Welcome everyone to your crystal journey! Here you will learn the basics of working with crystals and how they can enhance and improve your life. It’s my hope that I will be able to help guide you through this wonderful journey. We’re going to be touching a few subjects. I’ll go through what crystals and gemstones are, and list off the top 10 crystals to have in your house and how to work with them and when. We will also touch on how to care for your crystals as well. I will also tie this into some interesting historical facts about how gemstones and crystals were used from Greek mythology to ancient Egypt through to new age. For now, get yourself a cup of tea and sit back let’s learn some stuff!
A little about me
I have always had a huge fascination with gemstones and crystals, even when I didn’t know what they were or why I was so drawn to them. My very first crystal that I ever got was a beautiful piece of rose quartz my dad got me. I have no idea where he got it from, but it is literally one of my most cherished pieces.
Every day I have crystals on me, I often wear either moonstone or clear quartz on my necklace, I carry a mixed few in my handbag, depending on what I feel drawn to that day, and I also have Smokey Quartz and Clear Quartz tumbles on my desk at work. If I could deck out my desk like my crystal shelf at home – I’d be super happy, but I don’t think everyone around me would like that too much, haha
How do I know I need a different type of vibration in my life?
The extensive rainbow of various crystals sometimes makes it overwhelming to decide which crystals you need in your life. When choosing crystals, the best thing to do is allow your intuition to guide you. To start though as I mentioned I will go through the top 10 crystals, these are based of popularity and overall usefulness.
Signs You Have Found The Crystal You Need In Your Life:
You can’t take your eyes off of one crystalYou can’t put a crystal down once you touch itYou look at the same type of crystals every time you browse
Honestly, sounds weird, but it’s so true. I found this piece of Smokey Quartz once, I was browsing around the whole shop, kind of loitering, then I actually left the shop, I stopped dead in my tracks and turned back around. I said to the lady, I am not leaving here without that!
You will probably find that the stones you are drawn to will change over time as your needs change.
How do I know I need a different type of vibration in my life?
If you are having trouble deciding, well – you’ve come to the right place to start!
There is no wrong answer when combining crystals to work with. If it works for you, it’s right. Your spiritual journey is your own, you will require a unique combination of crystals that you are drawn to at various times. Enjoy experimenting and see what feels the best for you. You may consider keeping a journal to keep track of how different combinations of crystals effect your day.
On that note as well, if you’re going to journal your crystal journey, some things to take note of: Spikes and dips in energy levels or Feelings of discomfort, anxiety, light-headedness or nausea
If any of these occurs, try using the crystal for only small intervals of time while you adjust to the energy, or remove it all together and try it again at a later date. You may also consider a more gentle crystal of similar energy.
Don’t worry this too much though straight up, the crystals I am talking about today are powerful but not over the top.
Quartz Family
Rose Quartz is a very popular quartz, it’s astrological associations are Taurus and Libra and is connected with the heart chakra. Rose Quartz is a gentle pink essence, and is the crystal of unconditional love. It carries a soft, feminine energy of compassion, peace, tenderness and healing.
Rose Quartz was actually always used as a love token, as early as 600 B.C. and is still an important talisman of relationships. Legend claims Rose Quartz was created when Adonis, lover of the Greek (and Roman) goddess Aphrodite, was attacked by Ares, the God of war, in the form of a boar. When Aphrodite rushed to save him she caught herself on a briar bush, and their mingled blood staining the white quartz, pink. Mythology – always so dramatic. It’s great. The Egyptians and Romans believed rose quartz would clear and encourage beautiful complexion and prevent wrinkles. Maybe that’s why Europeans look like they never age? Rose Quartz!
Let’s talk about her uses and purpose now overall. We’ve discussed that Rose is a crystal devoted to love, love towards others, and love towards oneself. The soft pink emanations of Rose Quartz is said to comfort and heal any wounds the heart has suffered, penetrating the inner chambers of the Heart Chakra where emotional experiences are recorded and stored. It is believed that Rose dissolves the sorrows, worries, fears and resentments suppressing the heart’s ability to give and receive love, and replaces it with healing, comfort and inner nourishment. A deep sense of personal fulfillment and energy forms a new foundation where inner peace and contentment can become a personal reality.
