The Orishas of Santeria

On September 22, 1862, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This is an excellent opportunity to celebrate freedom from oppression for the hardy and deeply spiritual Africans who kept their own religions alive despite the incredible odds against them.

African slaves brought their native religion with them wherever they went. African spirituality is based on nature—water, rivers, plants, seashells, and all the elements of the world around them. When the Africans came to the Catholic lands in Central and South America, their African deities were blended with Catholic saints to make an interesting new religion called Santeria. It was their way of keeping their African religion alive, and it has worked well. These orishas are spirit guardians, similar to those honored in Candomble. All of life is believed to come from one great creative force, Oloddumare. Practitioners of Santeria believe that everyone has one orisha as a guardian throughout his or her life.

• Aganyu corresponds to Saint Christopher. This volcano god is the father of Chango and whose mother is Yemmu. He can protect you from harm but only if you make your appeal through Chango.
• Babalu-Aye is associated with Saint Lazarus and is the deity to turn to for healing. He is one of the most beloved and needed of all the orishas. Babalu-Aye travels about with a bag of corn and offers healing and prosperity.
• Chango is a male god who corresponds to Saint Barbara. Chango holds major power. Red-coated and covered with cowry shells, Chango loves the good life—women, food, drink, dance, fire, lightning. He is the hot orisha. Call on Chango when you need passion in love.
• Eleggua corresponds to Saint Anthony, but he is a trickster who creates bewilderment in his wake. He is “all-knowing” and wants to be acknowledged first before any other orisha. Because order comes from chaos, it is believed that Eleggua brings us into wholeness.
• Obatala is a deity of both genders who corresponds to
  Our Lady of Mercy. He is a bringer of peace and purity, as evidenced by his white robes. Obatala teaches temperance and can help us control obsessive thoughts, anger, worry, and fear.
• Our Lady of Mercy. He is a bringer of peace and purity, as evidenced by his white robes. Obatala teaches temperance and can help us control obsessive thoughts, anger, worry, and fear.
• Ochosi corresponds to Saint Norbert and is the hunter god who lives in the woods. He protects and helps hunters, is a healer, and helps with legal issues. Ochosi is the orisha to turn to if you need to relocate.
• Oggun corresponds to Saint Peter and is the warrior orisha, holding all metals under his domain. Call on Oggun when you need a job or if you need a protector.
• Orunmila corresponds to Saint Francis of Assisi and is the orisha of fate. He is “one who lives both in heaven and on earth.” Since he holds all our fates in his hands, he can help us improve our destiny.
• Oshun corresponds to Our Lady of Charity and is a river goddess. She is the Santerian Venus and looks after affairs of the heart—love, marriage, and money. She gives us joy and abundance.
• Oya corresponds to Saint Teresa and is a deity of the dead. She is also a goddess of the winds and boundaries. Oya is a warrior and offers protection against death and is quite aggressive. She is married to Chango. 
• Yemaya corresponds to Our Lady of Regla and is a goddess of the moon and of the ocean and the patroness of pregnancy. She is always depicted as a gorgeous goddess who helps girls make the passage to womanhood. Yemaya is one of the most popular orishas. 

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Lepidolite Luck

One quick way to deal with negative and hard emotions is to place some lepidolite stones in a circle and light a pink candle in the center of the circle. Hold one lepidolite stone in your left hand and concentrate on what is holding you back, both spiritually and psychologically. With each issue, feeling, or concern, say, “I let go of ___.” Picture the problem going into the stone in your left hand. When you are feeling full of calm energy, place the pink stone outside your house (where no one will pick it up) and know that you have rid your home, personal space, and psyche of these woes! Whenever you feel the need, let go with lepidolite!

Blue Lace Agate—Earth Stone

Ever since the famous photograph was taken from Apollo 8 in 1968 of Earth juxtaposed with the Moon, blue lace agate has gained an unprecedented popularity for its resemblance to Earth as seen from space. This stone is relatively new, discovered just forty years ago. Most agates are common, but the blue stones are rarer. Formed from liquefied silica and crocidolite, this stone gets its lace pattern from fractures and layers caused by centuries of heating and cooling. there is one great source for this pale blue treasure in Angus, Scotland, and it occurs rarely in North America.

