Emerald - a rare gemstone of the ancient world

It is difficult to find an ancient people whose history did not mention emerald. This stone personified eternal youth, true love, clairvoyance, giving the owner powerful magical protection. Myths, legends, sagas, religious scriptures - many handwritten sources from past millennia contain tales about this gem. Today, emerald is one of the most desirable stones of noble persons, speaking of power, prosperity, and good taste.

History and origin

Emerald has been known since the times of ancient Babylon, Egypt, Greece, and many other peoples and cultures of the world. Around four thousand years BC, the Babylonians traded in gems. Emeralds were considered a profitable investment for the upper class.

The ancient Egyptian beauty, Queen Cleopatra, had emerald mines among her possessions. They were located near Aswan. There were legends about these mines, but for centuries the stories about them were considered a myth until 1818. Rich deposits of minerals, of course, were not found there, but archaeologists discovered inventory in the former mines, later dated to 1300 BC.

This is interesting! Mines near Aswan were also mined during the reign of Pharaoh Sesostris III. The mining site consisted of mines dug by slaves into solid shale at a depth of about 200 meters. Such mines could accommodate up to 400 people at a time. The miners carried out their work in complete darkness, since it was believed that green nuggets were afraid of light. A rock containing emerald was brought to the surface. Stone crystals were distinguished after smearing the rock with olive oil.

For the Egyptians, emerald was a sacred stone, a gift from Thoth, the ancient Egyptian deity. The green mineral was considered a symbol of unfading youth, eternal spring. In addition, people believed that the gem was capable of giving a person the gift of clairvoyance, as well as telepathy.

The stone of the goddess Isis helped turn dreams into reality, see the past and future. The Egyptians made emeralds a favorite material for jewelry and wanted the mineral to be placed in tombs. The nugget was given to women in labor as a talisman for the expectant mother.

1. The green gem was also known in India. It is believed that emerald gained fame as a stone of love thanks to Sultan Shah Jahan. The fact is that the famous creator of the Taj Mahal owned green gems on which engravings of the sacred scriptures were placed. The Taj Mahal remains to this day a symbol of eternal love and devotion, and with it also the emerald - the talisman of the great Sultan.
2. A little later, the mineral gained fame as a healer. The stone was used to treat bites from poisonous animals. Some type of gem was even considered dangerous for snakes. Emerald was also credited with a positive healing effect on human vision.
3. Alchemists said that it was on the tablet from this gem that instructions for creating the philosopher's stone were inscribed. According to legends, such a stone is capable of granting eternal life and transforming any metal into gold. Myths say that the tablet was a very large emerald, allegedly discovered along with the mummy of the deity Thoth. Scientific occult postulates were carved on a huge stone.
4. The history of Central Asian countries was also not complete without emerald. In those parts, the mineral was considered a talisman capable of protecting the owner from bad dreams, sorrows, and evil spirits. The stone was endowed with the ability to strengthen the heart and relieve epilepsy, and an emerald seal in a gold frame protected against ulcers, love vicissitudes, and bestowed restful sleep.
5. Emerald was revered in all countries with the Islamic faith, which cannot be said about Christianity. According to Christian legend, emerald is a stone of dark forces. Allegedly, the mineral fell to the ground from Lucifer’s helmet during his expulsion from heaven. Therefore, the green nugget was considered a hellish stone, a product of evil. Although there is some ambiguity here, because according to legend, the Holy Grail is carved from emerald. In addition, emerald is the third gem on the pectoral of the Jewish high priest.

Only in the 16th century did Europe learn about emerald after the journey of the Spanish conquistadors to the shores of America. Green gems began to arrive in streams to the Eurasian continent from the lands of Colombia. In Rus', the mineral was called the beautiful word “smaragd”, considered a symbol of hope, wisdom, and composure. In 1831, deposits of the mineral were discovered in the Urals.

Talismans and amulets

emerald crystal

In ancient times, emeralds were considered symbols of endless youth, wisdom, love and wealth. For modern people, emerald can be an excellent talisman:

• For mothers who will be helped to easily bear and give birth to a child in a timely manner, as well as in the future to establish a strong connection with the “offspring”, endowing them with calmness, wisdom and real feminine softness.
• For those who want to protect themselves and their home from evil spirits and evil people. To do this, the stone should be kept at the front door or on the desktop.
• For young families to live a long and happy married life, full of love and mutual understanding, avoid strong quarrels and remain faithful to each other. No wonder the 55th wedding anniversary is called “emerald”.
• For travelers who will be protected from adversity along the way.
• For young girls. He will help them maintain their purity and find true love. To do this, they must wear a ring with a stone on their ring or little finger.
• For creators and businessmen to not lose inspiration, to be full of ideas and to always be successful people.

