Skip to Main Content

The Book of Stones

Who They Are and What They Teach

Contributions by Hazel Raven
Published by Destiny Books
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

LIST PRICE $37.50

PRICE MAY VARY BY RETAILER
See More Retailers

About The Book

• Explores 455 crystals, minerals, gemstones, and their metaphysical energies, including vivid color photographs for each stone

• For each stone, shares its scientific information, its element and chakra correspondences, its history, and its physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits

• Includes guidance on how to work with crystals and stones and also explores the concept of crystal resonance

Offering an illuminating alphabetical journey through the mineral kingdom, this comprehensive reference guide takes you deep into the world of crystals and their uses for spiritual awakening and self-healing. Exploring 455 gemstones and their metaphysical energies, the encyclopedia includes vivid color photographs for each stone to aid identification and showcase its beauty, as well as listing each gem’s physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits.

The book begins with two introductory chapters by authors Naisha Ahsian and Robert Simmons detailing how to work with crystals and stones and exploring the concept of crystal resonance. Each stone entry includes the mineral name and photo, its elemental and chakra correspondences, keywords that indicate its properties, and a description of the crystal structure, hardness, history, and known locations of each mineral, plus any relevant legend or lore from the past. Each author then offers personal insights on the subtle energy properties and spiritual applications of the stone. The entries conclude with the spiritual, emotional, and physical healing qualities of the stone and an affirmation for evoking its potential benefits. This edition also includes an index of the stones’ healing and energetic properties, making it easy to find the stone best suited to your needs.

Excerpt

From “Getting Started”
What Do I Do with My Stones? A Few Suggestions


Millions of people all over the world collect gems and minerals for their metaphysical properties, and they use their stones in a multiplicity of ways. From the collector who simply places her crystals around the house to the inventor who designs complex stone energy tools, all are working to benefit themselves and others through stone energies. I’ll mention just a few of the most popular ways tap into what the mineral world has to offer.

A Crystalline Environment The simplest thing you can do is select some stones to which you feel drawn and place them around your home or work area. For instance, many people like to use Amethyst clusters to purify the energies of their home or office, creating a positive, healing vibration in the space. I know several doctors, counselors and health practitioners who do this, even though they do not actively employ crystals in their practices. Any number of other stones can be added to enhance the environmental energies further, depending on one’s needs and desires. Some individuals place protection stones at the openings of their homes, while others concentrate their collections in a meditation room or personal altar. People in difficult work environments often place a stone like Ajoite or Sugilite (which transmute negative energies) on their desks. When my wife Kathy and I built our home, we wanted the whole place to be infused with love energy, so we faced our hearth and chimney with polished slabs of Rose Quartz. When building a house, one might wish to embed beneficial stones and/or programmed crystals in the foundation. Outdoors, one can go even further, placing stones at the property boundaries or in a grid pattern around the house, garden or meditation area. All such arrangements can beneficially affect one’s day-to-day experience, and that of those who enter one’s space.

Holding and Carrying Most crystal lovers have a selection of ‘pocket stones’ from which they can select, according to the needs of the day. One of the best ways to choose a stone is to pick it up and hold it for a few moments, paying attention to the changes in one’s energies and feelings while doing so. At other times, one may choose to simply hold a particular stone for a few moments, or however long it takes to receive what one needs energetically. In my own case, I remember a particularly stressful time in my life when I found it extremely helpful to sit and hold a Danburite crystal in each hand when I came home from work. Within minutes, I could literally feel the tension flowing out of my body through my hands. Both holding and carrying stones has the effect of bringing their vibrational emanations into one’s auric field, allowing for the beneficial modification of one’s energies.

