The Philosopher's Stone: Wisdom Glittering in a Cut Stone
Since ancient times, humans have adorned themselves with symbols. Initially, these included drawings and tattoos on the body, talismans and amulets on clothing, and later, jewelry. While jewelry often bore the image of a symbol, faceted stones merely complemented the design, enhancing its beauty, appeal, and, of course, price. Today's technology allows us to imbue the cut stone itself with meaning by incorporating symbols into the pattern of its facets.
Let's discuss the symbolism of cuts using the "Philosopher's Stone" collection as an example. It features seven cut stones, varying in shape and material, united not only by their high cutting precision, precise optics, and superb polish—which makes any stone attractive—but also by the fact that the facet pattern of each contains a symbol. Let's examine them in turn.
1. "The great is in the small." A large, oval-shaped stone. On the crown, numerous straight lines running through the entire stone form six intersecting triangles; on the pavilion, rays emanating from the center intersect with three spirals that also unwind from the center to the edges. This image of the Galaxy, enclosed in the stone, reminds us of how the great is reflected in the small, how the world is reflected in a drop of dew, how a tiny atom replicates the structure of a giant star system. Looking at the stone, we ponder the value of every fleeting moment, the significance of every small action that can have fateful consequences.
2. "Treasure of the World". The shape of the stone is unusual – a horizontally elongated oval with pronounced corners at the top and bottom. In the "checkerboard" pattern covering the crown, a grid of parallels and meridians is clearly discernible. On the pavilion, rays radiating towards the edges accentuate the profile of the gemstone, formed by the small facets of the central part. This is a symbol of the greatest treasure, which each of us must define and name for ourselves...
3. "The Victor". Again, an unconventional shape for the stone – a form dictated by the content. The crown of the stone depicts the face of a lion, looking directly at us with its triangular eyes, in which one can read a sense of superiority over the "Crown of Creation," conquering Nature with the power of its intellect and becoming horrified by the results of its "victory"...
4. "The Secret of the Universe." Perhaps the most unusual stone in the entire collection, despite its familiar round shape. It is unusual due to its varying symmetry: the pavilion has five-fold symmetry, while the crown has six-fold symmetry. It is also unusual in the mutual arrangement of the sets of facets – "fans" of narrow, long triangles alternate with wide rhombuses, above which, from the pavilion side, a perfect five-pointed star reigns, precisely fitting into the circle of the table. The number of facets united in the "fans" yields sacred numbers; here one can see the five primary elements that form the basis of all existence, the twelve causes of Being (astrologically – the signs of the Zodiac), the seven Great Paths to Bliss, the six planes of the Universe, and the ten directions of space… If we consistently examine these sets of facets, the entire evolution of the Cosmos and, accordingly, of man, will unfold before us, since the great is reflected in the small.
5. "The Power of Inspiration." Once again, the content determines the fantastical form of the stone. On the crown, intersecting lines form the bud of some fairytale flower, while on the pavilion, the facets of the inner layer fold into a clearly defined lotus with three petals (three tongues of the single Flame; Father, Mother, and Son – the Trinity of any religion), resting on parallel lines, as if in the serenity of the waters of Life. In the depths of this flower, a star mysteriously shimmers with five sharp rays. "Oh, the jewel in the lotus flower!" – says the Great Buddhist mantra in a literal translation. Oh, the sacred flower in the stone!...
6. "Attaining Wisdom." In the outer contour of this slightly modified triangle, one can discern the silhouette of Mount Kailash, sacred to Buddhists. At the apex, the triangle, elongated upwards, strongly resembles a Christmas tree, and the rays radiating from the center across the pavilion are divided into segments according to the principle of the "Golden Ratio," so that these segments form the dome of a Muslim mosque. By combining images associated with different religions, the stone seems to tell us: "It doesn't matter which path you take to Wisdom – on any path you will find it if you walk with patience and the joy of creative work for the common good..."
7. "The Birth of a Star." A square-shaped stone with a large platform, through which, as through a wide window, a four-pointed star is visible, surrounded by two layers of rays radiating from the center to the edges. And you can see how the points of the star encounter equally sharp four rays moving towards them, from the edges to the center. Perhaps this is how worlds are born – expanding and contracting in eternal pulsation under the influence of unknown cosmic forces.
The order of the stones is no more random than their shape. Let's repeat:
- Galaxy Космос Великое в малом;
- Globe Earth World's Treasure;
- Lion Nature Winner;
- Five-pointed star Man Mystery of the Universe;
- Lotos, perfection Aspiration Power of Inspiration;
- Temple, tree, mount Path understanding Cognizing Wisdom;
- Supernova explosion Awakening Birth of a Star.
It is easy to see that the last act of this sevenfold action carries within itself the potential for the entire next cycle, and so on – without end...
Using this collection as an example, we can observe the evolution of the symbolism of cutting, which is different in each of the presented stones - from the concrete, artistic and figurative in the "Winner" (expressed in an image), to the abstract, ideological in the "Mystery of the Universe" (expressed in numbers and their combinations).
The newer works stand somewhat apart. Their symbolism has a qualitatively new level – unlike what was mentioned above, it is active. Let's take a closer look at these works.
