Ruby Meaning and Healing Powers

Introduction to Ruby

Rubies are probably the most historically significant colored gemstones of them all, they are certainly the most expensive and easily subject to the most myths and legends.

In Sanskrit, the language of the ancient Hindus, it was known as Ratnaraj, ‘the king of precious stones’, and the infamous Chinese Emperor, Kublai Khan, once exchanged an entire city for a large red ruby!

To Vedic astrologers, the ruby represented the sun and possessed powerful medicinal properties while the Bible says it was the most precious gemstone in Aaron’s famed breastplate.

To be fair, the ruby’s history is a bit cloudy as, prior to the 1800s, all red gemstones of any quality were called rubies and that included spinels, tourmalines and garnets, so some legends may well be attached to an all together different gem type.

Ruby Meaning

Rubies have long been associated with passion, energy, and vitality. As a symbol of love and power, the deep red hue of rubies is believed to ignite feelings of passion and desire. In ancient cultures, rubies were often considered to possess protective qualities, warding off negative energies and bringing good fortune to the wearer. Overall, the ruby is a gemstone that embodies both emotional intensity and physical vitality, making it a cherished symbol of love and energy throughout history.

• The Stone of Love
• Power and Leadership
• Integrity and Devotion
• Courage and Strength
• Passion and Energy
• Sexuality and Fertility
• Generosity and Prosperity
• Confidence and Motivation

Rubies are the perfect personification of red, when we hear the word ruby, we immediately think of a deep rich red color and when we imagine red, we see passion, seduction, power, violence, danger, fire, blood, excitement and lust.

Ruby red is the color of self-confidence, built on daring action and excitement. It raises our spirits and speeds up our metabolism, it motivates our creativity and desire.

It is a very strong color - the color of fire and blood. Sports teams who wear red consistently perform better on average than teams in other colors. It is thought that this is because humans have evolved to associate red with power and aggression.

Some rubies also possess fluorescence, a phenomenon that causes them to glow in ultra violet light and some special examples even seem to glow in sunlight.

Being a red stone, rubies are linked to the flow of blood through the body and all that is associated with this from blood pressure to the strength of the heart.

It also has influence over the stomach area, lower back and digestive system. Sexual problems, PMS, menopausal issues and impotence can all be alleviated with this powerful crystal.

There is also the Star Ruby which carries all the strengths and powers of a usual ruby gemstone but amplified by the star’s amplified light.

Ancient Hindu and Buddhist philosophy says that we all have seven sacred points within our bodies which influence our physical and mental well being. These points are called Chakras (which means wheel or to spin) and are centers of energy that begin at the base of the spine and end at the top of the head.

These seven Chakra points all have their own color and gemstones of the same or similar color can be used to unblock or realign a troubled Chakra.

Being a classic red gemstone means rubies are linked with the Root or Base Chakra, linked to physical health, stability, prosperity and stolidity.

Please read our Chakra Gemstones article for more details

Yes, rubies can certainly help unblock a Chakra.

Signs of a blocked Root Chakra include feeling insecure, disconnected and a bit apathetic, unable to feel enthusiastic about anything and lacking motivation. You may even feel physically weak.

An overactive Root Chakra can show itself in feelings of greed and mercenary behavior.

The Root Chakra is centered at the base of the spine and to use a ruby for treatment, find yourself a quite spot to lie down on your front with the gemstone placed on the lower back. Breathe calmly and relax.

To boost the ruby’s efficacy, keep mantras such as 'I feel secure', 'I am safe', 'I am secure' and 'I love life' in your thoughts.

Rubies can also affect the heart chakra and may be used to activate the Kundalini.

Yes, ruby is the birthstone for July, the red-hot summer month.

Ruby is also a traditional gemstone gift for 15th and 40th wedding anniversary

Please read our Birthstone by month article for more details

Ruby has a few links to zodiac stones.

It is the birthstone for both the Capricorn and Cancer signs and, for those that follow the Vedic astrology charts, it is traditionally associated with Leo.

