Crystals
Articles about crystals and general or magickal crystal use.
Crystal Wednesday: Grids and Layous (part 1)
Aug 25th
So you’ve collected your crystals and you have a nice little bag of stones that you have cleansed and charged for healing and various forms of transformation and manifestation. What do you do with them next? You can use them in elixirs and remedies or you can use them for meditation, but what about healing? Is there some specific way you should work with the crystals or is there a preferred method of working with them? We can work with crystals in so many different ways to do healing but one very popular way is laying them out on or around the body. You can also lay them out on a specific surface as well, such as an altar, to be used for charging objects, sending energy and so on. Often called crystal grids or crystal layouts, these methods of working with the stones can be tricky in the beginning but it’s important to remember to let both the stones themselves and your own intuition to guide you as you work.
A crystal grid and a crystal layout a somewhat different, and for our purposes here we’re going to define them differently in order to make it a little easier to talk about and work with these different processes. A crystal grid is a specific geometric positioning of a number of crystals with the intention of creating a specific energy field. These are also sometimes known as a crystal matrix or a gridwork. Crystal grids are typically placed in a specific or significant place in the home or other space designed to draw certain types of energy to the area and then project that energy out into the space. A crystal layout can also be known as a crystal net and refers to the laying of crystal on or around the body to work as aids in healing by directing specific types of energy in and around the body. An easy way to try and remember the difference is to think of how crystals are laid out onto the body anywhere they need to go rather than in certain shape (although, this is a somewhat inaccurate statement as you’ll see, but roughly it helps to remember the difference).
Because this subject is so expansive, we’re going to cover crystal grids this week and next week we’ll talk about crystal layouts.
When working with a crystal grid, think about the type of energy you’re looking to draw to you and your space. Let’s take the example of a metaphysical bookshop looking to draw financial prosperity. A popular crystal grid for prosperity and abundance uses the shape of the infinity sign to draw on the idea of always having what
you need and then some with the cycle of prosperity never ending. The stones uses are stones with energies tied to money, career and attraction such as citrine, amber, and dark green aventurine. The citrine has strong anchoring energy and carries a strong attracting energy, so this gets placed in the center. The other stones are altered in the pattern to create the infinity symbol and create a flow with the center stone to project and draw on the energy of prosperity. This energy radiates out to where the grid is placed, so the shop owner may want to place it somewhere in the center of the shop to radiate out all through the same or they may wish to put it up at the front counter to attract people toward the cash register so they will spend money.
Making a grid is quite simple. It is extremely important to remember that, when creating a crystal grid, where it is place is where it needs to remain while it is in operation. This means that you need to pick a place where it can be left alone, untouched and without having to be moved. So be mindful of small hands and paws being able to get to where you place your grid. Begin by picking stones that all work with your general intention. For example, if you’re working on a grid for love, pick stones that all connect with love and attracting love. You don’t need a large number of crystals; start with 
something small like 8 stone grid but try to stay under 12 stones with one larger center stone for 13 total. You’ll also need a clear quartz point to activate the grid. Cleans and charge all your stones, taking your time doing so, and charge them for the intention of drawing love and attracting loving energy. When you do this, if a specific stone is going to have a specific job in the grid, address that. An example of this would be if you use pink calcite and you specifically want this to attract love of the heart or a heart chakra connection between you and others, where as the rose quartz you might use is more intended to draw a general loving energy to you. Let your stones know what exactly you need them to do.
Next, pick were it will go and lay out the stones. There are many different patterns out there to work with. One of the basic forms that I like is the square formulation. This is a grid often used in harmony with the directions, but I like using this for things like relationships because it directs the energy out to all corners of the Universe. The way that this format is traditionally used is to place a center stone, like a clear quartz cluster or ball, into the center and then the four stones on the outside would be related to the elements with double terminated clear quartz wands connecting the directional stones to the center stone or single terminated ones, using two for each corner stone, one point energy to the center and one pointing energy from the center to the corner. Then you would need four single terminated stones to go around the outside edges to flow the energy through your outside stones. Now, you can work with just small stones of your choosing instead of crystal points if you wished. Again, create what you feel drawn to here letting the stones and your intuition guide you. The key to to keep in mind that you want to energy to flow and connect so all the stones need to be connected to one another through another stone. So, as my example, I’d use the above to create a love grid by using the following:
- One large rose quartz in the center
- 4 pink calcite or 4 green malachite stones at the corners
- 4 double terminated quartz crystal wants in the center
- 4 single terminated wands for the outsides. These I would place with the points going in a clockwise direction with the idea of this being a direction to draw and create energy, but if you felt that anti-clockwise was better, then you can use that direct.
