Pearl

Pearls have long been cherished as symbols of perfection and purity, Pearls shimmer with beauty and have also come to represent riches and elegance. To me, pearls signify self- containment. This is another of the gems and crystals formed from organic origins; it starts as a lowly secretion coating an irritating grain of sand inside a freshwater or marine mollusk shell. Pearls are usually the much- loved, lustrous whitish color but can be a rainbow of shades including pink, violet, black, gray, tan, and gold, with many other subtle permutations.

Throughout human history, pearls have fascinated and have been used as a favored adornment. People so lusted after them that they began introducing sand into oysters to force pearl production, resulting in the cultured pearls we see on the market today. For myself, I prefer the more oddly shaped freshwater pearls. Sadly, natural pearls have become nearly nonexistent due to the overheated oceans of the world and industrial pollution.

Pearls have affinities to the moon, femininity, and fertility, and they are a sacred symbol for pregnant women. The great tradition of pearls, especially in Asia, was that they represented modesty and wholesomeness. Pearls are truly soothing. That is why they exist in the first place—for soothing the irritated shellfish. They are an excellent helpmate in any stress-related illness and are good for stomachaches, ulcers, hypertension, headaches, and fatigue.

Pearls amplify energy and are especially good in combination with emeralds and diamonds. They are environmentally sensitive and pick up vibrations from the person wearing them. What is more, they remember the feeling (positive or negative), hold it inside, and then emanate it. If you are sad or in a bad mood, remove your pearls so you don’t unknowingly keep that negativity hanging around you. By the same token, do not ever loan your pearls.

Opal

This gem can light the inner fire of your spirituality. One of the seven sacred stones of the Cherokee people, opal is a favorite of many for its fiery and glinting opacity. The milky white stone seems to have an ever changing rainbow of colors inside; this is due to a high percentage of water in its makeup. This gem has one of the best spectral displays of any stone, and the opalescence is the result of many layers of precipitated silica balls in a jelly-like watery mass.

There are three different kinds of opals: precious opal, with the telltale flashes of fire; fire opal, in the reddish yellow color; and common opal, with the rather unfortunate-sounding name of potch. Black opal is the rarest and most desirable of the precious opals, and the highest grade comes from one place in Australia, Lightening Ridge.

Although opals are semiprecious gems, their name comes from the Latin word opalus, meaning “precious stone.” They are among the more sensitive gemstones. They need TLC and can be irrevocably damaged by exposure to heat and chemicals. In addition, they can lose their large water content if they are cracked or damaged. Opals need to be approached with very nearly the same level of caution in terms of using them for energy and healing work, as the can easily diffuse personal energies.

Opals can help if you want to get the special attention of a certain someone or if you have to give a speech or presentation. Opal is one of the rare stones that has both male and female energies within; it contains the energy of the sun and the moon. The fiery flashes generate flashes of intuition and of inspiration. Opals can facilitate wonderful dreams and positive change. They can bring submerged feelings and trapped emotions to the surface and can help uptight individuals get in touch with their emotions and loosen up.

Onyx

Onyx has a lot of earth energy. This stone can come in many colors—from white to black with every shade in between, including pink, red, yellow, and brown. It is so common that it is often used as building material. I would think it would be interesting to live in a building material. I would think it would be interesting to live in a building made of onyx since this stone holds memories and secrets! Onyx retains the physical record of what happens around it; therefore, it is a story stone. Onyx is super stable and shares this strength with people who need it. It is particularly good for athletes and people who do physical labor. Healers recommend that onyx be worn only on the left side of the body or on a chain so that it hangs at the center of the body in the heart and solar plexus area. Onyx is best at reliving stress and quieting the mind.

This is a generous rock in that it creates goodwill and self-confidence. If you have an occasion that makes you nervous, or a very thorny and difficult task at hand, you should adorn yourself with an onyx ring, bracelet, or pendant, and things will go much better and you will feel more optimistic about them. Onyx is good for issues with the skeleton, the teeth, and the bones. Be careful about wearing onyx as a choke

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Opal Fire Power

Opal is best worn as a pinkie ring. It is also a popular engagement ring, as it is a symbol of faithfulness and is effective in bringing stability and longevity to relationships. Fire opal is good for business by promoting positive action and prosperity. Hold your opal in your right hand and your wishes will be granted!

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Magical Marcasite Scrying Ring

Did you know that lovely marcasite is really hematite? Thank heavens it has made a fashion comeback of late and is commonly available in inexpensive jewelry. This powerful seer stone can be used for a quick scrying. Look at your marcasite ring and then close your eyes and see what flashes into your mind.

Obsidian

This black volcanic glass is found the world over. Obsidian was an important tool for prehistoric peoples, who used it for knives, mirrors, bowls, and jewelry. Obsidian is most often thought of as a pure, glassy black, but it can also have milky white stripes or flecks. Rainbow obsidian, a spiritual love crystal, is especially beautiful, with peacock-colored gradations. And dark red mahogany obsidian is a true gift, as it puts you in touch with your life’s very purpose. Native Americans valued obsidian immensely for its eagle-eye vision power, which they believed was good for the eyes as well as for seeing within. Shamans still hold obsidian in the highest regard, and it has come to be an invaluable aid in prophesying.

Obsidian is a protector and absorbs and keeps away negativity. It is also a rock with very direct energies and will help with great immediacy. Very sensitive people should keep obsidian around their homes and offices. This is a letting-go stone and will get rid of old patterns, old thoughts, a lingering torch for an old flame, or whatever you need to be over and done with. It gives you the get-up- and-go to get on with your life—to travel and explore and grow. Don’t wear or keep obsidian around all the time, though, as you will wear yourself and the stone out!

Muscovite

Muscovite, mined in Switzerland, Austria, and the Czech Republic and found first in Russia, from whence it takes its name (after the city of Moscow), is fairly common. It often comes in sheets of mica that can be clear and translucent or a pearly white, gray, pale pink, yellow, rose red, or violet. At one time, sheets of muscovite were used in the kitchen over windows. While it is most frequently an ordinary rock, it can occur as a gem; of particular note is the rare Brazilian twin variety that forms five-pointed stars and is referred to as star muscovite. There is also an emerald green specimen called fuchsite.

Muscovite is a problem-solving crystal. It also has a rare and wonderful quality in that it facilitates astral travel and astral projection. This is a visionary stone and can put you in contact with the angelic realm so you can call on your guardian angels to come to your aid. Muscovite helps us all to take a deep look inside and see how we are missing out on important messages and are unaware of certain behaviors and projections we are putting out unconsciously. Though this can be tough work, this kind of self-examination is essential for true soul growth. Muscovite also gives the inner grit to make changes based on this new information about the self.