This cool blue stone is a calming agent and can be used in meditation to achieve higher consciousness. It is believed to be able to open the third eye and therefore promote greater spirituality and attunement of the crown chakra as well as the throat and heart. It can also assist in disorders of the pancreas, capillaries, and nerves. In powdered form, in an elixir, it can help with bones, too, and can be worn to heal fractures and breaks more quickly and relieve symptoms of arthritis.

Tips ’n’ Tricks: a Box of Rocks

Keep a magic wishing box on your desk. Every so often look at it and make a wish upon your heart’s desire. It’s easy to make: Take a bowl or idleness box and fill it halfway with sand. Place these suggested wish stones in any arrangement you find pleasing.

• *  Agate for a new home,

• *  Amethyst for spirituality,

• *  Carnelian or Lapis Lazuli for a job,

• *  Coral for wanting children

• *  Fool’s gold for money, an

• *  Rose quartz for love.

Throwing Stones

Give your tarot cards a rest and create a one-of-a-kind divination tool, a bag of crystals you can do readings with. It is very easy to do. I have stones that I tumbled as a child and others I have picked up on travels. Even yesterday, I grabbed some garnets, agates, and tiny citrines as the Psychic Eye on Fell and Gough Streets in San Francisco to add to my bag of goodies. I have a favorite blue velvet bag, and when the need arises, I turn to crystal visions for my enlightenment. If you are like me, you cannot afford diamonds in your bag of tricks, so substitute them with clear quartz; for emeralds, switch to peridots. Garnets substitute nicely for rubies. I was happy to note that the Psychic Eye had rough-ruby and rough-emerald pieces for $3 each, so the real deal is more available all the time. It is as easy at one, two, three: 1) shake the bag well, 2) ask a question, and 3) removed the first three stones you touch and then interpret from the following guide:

• *  Agate: Business success and notoriety are near.

• *  Amethyst: Change is coming.

• *  Aventurine: New horizons and positive growth are ahead.

• *  Black Agate: Monetary gain is certain.

• *  Blue Lace Agate: There’s a need for spiritual and physical healing.

• *  Citrine: The universe offers enlightenment.

• *  Diamond: Stability is sure.

• *  Emerald: Look for lushness.

• *  Hematite: Examine new prospects.

• *  Jade: Life is everlasting.

• *  Lapis Lazuli: Harness heavenly fortune.

• *  Quartz: Receive clarity where there was none.

• *  Red Agate: Expect long life and health.

• *  Red Jasper: Notice the need for grounding.

• *  Rose Quartz: Love is in your life.

• *  Ruby: Dare for deep passion and personal power.

• *  Sapphire: Time for truth.

• *  Snowflake Obsidian: Your troubles are at an end.

• *  Snow Quartz: Make major changes.

• *  Tiger’s-Eye: The situation is not as it appears.

Chrysoprase—Love of Truth

Emanuel Swedenborg, a seventeenth-century Swedish theologian, scientist, philosopher, and metaphysician, credited this apple-green chalcedony with giving people a love of the truth. Other lore regarding chrysoprase is that the stone offers a most rare capability to give a man set to be hanged a sure escape from his executioner. All he has to do, supposedly, is place this crystal in his mouth.

Candle Conjuration for a Happy Home

Choose a brown crystal, such as jasper, smoky quartz, selenite, or brown jade, to improve and secure positive, grounding energy in your home. Anoint two candles with rose oil and light some cinnamon incense. Place your brown crystal in front of the candles. Meditate to clear your mind of any distractions, which is essential to opening the mental and spiritual space necessary to create. Once you feel focused, light a single leaf or sage bundle and say aloud:

“By my hand
And by the blessing of the spirit,
The fire of home and heart burns bright,
Burns long,
Burns eternal.
I offer my home to
New friends and new love.
Welcome!”

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.

