Life-changing books are rare. Everyone has favorites, but the high bar required to call one a game changer is a whole different level. Gifts of the Gemstone Guardians: The Mission, Purpose, Effects, and Therapeutic Applications of Gemstone in Their Spherical Form, is one of them. Its title is indicative of its scope.
This is the seminal text that revolutionized the use of gemstones in their rounded form for therapeutic use. If there were earlier texts, I am not aware of them. As one Guardian explains to the authors, "Gemstones are the strongest, most concentrated containers of the healing force, or life force, on this planet." In my experience, this is true. I have spent many years in the healing arts, exploring different modalities and methods of healing. Working with gemstone spheres is by far the most effective method I have found.
Another Guardian shares,"Only recently has human consciousness risen to the point where people are ready to accept the powers that gemstones unleash when they are not confined to their crystalline form, but are fashioned into spheres."
Introduction to the Guardians
Written in 1989, by Ginny and Michael Katz, it contains specific information on the properties and proper use of 30 different gemstones. It details their inner-world experiences and conversations with the Guardians of each gemstone. As the Guardian of Amethyst explains, "We are the caretakers of the gemstones. It is the time-honored duty of each Guardian to fulfill the purpose of a particular gemstone and to maintain its effects. Recently all of the guardians have been given another responsibility: to start working directly with humans to teach them the correct ways to use gemstones." And that is exactly what this book delivers.
He continues, "The Guardians will not only speak of their own gemstones, but will share the information needed to understand how all gemstones work" For those who have pored over rock and crystal guides/encyclopedias and come away feeling confused and as though everything ran together, this offers welcome clarity.
Not only does it provide never before revealed information about the gems - their characteristics and capacities for healing, but it takes the reader on a journey of exploration and expansion into the nature of ourselves, healing, the Earth, as well as the historical use of gems in bygone eras.
The reader is urged to read the book in the order it is presented. Each chapter builds upon information from the last, providing continuity. It begins with quartz, the most abundant crystal here on Earth. It covers 6 of the 7 color ray bearing gems. It goes on to detail numerous earthstones, and ends with the 3 oceanstones.
Enduring Inspiration
Despite having numerous other sources of reliable gemstone information at this point, I continuously refer back to this one. There is something compelling about the way the Guardians personify their mission and purpose that continually draws me back. Like any good reference text, layers of depth reveal themselves with subsequent study.
I first read this book right before I took my first class at the Gemstone Therapy Institute. Taught by none other than Ginny Katz, now known as Isabelle Morton.( How lucky am I?) I was transfixed, realizing the knowledge and learning I had hungered for all my life was now available.
Indeed, this book was cited as a key influence by every certified practitioner of spherical gemstone therapy that I have spoken with. Several said reading this book motivated them to seek out the training. This is a very select group of people. At last count there were 19 of us. (It is a rigorous training process that few complete.) This gives you an idea of how powerful these discourses are.
Present day Revelance
As part of this review, I reached out to Isabelle to ask her current thoughts on the book. After all, it's been 35 years since it was first published. I wondered where she stood with it. Her response was reassuring, "The book is as relevant today as it was in the 1980's when it was written. This is not surprising because gemstones are timeless. Properly cared for, they will continue to offer their healing benefits for hundreds of years."
She goes on to provide a concise description of the energetic distinctions between using natural and spherical stones. "Healing gemstone spheres represent an evolution away from the raw crystal, which reminds me of a binary system with one inflow and one outflow, to the gemstone sphere which represents a quantum system with infinite directions and possibilities. By radiating their energies throughout our. body and aura, gemstone spheres get to know who we are and how to fill our needs."
"The gems are indeed gifts of the earth and help us find balance despite the increase in harmful energies that bombard us daily. Because we are also becoming more sensitive to energies of all kinds, wearing healing gemstones has become more important than ever for our wellness and well-being. I hope that the book can be a candid introduction to the amazing world of healing gemstone spheres."
Foundational Value
There have been subsequent re-releases of the book. My copy is an original with a very 80's illustration of what looks like Gandalf on the cover. I find it endearing. It reminds me of the enthusiasm and wonder I felt when I first began to be aware that crystals were more than pretty rocks. This cherished and dog-eared lexicon is full of underlinings and handwritten notations in the margins, evidence of its continuing relevance in my life, even as I progress through higher levels of study.
Prospective readers should be aware that this book is not an exhaustive study of all healing gems and earthstones. It focuses on a core group of 30 gems with healing properties of primary significance for today's humans.These are central to my "gemstone pharmacy."
Even if you don't end up devoting your life to the study and practice of working with gemstones like I have, the knowledge and understanding contained in this book are incredibly valuable. It allows the layperson to understand the value and function of crystals and gemstones in daily life. How to use them in a more effective and informed way, and therefore live a life of greater empowerment. It also deepens our understanding and appreciation of the Earth as a conscious being. In today's world this is a very good thing.
If you'd like to know more about what Isabelle has been up to in the last 35 years, she has been diligently developing gemstone tools and curriculums of gemstone therapy. She is the founder of the Gemstone Therapy Institute and also creator of Gemformulas, a source of therapeutic quality gemstones. All of which can be accessed at www.gemstonetherapyinstitute.org.
If you'd like to find out more about my work or book a session, you can contact me at Kathy@elementalchemyhealing.com, or at 425.786.7482 - voice call or text.
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