For example if one had a Sag lagna and lord of the ascendant were in the 6th house in Taurus yellow sapphire would be of help in strengthening Jupiter, regardless of the house being a dusthana and an enemy's sign. For the same lagna, say Sun was in the 8th house in Cancer along with Mars, and there was no correction of debilitation in the horoscope for this. Ruby could be recommended with good results as benefic lord of the 9th, adding that Sun is also a planet that does well in the 8th house.

On the other hand to recommend red coral for Mars would only increase the malefic effects of Mars and cause increased suffering to the native. Were Saturn also debilitated in the 5th, it would be especially foolhardy to recommend blue sapphire as the terrible effects would be even more devastating to the person's life. Yet were Saturn in Virgo in the 10th, blue sapphire may be worn for increased power in matters of status and career, especially during the Saturn dasha or bhuktis.

An experienced jyotishi must examine the chart from many perspectives before making pronouncements on how a person's prarabdha karma will manifest in this lifetime and when the effects will be felt. It is not that we quickly see a planet's position in the rasi chart and make a pronouncement. Careful consideration is always the hallmark of an experienced practitioner of both jyotish and ayurveda in analysis and making recommendations. The same must be true for recommending a gemstone to increase particular influences in a chart. It is true that sometimes increasing a benefic influence may help to overshadow a negative one coming from another quarter, but a bad influence can never be lessened nor curtailed by using the gem for the planet producing it.

It is not becoming to the persons who are learning, experiencing, and practicing this brahminical science to be stubborn about increasing their knowledge in planetary gemology nor any other facet of jyotish science. We are all students, regardless of how many years, decades, or lifetimes we have practiced, and this is a spiritual science meant to benefit and enlighten those that seek its counsel. We are attempting to read the karma of those that seek our counsel and just as fire will burn even an innocent child, who unwittingly places a hand into it, should we create negative influence or greater suffering for those seeking relief through our counsel, the karmic reactions will be upon our heads. There are many scriptural injunctions about charlatan astrologers or physicians being born blind in the next life, or taking birth in a hellish planetary system. Ignorance of the law will not excuse us from such karmic reactions.

Therefore it behooves us to be diligent in our personal sadhana that we may gain the blessings of Lord Vishnu, Lord Siva,  Lord Ganesh and our eternal transcendental preceptors Sri Parashara and those in the line of disciplic succession for their blessings upon us. For a qualified jyotishi the practice is also part of the spiritual progression towards liberation in that the service rendered is of the topmost quality in giving knowledge to those who seek it. 

Respectfully,

Howard Beckman
(Hamsavatar Das)