Rose can be used in so many ways, you can wear it as jewellery, have a piece of unpolished rose quartz on your bedside table, or in the workplace to promote protection against intrusion and gossip. Rose Quartz is a wonderful sleep crystal as well, provides beautiful dreams and is said to aid in preventing nightmares. Of course, as it is the stone of love, you can call on Rose Quartz to strengthen a romantic relationship, restore trust and harmony and of course unconditional love.
The feel of Rose Quartz being in your presence is actually really powerful. The vibration of her overall, is magical.
All the different shapes
As you use crystals for healing and continue to grow in your journey you may find you want to explore further into the world of crystals. There are many different shapes of crystals and you may be wondering whether there is a difference in their energetic field.
You can find stones that are raw (in their natural states) and stones that have been tumbled or shaped. Generally, they all have the properties associated with them, but some are easier to use based on your needs.
Tumbled stones – easier to carry in your pocket or place on your body or another person, as raw stone can be more fragile. Heart-shaped Crystals – combine a loving energy with their other characteristics. Natural or Polished Points – energy can be directed toward or away from a specific part of the body for healing. Crystal Wands – the wider end is used for drawing energy out and the narrow end it used for putting energy into a specific spot for healing. Crystal Pyramid – directs the energy of the crystal up through the apex. Crystal Sphere – energy emanates evenly in all directions. Sacred Geometry Shapes – represent the building blocks of everything in the Universe and the elements: Fire, Earth, Air, Water and Ether/Spirit, for use when meditation or working with the elements. Beads and Pendants – worn for fashionable healing and a direct connection to their energy.
Another Quartz family member, Mr Smoky.
Mr Smoky is such a beautiful everyday living crystal. It’s characteristics are there for grounding you, protecting you and to help you envision positivity. Smoky Quartz is usually brown in colour and is connected to the base chakra, just like the earth. Just for some cute bit of information, it aligns with the planet Pluto. My favourite little planet. Smoky is great for concentration, stress, your nervous system, back, fluid regulation and headaches and depression. Of course, I need to stress again that crystals do not cure you, they are there to aid you.
Smoky Quartz is one of the most efficient grounding and anchoring stones and at the same time raises vibrations during meditation. It has a strong link between the earth and the base chakra. This stone is a superb antidote to stress. It assists in tolerating difficult times with equanimity, fortifying resolve. This stone has a grounding spiritual energy that gently neutralises negative vibrations and absorbs electromagnetic smog (assists in elimination and detoxification on all levels). Smoky Quartz teaches you how you how to leave behind anything that no longer serves you. It grounds the earth below your feet.
I feel like Smokey Quartz has a really dark connotation to it, maybe it’s because of the colour? Or maybe it’s because it’s talking about grounding and the earth so much. The reason it has that smoky colour is because it symbolised the potent dark power of Earth Gods and Goddesses around 300 B.C. This stone was often associated with Hecate, goddess of the Occult and the Dark Moon, and Crom Dubn, the God of Harvest (also known as the “dark bent one”). Mysterious huh? It is also said that the marking of the end harvest season and the beginning of winter, the “darker half” of the year was celebrated with a Gaelic Festival called ‘Samhain’ and Smoky Quartz played a part in that festival as it had great protective qualities to it, so much so that it was believed that at this time spirits and fairies could more easily enter our world.
Where to put Smoky? Anywhere really but, base chakra is a place to put for best use. Under the pillow, by a telephone or computer. Wear as a pendant for long periods. To dispel stress, place a stone in each hand and sit quietly for a few moments. Place over a painful point to dissolve pain. Place point away from body to draw off negative energies, point toward to energize. I have a tumbled smoky quartz in my car in sight, and on my desk at work.
