| One interesting myth related to cobra-pearls is | | | | the arrow still remains. The guligas of natural |
| that these cobras employ the light of the pearl | | | | formation are frequently found between the flesh |
| that they carry in their hoods to hunt at night, as | | | | and the skin of apes and porcupines." |
| a means of brightening their pathway--this would | | | | However, the author does not mention how |
| certainly indicate a property of the pearl itself or | | | | injured animals are supposed to have survived |
| in accord with the argument above that a | | | | such shots--do the Dayaks help them to recover? |
| symbiotic relationship is being alluded to here | | | | Arrow-shot wounds are often fatal--especially to |
| between the cobra and the spirit-elemental of the | | | | small animals--there would not be any opportunity |
| pearl that the snake hosts. In cases where a pearl | | | | for injured creatures to recover and have their |
| is said to have glowing properties it is difficult to | | | | wounds healed--this rumour, based on the |
| validate and affirm its authenticity or to determine | | | | accounts of travellers of past centuries has yet |
| whether some form of a gimmick is employed to | | | | to be verified; nevertheless, contemporary |
| working its magic because owners of such pearls | | | | unwritten information regarding the retrieval of |
| invariably refuse testers closer inspection. In | | | | bezoar stones, mustika, or guligas do not mention |
| regards to fakes, we know that there are | | | | Dayaks forming pearls in such a manner. After all, |
| synthetic "stones" selling in Indonesia with an | | | | there are no stories of humans forming pearls |
| electronic component, the Light-Emitting Diode | | | | after being shot by arrows and recovering |
| embedded within them; this is coupled to a tiny | | | | thereafter--it might be redundant to say that |
| battery and a switch that closes the circuit and | | | | shamans of our acquaintances and associates do |
| gives off light whenever the stones are immersed | | | | not kill or acquire pearls in such a manner. |
| in water or when pressure is applied to them--this | | | | Some mustika-pearls have the power to assist |
| novelty item could probably be found in various | | | | their keeper to acquire other pearls that are |
| countries as well--this stone is often appropriated | | | | equally exquisite and rare--this may result in varied |
| for deception. What confuses the glowing-pearl | | | | ways. The keeper may easily find suppliers or |
| issue of the above is that in ancient Vedic | | | | sources for these pearls or they would approach |
| literature such as the Garuda Purana, the nature | | | | him without much effort on his part of seeking |
| of the pearls that are said to be "brilliant" are | | | | them out. The magickal-pearl owned would also |
| described in terms that are open to interpretation | | | | enrich the keeper building up his finances so that |
| and debate. | | | | other pearls may be secured if desired. Another |
| But to return to the subject of shamanic | | | | method which is not too common is for the |
| pearl-retrieval, there are times when the ritual fails | | | | pearl(s) to be appropriated in magickal rites |
| for one reason or another or it may require extra | | | | especially designed for the manifestation of |
| effort to be channeled into it in which situation | | | | mustika-pearls--most of the pawangs that |
| more ritual-sessions are repeated for consecutive | | | | conduct pearl-retrieval operations have their own |
| days and this entails the shaman spending more | | | | special pearl to facilitate such work. By possessing |
| days/nights in the mosquito-infested region. At | | | | a good quality magickal pearl, especially a |
| times such prolonged struggles also fail and the | | | | serpentine/dragon pearl it is said that the keeper |
| shaman has to return empty-handed for his | | | | would eventually find the acquisition of other |
| efforts. Generally speaking, the more difficult it is | | | | pearls and gem stones much easier. The Garuda |
| for the shaman to retrieve a pearl, the greater is | | | | Purana states thusly, |
| its inherent powers/magickal virtues. It is a rare | | | | "Only meritorious persons will have access to the |
| occurrence, but shamans do occasionally pay for | | | | cobra-pearl. Then they can get other gems of |
| their lives during psychic-struggles. | | | | great brilliance, wealth, kingdom and grow brilliant." |
| Shamans are often called to attention of unusual | | | | Certain spirit-communications convey the idea that |
| phenomena occurring in villages such as strange | | | | mustika-pearls when placed in certain |
