Meet Visiting Educator Tiffany April Raines
8 Minute Read
Tiffany April Raines is the Certified Vedic Gemologist, Head of Sales, and co-owner of Astrological Gem International. She joined the team there in 2007 as a webmaster and a scientific skeptic. Doubting that astrological gemstones really worked, but curious by nature, she began researching client experiences in depth and testing every kind of gem she could on herself. Undeniable results converted her into a believer and eventually a practitioner of Jyotish (which is another name for Vedic Astrology.)
In 2012, she studied at the American College of Vedic Astrology and in 2014 became Astrological Gem’s Head of Sales. In 2015, she became a Certified Gemstone Advisor through the Planetary Gemologists Association whose website features her writing on Vedic Gemology.
Wearing several powerful gemstones of her own, she has served thousands of clients with research-based wisdom and intuitive insight, publishes popular myth-busting articles at AstrologicalGemBlog.com, and has grown to become one of the most sought after Jyotish gemstone advisors in the world. You can read a few of her articles on Vedic versus Western Astrology and How Vedic Gemstones Work and learn more from her through our interview with her below.
We chatted with Tiffany to learn more about her experiences choosing Vedic gemstones, how she counsels people to select the right gems, and how the right and wrong gems can affect those who wear them.
You are going on a gem buying trip soon. How do you choose Vedic gemstones?
When our team goes on a buying trip, we spend several days looking over hundreds of thousands of precious gemstones on display at highly exclusive shows. It can be disorienting to take it all in. Fortunately, I’m able to intuitively laser in on the gems that will work for astrological purposes, which saves us a lot of time. I have a special ability to scan through a sea of options and dial in on the gems that have the specific qualities we’re looking for, which includes technical criteria like purity and flawlessness but also subtle qualities like sweetness, liveliness and energetic potency.
They call me the “gem whisperer” because of my ability to connect to precious gems in a somewhat supernatural way. Sometimes gems will literally light up for me, or call to me, or tell me something special they’d like me to convey to a potential buyer. Gems and crystals possess a unique form of consciousness, and certain gems truly want to be engaged in healing and ascension processes with humans. I find that gems are effectively “asleep” until someone holds the intention to connect with them, then they wake up. And in my experience, they really want to be woken up.
So, beyond the clarity and quality of the physical stone, you use your abilities to identify gems that specifically want to be used for astrological purposes?
Yes. I have even been called or summoned by gems from a few booths over at a gem show! They definitely wanted me to find them, I had to excuse myself from the dealer I was talking to and go follow the calling. I used to apologize for sounding crazy, but I don’t do that anymore. The truth speaks in mysterious ways sometimes. I know that to some people, these things won’t make sense, but it is what it is. Other people really resonate with the concept of establishing a conscious relationship to healing gems and crystals. I believe it’s my dharmic calling to help people align with their highest path using astrological gemstones, and I’ve been blessed with the gifts I need to be able to do this job really well.
We also have two trained and highly experienced GIA Graduate Gemologists on our team, who carefully inspect and grade every precious gemstone that we purchase. I’m the most sensitive to the esoteric qualities of Vedic gems, but our quality standards are extremely strict and reliable.
Do you offer people a gemstone “prescription?”
Yes, it’s like a prescription, but maybe not as exacting as that sounds. I use Vedic Astrology to recommend gemstones that will have a karmic influence on the wearer’s astrological chart, but even more than that, I try to take the role of a guide who encourages people to discover their own intuitive senses about what gems will work for them. Almost everyone has the ability to sense which gems and crystals resonate with them the most, but it takes some advising and encouragement to get many clients to that point. Often in my line of work, I find I need to give people permission to sit in the driver’s seat, listening to and honoring their own intuitive abilities. I’m always happy to offer insight and advice, especially on a unique study like Vedic Gemology, but I would love to see the day when everyone learns to become their own guru.
Does existing jewelry with precious gemstones offer benefits?
Not all jewelry or commercial gemstones will have astrological power. Only a few very specific natural gems can channel planetary frequencies, and they have to be a particular quality and worn a certain way to have an impact on the wearer’s astrological chart.
When you’re shopping for Vedic gemstones, you always start by selecting the gem, and then we create a custom jewelry setting for it. First, we determine what type of gemstone will help you achieve the goals you’re looking for, maybe you want more career success or more abundance or more empowerment in your career. A gemstone consultation will help us select gems according to your intentions, which areas of life and karma you want to work on improving. Equally important is to determine what sort of gemstones may cause problems for you, so you know to avoid them in the future. The quality of the Vedic gemstone is also something we educate our clients on, though anything we offer will be the best quality in the world for these purposes.
Once you have chosen your Vedic gem, the setting we create is custom made to the exact specifications and dimensions of your gemstone. Jyotish gems should “lightly touch the skin” when set into the jewelry, so that light and color frequencies are properly transmitted into your energy field. If the gem is set too high or with metal underneath it, the beams of light and color won’t come through effectively, and the gemstone won’t produce significant results.
So, we always start with the gem selection and then create a custom setting with you, any style that you choose. With most commercial jewelry, people tend to shop based on the look and style of the design first, but our process will cater the look and feel of your jewelry to the exact specifics of your gem.
How can people ensure that they are buying a quality Vedic gemstone?
Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who take advantage of naive customers in this business. Especially when traveling abroad, maybe on a spiritual pilgrimage, I would caution you from buying gemstones for spiritual healing that are offered at suspiciously low prices. Genuine, natural, top quality precious gems are a significant investment because they’re so incredibly rare. It’s easy to find a stone that looks beautiful, but if it’s really inexpensive, it’s probably not genuine.
Poor quality gems are often treated to enhance their color and clarity, but they lose their life force and their healing power when they’re adulterated like that. There is also little regulation in the online selling industry, especially with international sellers on sites like Ebay or Etsy, so buying online from a supplier you can trust is essential. Listen to your intuition and remember that if something seems too good to be true, especially if it’s super cheap, then it probably is.
What can people expect if they work with you for a Vedic gemstone consultation?
I offer personal consultations to help you figure out what astrological gemstones you should wear and how they’ll help you achieve your specific goals, and I’ll let you know which gems to avoid. None of the written consultation is software generated, I have an intake form to get your birth details and then I create an extensive written personal recommendation based on your Vedic Astrological chart. The cost of the consultation is credited back to you if you purchase a gemstone with us. I also offer full Vedic natal readings for those who want a thorough analysis of their Jyotish chart, with gemstone recommendations included. People are often blown away by Vedic Astrology when they come from a Western Astrological background. I email the information in a PDF document so you have a written copy to read back through any time, but I’m also always available to talk through any questions.
If you then want to purchase a Vedic gem, I’ll help you select the right gem for yourself, or guide you to select the right gem! Finally, we create a setting for you specifically made for your gem. I’ve helped thousands of people discover the incredible power of Vedic gemstones, and it’s truly an honor to do so.
Learn more about how to schedule a Vedic gemstone consultation with Tiffany April Raines here.
About the Author
Tiffany April Raines was interviewed by the Woo school editorial staff.
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