Moonstone varieties differ. Some pieces have a fleshy appearance that looks like skin, while other rainbow varieties have translucent layers of blue and green undertones that can be used for gazing.
If you need protection in travel, moonstone is helpful. The belief of protection derived from ancient times especially for people who traveled at night or when the moon was shining upon the water. As the name implies, moonstones connect you to the physical moon and the emotional side of life.
When I first started working in the metaphysical field, I attended numerous psychic fairs at stores. I began teaching people about the uses of stones at that time.
Since you are reading this book, perhaps you have shopped in metaphysical or New Age stores. If so, you might have noticed certain stones that sell regularly, often fashioned into jewelry. Moonstone is among the most popular of those choices.
Moonstone, as its name suggests, connects you with the energy of the moon, the lunar, or the feminine side of your nature. We have within ourselves both masculine and feminine energies.
You will feel your best when you learn to balance these masculine and feminine—or Yin and Yang—energies within you. The sun is considered to be a masculine energy—aggressive and dominating. The moon is feminine—receptive, allowing, and attracting. Lunar energy will help you to draw things to yourself rather than having to attain them.
When you go into a metaphysical shop, the psychic readers will attempt to tap into that lunar, receptive part of themselves in order to give you answers to your questions about love, health, money, or more. The stones they wear or work with actually facilitate their ability to receive information. They open their energy fields and receive information to pass on to you. Moonstone is a wonderful tool for enhancing this process.
As the Source described in the readings, moonstone is also excellent for helping to develop psychic abilities. The moonstone allows you to actively open your fields in order to receive more intuitive information. You can allow the energy of moonstone to help you to open your third eye center. You may also use it as a gazing stone to see images.
Moonstone also helps you to commune with lost loved ones, receive guidance from guides and helpers, or gain inspiration.
You may also want to try placing a moonstone on the center of your forehead. If you place the stone there and then take a chakra power nap for about twenty minutes, you may feel the stone start to vibrate. Moonstone helps to open the third eye center so that you can receive greater intuitive guidance.
We all have intuitive abilities, but often our world is so hectic that we have a difficult time tuning into various issues or ourselves. Moonstone will help you to receive inner guidance by quieting down the outer world.
ONYX AND SARDONYX
Onyx is formed from bands of chalcedony, and sardonyx is a variant.
Found in: Australia, Canada, China, India, Russia, USA
Named for: Onyx is derived from a Greek word that means “fingernail.”
• Bible •
Onyx and chalcedony are both mentioned in the Bible.
Onyx is recorded eleven times:
And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. Genesis 2:12
Onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod, and in the breastplate. Exodus 25:7
And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: Exodus 28:9
And the fourth row . . . an onyx . . . they shall be set in gold in their inclosings. Exodus 28:20
. . . and onyx stones, and stones to be set for the ephod, and for the breastplate. Exodus 35:9
And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate; Exodus 35:27
And they wrought onyx stones enclosed in ouches of gold, graven, as signets are graven, with the names of the children of Israel. Exodus 39:6
And the fourth row . . . an onyx . . . enclosed in ouches of gold in their settings. Exodus 39:13
Now I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God the gold for things to be made of gold, and the silver for things of silver, and the brass for things of brass, the iron for things of iron, and wood for things of wood; onyx stones, and stones to be set, glistering stones, and of divers colours, and all manner of precious stones, and marble stones in abundance. 1 Chronicles 29:2
It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx . . . Job 28:16
Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering . . . the onyx . . . Ezekiel 28:13
The following reading for sardonyx, a variant of onyx, appears as onyx in the American Standard Version of the Bible:
. . . the fifth, sardonyx . . . Revelation 21:20 (ASV)
• Cayce Readings •
Sardonyx is mentioned two times in two documents.
Dealers in semi-precious stones should be able to secure the sardonyx stones for him . . .
1528-1, Report #1
Well that there be carried on the person the sardonyx stone (that is in its semi-precious state); either in statuettes, pins, buttons, or a piece of same carried. Not as a protection, but rather for the vibratory forces that influence the choices made by the mental forces of the entity itself. Statuettes, frames or the like are well. Much of the same vibrations may be obtained from using those combinations of stone made from the soya bean; that may act in much the same capacity. Figures made of same are well to have about the entity’s sleeping quarters or abode.
1528-1
Onyx is mentioned fifteen times in fourteen documents.
Q: To what color, symbol or stone does entity vibrate best?
A: . . . onyx, and as to colors—the radiation of colors from . . . onyx.
2542-1
. . . in the upper lands of the river Nile, there were those mines of precious stones—as onyx . . . 294-153, Report #2 and also
294-148
In the temple were to be found enormous semi-circular columns of onyx . . .
