| Since the beginning of recorded history, precious | | | | powerful beliefs in gems have proliferated over the |
| stones and gems have been held in great regard. | | | | ages. A person in possession of a ruby may have an |
| Ancient peoples have been putting jewels on | | | | experience that cannot be explained through reason |
| monuments, jewelry, caskets, and many other places. | | | | and logic. In the absence of a logical explanation, the |
| Today, as in ancient times, people have been putting | | | | person may very well be apt to assign some power |
| more than just monetary value on gemstones. | | | | to the stone. |
| The magi, the wise men, the seers, and the astrologers | | | | If the supernatural powers of certain gems or anything |
| of the ages have found importance in gemstones | | | | for that matter cannot be fathomed by people, than |
| besides personal adornment. It was thought that all the | | | | how is it that people can believe in the supernatural |
| evil in the world could be kept at bay by wearing | | | | power of a god. |
| certain gemstones. | | | | Paracelsus was a bright and talented thinker during the |
| In medieval times, the influence of gems and stones | | | | sixteenth century AD. Paracelsus was thought to |
| continued. It was not until the Renaissance period that | | | | possess extraordinary mental powers and believed he |
| an effort was made to find reason for these traditional | | | | had mystic powers over supernatural agencies. |
| beliefs. In earlier times, there was little doubt that beliefs | | | | He was the owner of a talismanic jewel, which |
| existed, and were taken granted. It was not until later | | | | Paracelsus claimed was the dwelling of a spirit named |
| that people attempted find plausible explanations as to | | | | Azoth. Old portraits of the philosopher have been |
| how these gems were given their strange and mystic | | | | found with him wearing the jewel. Few people thought |
| powers, and how they affected the health, character, | | | | that Paracelsus believed that his jewel was home to a |
| or fortunes of the gems owner. | | | | spirit, but rather that he sported the paraphernalia in |
| When the existence of a miracle is noted, there will | | | | order to gain influence over nonbelievers. |
| always be a tendency for people to regard every | | | | It was once thought that long concentration of vision |
| strange and mystifying happening as a miracle. A | | | | on an object tended to produce a partial paralysis of |
| miracle is often described as something that happens | | | | certain functions of the brain. The effect was noted in |
| outside of, or in spite of the laws of nature. The | | | | a bird gazing into the eyes of a hungry serpent, or the |
| combination of visual impression and imagination are | | | | obedience of a lion when made to look into the eyes |
| powerful forces. An adult entering a dimly lit room may | | | | of an intent trainer. Staring without interruption on a |
| see pile of laundry not think much of it. A young child | | | | glass ball, opal or moonstone was thought to cause |
| entering the same room may imagine that the indistinct | | | | the gazer to become partially hypnotized or even fall |
| outline is that of a monster. | | | | into a profound sleep. Whether these phenomenons |
| Miracles are often investigated, and there is usually a | | | | are the imaginative workings of the brain, semi trance, |
| way to explain the event scientifically. Even with the | | | | or hypnotism, it is believed to give insight to the future. |
| marvelous secrets that have been revealed to us by | | | | The hypnotic effect of these stones may be from |
| science, we may be foolish to think that not all of the | | | | some gleam or point of light in the stone, fixing the |
| old beliefs of gems powers are without some basis in | | | | beholders gaze. In the early part of the 1800s, |
| fact. If you think of all of the new ways that | | | | extensive tests were designed to test the effects |
| information is transmitted, none is more powerful than | | | | produced upon a sensitive subject by the touch of the |
| word of mouth. Ever since humans have used | | | | precious stones and minerals. Test subjects claimed to |
| language as means of communication, words have | | | | feel certain effects from certain stones. |
| held great power. So powerful is language that entire | | | | With precious stones as hypnotizing agents, the mental |
| civilizations have been influenced by the words of a | | | | impression is widely different, for here the physical |
| few. | | | | impression is heightened by the consciousness of the |
| Even in the face of science and reason, closely held | | | | value and rarity of the material. |
| beliefs have been reinforced by tales of enchantment | | | | This help may help to explain the fascination that a fine |
| and magical influence. If the subconscious of one | | | | set of jewels has on the mind of a woman, who sees |
| individual can affect the thoughts and feelings of | | | | the glory and radiance upon another womans neck or |
| another over a great distance without mechanical | | | | wrist. This is not only due to the beauty of the |
| means, could this be due to some yet to be | | | | spectacle, but is also owed to the consciousness that |
| discovered power? Should we be dismissive of a | | | | they are rare and valuable objects, and perhaps |
| magician and his spells, or the predictions or a seer? | | | | eloquent witnesses of the power of love. |
| The theory of autosuggestion may explain how the | | | | |