Having existed in India for at least 2,000 years, Ayurveda (Sanskrit, “science of life”) is one of the world’s oldest systems of medicine. A holistic tradition that integrates massage, exercise, diet and meditation, Ayurveda accords a special role to gemstones. According to ancient texts, the light of the Creator is transmitted to Earth by the planets; gemstones collect and then radiate this energy. If a person’s well-being is affected by in harmonious influences, an ayurveda healer can identify which planet is responsible and prescribe the appropriate gem to wear in order to correct the disruption.

The list below shows for each ayurvedic planet, the aspects that it represents and the principal gemstone associated with it.

Planet and gemstone correspondences

Sun (male aspects, vitality, success) – ruby

Moon (feminine aspects, peace of mind, comfort, well-being) – pearl

Mercury (education, intelligence, speech, humour) – emerald

Venus (love, beauty, art) – diamond

Mars (courage, confidence, physical strength) – coral

Jupiter (philosophy, spiritual growth, wealth, learning) – yellow sapphire

Saturn (fame, longevity, sincerity, justice) – blue sapphire

Rahu, the ascending node of the moon (restlessness, worldly success, force, selfishness) – zircon

Ketu, the descending node of the moon ( passivity, spirituality, non-attachment, selflessness) – cat’s eye chrysoberyl