Gem Remedies
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- Gems and Gemstones
- The Influence of Gold and Gems
- Gemstones
- From the Symbolism of Gems
- EXTRA: Homeopathic Gold and Silver
Gems and Gemstones
"Don't value a gem by its setting [American proverb, Ap 248]."We look into various uses of gems in past and present. Below are 34 gemstone remedies. Also, silver and gold crystals can be found too, but they are rare. As for the qualities attributed to different gem stones, all right proof seems largely missing, and descriptions or uses differ too. That is largely the lay of the land.
We take it from there - feel free to try out these alternative remedies as you please, as long as you don't endanger anyone and obstruct medical diagnosis and attempts at cure.
Gems Intended for Healing
The Influence of Gold and Gems
Over 1.500 precious and semi-precious stones exist. The 38 above were selected with a view to healing and wellness-promotion. There are a few practical ways of gems we may endorse: (1) wearing the gem or metal next to the skin or very close to it, as for example set in a ring, or as a bangle. (2) Making a homeopathic remedy of the gem; and this includes the conventional way of doing it.
Qualities attributed to gems may be described. For example, they contain
minerals, and the effects of various minerals on a human body may be known more or
less or not at all. In homeopathy effects of silver and gold have been
studied, and not wholly by whim. Both of these metals have crystal variants. Dr. William Boericke writes that gold is used homeopathically against such as:
Feeling of self-condemnation and utter worthlessness. Profound despondency . . . thorough disgust of life, and thoughts of suicide . . . Great fear of death. Peevish and vehement . . . Anthropophobia [fear of people]. Mental derangements . . . Oversensitiveness [etc.]. [Mab]
Boericke holds that homeopathic gold may counteract such dread states of mind as listed, in other words that the influence of gold is uplifting . . . If you want to cheer up others, give them gold, is one lesson that stands out. The fact is, many get uplifted by gifts of gold -
Dr. John H. Clarke lists up too much (unverified) in his large work Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica about gold and silver [LINK]. Clarke's work contains entries about gold, silver,
copper, other metals, and other compounds. The three-volumed set contains
information about a homeopathic view of about a thousand homeopathic remedies. That view is likely to be condemned as totally lacking in hard evidence by sceptics and scientists alike.
Others describe the said effects of gem stones by colours. We do not know
if there is any serious research to substantiate such colour-ray-based claims.
As for the subtle influences ascribed to gems, many descriptions
of such said influences may seem diffuse and too general. Besides, just as with birth
stones, opinions vary too. Here is a Hindu outlook: [LINK]
Thus, statements as to who should wear what stone for what ends, may differ. And
having this basic knowledge may come in handy some day.
Gemstones
Richard Liddicoat observes that while a stone must be rare to be thought valuable,
it can also be be too rare to be valuable. He cites tanzanite as an example of the
latter, too rare sort.
A hard stone may be fit for jewellry, and hence for being found precious. Many have
heard of gems like ruby, emerald and sapphire, but there are lesser-known and just as
beautiful gems [Epg v].
Lustrous and glistening gems tend to be cut and/ord polished to look attractive
to humans, men and women. [Epg vi].
There are treasure hunters that dream of getting rich quickly. Good luck to them
[Epg vi].
One should be aware that not a few gems are counterfeited gems. [Epg vi].
From the Symbolism of Gems
Colour imparted symbolic meaning to stones and gems. Rubies and red garnets suggest
blood and fire, and were taken as symbols of life-strength. Sapphires and lapis lazuli
recalled the blue of the sky - and gods of the sky - became symblols of mediation with the
gods. Gold and amber, recalling the sun and warmth, were selected as tokens of divine
protection, and so on. [Epg 1]
Thus, gems became tools of displaying various or so-called powers of humans. Regents
have used crowns ornate with sapphires to represent the guessed up union of the regent and
the divine side (sky), while rubies were tokens of the regent's fierceness in battle, and so
on. [Epg 2].
Jewels on the hat also became tokens of rank. [Epg 2]
Many came to regard gems as talismans of some hidden protection. In ancient Egypt,
for example, a green stone in which a scarab beetle was carved, symbolised the sun and
eternity. [Epg 2]
Throughout the ages certain gems were thought to protect those who wore them or
owned them from misfortune and certain harms. [Epg 2]
Gems as Medicine
In antiquity it was thought that gems could cure if powdered and ingested. In
ayurveda the practice has continued to this day. This practice has given rise to
misuses throughout Western history, at the very least. [Epg 3]
Christain Symbolism of Certain Gems
Jehovah instituted a breast piece with twelve stones
on it (the great priest pectoral) to be used among answer-divining priests and kings [Exodus 28:17-20].
Later there are twelve stones in the Revelation of John [21:19-20]
One of the seven angels . . . showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God. It shone . . .