Please read our Zodiac Gemstone article for more details

Ruby is a durable gemstone so it will be able to stand up to any sort of cleansing ritual be it water, sun or smoke but I particularly like the time-honored Hindu method from India where the ruby is especially revered.

First, put the ruby into a bowl of Gangajal water. (Gangajal water is holy water from the River Ganges and is available on line but some fresh spring water from a source special to you will be just fine.)

Place the bowl where it will be hit by the light of the sunrise and leave it in the rays for 30 to 40 minutes.

Rinse and pat dry, your ruby is now cleansed and fully charged.

Sir John Mandeville has been called the English Marco Polo and supposedly spent 25 years travelling from his home country to China, visiting Turkey, Egypt, Russia, India and the Holy Lands along the way.

He wrote:

‘Once a man had touched the four corners of his land with his Ruby, then his house, vineyard and orchard would be protected from lightning, tempests and poor harvest’.

In ancient China, rubies were placed in the foundations of important buildings to protect them and their contents and you can do something similar by positioning one in your basement or ground floor to infuse the whole house with its support.

The south part of the home is where reputation and fame is cultivated so placing a ruby there will encourage the growth of your standing in the community.

Of course, as a gemstone of lust and sexuality, the bedroom is another great option to keep your rubies!

See our Rubies for sale here

We are often asked how to use gemstones for spiritual or health benefits and while we are certainly not experts in this field we have gained some experience and knowledge.

Wearing a ruby gemstone as a piece of jewelry is the easiest way for it to influence you and easily the most popular way with this gorgeous gem.

Certain stones and colors have a connection to different parts of the body, for example the ruby is connected to the base chakra and heart chakra so a pendant could be ideal or they can be placed in your purse or pocket.

Easiest of all, just lay down with crystals on your body, lined up with the chakra points if possible.

Decorate your home with crystals so their influence can spread around the home helping all the family. Similarly putting one in the office can impact your whole working day.

According to Vedic astrology, the ruby is a major source of wealth, prosperity, status, and standing. It is known as Manik in Hindi and represents the all powerful sun and it is recommended that anyone striving to reach the top should have one with them.

In addition, simply possessing or wearing ruby gemstones is a symbol of abundance and wealth and suggests expertise and prowess helping attract backers and investors.

See our Gemstones for Wealth article here

I would say that Ruby is a bit too invigorating and stimulating to be good for meditation and suggest something more like aquamarine or hematite would be better.

Ruby could be incorporated into the more active practice of yoga but would still not be my first choice.

Please read our Gemstones for Meditation and Yoga article for more details

All of us have different reactions to the spiritual powers of gemstones. Some people can comfortably wear the most powerful crystals every day while others find some gemstones just too overwhelming.

Ruby is one of the most powerful gemstones available so it is certainly possible that it may take some getting used to. I suggest trying your ruby for a day or two, if you feel a little overpowered or over stimulated, take it off and slowly reintegrate it into your life over a few days or weeks.

In times past, Ruby, like most other precious stones, was thought to warn of poison and looming danger. It grew dark and cloudy if anything bad was about to happen to its owner and would only brighten and clear when the danger had passed.

See our Rubies for sale here

There is a famous shrine to Chao Mae Tubtim or the Ruby Goddess here in Thailand where couples come to ask her for help when having fertility problems. Google it for pictures as it is quite an eye-opener!

Another local goddess associated with ruby here in Thailand is Mazu who originated in China and her worship worked its way down the coast with the sailors and traders who called on her for protection at sea.

Ruby is also associated with the Egyptian goddess of war, Sekhmet.

All gemstones can influence the health and well-being of our pets just as they can influence us. So in theory a ruby could be used to assist a pet with root chakra issues or blood disorders but realistically there are probably better gemstones.

Please take a look at our special Gemstones for Pets article here

A gemstone elixir can be easily and quickly made by just popping a clean gemstone or two into some fresh spring or mineral water and leaving it for a few hours – in the sun if you are using ruby. Then just drink the water, make it into tea, add to bath water or dab it on an affected area of the body.

