Gemstones as a Remedy in Vedic Astrology

...and why I rarely prescribe them

Photo by Akhilesh Sharma on Unsplash

Aside from mantra practice, wearing gemstones is perhaps one of the most well-known remedial measures used in Vedic astrology. This is an ancient practice and where we get our the concept of birthstones in the West.

Specific gemstones are prescribed to either boost benefic planets that are weak in the chart or mitigate the adverse affects of malefic planets.

In most cases, gemstones are worn as rings, although they are sometimes also be worn as pendants. Although the rules for which finger is best to wear the ring are complex (and a bit too much to get into in this post), the general rules are that:

• the gemstones should touch the skin

• gemstones worn on the right hand is will boost and strengthen a planet

• gemstones worn on the left lessen the effects of a planet

• in general, one should wear gemstones of the 1st, 5th or 9th lord (although there are definitely exceptions and cases where this is not a good idea, especially for the 5th lord)

• a gemstone should not be worn on the index finger; this is considered the “ahamkara” or ego finger, and will bring negative affects and “anger the gods” according to one of my teachers

Gemstones for each planet

Here is a list for the most common gemstones associated with each planet in Vedic astrology.

n.b.: Traditional Western astrology also assigns gemstones to the planets, which are largely the same as the list here, but with a few more choices and different theories on Jupiter (who is given amethyst and lapis lazuli) and Saturn-ruled stones not considered in Vedic tradition (e.g., black stones, like onyx and jet)

Sun

• Primary stone: ruby

• Secondary stones: garnet, red spinel

Moon

• Primary stone: pearl

• Secondary stone: moonstone

Mercury

• Primary stone: emerald

• Secondary stones: peridot, green tourmaline, tsavorite (green garnet), jade

Mars

• Primary stone: red coral

• Secondary stones: carnelian, bloodstone

Venus

• Primary stone: diamond

• Secondary stones: white topaz, quartz, zircon, white sapphire

Jupiter

• Primary stone: yellow sapphire

• Secondary stones: imperial topaz, yellow beryl, citrine

Saturn

• Primary stone: blue sapphire

• Secondary stones: blue spinel, tanzanite, lapis lazuli, amethyst

Rahu

• Primary stone: hessonite

• Secondary stones: orange zircon, orange garnets

Ketu

• Primary stone: cat’s eye

• Secondary stone: apetite

Why gemstones are a popular remedy

Let’s face it, gemstones are kind of cool. I mean, who wouldn’t want to wear a beautiful piece of jewellery and also gain beneficial results in the process?

Prescribing gemstones also has an air of occult mystery that is attractive to Vedic astrologers and clients alike.

Last but not least, gemstones don’t take much work. You just have to buy the gemstone, put it on and – presto!

Remedies such as mantra sadhana or fasting take time and discipline, while gemstones will start bringing results immediately if they’ve already been charged, and in around two months if they have not. All attractive reasons to consider gemstones as a remedy.

Why gemstones as a remedy are problematic

Ok, so maybe complex and tricky to get right is better here – with potentially dramatic results if you get things wrong.

Here’s a few reasons why this is the case.

Gemstones don’t think

What this means if that gemstones don’t have the ability to differentiate between good and bad. They neither purify nor pacify planetary energy, they just boost (when worn on the right hand) or reduce (when worn on the left hand) whatever is there.

This is fantastic if they are boosting or reducing the right things, but a major issue when this is not the case.

Prescribing gemstones correctly requires deep knowledge

Some Vedic astrologers, particularly in India, tend to prescribe gemstones indiscriminately. Although this might sometimes have financial incentive – some Vedic astrologers work directly with gemstone dealers or deal in gemstones themselves – it may also be because the astrologer is lacking in skills or in-depth knowledge.

My teacher told a story once about a client who was going through a major court case. They went to an astrologer who prescribed a gemstone for the sixth lord, which also happened to be in the 6th house. The sixth house is the house of “enemies” and litigation, so it was the right house to consider. However, in this case you most definitely don’t want to strengthen the sixth lord because this stands for your enemies. In other words, boosting this planet with a gemstone meant that the plaintiff in the case was the one getting stronger – definitely not the result you want if you are the defendant!

Gemstones affect the body

While mantras affect the mind, gemstones affect you on the physical level. Because of this, they can cause health problems if you’re wearing the wrong one – and not just for yourself.

In Year 2 of PJC, we focused exclusively on Varga charts. In one of his lecture, Pandit Sanjay Rath gave examples of how gemstones can negatively affect the health of a person’s spouse or child by looking at how they would impact the Varga chart related to them. This is another reason why it’s important to have a deeper level of knowledge before prescribing gemstones.

