PEARL — GEMSTONE OF THE MOON

The Powers of the Moon

The Moon represents the mind and, accordingly, it indicates a person’s thinking, feeling, and willing processes. It represents all things having to do with one’s mother, as well as motherhood in women.

It is representative of interaction with the public, or public businesses, water, liquids and the tides of the sea, over which it rules. It also has dominance over the waters and liquids within our bodies.

Emotions and sensitivity may be understood by the position of the Moon in a person’s chart. The moon’s nature is tender-hearted and wise. It rules peace of mind and gives a general sense of comfort and well-being. The Moon reflects understandings and sense of purpose, intuitive ability, sensuality, love for fine arts, music and jewels. It also rules our moods, emotions and sensitivity.

The moon is also responsible for growth, fertility and impregnation or conception. It influences childbirth, memory and has great influence over travel.
A strong Moon in the chart will indicate a happy mental state, good mother, opportunities for travel over water and success in businesses having to do with the day to day needs of the public. It may bestow a wonderful social life and pleasure from different enjoyments if the Moon is beneficially disposed, or well aspected. A powerful moon gives emotional strength, makes for good relationships and love for others. It will give good intuition, purpose to life, an attraction for the fine arts and make a person attractive to others.

If the Moon is weak in the chart you may be subject to mental anxiety. There may be emotional instability and an inability to relate well to others. If badly aspected, the Moon can make one unfriendly and unable to share intimacy, or will cause you to lack contentment or peace of mind. An ill-placed Moon may make for inclinations to moodiness and feelings of depression, with an unclear mind. Depending on how severely afflicted it is there may be a tendency towards neurosis, hysteria, or insanity. It can make a person feel a lacking of joy or satisfaction, therefore bringing about acute realization of the sufferings felt in this material world. There may be indications towards ill health of the mother, or difficulties in social advancement.

Physically, an afflicted, debilitated, or otherwise ill-disposed Moon may indicate anemia, a lack of body fluids or body weight, constipation and dryness of the skin. It can cause colds, fevers, bronchitis, intestinal problems, or even susceptibility to cancer. Organs, such as the lungs and kidneys, may also be weak and there may be menstrual or infertility problems in women.

The Moon is the ruler of the sign Cancer of the zodiac and is strong there in its own sign. It is always a benefic planet and is strongest from the tenth day of waxing to the fifth day of its waning. Its effects are powerfully felt in childhood, as Moon rules over this period of life.

The Pearl

Pearl is to be worn to strengthen Moon in the horoscope.  It has an extremely calming influence on the mind and increases feelings of love, and compassion for other people. The pearl may increase peace of mind and enable the practice of spiritual meditations with greater concentration.

On the physical side, the pearl may help balance bodily fluids and reduce heat in the body.  The pearl can calm the nerves thereby decreasing feelings of anxiety. It is good for women in general and can help fertility, as well as help a woman deal with the stresses of motherhood. Most people, especially in the west, are only familiar with cultured pearls. Although they can be quite expensive, especially in strands of good size, shape and color, they are not anywhere near the potency of natural pearls. Let me explain the difference.

Pearls are said in the Vedas to come from eight sources. Seven of them are extremely rare and not to be found on earth in this day and age. They are “sky pearls” (from the sky), “cobra pearls” (develops within the hood of a cobra aged over one hundred years), “bamboo pearls” (found in the hollow of bamboo), “hog pearls” (found in the head of a hog), “elephantine pearls” (originates in the temple of a particular breed of elephant), “conch pearls” (found in a conch shell), and “fish pearls” (created in the womb of a fish). All these have different powers and healing potencies attributed to them, but we have not known anyone possessing any of them. (“Raj Roop Tank” wrote in his book entitled “Indian Gemmology” that he saw all of these pearls in the collection of “Dhanroop Mal”, a very famous jeweller from Ajmer.)

The source of pearls with which we are all familiar are those produced by a mollusc (oyster). It starts with a tiny irritation within the shell of the mollusc, possibly a piece of sand or other foreign matter. The oyster, as a protective measure, begins to coat this irritation with two substances, nachre and conchiolin. The layers are coated one after the other, with the greatest part being the nachre. This is a “natural” pearl, meaning man has not induced the oyster to create a pearl. Most natural pearls have been long ago taken from the seas to the point that they are very rarely, if ever, found today.

Cultured pearls are the only pearls commercially available to the public. This is the process by which man induces the oyster to create a pearl. A piece of tissue is implanted within the oyster along with a round bead of “mother-of-pearl”, cut from the shell. This bead is then coated (in the same way as with a “natural” pearl) with subsequent layers of nachre and conchiolin. After a certain time period the pearls are “harvested”.

Generally this is done on pearl “farms”, in the far east or the south Pacific. The south Pacific produces the largest pearls in white, silver and black colours. Other sources include the Persian Gulf, South America, India and Sri Lanka. Cultured pearls may be used to strengthen an afflicted Moon, but one natural pearl, (or “accidental” natural pearl called a “keshi” pearl) worn either in a ring or pendant, is more effective than several strands of cultured pearls.

As with all gems you must know the source well to be sure. The only foolproof way of knowing if the pearl is cultured, or not, is by X-raying the pearl, which will reveal the nucleus, if there is one. If the pearl is drilled, it can be seen under magnification easily, but, for healing purposes, PEARLS SHOULD NOT BE DRILLED. They should be set only in silver, so that the pearl comes into contact with the skin.

Instructions for Installation of a Pearl

Pearls are best purchased on a Monday, although Sunday and Thursday are also suitable days. The Moon should be waxing and especially auspicious if in one of the nakshatras of Rohini, Pushya, Hasta, or Shravan. Size is prescribed according to the body weight of an individual, but generally 4-6 carats in size has dramatic positive effects within 72 hours.

The pearl should be set in a silver ring, or pendant, so that it comes into contact with the skin. Once installed, if in a ring it should be worn on the ring finger of the left hand. The following ritual may be performed for empowerment. On a Monday evening during the waxing phase of the Moon, after Moonrise:

1. Rinse pearl ring/pendant in water
2. Rinse in cow’s milk
3. Rinse again in water
4. Place on home altar (or sacred place) before a picture of the deity of the Moon (Som or Chandra) or Lunar Yantra
5. Light incense
6. Meditate on desired benefits
7. Chant following mantra 108 times “Om Som Somaya Namah Om”
8. Place pearl on ring finger of hand, preferably the left, or pendant on a chain around the neck

For information on buying planetary gems or on purchasing the Balaji GL108 gem therapy lamps system, please contact us.