Stones and Moons and Cycles

The Rowan Moon comes to us at winter strength. When Imbolic comes and we celebrate the light, or a groundhog comes and we celebrate his shadow. It is a time when winter is deep and colors seem scarce. The red berries of the Rowan offer a warm technicolor hope. It is only after the frost that Rowan berries are sweet enough to eat because their toxins have been removed. Full of vitamin C, these little red berries offer protection against the stark winter realities. How could we not plant them to protect us, as they offer us abundance in health?

Rubies at first were any red stone. To wear rubies was to be nobility: strong in body, mind and society. Red stones offered protections for property and people. They were said to banish sorrow and bestow good spirits. It was known for true, that who ever wears a Ruby is King. Kings often have reason for good spirits! 😉

RUBIES:
According to legend true rubies stop boiling Water.
Wear the Ruby on the Left side for Peace
Rubies are Fluorescent

With the 19th century came a capitalism that recreated the reality of stones. Where Spinel and Rubies were interchangeable as RUBINUS/RUBIES/CARBUNCLE….Suddenly there was a caste system created. Spinel and Rubies both get their red from chromium traces but Spinel is magnesium aluminum oxide and grows in cube structures. Rubies however are aluminum oxide and grow in a hexagonal shape. (This structure makes them the 3rd strongest gemstone.) Carbuncle now refers to any red cabochon cut gemstones (convex and highly polished-not faceted). Spinal, although still referred to as Ballis Rubies are not considered so by Capitalism. A perfect Ruby is not too light and not too dark. So any light Rubies are now cast aside as pink sapphires. Rubies and Sapphires are Corundum (2 parts aluminum and 3 parts oxygen)…little triangles that glom together in a hexagon. But only the red are RUBIES…. The King of Gems. It’s a little funny to think that crystalized aluminum is a king stone when we disregarded the magical recycling benefits of aluminum. This stone seems to inspire all sorts of noble thinking. Perhaps it’s the age of Aquarius.

Aquarius is the water bringer. As if the winter rains are sent to melt away the harsh ice shards of fall’s darkness and winter heals in crystal. Aquarius is the muse of never ending ideas. This is the moon that greets us in the lunar new year: The Water Rabbit. Let the fertile abundance bloom in all of you.

Blessed be,

Dian Mali, Funky Fiber Witch.