| hauntings, poltergeists, possessions, | | | | geometric-formations send out signals in the |
| etc.--subsequent psychic detection by these | | | | etheric realms which attract the attention of the |
| shamans may reveal that the haunting entities are | | | | guardian-spirits of pearls making it possible for |
| guardians of magickal pearls who often desire for | | | | further gifting to take place--we will not elaborate |
| these to be given to certain individuals--rituals are | | | | on this principle or methodology here, suffice to |
| then conducted to facilitate the transfer of these | | | | say that it is a tried and tested method. |
| treasures. In other cases, haunting spirits are not | | | | We have already described how ordinary |
| predisposed of giving away pearls in their | | | | individuals are gifted mustika-pearls through |
| possessions but haunt as a result of the | | | | lucid-dreams. Another possible manner whereby |
| desecration or disturbances of their territory by | | | | these pearls are entrusted to fortunate individuals |
| humans. When shamans detect that these | | | | is within the frame-work of paranormal incidents |
| nature-spirits are protectors of pearls and wishes | | | | that would leave the individuals concerned dazed |
| to acquire them, a psychic "battle" would ensue | | | | and amazed. Such phenomena would normally |
| with the shaman engaging in an inner-struggle for | | | | transpire amidst natural surroundings, such as in |
| victory over the spirit beings. | | | | forests, sacred grounds, power-spots, etc. The |
| Haunting spirits such as the above are often the | | | | external character of these incidents may vary |
| "siluman" class-types--the sort of jinns (genies) | | | | and have outward differences but they are |
| that manifest themselves as etheric creatures | | | | essentially similar in specifics in which the recipient |
| and sometimes even as physical animals that can | | | | of the pearl is approached by a mysterious |
| be killed as ordinary beings. Beasts such as tigers, | | | | person who offers a gift or points to where it |
| crocodiles and wild-boars menacing villages and | | | | may be found. While still reflecting about the |
| killing humans are often regarded as siluman--they | | | | matter and perhaps gazing elsewhere for a |
| carry certain traits or have features that indicate | | | | second or two, the recipient would turn once |
| that they are no ordinary animals--there is always | | | | again to the stranger who is found to be no |
| something strange about them. To protect the | | | | longer there nor anywhere else. The recipient |
| community, the elders of a troubled village would | | | | would find in place of where the person was |
| typically decide to set a trap for the beast | | | | standing or in the vicinity mustika-pearls or some |
| somewhere in their compound or to hunt them | | | | other object as indicated by the bestower. |
| down. During the actual confrontation, these | | | | It is well-known that in the ocean lives a creature |
| creatures often display extraordinary qualities of | | | | called the oyster that produces pearls of various |
| invulnerability, strength, fearlessness, and stamina; | | | | shades of color and sizes. It is not recognized, |
| ordinary blades and weapons have almost no | | | | however, that the sea offer more jewels than |
| effect upon them--when they are finally | | | | just oyster-pearls. There are other pearls formed |
| vanquished with the assistance of shamans who | | | | by the interacting forces of the elements or |
| casts an appropriate spell, they are found to | | | | sea-creatures and they can be just as exquisite |
| contain pearls or stones in their bodies and these | | | | and unusual as the pearls produced by the |
| are discovered to possess the same properties | | | | mollusk. For a lack of a better word, we refer to |
| displayed by their dead hosts. Normally the tribal | | | | them collectively as "sea-pearls"--they are any |
| chieftain or an elder would claim these pearls as | | | | natural jewel found in the sea and can be of any |
| their own. Not only pearls but every part of these | | | | size, shape and color. Sea-pearls are mostly in a |
| unusual beasts such as their claws, fangs, teeth, | | | | spherical-form and may have any sort of texture. |
| horns, skin, etc., are likewise regarded as having | | | | Their mineral composition are not quite known to |
| magickal properties. | | | | us as there are many types to consider, though |
| The power of invulnerability against the blade is | | | | the common ones are composed of silica or of a |
| often displayed by domestic life-stock as well, | | | | glass-material. How such sea-pearls are developed |
