Books about Stones: Mineralogy/Gemology/Metaphysical/Healing

[lightdragon]

When I did the Love is In the Earth practitioner they said the Judy Hall book was based on the Love Is In the Earth books but in more simple terms

Also reccommended

Robert Simmons -Book of Stones

interesting.

[elfmage]

Melody's books are a good encompassing reference, but honestly, I find her very "new agey," and she has a tendency to be overly verbose. For a quick reference I use Hall's "Crystal Bible." Cunningham's was a good beginner's book, and I liked the format of discussing the folkloric aspects of his assertions (something that I wish Melody had incorporated). And I agree, academic field guides are a must for identification.

On the whole, I try to attune to the crystal and establish my own correspondences, and then see what others have said. I think that is the best way to go about crystal magic.

[AuraRainbow]

Melody's books are a good encompassing reference, but honestly, I find her very "new agey," and she has a tendency to be overly verbose. For a quick reference I use Hall's "Crystal Bible." Cunningham's was a good beginner's book, and I liked the format of discussing the folkloric aspects of his assertions (something that I wish Melody had incorporated). And I agree, academic field guides are a must for identification.

On the whole, I try to attune to the crystal and establish my own correspondences, and then see what others have said. I think that is the best way to go about crystal magic.

Those who have met Melody say she is not in the least bit New Agey (despite the pictures of her in flowing robes) and is in fact scientific and all information in the book is tested either in her lab or by experiements on people

[lightdragon]

I think what is needed for a beginner's book is a book like Cunningham's without the flaws and Hall's book.

[elfmage]

Those who have met Melody say she is not in the least bit New Agey (despite the pictures of her in flowing robes) and is in fact scientific and all information in the book is tested either in her lab or by experiements on people

I wasn't commenting on her as a person, I've never met her. Perhaps I ought to have clarified: her writing seems very "new agey." She tends to be vague and long-winded rather than precise, and lists dozens of uses for a single stone.

Whilst this is of course representative of the versatile nature of stones, it is rather annoying when you cannot distinguish which are it's primary uses, and which are her random personal correspondences. Sure, you /could/ use one stone for absolutely everything, including things that it is rarely used for because it doesn't have a strongly resonating energy field for that purpose, /or/ you could use multiple stones according to their strongest energy resonation.

As for scientific... Maybe in person she is, but it certainly doesn't translate across into her writing. There is no mention of what it is about the properties of a certain stone that make it so effective for a single purpose.

For example, she mentions the physical structure of kunzite, but fails to mention the lithium content! And some of her assertions are very, very far-fetched: again using kunzite as an example, she asserts that "it allows for RNA/DNA structuring and rebuilding." Um. Yes. Unless it's a mutagen, it isn't going to affect your RNA or DNA.

[elfmage]

I think what is needed for a beginner's book is a book like Cunningham's without the flaws and Hall's book.

I agree! Perhaps to make it even more perfect, closer to the range covered by Melody.

[Wolfsong]

"The Book of Stones" Very good book.. a lot you will agree with and a lot you won't. Best way to explain its contents would be to say it's a continuation of Melody's work with two people contributing to each stone.

[Moonlight's Daughter]

I have a couple of very good books I use for stone work.

1. The Crystal Bible by Judy Hall
2. The Book of Stones By Robert Simmons & Naisah Ahsian
3. Encylopedia of Crystals By Judy Hall

[MammaDragon]

I got the crystle bible by judy hall (in a german translation) and was not totally thrilled by it, as she doesnt differentiate betrween man altered stones and natural ones, meaning the picture on display for lets say citrine, in fact is the burnt amethyst type i refere to as Zitrine - thus waking false expectations in people.

trimmed for brevity and clarity


I will post my book collection and recommendations momentarily - but I had to reply to this part.
You (CzechWoods and all) know that Citrine is just heat treated Amethyst - even in nature?? It's formation is totally dependent on the temperatures at creation, which is why we have Ametrine. And considering that historically, from what I've found*, citrine was a popular stone in jewelry and is therefore hard to find (unless you score good citrine in an estate sale, or trust your dealer) - also, because of those temps, it is hard to find naturally, which is why low grade amethyst is typically heated to the appropriate temps to create citrine.

Really.

Anyway - to stay on topic, here's my collection:

Cunningham's Crystal, Gem and Metal Magic (my first)
Judy Hall's Crystal Bible
Corrine Kenner's Crystals for Beginners (actually useful lulu book!)
Gerina Dunwich's Gemstone Sorcery (not so much, but has some useful info in it)
Jennie Harding's Guide to Crystals (very simple format)
Peschek-Bohmer & Schreiber's Healing Crystals and Gemstones
Barbara Walker's Book of Sacred Gemstones

The Kunz books, that I have, are ok. However, I take his info with a salt lick - he's Victorian, and well, assumed to have taken much of his knowledge on the romance of the age with the middle ages - some of what he wrote may not be true.


* My most involved hobby is the historical use of gems in magic and medicine. I have been working on this subject now for about 3 years and while I haven't gotten very far in the metaphysical realm, I make it a habit to at least look at each new book on gems that comes along and decide how good it is. All of my comments are based on my research, not what's 'hot' at the moment.
In the natural world, there is very little call for orange except in flowers. Carnelian being the closest true orange gem out there (yes, other gems do come in orange...) was highly prized and used almost solely for the upper classes - under the idea that the lower classes copied the upper ones, a cheaper stone would have been utilized. Thus the introduction of citrine.
Again, this is based on what I've learned and nothing else.

Mamma Dragon

[Wolfsong]

trimmed for brevity and clarity


I will post my book collection and recommendations momentarily - but I had to reply to this part.
You (CzechWoods and all) know that Citrine is just heat treated Amethyst - even in nature?? It's formation is totally dependent on the temperatures at creation, which is why we have Ametrine. Mamma Dragon

This is not really the case...

Amethyst and Citrine both are created naturally by backround radiation and not direct heat... a long process. Also, Natural Citrine is created from Quartz which contains trace amounts of Iron impurites.. Amethyst does not but owes its color to other trace elements.

The creation process in nature is much different from the process man uses and takes place over a much longer amount of time.

Although there are properties which both share there are more differences.

One last point (and this is just a personal observation/opinion) saying Natural Citrine is "just" a heat treated Amethyst is for me reducing a natural process and beautiful natural creation and saying it is equal to a man-made replica.... that just doen't sit right with me... but that's just me