#asianbelief

[lisaksalerno]

Red String of Fate (1of 3) “An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break” -Ancient Chinese Belief I cannot cut this thread–It’s been attached to me for ages. It’s been dragged through the mud and pulled behind me for decades. The bright red has faded to a pale pink, and yet it is still intact; still connects me to you. Yet, lately there is something new and powerful awakening inside of me. I can feel it; perhaps you can too and that is why you are so hesitant to explore… #art #poem #poetry #verse #love #redstringoffate #originalpoem #contemporaryart #mixedmedia #chineselegend #asianbelief #soulmates #connections #linocut #linoprintmaking

[nj-vadodara-blog]

Navratna: Faith in the power of nine.

(An enamelled and gem-set Navratna necklace, India, late 18th century; image courtesy of Sotheby's.) 

Here is a combination of gems, 9 in number (to be specific), that has the same kind of religious significance and sanctity all across Asia, regardless of the country and the cultural differences that almost always tend to separate one country or culture from the other. 

Some of those countries that believe in the sanctity of the nine gems are India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.  

(Illustrated maps of Southeast Asia and India; images courtesy of Pinterest.) 

The nine gemstones in question are Ruby, Pearl, Red Coral, Emerald, Yellow Sapphire, Diamond, Blue Sapphire, Hessonite and Cat’s Eye. These are precious gems and according to Asian beliefs, only the purest of gems have the ability to protect an individual from disease, bad omens, demons, sins and any other sort of evil that may cause harm. Gems with impurities or flaws simply will not do. 

Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism are religions that support this belief system that hails the Navratna gems as sacred. 

The celestial bodies associated with each gem are as follows:  

Ruby – the Sun 

Pearl – the Moon 

Red Coral – Mars 

Emerald – Mercury 

Yellow Sapphire – Jupiter 

Diamond – Venus 

Blue Sapphire – Saturn 

Hessonite – the Ascending Lunar Node 

Cat’s Eye – the Descending Lunar Node   

More details in the next post.