Emerald talismans can be inherited, thus passing to a new owner, they retain all their magical properties.

Place of Birth

Emerald mining sites are scattered throughout the world, but there are few deposits of high-quality stone. The following emeralds are found in the world's main deposits:

• Colombia.
• Egypt.
• Brazil.
• Zambia.
• New Granada.

In Ireland, Austria and Norway, low grade stones are mined. The largest percentage of world mineral production comes from Colombian deposits, but Zambian and Brazilian emeralds are rightfully at the highest level of quality.

Did you know that in 1974 the largest emerald crystal in history was mined, weighing 28 kg. Found this miracle of nature in Brazil.

Mineral mining is also carried out in the territories of Italy, the USA, Russia, Bulgaria, Germany, Nigeria, Somalia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Stones are found in Tanzania, Ethiopia and Cambodia, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, China, India, as well as Madagascar.

Color classification according to TU and GIA

To determine the value of emeralds in Russia, the 1988 Specifications are used. According to the technical specifications, emerald purity and color characteristics are divided into 5 categories, each of which has its own standard.

The stone with the most saturated color is classified as the first quality category, and crystals of group 5, which have a yellowish-gray color, are very often transferred to the beryl group and are not considered emeralds.

Next, we will tell you how to determine the purity and color of an emerald using the GIA scale.

To determine the quality of a crystal, experts compare gems with reference samples and only after that decide which color group to classify the stone into.

The GIA world classification of emeralds provides for the use of a special set for determining the color of stones, GIA GemSet. Emeralds include standards selected for purity with color tones ranging from 3 to 8 and color saturation of 2-5.

The best color according to this classification is bG 5/5, and the best purity group is the third.

Table of the ratio of purity and color of precious stones according to the international classification:

Physical properties

Emerald belongs to the beryl group of stones. The mineral owes its green color to impurities of vanadium oxide, less often to chromium or iron oxides. The gem is resistant to acids, however, at temperatures above 700°C it becomes discolored. Scientists believe that the nugget is still “ripening”, that is, over time its hardness will increase.

Perfect transparent stones are rare. Often the specimens found are riddled with cracks, veins, splits, and clouded with gas bubbles or inclusions of other minerals. To give an attractive appearance, most stones are treated with special chemicals.

Color varieties

All emeralds differ in color, as well as in the degree of transparency, but they are classified according to their places of extraction. There are the following types of emeralds:

• Colombian. The stones are grass-colored and have minimal damage and defects. Colombians also mine a special type of stone - “trapiche”. This is a nugget with a design that resembles a wheel with six spokes radiating out from the center of the crystal.
• Brazilian. Minerals are lighter and more transparent than Colombian ones.
• Zambian. They are considered the most beautiful of all stones mined on the planet. Crystals from Zambia are ideally clean, transparent, rich green in color. There are specimens with a yellow or blue tint.
• Zimbabwean stones combine two shades - green and yellow.
• Ural. The nuggets are large in size, densely green in color, but opaque.
• South African. Light crystals, cloudy. Such stones are processed only as cabochons.

When assessing the jewelry quality of an emerald, the first criterion is the color of the stone. Rich, deep green minerals are highly prized, even if they have minor imperfections. A perfectly transparent, but light-colored nugget costs less. Emeralds that are flawless in all respects are worth more than diamonds with similar characteristics.

Variety of colors and shades

The lowest quality crystals are characterized by the presence of a yellowish-gray tint. They most often cannot be cut, but are used to grow hydrothermal crystals that have a rich green color. Read more in the article “What are hydrothermal emeralds: types of synthetic stones.”

Depending on the presence of green, blue and yellow shades, the following groups of emerald colors are distinguished:

• bright green;
• bright green with a subtle bluish tint;
• bright green with a clearly defined bluish tint;
• green;
• green with a pale blue tint;
• green with a noticeable tint of blue;
• yellowish-green.