Chains of Being

Chains represent links between people, the ties that bind you to others. Other mystical associations for chains are happiness and justice, prayer, reason and the soul, and communication and command. Plato referred to a chain of being, a golden chain linking the earth to the heavens above, a bond between humans and immortals. Socrates tied our human happiness to the concept of justice with a chain of steel and diamonds. Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite compared the practice of prayer to an infinitely luminous chain going from earth to heaven. An astral cord, akin to a golden chain, binds the spirit to the psyche and binds reason to the soul. Because of this, gold chains are extremely powerful symbols.

Jewelry That Protects You and Your Loved Ones: Amulets

The term “amulet” comes from the Latin word meaning “defense.” Indeed, amulets are a way to protect yourself that dates back from the earliest human beliefs. Pliny himself subscribed to the use of amulets and wrote about three common kinds used by the Romans of the classical age. A typical amulet of that era was a bit of parchment inscribed with protective words, rolled up in a metal cylinder, and worn around the neck. Evil eyes might be the most global of all amulets, the belief being that they could ward off a hex by simply reflecting it back to its origins. Phallic symbols have always been popular, too, coming in the shapes of horns, hands, and the phallus, of course. Some amulets were devoted to a specific god or goddess, and the wearer of such a piece would be protected by that divine entity.

The peoples of the Mesopotamian plain wore amulets. The Assyrians and Babylonians favored cylindrical seals encrusted with precious stones. They also loved animal talismans for the qualities associated with different animals: lions for courage, bulls for virility, and so on. The ancient Egyptians absolutely depended on their amulets for use in burial displays, and we can see many preserved in the cases of today’s museums. To make their amulets, the Egyptians employed a material called faience, a glazed composition of ground quartz that was typically blue green in color. Wealthier denizens of the Nile, royalty, and the priestly class wore precious and semiprecious gems and crystals as amulets. Lapis lazuli was perhaps the most revered of these and was worn in many shapes, the eye of Horus being the most significant religious icon, followed by the scarab symbolizing rebirth; the frog, symbolizing fertility; and the ankh, representing eternal life.

Organized religions appropriated the idea of amulets from pagan peoples, and it was very popular in medieval times to wear a tiny verse from the Torah, the Bible, or the Koran. Today, many a Catholic wears a medal honoring a given saint, such as Saint Christopher, the patron saint for travelers. Wiccans and modern pagans are great proponents of protective amulets, causing a resurgence in Celtic symbols and imagery.

Amulets are very easy to create and make nice gifts, as long as you believe your friends will truly benefit from them and are aware of the special qualities and powers they hold. To make one, select a crystal that is endowed with the desired energy. Hold it in the palm of your hand until it is warm from your touch. Then, visualize the specific power the stone is offering. If you’re giving your amulet to yourself, wear it as a pendant or tuck it into your pocket or purse for a “guardian to go.” Here is a list of stones from which to choose for the specific kind of safeguard you are in need of:

• Amethyst helps with sobriety by preventing inebriation.

• Aquamarine is good for attracting wisdom and overcoming a fear of water and drowning. It is also a guard against malevolent spirits.

• Bloodstone brings luck and is good to wear during travels.

• Carnelian is to the devil as garlic is to a vampire— keeps him away!

• Chrysolite drives away evil spirits and promotes peaceful sleep, especially if set in gold.

• Diamond in a necklace brings good fortune and lends force and valor. This dazzling stone should always touch the skin and works best when it is received as a gift.

• Emerald can cancel out the power of any magician!

• Jade offers protection, especially for children, and guards their health. It also creates prosperity.

• Jasper is reputed to be a defense against the venom of poisonous insects and snakes.

• Jet set in silver will help expel negativity.

• Moonstone is another boon to travelers and brings fortune and fame.

• Turquoise is believed to be great for a horse’s gait if affixed to the animal’s bridle.

Flourish with Fluorite: Overcome Brain Strain

Violet—or amethyst—colored fluorite is especially good for the bones, including the marrow. It jogs the third eye and, best of all, imparts good old common sense! Green fluorite is favored for its ability to ground and center excessive physical and mental energy. Clear fluorite awakens the crown chakra and allows you to let go of anything holding back spiritual development. Blue fluorite facilitates mental clarity, orderly thought, and the ability to be a master communicator. Yellow fluorite kindles the synapses and awakens memory. It will also make you smarter and boost your creativity a great deal.

