The Metaphysical Book of Gems and Crystals [Paperback]

Florence M?gemont (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 24, 2007

Details the powerful effects of gems as an alternative therapy for physical, psychological, and spiritual healing

• Reveals the physical, healing, and astrological properties of over 70 minerals, along with instructions for maintaining and recharging their powers

• Examines the “life” energy of stones, their basic vibratory patterns, and how this energy is used therapeutically to treat various disorders

• Shows how to use gems in color therapy and to harmonize the chakras

Gemstones have been used for both therapeutic and spiritual purposes since the beginning of time and in all traditions. Used properly, they can contribute to and accelerate healing through the practice of lithotherapy, which uses gems and minerals to restore enzymatic functions, and they can energize spiritual development. Alternative medicines such as homeopathy have given prominence to the therapeutic character of certain minerals, but the use of gemstones in expanding awareness or establishing a holistic, energetic connection with the stone itself have scarcely been brought forward. In this reclaiming of ancient wisdom, Florence Mégemont explores the many potent and beneficial dimensions of the mineral world.

Over 70 precious and semiprecious stones are inventoried as to their principal deposits, therapeutic applications, and zodiac correspondences. Readers will discover which physical and emotional disorders can be relieved by using which minerals and--with the application of chakra therapy--which gemstones are indispensable to their spiritual health. While not proposing that lithotherapy is a substitute for traditional allopathic treatment, Mégemont shows that it can be a powerful complement to it. Additionally, stones can act preventively, energizing both our health and spiritual resources to a state of balance and attunement.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Florence Mégemont’s explorations of the spiritual and therapeutic applications of over seventy different minerals and gemstones are vivid and lively, and they convey a strong sense of the stones as ‘beings’ rather than objects. This book gives strong emphasis to the therapeutic capacities of stones, and this is appropriate because the stones’ agenda is to facilitate human evolution into wholeness and spiritual realization.”
(Robert Simmons, author of The Book of Stones and Moldavite: Starborn Stone of Transformation )

"The vivid, gorgeous photos of each gem and crystal turn these minerals into . . . well, I can only call them rock stars! Just looking at these celebrity portraits gives you a sense of their inherent characteristics--through shape, texture, and color--and clues about how to work with them." (
Eva Yaa Asantewaa, Jan 2008 )

" . . . a unique, seminal, and thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional reference, making it a very highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library Metaphysical Studies and Alternative Medicine reference collections and supplemental reading lists." (
The Midwest Book Review, Mar 2008 )

"Not only is this book a handy reference guide to gems, crystals and how to use them, but it is interesting as the author provides us with quite a bit of background on the use of stones around the world." (
Joe Napolitano, Facing North, April 08 )

"This book is an excellent addition to any gemstone library. The colored photographs make identifying the stones much easier and the author includes such details as hardness as well as metaphysical aspects of the gemstones." (
Veritas Newsletter, July 2008 )

From the Back Cover

NEW AGE / CRYSTALS

“Florence Mégemont’s explorations of the spiritual and therapeutic applications of over seventy different minerals and gemstones are vivid and lively, and they convey a strong sense of the stones as ‘beings’ rather than objects. This book gives strong emphasis to the therapeutic capacities of stones, and this is appropriate because the stones’ agenda is to facilitate human evolution into wholeness and spiritual realization.”
--Robert Simmons, author of The Book of Stones and Moldavite: Starborn Stone of Transformation

Gemstones have been used for both therapeutic and spiritual purposes since the earliest days, in all traditions. Used properly, they can contribute to and accelerate healing through the practice of lithotherapy, which uses gems and minerals to restore enzymatic functions, and they can energize spiritual development. Alternative medicines such as homeopathy have given prominence to the therapeutic character of certain minerals, but the use of gemstones in expanding awareness or establishing a holistic, energetic connection with the stone itself has scarcely been brought forward. In this reclaiming of ancient wisdom, Florence Mégemont explores the many potent and beneficial dimensions of the mineral world.