Wearing Stones in Pouches and Jewelry A natural extension of the practice of holding and carrying stones is to wear them in ‘medicine pouches’ or incorporate them into jewelry pieces. Both of these practices have gone on for many centuries. (For instance, the crowns of kings and queens, who were viewed as representatives of the gods, included gems which were intended to facilitate communication with the spiritual realms.) One advantage of pouches and jewelry pieces is that they allow one to incorporate combinations of stones which work together to produce the desired effects. One of the most popular jewelry designs I created was the ‘chakra pendant,’ which consisted of a vertically aligned array of seven stones, corresponding to the seven chakras, or energy centers, running from the base of the spine to the top of the head. I often wear one of them when I am engaged with the public at a trade show or lecture, and I feel that it helps keep me balanced, focused and energized, even through long hours that entail many interactions with different people. Other jewelry or pouch combinations might include ascension stones, protection stones, healing stones, love energy stones, prosperity stones and so forth. In many cases it seems not to matter whether one works with a pouch or a jewelry piece, although I prefer the vertical alignment a pendant can provide for chakra or ascension stones.

People frequently ask whether a ring works as well as a pendant, and I think that in most cases it does. The important thing is for the stone or stones to be in one’s auric field. One’s energy field is holographic, meaning that the vibrational pattern of the whole can be observed or altered from any point within the field. In some cases--for instance when one is using stones to heal or open the heart--proximity of the stones to the area of focus can be beneficial. By the same token, healers may find certain gemstone rings to be particularly helpful when they are channeling energies through their hands. All of these choices can be discerned through attention to one’s intuitive impulses.

Meditation with Stones Perhaps the single best means to learn to ‘feel’ crystal energies is to hold a stone or several stones during meditation. In meditation, one works to gently clear the mind of thought and enter a state of positive receptivity. Many of the serenity-inducing stones, such as Celestite, can help one achieve this state. Other stones which one may choose for purposes of shifting consciousness, healing, or activating specific energy centers in the body or aura will have their strongest effects during meditation. This is because meditation quiets the mind and allows new influences to penetrate consciousness. Thus, during meditation, the stones feel stronger, not only because one is able to pay closer attention to subtle changes, but also because the state of openness allows for more pronounced effects.

Many of the minerals discussed in this book can facilitate beneficial awakenings and shifts of consciousness. In fact, I believe that the most important uses of stones involve the expansion of consciousness and the quickening of human evolution through such inner openings. Meditation with stones is the major means by which such processes are initiated, and it is during meditation that my own most profound experiences with stones have happened. The reader is encouraged to undertake her or his own explorations of the higher worlds through meditaion with whatever minerals ‘call out,’ either from the pages of this book or the shelves of the local crystal store. Such stones as Phenacite, Azeztulite, Brookite, Herderite, Moldavite and others are among the most powerful tools for facilitating visionary experience, out-of-body travel, and other openings to the higher dimensions.

* * *

SAMPLE STONE ENTRY
Adamite
Keywords:
Joy, love, creativity, enthusiasm, perseverance
Element: Fire, Wind
Chakras: Solar Plexus (3rd) and Heart (4th)

Adamite is a zinc arsenate mineral with a hardness of 3.5. Its crystal structure is orthorhombic, and it often occurs in radiated aggregates or fan-shaped rosettes. The majority of specimens are an inch or less in diameter. It is usually a bright yellow-green color, but it can also be honey yellow, brown, white, pale green, blue-green or colorless. It forms in oxidized parts of ore veins, especially arsenic-rich zinc deposits. Most of the finest pieces of Adamite are from Mexico and Namibia.

Robert Simmons: Adamite is a stone for enhancing the alignment of the heart and solar plexus chakras, thus allowing one to synergize one’s will with one’s feelings. Such an alignment is particularly helpful for achieving one’s ‘heart’s desires’--the aspects of life one longs for but which may seem impossible to realize. Adamite kindles the fires of optimism and determination, assisting one in taking on whatever challenges must be faced, making the necessary leaps of insight and persevering through difficulties. The heart is the organ of truth and can hear the call of one’s highest destiny. The will, which emanates through the solar plexus, most often follows the dictates of the mind. When the will and mind are working together without the participation of the heart, there can be a lack of enthusiasm--even depression--that pervades the psyche. When the heart is brought in, when one listens to its exhortations and follows them, one is on the path of personal truth which knows neither discouragement nor boredom nor defeat. Of course, the heart’s desires may seem impractical and inconvenient, but such is the price of truth. Adamite helps one to transcend such objections and move forward on the path of true fulfillment.