1. "The Star of Maharishi." According to ancient Eastern doctrines, humanity had seven Great Teachers – the Seven Rishis, astronomically connected with the stars of the Big Dipper, physically with the septenary structure of our world (seven notes in an octave, seven colors in the spectrum, seven days in a week), and metaphysically with the seven rays of spiritual Knowledge. These Seven are one in their nature, just as visible white light is a synthesis of all its spectral components. And the stone pavilion represents a regular star, which, while being one, nevertheless consists of seven separate rays connected to each other by individual facets. These facets are, rather, a background, a covering – the invisible fabric of space.
Looking from the platform, we see a regular heptagon of the girdle, inscribed with a seven-pointed, self-intersecting figure. An identical figure, but smaller, is inscribed within the first, mirroring it. The ends of the large heptagon precisely correspond to the points of the Star shining on the pavilion. This figure represents our Universe, the physical Cosmos, sevenfold in its structure, based on the seven spiritual Rays represented by the Great Teachers. And, as the Great is reflected in the small, this sevenfold structure forms a microcosm—Man, designated by the small heptagon. This is the Spiritual Man, the foundation of every individual consciousness. Taken as a whole, this faceting design represents a constant reminder to man of his place in the Great System of the Universe, of his Origins and eternal Refuge, of the unity and identity of his inner world and the manifested Cosmos.
Clarity of lines, rigorous faceting, perfection of internal reflections, and deep philosophical content characterize this unique stone.
2. "Ariadne's Thread." In this stone, one can discern elements used in the previous design. However, their meaning and functions are noticeably different. On the pavilion, we see two seven-pointed stars, joined at their centers, one of which has "pure" rays, and the other – intersected (and seemingly darkened) by lines emanating from the center. The "bright" star represents the original sevenfold Fire, the Spiritual foundation of the universe, the "dark" star – the Great Abyss, the primordial Waters of space, the sevenfold Material aspect of Being. The common central point symbolizes the first tremor of Life in the previously unmanifested Universe; the Unified Center from which everything originates and to which everything returns at the end of the life cycle of this world. The stars are enclosed by a rounded, polished rim. This is a symbol of the limitations of our consciousness in comprehending the Boundlessness of the Cosmos.
Now we move from the macrocosm (pavilion) to the microcosm (crown). Here we see a self-intersecting heptagon, already familiar to us from the previous design. Within it, it encloses a precisely inscribed, identical, smaller heptagon, the sides of which are strictly parallel to those of the larger one. These are symbols of the septenary man. The large heptagon reflects its external side—its actions and deeds—while the small heptagon reflects its internal side—its thoughts, intentions, and motivations. The synchronicity of these figures speaks of the harmonious development of a person, the correspondence of their actions and thoughts. Each of us should strive for this in our lives. But the most interesting thing awaits us when we compare the relative positions of the faces of the crown and the pavilion—the man and the Cosmos. In the presented design, the human heptagon rests with its vertices on the star of Matter, maintaining an invisible connection with the star of Spirit—a connection represented by the segments extending from the points of self-intersection to its vertices. This is the path of an ordinary earthly person, living according to the laws of the material world. But as soon as we slightly rotate the crown relative to the pavilion, the picture changes radically. A person begins to follow the path of Spiritual Search, moving through their actions (and thoughts!) along all seven rays of the Star of Spirit, building their life according to spiritual laws and maintaining a connection with the material world only by virtue of their earthly existence. This is the path of saints and ascetics who live for the common good.
Thus, the cherished thread of Ariadne leads the Walker out of the labyrinth of fears and suffering, when, having passed through all seven rays of the spiritual Primordial Principle, his consciousness goes beyond the limits of limited worldview, like multi-colored flashes of fire jumping out of the stone in good light.
As mentioned earlier, these are stones with active symbolism that influence the lives and destinies of their owners. The mechanism of this influence is quite simple. For anyone who has even slightly touched the hidden side of the spiritual teachings that underlie world religions, thought has a material nature and is capable of influencing the flow of events. Recall the popular film "The Secret": "Life is like a magical genie. Just think of it, and it will do whatever you wish." When a person knows the symbols reflected in a stone, when they see themselves and their life's path in it, with each touch of their consciousness to the stone, they, voluntarily or involuntarily, create corresponding mental images. The more often a person holds the stone, or looks at it, or even simply thinks about it, the more powerfully these mental images shape their destiny, one after another, like water, carving its way through the rocks.
This was the first generation of "philosopher's" stones. The symbolism of the second generation of stones is on a qualitatively different level; unlike that just described, it is active. These stones influence the lives and destinies of their owners. The mechanism of this influence is quite simple. For anyone who has even slightly touched the hidden side of the spiritual teachings underlying world religions, thought has a material nature and is capable of influencing the flow of events. Recall the popular film "The Secret": "Life is like a magical genie. Just think of it, and it will do whatever you wish." When a person knows the symbols reflected in a stone, when they see themselves and their life's path in this stone, with each touch of their consciousness, they, voluntarily or involuntarily, create corresponding mental images. The more often a person holds a stone, or looks at it, or even simply remembers it, the more powerfully these mental images shape their destiny, one after another, like water, forging its way through the rocks.
