Libra Astrology: The Judge and Harmonizer (September 23–October 22) Birthstone: Herkimer Diamond

The Search for Harmony

The symbol for Libra is the scale of justice, representing this sign’s affinity for balance and fairness. Those themes are seen in all areas of a Libra’s life, from relationships to the home environment.

Libra is the home of Venus, the goddess of love, harmony and beauty. The 7th House is attributed to Libra and the theme of Partnership & Relating to Others.

Libras are very oriented toward other people, and they continually seek harmony in both personal and professional relationships. This trait is so strong that Libras make excellent mediators, diplomats, psychologists, and judges. They are sociable and have excellent communication skills. But Libras are not patsies—they are willing to fight for justice for people who are defenseless.

Libras need to take care to not be caught in indecisiveness, as their search for balance makes them open to influence by all sides of issues. Because they are so other oriented, they also need to remember to get their own needs met while attending to the needs of others.

Libra is ruled by Venus, the planet of passion and romance, and no Libra is truly happy without a harmonious love life. Venus is also the planet of beauty, and Libras are drawn to beauty everywhere, in the arts, clothing, the home, and nature. They do well in careers in those areas. They are refined in both their appearance and their behavior.

How Gemstones Can Enhance Your Libra Experience

Gemstones are the perfect way of finding the balance that Libras seek.

Gemstones have both physical and metaphysical qualities that can enhance all aspects of your well-being. The perfectly aligned crystal structure of gemstones creates an energy field that interacts with our own when you hold it or wear it on your body. In this way, the gemstone can be used to calm you, balance, . bring you mental clarity, increase your energy, enhance your creativity, and much more.

Astrology and Healing Gemstones

The healing power of gemstones can be understood when we look into the bigger picture!

Astrological principles manifest at all levels of creation, from the largest bodies in the cosmos to the tiniest particles of atoms—all are part of the same network of universal energy. Based on the hermetic principle “As above, so below,” those universal principles allow us to read relations among the planets and extrapolate those principles to things here on Earth, to events in our lives, as well as to our natural environment. The universal principles that govern the planets in the universe are also seen on the much smaller level of gemstones, crystals, and metals.

The Signature of Gemstones

Each gemstone is associated with specific planets. You are already aware that each planet has its own personality in astrology. And each gemstone has a personal “signature”—specific metaphysical qualities, different for each stone, that arise from the stone’s association with its planets. It reflects the chemical composition, crystal structure and color of each unique stone.

How to Make Gemstones Work for You

By considering the individual signature of gemstones, you can select the right gems for your very specific purposes and needs, according to their astrological qualities.

In general Gemstones can be used in three different ways:

(1) They are precious objects of beauty that may hold a special meaning for us. We enjoy their beauty by giving them a special place on a shelf, desk, or altar.

(2) They can be used in meditation by tuning into their frequency for the purpose of balancing our energy field.

(3) They can be made into jewelry pieces for our pleasure, enhancing our individual expression of beauty and sense of empowerment.

If this interests you, you can learn more about the metaphysical properties of gemstones mostly used in jewelry making through my book Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones that Delight the Eyes & Strengthen the Soul. In my book I teach you how to find your true birthstones based on your horoscope and how to find your main 12 healing gems. It also gives you an introduction into the astrological perspective to life and how to use it for your advantage.

Below you will find a description of one of my very favorite stones the Herkimer Diamond, one of the true birthstones for Libra.

The Herkimer Diamond: [1]

The Herkimer Diamond is one of the true birthstones of Libra. Found in Herkimer, New York, is a double-terminated rock crystal [2]with such clarity and brilliance that it was named after the most reflective and brilliant stone there is, the Diamond. A handful of Herkimer Diamonds are as dazzling as real Diamonds. The most common material on earth, silica, becomes a sparkling little gem in the Herkimer Diamond.

This stone grows in small air pockets in the mother matrix rock material. It starts as a small seed crystal and grows outward from the center. Some collector’s pieces are displayed still embedded in a pocket of air in the mother matrix.

This stone is amazing in its beauty, clarity, and perfection. Unlike the Diamond, which must be cut and polished to bring out its beauty, the Herkimer Diamond is perfect in its natural state and requires no cutting or polishing at all. It is untouched by the human hand.

Balancing the Aura and Stabilizing Our Energy

The Herkimer Diamond has a very special place among the gems because of its superior qualities. It is worn most beneficially over the heart. Sitting on the heart chakra, which is the middle one of the seven, it balances the whole energetic system. Thus it is able to strengthen our auric field against all kinds of radiation, including electro smog and negative thought projections. We are constantly targeted by radiation in our daily lives, especially in urban areas. It is known that sitting in front of a computer for several hours can lower our white blood cell count, which inevitably impacts our health. The Herkimer Diamond in its perfection and balance between the negative and positive points can balance us and strengthen our own energy field.

This stone also strengthens our auric field against negative emotional or mental projections. I have made many Herkimer Diamond pendants for people who work in the healing professions to help them stabilize and treat their clients without picking up their imbalances. The more sensitive you are the more likely you are to pick up on disharmony in your outer field. The Herkimer Diamond is your ally in maintaining your own balance and strength.

Balancing the Brain

This stone also balances the right and left hemispheres of the brain, the creative and logical, the female and the male sides in us. Most of us tend toward one side or the other. The Herkimer Diamond balances us out in the middle between the two. The creative mind and the logical and scientific mind are enhanced by each other’s qualities: the creative mind benefits from greater focus and logic and the scientific mind draws on more creative and intuitive resources. The two hemispheres join forces, resulting in inventions and discoveries beyond the known.

Stimulates Creativity and Inspiration

The Herkimer Diamond’s brilliancy stimulates our inspiration and connection to higher truth and wisdom. Clarity of thought and a peaceful mind are a matter of balance.

The Herkimer Diamond can be worn very beneficially over your heart or as earrings close to the brain. For jewelry seek the clearest and most perfect crystals. For meditation or even under your pillow you may choose a larger crystal, which might not be quite as perfect as the smaller ones. The larger stones have inclusions and rainbows that make them very beautiful nonetheless. The Herkimer Diamond is a gift in its perfection and balancing qualities, a visual reminder of God’s perfect creation.

I hope you enjoyed the discovery of this truly magnificent stone! I wish you a very enchanted journey into the mysterious world of healing gemstones! If you enjoyed this article and my perspective on things, you might want to come and visit my Astrological Signs Weather Report & Healing Gems Blog where I discuss the actual, universal, astrological forces as well as gemstones and inspire you to use them wisely for a more successful and joyful life.

Aloha and many blessings, Shakti.

Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author

[1] Adapted from Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones That Delight the Eye & Strengthen the Soul © 2008 by Shakti Carola Navran. Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd. 2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989. All rights reserved, used by permission of the publisher.

[2] A crystal with a point at each end that has grown in clay.