Another of Adamite’s qualities is that of opening one’s awareness to contact with spirits, angels, guides and the souls of those who have passed on. This is another aspect of its linkage of the heart and solar plexus. Love is the current upon which psychic perception rides most readily. Adamite helps one to open the heart to those upon the other side of the veil and to direct one’s intention with sufficient focus to establish and maintain a channel of communication. Clairvoyants, readers, psychic healers, shamanic practitioners and others to whom such communications are most vital will find that Adamite increases their receptivity and sensitivity, also enhancing the clarity of the messages one sends to entities in the higher vibrational realms.

Adamite harmonizes with the heart stones Moldavite, Rose Quartz, Rhodochrosite, Morganite and Emerald, as well as the solar plexus stones Heliodor, Golden Labradorite, Sulfur and Citrine. Its playful nature is enhanced when it is combined with Strombolite. Phenacite will help Adamite in the manifestation of inner visions into physical reality, and Tsavorite Garnet will assist one in using Adamite to achieve financial prosperity.

Naisha Ahsian: Adamite is related to both the Fire and Wind elements, as it stimulates both the energetic and mental bodies. Its energy is one of joyful expression and the manifestation of physical health and emotional well-being. It carries the energy of the joyful inner child and the wise higher self, reminding us of both our innate innocence and our unbreakable connection with our Divine source.

Adamite is useful in stimulating and supporting the adrenal glands and thyroid, adding energy and vibrancy to the physical body and the aura. It can help to clear sluggish energy from the meridian system and the energy channels within the body, as well as from the emotional body in the aura. Adamite is also stimulating to the pituitary and pineal glands, enhancing one’s mental clarity, focus and acuity. It stimulates the release of positive hormones, such as serotonin and oxytocin, that create a sense of well-being and expansiveness.

Adamite is an excellent ally for those who must maintain a positive, loving energy when in taxing situations, such as those who work with children, in social services, or in positions requiring cheerful service to disgruntled customers. It assists one in maintaining a good mood and allowing unpleasant experiences to pass through without being taken into one’s energy systems.

Adamite can help to prevent psychic vampirism, since the frequency of joyful exuberance it creates is unpalatable to those who replenish themselves by feeding on the energy fields of others. It could be considered a protective stone because of its ability to sustain one in the face of negativity, but it is not a stone for building walls or keeping others out. Rather, it is an ally that assists one in reaching and exuding a high-frequency, positive energy field that naturally transmutes negativity before it has the chance to penetrate one’s aura.

Because of Adamite’s effects on the endocrines and other systems of the body, it increases one’s overall vitality and energy level, which in turn stimulate one’s desire for physical activity and the ability to find joy in physical expression. For this reason, it is a helpful aid in weight loss and establishing healthy exercise habits.

Spiritual: Adamite assists in connecting with the source of creativity and in helping one to maintain a positive, loving energy field that is also strong and vibrant. It can be used in meditation to help one in creative problem-solving or bringing through new ideas. It is helpful in building one’s trust in the Divine’s ability to meet all of one’s needs, and in this way is a helpful stone to use in spiritual abundance work.

Adamite can also assist one in discovering one’s true passion or joy in life. Often, people are confused about their spiritual purpose because they don’t realize that the Divine’s will for us is to follow our greatest joy--thus sharing and spreading that joy to others. Adamite’s ability to stimulate our awareness of joy, to deepen our creative connection and to assist in manifesting our desires, all assist in the recognition and manifestation of one’s spiritual path of service in the world.

