I love the honey color hessonite gemstone. It is a rather rare and expensive garnet with all the hues of the yellow orange family. The shades may range from a shy transparent beige all the way to the daring dark crimson. I knew hessonite is auspicious and especially important in India according to Hindu astrology.
I remember one of my uncle was recommended to wear one when he was having a rather bad time in his life. I was then just a child, growing up in India. My folks used to say "He has the bad effect of Rahu and now a gomed (hessonite garnet) is needed to change his fate".
Well, what is this Rahu I thought. I got my answer today, so many years later after some studying, as I finished my necklace with the hessonite garnet.
Astronomically, Rahu is the north lunar node - Rahu and Ketu are the two points of intersection of the paths of the Sun and the Moon as they move in the celestial sphere.
Astrological significance is - the effect of Rahu can cause lethargy, greed, low esteem , bad speech. extreme worldly desire and fame, obsession, dementia and inertia....
Mythological significance:
In Hindu mythology Rahu is the culprit and the reason for solar and lunar eclipses.
Long ago the devatas (gods and goddesses, the deities, I mean) and the danavas (demons) decided to go and obtain amrita - the elixir . It will make them indestructible and immortal. They made a truce that they'll work together. But as soon as it was obtained the danavas rushed to grab the amrita. The devatas prevented them. Narayan (an important god) transformed himself into a female beauty, Mohini and distracted all the danavas with her charm. There was one sly one- Rahu, who could not be fooled. He waited for this opportunity and managed to drink the amrita. He took just one big gulp when the Sun and the Moon spotted this and quickly reported to Narayan. Narayan, using his sudarsan chakra(super disk) cut his head off.
Lo and behold, the head had the amrita and could not be destroyed. So the head of Rahu hangs forever in the celestial universe. Ketu is the other half of his body.
Rahu's vengeance for the Sun and the Moon never changed. He rushes to gulp them whenever he gets a chance and that is when the eclipses happen. But the Sun and the Moon are rescued as soon as they can pass through his throat.
Hessonite can help brings calmness, positive energy and raise self confidence and appreciation for others even in messed up lives.