364-13
Cayce had a dream during a reading:
. . . I saw an altar built under a large tree—very beautiful setting. A priest was offering incense or burning sacrifice; altar made of onyx, priest dressed in brocades.
4293-1, Report #1
Cayce gave a reading for another person who lived near the Nile:
The furnishings may be surmised from the fact that the most beautiful things from each land were gathered there; gold, silver, onyx, iron, brass, silk, satins, linen.
281-25
. . . there is a whole civilization above entity’s temple; yea, even its bed, which is almost of pure gold and onyx.
873-1
Hence . . . the onyx . . . stones or things of the nature should be about the entity in its closer activity.
1273-1
. . . those things that might be turned into adornments . . . onyx . . . these were the interests, these were the activities of the entity . . .
1493-1
Again, Cayce gave advice to mineral speculators regarding the value of land and potential discoveries on the property:
. . . Now the upper stratas we will find from tree entrance are hard, close-grained sand, some showing . . . onyx . . .
4398-3
More on Onyx
Onyx can be used to aid in grief recovery and would be a perfect stone to wear to a funeral or while in mourning. Interestingly, the word onyx, or onychis, means “box of unguent” in Latin, which brings to mind something that might be used at a funeral. Queen Victoria of England popularized the onyx when she wore the stone after the death of her beloved Prince Albert. The Victorian Age in England was considered very prim and proper, and to this day, the energy of onyx can produce that kind of image for those who wear it.
If you had to go to court, for example, onyx would be the perfect stone to wear to impart an innocent, chaste energy in order to turn the court’s favor to your cause.
One of my first rings was an onyx with
a tiny diamond. I wore it daily and found that it kept me grounded and appeared to repel negativity.
Onyx is beneficial to use in any situation in which you want to show your best light. Use onyx for job interviews, classes or other important meetings at school, or for whenever it’s important to persuade any group of people to be on your side.
More on Sardonyx
One of the favorite periods in history that I love to read about is the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. I’ve spent too many hours to count reading delightful books about her life. I’ve also watched every film I can get my hands on about this period in history, almost to the point of obsession. Do I have a past-life connection with that time period? Perhaps!
There are many interesting stories about the Queen and how she handled herself with numerous suitors over the course of her lifetime. She never married because she believed that to do so would be her undoing, both politically and physically. There were numerous plots against her life. She deserves a lot of credit for keeping herself alive and for thriving as the leader of such a mighty empire.
One of the most interesting aspects of her story is her alleged romance with the married 2nd Earl of Essex, Robert Devereux, who was considered to be her favorite at court. The Queen gave the Earl a sardonyx ring set in gold as a token of her affection.
During the Renaissance, people believed that sardonyx helped the wearer to appear more sophisticated with speech. In the Queen’s court, good communication would certainly have been important for everyone.
Shoham Stones
After researching the various stones in the breastplate of the high priest that is mentioned in the Bible and the Cayce readings, I discovered that onyx had a far greater importance in biblical times than I had first realized. In the breastplate, there are two stones worn by the priest, one on each shoulder, which have the names of the twelve tribes of Israel inscribed on them, and there are six per stone. (From: http://tthemessiahssecret.blogspot.com/2011/04/messiahs-secret-jesus-light-of-world.html)
These so-called Remembrance Stones reminded the Creator of the children of Israel so that he would have mercy on them. Jewish scholars believe that these two stones, called Shoham stones, were onyx. Shoham in Hebrew literally translates to the word “onyx.”
The Jewish historian Josephus, who lived from 37-100 AD, had access to the breastplate. He confirmed that these stones were onyx in the writings he left behind.
Pebbles for the Dead
In the Jewish faith, there is a fascinating custom of placing tiny pebbles on people’s graves, which is a gesture similar to leaving a calling card when visiting someone. Leaving a stone is their way to say hello and pay one’s respects to the dead.
I saw this custom firsthand when I visited the Jewish Museum in Prague, Czech Republic, a few years ago. The burial site for one of the most famous Jewish Rabbis, Judah Loew ben Bezalel (c. 1520-1609) is there, and I wanted to see the place for myself. Rabbi Loew wrote many books on law, philosophy, and morality. I wandered through the ancient Jewish cemetery located in the Old City Centre and was stunned to see the primeval graves protruding from the ground in an eerie, haphazard way. The grounds are profoundly quiet, despite the noisy city streets beyond the walls. I walked slowly, careful not to disturb any resting places. The area is filled to the brim with graves, and I began noticing tiny little rocks on the top of the headstones. Wondering what it meant, I stood still with my back against a wall for some time, watching and observing people as they visited to pay their respects. Many placed stones on the graves. When I finally arrived at Rabbi Loew’s tombstone, I found a tiny rock on the ground, not more than a millimeter in diameter, and placed it on his headstone. I felt as though I were saying, “Hi! I’m here!” It felt like I left a little bit of myself on the site. Sure enough, once I got home and researched the custom further, I discovered that leaving a stone on a gravesite is a sign of respect.
