Choosing Your Talisman

So you’ve decided you’d like a healing gemstone talisman. How do you select one that’s right for you? As with most things in life, you have an array of choices.

First we’ll assume that you don’t have any particular problem, you’d just like a nice gemstone to wear or carry with you. In this case, I think the best thing to do is go shopping. Go to a gem show or bead store where sell individual stones (perhaps tumbled vs. smooth cut or faceted) and walk around. Look at lots of different gems, touch them with your fingertips, enclose them in the palm of your hand. Carry some different ones into the nearest window with natural lighting and see what happens. Now put all those stones back, and wander around the show (or store) some more. Do the same thing with other stones.

Notice which gemstones are calling to you, which ones you keep returning to. Subconsciously, you are choosing the stones or they are choosing you. Pick out one or two, get their names, take them home and make them yours. Carry them around in your pocket just as you bought them, or string or wire-wrap them if you prefer. Then, if you want, do some research on the healing properties of the stones you’ve chosen. (You can get a brief overview of the properties many gemstones here.) I’m betting that you’ll find that the stones you picked have a particular meaning to some part of your life or your body.

Now let’s assume you have a particular problem that you’re trying to resolve, say arthritis. You can do your own research and find gemstones that are heal arthritis, reduce inflammation, minimize pain, and are good for knees (or you afflicted joints). Once you’ve decided on the stones you want, you can then shop for those particular stones, along with the wire, head pins, findings, and spacers you need, subsequently organizing them into the pleasing and functional bracelet, necklace, earrings, keychain, or other adornment that you desire. There is definitely something to be said for doing all that work yourself; your talisman will be even more meaningful to you.

If you’re not up for all of that, you can take a much simpler route — talk to me (or someone else knowledgeable) and let me do the work for you. I’ll get information from you and then do all the research. I’ll gather the appropriate stones, spacers, and findings, and design a piece for your approval. Once we’ve agreed, I’ll finalize the talisman and send it off to you, posthaste.

Regardless of what method you use to select a talisman, it will ultimately be just for you. Enjoy and be comforted by it.