Any fluorite reduces electromagnetic pollutants and cleanses the aura. Get a big chunk of fluorite at your favorite metaphysical five-and-dime, and put it right beside your computer to decrease stress. Those long hours of staring at the screen will cease to sap your energy. Look at your fluorite at least once an hour to reduce eye and brain strain, too.

How to Rock It at Work!

                                           

I am sure you will find this to be true: certain crystals can be true touchstones in your life and bring multitudinous benefits, both emotional and spiritual. Find a spot in your workspace or office where you can incorporate gemstones into your each and every day. My desk is where my crystals are placed, so I can see them often. This can be your special corner of the world where you can renew and connect with your spiritual center. Picking up and holding your touchstones can be one of the most soul-nourishing small acts of self-care you can do.

Here are different crystals to rock at work and what they will do for you:

• Inspiration: amazonite, aventurine, carnelian, chrysolite, chrysoprase, citrine, green tourmaline, malachite, yellow fluorite

• Love: amethyst, magnetite, rhodochrosite, rose quartz, twinned rock crystals

• Abundance: bloodstone, carnelian, citrine, dendritic agate, diamond, garnet, hawk’s-eye, moss agate, peridot, ruby, tiger’s-eye, topaz, yellow sapphire

• Intuition: amethyst, azurite, celestite, lapis lazuli, moonstone, selenite, smoky quartz, sodalite, star sapphire, yellow calcite

• Protection: amber, apache tear, chalcedony, citrine, green calcite, jade, jet, smoky quartz

• Self-belief: azurite, chalcedony, chrysocolla, green tourmaline, hematite, rutilated quartz, tiger’s-eye

• Serenity: amber, aventurine, blue jade, dioptase, Herkimer diamond, jasper, kunzite, moonstone, onyx, peridot, quartz, rhodonite

• Confidence: carnelian, obsidian, quartz, selenite, sodalite, topaz

• Positive Energy: agate, aventurine, bloodstone, calcite, chalcedony, citrine, dioptase, emerald, garnet, orange calcite, ruby, topaz

• Deep Wisdom: emerald, fluorite, Herkimer diamond, moldavite, serpentine, yellow calcite

Crystal Wish Box

Keep a magic wishing box on your desk. Every so often, look at it and make a wish for your heart’s desire. It’s easy to make: Take a bowl or small box and fill it halfway with sand. Place these suggested wish stones in any arrangement you find pleasing.

• Agate for a new home

• Amethyst for spirituality

• Carnelian or lapis lazuli for a job 

• Coral for wanting children

• Fool’s gold for money

• Rose quartz for love

   

Soothsayer Stone: Choosing and Using a Crystal Ball

When selecting a crystal ball, your choice should not be taken lightly. This is a very personal tool that will become instilled with your energy. Crystal balls have their own authority and they can strongly influence the development of our psychic abilities. You should think of the crystal as a container that houses your energy—so make sure it feels right for you. The crystal should feel comfortable to hold—not too heavy and not too light. You should not allow anyone else to touch your crystal ball. If someone does touch it, place the ball in a bowl of sea salt overnight to cleanse it of outside energy and influence. Because quartz crystal balls have an inherent power, you have to practice working with them first. Pure quartz crystal balls can be quite expensive, but the price is worthwhile if you are serious about harnessing your intuition and using it for good. Don’t expect your experiences to be like the movies. Most of the people I know who use crystal balls, including many healers and teachers, see cloudy and smoky images.

Work with a partner to sharpen your psychic skills. Sit directly across from your partner with the crystal ball between you. Close your eyes halfway and look at the ball and into the ball while harnessing your entire mind. Empty out all other thoughts and focus as hard as you can. You will sense your third eye, the traditional seat of psychic awareness, begin to open and project into the crystal ball. By practicing this way, you will train your mind. The patterns you see will become clearer and your impressions more definite. You should trust that what you are seeing is real and find a place of knowing—as I do with my stomach, which seems to be an additional center of intuition for me and I just “know in my gut” when something is off. Verbalize to your partner what you see, and then listen to your partner as she reveals her visions to you.

