Sparkling Tales, Deadly Gems (Part II)
England's Queen Victoria gave opals as gifts frequently, yet one book ("The Magic of Precious Stones") holds that no one is allowed to wear opals in English or Swedish courts because of misfortunes that may be brought on by the stone.
Some myths put conditions on the wearing and receiving of opals. A Chinese belief is that the wearer must be pure of heart in order to receive an opal as a gift; Asians also view opals as symbols of hope and loyalty. Others say opals can only be worn safely by those with birthdays in October, but a less strict tenet says opals are safe for anyone provided the stones were received as gifts.
There's no shortage of opal myths. Here are a few more: ~ Dreaming of opals denotes the coming of great possessions. ~ Opals keep blond hair from fading with age or darkening. ~ Opals are the patron stone of thieves. ~ The fire of an opal led Arabs to believe that the stone fell from the heavens in flashes of lightning. ~ Opals are recommended for men named Osmond. ~ Opals found in Hungary and New South Wales are considered lucky for those of Hungarian or Welsh ancestry. ~ Opals bring bad luck to those who stray in love or use the stone's power for evil or selfish purposes. ~ Opals allow the wearer to become invisible or to fade into the background. ~ Opals intensify the wearer's thoughts and actions, so if you tend to be anxious or nervous, the opal will magnify these feelings; if you are focused, this trait will be magnified.
One opal legend seems to carry the same burden as that of the Hope Diamond. The story goes that Spain's Alfonso XII received a beautiful opal ring from a jilted lover. When he married Queen Mercedes, she wanted to wear the ring. Unfortunately, she died wearing the opal, as did his grandmother and sister who also wore it. Eventually King Alfonso himself died from the same mysterious ailment as his family members - within months of wearing the ring.
Opals have been used in magic potions as healing tonics or to stave off nightmares. Ritualistically, they have been used to enhance power and attract money. Spiritually, opals are used to help people look within themselves as well as to aid in past life regression. This is said to be done by looking within the opal's colors until the past can be seen. So powerfully
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