“Do you know what you need?”

“Do you know what you need?”

I had been talking for over an hour with a palmist under a tin roof at the side of a parking lot in the centre of Jaipur. And I was blown away by what he had told me, he knew absolutely everything about me.

“You need a ruby set in gold, on your right hand ring finger”.

Having lived in India before, I was well aware of the culture of gemstones and believe in their powers.

“The ruby will balance your root chakra and stimulate your heart chakra. Then there are many more benefits. It will enhance your creativity and boost your self-confidence. It will make you more decisive. It will enhance your charismatic personality and leadership qualities. It will fight depression. And it will inculcate love, passion, and commitment.”

I was sold. I thanked him and without hesitation I wandered into the city centre and had me made a ruby set in gold.

This was 12 years ago.

And I’ve been wearing that ring ever since.