Emotional: Adamite helps one to move out of passive mode and into an active, dynamic and expressive relationship with others and with the world around one. It can help one to remain playful, joyful, patient and kind. It allows one to return to a state of childlike wisdom and relationship with all things, helping one to recover one’s senses of wonder, curiosity, creativity and vitality. Adamite can help one to ‘lighten up’ and move out of a state of worry-based paralysis.

This stone’s energy can also help to re-light the passionate spark of sexuality within loving relationships, as it assists couples in rediscovering their playfulness and joy in one another.

Physical: On a physical level Adamite is stimulating to the endocrine system, particularly the secretion of the love- and joy-related hormones. This can assist those who may feel depressed or experience strong symptoms related to hormonal imbalance such as PMS, sad or other cyclical hormone-related imbalances. It can assist in clearing the mental fog that is often associated with hormonal imbalance, chronic fatigue disorder, or a general lack of energy. Adamite is a helpful aid in finding joy in exercise and physical expression, and so is an ally for those needing to reconnect with their bodies or who wish to experience weight loss or an increased level of physical fitness.

Affirmation: I pursue my heart’s desires with passion, high spirits, perseverance and joy.

About The Authors

Robert Simmons has been working with crystals and stones for over 35 years. He is the cofounder of Heaven and Earth, a company offering gem and jewelry creations for self-healing and spiritual and emotional development. The author of several books, including The Book of Stones, The Alchemy of Stones and Stones of the New Consciousness, he lives in New Zealand.

Naisha Ahsian, now known as Samaya K. Aster, is an author, teacher, and healer with an international practice. She is the creator of Crystal Resonance Therapy and Primus Activation Healing Technique and is the director of the Crystalis Institute for Personal and Planetary Evolution, an educational organization founded in 1994 offering training and certification for healers worldwide. She lives in Sedona, Arizona.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Destiny Books (March 10, 2015)
  • Length: 560 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781644113851

Browse Related Books

Raves and Reviews

The Book of Stones is filled with information and with beauty!”

– Melody, author of Love Is in the Earth

“Each description is an intimate conversation between the Wisdom of the Stones and the deep soul Wisdom of the two authors.”

– Robert Sardello, Ph.D., author of Love and the World and Silence

“This beautiful and unusual work opened a new and unknown world to me, right under my feet--a realm of qualities and possibilities of which I had known nothing and for which I am the richer.”

– Joseph Chilton Pearce, author of The Crack in the Cosmic Egg and The Biology of Transcendence

The Book of Stones has elevated the spiritual knowledge of crystals into a higher form. The classification of each stone is impeccable, along with wonderful photos--creating an intimate connection with a wide variety of minerals. This book offers us all an opportunity to sharpen our skills and renew our interest in the crystal healing world.”

– JaneAnn Dow, author of Crystal Journey: Travel Guide for the New Shaman

“Quite easily the most comprehensively written and beautifully photographed book on the subject that I’ve come across. If you own only one reference book on stones and crystals, make sure that this gem is the one.”

– Dr. Eric Pearl, author of The Reconnection: Heal Others, Heal Yourself

“The Book of Stones takes the reader on a fascinating journey. The writing is clear, thoughtful, and easily understood, and the inclusion of scientific data, history, and folklore helps make the book a valuable resource for all those interested in the mineral kingdom.”

– Thom Hartmann, author of The Prophet’s Way and The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight

The Book of Stones by Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian explains the physical and metaphysical properties of crystals, minerals and gemstones.”

– Publishers Weekly

“In this time of social fragmentation and isolation, many of us who work to reclaim remembrance and participation in the living world lament the scarcity of elders and initiators to guide our efforts. As if in answer to our need, The Book of Stones carries us outside the human world to a gathering of wise elders. Here the stone people speak to us, in many voices, of forgotten stories and unknown wisdoms that will sustain us on the path of soul.”

– Daniel Deardorff, author of The Other Within

Resources and Downloads

High Resolution Images

More books from this author: Robert Simmons