You may be asking, why is Smoky Quartz *that* powerful, how is it go cleansing and grounding? Well, this type of quartz is a seeker transformer crystal. Seekers contain an energy structure that aligns the natural energy of the crystal to the natural power of the human mind and finding the way to new horizons and new capabilities.
Amethyst
I am actually obsessed with amethyst at the moment – I am so drawn to it right now. Obviously there is a reason behind it, there is always a reason to why you’re drawn to a particular gem! Amethyst is associated with the crown chakra and its astrological signs tend to lean towards Virgo, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. Purple Amethyst has been highly esteemed throughout the ages for its stunning beauty and legendary powers to stimulate, and soothe, the mind and emotions. It is a semi-precious stone in today’s classifications, but to the ancients it was a “Gem of Fire,” a Precious Stone worth, at times in history, as much as a Diamond. It has always been associated with February, the month the Romans dedicated to Neptune, their water-god, and is the traditional birthstone of that month. It is the stone of St. Valentine and faithful love, and signifies ecclesiastical dignity as the Bishop’s Stone. It carries the energy of fire and passion, creativity and spirituality, yet bears the logic of temperance and sobriety.
A really interesting legend in regards to Amethyst too, The name Amethyst derives from the Greek word ametusthos, meaning “not intoxicated,”. The wine god Bacchus, angry over an insult and determined to avenge himself decreed the first person he should meet would be devoured by his tigers. The unfortunate mortal happened to be a beautiful maiden named Amethyst on her way to worship at the shrine of Diana. As the ferocious beasts sprang, she sought the protection of the goddess and was saved by being turned into a clear, white crystal. Bacchus, regretting his cruelty, poured the juice of his grapes over the stone as an offering, giving the gem its lovely purple hue. Probably one of my favourite stories!!
Another interesting point to note is as well, throughout history the special virtue of Amethyst has been that of preventing drunkenness and overindulgence. Ancient Greeks and Romans routinely studded their goblets with Amethyst believing wine drunk from an Amethyst cup was powerless to intoxicate, and a stone worn on the body, especially at the navel, had a sobering effect, not only for inebriation but in over-zealousness in passion. Catholic bishops also wore Amethyst in a ring to protect from mystical intoxication. Kissing the ring kept others from similar mystical intoxication and kept them grounded in spiritual thought.
Just quickly to note as well, there are few different types of amethyst as well, the most well-known is of course just a regular amethyst known for its beautiful hue of purple. The other two well-known stones are Ametrine, which is a combination of amethyst and Citrine within the same crystal, a harmonious blend of two energies. The other is Chevron Amethyst, which displays v-shaped chevrons of deep purple and white quartz that “seep” into beautiful layers
Citrine
Citrine is a beautiful yellow variety of quartz – it gets its colour due to heat from volcanic and other earth activity. It aligns with the sun, and is associated with the solar plexus – which is why Citrine is a beautiful stone to cleanse and reenergise all over. Citrine astrologically aligns to Aries, Gemini, Leo and Libra.
Citrine is a powerful cleanser and regenerator. Carrying the power of the sun, this is an exceedingly beneficial stone. It is warming, energizing and highly creative. This is one of the crystals that never need cleansing. It absorbs, transmutes, dissipates and grounds negative energy. Citrine energizes every level of life, it is an aura protector and aids in the cleansing of your chakras (especially the solar plexus and navel chakras). Citrine cleanses and balances the subtle bodies, aligning them with the physical. Mentally, Citrine enhances concentration and revitalizes the mind. It is excellent for overcoming depression, fears and phobias. It promotes inner calm so that wisdom can emerge. Wearing Citrine can assist with overcoming difficulty in verbalising thoughts and feelings. Emotionally, it promotes joy in life and releases you of negative traits.
According to Chinese legends, Citrine is “The Stone of Success,” and it should be given to generous people only. Citrine jewellery was deeply appreciated by ancient Chinese emperors for their ability to increase intellectual capabilities and broaden the mind. Today, Citrine is used by modern Chinese students to help them succeed on exams. Many Chinese professors and teachers also use it when lecturing. It is widely used in China during gem stone healing sessions to produce feelings and emotions and thoughts of abundance.
