Charm Stones

Scientists refuse to believe it, sceptics will tell you it's just silly witchcraft talk and some probably won't have a clue what you're talking about but like it or lump it, healing stones or (charm stones as their most widely known as) are here to stay.
A charm stone is usually some form of gem or mineral (often quartz crystal) that is believed to have certain healing, paranormal or mystical energy or 'powers'. They're included in certain religions (Hindus believe they can help and Muslims worship the 'black stone' - a charm stone - regularly) but are mostly used in alternate forms of culture (Wicca) and alternate medical practices. It may seem a little strange to get your head around at first but believe it or not, they've genuinely helped in some cases.

Dating back to the prehistoric times, charm stones have been used for religious ceremonies, spiritual cleaning and offerings to the gods. Some even used them during their crop cycle in order to aid with the growth and well-being of that year’s harvest.
Nowadays though, the majority are used in sub-cultures, mostly within the 'New-Age' movement and more often than not, it'll be the 'crystal-healing' process that they'll use them for the most. This is where a 'charmed' crystal is waved around the body of the ill to aid in the healing process. Sure it sounds a little out-there but in some cases, scientists have been stumped as to how the crystals have actually helped.
Still, a lot of medical experts completely renounce the idea of 'healing stones', claiming them to be 'nothing but faux-voodoo for the hippy-generation'. In all honestly though I believe that whatever you need to help you through your illness is completely down to you and if you feel charm stones will help then why the hell not? They've been used for thousands and thousands of years and in some miraculous cases have aided where other medicine has failed.It may be a little too mystical and 'new age' for some but don't we all need a little bit of magic in our lives now and then?

Amethyst

Its colour is as unique as it is seductive, though in fact this gemstone of all gemstones is said to protect its wearer against seduction. The amethyst is extravagance in violet. For many thousands of years, the most striking representative of the quartz family has been a jewel coveted by princes both ecclesiastical and secular. Moses described it as a symbol of the Spirit of God in the official robes of the High Priest of the Jews, and the Russian Empress Catherine the Great sent thousands of miners into the Urals to look for it. In popular belief, the amethyst offers protection against drunkenness - for the Greek words 'amethystos' mean 'not intoxicated' in translation. A more apt stone for the month of February, particularly if there is to be plenty going on in the way of carnival celebrations, could thus hardly be wished for.

A large number of further miraculous powers are attributed to the amethyst in all sorts of cultures. It was said to protect crops against tempests and locusts, bring good fortune in war and in the hunt, drive out evil spirits and inspire the intellect. A little study of the works of Pliny will reveal that this gemstone, if worn round the neck on a cord made from dog's hair, affords protection against snakebite. Later, Hieronymus even reported that eagles placed an amethyst in their nest in order to protect their young from the selfsame danger. Apart from these powers, gemstone therapists say that the amethyst has a sobering and cleansing effect. Amethyst has also been said to quell excessive stomach acid and, according to Hildegard von Bingen, served to combat insect bites and beautify the skin. But the amethyst not only had a firm niche in medicine; it was also esteemed as a stone of friendship. And since it was thought to put the wearer in a chaste frame of mind and symbolise trust and piety, the amethyst came to occupy a very prominent position in the ornaments of the Catholic clergy over the centuries. It was the stone of bishops and cardinals; we find it in prelates' crosses and in the so-called Papal Ring (Italian, 15th century) in the Jewellery Museum in Pforzheim.

One thing that has been known for a long time, on the other hand, is the fact that the amethyst changes its colour on being heated. Smoky stones are transformed at temperatures of as little as 250 degrees to a shining yellow to brownish-red, whilst clear ones, i.e. those with a high degree of transparency, become yellow or colourless at 400 degrees. Now and then Nature gives us a surprise by having created bicoloured stones, like the ones recently found in Bolivia in the form of causticised crystal nuggets. This variety is known as ametrine, for in its formation certain energy states of iron introduce violet areas to the yellow citrine. At best, flat jewellery with a three-spoked star can be cut from it. However, the highlight for esoterics is that the energy fields can in fact be made visible in polarised light. The Henn Brothers of Idar-Oberstein even supply the photos to go with it.

