Precious stones, healing properties and Gamal Nkrumah The play of colour and the magic of the elements are powerful forces of nature that impact our lives in myriad ways. Ancient peoples the world over were attuned to these primeval forces of nature. The art of healing with the help of precious stones harks back to distant days when humans were much more vulnerable to the fearsome ravages of nature; medicine was not as advanced as it is today, and people clutched onto whatever they believed could positively impact their lives. Gemstones were natural attractions and all too obvious embodiments, microcosms perhaps, of the potential wonderment of the universe, the most brilliant endowments of nature, even if they had less practical use than the medicinal herbs of the forests or the shrubs of the savannas and deserts. These eye-catching gems were still of outstanding beauty and as such had to be bestowed with special powers. Fire Opal, the national gemstone of Mexico, was sacred to the ancient Aztecs, Jade to the Chinese and lapis lazuli to the ancient Egyptians. Turquoise was the people's gemstone of ancient Egypt -- its use as an artefact was not restricted to the nobility. At some point in history, people started experimenting with gemstones for medicinal purposes. The ancient civilisations of the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East, South and East Asia, Central and South America began to ascribe medicinal and magic powers to gemstones, thereby treading a path that defied that of present-day medical prognoses. Yet somehow the ancient tradition has lingered. Judging by the number of websites that deal with the subject, and the wide media coverage of gemstone healing as part of a general upsurge of interest in alternative medicine, there are indications of a growing interest in the healing properties of gemstones by the public at large. In Asian countries like India and China, the tradition is long established. But many people in the West now strongly believe in the healing powers of precious stones, which powers largely depend on the properties of the stone in question -- its colour, texture and crystalline structure. In the Arab world, there is a long-standing tradition of healing with precious stones; with the spread of modern medicine, people have naturally enough become less inquisitive about the healing properties of gemstones. Today, however, there is much revival of interest in the subject -- evidenced by the publication of books tackling the issue. A typical example of the latter is The Treatment of Disease by Precious Stones, 2004, by Zakariya Hemimi. The book has a nice, warm writing style to it. Hemimi elucidates not only the attributes of the various gemstones, but also the Quranic injunctions on them. Coral, for example, is the only precious stone mentioned twice in the Holy Quran, in Surat Al-Rahman -- once in association with Pearl and then again in connection with Ruby. Be that as it may, there are many who remain adamantly cynical about these thoughts. "I must state at the outset that I certainly don't believe that these inanimate objects could cure. These theories amount to nothing but haberdashery," Ihab El-Zayyat, a jeweller who deals in precious stones, told Al-Ahram Weekly. "I think it is insulting to people's intelligence to claim otherwise," El-Zayyat added. "When I want to sell a precious stone, I explain the value -- monetary and aesthetic -- to the potential customer. I never come up with absurd theories about the supposed healing properties of the gemstone in question." Yet others vehemently disagree. "It is traditionally acknowledged that every Zodiac sign is associated with certain characteristics, behavioural patterns and ways of thinking. By implication it is thought that members of the same Zodiac sign are more prone to certain types of disease. "Arians are typically impetuous and courageous, while Taureans are patient but headstrong," businessman and astrologist Adel Hefni told the Weekly. "Librans are often obsessed with the notion of justice, while Leonians have a tendency to be vain," he added. In this way, flirtatious Geminians are advised to wear Garnet, the "Stone of Commitment", while impulsive Arians do better with Amethyst, the "Sobriety Stone", and so forth. Turquoise, hydrated copper aluminium phosphate, was brought to Europe at the time of the Crusades. Turquoise was a popular gemstone in ancient Egypt and neighbouring lands. Traditionally believed to cure depression and ward off the evil eye, perhaps because of its cheerful azure colour, it is widely regarded as protection against dark forces and evil powers. Twelve appears to be a magic number -- the 12 tribes of Israel, the 12 disciples of Jesus, the 12 Shia Muslim imams, and of