JARED C. PISTOIA, ND
Gemstones are a relatively new addition to the homeopathic repertoire of age-old medicines made from naturally occurring substances. Medicines can be grouped according to the kingdom they are sourced from, ie, plant, animal, or mineral. Some substances, however, have characteristics of 2 kingdoms. The gemstones, which include quartz, ruby, topaz, emerald, diamond, black opal, pearl, lapis lazuli, pearl, amethyst, sapphire, etc, represent an example of this duality. Gemstones also have another dualistic theme, namely their ability to help reconcile aspects of the lower, animalistic self with aspects of the higher, spiritual self. The same thematic concept can be seen when considering reconciliation of hate with love, ego with spirit, dark with light, etc. These are precisely some of the major polar themes we are confronted with in 2021. Do we move toward the exploration of subtle energies, alien worlds, quantum realities, and light-based phenomena? Or do we stay on the current path of heady, materialist, income-driven “data”? The introductory work of Peter Tumminello, originally published in 2005,1 resurfaces as an invaluable offering this year, during a time when homeopathic gemstones can help prepare us for personal excavation and guide us through this worldly dilemma.
Reconciling the Lower & Higher Self
A few major themes indicating the need for homeopathic minerals, as conveyed by presenting patients, include structure, stability, and/or security as fundamental challenges. As it pertains to gemstones, this idea is expressed (or more likely hidden) as the need to stabilize opposing forces of lower, animalistic behaviors with higher, ego-free behaviors associated with spirit and soul urges.1 There is a definite tension created as a result of this tug of war, similar to the Chinese finger trap: The harder the pull, the less progress is made. The solution, like the finger trap, is to first bring the 2 sides together in communion, and then gently work them apart. This is the precise concept we are seeing in the present: the need for reconciliation between destructive, materialist, ego-driven behavior and the pursuit of spiritually-driven, heart-inspired behavior that pulls us back down to Earth and into communion. An example of this is an individual who feels drawn to spiritual activities like attending church, prayer circles, or meditation groups, but is conflicted because he or she also feels drawn to sex, power, beauty, social elitism, and money.
For those who have not yet awoken to spirit, the lower self in protest has been reacting to the higher self. Note that the lower self is reacting to the higher self rather than responding to it. The lower self feels threatened when others aren’t in alignment with its opinions, and it sees no reason to reconcile or even explore the difference, for its sense of security depends upon its sense of certainty regarding existing beliefs. Practically, the end result for the individual is cognitive dissonance, intolerance of opinions, and ensuing violence in defense of core beliefs. Presently, it’s almost as if people are stuck on one side of the pole or the other, either moving toward spirit and communion or toward ego and separation.
There is also a strong feeling of imprisonment akin to each gemstone,1 which highlights a particular quality of gemstones that earns them the title of “super-minerals.” The sense of imprisonment is perhaps something that presently unites many people regardless of which side of that pole they’re on. Aside from social distancing, there is a lurking, heavy feeling of entrapment in the pandemic, as there is little one can do to control the overall circumstances. In a sense, the feeling is similar to that of a caged animal, as we wait for a jab and a stimulus check. The sense of imprisonment is also observable in the all-too-common pursuit of ego-based desires fueled by insatiable passions of lower self, like a person gunning for gems, only to hoard them.
The American Dream & Inner Male Dominance
The American Dream appears to be collapsing in 2021, not because political paradigms shifted towards socialism, but because the pursuit of materialism is a form of entrapment. The pursuit of wealth, fame, and elite social status are more common now than ever before, as social media allows for the exposure of anyone doing anything at any given time; thus, the opportunity for massive success is omnipresent. Although it seems like wealth and fame pave the way for security and stability, they create instead a veritable and ever-expanding prison of ego.
The pursuit of money, in particular, is entrapping because it creates an illusion that it is possible to fulfill values such as peace, security, or happiness via the accumulation of materials and elite social status. It is not possible to reconcile feelings of insecurity (beyond basic human needs) with material goods or high social status. The acquisition of either one simply inflames the underlying issues of insecurity and self-rejection. The promise of security, peace, happiness, freedom, etc, is embedded in the American Dream, in the culture of America, yet has proven for most to be more of a golden revolving door than a doorway to happiness.
At what point does money truly set us free? The more likely scenario is that an individual becomes a “slave” to their 9-5, a slave to the grind, or a slave to the dollar. This commonplace verbiage clearly conveys the sense of imprisonment that comes with laboring for money, the acquisition of which seems only to increase our appetite for materialist pursuits, as standard of living increases on par with an appetite for life’s pleasures. The end result of this game is spiritual handicap, depression, and other chronic diseases. We see this also in the division between the “1 percent” – many of whom are clearly spiritual voids working in pursuit of more power and more control – and the rest who are overworking to produce meager earnings.
