Stone Medicine

A comprehensive manual for using crystals, gems, and stones to address physical, emotional, and spiritual health conditions

• Includes an extensive Materia Medica detailing the healing and spiritual properties of 200 crystals and stones based on Classical Chinese Medicine

• Explores the role played by the color of each stone, its Yin and Yang qualities, crystalline structure, chemical composition, and topical and internal applications

• Explains how to make stone and crystal elixirs, wear stones as healing jewelry, use them in massage and energy work, and cleanse and recharge them

• Based on the oral teachings of Dr. Jeffrey C. Yuen, a Taoist priest from the ancient lineage of the Jade Purity School (88th generation) masters

In addition to herbalism and acupuncture, Chinese Medicine has a rich tradition of using stones as medicine, passed from generation to generation for thousands of years. In this comprehensive guide and extensive Materia Medica, Leslie J. Franks presents the Stone Medicine teachings of Dr. Jeffrey C. Yuen, an 88th generation Taoist priest from the ancient lineage of the Jade Purity School, which dates to the Han dynasty, 206 BCE.

Detailing the therapeutic properties of 200 gems, stones, minerals, and crystals, Franks begins with an extensive look at 15 different forms of quartz, followed by chapters on transformative stones, protective stones, nourishing stones, source energy stones, and alchemical stones. She explains the physical, emotional, and spiritual conditions each stone can treat and how their color, form, hardness, and energetic qualities affect us according to Chinese Medicine. She discusses how to make stone and crystal elixirs for internal and topical use, how to charge quartz with the healing properties of other stones, how to cleanse and recharge a stone after use, and how to combine stones to create healing formulas for individual conditions. She explains different techniques of wearing stones as healing jewelry and how to use them in massage and energy work. She examines the chemistry and sacred geometry of crystal structure, revealing how the minerals contained in the stones affect our physiology by supporting our Jing (Essence); by nourishing Qi (energy), blood, and fluids; and by clearing Wind, Cold, Damp, and Heat conditions that can lead to disease.

Including a thorough primer on Traditional Chinese Medicine and backed by modern scientific research, this book explains how stones access our deepest layers, vibrating ever so slowly, to initiate deep lasting change.

Chapter 14

Transformative Stones

If quartz crystals represent perfection in the world of minerals, the transformative stones demonstrate the process by which perfection is accomplished. In Western terminology, this large group of stones is called chalcedony. It includes agate, chalcedony, jasper, and onyx. The stones are fundamentally the same--that is, a fibrous subcategory of quartz, all with similar hardness and all with a chemical composition of silicon dioxide. For the ancient Chinese, however, who saw consciousness and spirit in the natural world, the patterns, colors, and configurations these stones presented were indications of a process of refinement and evolution.

Most of the transformative stones form at the Source/Yuan, or igneous level, but their appearance shows a process of metamorphosis. The stones are quartz, but they do not form perfect crystals. They demonstrate a slow evolutionary process as the Earth adapts to change. They also represent a core tension of human life--the relationship between Water, our Essence, and its requirement to discover and express our deepest self, and Earth, with its requirements of living in society. Looking at the agates, with their banded, speckled, or patchy appearances, we can imagine the struggles and conflicts the stones experience during their creation--as they melt and solidify, compress and release, fuse and separate. Eventually the stones refine to become the strong, definitive colors of the jaspers; the translucent, homogenous colors of the chalcedonies; or the shining, intensely black onyx, which represents our deepest Essence: the Water energy of the Kidneys. The group as a whole matures to its ultimate perfection in the subtlety and elegance of jade, a stone held in the highest regard since the earliest history of the Chinese.

The use of jade in Chinese culture dates to the Neolithic period, when ancient populations considered the nephrite jade they were able to mine locally to be inherently more valuable than gold or silver. They used the stone to shape ritual objects and tools, and the quality of the carving gives evidence to a highly sophisticated civilization. Nephrite jade is extremely durable, as demonstrated by the many jade artifacts unearthed that date back to more than 1,000 years before the Common Era.

In the nineteenth century, a beautiful jade from Burma became popular among the royalty and Confucian scholars. It had clearer and bolder colors than the indigenous nephrite jade, and the bright emerald-green color, called imperial green, was much sought after. This is jadeite. It has a different chemical composition than nephrite jade, but this difference was unknown until later in the century.

Jade is associated with the upper dan tian. We use agates, jasper, and chalcedony for treating illness, but jade is an aspirational stone. It represents the  possibility to ascend out of petty, selfish concerns and to exhibit qualities of behavior that benefit all humans.