Citrine is an excellent stone for energizing and recharging. You can make crystal elixirs as well, when used like this it is helpful for menstrual problems and menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes. Wear of fingers or throat in contact with the skin. Wearing a Citrine point down brings the golden ray of spirit into the physical realm. Position is appropriate for healing. Use a sphere for meditation. Place in the wealth corner of your home.
Note: Citrine fades in sunlight, and the wealth corner is the farthest back left point from your front door or the door into an individual room.
Citrine, like all forms of quartz, was believed during the European Early Modern Period to have magical powers and was worn as a talisman against evil thoughts and snake venom. In new age theories though, it is used more for emotional healing than anything else.
Moonstone
If depth is what you seek then moonstone is the ideal stone for you. The stone of cycles and new beginnings. Moonstone is strongly connected to the energy of the goddess and to the moon. It enhances your natural intuition, clairvoyance and can assist in developing your innate psychic gifts and talents.
On a more physical level, moonstone is said to aid in healing in conditions connected to the reproductive system, hormones, adrenal system and is especially beneficial for conception, pregnancy, childbirth and breast-feeding. It balances women’s hormones in line with the lunar cycle. Moonstone is filled with receptive, passive, feminine energy. It balances out the male-female energies and assists with men who want to get in touch in their feminine side – perfect antidote for the excessively macho men or aggressive female.
Emotionally, moonstone helps to heal dynamics with your mother and other significant female figures in your life. It soothes emotional imbalances and stress and can create deep karmic emotional healing. Moonstone allows you to uncover the parts of the self that we know least about. It’s all about personal growth and encouragement into the unknown with perception.
Since Moonstone looks a lot like the moonshine, ancient Romans believed that it was formed from moonlight. If you look at the gem closely, you’ll see a dance of light that lurks on the insides of the gem. Ancient Greeks merged the names of the goddess of love (Aphrodite) and the goddess of the moon (Selene) and christened Moonstone as “Aphroselene”. While the Romans believed that the gem exhibits the image of their moon goddess, Diana. It is also known as an aphrodisiac and when worn by two people, they will fall passionately in love when the moon is high. It was supposed to arouse tender passions in lovers and give them the power to read the future; to be effective as a means of determining one’s personal future, it had to be placed in the mouth when the moon was full.
Moonstone was once called the “Travelers Stone,” as it is said to protect those who travel at night, especially at sea. People say this is why the stone is dubbed the stone of “new beginnings” – As its name suggests, it is strongly connected to moon and the intuition. Like the moon, the stone is reflective and reminds us that, as the moon waxes and wanes, so everything is part of a cycle of change. Its most powerful effect is that of calming the emotions.
There are different type of Moonstones as well, the most common would be peach or rainbow. The various moonstone colours are believed to have different meanings. Peach moonstone is believed to encourage self-value and love. Green moonstone is believed to stimulate prosperity. Blue moonstone is believed to clear one’s mind from the distractions of everyday life. White moonstone is believed to magnify emotions and drive away nightmares or insomnia. And finally, grey moonstone is believed to help one see beyond the veil
Fluorite
Fluorite is known as the multi-coloured genius stone and represents the highest state of mental achievement, this stone increases clarity, self-love and spiritual awareness. The perfect stone for creating a path to your future that is in alignment with your spiritual gifts and calling. Fluorite is said to draw out negative energies and stress of all kind all whilst stimulating your memory and learning skills.
Seems powerful right! That’s because it is. Fluorite is associated with the brow chakra and it aligns with Capricorn and Pisces astrologically. It is said that Fluorite has incredible healing power, encourages a sense of self-worth, supports healthy bone tissue and physical structure of organs and is believes to reduce all of your tension and anxiety.
It is a protective stone, and as mentioned – helps with mental clarity, especially during spiritual practice. It’s definitely a stone I need to walk around with at all times – Fluorite is about balance, it gets rid of electromagnetic fog and supports a breaky away from rigid patterns of behaviour and thinking. It brings structure into your life by helping you with planning and coordinating. It’s a master stone when it comes to physical properties. As you can see, it really helps your mind stay in control.