Next you need to activate your grid and for this you need another charged crystal point. Before you begin take a few moments to focus your intentions and create a simple affirmation that you will repeat while you activate the stones. Using our example of a love drawing grid you could say something like:
I empower this crystal grid to draw loving energy and loving people to me.
Now take your charging crystal and hold it a few inches above your center stone. Take your time with this and feel the two connect. Feel the center stone send it’s vibrations into the energy around you. Once you have felt this connection, begin to state your affirmation and being to trace the grid with the charging crystal starting from the center out. You want to repeat your affirmation with intention while you draw the grid, creating a connection between all the stones. This may mean having to go over it several times and in several different ways in order to create a flow. There is no number of times you have to do this in and you can take as long as you feel you need to in order to feel that everything is connected. Continue to repeat your affirmation as you do this.
When you’re done, place your charging crystal next to your grid and you may want to jot down your affirmation because you need to recharge your gird every 24 hours. This is a great thing to make part of a daily meditative practice since you do need to ground and center and get in the right frame of mind to work the grid.
Crystal grids can be used for so many things, from drawing customers to a business, healing for yourself or a friend, or to add energy to a spell. You can create a small crystal grid on your altar when casting a specific spell in order to help draw and send out certain kinds of energies to aid the working along. You can create one to honor the energy of a specific deity or to mark a certain energetic transition during the Wheel of the Year. Really the uses are endless. There are some shops that sell pre-drawn crystal grid cloths that you simply place the stones on in their designated positions, or you can look online for websites with images of grids that you can print out and use. Or you can just lay them on a plain surface. Whatever you do, do it with intent and do it from a place of harm to none.
Next week we’ll look at working with crystal layouts and placing stones in formations on the body for healing and drawing energy.
Crystal Wednesday: Angelite
Aug 18th
For this week I thought we would take a look at a crystal that I started working with about two years ago and have come to really enjoy a great deal. Sometimes we discover certain stones and crystals in a very magickal way; they come into our lives just as something else that resonates with them does and we find things falling into place with really nicely when we take up that particular stone. That’s what happened with me angelite. I had begun to work more heavily with the angles and had begun doing angel card readings more frequently, mostly at the request of clients that were finding me online looking for readings. They would see I offered oracle readings along with tarot and would come specifically asking for angel readings. As I began to take this work more seriously and started working more with the angelic realm, I started to think it would be a nice idea to do something in a formal, ritual sense to try and solidify my connection to the angels. As I was working to put together a small ritual to honor and connect to the angels when I was doing some reading on angel meditations and discovered the beautiful blue crystal of angelite.
Angelite comes in a number of different forms. You can find it in raw clusters, in points, and quite often in tumbled form. Angelite is popular in New Age themed jewelry, especially if it is angel themed. Angelite is the common or trade name for the light blue or lilac blue colored anhydrite that is often found in Peru. It is a form of calcium sulfate and, while mostly found in a blue color, can also be found in forms of white and, depending on where it is found, it can have splashes of red in it as well. It’s a very common stone and can be easily found online and in metaphysical shops in all sorts of shapes and sizes for reasonable prices. In the New Age market it’s not uncommon to find angelite stones fashioned in the shape of hearts or small pocket angel figurines.
