Shungite – Merlin’s Magical Stone

 

Shungite is a rare and exciting stone from the Karelia area in Russia.  Although it may be new to some of us in the healing crystal world, it isn’t new at all but is 2 billion years old and was well known to the people of the region. Shungite has been used in medical treatment since the early 18th-century.   Peter the Great, that great czar of Russian, was known to have used water that had been infused with Shungite.  He built Russia's first spa in Karelia to utilize the water purifying properties of shungite.  Peter the Great also instituted its use in providing purified water for the Russian army. The anti-bacterial properties of shungite has been confirmed by modern testing.

The origin of Shungite is a mystery – some say it came from outer space.  Others claim it was formed in ancient oceans and then ended up on land when those oceans dried up. 

The origin is less important than what it does.  Shungite contains Fullerenes which are powerful anti-oxidants.  Shungite is, in fact, the only known natural source of Fullerenes in the world.  Scientists doing research on Shungite won the Nobel Prize, their work was considered that important!  The use of Fullerenes are being explored for industrial use in stopping UV damage, to use in solar electric generating devices, and to help alleviate allergies. 

 

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Shungite is said to purify water which is then drunk by the user for a wide range of health problems including relief from allergies, and to help skin conditions.  It is also purported to boost energy levels and promote overall healing.  Some people claim Shungite will neutralize any organism within the body that is harmful. 

People use shungite to shield them from the electro-magnetic radiation given off by computers, mobile phone, televisions, and microwaves.  Many people keep Shungite on both sides of their computer and monitor as protection.

Metaphysically, Shungite is a strong stone for grounding and connecting one to earth.  It can infuse the auric field with light and allows only positive energy through.  It offers psychic protection for those engaging in astral travel and vision quests.  It is associated with the wizard Merlin and would be a good combination with Merlinite stone and with Preseli Bluestone, a stone also associated with Merlin and The Legend of King Arthur. 

 

The Evil Eye and What to Do About It

What is Meant by the Evil Eye?

 

For thousands of years, various cultures have had a term for the “Evil Eye.”  What is meant by this?  Ancient cultures believed that malicious looks were very powerful and could bring disaster or even death to the receiver of the “look.” Not just a malicious stare could be considered the Evil Eye, but also excessive praise and fawning over a person, particularly a child or newborn baby.  

Ancient Greeks and Romans first warned against the Evil Eye.  If one received praise and admiration that was not warranted, this would manifest itself in mental and physical disease.  Any illness without an apparent cause was attributed to the Evil Eye.

The Evil Eye works on the premise that if one is gazing at another with jealousy or evil intent, it can not help but create evil and cause harm.  The Turks believed that there were two types of the Evil Eye – conscious and unconscious.  The unconscious Evil Eye was not intentional, the person giving the Eye was not intentionally creating it, maybe they just had jealous pangs as they gazed on a person’s jewelry or clothing or new car.  The intentional Evil Eye was, of course, the most destructive – the person is intentionally staring at a person with the intent of creating harm and possibly death.

There were several ways to guard against the Evil Eye.  Many ceremonies and rituals were put into place to ward off the Evil Eye and protect against it.  Usually people just wore a piece of jewelry or some sort of talisman to guard against it.  These items were worn or hung in home, and public buildings, and made into jewelry. 

People still believe in the Evil Eye and wear jewelry and amulets to protection against this ancient evil. 

Our Shiva Third Eye Agates are a popular item on our store at www.shopciscotraders.com

The Curse of the Blue Diamond

The Curse of the Blue Diamond

 

Crystals and gems have been allegedly cursed throughout history.  One of the greatest legends is that of the Hope Diamond aka as the French Blue or Blue Diamond, which has to be the world’s most unlucky gemstone.  The fabulous color – blue – is because of small amounts of boron within its crystal structure; it also exhibits red phosphorescence after exposure to ultraviolet light. 

There are varying accounts of the diamond and the curse but here is my favorite:

Legend has it that a French trader, Jean-Baptiste Tavenier, stole the diamond (originally 112.5 carats) from the eye of an idol in the Temple of Rama Sitra.  The bad luck starts here with Jean-Baptiste going bankrupt, and sailing for India to reclaim his fortune.  He died on the ship to India, a pathetic and broken man.  Another report claims Jean-Baptiste was torn apart by wolves!

(However, Susanne Patch, author of Blue Mystery: The Story of the Hope Diamond, says that the diamond is unlikely to have ever come from the head of an idol or statue which blows the whole curse theory but I digress….)

Before his death, Jean-Baptiste sold the stone to Louix XIV in 1668.  Louis XIV had the diamond cut into a heart shape and let his mistress wear it. His mistress, Madame de Montespan,  became embroiled in a rather outrageous scandal.  It was alleged that the Madame was somehow involved with some older women who provided Black Magic potions or poisons for disposing of unwanted husbands and lovers. Ouch!  Madame de Montespan fell out of the king’s favor as a result of the scandal.  The other women involved were tried in court secretly and burned at the stake!

Louis’ descendant, King Louis XV had the jewel reset but it fell into disuse after his death.  His grandson, King Louis XVI, let his wife, Marie Antoinette wear it although there is some disagreement about  whether she really wore it or not.  In any event, both Louis and Marie were beheaded in 1793. 

It was believed stolen after that and missing for twenty years. 

In 1830 the diamond surfaced again but had been reduced from 112.5 carats to 44.5 carats.   Henry Thomas Hope, a banker, purchased the stone for 18,000 pounds.  At that point, it became known as the Hope Diamond.  Hope and his family survived the diamond – that is, until the popular singer May Yohe, married Lord Francis Hope.  The Hopes had marital problems from the beginning and May gave a prophecy that the diamond would bring bad luck to anyone who owned it.  May ran off with another man, and died in poverty, always blaming the diamond and never her own poor choices.  Lord Francis himself was in a lot of financial trouble as a result of overspending and having a lavish lifestyle and sold the diamond in the early 1900s. 

The next owner, Jacques Colot, a French broker went insane and committed suicide.  But it is believed he sold it to the Russian Prince Kanitovsi first.  The Prince lent it to a French actress at the Folies Bergere who was shot by the Prince himself from his own box the first night she wore it!  He didn’t fare so well either as he was shot by revolutionaries.

Simon Mantharides, a Greek jewelry, then bought the diamond and met his demise over the edge of a cliff – accident or homicide?

A Turkish sultan, Abdul Hamid aka Abdul the Damned, bought the gemstone in 1908 and was deposed the following year.  But first he went insane!

The next owner Habib Bey, drowned.

An American purchased it next, Edward Beale Maclean, owner of the Washington Post.  His mother immediately died thereafter as did two servants in his household.  His ten year old son, Vinson, ran out of the house and was hit by a car and killed.  Maclean and his wife, Evelyn, separated, he was plagued with scandal, and became an insane alcoholic, committing suicide.  Evelyn kept the diamond and dismissed curse stories as bizarre fabrications.  However, her daughter committed suicide in 1946.  People noted that Evelyn had worn the diamond to the young woman’s wedding.  Evelyn died in 1947.

Harry Winston, a New York jeweler, bought all of Evelyn’s jewelry and presented the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian in 1958 where it is still exhibited for the viewing public (Hope Diamond in its new setting – see below).

What a wild story!  There are several legends concerning the Hope Diamond, some without any curse mentioned at all.

 

It is a beautiful stone with or without the curse.

 

References:

http://anilbalan.com/2012/01/24/the-curse-of-the-idols-eye/

Patch, Susanne. Blue Mystery: The Story of the Hope Diamond

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