Birthstones - Some of Their Symbolism and Properties

The number of questions that surround birthstones are numerous.

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What are birthstones and their properties? Why are they considered lucky? What are the legends and myths that surround different stones? And most importantly what do birthstones represent?

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It is easy to get lost amidst a sea of information, especially since the information is as diverse as the stones themselves. There are myths and legends and different meanings that were attributed to any given stone over the course of centuries. Some were used to protect against the evil eye, while some were favorites of royalty, who put them on their crowns and scepters. And a good few bishops wore them too (it is amethyst in case you were wondering, it was a symbol of purity and spirituality so it was only appropriate as a bishop's favorite).

If you are on the lookout for an engagement ring or even a Celtic engagement ring it does not mean birthstones cannot be incorporated. It is said after all that they bring good luck.

Find your birth month and your birthstone in the list below.

January - Garnet (Color - Red)

February - Amethyst (Color - purple)

March - Aquamarine (Color: Pale blue)

April - Diamond (Color: Clear, White)

May - Emerald Color: Deep Green

June - Pearl (Color: White)

July - Ruby (Color: Red)

August - Peridot (Color: Yellowish green)

September - Sapphire (Color: Deep Blue)

October - Opal (Color: Multi-colored)

November - Topaz (Color: Yellow Gold)

December - Turquoise (Color: Blue)

Some of these are quite popular choices (diamonds and emeralds come to mind) when it comes to engagement rings but some others like garnet or perhaps peridot you may have never heard of.

Truth of the matter is that even though rings with birthstones might be a relatively recent invention, birthstones and their meaning are as inseparable as Celtic knots on Celtic jewelry.

Ancient Egyptians believed that emeralds are a symbol of eternal youth and it is no wonder they were Cleopatra's favorites. Garnet on the other hand, even though relatively unknown, was not only considered a symbol of love but one legend has it that because of its deep red color Noah used it as a guide light on his arc during the storm.

For many of the birthstones it was considered that they not only bring good luck to whoever wore them, but they protected against evil spirits and could keep nightmares away and bring prosperity and wealth to the wearer.

Some birthstones like sapphires and peridot were ground to a fine powder and used as a treatment for different ailments.

The symbolism behind these precious stones is even more poignant - diamonds and rubies are symbols of everlasting love, pearls are a symbol of purity and not just good taste and style, while today's meaning of emeralds is that they symbolize wisdom, growth and patience which makes them a perfect anniversary present.

It has to be said that the idea of grinding any precious stone to a powder to help with an ailment sounds quite preposterous in this day and age. However it cannot be denied that the symbolism of everlasting love that diamonds represent, sounds romantic. Or the idea that sapphires represent faithfulness and sincerity.

If you are on the look out for an engagement ring and you would like to choose the appropriate birthstone, bear in mind, there are no rules and regulations, do what feels right. You can use the current list as guidelines, but you can always refer to other birthstone lists (yes there are plenty) or you can use color as a guideline when making your choice.

A Celtic diamond engagement ring does qualify as a birthstone ring for anyone born in April. Remember that although they are precious stones, nothing is written in stone. It is your engagement ring after all.

Birthstones - Some of Their Symbolism and Properties

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Red Crystals and Gemstones - Healing Properties of Carnelian and Red Garnet

Carnelian Ancient Egyptian Source of Renewal

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Known as the Artist's Stone it activates creativity, possibly unearthing hidden talent or latent gifts. It is an excellent stone for relieving depression, grounding, overall well-being; aids in focusing thoughts, intensify concentration, increase physical energy.

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Being a part of the Red Crystal and Gemstone family, it resonates with both the Root or Basic Chakra and the Sacral Chakra. Use this wonderful stone to cleanse and balance your Base Chakra, aligning yourself with feeling more secure and grounded.

Ancient Egyptians believed Carnelian to be a source of vitality, sustaining the cycle of re-birth and renewal. There are references to the use of Carnelian in the Egyptian Book of the Dead. High Priests used this beautiful stone material for their Chalice as it is has the unique quality of retaining the vibration of that which was placed within. Many Chalices contained or had Silver linings molded to it, representing the Moon's cycles of renewal and purity of its shimmering light in the night sky.

