Stones for Magic and Healing

The magical and healing powers of stones are significant tools for the practicing witch. We believe the energy aids in our endeavors.
 

CORAL

SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION: CaCo3, or calcium carbonate in the form of
calcite, is the main constituent of calcareous corals; minor con-
stituents are MgCo3, or magnesium carbonate and proteinaceous organic
substances, which act as binding agents. At 2.5 to 4, the hardness is
slightly higher than that of calcite. The skeletons of corals vary in
color: from bright to dark red, slightly orange-red, pink and white.

ENVIRONMENT: In all cases, coral consists of the branching skeletons of
animals which live in colonies planted on the seabed at depths varying
from tens to hundreds of meters. They are typical of warmish to very
warm seas.

OCCURENCE: The most famous of these organisms is Corallium rubrum, which
lives in the waters of the Mediterranean and, despite its name,provides
not only red, but orange, pink, and white coral. Similar to this are
Corallium elatius, C. japonicum, and C. secundum, which maily live off
the coasts of Japan, China, Indochina, the Philippines, and other
archipelagos of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Coral colonies occupy
large areas especially in the Pacific, but also near the coast of South
Africa, in the Red Sea, and to the east of Australia.  These latter
colonies, however, consist of madrepore, which has little in common with
the corals used as ornaments.

GEMSTONE INFORMATION: Most of the coral used since antiquity as an
ornamental material comes from the calcareous skeletons of colonies of
marine organisms of the phylum Cnidaria, order Corgonacea, genus
Corallium. Corals take a good polish. They also have a certain degree of
elasticity and can be heated and bent into bangles. Thin brancehes were
and still are polished, pierced, and threaded, unaltered, into neck-
laces. Larger pieces are cut into spherical or faceted necklace beads,
pear shapes for pendant jewelry, or cabochons. It is also used for
carved pieces and small figurines, in both oriental and western
art styles. The most highly prized varities of coral are those that are
a uniform, strong bright red.

NAME: The name is derived from the Latin [corallium,] related to the
Greek [korallion].

LEGEND and LORE: The oldest known findings of red coral date from the
Mesopotamian civilization, i.e. from about 3000 BC. For centuries, this
was the coral par excellence, and at the time of Pliny the Elder it was
apparently much appreciated in India, even more than in Europe.Red coral
has traditionally been used as a protection from the "evil eye" and as
a cure for sterility.  One of the Greek names for Coral was Gorgeia,
from the tradition that blood dripped from the Head of Medea, which
Perseus had deposited on some branches near the sea-shore; which blood,
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becoming hard, was taken by the Sea Nymps, and planted in the sea. (8)

MAGICAL PROPERTIES: Coral is associated with Venus, Isis and Water. It
has been used as a form of protective magic for children for hundreds of
years.  Cunningham recommends it as a luck-attractor for living
areas.Sailors use it as a protection from bad weather while at sea.
Red-orange coral is one of the four element gemstones of the Pueblo
Indians. It is one of the four colors used for the directions in the
Hopi/Zuni Road of Life. Coral is considered a representative of the warm
energy of the Sun, and the southern direction.

HEALING: Coral's healing properties are mostly associated with Women,
young children and the elderly. For women it is said to increase
fertility and regulate menstration. For young children, it is recom-
mended to ease teething and to prevent epilepsy. For the elderly, it is
used as a cure for arthritis.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: I use coral at the lower Chakras for "Women's
Healing." In  particular, I will use it for disorders relating to female
reproductive organs.  I also use it magically, to represent female
fertility.I have used it with some success for arthritis, but only for
women. This is one of the stones that I "reserve" for female/feminine
use. (I use Carnelian as the "male" counterpart.)  I have not had an
opportunity to try it for a young child.

 

GARNET (PYROPE)

SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION: Pyrope Garnets are from a group of very closely
related aluminum silicates. The Chemistry for the Pyrope variety is
Mg3Al2Si3O12. These Garnets range in color from deep red to reddish
black and on rare occasions from purple and rose to pale purplish red
(sometimes called [rhodolite].) The hardness ranges between 6-1/2 and
7-1/2.

ENVIRONMENT: Pyrope occurs with olivine and hypersthene in peridotite of
plutonic rocks.

OCCURENCE: Pyrope Garnets occur in peridotite in Kentucky, Arkansas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. In the latter half of the nineteenth century, most Pyrope came from Bohemia, where it is still found today. The main sources nowadays, however, are South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Australia.

GEMSTONE INFORMATION: The garnet species with red or purple varieties,
including Pyrope are considered gemstones. Usually bright red, Pyrope
can be a much less attractive brick or dark red. It can be perfectly
transparent, but this feature is less visible in dark specimens. It is
either made into fairly convex cabochons, or faceted, with an oval or
round mixed cut or, more rarely, a step cut. The faceted gems have good
luster, rather less obvious in cabochons. The most valuable types are,
of course, the transparent ones with the brightest red color. Pyrope is
relatively common, although less so than almandine. Very large stones,
up to several hundred carats have been found; but these are rare and are
found in museums and famous collections.

NAME: The name comes from the Greek [pyropos,] meaning "fiery." The name
"Garnet" comes from the Latin [granatus,] meaning "seed-like".

LEGEND and LORE: Pyrope Garnet has long been associated with love,
passion, sensuality and sexuality. Some Asiatic tribes used red garnets
as bullets for sling bows because they pierced their victims quickly,
and could not be seen well in the body when they mingled with the blood.
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Throughout the ages, Pyrope has been used as a curative for all types of
ailments dealing with blood.

MAGICAL PROPERTIES: Pyrope is directly linked with the Will. As such, it
is a strong stone for the Magician and Shaman. It is associated with
Fire and Mars, Strength and Protection. It will help the practitioner
tap into extra energy for ritualistic purposes.

HEALING: While all Garnets are associated with the Root Chakra, Pyrope
is particularly symbolic. It is used for healing when the subject
involved has "lost the will to live", since it is directly related to
the desire to live and achieve in this lifetime. This stone warms and
aids blood circulation, rouses sexuality and heals the reproductive
system and the heart.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: If you are already a strong willed individual or
have a fiery temper that you need to learn to control, I suggest that
you work with the Alamandine Garnets, rather than the Pyropes. This is
a good stone to use for treating depression. Very often, when I've
"worked" on an individual who has suffered a heart attack, I find that
the individual is rather severely depressed (which I think is a side
effect of the medication) and has lost the will to continue in this
lifetime. I've found that fiery red Pyrope Garnets are a great help in
this situation.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: The Latin name [carbunculus,] (small coal or ember),
is attributed to all red transparent stones. It is more often applied to
Pyropes when they are formed into cabochons than any other stone.