Pearls have been adorned by mankind for thousands of years. What is equally true is that oysters and molluscs are not the only source of pearls. Many people believe that animal and plant pearls (also known as mustika pearls) are more imagination than reality; the truth is that fossilised rocks sometimes produce what are perhaps one of the most breathtakingly beautiful pearls that Mother Nature has to offer. The origin of mustika pearls is still unclear in fact mustika pearls are so rare that in countries like Indonesia mustika pearls are treated as family heirlooms and passed on from generation to generation. The term mustika is Javanese in origin and translates into ?precious stone?.

There is mention of mustika pearls in ancient Hindu texts where they are referred to as pearls that wield immense power. In fact even in Native American folk lore, animal crystals similar to mustika pearls are mentioned. Such crystals have healing powers and are used to balance the spirits within a person. Even in Chinese Feng Shui mustika pearl like stones are recommended to maintain a favourable balance between the forces of nature. Before we go any further the first question is how are mustika pearls found?

Unlike regular pearls, there is no single source for mustika pearls, and no particular species of animal produces mustika pearls. In fact mustika pearls are so rare that people have spent their lives in search for mustika pearls and never found one. A common source for mustika pearls are fossilised plants and animals. Rarely fossils of animals and plants actually get converted into precious stone like rocks that are know as mustika pearls. Sometimes after an animal dies it actually leaves behind non-biodegradable material that leads to the formation of mustika pearls.

The reason why mustika pearls are so expensive is because mustika pearls are very rare in nature, and it takes a trained eye to differentiate between a mustika pearl and ordinary tree sap. Many Hindu ascetics claim that they are actually drawn to the power of mustika pearls and just like a homing beacon; the call of the mustika pearl helps them find a mustika pearl.

From shamans to pawangs (Indonesian shamans) mustika crystals are a part of popular healing and cleansing rituals the world over. Many critics often fail to explain the massive impact that mustika pearls have in spiritual rituals the world over. Since there is no fixed criteria to classify mustika pearls, critics often claim that mustika pearls can be pretty much any naturally occurring object. The truth is far from it, spiritualists know for sure that mustika pearls have a spiritual force to them and a person adorning a mustika pearl is influenced by the power that these mustika pearls have.

Also since mustika pearls can be derived from a wide variety of sources, there is no shortage of spurious products claiming to be mustika pearls. In fact it requires psychic verification to know if a mustika pearl is genuine or is cheap imitation.