In many cases, those seeking elite social status or wealth are forced to assemble a façade that signals to observers that all is well in their world and that others should be like them. As long as they keep up with the image of who they are trying to become, then the façade remains intact. However, any threats to their professional persona are met with immediate rejection, uproar, and sometimes violence because these outside threats interfere with this delicate, egoist construct they have been working so hard to create and even harder to maintain. Buried beneath this delicate façade is a glaringly deep-seated insecurity and troubling tension between inner masculine and inner feminine energies, along with a fear that the ego may crack open and reveal its hidden secret. It is for this reason that I postulate that the gemstones belong primarily to the sycotic miasm.
In our traditionally male-dominant world, it is no surprise that the inner masculine takes charge for most people, forcefully yanking the inner feminine every which way, controlling her, and leading with ego and haste rather than allowing the soft and gentle harmonizing rhythm of the heart to set the pace and steer the ship. Male dominance also causes us to hide from our perceived weaknesses and suppress emotional responsivity altogether, trapped under the heavy guard of the all-knowing intellect.
The inner feminine is now pulling us downward as the Earth itself gives us all a violent and soul-rattling shake, and the circumstances of quarantine provide the time and space needed to revisit our values and belief systems. The restoration of stability is an ungrounding process, but the wise know that nature will lead them back to source, where they know and feel in their heart of hearts that all is well. In 2021, the ego still leads the way … but the tides are turning.
The Awakening Process
Return to health! Return to Earth! Return to Spirit! These ideas are also characteristic “unprecedented” themes of 2021, as well as characteristic themes of gemstones. For most, this means diving deep into the black void, the neglected land of heart and soul, or even a return to failsafe religious ideology. The idea that we have given away charge of our health to corporate America – their drugs and surgeries that promise to “fix us” – serves as a disturbing wake-up call for many people who are either dismayed with the behavior of trusted healthcare authorities or are simply beginning to hear the whispers of their Spirit.
Be forewarned, the awakening process is not pretty. Years of buried personal, family, and ancestral trauma may bubble up to the conscious mind like an overflowing sewer, its rancid contents having not seen the light of day for decades, perhaps even generations. These heavy, dirty, subconscious patterns have no business bothering us amid an already challenging worldwide crisis. Or do they? The suggestion from Nature is clear: now is the time to unearth these buried aspects hidden away deep in shadow self, to bring them to light, and to transform them into beautiful gems. Gemstones also offer the ability to fortify dysfunctional family relationships that seem to be unresolvable, and this may be central to any gemstone case. As we face past traumas and address murky family dynamics, we may all elevate to higher consciousness together, free from the prison of illusory egoist construct and stubborn, maladaptive behavior passed through the generations. Such is the way that nature transforms carbon into the prized “flowers of the underworld” that we know as gemstones.
Gemstones shine in their ability to unlock deep, hidden belief systems that represent denied aspects of self that lie in shadow, waiting for love and light.1 Although these shadowed belief systems appear as troubling waste behaviors to be immediately ignored and forgotten about, don’t be fooled – these limiting belief systems are hidden gems available only to those with enough patience and perseverance to carefully excavate them. The process of deconstructing and unwinding subconscious patterns is a task that requires commitment, discipline, and perhaps even precision medical care. “Feeling into” old or current patterns is an invaluable tool that can be used by individuals to develop the intuitive capacity necessary for a sort of individualized self-healing process guided by love, heart, spirit, and, of course, potentized gemstones.
The Role of Gemstones
The secret weapon for homeopaths this year, and potentially for years to come as the Earth continues to increase its vibrational frequency, is clearly the gemstones. In my view, the tension between 2 poles – masculine and feminine, intellect and heart, love and hate, etc – along with a desire to reconcile the difference, provides the clearest indication for the prescription of a gemstone. Although, according to Tumminello, a sense of imprisonment conveys the main feeling state of the medicines. Gemstones are unique to this era because their very essence is governed by an “unprecedented” transformation – a seemingly dull, dirty, and lifeless substrate that morphs into a brilliant, orderly, and invaluable soul-urging gift from God! It is a process that occurs over time, with patience and trust, deep in the dark heart of the Earth. If there has been any time in the course of human existence for a collectively profound transformation to help reconcile the heart of spirit with the instinct of animal urges, the time is now, and our precious gems light the way.
References:
- Tumminello PL. Twelve Jewels: Gems in Homeopathy. New South Wales, Australia: Medicine Way; 2005.
Jared C. Pistoia, ND is a naturopathic physician, professional homeopath, and author of the book In Pursuit of Health. Dr. Pistoia received his Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree from NUNM in 2020 and is currently practicing in the state of Connecticut. Visit his website at: www.drpistoia.com.
