Natural gemstones ass the element of earth plus whatever elements their colors embody. (A quick reference: green- wood, red- fire, yellow- earth, white- metal, black/clear- water.)
Part of the joy of minerals is their ability to connect you to the outdoors (Tao connection to nature). Another side benefit is their shine and light can add some magical reflection to a space, activating chi (energy) in a “dread zone” of your home or office.
You can always do a fun, Mr. Wizard’s Word type activity and rock tumble on your own. If you do not want to spring for a rock tumbler, you can do things the organic way:
You can make your own tumbler with several items found around the house. Place 1/3 cup of sand in a plastic jar with water the rocks you want polishing. Close the lid securely. Now it is time to use some hard graft/elbow grease. Agitate the jar by shaking it. Do this several times daily and your rocks will develop a shine after two to three weeks, with the stone being completed after several months. This method does take a lot of persistence but is a great way to show kids how tumblers work, or how nature actually polishes rocks on its own. (via The Lapidary and Polishing Blog)