According to folklore, Fluorite was once thought to be the “home of the rainbow” due to the crystal’s wide range of colours which many times grow intermingled or side by side. Throughout ancient history, it has been carved into statues, decorative art, amulets and talismans in many locales around the globe. The early Egyptians were known to carve scarabs from the stone along with using colourful specimens in many of their divine statues. The Chinese have been carving Fluorite for over 300 years. And, likened to Amethyst, the ancient Romans believed that a drinking vessel made of Fluorite would also prevent a person from getting drunk.
In matters of health, in the 18th century, a mixture of water and powdered Fluorite was used to alleviate the symptoms of kidney disease. Today it is most often used metaphysically to enhance and clarify thought processes, and also as a protection stone
There are different types of fluorite – as mentioned the most popular is the multi-coloured one (generally this is green, purple and clear) however you can also get yellow, blue, pink, green, and black fluorite. There are 4 main ways to use fluorite practically, what type to choose? It’s generally safe to say, stick to a multi-coloured stone, this will harness to power of all the different types of fluorite out there.
1) Place a larger fluorite crystal in your workspace to help with orderliness 2) Try carrying fluorite somewhere on your upper body to improve coordination. 3) place fluorite beside your bed to help find new ideas whilst you sleep. And finally 4) use fluorite pyramids during meditation to help with mental clarity.
Tiger’s Eye
Mr Tiger is a member of the Quartz family, is linked to the solar plexus, sacral chakra and root chakra. Tiger’s eye is a stone of protection that is also very stabilizing and grounding. It enhances integrity, willpower, self-confidence, and practicality. It is a stone that enhances good luck and brings prosperity often in the form of money. Tiger’s eye brings a special boost to the solar plexus chakra and to one’s personal power. It is a vigilant stone, bringing sharpness to one’s inner vision and better understanding of the cause and effect of each situation. As mentioned it is a great stone for luck and prosperity, it also helps you keep the wealth you already have. Its grounding energies prevent greed and abuse of power and money.
Tiger’s Eye was linked with the magical tiger, the king of beasts, in Eastern mythology, and Roman soldiers wore it in battle for bravery and to deflect weapons. To the ancient Egyptians, it offered the protection of the sun and earth combined, of Ra, the sun god, and Geb, god of the growing land. They also placed the glittering stone in the eyes of their god image statues to express divine vision. A popular good luck stone, Tiger’s Eye was used to ward off the evil eye, and to reflect back any malice or threats without absorbing any negative energy. It was used a great deal in voodoo rituals. Holding a Tiger’s Eye was also used to discern if someone else was reliable or not. Traditionally it was believed by the end of the day, any deception would be revealed.
Tiger’s Eye is highly beneficial for resolving dilemmas and internal battles, especially those caused by jealousy, wilfulness and pride. It teaches integrity and right use of power, bringing an awareness to your needs, as opposed to mere “wants,” as well as understanding the needs of others. It is excellent for healing issues of self-criticism and worth, and unblocks creativity so you can recognise your own talents and abilities, as well as your faults that need to be overcome. It is highly supportive for an addictive personality, increasing personal will to affect positive change, and anchors that change into the physical body.
Lapis Lazuli
“I claim the power of my highest self” – Affirmation that lapis lazuli represents. This stone is one of the most sought after stones in use since man’s history began. It’s deep, celestial blue remains the symbol of royalty and honour, gods and power, spirit and vision. It is a universal symbol of wisdom and truth. It is a powerful crystal associated with the third eye and throat chakra – which stimulates the desire for knowledge, truth and understanding. This powerful crystal activates the higher mind and enhances intellectual ability.
Like most blue stones, Lapis will also stimulate and activate the throat chakra. I has a strong and unique energy that may challenge many people and this makes Lapis an amazingly powerful stone for spiritual growth and spiritual health. It sometimes get referred to as a truth crystal, as it also ensured the the words you speak are in alignment with your personal truth.