Ruby contains aluminum which can be poisonous. The chances of causing yourself damage by making a ruby elixir are minute but it may be a good idea to be safe than sorry by putting the ruby gemstones into a water tight container and putting THAT into the water. This method means the rubies can influence the water but never actually touch it.

Ruby makes a great energizing elixir bringing enthusiasm, motivation and passion. Put some elixir into a spray bottle and give yourself a mist when you need uplifting or on your way out the door for some extra energy.

A ruby under the pillow (or tucked in the pillowcase to stop you losing it) will increase both the number of dreams and the understanding of your dreams.

Dreaming about rubies can be a good sign as they can mean spiritual enlightenment or the beginning of a new exciting period in your life. It is often an omen of coming riches and romance.

We can look to Mother Nature herself for guidance about which gemstones will work well with Ruby. Ruby can be found as a natural combination with zoisite, kyanite and fuchsite.

Ruby-Zoisite gemstones are found as a blend of usually red and green crystals which have a reputation for helping with spinal problems.

Ruby in Fuchsite is another blend of crystals which encourages lucid dreams.

Ruby in Kyanite is a energizing gemstone which can boost your life force energy. Kyanite can also be found as separate lovely gemstones in a delightful blue color and match up very well with rubies both aesthetically and spiritually.

Ruby can also be combined with other red gemstones such as garnet and carnelian for work on the Root Chakra and with rose quartz for romance and love.

Ruby is a great gemstone for career success and luck. It is thought to be the crystal that grants fame and recognition. Ruby helps you to realize your goals and attracts prosperity and personal power. It lends calmness and balance, which boosts creativity, career achievements, and independence.

Wear one to work, keep one in the office or put one in the workplace in your home as a sure fire recipe for triumph.

Pendulums are a great way to reveal hidden truths about yourself. Suspend a crystal from a string or chain and ask a series of yes or no questions to access your subconscious. The movement of the pendulum reveals the answers.

The gemstone at the end of the chain needs to be fairly substantial to be able to swing in a way that can easily understood and this may be an expensive process if using a ruby. There are a couple of options.

A small ruby combined with a large crystal of your choice can be attached to the chain.

Ruby in Fuchsite can be found in large sizes at reasonable prices and with the blended energizing, balancing and stimulating energies as well as promotion of personal reflection make excellent pendulum stones.

Use a pendulum of any type of crystal suspended over a ruby placed on the floor or table, it can influence the outcomes from there.

The integrity and power of ruby make them very useful for clear and specific answers from your psyche.

Our modern world is full of smart phones, computers, wifi routers and interactive TVs and as a result we are inundated with harmful electro-magnetic waves.

Gemstones can offer some protection from this invisible smog and while ruby is a powerful gemstone its strength lies in different forms. I would suggest Black Tourmaline, Malachite and Amazonite are better alternatives.

See our detailed article on EMF and gemstones here

Fifty million years ago the land we now call India collided with the continent of Asia. As these two masses pressed against one another they formed the mighty Himalayan mountain range which rises to above 8000 meters in some parts.

The immense pressure and combination of various minerals not only formed massive mountains for Sherpas and rich people to climb but also created rubies. Follow the Himalayan fault line from Pakistan through India and China to the foothills in Myanmar and you will find the top ruby mining locations along the way.

How an object of such sublime beauty was formed by the fires from below the earth’s surface, the mixing of minerals and chemicals and the grinding and pressure of two continental plates is a natural wonder and we are all blessed by the existence of rubies.

Please read our Ruby information article for more details

Handy Guide to Ruby

Nickname	The Stone of Love
Color	Red
Chakra	Root / Heart
Birthstone	July
Zodiac	Vedic Leo
Main Virtue	Passion and Energy
Health	Fertility and Re-birth
Health	Cardiovascular
Gem Partner	Kyanite / Rose Quartz
Cleansing	Water / Sun
Goddess	Chao Mae Tubtim