About Gem Essences

Gem essences follow a very ancient tradition.  Since the beginning of recorded history, almost every culture – Indian, Egyptian, Mayan and Greek... as well as Australian aboriginals, and many Native peoples, has placed an extraordinary amount of value on precious gems. Ancient cultures used gems and sound vibration to direct the subtle forces of nature. Gems came to be used in astrology as well, to counteract the negative influence of the planets.  In ancient eastern medicine, gemstones and gem elixirs played an important role in the healing process. 

Crystals and gems were highly respected for their remarkable, even magical powers and vibrational healing properties.  Gemstones have been used through the centuries in much the same way flower and nature essences are now being used in the west.  Scientific evidence that acknowledges the special vibrational frequencies of gems is only coming to light as science develops the knowledge and tools to analyze the structure and properties of gems, and quantum physics gives us some of the answers as to why gems, crystals and minerals are able to do what they do.  The ancients are at last being proved correct in their assumptions.  Somehow they understood the vibrational power of gems and their potential influence on the subtle energies of the human being that science is only just beginning to explain today.  

“Scientific photo of the quartz crystal electro-magnetic system photographed by Kirlian photography.” – from www.thewindofkeltia.com/crystalenergy.html

Dating back as far as 3000 BC, a number of Vedic texts mention the use of gems, both in terms of astrology and healing.  Gems were used whole, placed or worn on the body, or crushed and ingested as a powder or drunk as an elixir.  In the ancient Puranas, nine Vedic astrological gemstones are mentioned. Each represents one of the nine major planets: ruby for the Sun, pearl for Moon, coral for Mars, emerald for Mercury, diamond for Venus, blue sapphire for Saturn, cat's eye for the planet Ketu and garnet (hessonite) for the planet Rahu. 

In Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramahansa Yogananda, his guru Sri Yukteswar, explains:

“Electrical and magnetic radiations are ceaselessly circulating in the universe; they affect man's body for good or ill. Ages ago our rishis pondered the problem of combating the adverse effects of subtle cosmic influences. The sages discovered that pure metals emit an astral light which is powerfully counteractive to the negative pulls of the planets...  Most effective of all are faultless jewels of not less than two carats…”

In the 'Ancient Medicine of India: Ayurveda', Jonathan Klemens, RPh, writes,

"Jyotish is the sanskrit name for vedic astrology, meaning "science of light". Ayurveda is the Indian system of medicine meaning "science of life". For gems to be capable of transmitting cosmic planetary rays that may enhance physical, emotional, or spiritual health or attract positive influences toward a person, they must first of all be natural. This means they are created by tectonic pressure within the earth over time periods up to millions of years. Gems also transmit cosmic colors that are in turn absorbed by the chakra centers in the ethereal body and therefore they must be of good quality in clarity.

Ayurveda is one of the most complete holistic types of medicine in the world and includes, gem stone therapy, color therapy, and metal therapy...

Certain gems are considered to have beneficial qualities based on the healing energy vibrations that they contain.  They are claimed to activate energy centers and help to develop sensitivity.  Individuals can benefit from these energies by wearing gems as jewelry or by placing the natural gems in water overnight and then drinking the water. Gems can be purified by placing them in salt water for two days."       

In Ayurvedic medicine, gems work with certain elements (i.e. Ether, Water, Fire, Earth, Air) and imbalances in the three doshas or body types (i.e. Pitta, Kapha, Vata).  For example:  

Amethyst  - Contains elements Ether and Water.  This gem helps control emotional temperament.  It is good for vata and pitta imbalances. This gem should also be worn as a necklace.

  Emerald  - Contains Fire and Ether.  It stimulates excess pitta but will relieve vata and kapha.  Promotes intelligence, power, and prestige. Enhances art and music.

   Diamond  - The diamond is the best rejuvenating precious stone.  They naturally should be of the best quality.  It brings prosperity and is spiritually uplifting. It contains Ether, Air, Water, and Earth.

Ruby -  Helps concentration and mental power. It contains Fire, Air and Ether. Ruby strengthens the heart.  Pitta is sensitive and it is also good for excess vata and kapha.

   Topaz - Promotes passion and relieves fear.  Topaz gives strength and intelligence.  It contains Fire, Ether, and Air. 