Some amethysts pale almost to colourlessness in daylight. The reason for this has not yet been discovered, but it is possible to re-colour them by means of radium radiation. The fact that these stones can lose their colour makes it obvious that amethyst jewellery should not be worn while sunbathing, in a solarium or in a discotheque with black light. Sudden changes of temperature can also be harmful to the stone.

In ancient times, amethyst was already being engraved and cut into sculptured forms, witness the bust of Trajan which Napoleon captured in Berlin. Amethyst quartz, banded with whitish layers, is particularly good to work with, though it is only ever either translucent or opaque or somewhere in between. In earlier times, people liked to drink wine from amethyst cups, which brings us back to the stone's protective function against alcoholism. According to the ancient Greek saga, Diana turned a nymph whom Bacchus loved into an amethyst; hence the term Bacchus stone. Anyone wishing to protect a drunkard from delirium mixed some pulverised amethyst into the person's drink.

Source: www.gemstone.org

Aquamarine

From the light blue of the sky to the deep blue of the sea, aquamarines shine over an extraordinarily beautiful range of mainly light blue colours. Aquamarine is a fascinatingly beautiful gemstone. Women the world over love it for its fine blue shades which can complement almost any skin or eye colour, and creative gemstone designers are inspired by it as they are by hardly any other gem, which enables them to create new artistic cuts again and again.

Its light blue arouses feelings of sympathy, trust, harmony and friendship. Good feelings. Feelings which are based on mutuality and which prove their worth in lasting relationships. The blue of aquamarine is a divine, eternal colour, because it is the colour of the sky. However, aquamarine blue is also the colour of water with its life-giving force. And aquamarine really does seem to have captured the lucid blue of the oceans. No wonder, when you consider that according to the saga it originated in the treasure chest of fabulous mermaids, and has, since ancient times, been regarded as the sailors' lucky stone. Its name is derived from the Latin 'aqua' (water) and 'mare' (sea). It is said that its strengths are developed to their best advantage when it is placed in water which is bathed in sunlight. However, it is surely better still to wear aquamarine, since according to the old traditions this promises a happy marriage and is said to bring the woman who wears it joy and wealth into the bargain. An ideal gem, not only for loving and married couples.

The bright blue of this noble beryl is making more and more friends. The various colour nuances of aquamarine have melodious names: the rare, intense blue aquamarines from the Santa Maria de Itabira mine in Brazil, which make every gemstone lover's heart beat faster, are called 'Santa Maria'. Similar nuances come from a few gemstone mines in Africa, particularly Mozambique. To help distinguish them from the Brazilian ones, these aquamarines have been given the name 'Santa Maria Africana'. The 'Espirito Santo' colour of aquamarines from the Brazilian state of that name is of a blue that is not quite so intense. Yet other qualities are embodied in the stones from Fortaleza and Marambaia. One beautiful aquamarine colour was named after the Brazilian beauty queen of 1954, and has the name 'Martha Rocha'

Source: www.gemstones.org

Amber Jewellery

My sister went to Prague last year for her & her husband's 25th wedding anniversary, she stayed in an amazing hotel in the ony room they have that has a balcony over looking the main square. She commented that although it was quiet in the evening, it was fairly noisy during the early morning rush hour. She brought some gifts back for all of the family, and for me she bought a beautiful amber costume jewellery pendant in the shape of a heart, it has a silver frame and silver chain. It hand just below the collar bone and looks amazingly clear. She bought herself something simalar so i need to be weary about wearing it when we go out together, dont want to look like we are matching clothes!! To be honest I have not worn the necklace yet, but given that I am moving thousands of miles away it's nice to have something that she bought me. I am moving on 24th July to Qatar where my other half is currently working, although thats another story for another day.