You should also do crystal ball meditations on your own. In a darkened room, sit and hold your crystal ball in the palms of both hands. Touch it to your heart and then gently touch it to the center of your forehead, where your third eye is located. Then hold the ball in front of your physical eyes and, sitting very still, gaze into it for at least three minutes. Envision pure white light in the ball and hold on to that image. Practice the white-light visualization for up to a half hour and then rest your mind, your eyes, and your crystal ball. If you do this every day, within a month you should start to become an adept at crystal ball gazing.

When we gaze into a crystal ball, it is possible to see into the fabric of time, both the past and the future. At first you may be able to see a flickering, wispy, suggestive image. Some of you may be able to see clearly defined visions on your first try. Most of us have to practice and hone our attunement with the energy of the ball. You must establish clearly your interpretation of what you see. Many psychics use a crystal ball in their readings, and some report seeing images of clients’ auras in the ball. Projecting information about people’s lives is a huge responsibility, so you need to feel sure about what you are reading. Learn to trust your body’s center of intuition.

Highly polished and glasslike spheres of beryl and quartz crystal have been in use for many thousands of years. Healers, shamans, witch doctors, and medicine men have been using the bones of the earth for divination since time immemorial. The Celtic folks and Druids favored beryl as their scrying crystal of choice. Beryl still has a well-earned reputation as the stone of power. The Middle Ages and the Renaissance saw a far-flung use of crystal for seeing the future. The mythical wizard Merlin, of Arthurian legend, kept his crystal ball with him at all times! Pure quartz crystal balls are quite pricey, but again, are worth it if you are committed to this practice. Most people I know who use crystal balls, including many healers and teachers, see cloudy and smoky images most of the time, so do not expect your experience to immediately be like going to the movies! Each and every crystal ball is unique and has its own energy. Here are a few examples:

• Amethyst offers intuition on business matters and is especially good for lawyers and writers.

• Beryl helps you find anything you have lost—keys, jewelry, money, people!

• Obsidian is the karma stone and helps you see and resolve past-life issues.

• Quartz crystal can put you in touch with helpful spirit guides who foretell events.

• Selenite is particularly useful with any matters regarding hearth and home.

• Smoky quartz connects you with nature spirits and shows you what to avoid in your life.

Self-Esteem Stones: Raise Your Spirits with Rose

If you want to jump-start your life and bring about positive change, tap into the power of rose and red stones. Stones of this side of the color spectrum contain life’s energy and can help you become more motivated, energetic, and vibrant, as well as give you an appealing aura. Wear this list of rosy and red stones, or place them on your desk and throughout your home for an instant boost: alexandrite, carnelian, garnet, red coral, red jasper, rhyolite, rose jasper, and ruby.

Soul Stones: Libra

First Half: September 22–October 6

Dioptase is the power stone for first-half Libras. A deeper green than any emerald, it has an extensive copper content. Venus is associated with the color green, and the intensity of this gorgeous green stone makes it a love crystal for Venus-ruled Libras, enriching both their personal relationships and their higher love for humankind. Dioptase can also awaken the spiritual side of Libras, making the usually attractive members of this sign even more beautiful inside and out. Dioptase is difficult to cut for jewelry because of its brittleness. Use uncut crystal clusters as lovely spirit enhancers all around the home.

Kyanite is the sky-colored heart stone for early Libras and is known as a stone of symmetry, perfect for providing balance. The Greeks favored this aluminum-based rock and called it disthene, meaning “dual strength,” because it is soft (and easily cut) lengthwise but much harder across. Kyanite most commonly occurs in long, bluish- green crystal blades but also in cluttered rosettes with a pearly, opalescent surface. If you’re a Libra, an air sign, keep kyanite around to stay steady and strong and help avoid spreading yourself too thin and succumbing to petty, energy-draining distractions.

