Translation from German by Robert Hutwohl[1]
“Ridiculous!” said the red-haired Dr. N. . . ., one of the learned men of the F. P. circles, and a smile of the deepest contempt appeared on his usually expressionless face as he glanced at the cover of a book by Cornelius Agrippa which I held before his nose, and on which was written the title: “The Occult Properties of Gems and Metals.” “Ridiculous! Rubbish!” he continued, snorting with rage; “medieval superstition! Rubbish! Throw the old box in the fire, go home and get some effervescent powder, or better still, ask for a . . . . (it was a foreign word).”
Touched and grateful that I was not thrown out of the editorial office, I voluntarily resigned and went home. I lay down to sleep, but the thought that there are such clever people who even know everything they have never heard of gave me no peace and my thoughts wandered back to Dr. N. . . Suddenly I saw myself standing at his side and could not refrain from whispering the following words in his ear, which were the expression of my deepest love:
“Fool’s head! Have you never heard of magnetism, and that it is a force that cannot be seen and that acts at a distance? If you throw a stone into the air, does it stay in the air or does it fall down again? Has it never occurred to you that it is the attraction of the earth that makes it fall down again and that this is called “gravitation?” Have you never heard that magnets attract iron, and that there are ironworks where pieces of iron weighing hundreds of pounds are lifted and carried along by an electromagnet? Yes, even more! Just imagine, there are learned astronomers who can prove that the entire universe is only kept in order by the mutual attraction of the stars and planets, and that without this a hopeless mess would arise. If our earth, which consists largely of stones and metals, is subject to such attractions and exerts them in turn, is it not conceivable that stones and metals and the stars also possess other occult properties and emit forces which, even if they do not attract iron, can nevertheless exert powerful psychic effects. Everyday experience teaches us that light and warmth and vital electricity come from the sun, although it is many millions of miles away from us; that the moon exerts an influence on our earth is testified to by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and anyone familiar with the higher sciences even knows that the structure of the organism of humans, animals and plants is guided by the influence of the stars.”
I saw Dr. N. scratching his head and took this as a good sign that my idea had made an impression on his brain. Perhaps in later years he will understand all this.
The key to understanding the occult powers inherent in precious stones and metals is that the universe is an originally harmonious whole and that there are innumerable elective affinities between the things of which nature is composed. Even in the smallest microcosm there are dormant forces which are active in the great macrocosm, and like stimulates like. The precious stones and precious metals bear their name with good reason, for they represent the most precious in the mineral kingdom and are therefore related to the higher principles in the universe, to the finest of the forces emanating from the planets. Everything is essentially spirit; but the spirit in the bodies is bound to sheaths of varying degrees of density or purity. The purer the sheath, the more freely the spirit can move within it. The principle of light and beauty is called “Buddhi.” It smells more wonderful in the rose than in the thistle and shines more powerfully in gold than in lead.
If we wish to know what occult properties the precious stones have, we must first of all investigate what the occult influences of the stars and planets are, for each kind of precious stone has its planet to which it is more closely related than to the others, and is a vehicle of its powers. A sufficiently sensitive person need not ask long what these influences are, for he can sense them; but our generation, whose senses are dulled, does not perceive these influences so easily, and looks for evidence where it cannot see for itself.
The nature of these occult influences can be read in every textbook dealing with the occult sciences, and we can spare ourselves a repetition of teachings known to every occultist. Every precious stone absorbs the influences coming to it from the planet above it and then radiates them out again. Not only every planet, but also every sign of the zodiac has its own special influences and special stones as the carriers of these influences.[2]
The more subtle a force is, the more powerful it is in the higher planes. Sensitive souls can feel it, but coarsely developed natures cannot sense it, because only like acts on like. If the spirit is alive in us, we perceive it in all other things through our spiritual power. An ox or a horse enjoys what nature offers them to eat, but has no understanding of the beauty of nature, the glory of the dawn, the magic of diamonds, the splendor of orchids. One can be an excellent monist and still not have the sense to perceive that all of nature is a temple and a revelation of God.
All creatures, from the most distant stars to the drop of water, are children of the one Mother Nature and are therefore all related to one another. The spiritual and astral vibrations emanating from the heavenly bodies affect both precious stones and people, and each precious stone is, as it were, a reservoir of forces emanating from the constellation with which it is related. Everything natural has life, everything has “spirit.” Today, rubies and sapphires can be artificially made which, externally, are in no way different from natural ones; they have the same brilliance, the same weight, etc. But anyone capable of psychic perception immediately feels the difference between natural stones, which have a soul, and lifeless artificial ones. Some jewelers also know that there are male and female stones.