The difference between individual groups of flowers may be barely noticeable due to the fact that natural emerald is usually small in size and weight. Only a professional jeweler with extensive experience can determine it.

Modern types of gem cutting make it possible to level out the difference in color, giving a less expensive stone more refined features.

Medicinal properties

Smaragd has a complex effect on the body, participating in the establishment of many processes:

• Normalizes blood pressure, eliminating sudden changes.
• Fights headaches. For these purposes, it is recommended to wear earrings.
• Acts as a remedy for the treatment of joint diseases.
• Normalizes the functioning of the digestive system, helps in the treatment of gastritis, colitis, ulcers.
• Eliminates the causes and symptoms of urinary tract diseases.
• Improves the functioning of the female reproductive system, normalizing the menstrual cycle, eliminating PMS and pain during menstruation.
• Stabilizes a person’s emotional state, suppressing outbreaks of causeless anxiety and mood swings.
• Improves vision. For this purpose, emerald is applied to the eyes daily for 15-20 minutes.

Water charged with emerald has an antibacterial and cleansing effect. You can drink this water and also use it as a cleanser if you have skin problems. Charge the water by placing the emerald in a vessel with liquid overnight. It is worth noting that a mineral that has not been touched by processing is much stronger than a cut stone.

Scope of use

The mineral is widely used to create jewelry, has powerful magical and healing properties, and has some industrial significance.

Zodiac sign

Astrologers believe that emerald is an excellent talisman for representatives of the signs Cancer and Pisces.

It will be a source of confidence, a positive attitude towards life, will be able to relieve them of inhibitions, and will also reveal creative abilities and strengthen intuition.

The stone will have a similar effect on Taurus and, in addition, will give them the opportunity to achieve their goal in a shorter time.

Wearing jewelry with a gem is suitable for representatives of the Air element. It will help them to tune in to thinking, concentrate, relieve tossing and anxiety, and give them composure and wisdom.

If we talk about who the stone is not suitable for, then it is Scorpios; for other signs it is neutral.

Medicinal properties

The healing properties of emerald were known in ancient times; it was used to combat epilepsy, fevers and treat eye diseases.

Healers recognize the rejuvenating effect of the stone - it strengthens memory, gives strength and vigor, and relieves fatigue.

Emerald has a beneficial effect on the treatment of skin diseases - eczema, rashes, psoriasis, allergic dermatitis, relieves inflammation and irritation.

The stone helps fight cardiovascular problems, supports the immune system, and harmonizes the state of mind. Owners of jewelry with this gem get rid of depression and melancholy, become calmer, sleep better, and relate to everyday troubles more easily. Lithotherapists recommend looking at the stone before going to bed, meditating, tuning into the wave of the mineral.

Emerald also helps to cope with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, infections of the urinary system, and reduce blood pressure.

The stone is a talisman for a pregnant woman; it enhances the energy of interaction, helps the full development of the baby, improves well-being, and smoothes out mood swings. Also, products with gems protect against the evil eye.

People advise wearing the stone in close proximity to the place where there are problems, and using emerald water for the eyes and skin (dip emerald into the liquid overnight, and use it in the morning). Wearing it helps improve the body's readings.

Magic properties

The powerful magical capabilities of this mineral have been known since ancient times. It was believed that it enhances intuition and also opens a connection with the other world. Magicians and fortune tellers can use it to communicate with the souls of ancestors, ask for their advice, and the stone also makes it possible to look into the future, read the signs and see all the options for the development of events. According to legends, knowledgeable people can call for rain with its help.

Emerald is called the talisman of mothers and sailors. It serves as protection against water disasters and diseases. It gives mothers and pregnant women health, enhances the harmony of parent-child relationships, protects against the evil eye, and also helps resolve difficulties with conception. In general, emerald is associated with the heart chakra, the aura of the stone attracts well-being in family life - it maintains fidelity, supports passion and helps those who do not yet have their soul mate find love.

The magic of emerald influences a person’s qualities: it makes it possible to develop positive ones and blocks negative ones. Owners of emeralds become more successful in the field of communication, oratory skills, mental activity and creative abilities improve. The stone has a positive effect on the well-being of the owner. In addition, the mineral extinguishes manifestations of aggression, rudeness, and intolerance. This is of great importance for business representatives, teachers, lawyers, and writers.

