The adventure of creating the Navaratna ring

Perhaps it’s madness that in October 2020, in a dream, Yogananda tasked me with crafting this Navaratna ring—a design quite distinct from those made in India and Thailand, yet with all its essence intact.

I vividly recall his image showing it to me and a feeling of happiness upon waking; I could hardly believe what had happened, but I didn’t hesitate for a moment to get to work.

It’s been seven months of learning—failing and starting over, again and again... ordering gems from halfway around the world, tracking dozens of shipments, fueled by enthusiasm and excitement, studying ring models made in India... refining the setting technique and educating myself about the meaning of what I was creating.

Understanding the vast Navaratna tradition present throughout Asia is fundamental—the proper order of the gems, their characteristics, and the Vedic texts that guide them.

-The clarity and order of the gems matter more than their size, though ideally, they’d be over 2 carats; however, given their size, that would be impractical and very costly for a ring.

-Contact with the skin was a literal instruction from the master; the solution came by leaving a small hole behind each gem, allowing light to transmit the properties of each gem to the skin.

(After using them, it seems that the yoga bangles and the ring share a special connection) 

And finally, on May 21, 2021, I managed to craft the last prototype—the one that convinced me on every level. Something curious happened there too.

In a moment of clarity and joy, when I could see the end nearing, I remember setting the last gem, the hessonite (orange in color), into place while listening to an audio of 'Be As You Are' by the great Ramana Maharshi. Then came an intuitive certainty that I understood:

'The mind is just a collection of thoughts. If I am not the mind, who am I? Well, behind my actions lies the totality***...'

I just want to share this 🙏

*By following the Vedic scriptures of the 'Ratna-shastras' for its creation.
**Though I did find it curious to make it, as it deviated in size from the 2 carats prescribed by Yukteswar in 'Autobiography of a Yogi.'
***In every action you undertake, there is the same universe; the absolute and individual totality of each soul is within you—because the ego, the self, is just a mask driven by a collection of thoughts that whimsically think themselves. Ignore them and be happy.