Since every person is born under one or the other ascendant [R.H.—the rising sign or ascendent], he is more or less under the influence of the planet that was decisive at his birth, and consequently there is a certain relationship between him and the precious stone in which the planetary influence in question is stored and is attracted to it. This is the basis for the scientific meaning of the “monthly stones.” Let us assume, for example, that someone was born under the influence of the planet Mars and under the sign of Leo, the ruby will be his monthly stone and he will receive a strengthening of the forces of this planet contained within himself through its stored martial properties, even without knowing it. If he is born under the planet Venus, the sky-blue sapphire with its mild light will be his monthly stone and will have a calming effect on his mind; which, as everyone knows, happens anyway through the mere sight of the clear starry sky. Thus, wearing Hyacinth (♍︎) promotes the growth of the sense of unselfish love, Sapphire (♒︎) the feeling of harmony, truth and infinity, Emerald (♊︎) the love of peace, Amethyst (♈︎) the justice of judgment, Topaz chastity, etc.[3] But this cannot be explained in more detail to those who have no understanding of such spiritual things. Spiritual facts cannot be understood intellectually unless intuition comes to the aid of the keenness of the mind.
We know that there is a certain sympathy between men and precious stones, otherwise they would not love them. This sympathy or physical correspondence goes so far that the state of a man has a certain influence on the precious stones he wears; he is not only affected by their emanations, but they are affected by his. It happens that when a man falls ill, the stones belonging to him darken or take on a dull luster; even if he is not wearing them at the time, or perhaps even thousands of miles away. When he recovers, they become clear again. When H. P. Blavatsky was in Europe in 1884, her state of health could always be judged in Adyar (India) by the appearance of the jewels she left behind there. On the other hand, the wearing of precious stones also has an influence on the psyche of man and thus on his physical body. Cornelius Agrippa, Theophrastus Paracelsus and other philosophers wrote about these things, and they were also known to Karl von Eckartshausen, who wrote about them in his works on magic.
Regarding the occult properties of gemstones, their colors are particularly important. Each of the seven known principles has its own specific color:
Prana Orange, ☉
Das Astrale Violet, ☾
Karma [Kāma?] Red, ♂︎
Karma [Kāma?] Manas Green, ♄
Buddhi Manas Indigo, ♀
Buddhi Yellow, ☿
Die Aura blue, ♃
and each of our visible planets, together with the sun and moon, appears to us as an embodiment or bearer of one of these principles, although all of them are contained in each one. For example, the sun is the source of all life in our solar system, although all the other forces are also contained in it. The “earth,” however, is not one of these “principles,” but only the embodiment of them. If we now consider the colour of a precious stone, this can give us information as to which planet it is more closely related to than to the others. The diamond can be regarded as the symbol of the material (the earth). The carbon of which it consists, in the form of black coal, represents the symbol of the corrupt, sensual man who still walks in spiritual darkness; but as a clear, transparent, shining diamond it is the symbol of the transfigured, shining solar body of the man reborn in spirit, permeated by the spirit of wisdom.
Some stones are electrical in nature, others magnetic, and therefore differ from one another in their properties; they differ in feeling, i.e. in the psychic impression that their contact produces. The spirit of the precious stones is related to the spirits of the planets and they absorb their vibrations, while metals belong to the lower planes of existence and their properties correspond more to the material bodies of the planets, or more correctly, to their more coarse vibrations. It is therefore recommended that, for occult purposes, precious stones be set in metals that correspond to their character, thus, for example, the sapphire in a setting of copper, the ruby in a setting of iron or gold, the sign of Leo (♌︎) and so on. The metal that corresponds to the planet or sign of the zodiac in question is chosen. (The planets Uranus and Neptune, along with others that have not yet been discovered, belong to a higher scale of the celestial bodies of our solar system.)
The electrical state of the gemstones creates a spiritual (fohatic) connection between the reincarnating ego (the higher self) of the human being and the planetary angel. What the planetary angel is in the spiritual world, the gemstones are in the mineral kingdom. They are the highest stage of development that takes place in this kingdom before it rises to the next higher evolution of forms. The metals, on the other hand, belong to the gross material bodies of the mineral kingdom; their elemental spirits are of an earthly nature. The gemstones belong to the higher spiritual planes; their atoms are related to the plane of Ātmā and Buddhi.
A setting of gold is good for all gems, as gold is the symbol of the life force (Jiva [R.H.—Jīva]) coming from the sun; but for occult purposes all gems should not be worn outwardly, but concealed on the body, and thus hidden from prying or envious eyes, whose “magnetism” will damage them. Gems thus contaminated can be purified by passing them several times through the flame of a spirit lamp.
It is not without reason that pearls mean tears to come. Opals also have the reputation of being a stone that brings bad luck, and only people who are free from sensuality and pure of heart should wear them. A setting with diamonds is good for a variety of stones. One should also not wear several precious stones at the same time. There are antipathies among stones, as among people, animals and plants, and the effect of one stone can easily cancel out the effect of another.