One of the aspects of the stone’s magic is its ability to stabilize mental balance. It calms, prevents you from becoming despondent, gives a positive outlook, increases self-esteem and generally colors life in bright colors.

Emerald is able to protect against the action of evil forces - jewelry and figurines protect against scams, the machinations of ill-wishers, witchcraft and lies.

According to Feng Shui, the stone has a relationship with the element Wood and should be located in the eastern or southeastern part of the apartment, then it will bring health, well-being and prosperity to all family members.

Jewelry

The main area of ​​application of emeralds is jewelry. The setting for the stone is precious metals - silver, gold, including white, platinum. The shape into which the gem will be cut depends on its size, transparency, and the presence of inclusions.

Cloudy emeralds, with cracks and inclusions, are usually cut by jewelers into a cabochon, which has no edges, only a flat surface. Good quality stones are cut in one of the following types:

• Emerald or stepped (Emerald) - for rare purity of specimens, the gem takes the shape of a rectangle with beveled corners and large edges, the color of the stone is perfectly conveyed;
• Pear – the stone is given a wedge-shaped point at the end, the number of faces is 55-56. More often used for pendants and pendants, sometimes for rings, which makes the fingers more refined and long;
• Princess - a rectangular or square octagon, emphasizes the brilliance and transparency of the stones;
• Oval - an elongated cut shape, with 57 wedge faces of a large area. More often used on emeralds for rings;
• Circle (Round) - a classic version, has 17, 33 or 57 faces, depending on the size of the stone, conveys the play of light well;
• Square – a stone with sides of equal length;
• Marquise - an oval with a point at both ends and 55 edges;
• Radiant - an octagon with beveled corners. Used only on large and transparent emeralds, more often for men's rings;
• Trillion is a new form, still rarely used, it is an equilateral triangle with sharp or smooth corners.

Some other finishing methods are also used, but much less frequently.

If we consider the question of how to wear a ring with a mineral, then there are the following recommendations:

• It is better to wear this Mercury stone on the little finger, in this way the owner will develop the ability to establish connections, including business ones, improve oratory skills, and achieve success in business;
• Wearing it on the ring finger is also possible; it will give confidence in love affairs;
• An emerald on the index finger will help overcome indecision and give you faith in yourself;
• A ring on the middle finger will give optimism, vigor, and strength to withstand adversity;
• It is not recommended to wear it on the thumb.

This noble stone goes well only with elegant outfits in a classic style; it is not suitable for “casual” lovers. Emerald jewelry can be worn with evening wear, such as knee-length or ankle-length cocktail dresses made of silk, velvet or chiffon. From casual wear you can consider fitted suits, discreet formal dresses, from outerwear - coats, items made of light fur.

This natural stone will emphasize green, gray-green eyes and give expressiveness to black eyes.

Household use

Emerald is quite expensive and fragile, so it is practically not used in industry. Natural stones have found application in the creation of solid-state lasers, and synthetic varieties have found application in quantum electronics.

Magic abilities

Emerald has a great influence on women, their physical and mental state. Since ancient times, the mineral was considered the patron saint of the fair half of humanity. The nugget helped young girls become wise wives and mothers, protecting them from fatal offenses, making them feminine.

This is interesting! Regardless of nationality or religion, emerald has always been considered an attribute of mature women, revealed in the image of a wife and mother. During the times of Kievan Rus, only married ladies who became mothers three or more times could wear emeralds.

Smaragd contributed to the rapprochement of the female spirit with nature, bringing understanding that the true purpose of a woman is to be a wife and mother. Thanks to this harmony, the girl could feel an invisible connection with her ancestors, thereby gaining their wisdom. Such tips enabled a woman to act in any situation for the benefit of the family.

In addition to its role as a spiritual mentor, emerald was known as a talisman for pregnant women and women in labor. It was believed that the gem helps the expectant mother overcome all difficulties during pregnancy, protecting her from the premature birth of her baby. Such an amulet had to be present at childbirth, easing the pain of the process, helping the baby to be born healthy.