Author’s Note
Preface

To the Professional Chinese Medical Practitioner

To the Layperson

Why Stones?

The Law of Signatures

Acknowledgments 

PART I

A Primer of Classical Chinese Medicine

1.    The Basics

The Vocabulary

The Pathogenic Factors--Wind, Cold, Damp, and Heat

The Anatomy

The Modern Challenges to Health--Staying Healthy

2.    The Big Picture

A Philosophical View

Prerequisites of Life

How to Work with Evolution

3.    Paradigms of Chinese Medicine

Qi--Energetic Medicine

The Humours of Chinese Medicine

The Energetic Anatomical Terrains--Wei Qi, Ying Qi, and Yuan Qi

4.    The Numbers 24

Yin and Yang--“The One Begets the Two”

The Trinities--“The Two Beget the Three”

The Four Principles of Yin and Yang

The Four Transformations of Yin and Yang

The Five Elements--Phases of Transformation

The Six Divisions or Stages

The Seven Stars

The Bagua--The Eight Trigrams

The Nine Palaces

5.    Zang-Fu--The Internal Organs

The Level of Survival--Lung/Large Intestine and Stomach/Spleen

The Level of Interaction--Heart/Small Intestine and Urinary Bladder/Kidney

The Level of Differentiation--Pericardium/Triple Heater and Gall Bladder/Liver

6.    The Souls of the Organs

The Spirit/“Big” Shen and the Soul/Ling

The Obstacles to Freedom

A Path to Freedom

7.    The Curious Organs

Brain

Bones

Marrow

Vessels

Uterus

Gall Bladder

8.    The Emotions and Temperaments

Defensive/Wei Qi--Mood

Nourishing/Ying Qi--Emotion

Source/Yuan Qi--Temperament

9.    The Channel Systems

The Meridian System--Highways and Byways of Life

The Process of Latency--Hiding Our Pathology

The Healing Crisis

The Points--Landmarks along the Way

Living a Long and Healthy Life

Part II

Introduction to the Materia Medica

10.    The Criteria for Stone Selection--Choosing the “Right” Stone

Color and Light

Chemical Composition

The Five Qis--The Nature, or Yang Aspect, of the Stone

The Five Tastes--The Yin Aspect of the Stone

Affinities

Hardness

Crystal Structure and Sacred Geometry

Stone Groups

Level of Formation--Earth’s Energetic Dynamics

11.    Methods of Application--Entering the Stone Gate

Determining a Strategy

Developing a Formula

Formula Examples

Topical Application

Internal Application

Intentional Application

Duration of Treatment

12.    Cleaning, Cleansing, and Recharging

Cleaning/San (to Dissipate, Discharge)

Cleansing/Qing (to Clear)

Recharging the Stone

PART III

The Materia Medica
Notes on Using the Materia Medica

13.    Quartz Crystals

Clear Quartz Crystal
Blue Quartz • Green Quartz • Lithium Quartz • Purple Quartz/Amethyst • Chevron Amethyst • Rose Quartz • Rutilated Quartz • Smoky Quartz • Tangerine Quartz • Titanium Quartz • Tourmalinated Quartz• White/Milky Quartz • Yellow Quartz/Citrine • Yellow and Purple Quartz/Ametrine • Herkimer Diamond

14.    Transformative Stones

Agate
Blue Lace Agate • Dendritic Agate • Fire Agate • Green Agate/Moss Agate • Mookaite Jasper • Ocean Agate-Jasper/ Orbicular Quartz • Picasso Stone/Marble Agate-Jasper • Pink or Red Agate • Rhyolite/Leopardskin/Rainforest Agate-Jasper • Tiger Eye • Blue Tiger Eye • Hawk Eye • Pietersite • Red Tiger Eye • Tree Agate-Jasper • Zebra/Dalmation Agate-Jasper

Jasper
Bloodstone/Heliotrope • Brown Jasper • Green Jasper • Red Jasper/Silex • Sandy Jasper • Yellow Jasper Flint/Strike Flint

Chalcedony
Blue Chalcedony • Green Chalcedony • Pink Chalcedony • Red Chalcedony/Carnelian • White Chalcedony Onyx

Jade/Jadeite
Black/Grayish Jade • Green Jade • Lavender Jade • White Jade • Yellow Jade

Nephrite Jade

15.    Defensive/Wei Qi Stones

Amazonite

Amber (Fossilized)

