Dunwich's Guide to Gemstone Sorcery

by Gerina Dunwich

a review by John Gilbert

Dunwich's Guide to Gemstone Sorcery, Using Stones for Spells, Amulets, Rituals, and Divination by Gerina Dunwich (ISBN 1-56414-672-3) is published by New Page Books, a division of Career Press, and available through your local bookseller.

Gerina has authored several other books. Among them are: Exploring Spellcraft, Candlelight Spells, The Wicca Book of Days, Magick Potions, Herbal Magick, and Wicca Love Spells. You can check out her website for more information at GerinaDunwich.com.

Gemstone Sorcery is a great reference book for using gemstones like agate, amethyst, beryl, bloodstone, carnelian. cat's eye, chrysoprase, coal, coral, diamond, emerald, garnet, jade, jet, lava, malachite, moonstone, onyx, opal, pearl, quartz crystal, ruby, staurolite, topaz and turquoise. I'm willing to bet you didn't consider some of those stones as gemstones. I didn't.

I didn't know a lot of things Gerina discloses in this book and I've been a rock hound for most of my life. I discovered several new things I could do with my crystals, new ways to communicate with my stones, and new techniques to use for amulets.

Everything Gerina teaches about spells, rituals and charms can also apply to amulets and talisman. She does have a separate chapter devoted to amulets and she does an excellent job explaining how to make them. Her techniques are different from those described by Donald Michael Kraig in his book Tarot & Magic but they work just as well. Gerina uses what is commonly called Low Magick while Donald uses High Magick. The names are different but the results are the same. Students are advised to use whichever approach appeals to them.

I was particularly taken by Chapter 8: Stone Oracles and Omens. Here Witchcraft comes alive for those of us who don't practice it. The student is encouraged to use this material and adapt it to his or her own spiritual path. You may also want to adapt the Gemstone Dream Interpretation discussion to new books on the subject like Tarot & Dream Interpretation by Julie Gillentine (reviewed elsewhere on this website).

Gerina does an excellent job discussing the calling of stones, their cleansing, charging and use. The altars she suggests are simple to build and use. Her discussion of cursed stones is also quite enlightening.

This book goes on my reference shelf where I suspect it will get a good workout for many years to come. Only the very best books available go on that shelf so you know how much I value Gemstone Sorcery.

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