Introduction

People love stones, and--if the meditative encounters I and thousands of others have experienced mean what they appear to mean--the feeling is mutual.

The lore of the spiritual qualities of crystals, gems and minerals goes back far beyond our written history. Moldavite amulets were discovered in the 25,000-year-old archeological dig that uncovered the Venus of Willendorf, the oldest Goddess statue. Fifteen centuries ago, Hindus believed that diamonds provided their owners with protection from evil spirits, fire, poison, snakes and illness. In ancient Rome, Emerald was viewed as a symbol of fertility and was associated with the goddess Venus. Christian legends speak of Emerald as the stone of resurrection. Ancient legend in Burma held that inserting a Ruby into one’s flesh would make one invulnerable. The Christian Mystic Hildegard of Bingen wrote an entire volume on gemstone cures for all sorts of illnesses. Several years after The Book of Stones was published, I discovered it was predated by a similar book with the same title, written by the Arabian alchemist Abu Musa Jabir ibn Hayyan, over 1,000 years ago!

My own books are nourished by the roots of these ancient traditions, and are addressed to the large community of spiritually-oriented stone lovers that sprouted in the early 1980s and has grown exponentially since then. Like the alchemists, we look beyond the outer appearances of crystals and minerals to link with their quintessential energies, and to open ourselves to their influence. The hope and intention we carry is for transformation to occur. The sorts of changes we seek run the gamut from self-healing to spiritual awakening, from grounding to ascension. In the process of this inner work, we tend to find more than we seek. We discover new capacities and deeper sensitivities. We experience visions. We begin to feel the awakening of heart awareness and body consciousness. We sense the dawning realization that stones are more than useful objects--there is Someone there, a helping spirit that has its own nature and is ready to join us in cocreation.

After several decades in its initial stages, I feel our current work with stones is ready to be taken to a new level. Now we are prepared to meet the Stones Beings, and to work with them in partnership for the good of the world. We are called in this time to enter, with the help of the stones, into a New Consciousness, a new way of being for which we have been preparing for a very long time. Within this, we will find new modes of healing, new ways of sensing, new insights into our purpose and new ways to participate in bringing forth an awakened Earth.

In light of such a grand vision, what is the purpose of something like The Pocket Book of Stones? I see it as a Who’s Who or Facebook for the beings of the mineral realm. Each entry provides a kind of character sketch, complete with picture, intended to introduce you to the stone, offering a summary of its qualities and the ways you might be likely to experience it when you meet it. It can help you decide what stones you might want to work with at a particular time, or it may help you understand the crystals and minerals that already grace your surroundings. It can orient you to better translate the inner experiences you undergo when meditating with a stone, and it can help you consider which stones to combine for enhancing their benefits. Finally, it is small enough to take with you on a backpacking trip to the rocky realm of the great outdoors, or a more genteel excursion into a crystal shop.

For me, the Mother of all the Stone Beings, and of all the human beings, is Sophia, ancient Goddess of Wisdom, the Soul of the World. The greatest blessing of my work with stones has been their aid in guiding me to an inner meeting with Her. From that meeting, it became clear to me that each kind of stone has its own archetypal character, a stone soul that knows and loves Sophia and is ready to work and play with Her in cocreative communion. To meet Sophia is to experience joy, and it is also to be welcomed into that same collaboration. As She is the Goddess of the Earth, the stones are her angels, and we can join in partnership with them all. To do so is transformative, awe inspiring and fun. I recommend it highly.

Think of this book as your engraved invitation. The party has been going on for millennia . . . and it is just getting started.
--Robert Simmons

SAMPLE ENTRY

Andalusite
Keywords: Cleansing, comforting, protective, friendly
Chakras: Root (1st), Third Eye (6th)
Element: Storm
Physical: Acts as an overall strengthener of one’s constitution
Emotional: Provides replenishment of the emotional body, psychic protection
Spiritual: Provides connection with Divine realms, protection of one’s energy field

Andalusite is an aluminum silicate mineral with a hardness of 7.5. It is named after Andalusia in Spain, where it has been found. Its crystal system is orthorhombic. Its color is most often brown and/or green, and in gems the colors can vary when viewed from different angles.

Andalusites are ancient stones, and they carry in their crystalline structure the very heartbeat of the Earth. When they are held in the hand, one can feel a slow, deep pulsation, which seems very friendly and comforting. This is an excellent stone for helping sensitive people feel at home and safe here on Earth. It offers psychic protection, grounding, an infusion of life force and a sense of contentment and well-being. Andalusite can be used to strengthen and energize any chakra and to repair holes in the auric field. It carries the etheric pattern of wholeness for the body, especially the teeth and skeletal system. The friendliness of this stone makes it ideal for those trying to overcome feelings of loneliness, isolation, depression, anxiety and various fears. It is recommended as a protection stone for those traveling or working in areas of danger or negativity. Andalusite works well with Lemurian Seed Crystals, Shaman Stones, Jet, Sugilite and Moldavite. It will also adapt itself to almost any other stone. The feeling of good-natured friendliness and generosity emanating from these stones is remarkable and unique.