Angelite

Apophyllite

Aragonite

Barite

Biotite

Calcite
Black Calcite • Blue Calcite • Emerald Calcite • Green Calcite • Honey Calcite • Icelandic Spar/Optical Calcite • Mangano/Pink Calcite • Orange/Yellow Calcite • Red Calcite • White Calcite

Celestite/Celestine

Danburite

Fluorite
Blue Fluorite • Brown Fluorite • Clear Fluorite • Green Fluorite • Purple Fluorite • Yellow Fluorite

Gypsum

Alabaster • Desert Rose (Gypsum) • Selenite

Jet (Lignite)

Marcasite Nodules/Boji Stones/Moqui Balls

Obsidian
Apache Tears • Black Obsidian • Gold Sheen Obsidian • Mahogany Obsidian • Rainbow Obsidian • Silver Sheen
Obsidian • Snowflake Obsidian

Petrified Wood

Scolecite

Septarian Nodules/Dragon’s Egg

Stalactite/Stalagmite

Stilbite

Talc

Tourmaline
Black Tourmaline/Schorl • Blue Tourmaline/Indicolite • Brown Tourmaline/Dravite/Uvite • Green Tourmaline/Verdilite • Red or Pink Tourmaline/Rubellite • Watermelon Tourmaline • Yellow Tourmaline

16.    Nourishing/Ying Qi Stones

Aventurine
Blue Aventurine • Brown Aventurine • Green Aventurine • Orange/Peach Aventurine • Red Aventurine

Azurite

Azurite-Malachite

Bronzite

Cavansite

Chalcopyrite

Charoite

Chiastolite

Chrysoberyl/Cat’s Eye (Cymophane)

Chrysocolla

Dioptase

Dolomite

Dumortierite

Garnet
Black Garnet/Melanite • Green Garnet--Tsavorite, Uvarovite, Demantoid • Red Garnet--Almandine, Pyrope(and Grossular) • Yellow, Brown, Orange Garnet--Hessonite, Spessartine, Topazolite

Hematite
Goethite

Hemimorphite

Hiddenite (Green Spodumene)

Howlite

Iolite/Water Sapphire

Kunzite (Pink Spodumene)

Kyanite

Lapis Lazuli

Magnesite

Magnetite/Lodestone

Malachite

Peridot/Olivine

Prehnite

Pyrite/Fool’s Gold

Rhodochrosite

Rhodonite

Seraphinite

Serpentine

Sodalite

Staurolite

Turquoise

Variscite

Zincite

Zoisite

17.    Source/Yuan Qi Stones

Alexandrite

Apatite

Beryl
Blue Beryl/Aquamarine • Clear Beryl/Goshenite • Green Beryl/Emerald • Pink Beryl/Morganite • Red Beryl/Bixbite •
Yellow or Golden Beryl/Heliodor

Chrysoprase

Coral

Diamond

Diopside

Epidote

Labradorite

Larimar/Pectolite

Lepidolite

Meteorite (Iron)

Moonstone

Muscovite/Fuchsite

Opal
Blue-Green Andean Opal • Fire Opal • Pink Andean Opal • Rainbow/Precious/Boulder Opal

Pearl

Ruby

Sapphire
Pink/Red Sapphire • Yellow Sapphire Spinel

Sugilite

Sunstone

Tanzanite

Tektite

Moldavite

Topaz (Golden or Imperial)
Blue Topaz • Clear Topaz • Pink Topaz

Unakite

Zircon

18.    Alchemica l Stones

Antimony
Stibnite

Cinnabar

Orpiment

Realgar

Sulfur

Appendix 1.    Charts of Therapeutic Qualities and Actions

Appendix 2.    Loca tions for Acupuncture

Points Commonly Used in Stone Medicine

Appendix 3.    Glossary of Terms

References

Index

Leslie J. Franks, LMT, has practiced Asian bodywork since 1990. In 1995, she began studying Classical Chinese Medicine with Dr. Jeffrey C. Yuen, an 88th generation Taoist priest from the ancient lineage of the Jade Purity School. She is also a Chen style Taiji instructor, certified by Master Wang Haijun, 12th generation Chen Taijiquan. She lives in Belchertown, Massachusetts.

