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.I"Stars" appearing in sapphires and rubies are thought to increase!the magical effectiveness of these stones. 6Obtaining StonesDepending on your particular wants and needs, obtaining stones formagical purposes can be easy or difficult, inexpensive or costly.You don't necessarily need gem quality stones for use in magic.Though a perfect emerald will have a strong magical effect, a lesserquality one (such as the emerald I bought at a rock show a few weeksago for $4.50) will have the same effect, if slightly reduced in potency.So too will substitutions for such stones (see Part IV for a list of magi-cal substitutions).Ifyou're serious about practicing stone magic, build up a stock ofstones.You needn't obtain 100 different stones; ten or twelve will prob-ably be adequate to begin with.Choose a selection that can be calledupon for nearly any magical need.This is a representative selection:Amethyst StaurolitePeridot AmberLapis Lazuli Quartz CrystalTiger's-eye Rutilated QuartzGarnet Green, Pink, Blue andCarnelian Black TourmalineYour own needs and areas of interest will affect your choice, ofcourse.Read Part II ofthis book and compose a personal list.Alter thisas you discover new stones or come upon unexpected situations25 26/ Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magicwhere you need them.How do you get the stones themselves? There are three basic meth-ods: buying, bartering, and collecting.While most stones are boughtand paid for today (just as in the past), it's cheaper and more fun tobarter for stones.Collecting them fresh from the Earth is better still.BUYING STONESThe range of stones available today is staggering.They comefrom all over the world, often traveling tens of thousands ofmiles, andpass through many hands before ending up at the counter where youpay for them.They may cost pennies each for common or lesser-quality specimens.Other stones will fetch hundreds or thousands ofdollars per gram or carat.Most large cities have rock shops, and small towns in mineral-rich areas have them as well.Though the proprietors will seldom havemuch firsthand knowledge of magic, these are still great places to"hang out," buy stones, and learn about their non-occult properties.Their prices will often be excellent but shop around for the bestvalues.Once you've made contact with the owners of rock shops,youlllearn when new stones are expected in the store and may havefirst pick of them.Metaphysical, New Age or occult supply stores usually carry avariety ofstones.These stores are found in increasing numbers acrossthe country.Virtually everyone sells quartz crystals, the "new" stonefor the New Age.Check the phone book for local suppliers of rocks and gemstones.Natural history museums sell stones in their gift shops, usually atgood prices.County fairs with exhibits by local gem or rock clubs willoften have sale areas as well.Mail-order sources are also available for stones; I've listed thesein the Appendix of this book.And finally, local or regional gem shows offer an overwhelmingarray of specimens for your perusal.Gem or rock shows are an established part ofthe trade.These are"rituals" that attract thousands ofcollectors and hundreds ofmerchants.The show itself-often housed in a convention center-consists ofendless rows of booths, each occupied by a dealer.Hundreds ofthousands of gemstones and minerals shine in the light.You'll find your best buys at rock shows.Many ofthe dealers whotravel around the country from show to show are well aware of the Obtaining Stones / 27local merchants, and so the prices are competitive.To ensure that youdon't overpay for a stone, check several dealers before making yourpurchase.When I began practicing magic in 1971, much was made of an"old" magical edict.It states: don't barter or haggle over objects ob-tained for magic.This was interpreted to include looking for the bestpossible price
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