OPAL
Found in: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Germany, USA
Named for: Opal is derived from úpala, the Sanskrit word for “precious stone.”
Birthstone: October
Chinese astrology: Snake = opal
• Bible •
There are no references to opal in the King James Version; however, scholars from the Temple Institute in Jerusalem believe that opal is the actual identity of one of the stones in the breastplate of the high priest.
and in the third row, an opal, an agate, and an amethyst; Exodus 28:19 (Darby Bible Translation)
• Cayce Readings •
Opal is mentioned forty-five times in twenty-three documents.
Cayce described a costume someone wore in a prior incarnation and then warned against wearing the opal:
. . . serpent headgear but with the sunburst of opal . . .
Q: Any special jewelry I should wear?
A: . . . not opals, however. Though these appear in the seal, they are—as self—sometimes fickle.
2522-1
Q: Will wearing opals by one who does not have them as a birth stone signify ill omens for that person?
A: No, opals will be helpful if there is kept the correct attitude, for it will enable the entity to hold on to self or to prevent those who would be angry from flying off the handle too much.
4006-1
. . . Also in the land now known as Abyssinia . . . in the upper lands of the river Nile, there were those mines of precious stones . . . opal . . .
294-153, Report #2
There are many readings about mineral rights near Yuma, Arizona, including this one:
Q: Give exact location and depth below surface.
A: We have given the exact location, you see, here on the ridge . . . in North and Easterly direction . . . opal . . .
195-7
Q: What stones have a beneficial effect on body?
A: Opal . . .
276-5
Hence the colors that will influence the developing years for the entity will be blue and yellow, or shades and tones of these particular colors with the opal . . .
314-1
Q: To what musical notes and colors do I vibrate?
A: To colors opal and opalescent. To notes C. and G.
845-1
Q: What in me has such a strong relation to particular colors?
A: . . . Egyptian influence . . . especially given to be servants—and services—in the temples of that period. These colors as we find, are especially those that tend towards those of the opal . . .
2120-1
More on Opal
Opals have a bad reputation, which began with the publication in 1829 of Sir Walter Scott’s book called Anne of Geierstein. Readers came to believe that a character was a victim of a cursed opal. In fact, Scott did not intend to represent the opal as unlucky.
In actuality, opals have had a stellar reputation through the ages. The ancient Greeks believed opals gave prophetic abilities to their owners, and in the East, opals were seen as the embodiment of the Spirit of Truth.
In reviewing the readings, the Source was also asked about this unfortunate reputation and confirmed that opals can help with your own anger or anger that is directed at you by other people.
Fire Opal
The fire opal is mentioned seven times in six documents.
The readings give a clear differentiation between regular opals and the fiery versions of the stone.
Today, the most common opals are the Australian variety, which appear in the typical traditional colors of pinks, blues, and greens. In Mexico, however, there are bright red, fiery opals that are quite remarkable.
Recently, a gorgeous piece of fire opal surrounded by a pale pink agate caught my eye. A friend noticed my fascination and bought it for me for my birthday. I regard it as one of my very favorite stones. As mentioned previously, my sun sign is Aries. Therefore, I imagine that the Source might not approve of my choice. Nevertheless, sometimes it is important to use your intuition. In this case, there was so
mething about that piece that immediately resonated with me.
I believe that there are powerful energies in the area of what is now Mexico. Those areas were once Lemuria and Atlantis, and I believe many people who are drawn to the Cayce readings were incarnated there at one time or another. I feel that the fire opal captured my imagination because of those energies.
Let’s look closer at some of the readings that refer to the fire opal.
In the first readings, Source acknowledges the idea of fire as a purification tool as well as the passion of fire and the ability of this stone to awaken passion in the user:
. . . fire opal would be of the stones that should be about the entity; for the holding of that fire, that vigor, that understanding that makes for purification, even though the fires of the flesh must be burned out that the glory of self may be made manifest in being a channel for the glory of the living truths to be known and experienced among others.
1193-1
It will be found that the odors of henna, with tolu and myrrh, create an influence of ease, while the fire opal . . . brings great passion, intenseness, the abilities to lose emotions through the very center of the body for the closer association of the spiritual with the activate influences of mental self.
1580-1
The next person, who was born February 2, 1923, is Aquarius. Source believes the fire opal would be helpful, perhaps to balance other elements in the chart:
Hence the opal that is called the change . . . should be . . . about the body or entity oft. Wear the fire opal as a locket about the neck. This would be well. Not upon the hands nor upon the wrists, but about the neck.
1406-1
Next, Source describes how fire signs might fade the color from opals:
Edgar Cayce's Sacred Stones Page 14