When it comes to healing, angelite can be used as quite a versatile tool. Angelite is a stone that is connected to the throat chakra, but with it’s association to the angelic realms, it also has a connection to the crown chakra and can be used for healing where both of these chakaras may need attention. Spiritual healing is an area where angelite is commonly used, especially if the issue is one connected to anger or letting go of negative or bad feelings that have been holding someone back in their life. Placing the angelite on the throat chakra during a Reiki or other healing session can help to facilitate opening up the person’s ability to speak their mind and let out the thoughts and feelings that have been holding them back as well as letting go of energy connected to their inability to vocalize their feelings. It’s not uncommon for a person to have a series of crystal healing sessions involving angelite with the goal of opening up communication with others and have them suddenly voicing their feelings and concerns in ways that have never done before. Not only has the energy of the angelite helped to release blocks in the throat chakra but a level of spiritual support and confidence can be felt in the aura through the crown chakra as a result as well.
In physical healing angelite is a stone for balance. Either carrying or placing angelite on certain point of the body that may be out of balance can help to realign things which are feeling “off”. It is a stone whose energy is said to resonate especially strongly with the skeletal system and is often used in crystal healing sessions aimed to alleviate arthritis pain or symptoms of osteoporosis. Angelite is also thought to be a renewing stone in physical healing and is sometimes placed at the feel in healing sessions to facilitate the realignment of the chakras as well as renewal of cells in the body in areas that may be experiences illness or dis-harmony. It can also be used in healing sessions or carried for the purpose of healing blood conditions as well, especially conditions of imbalance in the blood.
When it comes to magickal or metaphysical uses, angelite is a natural channel for working with the angels and the Divine realm. It can be placed as a focal point for energy drawing and projecting in rituals and meditations or it can be carried for working with the angelic realm on a daily basis. A fun magickal experiment is to get a magickally inclined friend and together go to a shop and pick out some pieces of angelite together. Cleanse and charge them (together if you can) and set the intent of the stones for being aids in telepathic communication together. Take time each night for 10 or 15 minutes to get into a meditative state and work on communicating together telepathically or on the astral realm. Angelite can help to make these connections easier and stronger making non-verbal communication easier. Angelite is a stone of peace and can be placed around the home or office to maintain peaceful vibrations during times of chaos and stress. Angelite can be used for making elixirs, especially elixirs for reducing anger, promoting energetic balance, and meditation, however angelite elixirs need to be created in a non-direct method as the sulfur and led within the stone can be poisonous. Angelite is also a great stone to have on hand when doing psychic work, angel card or tarot readings or other forms of divination as it is can help to open up the third eye and connect us with our Guides and spirit helpers.
Angelite Details:
Primary Chakra: Throat
Secondary Chakra: Third Eye, Crown
Chemical Composition: (CaSO4) Calcium Sulfate
Astrological Sign: Aquarius
Numerical Vibration: 1
Hardness: 3.5
Color: Colorless, White, Blue, Blue/Violet White and Gray
Location: Peru (primarily blue, blue/violet)
Rarity: Common
Crystal Wednesday: Why am I losing my Crystals?
Aug 4th
This week’s Crystal Wednesday comes to us via a question I received through Ask A Witch. It’s actually not an uncommon question and I thought it would make for a great crystal discussion. We’re going to look at the sometimes very puzzling issue of the loss of our favorite crystals.
Hi Rowan,
I’m hoping you can help me sort of a problem I seem to have with amethyst crystals. They are my favorites because I love the color purple and I have carried one for protection for years. In the last couple of years I’ve had a hard time hanging on to my amethysts. I’ll have one in a pocket and I’ll reach in for it and it’s gone! I don’t ever recall dropping them or taking them out somewhere and they seem to just disappear. One friend suggested that I may have a spell on me that is causing this and another thought I could be flat out cursed because one piece in my home broke a while back which she thought, since it’s a stone of protection, would indicate someone cursed me. Is that true? Where are my crystals going and why can’t I hold on to an amethyst???
Blessed Be,
Christine
Thank you for your question, Christine! Believe it or not, yours isn’t an uncommon situation. There are a few things to keep in mind here. First, each and every stone and crystal has its own energy and “personality” of sorts. When a particular stone no longer needs to be with us, when it’s come to a point of having served us as best it can, it is not at all unusual for the stone to leave us. This can happen by doing exactly as you’ve described, basically disappearing into thin air when in fact you may have misplaced it or it may have fallen out of your pocket without you knowing. This isn’t anything to be terribly worried about, though it can be really frustrating, especially if a stone that we are particularly fond of leaves us. The best thing that we can do is to honor their energy and their work they have done for us by wishing them well and hoping that whomever comes to find them next has the same level of happiness with them that we did.
