peridot ring will bring you more money and raise your spirits, allaying any melancholy.
• A geode as jewelry will attract love and help a woman avoid miscarriage.

Gem-Magic Get-Together

Forget the Tupperware party and have a gem-magic party with your girlfriends instead. Make popcorn, eat pizza, drink champagne, and, most importantly, make magic together. What could be more fun? All you have to do is pick a night and assign everyone two ingredients to bring—one snack and one batch of crystal beads. You provide the thread, tools, glue, and good vibes.

Think about beginning the night by making brooches. A brooch worn over the heart is a symbol of loyalty and love among friends. You’ll need to get some flat-circle brooch pins at a craft store. Give each person at the party a brooch and ask her to choose a partner. Using glue, each gal will encrust the front of her brooch with as many crystals as possible in a color and an array that best represents the personality of her partner. Then, the partners exchange brooches. Your gaggle of girlfriends will be forever bonded by their love brooches, not to mention the glue!

Here are a few other festive and fun projects you can whip up together: birthstone bracelets, bewitching barrettes, pendulum pendants, true-love tiaras, blessing bracelets, bodacious bobby pins, and nights-of-enchantment necklaces. The possibilities are endless; let your imagination (and your friends) run wild!

Twinkle-Star Toe Ring

Every step you take will be supernatural when you wear your Twinkle-Star Toe Ring! To make this ring, you’ll need forty-four tiny amethyst beads, 18 inches of elastic thread, two sewing needles or two wire thread needles, and glue. Once you get the knack of the projects, you can try it again and vary the number and type of crystal beads.

Begin by blessing the beads on your altar. Next, thread the needles onto each end of the elastic thread and then string four beads to the center of the elastic. Thread the left needle through the last bead on the right-hand side. Pull it tight, forming a diamond shape. Next, string one bead on the left thread end and two beads on the right. Thread the left needle through the last bead on the right. Pull it tight. Repeat until all the beads are used. In order to close the ring, thread the left needle through the end bead of the first diamond, instead of the last bead on the right. Pull tight, tie the ring off with a double knot, and place a drop of glue on the knot.

Notice how everyone is looking at you as you sparkle by? You are irresistible!

Making Magic with Crystals and Gems

Gems are powerful tools that can pave the way for a better life for you. There is a long history of the use of gems, stones, and crystals as amulets, symbols, charms, and jewelry in magic. These myriad stones can really enrich your life in so many ways. In the next chapter, you will learn how to make your own magical gem and crystal jewelry and how to charge the stones you already own with supernatural power.

Do you want to get a new job? Jade jewelry magic will do the trick! Need to get over a heartbreak? A chrysocolla heart-healing spell will soothe your soul. Are you an author suffering from the dreaded writer’s block? A creativity crystal incantation is exactly what you need. Gems and statues positioned in strategic places around your home can help accelerate the positive vibrations you are activating by practicing crystal and gem magic. Using what I call crystal feng shui, you can place a crystal or a geode or an appealingly shaped rock in the appropriate position of your home to facilitate change. For example, amethyst will promote healing and release any negative energy that is clinging. Clusters of citrine will activate vibrations of abundance and creativity.

So, if you want to bring more money into your home or office, place a big chunk of citrine on the left side of your desk, and the money will begin to flow! If you have a dark hallway that feels spooky or an area in your home or office in which the energy feels very static or low, place an obsidian ball there, perhaps in a pedestal, to absorb this negative energy. If you want to have your bedroom be a place of bliss and unconditional love, rose quartz will create this all-important atmosphere.

Crystal magic also involves color magic and spell craft, topics that are covered in depth herein. With crystal magic, you will learn to improve your life in ways large and small. You will discover the stones that are special to you and how to fully utilize these birthstones and karmic crystals. You will undertake the magical arts of crystal conjuring and spell casting with stones. You will be inducted into the practice of healing with crystals and how to achieve wellness every day. Finally, you will have at your fingertips the history, description, and instructions on how to use each and every gem and crystal.

Using gems and crystals in rituals, spells, and affirmations has been part of the human experience for millennia. By incorporating this practice into your life, you will create a flow of positive energy that will enable you to enhance your work, your family, your love, and every other part of your existence.

Yes, through the magic of gems, anything is possible. Again, welcome to this glittering and magical realm and begin a special journey under a sky where every star is a jewel you can wish upon!