“Beautifully written and well-organized with a deep understanding of Dr. Jeffrey Yuen’s teachings. Leslie Franks has produced an inspirational work about healing with gems and minerals that is not only for the practitioner of Chinese medicine but is also accessible to the layperson.”
Sheila George, M.D., Former academic dean for the acupuncture program at the Swedish Institute and board member at the American University of Complementary Medicine

“Based on the teachings of Jeffrey Yuen, this labor of love, study, and experience is finally coming out. I am so looking forward to using classical Chinese stone medicine for healing and transformation in my own life and in those of my patients.”
Christopher Dye, M.S., L.Ac., Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM)

“My heart is singing knowing that Jeffrey Yuen’s work is being offered to the world through Leslie’s book, Stone Medicine. I am equally delighted that she has included her own research and experience. I am one of many people who have sat in Jeffrey’s classes feeling fortunate beyond belief to be in his presence, letting it in to transform me. I’m grateful that Leslie has documented the details of his remarkable teachings and is sharing them with the world!”
Barbra Esher, L.Ac., Dipl. ABT & Ac. (NCCAOM)

“In addition to herbalism and acupuncture, Chinese Medicine has a rich tradition of using stones as medicine, passed from generation to generation for thousands of years. In this comprehensive guide and extensive Materia Medica, Leslie J. Franks presents the Stone Medicine teachings of Dr. Jeffrey C. Yuen, an 88th generation Taoist priest from the ancient lineage of the Jade Purity School, which dates to the Han dynasty, 206 BCE. Detailing the therapeutic properties of 200 gems, stones, minerals, and crystals, Franks begins with an extensive look at 15 different forms of quartz, followed by chapters on transformative stones, protective stones, nourishing stones, source energy stones, and alchemical stones.… this book explains how stones access our deepest layers, vibrating ever so slowly, to initiate deep lasting change.”
The Edge, March 2016

“This is a comprehensive manual for using crystals, gems and stones to address physical, emotional and spiritual health conditions. In addition to herbalism and acupuncture, Chinese medicine has rich traditions of using stones as medicine, passed from generation to generation for thousands of years. A thorough primer on Traditional Chinese Medicine that is backed by modern scientific research is included. ”
AZnetnews.com, May 2016

HEALTH / ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

“Beautifully written and well-organized with a deep understanding of Dr. Jeffrey Yuen’s teachings. Leslie Franks has produced an inspirational work about healing with gems and minerals that is not only for the practitioner of Chinese medicine but is also accessible to the layperson.”
     --Sheila George, M.D., Former academic dean for the acupuncture program at the Swedish Institute and board member at the American University of Complementary Medicine

“Based on the teachings of Jeffrey Yuen, this labor of love, study, and experience is finally coming out. I am so looking forward to using classical Chinese stone medicine for healing and transformation in my own life and in those of my patients.”
     --Christopher Dye, M.S., L.Ac., Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM)

In addition to herbalism and acupuncture, Chinese medicine has a rich tradition of using stones as medicine, passed from generation to generation for thousands of years. In this comprehensive guide and extensive materia medica, Leslie J. Franks presents the Stone Medicine teachings of Dr. Jeffrey C. Yuen, an 88th-generation Daoist priest from the ancient lineage of the Jade Purity School, which dates to the Han dynasty, 206 BCE.

Detailing the therapeutic properties of more than 200 gems, stones, minerals, and crystals, Franks begins with an extensive look at 15 different forms of quartz, followed by chapters on transformative stones, protective stones, nourishing stones, source energy stones, and alchemical stones. She explains the physical, emotional, and spiritual conditions each stone can treat and how their color, form, hardness, and energetic qualities affect us according to Chinese medicine. She discusses how to make stone and crystal elixirs for internal and topical use, how to charge quartz with the healing properties of other stones, how to cleanse and recharge a stone after use, and how to combine stones to create healing formulas for individual conditions. She explains different techniques of wearing stones as healing jewelry and how to use them in massage and energy work. She examines the chemistry and sacred geometry of crystal structure, revealing how the minerals contained in the stones affect our physiology by supporting our Jing (Essence); by nourishing Qi (energy), Blood, and Fluids; and by clearing Wind, Cold, Damp, and Heat conditions that can lead to disease.

Including a thorough primer on classical Chinese medicine and backed by modern scientific research, this book explains how stones access our deepest layers, vibrating ever so slowly, to initiate deep lasting change.

LESLIE J. FRANKS, LMT, has practiced Asian bodywork since 1990. In 1995, she began studying classical Chinese medicine with Dr. Jeffrey C. Yuen, an 88th-generation Daoist priest from the ancient lineage of the Jade Purity School. She is also a Chen style taiji instructor, certified by Master Wang Haijun, 12th-generation Chen Taijiquan. She lives in Belchertown, Massachusetts.