Sapphire -  Promotes digestion, metabolism, strength and complexion.  Alleviates all three dosas.

Mitchell-Hedges crystal skull    

Even in Greek and Roman times, it was believed that stones had a direct and positive influence on the body.  Stones were worn as talismans for health, protection, and to attract virtues.  It is no accident that the kings and queens of old wore gems in their crowns and upon their person.       

 Austrian Crown Jewels  

In ancient Israel, Aaron, the High Priest, wore a breastplate of gems.  The instructions for fabricating the Breastplate of the High Priest, or the Breastplate of Aaron, can be found in Exodus 28, 15-30:.  The breastplate was of great importance because by means of it, God revealed his Divine will to His chosen people. It was designed by God Himself and the directions as to how it was to be made were given to Moses.

“And thou shall make the breastplate of judgement with cunning work; after the work of the ephod thou shalt make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen shalt thou make it.

Foursquare it shall be doubled; a span shall be the length thereof, and a span shall be the breadth thereof.

And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones: the first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this shall be the first row.

And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. And the third row a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx, and a jasper; they shall be set in gold in their enclosings.

And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names, like the engravings on a signet; every one with his name shall they be according to the twelve tribes....

And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgement upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually..."

Breastplate of Aaron

In ancient healing it was determined that specific gemstones or crystals could be used to heal specific parts of the human anatomy.  We now know that this is because each organ vibrates to a specific frequency.  When disease is present the specific vibrational frequency of that organ is altered. 

References to the Vibrational Frequency of Body Organs:

Finucane, Edward. W. ‘Definitions, Conversions, and Calculations for Occupational Safety and Health Professionals - Edition 3' CRC Press, 2006 pp. 7-3 to 7-4

Dossey, Barbara Montgomery & Kegan, Lynn.  ‘Holistic Nursing: A Handbook of Practice – 5^th Edition'.  Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2008, pp. 327-329

Coetzee, H.  ‘Biomagnetism and Bio-Electromagnetism: The Foundation of Life' (Originally published in Future History, Volume 8)

Through the principles of resonance and ‘dominant field theory’, crystals and gems are able to restore health and vitality.  In addition, using a quartz crystal as a miniature microphone, researchers have developed a prototype virus detector that can ‘hear’ viruses.  They predict that this listening technique using crystals will eventually be used to provide instant diagnosis. Today, gems are also used in technology to transmit and magnify energies in many different ways.  Rubies are used in lasers for microscopic surgery and quartz crystals are used in ultrasound devices, watches, memory chips in computers, and many other electronic and technical devices.

We also now know that humans have magnetite crystals in their brains and that as solid and dense as stones, crystals, gems and minerals might be, like everything else in this plane of reality, they are actually made up of specific patterns of vibrating atoms and molecules …and space.  Just as flowers have a 'life force', so do gems and mineral. 

Magnetite crystals in the human brain

Richard Gerber, in his now classic book, VIBRATIONAL MEDICINE: NEW CHOICES FOR HEALING OURSELVES, wrote about the vibrational and healing properties of gems and crystals.  He suggested that gem essences were a form of vibrational therapy that was able to amplify the energies already moving through the subtle structures of higher dimensional anatomy.  Dr. Gerber went on to say,

“Certain gemstones have a special harmonic resonance with particular points of human physical anatomy.  Healing through the use of gem elixirs takes place when crystalline patterns stored in the elixir are resonantly transferred to unstable biomolecular structures within the diseased physical body.  As vibrational energy is transferred to specific molecular systems within the body, stabilization of biochemical processes causes increased cellular organization, organ repair, and a general shift toward physical health.”

Dr. Gerber also noted that gemstones and crystals had unique molecular arrangements of geometrical symmetry.  This molecular regularity of the crystalline structure of gems and crystals provided a stabilizing energetic influence to cellular and biomolecular systems within the physical body.  Gemstones have a unique molecular structure that is quite significant.  In taking a much closer look at gemstones and crystals, we find that each atom that makes up their atomic molecular structures has a mirror image of itself on the opposite vertex.  From an atomic viewpoint they possess perfect symmetry and balance.  Programs like Xtaldraw, from the University of Texas at Austin, are able to show us these beautifully symmetrical atomic structures.

Atomic Structure of Garnet