The earliest recorded instances of semi-precious stones used for religious purposes comes from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, a ritual ceremony for safe passage and protection from evil for their deceased. Lapis Lazuli, named chesbet by the Egyptians, was used in many amulets to be placed on the body, regarded as the seat of life and placed in its own receptacle. It could only be reunited with the body after being weighed in the balance of the underworld. Two special chapters were engraved on Lapis Lazuli, the 26th chapter referencing the heart, and the 140th chapter on the symbolic eye, made from Lapis and ornamented in gold. It was an amulet of great power, and an offering was to be made to this symbol to the supreme god Ra.
Ancient Egyptians also believed the soul existed in the mind and was housed in the brain, and Lapis blue was a mental healer and soul purifier. Lapis was used to purge the soul of demonic possession by pulverizing the stone, mixing it with gold, making it into a poultice and placing it on the crown of the head. As it dried it would draw out the demons. In extreme cases, a small hole was drilled in the skull and the mixture was poured into the head. Eek!
These days, it’s not so drastic! We know it’s a powerful crystal for activating the higher mind and enhancing intellectual ability. Stimulating the desire for knowledge, truth and understanding, and aids the process of learning. Keep it with you if you’re studying, or if you have something new to learn at work!
Selenite
Much like Moonstone Selenite’s aligns with the moon. The name derives from the Greek moon goddess, Selene, and means “moonlight glow”. With a very fine vibration, Selenite induces clarity of mind and accesses angelic consciousness. This crystal anchors the light body in the earth vibration. The purest translucent white selenite has an ethereal quality and is said to inhabit the space between light and matter. This is why it is connected to the higher crown chakra. he Crown Chakra is a gateway to the expanded universe and controls how one thinks and responds to the world, and is the fountainhead of one’s beliefs and source of spirituality. It is a connection to the higher planes of existence and is the source of universal energy and truth. When the Crown is in balance, one’s energies are in balance. Selenite is there to support this.
Selenite brings divine light into everything it touches and stimulates the clearest state of mind attainable, where all thoughts entering the consciousness come from the Source and are direct reflections of pure spirit. It is one of the best crystals available for clearing congested energies or negativity from one’s physical and etheric body, and for helping one consciously connect with the higher Self. It is also a calming crystal surrounding one with heavenly light. It is ideal for meditation and spiritual work, and is conducive for connecting with one’s higher consciousness. It may be used to align one’s awareness with spiritual master teachers, Ascended Masters, angels and spirit guides, or to access one’s past or future lives. This is always something that has fascinated me, I would love to know how long my personal energy has been around for.
In ancient Mesopotamia (Mesopotamia is a historical region in West Asia situated within the Tigris– Euphrates river system, in modern days roughly corresponding to most of Iraq) Selenite was used to keep sickrooms free from evil spirits. A banishing ritual at least five thousand years old describes the use of a paste made from bitumen and Selenite which the priests smear on the door of a sick man, and paint as images of apkallus, “sages,” upon the side wall, as well as the head and foot of the bed. The Selenite is Ninurta (Saturn, a positive deity) who chases the bitumen Asakku (a demon causing the illness). Ninurta uses the crystal powers with sound therapy and other deity figurines to do battle with Asakku until he is caught in a ritually created net and banished to the Otherworld. Once the spirit has been expelled something must be put in its place. As Selenite holds the divine light of the gods, it was used to fill the void so nothing else could attach.
In the Medieval world, Selenite was said to contain an image of the moon and was believed to grow or shrink in accordance with the lunar phases. If carved with the two phases of the moon and worn around the neck, it was believed capable of inspiring love, safeguarded pregnancy and provided a good birth, bestowed peace and harmony, reconciled lovers, shrank welts, and healed those suffering from consumption.