Of course, the magic of this nugget does not end with the patronage of the female sex. In the world of magic, emerald is known as:

• Activator of prophetic dreams. The stone not only helps magicians look into the depths of time, communicate with spirits, and induce prophetic dreams. The mineral helps make these dreams come true.
• Family amulet. The gem protects marriage bonds from splits, quarrels, misunderstandings, and fading of feelings. It’s not for nothing that 55 years of married life is called the Emerald Wedding.
• Amulet of good luck and inspiration. A good talisman for business people, as well as creative people.

The gem is reputed to be a mineral that enhances the owner’s positive character traits, which makes it useful not only for women. Men will be able to get rid of bad habits or qualities that prevent them from achieving what they want. The talisman protects a person from external aggression, as well as from the “inner demon.” Thanks to the stone, the owner will get rid of the desire to get involved in a scam, take a deceitful path, or commit a rash act.

Compatibility with other stones

Emerald is the mineral of Air. Therefore, he has a bad attitude towards Water minerals:

• topaz;
• heliotrope;
• disgrace;
• pearls;
• alexandrite.

Astrologer Pavel Globa claims that conflictual relationships also develop with amethyst.

In jewelry, the neighbors of emeralds are often white diamonds. Sometimes a pair of emeralds consists of stones from a category of equal rank - chrysolites, rubies and sapphires.

Jewelry with mineral

Emerald is considered an elite gemstone, so the price for jewelry in a precious setting will be appropriate. The cost of a gem is determined depending on color and transparency, measured in thousands of rubles per carat. A beautiful piece of jewelry, which comes with a certificate of quality for the stone, will not be cheap:

• A gold ring with a Brazilian emerald weighing less than a carat costs an average of 100 thousand rubles. A Colombian pebble will cost a little less, about 80 thousand.
• Earrings with emeralds in the company of diamonds are valued at about 160 thousand.
• Bracelet – from 100 thousand.
• The pendant costs about 100 thousand, but for an emerald necklace you will have to pay more than 500 thousand rubles.
• Men's cufflinks - an average of 200 thousand.

The average price can change both up and down. For example, a Ural stone set in silver will cost the buyer several times less than gold jewelry with a Zambian gem.

Determine the weight of the stone by size

To simplify the description of the properties of gems and determine how much they can cost, various color scales are used.

You can distinguish natural emerald from synthetic (S) or fake emerald using an officially approved table of the ratio of the sizes of cut crystals in mm to their weight in carats. Any significant deviation from the norm means that this is a fake or synthetic emerald of low quality.

Table of ratios of the size and weight of emeralds depending on the type of cut:

How to spot a fake

Artificial emerald is not uncommon today. The technology for growing such stone was invented by the Germans back in 1935. Refined, but cheaper minerals, for example: Chrysolite or Tourmaline, are also passed off as emeralds.

There are a sufficient number of signs by which imitation can be identified:

• By color. Emeralds are always green, not swamp or bottle, but green. A stone that is too light indicates that it is beryl. Also, the synthetic fake shines too brightly.
• Cut. The edges of a natural gem are always sharp and geometrically clear. Erased corners indicate a fake.
• Purity. In a regular jewelry store, a flawless crystal at a reasonable price indicates a fake. Most often, natural nuggets are endowed with small internal cracks or inclusions.
• Change of external conditions. Natural stone does not change color from prolonged exposure to water or sun.
• Lighting. In ultraviolet rays, a natural emerald will not change color, while a fake will react with yellow-brown reflections.

The latter method is inaccurate, since sometimes a natural stone can look like a fake.

There is a risk of encountering a doublet. This means that the natural mineral in the jewelry is only a thin top plate glued to a cheaper stone. Such an imitation can be identified by looking at the stone from the side under a magnifying glass.

Also, most natural emeralds are treated with special resins to give them a more perfect jewelry appearance. By dipping such a stone in a solution of detergent or washing powder, you can reveal the true shade of the nugget.

Artificial emerald

Artificial emeralds

Many countries have tried to synthesize emeralds since the mid-19th century. The first successful attempt belongs to the French and dates back to 1888. But they were able to complete the synthesis and obtain a full-fledged crystal only in 1935.

This was done by the German scientist G. Espig together with his colleagues from. They named their precious “brainchild” “Igmerald”. The name is obtained by adding the English word emerald, which means “emerald”, and the first two letters of the name. Igmeralds began to be synthesized on an industrial scale in 1940.