As far as the use of gemstones in individual cases, illnesses, etc. is concerned, it would take an entire encyclopedia to go into this subject. We must therefore suffice with the above general remarks and trust in the reader’s intuition, without which no spiritual science is conceivable and all medical art is nothing but a pitiful botched job.
For those readers who do not have these “Neuen Lotusblüten”, but whose purchase we can highly recommend, since this monthly magazine cultivates more the spiritual side of occultism, we would like to print the article on “The Jewels of the Rosicrucian” mentioned on pages 163-166:
“These are not external badges, but twelve occult, magical powers and virtues which the true Rosicrucian possesses. We give their description in the language of the original (from the 16th century) and leave the detailed explanation to intuition.
1) Jasper (dark red). The creative word of light, multiplying itself into a sevenfold degree of light (the seven rays of the spirit sun), which swallows up the seven nights or darknesses that were separated from the light.
2) Hyacinth (yellow). From the Mother of Light (from the Heart of the Logos) Love is born, which multiplies and reveals a beautifully burnished gold that radiates a fiery radiance. This overcomes the spirit of anger and wrath through its tincture and drives it out.
3) Chrysolite (white). Princely wisdom (spiritual self-knowledge) that shames and disgraces everything that is foolish and vain; thereby subdues it and gains victory over it.
4) Sapphire (blue). Truth arises from its natural origin and grows from it. (Intuition, from which the knowledge of truth is born.) The wisdom that can dispel all misunderstanding and uncertainty of things.
5) Emerald (green). The blossoming spring in an eternal justice, which consumes the curse of the unjust qualities in the degenerate and corrupt nature and opens the fountain of all infinite treasures. (The good will.)
6) Topaz (golden yellow). The symbol of peace, which is gentle and graceful, it will not allow any impurity of division, nor anything that can cause unrest or war. It is the stone of virtue or strength, which repairs all breaches and heals wounds. (The symbol of sublimity, purity, chastity and tranquillity.)
7) Amethyst (violet). Impartiality of justice and judgment, which cannot be twisted or falsified, but weighs all things in the scales of equity, and also opposes all oppression, fraud and cruelty. (Deep insight that grasps the reason for all actions.)
8) Beryl (various colors). Gentleness and even temper of a spirit, very kind and friendly, which overcomes harshness, fierceness and stubbornness. Therefore, benevolence towards all creatures.
9) Carnelian (pale red). The high, energetic faith, which draws to itself the power and essence with its first beginning and origin, thereby driving out unbelief, fear and doubt. The spiritual power of living faith, from which springs the conviction of the heart.
10) Chrysoprase (dark green). The invincible power and strength that overcomes all contradictory and opposing forces, so that nothing remains that can prevent what the Almighty aims at. (The power that arises from the distinction between good and evil.)
11) Sardonix (red and white striped). The triumphant joy and pleasure that flows from the fountain that is unceasing delight and which swallows up all sighing and lamentation. The knowledge of reality and true existence, in the light of which everything transitory is seen as a passing illusion.
12) Chalcedon (striped). The crown of victory, dominion and glory, as the conclusion or the greatest of all miracles, which uses everything to praise and honor the founder of this glory. The bliss of the consciousness of eternal life and immortality in God, which says: “I will give my peace and bliss to all who are of good will, and the will of the Eternal is that they all come to me united in human dignity, death (the passions) under their feet, (spiritual) life in their hearts, the head to the light.” (Rosicrucian Breviary.)
Anyone who has mastered these spiritual powers, whose symbols are the gemstones mentioned, no longer needs these stones, but it can be useful for beginners to wear such stones. Because every gemstone, like every other object, has its own aura surrounding it and attracts those forces that correspond to its nature.
Notes:
[1] On the Occult Properties of Gemstones and Metals. By Dr. Franz Hartmann [Über die okkulten Eigenschaften der Edelsteine und Metalle. Von Dr. Franz Hartmann, M. D. Zentralblatt für Okkultisus 5, no. 7 (January 1912), 385-391] {This article was reformatted from the original, but with the content unchanged other than minor typos, translation from German by Robert Hutwohl, ©2025}
[2] See Eleona Rich’s. “The influence of the Zodiac upon human life.”
[3] See, “Neue Lotusblüten.” 1911. Page 163 and appendix at the end of this [that] article. [R.H.—This is saying that the 12 above gems are also found in the Neue Lotusblüten article, titled, “Das Manuskript. Der Grad des “Adler-Ritters” oder “Prinz Rosenkreuzer.” [The Manuscript. The Degree of “Knight of the Eagle” or “Prince Rosicrucian.”]]