It was also claimed to protect thieves, keep sea travellers safe, especially from storms. Placed under the tongue on the first and second days of the moon, it helped one predict the future. Worn on the finger, Selenite made one worthy of honour and veneration and gave divine inspiration, and if it were enclosed in a gold capsule with parsley it would make bees fertile. How cool is that! Plant magic infused with crystal magic. These properties are extremely similar to Moonstone, protects travellers and safeguards women through their cycles.
Clear Quartz
The last crystal of the evening, and of course it’s a part of the Quartz family. How to describe CQ? Ordinary yet extraordinary, colourful and clear. Known as the master healer. Amplifies energy and thought and is said to increase spiritual wisdom. This quartz is known to promote clarity of the mind and aids in creativity.
In a matter of its healing power, it releases blocked emotions -so if you’re feeling stuck in a rut so to speak clear quartz will help guide you out of that rut. It cleanses and shifts stagnant energy, and it is used to amplify and strengthen the aura. Stimulates the immune system and balances the body. Helps you find your Zen. Clear Quartz connects with the Crown Chakra and draws in universal energy. It is believed that using Clear Quartz allows us to connect with higher beings and our inner selves. Helps you reveal your truth.
It’s not always about us though is it? Clear Quartz is so beautifully powerful that it amplifies the energies of other crystals as well as cleansing and clearing the energy out of other crystals. It absorbs, stores, releases and then regulates energy.
Since the beginning of time in nearly every culture, Clear Quartz crystals have been held sacred and magical and universally accepted as a source of power. In their creation myths the aboriginal tribes in both Australia and South America describe the image of the “cosmic serpent,” the progenitor of all life, being led and guided by a Quartz crystal.
From ancient divination to modern crystal-gazing, clear crystal balls have long been used to find lost articles, foretell secrets of the future, forecast impending doom, and was even used at one time as a means to detect minor offences and crimes. “Scrying” has been common since the Greek and Roman periods, and crystal balls brought back by Crusaders in the Middle Ages were said to possess magical powers. The “spirits” yielding the visions were induced by powerful spells, many of which have been preserved, and contain an incongruous mixture of religious and magical formulas.
Quartz crystal is referenced in many religions as foundation jewels in mystic cities, trees of life, in homage to deities and worn by their prophets for power. Clear Quartz is one of the seven precious substances of Buddhism, and is perhaps the “diamond” listed in the second row of the Breastplate of the High Priest in the Bible. Ancient priests used Clear Quartz to render negative energy useless, to dissolve enchantments and spells, and to destroy all black magic.
Summarise
See what I mean now when I mentioned powerful! All these beauties are fantastic to have on you, or in your home. I would definitely say these are the top 10 crystals for a beginner to start with, right through to someone who has been using and understanding crystal since before time. Personally, I feel crystals are like little magic rocks that help me every day in all sorts of ways.
What is your favourite crystal we have spoken about, and why?
Cleansing
Lastly, we’re going to talk about how to care for your crystals.
First off, Why clean your crystals? In short, because they absorb and transform the energy and vibrations around them. This transformation is what makes them useful to us. They can absorb negative energy and reverse it into positive energy. The ones that are used frequently don’t have the necessary time to cleanse themselves of bad energy; if we do not cleanse them they become saturated and lose effectiveness. Almost like someone who is really tired, has had a huge weekend, but still gets up at 5am to go to work. They’ll get there, but will they perform their best? Probably not.
How to cleanse them? You may have seen the below image on my Instagram. 12 ways to cleanse your crystals – the most commonly used is moonlight, sunlight, salt water, other crystals and incense. Personally, I use moonlight (full moon) and salt water to cleanse mine. To clean a crystal with water, simply submerge it in running water. Tap water will do, but a naturally flowing river or stream is best. If you don’t have access to a river or stream, simply visualize a flowing body of water, such as a waterfall, as you rinse your stone. Salt can be added to water as part of the cleanse, or it can be used on its own. To cleanse using only salt, place your crystal in a bed of rock salt for a day or two.