Modern artificial emeralds are indistinguishable from natural prototypes in color, and are significantly superior in quality, but such stones are much cheaper. Several countries synthesize emeralds - Germany and France, the USA and Belarus, Russia, Japan and Switzerland.

Synthetic faceted emerald

The leading position in this area is occupied by the joint venture of Russia and Thailand - Tyrus. Their gems are similar in appearance and composition to Colombian stones.

The nuances of the synthesis technology are kept secret by manufacturers. It is only known that crystals are grown using the flux method using a platinum crucible, into which a filling of natural emeralds is placed.

How to wear it correctly

To buy an emerald, you should choose the first or second day of the lunar cycle, and start wearing it no earlier than the 16th lunar day. Before buying, try to tune in to the same wavelength as the stone, then you can feel whether it suits you or not.

Products with emerald are a luxury item. Having such jewelry, you need to match them in status and wealth. Emerald jewelry is worn on special occasions, such as social events or parties.

Expensive items made of gold or platinum, complemented with diamonds, are an accessory for accomplished mature women. For young ladies or girls, more modest options with light natural or small artificial stones are suitable.

There are also office decoration options. For a business style, neat silver stud earrings, complemented by a ring that matches the design, are quite suitable. An alternative to silver is white gold. An emerald bracelet made of platinum, white gold or silver looks good with light-colored clothes. Other metal colors go better with dark fabrics.

Jewelers have not neglected the stronger half of humanity. The men's range offers rings, cufflinks and tie pins inlaid with emeralds for wealthy, influential men.

Care Tips

Emerald is a strong, resistant stone, but still quite capricious, which corresponds to its status. Therefore, this nugget requires careful care:

• Smaragd does not tolerate household chemicals and cosmetics, so when doing household chores, it is better to remove the jewelry. You should put it on after applying and fixing makeup.
• The stone must be cleaned with warm soapy water and wiped with a soft cloth.
• It is better to store emerald jewelry in a cool place, in a closed container, after wrapping each piece of jewelry in a soft cloth.

To make emeralds pleasing to the eye longer, do not forget to contact the jeweler from time to time to restore the protective oil layer. Over time, it is wiped off, then the stone becomes more vulnerable.

Astrological compatibility

Emerald is a friendly stone, but it is not ideally compatible with all Zodiac signs. The mineral best protects such signs.

(“+++” – the stone fits perfectly, “+” – can be worn, “-” – is strictly contraindicated):

• Twins. Excessive aggression and hot temper of this sign will be replaced by wisdom and composure under the influence of the talisman. Geminis will experience better concentration, improved memory, and will become mentally calmer, more cheerful and responsive. This is a plus for communicating with others.
• Cancer. For hot-tempered and sometimes aggressive Cancers, emerald will give balance and harmony. The amulet will make representatives of the sign self-confident, friendly and open, which will help Cancers find good friends.
• Calf. For them, emerald will become a source of vivid emotions and impressions. The talisman will strengthen intuitive thinking, attention, memory, which is important for concentrating on a goal and moving towards achieving it.

It is not recommended for Scorpios to wear emeralds. There are many more suitable minerals for them. Other signs may not feel the influence of the stone at all or feel it less strongly.

Emerald and zodiac signs

According to the horoscope, emerald affects each zodiac sign differently.

Those who are definitely not suitable for emerald amulets according to their zodiac sign are Scorpio and Sagittarius, since in the lives of representatives of these signs the stone does not exhibit positive properties, but, on the contrary, increases a person’s aggression.

Important! You should not focus on zodiac compatibility with the stone. If after touching a gem you feel warmth and peace, you can safely purchase it.

Name compatibility

An emerald will become a talisman for you if your name is:

• Elena. The mineral will bring balance, wisdom, and hope into her life.
• Hermann. For him, the nugget will become a window to the future, enlightening the mind, giving hope and wisdom.
• Isabel. Smaragd will drive away negative energy, cleansing the aura. The amulet will give her composure, awaken inspiration, and preserve the family hearth.
• Klim. It will not hurt him to get rid of melancholy and love failures with the help of a talisman.
• Julia. The stone will bring good luck into Yulia’s life, protecting her from sorrows and troubles.
• Peter. The green gem will drive away sorrows and bad thoughts, opening the way to hope and sober thinking.

Emerald will become a helper for someone who believes in it and really needs help, regardless of name or zodiac sign.