Working with Carnelian will encourage a sense of self-trust, enabling the wearer to better discern the many choices before them. Drinking Carnelian charged water will create a sense of empowered motivation in someone who may be a bit under-motivated. It will also aid relieving depression, increasing one's sense of self-esteem and self-empowerment.

It can be used as a focal point during meditation or placed on the Third Eye to cleanse, balance and align your inner sight with that of the physical realm.

*Angelic Realm Association: Archangel Raziel whose name means "Secret of God" will assist you, when asked, to remember who you truly are.

*Healing Properties: relieves depression, stone for overall well-being, heighten concentration, increase physical energy, absorb and repel negativity.

*Vibrational Frequency: high energy, vitality, stabilizes excess nervous energy.

*Spiritual Properties: assists the Soul on along its journey through the physical plane, assists with being in the present moment.

Being a personal favorite, it is one of the many crystal and gemstone bracelets I wear daily!

Red Garnet Good Luck Stone

The Pomegranate Seed is the inspiration for the naming of this precious stone. Its unique fiery red energy is unlike any other. In days gone by, the Garnet was used to ward off demons, protecting its wearers from phantoms in the darkness of night.

Resonating with the second or Sacral Chakra, the Garnet aligns the wearer with abundance and prosperity, protection, enhancing relationships in a variety of ways, on many levels.

The vibrational energy frequency of this magnificent gemstone is that of the Third Eye, clear, bright, intense, all seeing, all-knowing, piercing through cloudy shadows of dis-belief.

The color range is deep translucent red to a very deep almost red-black color. It is often given as a token of love and fidelity.

When placed on the Third Eye during meditation, it will cleanse negative energy, and with time enable you to see more clearly whether or not you are consciously aware of your Third Eye opening. It is more than possible for an Intuitive to access their inner sight regardless of their Third Eye being open. It is highly suggested, the Garnet be cleansed and charged in the sunlight before placing it on your Third Eye Chakra. You may choose to pass your stone through incense or over the flame of a red or white candle instead of placing it in the Sun's rays. Whichever method you choose, always take proper precautions when working with candles or incense.

*Angelic Realm Association: Archangel Jophiel whose name means "Beauty of God" seeing through eyes of love, enhancing all relationships especially those of the heart. Angel Israfil whose name means "The Burning One" is also associated with this gemstone, burning away imperfections, purifying the love between two people.

*Healing Properties: personal relationships, feelings of security, passion, creativity, regulate the metabolism, feelings of lack, healing fear of the unknown.

*Vibrational Frequency: intense, piercing, fiery purification.

*Spiritual Properties: Third Eye activation, compassion, dream recall

If you wish to recall a past life or incident in this life, Garnet may assist you in healing that which has come before, bringing you to where you are in this moment with compassion and love. Take heed before delving into the past; be sure you wish to re-visit an experience or situation. It may be best to allow a professional lead you through a regression.

Red Crystals and Gemstones - Healing Properties of Carnelian and Red Garnet

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The Metaphysical Properties of Garnet - One of the True Birthstones For Aries Astrology

We Live in a Beautiful Vibrational Universe

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It is now universally accepted and confirmed by science that we live in a universe made of energy vibrating at different frequencies. Every bit of seemingly solid matter is just a swirling microcosmic world of vibrating, energized particles creating form as we know it.

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There is great beauty in the natural form our world takes. Nature can be breathtaking in a sunset over the ocean, a mountain landscape, a flower, or a crystal gemstone. Wherever we perceive balance and harmony we experience beauty.

Beauty is deeply fulfilling for humans. Being in nature, looking at a flower, tuning into a gemstone can realign our own energy pattern to a more balanced flow. I believe that a gemstone that attracts your eye with its beauty will always be beneficial for you.

The Signature and Metaphysical Properties of Crystal and Gemstones

In all cultures throughout history gemstones and crystals have had a special place. They have been used for empowerment and for focusing energy in rituals, sacred objects, and jewelry.

The perfectly aligned crystal structure of gemstones and crystals gives them their energy and metaphysical properties: they interact with our own energy field and have a balancing and healing impact on our mind, body, and soul. Each gemstone has a personal "signature"-specific metaphysical qualities, different for each stone, that arise from the stone's chemical composition, color, hardness, crystal structure, and so on.

