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