Can Gemstones Enhance Healing?

Some people are immediately skeptical when approached with the idea of healing gemstones, thinking it some new age mumbo jumbo. In fact, the idea of using gemstones to help improve physical & emotional health is centuries old. There’s more than one reason that the Egyptian mummies were entombed with lots of jewels. Sure, it demonstrated their wealth and status. But that’s not all. In ancient cultures people were sent into the next world with things that were believed to help them once they arrived – everything from food to money, candles to tools. And, of course, gemstones. This tradition is not limited to Egyptians, but was and is common around the world in cultures ranging from Native American to Chinese, Gullah traditions to modern spiritualists. Did you know that Aristotle wrote about healing gemstones?

If you think that healing gemstones, and their power in other realms, is an ‘out there’ idea, think again. In modern times we use gemstones to make everything from expensive watches (you know, those “23-jewels” really are jewels!) to high-tech lasers.

How can gemstones heal? Start with the understanding that everything on the planet is made of essentially the same elements, the most common being carbon, hydrogen, & oxygen. The different blends of these elements, plus a few others tossed in the mix, make humans look and feel different from dogs or rocks. But underneath, we’re really similar. These elements provide us, people, with our life force. They also provide all other natural things with life forces of their own.

You can readily understand the life force in animals – after all, they move, breathe, reproduce, etc. It’s also pretty easy to recognize the life force in plants – it’s what nourishes us when we eat them. Rocks and gems also have a life force. And just as we get energy and nourishment from plants & animals, we can also get it from gemstones.

Gems are filled with energy and are very efficient energy conductors. We can access some of their energy when we wear or carry them. Just as they align light rays in a laser, they can align the energy in our bodies, leading to improved health. How? I’m certainly not clever enough to provide you with the science behind it all. But I can tell you that just as healing with acupuncture, herbs, aromatherapy, and other non-Western methods are gaining greater acceptance, so is the concept of healing gemstones.

Like those other alternatives, I believe it’s best to use gems in combination with other treatments to enhance your other wellness activities. As I have gained understanding over the years about my role as an active partner with medical professionals in my health care, I’ve also become more open to taking steps that are considered new, but are really ancient. I know from experience that it’s easier for me to relax when I smell lavender, and that arnica oil can soothe my aches and pains. For me, it’s the same with incorporating gems into my wellness activities. I have to start slowly, to learn from those who are more skilled and knowledgeable, and from my own experience. I’m comforted by the belief that unlike some other treatments, carrying the “wrong” gemstone might not help, but it can’t hurt me.

My work with gems for healing ultimately stems from my deep conviction that we are connected to the rest of the world. Everything is a part of everything else. Everything impacts on everything else. Gems are part of that world, and in some ways, part of me.

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Next time I’ll share some of how I’ve used healing gemstones and talismans for myself and my friends & family.