When to clean them? First off, cleanse any crystal that is new to you. If you’ve had the stone for a while, pay attention to its sheen – when the crystal loses its lustre, it’s probably due for a cleanse. In addition, you’ll probably want to cleanse your crystal after a major negative or emotional event such as a death, illness or conflict.
Charge – Activate – Program
Crystals gain their power through light and vibration, so to recharge them, you must expose them to light and the vibrations of other positive stones. An hour in the sunlight will effectively recharge most stones. Light coloured stones enjoy the gentle charge of a full moon’s light. If you have several pieces of quartz, cluster them together, and they will recharge themselves. Sunlight you’ll find is most useful though; when the crystal comes from the Earth, it is has been nurtured in yin energy, the feminine. The crystal has been taking nutrients from the ground – gases, water, various minerals and other nutrients to develop into a crystal. When it is “harvested” from the Earth, it is being removed from the yin energies and needs now to receive yang energies as its source of energy renewal. So, the ultraviolet light from the sun, the full spectrum of light, restores the crystals depleted energies. The time it takes depends on the crystal’s capacity to absorb the light (it’s crystalline energy structure has a lot to do with it), the stage of energy depletion within the crystal, and I think the will of the person who has been handling the crystal. Typically, I find 4 hours in the sun once a week keeps a small crystal energetic and alert. However, some crystals require a much longer time to recharge. You can experiment with the crystal by putting it in the sun for 1 week then holding it in your hand. You may receive and energy discharge from the crystal
When you activate your crystal, you’re tuning into it, and it’s tuning into you. You can activate your stone by holding it, rolling it around in your hands, and spending time with it. Always remember to charge your stone after activation. What does it mean to activation though? Sometimes, a crystal can be a “sleeper”, and needs to know it is going to be used for healing or meditative purposes. Making a spiritual connection with the crystal helps to activate it, to awaken its consciousness. You can activate your crystal through an initiation ritual, by holding it, rolling it quickly back and forth in your hands, sleeping with it, gazing at it, washing it and generally handling it. To awaken its consciousness through ritual, offer some sage, sweetgrass or tobacco and indicate your intent for use of the crystal (e.g. for healing). This event marks the initiation of the crystal and makes an energy connection with the person using the crystal. Remember to fully recharge your crystal after you’ve been handling it for activation purposes.
Charge – Activate – Program
Why do we want to program our crystals ? There is a folklore that crystals carry programming (a set of instructions) put there by other people or other beings before we acquire the crystals and that sometimes we do not want that. Well, I have the view that first, crystals come on the planet already with a set of instructions on how to grown, what structure, where, how fast and with what energy characteristics – just like humans who have a set of genetic instructions. This inherent pattern cannot be changed. Second, each crystal has its own mission, or its own programming for healing. Sometimes, it is to provide a grounding force on the planet, maybe working energetically with other crystals in the earth to provide a network of stabile energy across the planet as part of the physical matrix of the planet. Sometimes, the crystal will carry a specific energy signature by resonating tones, colours and other vibrations that are provided through compassionate forces for humans and other life forms on Earth.
Charge – Activate – Program
Here are some different programming techniques used with crystals.
A simple method is writing a thought on a piece of paper then placing a crystal on top to absorb the thought energy. The crystal magnifies the thought and acts as the transmitter, sending the thought in its amplified state to the target person or thing mentioned in the note. You can also use one of the other methods below and place the crystal on a person’s photograph to send them an amplified thought. You can also program your crystal by holding it in your hand then breathing in through your nose, hold the thought in your mind of what you want, then forcefully breath out into the crystal through your nose. Do this on each side of the crystal to program it.Another method is to create a circular breath by holding the thought of what you desire in your mind and then breath slowly and naturally through your nose into the crystal and then breath energy back in from the crystal. Repeat this circular breath for 10 – 20 minutes. This is an effective meditative technique and is quite powerful to direct your mind for positive results.
Feedback & Questions
Alright guys – that concludes the crystals 101 class. If you have any questions about any other crystal, or a crystal we’ve spoken about tonight please feel free to ask away! Was there anything I didn’t cover that I answer for you now? Please let me know.
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