Gemstones are expensive

Gemstones used for remediation purposes need to be high quality and ethically sourced. Cheap, poor quality and/or dyed stones have the nature of Rahu, which you definitely don’t want. Synthetic stones do not seem to be effective.

What this means, of course, is that gemstones are a very expensive choice, especially if you go for one of the (preferable) primary stones, like rubies, emerald or yellow sapphires.

Some Vedic astrologers claim the bigger the gemstone, the better – although they may sometimes also be the type who just so happen to know the “best” gemstone dealer in town. However, my teacher claims that size isn’t all that important. What’s more important is clarity, quality and that you feel a connection to the stone.

If you happen to be drawn to a smaller stone, or decide to go for one of the less expensive secondary stones, you may be able to find a more affordable option. Still, gemstones are an investment, which might not make them the best choice for everyone.

My negative experience(s) wearing the wrong gemstone

Several year ago, I went to an astrologer who prescribed a yellow sapphire to boost my Jupiter. Jupiter is the lord of my eighth house, which is one of the more difficult houses in a chart. However, one of its significations is occult learning. Since I’m an astrologer and dabble in other occult disciplines, she said this wouldn’t be an issue. The sapphire would just boost this part of my life, as well as bring other benefits.

I bought a small, inexpensive yellow sapphire, which I incorporated into a ring I already have made from citrine. As the astrologer did not give me any instructions on which finger to use, I wore the ring on my index finger.

Several months after wearing the ring, an incident happened that caused me to lose nearly $4000. Although I’ve never had much money, I’ve always managed to have enough and have rarely ever been in debt. Losing that amount of money was a significant loss, and very unusual for me.

The 8th house is the house of the occult, like the astrologer said, but it is also the house of debt. That’s exactly the signification it ended up boosting in my life.

Would I have experienced the same grief if I had purchased a higher quality stone or hadn’t worn the ring on my index finger?

The results might not have been as bad, but it still wasn’t a good choice. According to the astrologer Visti Larsen in his post about gemstones, one should seldom wear the gemstone of the 8th lord. If there is a valid reason to wear this stone, then it should be worn on the left hand. My Jupiter is also in a parivartana (sign exchange) with Rahu, which further complicates things. In short, wearing a yellow sapphire in my case is just not a good idea.

The second story has to do with a diamond ring my husband gave me for my 40th birthday.

Venus is in the 6th house in my chart, which is also the house of illness. I’ve had issues with my bladder since my early 20s, a part of the body ruled by Venus. These problems got significantly worse in my early 40s. I went to a number of urologists, but no treatment seemed to do much good. I assumed the issues were something I would simply have to learn to live with.

When I started studying Vedic astrology and learned about gemstone theory in my tradition, I decided to take off my diamond ring, which I had worn constantly up until that point. When I did, the issues I was experiencing with my bladder improved. It’s still definitely a weak point in my body, but far more manageable now that I’ve stopped wearing the diamond.

Since the ring has sentimental value to me, I still wear it from time to time, and have not experienced any ill effects. It seems the issues it causes are linked more to constant rather than occasional wear.

Final thoughts

Although the tone of this post may seem quite negative, gemstones can be a powerful remedy that can bring many good things into your life. However, it’s important to fully understand the theory behind which one to wear and/or prescribe and – even more crucial – which ones to avoid.

Personally, I rarely suggest gemstones to my clients. This is partly because I’ve experienced first hand what can happen if things go wrong, and partly because they are such an expensive option. Why go for the high price tag when other equally effective remedies don’t cost much or are completely free?

That said, I do occasionally come across a chart where a gemstone remedy is an absolute no-brainer – although such charts are relatively rare. More often, I will prescribe a gemstone for a certain period to help a client navigate the negative energy of a nasty transit or difficult dasha period, particularly if they already have a ring with this gemstone in their possession. Otherwise, I prefer to err on the side of caution, especially when there are always other options for remediation or strengthening planets.

As I mentioned in a previous post, if you are interested in a gemstone remedy (and have the means to pay for one), I suggest checking out Oocha Mani. Although I don’t know him personally, the astrologer and jeweller running the business is from my tradition. He has a deep knowledge of Vedic gemstone theory and requires a consultation before ordering, which means you’ll receive advice on whether or not a particular gemstone makes sense for your chart.

I’m personally dreaming of ordering a ring for my Sun from him some day – such beautiful work!

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Michelle R. Dean is a Vedic astrologer and writer based in Berlin. To find out more about Michelle, swing by here.