The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold . . . The foundations
of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was
jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx,
the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth
chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve
pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold
[Revelation 21:9-22]
[Epg 3]
The passage suggests that some stones are part of a heavenly environment. You may start gathering the right sort of stones right now, if you care. Why wait? What do you think of that? The gems mentioned
- in addition to gold and pearls - are:
- amethyst
- beryl
- carnelian
- chalcedony
- chrysolite
- chrysoprase
- emerald
- jacinth
- jasper
- pearls
- sapphire
- sardonyx
- topaz.
At the same time, think that what is mentioned in the Old Book hardly ever mentions animals, plants and minerals found very far from Egypt, to put it simply. So it could be wise to keep an eye open for other, valuable stones. Some will be cheaper too. Emeralds, diamonds and rubies are among the most expensive ones, at any rate.
Thus, an inquisitive mind may not overlook that there are about 1500 more gemstones around, and many of them were unknown to the ancient Jews of Palestine. You may assert, "In antiquity they knew these stones and did not know of all the other stones, such as tanzanite, which was made known in the 1800s and since has been extremely popular in the United States [cf. Epg 213].
Hunting for the right sort of "Bible stones" you may also well ask: "When the ancients said "sardonyx", could other sorts of sard and onyx be included too? What are the differences between sard and sardonyx, between sardonyx and onyx?" Definitions that are used now, where not used among the ancients. There is much confusion, as a matter of fact, and there was much confusion in ancient times too: What is
onyx and what is sardonyx has not always been clear-cut.
One the one hand we may learn that onyx is a black agate (i.e., chalcedony, SiO2),
and that onyx denoted a number of chalcedony varieties before taking on its present restricted
meaning during the late Roman empire: Today onyx designates a sard so dark that it appears
black. Onyx may also denote an agate with black and white layers. More generally, onyx is
applied to any agate with highly contrasting layers of colours other than browish red. And
there is black onyx and layered onyx.
Sard is a brown chalcedony. Originally the term designated the brown and red
varieties of translucent chalcedony. In the 1700s AD the name was restricted to the reddish
brown to dark brown varieties coloured by iron oxides.
Sardonyx is agate (chalcedony) with alternating reddish brown and white planar
layers. To complicate matters a bit more, in ancient Rome sardonyx apparently designated all
varieties of zoned agates imported from India. [Epg 201-2]
As for what the ancients meant by carnelian and chalcedony, I am far from sure.
Today carnelian is red and translucent chalcedony. Carnelian was first used as a synonym for
sard . . .
In other words, there is room for heavy confusion as to what specifications the
heavenly gems could have. But as for the 34 gems in the list above, their propensities are
as defined by the gemmologists, so as to eliminate any lingering doubt as to what is meant.
Later Uses of Conformity
In the middle of the 1700s the Jewish community in Poland re-interpreted the Bible
and assigned a stone to each of the twelve signs of the zodial, and then to each of the
twelve months.
Thus, many seem to fondle the idea that this and that birthstone brings luck.
Various trade associations devised different lists of birthstones, in part out of
commercial motives. You can believe that. [Epg 3-4]
Gems and Currency
In some quarters or circles gems became regarded as good investment objects, or
currency. This is presently the case with diamonds, but not with jade. [Epg 4]
Nice Ornaments
Having a certain gem to display indicates the wearer belongs to a given
sociocultural group. By its size and rarity a gem indicates social esteem or rank of its
owner.
"A gem should complement the person it adorns . . . in unison with her or him".
[Epg 4]
Literature
Ad: Clarke, John Henry: A Dictionary of Practical Materia Medica. 3 vols. The
Homeopathic Publishing Company. London, 1900 (vol 1) and 1902 (vols 2 and 3).
Ap: Mieder, Wolfgang (main editor), Stewart A.
Kingsbury, and Kelsie E. Harder: A Dictionary of American
Proverbs. (Paperback) New York: Oxford University Press, 1996.
Bm: Hamilton, W. R., A. R. Woolley, & A. C. Bishop: Bergarter, mineraler, fossiler: En felthåndbok.
Gyldendal. Oslo, 1975.
Eos: Hochleitner, Rupert: Edelsteiner og smykkesteiner. Cappelen. Oslo, 1996.
Epg: Bariand, Pierre. The Larousse Encyclopedia of Precious Gems. Translated by Emmanuel Fritsch. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1992.
Mab: Boericke, William, and Oscar Boericke. Homoeopathic Materia Medica. 9th ed. Philadelphia: Boericke and Runyon, 1927.
Mb: Garmo, Torgeir T & Walter Schumann: Mileral- og bergarter: Ei felthandbok med fargebilete. NKS. Oslo, 1979.
Smk: Schumann, Walter: Smykkestener. Aschehoug. Oslo, 1978.
The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold . . . The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, the fifth sardonyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold [Revelation 21:9-22]
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