| most of the time fowls--roosters, in particular; | | | | in the sea is a mystery, though the fulgurite (Lat. |
| and even after the prayers conducted by the | | | | Fulgur--"thunderbolt") formed out of an |
| butcher which results in a successful slaughter, the | | | | environmental event may probably offer us a clue |
| decapitated chicken would still have the strength | | | | as to their origin. The fulgurite, also called "petrified |
| and the nerve-energy within it to run amuck albeit | | | | lightning" is a fused-quartz (Si02, melting-point |
| headless for several minutes. These roosters | | | | 2950°F) formed as a result of a lightning-strike |
| when later dressed and cut-open often reveal | | | | upon sand or rock. As a thunder-bolt hits the |
| bezoar stones in their organs--Albertus Magnus | | | | ground, it melts and fuses the material that it |
| and other naturalists of past centuries refer to | | | | comes into contact with and normally form a |
| these stones as Alectoria. At times, silumans are | | | | root-like structure buried beneath the surface; this |
| benevolent and they would mysteriously appear in | | | | glass-like object is formed as the lightning traces |
| a village as an animal, most of the time as large | | | | its path in the ground and it can have a length of |
| snakes; they find themselves an agreeable person | | | | several feet and several centimeters in diameter. |
| to reach out to and who eventually adopts them | | | | They are normally hollow and have rough outer |
| as pets. After being with their new keeper and | | | | surfaces; their inner surfaces, though, are glassy |
| family for several months or years, these benign | | | | and smooth; fine globules may be found within |
| creatures would suddenly vanish as mysteriously | | | | fulgurites and the color of these objects vary in |
| as they came but not before leaving behind a | | | | color with a greenish, grayish, whitish, blackish, or |
| pearl or two. Sometimes the keeper would notice | | | | brownish tinge--they might come in other colors |
| a bulge on their pet's serpentine-head developing; | | | | too depending on the composition of the material |
| this would grow and develop into a snake-crown | | | | where they are formed. Sea-pearls may be |
| and is the object given to their keeper during the | | | | fragments of these fulgurites re-shaped and |
| creature's departure. | | | | re-formed by the forces of the sea. |
| One interesting manner in which Nature offer | | | | Sea-pearls, generically, belong to the class of |
| pearls to individuals is through dreams. Villagers | | | | Lechatelierite, or naturally-fused silica; one other |
| living adjacent to forests and jungles often have | | | | possibility as to their origin is that they are the |
| lucid-dreams in which a mysterious personage | | | | matter ejected out of underwater volcanic |
| would visit them--most of the time such | | | | craters; they may be crater glass |
| encounters is of an elderly person that would | | | | (Impactite)--created out of meteorite impact |
| make contact and explain to the dreamer that a | | | | events in which case they are related to tektites; |
| gift is being offered and that it may be found at | | | | these pearls are not shards or fragments of |
| a certain place; the nature of the gift is not | | | | colored-bottles fallen into the sea as believed by |
| always described, though, neither is the site | | | | some theorists as the form in which they appear |
| where it is located in which case the dreamer | | | | make it quite improbable. Underwater volcanic |
| would simply wake up before sunrise and resume | | | | craters are found in the seas of the Indonesian |
| his or her normal daily-routine until later in the day | | | | archipelago and it is not illogical to assume that the |
| the gift is found unexpectedly. If the site is | | | | pearls may have their origin within the |
| indicated in the dream, the dreamer in his | | | | fiery-furnace existing deep within their bowels. |
| waking-state would investigate and conduct a | | | | These colored sea-pearls are occasionally found |
| search which almost always yields the expected | | | | lying on the ocean-bed by divers and by those |
| results. Sometimes dreams such as these | | | | whose living depend very much on the sea; |
| precedes the mysterious arrival of a creature | | | | shamans acquire them through their unique |
| wishing to be adopted as a pet as described | | | | methods along the lines that we have explained |
| above. | | | | previously. After spending hundreds and thousands |
| Pawangs that sojourn in the wilds are close to | | | | of years in the sea in a natural environment, |
| Nature and are observant of the creatures that | | | | sea-pearls absorb a good deal of occult energies |
