Gold is a valuable metal and has a long history. It has a unique status for millennia and is one of the few metals that can be found in its native state. Not many metals have had such a critical role in our history as gold. Gold comes in yellow colour, although it may be purple, ruby, or black (when finely divided).

The Physical Properties of Gold

Gold is one of the noblest metals that occurs in its native (free elemental form) “ as grains or nuggets in veins, rocks, and alluvial deposits. It often naturally alloyed with palladium and copper and also occurs in a reliable solution with silver. In its purest form, gold is a soft, dense, slightly reddish yellow, bright, ductile, and malleable metal. Gold is not affected by exposure to most reagents or air and is a good conductor of heat or electricity. To increase its strength, it is alloyed with other metals. The amount of gold present is expressed with the term karat. Gold can be bent, shaped, or beaten into thin sheets. It has a value of 2.5-3 on the Mohs scale of hardness.

The History of Gold

In human history, there are only a few metals that have had such an influential role. The first evidence of social interaction with this noble metal occurred around 3,000 B.C. in ancient Egypt. Temple priests and pharaohs prized it “ the capstones on the Pyramids of Giza were of gold. Later on, the ancient Greeks viewed it as a form of glory amongst demigods and immortal gods. The Aztecs, Incas, and many other civilizations used gold in architectural designs and religious ceremonies. Gold used to be a status symbol that separated one class from another. Those who had the gold held power. During the 1800s, there were many gold rushes as a single gold nugget could make a person a millionaire.

The Lore of Gold

In many ancient civilizations, gold had spiritual meaning. In ancient Egypt, gold was the solar metal and a part of the sacred sphere. Gold was divine to the Sumerians who used it to make holy temple instruments. In the Sahel and Sahara area, people believed that gold was effective in warding off the evil eye. In West Africa people thought that gold had a life on its own, so they avoided it.

The Metaphysical Properties of Gold

Gold is the symbol of the development of complete understanding and spirituality, allowing one to attain communion with the source of life and all being. It helps one with learning and lessening traumas experienced during the learning process, improving one's character. Those who hold it can activate, mobilize, and actualize their inherent potential of the Self. Gold helps balance one's energy fields, combat feelings of inferiority and depression, and calm states of anxiety and anger. It has been used in the balancing and purification of the heart chakra as well as to open the crown chakras and third-eye.

Gold has very receptive and cooperative energy, which makes it perfect for use with other gemstones. It has been used to improve breathing, circulation, and digestion and for the treatment of pneumonia, rheumatism, heart disease, vascular disease, arthritis, eye problems, spinal problems, and nightmares. Gold is also said to help balance the left and right hemispheres of the brain.