One of the things that I find most interesting about your particular situation is that you’re specifically having difficulty with amethyst, a stone you say you’ve employed for protection for some time. My first thought here is that one of the reasons you’re losing this particular stone is that amethyst is no longer the right stone for protection for you. I would suggest taking a little time to define for yourself what type of protection your looking for. While many people use amethyst for protection, it’s most often used specifically for protection on a psychic level and for protection against psychic attack and harmful energies that have been specifically directed at them. If you’re looking for a different type of protection then you may want to start trying to work with some other types of crystals more specific to the type of protection you seek. Here are some to consider:
For General/All Purpose Protection: apache tears, black obsidian, hematite, jasper, malachite, snowflake obsidian (my personal favorite for overall protection) and tiger’s eye.
For Protection from Evil or Negative Forces and Magick: black tourmaline, blue chalcedony, jet, and smokey quartz.
For Physical Protection: agate, carnelian, fluorite and smokey quartz.
For Physical Protection During Travel: amethyst, aquamarine (for water travel), garnet, malachite (for air travel), and rainbow moonstone
For Psychic Protection: amethyst, jade, lapis lazuli, prehnite, ruby, and sugilite.
For Protecting Your Aura: black tourmaline, labradorite, tiger’s eye
Once you have picked the purpose and stone be sure to cleanse and charge the stone and then begin using it either in the home or carrying it on you for its intended purpose. But when the stone leaves you, either try again with another of the same or see if your needs for protection have changed. It’s also possible that one particular protective stone just isn’t right for your personal energy and therefore it doesn’t last while another will. Sometimes it’s just a matter of trial and error even if it takes years.
Now, the last thing I wanted to address was the issue of being cursed. The fact that a piece of amethyst broke in your home does not indicate that you have been cursed, nor does the fact that you keep seeming to part ways with your other pieces of amethyst. Not knowing the circumstances of the breaking of the piece, the conditions it was kept in and so on, it’s hard to speak to the specific causes for that stone breaking. The mind often goes to the worst possible reason for something and thinking that we have been cursed when a magickal or spiritual tool suddenly breaks or goes missing isn’t an uncommon thought. However, the chances of you being cursed and that being the reason that your amethysts have broken and gone missing is quite unlikely. Instead I would say that the fact that this just isn’t the right protective stone for you right now is more likely and it’s time to experiment and explore other options.
I hope this helps! Many blessings of protection to you for the future!
Crystal Wednesday: Crystals for specific Needs
Jun 23rd
I recently had a request for a specific topic for the Crystal Wednesday post and I thought we would take a look at that today. At this point we’ve talked about picking stones, cleansing, clearing and charging stones, making elixirs with them and doing simple healing with them. We’ve look at a few specific stones as well and talked about how they could be used and which ones might be a little bit dangerous in certain applications because of toxicity (info on toxic stones can be found in the elixir article). The question that came in was from a reader that wanted to know about what stones she could use for a few specific recurring physical aliments that she and her child would experience. Now that she knew how to work with them, she didn’t know which ones to use for different issues. Today we’re going to take a look at something really simple, a reference list for aliments and stones to use.
How you use the stones is up to you. You can use the non-toxic ones to create elixirs for your needs. You can use them in the bath (if they are safe to submerge in water). You can lay them on the body in the specific physical location where there is a problem or you can use them on a related chakra as well. Once you have cleansed, cleared and charged your stone for it’s specific healing purpose, use it however you feel guided. As your healing guides, the God and Goddess, your spirit guides, etc for help with picking the best application for you and your situation.
The first list is one of aliments and related stones that can be used for healing. A second list is provided for reference when working with the chakras; you’ll see here each of the seven meridian chakras and the physical areas that each of those chakras can help in healing.