Over seventy precious and semiprecious stones are inventoried as to their principal deposits, therapeutic applications, and zodiac correspondences. Readers will discover which minerals can relieve specific physical and emotional disorders and which gemstones are indispensable to their spiritual health. The author also explains how to apply the stones to the chakras. Additionally, Mégemont shows how the stones can act preventively, energizing both our health and spiritual resources to a state of balance and attunement.

FLORENCE MÉGEMONT has been practicing lithotherapy since 1995, and she gives lectures and workshops throughout Europe. She is the author in French of two other books on the power of gems and minerals. She lives in southern France.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Healing Arts Press; 1st U.S. Ed edition (December 24, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594772142
• ISBN-13: 978-1594772146
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #556,283 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful but..., February 4, 2008

By 

W. Martin - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Metaphysical Book of Gems and Crystals (Paperback)

This book is beautifully presented with full color images of each crystal or gem on its own description page. The book is divided into three sections. Part one lists chemical composition, color, principle deposits, hardness and density immediately under the image. Following that are brief paragraphs with bold headings of `Etymology and General Description,' `Therapeutic Uses,' and lastly, `Zodiac Correspondences.' These listings are generally between two and three pages. Some include additional images of the rock being discussed. This section makes up the bulk of the book. Also in this section are chapters on the use of, and care of crystals.

Part Two is devoted to correspondences of the charkas, colors or zodiac. Part three is devoted to the treatment of specific conditions be they physical, emotional or spiritual.

For the most part I found the images, although beautifully presented, useless. Some show raw crystal, some show finished stones and others are very tight shots of the striations of the stones, more like modern art than useful in identifying that particular specimen.

Some entries contained contradictory information. For example in alabaster under therapeutic uses one paragraph says "The calcium contained in alabaster would be as effective as talcum, but because it's often impure and can contain other, more toxic substances, it's better not to use it." In the paragraph immediately following, powdered alabaster, diluted in water, is recommend as a daily dosage for a week to relieve mood swings.

I found the book difficult to use unless one is already familiar with each stone or gem. Part three lists each entry by condition rather than by stone, so if you have a stone but don't know what its particular uses are, you need to read each entry to see if your stone shows up under a particular condition.

The portion of the book devoted to charkas was interesting, as were the color language and zodiac entries but at almost $25 for this book, aren't enough to justify the expense of a purchase.

W. Lyon Martin - Author of An Ordinary Girl - A Magical Child, Aidan's First Full Moon Circle and Watchers

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a metaphysical and historical perspective, January 14, 2010

By 

Dalles Clark "artDawg" (San Francisco CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Metaphysical Book of Gems and Crystals (Paperback)

This little book is a well-illustrated and unique tome on gemstones and crystals, giving an historical perspective on the uses of stones as healing instruments as well as talismens, along with facts about the configurations of the stones, astrological correspondences and healing elements. Although commentary on the healing properties of stones include both "thought to be (good for)" and/or "(actual)usages" instructions, the reader need not be confused, as common sense will dictate which approach to take. The photographs are very nice, showing both the natural forms of gems and minerals, as well as the polished. The historical references are fascinating and may lead the reader to further research and discovery along those lines. Altogether, a well-packed little reference book. I got it first from the library, then had to have it as a purchase.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A unique, seminal, and thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional reference, March 3, 2008

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Metaphysical Book of Gems and Crystals (Paperback)

Florence Megemont has been a practicing lithotherapist since 1995 and given lectures and workshops throughout Europe on the beneficial utilization of gemstones through their physical, healing, and astrological properties. She draws upon her many years of experience and expertise in "The Metaphysical Book Of Gems And Crystals" to provide the reader with an informed and illustrated examination of more than seventy precious and semiprecious mineral stones, along with instructions for maintaining and recharging their powers, using their basic vibratory patterns to therapeutically treat various human disorders in general, and utilizing gems in color therapy and the harmonization of chakras in particular. "The Metaphysical Book Of Gems And Crystals" is a unique, seminal, and thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional reference, making it a very highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library Metaphysical Studies and Alternative Medicine reference collections and supplemental reading lists.