course, the 12 months of the year. Small wonder then that there are traditionally 12 birthstones -- each month has a special gem and each Zodiac sign its own stone. Months, of course, don't correspond exactly to signs. January's stone is onyx, February Jasper, March ruby and April Topaz, May garnet and June emerald, July Sapphire and August diamond, September zircon and October agate. November's is amethyst and December's beryl, and so forth. But the rather more complex study of Zodiac gemstones or Astral Stones is often intricately intertwined with that of gemstone healing. No stone is pure Aires, for example, or pure Mars or March for that matter. Moreover, each Zodiac sign has at least two precious stones associated with it: Aries diamond and bloodstone, Taurus emerald and rose quartz, Gemini agate and green aventurine, Cancer pearl and Tiger Eye, Leo Ruby and Carnelian, Virgo opal and unakite, Sagittarius Topaz and Black Obsidian, Capricorn Garnet and Malachite, Aquarius Aquamarine and Flurite, Pisces Amethyst and Moonstone as well as, sometimes, Turquoise. That said, Cancer is also often associated with Moonstone, the Moon being the ruling planet of Cancer. Amethyst used to be a very rare precious stone, found only in the possession of royalty and nobility. With new finds in the Western Hemisphere, and especially Brazil and Uruguay, in the 18th century, its price tumbled and it became less of a rarity. Amethyst, associated with Phoenician Royal Purple and ancient Egyptian royalty, is supposed to dissipate evil thought and quicken intelligence. It ranges from pale to lilac to deep purple. African amethyst has a fuller colour than its South American counterpart. Among the most soothing varieties are the pale coloured Rose de France amethyst and Brazil's Santa Maria. Unakite, associated with Scorpio, is a stone that helps release pent-up emotions and disturbed feelings. Unakite is a stone that the ancients believed could help an individual delve beyond the physical symptoms of an illness and understand the mental nature and emotional dimension of the disease. Rhodochrosite, on the other hand, is a stone that many ancient peoples associated with proper, uninhibited and unlaboured breathing. The Romans associated topaz with Jupiter and as far as the ancient Egyptians were concerned, the precious stone was an implement of the mighty Sun god Ra. Traditionally, it assisted in healing insomnia, asthma and hemorrhages. Bloodstone, on the other hand, is believed to detoxify the blood. The electric blue of Sapphire is the most potent soothing precious stone of all. Turquoise, literally Turkish stone, is widely believed to protect its wearer from the evil eye; it is traditionally worn as a good luck charm or talisman. Amber is fossilised pine tree sap. The blockbuster, Jurassic Park, with scenes of dinosaur DNA extracted from a mosquito in Amber, popularised the intriguing stone found in the Baltic Sea basin and the Dominican Republic. For its part Caribbean Ruby, representing hot passionate fire and blood, is mined in the Mongkok stone tract, Myanmar. The dove-blood-red of the Burmese Ruby, mined in Mong Hsu, northeastern Myanmar, is supposed to be the perfect cure to sexual problems, both male and female. Ruby stands for passion -- both sexual and emotional. The precious stone also supposedly brings negative energy to the fore, thereby assisting in dissipating the negative influences of a troubled mind. Ruby, the red variety of corundum and one of the hardest minerals on earth, comes in many different shades of red. Vietnamese rubies often have a purplish hue, while Thai rubies have a brownish tint -- the so-called Siam colour of Royal Siamese cats. Then there is the fascinating raspberry red of Ceylon -- the Sri Lankan ruby. All types of Ruby are stones of empowerment. Carnelian, long associated with Leo, helps focus and manifest personal power. It is also said to assist in speedy decision-making. The warm vermillion of Carnelian induces a state of elation and pleasurable excitement. It also inspires self-confidence and a general sense of well-being. Moonstone, associated with both Pisces and Cancer, helps create emotional balance; and the cream and soft peach colours of this stone render it potent in calming nerves and agitation. Rhodochrosite, coral pink, helps relieve anxiety, while powdered Malachite was used in Arabia to cure abscesses. Malachite, whose name is derived from the "mallow" green herb moloukhia, is Jewish Mallow, the oldest known green pigment. It has an especially calming effect. Black Tourmaline, for its part, helps relief stress; it also repels negative energy. The list could go on for pages and pages. The point is, ultimately, to look into the issue further -- and pick your precious stone.
