Using Gemstones in Vedic Astrology
The diamond is the go-to in engagement stones, and while younger generations are bucking trends and choosing alternative stones (and other ways of showing commitments) the stone still remains a first choice in engagement rings. But for some Ascendants, the diamond is not the best choice in stones.
Gemstones are one of the most important remedial measures in Jyotish. Remedial measures in Vedic astrology aim to help raise energies of planets in the chart, while neutralizing others. Believe it or not, gems are the most powerful substances on earth to transmit planetary influences. They are believed to have been formed by the cosmic rays that are transmitted by the planets. In other words, they represent, hold, and contain the energies of the planets as they are deposited on earth.
If you’ve done a reading with me, I’ve given you a gemstone recommendation. No proper Vedic astrological consultation is complete without one—they’re that important. But employing gem therapy in your life is not a matter of going to your local metaphysical store and picking up stones from a bin. Only pure, unoiled, and untreated stones have the potential to shift the planetary energies in your chart. This means it can become expensive, as the best stones are going to be precious, pure, and rare.
Per the ancient texts there are simply nine primary stones that have this power to enact any effective changes, one stone for each planet (and the two nodes, Rahu and Ketu):
Sun: Ruby
Moon: Ocean pearl
Mars: Red Coral
Mercury: Emerald
Jupiter: Yellow Sapphire
Venus: Diamond
Saturn: Blue Sapphire
Rahu: Hessonite Garnet
Ketu: Cat’s Eye
Now back to the diamonds and whether they’re your “best friend.” For certain Ascendants, certain planets are “malefics” meaning they carry a more troubling influence. For example, for Pisces Ascendants, Venus rules “bad” houses, namely the third and eighth houses. These houses are kama (third house) and moksha (eighth houses), and one is a dusthana (eighth house). In plain terms: Venus can aggravate any karmic potential there is in the chart for issues with siblings or a loss of efforts you have put into something you’ve created. I won’t unravel the astrological analysis of why this is so any more here (that’s for another blog!), but just know that, for a Pisces Ascendant, I would AVOID recommending wearing a diamond. Instead, I would recommend a yellow sapphire (since Jupiter rules their Ascendant), or an emerald, since Mercury rules their 7th house of marriage and partnership.
Where to Find Stones:
So far, I’ve only found one source for astrological gems in the United States that I trust, and that I’ve used myself. That source is Jay Boyle and his team at Astrological Gem International.
I am always looking for other trusted dealers, though, and if you’ve found other dealers who provide Jyotish-quality stones, I would love to hear from you. I’ll keep adding to this list as I find and vet more sources.
Other important advice:
· Size matters: For any stone, 1 carat is the general rule.
· There are substitutes for stones: For example, a secondary stone for Sun (ruby) would be a garnet or red zircon. In general, the lower in quality you go, the higher in size. So if you’re going for a garnet, I would go over 1 carat.
· Settings matter: The stone needs to touch your skin. For this reason, I think rings are better.
· Choose your metal: Silver will have a “cooling” effect on the stone, and gold will have a “warming” effect. Silver and gold are the two metals that are most recommended for settings.
There are also important measures to take when putting your stone on for the first time and when (a practice called muhurta), taking care of your stone, and mantras to use to energize the stones.
You can talk more about this with your gem dealer, or you can always reach out to me.