Astrology, the ancient science of the universal laws, allows us to understand the creative forces at work in our lives and use them to our advantage. Gemstones occupy an important place in astrology. By considering the individual signature of gemstones, we can select the right gems for very specific purposes, according to their astrological representation.

Astrology and True Birthstones

Astrological principles manifest at all levels of creation, from the largest bodies in the cosmos to the tiniest particles of atoms-all are part of the same network of universal energy. Based on the hermetic principle "As above, so below," those universal principles allow us to read the analogue relations among the planets and extrapolate those principles to things here on Earth, to events in our lives, as well as to our natural environment. The universal principles that govern the planets are also seen on the much smaller level of gemstones, crystals, and metals.

Most of us know the gemstone corresponding to when we were born based on the list created by jewelers. This is a simplified commercial list, not created by astrologers, and therefore most of the stones on this list are not the true astrological birthstones.

Each gemstone represents specific planetary principles and has its own personality. In my book Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery I teach you how to find your true birthstones based on your horoscope. In this article I will give the example of one of the true astrological birthstones for Aries, Garnet.

Garnet: A Many-Hued Stone [1]

The Garnets are a many-hued family, with different names for each color. The color range includes red, red with a violet tint, reddish brown, orange brown, yellow, and green.

The varieties include Pyrope (reddish brown), Almandine (violet), Spessartite (orange to reddish brown), Grossular (green, yellow, or copper brown), Demantoid (green to emerald green), and Tsavorite (similar to emerald green). All of the colors are strongly reflective.

With a relatively high Mohs' hardness of 7 to 7 ½, Garnet makes a nice hard stone for rings and other jewelry. It is found around the world, including in the United States, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Zambia, Tanzania, Afghanistan, India, Brazil, Austria, Germany, and Sweden.

Due to its diverse origins Garnet is a very "open-minded" family. It reminds us to welcome and celebrate the diversity of all people and their different ways of self-expression.

Garnet is associated with Mars, Venus, and Mercury and has the qualities of those planets. The Garnet group is very down to earth and practically minded and thus can assist us in our worldly endeavors and in manifesting our dreams and visions.

The Violet Garnet: Almandine

Almandine is a red garnet with a slight violet tint. The form of its crystallization gives it a kind of round crystal-ball appearance. If you can find one it is a nice stone to have in your pocket to play with in order to have the stone's energy within your aura without needing it to be set into jewelry.

Almandine is a warrior of the heart, longing to express his true being as he walks the path of love. Being connected with Venus and Mars, Almandine supports our growth in relationships and friendships.

This warrior is connected with the higher truth of the crown chakra: it helps to balance the Inner Man and the Inner Woman in us, helps us to rise up out of the limitations of the ego to a greater understanding of love as a state of consciousness. It might support us by asking the question, "What can I bring to this relationship?" rather than "What do I get out of it?"

In the Almandine, Mars and Venus-the lover and the beloved-are united and recreated on the earthly plane for the pure pleasure of experiencing each other. Almandine encourages us to partake of the enjoyment of love and relationships and to become more conscious of our role in their creation. It gives us deeper insight into the dynamics of relationships as they are projected onto the earthly playground of the cosmos.

How to Use Your Birthstones

Almost all gemstones can be used in three different ways:
1. They are precious objects of beauty that may hold a special meaning for us. We enjoy their beauty by giving them a special place on a shelf, desk, or altar.
2. They can be used in meditation by tuning into their frequency for the purpose of balancing our energy field.
3. They can be made into jewelry pieces for our pleasure, enhancing our individual expression of beauty and sense of empowerment.

I hope I've given you a new sense of the very special properties of gemstones. I encourage you to identify your true birthstones and to find creative ways to incorporate them into your life to support your goals and desires. You can learn more about the metaphysical properties of gemstones through my book: Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul.

Aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

[1] Adapted from Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones That Delight the Eye & Strengthen the Soul © 2008 by Shakti Carola Navran. Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. 2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989. All rights reserved, used by permission of the publisher.

Shakti Carola Navran: Astrologer, Jeweler, and Author

The Metaphysical Properties of Garnet - One of the True Birthstones For Aries Astrology

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