| live in their natural habitat. The behavioral patterns | | | | and elemental-beings are attracted to them. |
| of these animals, their place in the food-chain, | | | | Pawangs have an uncanny knowledge related to |
| their defence mechanisms, etc. are all duly noted | | | | mustika-pearls of plant-life such as those found in |
| by the studious pawangs--the latter are the | | | | coconuts and in bamboos; not only do they |
| non-academic "natural" naturalists who also | | | | detect the stones metaphysically, they are also |
| observe the occult side of the flora and fauna in a | | | | familiar with the physical characteristics that |
| given region. As these pawangs specialize in animal | | | | indicate whether or not a coconut or a segment |
| and plant pearl-acquisition it is understandable that | | | | of a bamboo-trunk has a pearl--generally speaking, |
| they would mentally record the characteristics of | | | | the knowledge that they possess afford them to |
| animals and plant-life harboring pearls. From the | | | | detect the presence of pearls in almost |
| reports that we have gathered creatures with | | | | every-type of flora. Most coconuts that have |
| pearls in them often have the following | | | | pearls within them are the "one-eyed" and "blind" |
| characteristics and traits: an advanced age, | | | | coconuts--knowledgeable pawangs prior to |
| invulnerability, unusual gait/movements, immunity | | | | removing the husk of a coconut can state with |
| to venomous bites, human behaviour, etc. | | | | certainty whether it is one-eyed or the regular |
| Serpents that often have stones within them, for | | | | three-eyed types. With such specialized |
| instance, are observed to swim and undulate their | | | | knowledge it is a simple matter for pawangs to |
| bodies not horizontally but vertically--we can | | | | extract and collect coconut or bamboo pearls |
| theorize that such a movement is caused by the | | | | without the unnecessary work of opening |
| excess weight dragging their bodies downwards | | | | thousands of coconuts just for their acquisition. |
| and the effort of the creatures to keeping | | | | Coconut plantation-workers and those involved |
| themselves afloat. In regards to tree-pearls, it is | | | | with the processing of coconuts would have lots |
| noted that trees with crystallized sap or petrified | | | | of the pearls in their possession as a result of |
| pieces are often the type that have holes in their | | | | handling them by the hundreds and thousands on |
| trunk where rot has set in and where these | | | | a daily basis. Probably none would admit of having |
| pearls are found. | | | | them though, to avoid confiscation by their |
| As mentioned before animals are not hunted for | | | | superiors or employers. |
| pearls; nonetheless, these stones on occasion do | | | | We would like to conclude this article by saying |
| show-up in the carcasses of wild-animals | | | | that the methods of pearl-acquisition explained |
| slaughtered by villagers for food; pearls are thus | | | | herein only represent the "tip of an ice-berg"--that |
| acquired incidentally in such situations. Shamans do | | | | there are probably more ways that |
| not employ the methods of hunting or killing | | | | mustika-pearls are acquired that we have |
| animals as not only is this a fruitless effort and a | | | | inadvertently overlooked or that we may be |
| waste of time but it also severs their attunement | | | | ignorant of. Nature cannot be constrained in any |
| with Nature and the values and goals that they | | | | way--if she decides to offer a gift to someone |
| hold dearly. There is one rumour circulating that | | | | she will find a way to do it--no one can prevent |
| animals are triggered to developing stones by the | | | | the giving from taking place nor should anyone try |
| Dayaks of Kalimantan (Borneo). The author of the | | | | to do so as this could have catastrophic |
| online article "Bizarre Tales About Bezoar Stones" | | | | consequences. Forcing Nature to part with |
| (webguru.com) states that, | | | | something which is not meant to be also has its |
| "The Dayaks of Borneo have a method for | | | | negative effects. It is fortunate to possess a |
| producing bezoars which they call guligas. This is to | | | | magickal mustika-pearl as one then has an object |
| shoot an animal with an unpoisoned arrow. When | | | | that connects oneself to Nature and her hidden |
| the wound heals, there is often a hardening of the | | | | spiritual forces--this has inestimable value that |
| skin, which finally results in the formation of a | | | | cannot be described with words. |
| guliga. In some of these concretions the point of | | | | |