Second Half: October 7–October 22

The power talisman for this group of Libras is jadeite, sometimes called imperial green jade. The Chinese have prized this stone highly throughout their culture’s lengthy history and believe it contains all that you need for a happy, long life—courage, modesty, charity, wisdom, and, most important for the Libra scales to be in balance, justice. Jade bookends on your desk are perfect balancers.

Limonite, an icicle-like mineral appearing in long, shiny pieces, is the heart stone for second-half Libras. This represents the striving for higher mind, higher beauty, and higher love necessary for the completion of Libra karma.

Soul Stones: Virgo

First Half: August 22–September 5

The power talisman for first-half Virgos is labradorite, a lovely iridescent stone that originated in Labrador. Like Geminis, Virgos are ruled by Mercury, and the quicksilver, peacock-hued labradorite is good for providing the mental swiftness Virgos need to accomplish all of their goals in life. This type of feldspar can reflect every color of the spectrum and help Virgos from becoming too task oriented—too focused on one thing. No one can work harder than Virgos, so labradorite can prevent exhaustion from overwork and can also ensure that early Virgos activate a variety of talents.

Magnetite, also known as lodestone, is the optimal heart stone for first-half Virgos. Another glittery, surface- changing rock, magnetite contains a lot of iron and, thanks to its common occurrence and adaptability, is popular in jewelry. Virgos are associated with health, medicine, and nursing, and magnetite has become a good healing stone because of its magnetic qualities. If you are a Virgo, wear this stone and give it to people you love for good health and prosperity.

Second Half: September 6–September 21

Virgos in this group celebrate iolite as their precious soul gem, which is associated with their ruling planet Mercury due to its crystalline composition of two dark and two light metallic elements. Iolite is named after the Greek word ios, meaning “violet.” Formed under enormous pressure in extremely high temperatures, iolite has high vibration. The stone can help Virgos stay out of career ruts and achieve their true spiritual natures.

The heart stone for second-half Virgos is obsidian, a glinting black and extremely hard natural glass formed by volcanic activity. Virgos are always helping other people and sometimes become vulnerable because of this. Using obsidian pieces as home decorations can help them keep all of their energy from going to others and causing imbalance. Some obsidian samples have stripes; in ancient Mexico, where obsidian was plentiful, the striped variety was believed to prevent negative, or dark, magic. Virgos can be extremely self-critical, and having obsidian nearby can absorb their negativity and help turn it positive. This is an essential stone for the September-born!

Soul Stones: Cancer

First Half: June 21–July 4

Cancers are ruled by the Moon, so it is appropriate that the moonstone is the precious soul stone for the individuals born in the first half of this sign. The most priceless of moonstones is adularia, named after the place it was first discovered—Adula, Switzerland. Adularia was special to early Europeans who believed it could improve the memory, help stop seizures, overcome a broken heart, and foretell the future. Wearing moonstone jewelry will put Cancers in tune with their lunar-influenced changeable natures, giving them strength and the wisdom of intuition.

Pearl is the power stone of great price for early Cancers. Pearls have a long and rich history; they were first written about in China four thousand years ago. Cancers are the great historians of the zodiac, and they have incredible memories. They are connected to pearls because of a common link with the ocean and the tides, which are regulated by Cancer’s ruler, the moon. If you are a Cancer, honor your native element, water, by wearing pearls on occasion (but not constantly) and by decorating your home and work space with shells. This will help you stay secure, refreshed, and relaxed and help you avoid your great nemesis—worry.

Second Half: July 5–July 21

Opal is the soul stone for later-born Cancers. Opals can’t be duplicated artificially due to their varying hues, play of color, and the complicated nature of their patterning. The most precious of all opals feature a star, called an asterism. Opals are mysterious, just like Cancers, having much depth beneath their protective shells. The ancients exulted about opals; Pliny the Elder wrote, “For in them you shall see the living fire of ruby, the glorious purple of the amethyst, the sea-green of the emerald, all glittering together in an incredible mixture of light.” Cancers, you will come into your soul’s true purpose by wearing opal jewelry.

