In the ancient world, people could see seven moving lights in the sky without a telescope: the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. They also knew seven metals. Alchemists and astrologers paired them, believing each metal was a piece of its planet's energy on Earth: gold with the Sun, silver with the Moon, quicksilver (mercury) with Mercury, copper with Venus, iron with Mars, tin with Jupiter and lead with Saturn. The pairings even share symbols: the alchemical sign for copper is the same as the symbol for Venus. These correspondences remain a rich language for spiritual reflection and for choosing jewelry or talismans with intention.
As above, so below: the heavens are mirrored in the earth beneath our feet.
The seven pairings
Sun and gold
Energy: vitality, radiance, the true self, success. Gold does not tarnish, so it became a symbol of the eternal soul and the goal of the Great Work.
Moon and silver
Energy: intuition, dreams, reflection, the feminine and the tides of emotion. Silver reflects light the way the Moon reflects the Sun.
Mercury and quicksilver
Energy: mind, communication, travel, change. Liquid mercury moves quickly and shape-shifts, like thought.
Venus and copper
Energy: love, beauty, harmony, art. Copper conducts warmth and turns a soft green over time. The island of Cyprus, famous for copper, was sacred to Venus's Greek counterpart, Aphrodite.
Mars and iron
Energy: courage, strength, action, protection. Iron makes tools and swords, and gives blood its red color through hemoglobin. See Iron Deficiency.
Jupiter and tin
Energy: expansion, generosity, wisdom, faith. Tin was used to make bronze, the alloy that shaped an era.
Saturn and lead
Energy: structure, patience, time, discipline, boundaries. Heavy and slow like Saturn's long orbit. In alchemy, lead was the starting point to be transformed into gold.
Working with the metals symbolically
- Wear the metal of a quality you want to grow: silver for intuition, copper for love, gold for confidence.
- Choose the planet's day: Sunday (Sun), Monday (Moon), Tuesday (Mars), Wednesday (Mercury), Thursday (Jupiter), Friday (Venus), Saturday (Saturn).
- Meditate on a planet's quality while holding its safe metal.
Safety first
A gentle note: Never handle liquid mercury or lead, which are toxic. Work with them only as symbols or pictures. Copper jewelry can turn skin green and may irritate sensitive skin, and nickel in some alloys is a common allergen.
In The Starseed Chronicles
Alara the Alchemist brings a bubbly, joyful spirit to the old art. Kids can learn which day belongs to which planet with her as a guide. Meet them here, or explore The Starseed Chronicles.
Explore astrology and the planets on Gaia
Explore optional guided perspectives
Disclosure: This is an affiliate link for Gaia. If you start a membership through it, Infused Lights may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
A sound companion for this practice
The Universe is Friendly! by Nadja Lind offers two transpersonal tracks, Deep Space and Oceanic, built on delta and theta entrainment with soothing ambient sound. iAwake made it for deeper spiritual connection, for recharging when you feel tired or tense, and for restful sleep.
Explore The Universe is Friendly! at iAwake
Disclosure: The iAwake links on this page are affiliate links for iAwake Technologies. If you sign up or purchase through them, Infused Lights may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Sound tools are optional companions to your practice, not medical or professional advice.
Begin with Spiritual Alchemy and learn about mineral teamwork in Copper, Zinc and the Mineral Balance.
Part of The Numbers, Stars and Alchemy Series
- Your Life Path Number and Its Crystal
- Master Numbers 11, 22 and 33 in Numerology
- Tesla's 3, 6, 9: The 369 Manifestation Method
- The 12 Astrology Houses Made Simple
- Spiritual Alchemy: The Four Elements and the Quintessence
- The 7 Planetary Metals and Their Energies (you are here)
- How to Tell a True Spiritual Teacher From a False One
With love and light,
Infused Lights
Can we pray for you?
Fill out a request here, and we will gently hold your prayer, intention, or gratitude in light.
