Mohs hardness scale: 8
Ruby is like love: she can fill you up or drain you dry. And, like love, Ruby serves as an amplifier, magnifying both your positive and negative traits. She can lead you to courage and self-confidence . . . if those seeds are already nurtured within you. If self-doubt and loathing have taken root, she’ll boost those traits in equal measure. Ruby will bolster your energy if you’re feeling robust or run down your batteries if you’re feeling depleted. She doesn’t discriminate or judge, she simply heightens what’s already there. As Dorothy found out after she donned the ruby red slippers, there’s a bit of a learning curve. Slide that Ruby ring onto your finger and you will become more you. The question is: Are you ready?
Ritual 
Ruby is the stone of the magician who knows that everything is energy. Changing energy’s amplitude changes the world. But how do you change amplitude? With intention and attention.
What you focus on matters; it crafts not just how you see the world but the world itself. While this might sound far-fetched, imagine if each person on the planet turned their attention to providing food for everyone globally. Because of the amplified attention, ideas and implementation would happen quickly. In short order, hunger would be a thing of the past.
Work with this concept on a smaller scale: In the morning, set an intention for your day (scaled to one-person size; it’s hard to solve world hunger alone). Do an activity like journaling or lighting a candle to solidify your intention in your consciousness. At each meal take a moment to refocus on your intention, making sure you’re giving it attention. At bedtime, note the results!
Reflection
Ruby is like a black widow not because of the deep red markings, which both the spider and the stone share, but because of Ruby’s unexpected bite. The Taoist tradition teaches wariness when working with Ruby because she will amplify the negative as readily as the positive, making her soul-sucking for those who work with her unconsciously. Ultimately, Ruby reminds us to check in and see where we need a little self-care or self-discipline:
How are your energy levels? Are you run-down or feeling vibrant?
Are unexpressed feelings like anger or jealousy eating at you?
What would it look like to become more you?
Ruby is the black widow spider of the stone world.
Sarah Thomas of Upper Clarity School of Stone Medicine