Choosing Gems and Stones

You find yourself in a store staring at a container filled with one particular stone. Which one do you purchase? The biggest one? The one with the shape you like the best? How do you know? If you are new to all of this let me share with you how I go about picking gems and stones. When I go to a store to buy gems, I take some things into consideration. Many stones have a variety of qualities.

Sometimes one immediately catches my attention. If that happens it is the one I purchase. Other times I just see a collection of that stone. Hold the gem or stone in which ever hand you favor. I dig my hand in and sift through them. I am usually left with a few in my hand. I put them aside and hold each one individually for a moment with my eyes closed. Does it have a comfortable feeling? Do you like the feeling you get from holding or rubbing it? These are the ones that I buy or take home from the beach or wherever I happen upon a stone that catches my attention. Always remembering to leave behind a gift such a bread chunks, nuts, or even pennies for the fairy folk. As you can see from the photo displaying some of my collection, they don't have to be the 'prettiest' or biggest, or most perfect looking stone. It just has to feel good to me. Over the years I have found that I feel vibrations from stones and gems, even the ones I find on the beach, desert or by a side walk. There is life pulsing through them. Some 'feel' right for me and others don't. Try to 'tune in' to their vibrations. It may take time, but it's worth the wait. Happy hunting!

Planetary Rulers

Here is a correspondence table of the various stones associated with each planet, the rituals they are suited for and candle colours you can use to enhance the ritual.

Sun
Useful in legal matters, healing, protection, success, illumination, magickal energy and physic energy.
Candles-orangeorgold.
Stones-Amber, orange calcite, carnelian, quartz crystal, diamond, pipestone, sulfur, sunstone, tiger's eye, topaz, zircon.

Moon
Use in rituals involving sleep, prophetic dreams, gardening, love, healing, the sea, the home, fertility, peace, compassion and spirituality.
Candles- white or silver.
Stones-Aquamarine, beryl, chalcedony, quartz crystal, moonstone, mother-of-pearl, pearl, sapphire, selenite.

Mercury
Used for strengthening mental powers, eloquence, divination, studying, self-improvement, communication, travel and wisdom.
Candles-yellow
Stones-Agate, aventurine, mottled jasper, mica, pumice.

Venus
For rituals promoting love, fidelity, reconciliation, interchanges, beauty, youth, joy, happiness, pleasure, lick, friendship, compassion, meditation and rituals involving women.
Candles-green
Stones-Azurite, blue/pink/green calcite, cat's eye, chrysocolla, chrysoprase, coral, emerald, jade, green jasper, kunzite, lapis lazuli, malachite, olivine, peridot, sodalite, blue/green/pink/watermelon tourmaline, turquoise.

Mars
Useful for promoting courage, aggression, healing after surgery, physical strength, politics, sexual energy, exorcism, protection, defensive magick and rituals involving men.
Candles-red
Stones-Asbestos, bloodstone, flint, garnet, red jasper, lava, onyx, pipestone, rhodocrosite, rhodonite, ruby, sard, sardonyx, red/watermelon tourmaline.

Jupiter
Good for spirituality, meditation, psychism and religious rituals.
Candles-purple
Stones-Amethyst, lepidolite, sugilite.

Saturn
These stones are good for grounding, centering, protection, purification and luck.
Candles-gray, brown.
Stones-Alum, apache tear, coal, hematite, brown jasper, jet, obsidian, onyx, salt, serpentine, black tourmaline.

Elemental Rulers

Here is a listing of stones and how they related to the four elements along with corresponding candle colours.

Earth
Stones related to this element are useful in promoting peace, grounding and centering of energies, fertility, money, business success, stability, gardening and agriculture.
Candles-Green
Stones- Green agate, moss agate, alum, green calcite, cat's eye, chrysoprase, coal, emerald, brown jasper, green jasper, jet, kunzite, malachite, olivine, peridot, salt, stalagmite, black tourmaline, green tourmaline, turquoise.

Air
Air is the element of communication, travel, and the intellect.
Candle-Yellow
Stones- Aventurine, mottled jasper, mica, pumice, sphene.

Fire
Fire stones are used for protection, defensive magic, physical strength, magical energy, courage, will power (such as dieting), and purification.
Candle-Red
Stones- Banded agate, black agate, brown agate, red agate, amber, apache tear, asbestos, bloodstone, carnelian, citrine, quartz crystal, diamond, flint, garnet, hematite, red jasper, lava, obsidian, onyx, pipestone, rhodocrosite, ruby, sard, sardonyx, serpentine, spinel, sulfur, sunstone, tiger's eye, topaz, red tourmaline, watermelon tourmaline, zircon.

Water
Stones of this element are used in love rituals and for healing, compassion, reconciliation, friendship, purification, de-stressing, peace, sleep, dreams and psychism.
Candle-Blue
Stones- Blue lace agate, amethyst, aquamarine, azurite, beryl, blue calcite, pink calcite, celestite, chalcedony, chrysocolla, coral, quartz crystal, geodes, holey stones, jade, lapis lazuli, moonstone mother-of-pearl, pearl, sapphire, selenite, sodalite, sugilite, blue tourmaline, green tourmaline, pink tourmaline.

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