Desert rose, formed of cemented sand particles, is the heart stone for this group of Cancers. The Saharan Bedouin believed it was formed from the tears of women mourning for those who had died in battle. Originated in lake bottoms that have become deserts, desert rose is gypsum that comes in beautiful earth tones of red, yellow, gray, brown, and pink. For later Cancers, this heart stone helps contain and release emotions in a healthy, expressive way. Decorate your bedroom, your inner sanctum, with desert rose for a soothing and calming effect.

Birthstone Secrets

Birthstones are very special stones that have traditionally been correlated with each month of the year. Hallmark didn’t invent the concept of birthstones; it came from the Bible! In Exodus chapters twenty-eight and thirty-nine, there is much discussion about a burnished and stone-set breastplate of the High Priest of the Hebrews. Here is the biblical description of the breastplate:

And he made the breastplate, artistically woven like the workmanship of the ephod, of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and of fine woven linen. They made the breastplate square by doubling it; a span was its length and a span its width when doubled. And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row with a sardius, a topaz, and an emerald; the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire, and a diamond; the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst; the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper. They were enclosed in settings of gold in their mountings. There were twelve stones according to the names of the sons of Israel: according to their names, engraved like a signet, each one with its own name according to the twelve tribes.

—NKJV, Exod. 39:8–14

These twelve stones from the famous breastplate became linked with the twelve signs of the zodiac, resulting in our cherished modern tradition of birthstones. The long history of birthstones has many more chapters, but an important point to know is that your birthstone is yours by divine right and birthright. I know I was thrilled when I found out amethyst was mine, even though it was ranked as semiprecious. All I knew was that it was purple, my favorite color.

Your birthstone is a major power source for you. You should have at least one piece of jewelry made from your birthstone and must treat it like the special stone it is. You should also keep this sacred personal stone around in other forms as well. I have a candleholder made of a large amethyst geode on my mantelpiece surrounded by candles. Just lighting the candle immediately calms and centers me. I realize you can’t do that with diamonds, although Herkimer diamonds can be substituted nicely. If you are a January Capricorn, for instance, and your birthstone is garnet, you can have an entire set, or parure, of garnet jewelry—ring, earrings, bracelet, necklace—for the fullest expression of birthstone power. Surround yourself with your birthstone energy and you will feel at peace, filled with well-being from your gem-fired glow.

Here is the classic list of birthstones by month.

• January: garnet, a stone symbolizing a light and loyal heart and lasting affection

• February: amethyst, a sexy and sensitive stone; Cleopatra’s royal ring

• March: aquamarine, long known as a soothsayer’s stone; and bloodstone, long known as the martyr’s stone

• April: diamond, the traditional engagement ring, which represents the power of love

• May: emerald, a lovely green stone of protection

• June: pearl, moonstone, and alexandrite—all moon and sea stones powered by water

• July: ruby, the most highly prized gem of all and a symbol of the essence of life

• August: peridot, the ancient symbol of the sun; and sardonyx, an intelligence-enhancing stone

• September: sapphire, a true-blue gem that represents the purity of the soul

• October: opal, said to contain the beauty of all other gems; and tourmaline, a stone of inspiration

• November: topaz, a stone of royalty, named for the Sanskrit word for fire

• December: turquoise, which brings luck; and zircon, the traveler’s stone

While the classic birthstones are, well, classic, each zodiac sign has “early” and “late” divisions, and each of those has heart-, soul-, and power-correlated stones. Check for your and your loved ones’ birthdays below to see which gems will rev up different areas of your lives!

Power of Sun and Moon Potion

Here is a powerful herbal healing essence you can make in one week’s time. For an immune system boost, crush a mixture of equal parts rosemary, sandalwood and the petals of a red carnation. Place the crushed herbs in a colored class jar filled with virgin olive oil. After seven days’ storage on a windowsill so as to be exposed to both Sun and Moon, strain and place the infused oil back into the jar. You now have a hearty supply of homemade healing oil to use in the bath, or to rub on your pulse points: temple, wrists, backs of knees, and behind the ears. As soon as you feel rundown, one application should make a difference.