Stones For Healing Ailments
Alcoholism – amethyst, smokey quartz, sugilite
Allergies – carnelian
Anemia – coral, hematite
Arthritis – amethyst, malachite, black tourmaline
Asthma – malachite, tiger’s eye, topaz
Bladder Problems – bloodstone, jade, jasper, quartz
Bleeding – hematite, lodestone, red jasper (especially good for nose bleeds)
Bone Problems – blue lace agate, lapis lazuli, selenite
Bronchitis – amethyst, rutilated quartz
Burns – clear quartz, rose quartz
Childbirth – bloodstone, moonstone, peridot
Depression – garnet, jasper, jet, lapis lazuli, smokey quartz
Digestion – amber, labradorite, obsidian
Dizziness – lapis lazuli
Ear Problems – amber, obsidian, onyx
Epilepsy – jasper, jet, lapis lazuli, selenite
Fever – agate, bloodstone, carnelian, hematite, ruby
(Swollen) Glands – aquamarine
Headache – amber, amethyst, jet, sugilite, turquoise
Hearing Problems – agate, amethyst, quartz
Heart Disorders – agate, emerald, garnet, lodestone, rhodonite
Infections – carnelian, jasper, smokey quartz
Infertility – manganite, moonstone, orange tourmaline
Inflammations – angelite, carnelian, bloodstone, emerald, pyrite
Influenza – moss agate, fluorite
Insomnia – amethyst, lapis lazuli, sodalite, topaz
Kidney Problems – bloodstone, jade, opal
Liver Problems – aquamarine, beryl, bloodstone, danburite, peridot
Lung Problems – aventurine, emerald, tourmaline
Menstrual Disorders – coral, malachite
(Preventing) Miscarriage – bloodstone, ruby
Nervousness – moonstone, sapphire, watermelon tourmaline
Nervous System Disorders – blue lace agate, amazonite, chalcedony, hematite, opal
(General) Pain – ruby
Sore Throat – azurite, chalcedony, sunstone, tiger’s eye
Stomach Problems – agate, amethyst, jasper, onyx, rhodochrosite
Stress – aventurine, azurite, flourite, jasper, malachite, onyx, sapphire
Tonsillitis – azurite, pyrite
Toothache – aquamarine, malachite
Ulcers – onyx, sunstone
Vertigo – lapiz lazuli, malachite, rose quartz
Vision Problems – agate, amethyst, aventurine, emerald, tiger’s eye, topaz
Wounds – agate, carnelian, onyx, topaz
Chakras and Healing
This is a list of the seven main chakras and the organs and areas of the body that they are energetically connected to. Use this list as a guideline for working on deciding where to place a stone for healing work. For more detailed information on the chakras and healing work be sure to see the previous post on chakra healing.
The Root Chakra – (base of spine) Adrenal glands, kidney function, spinal cord
The Sacral Chakra – (below the bellybutton) Reproductive organs
The Solar Plexus – (above the bellybutton) Pancreas, liver function, stomach, gallbladder, spleen
The Heart Chakra – (center of chest) Thymus glands, immune system, endocrine system, heart
The Throat Chakra – (base of throat) Thyroid, vocal chords, lungs
Third Eye Chakra – (right above the center of the brow) Pituitary gland, lower brain, nervous system
The Crow Chakra – (top center of the head) Pineal gland, upper brain
Use this information to help pick the right stones and the right placement for helping to release and relieve the different aliments that you may experience. As always, remember that working with the crystals is a compliment to other traditional healing. Using the crystals will help to speed the process and make it a little easier for the body to heal.
Crystal Wednesday: Turquoise
Jun 2nd
I thought this week we’d take a look at a stone that is quite easy to find here in America that is also usually quite inexpensive in it’s raw, tumbled and polished forms. Turquoise is a beautiful stone that usually makes people think of ornate Native American themed jewelry, however this blue and green stone can be a great “go to” stone for any healer. With it’s many properties for healing, protection, stress relief and the ability to help with emotional issues such as mood swings, how could you not have this in your healing stone collection!
Turquoise is believed to have been around since 200 B.C. and it is a stone that has long been associated with Native Americans North America and Indian tribes in Mexico, however jewelers and historians have come to believe that the use of turquoise with silver in the form of the popular “Indian jewelry” is a fairly recent trend dating back to the 1880s which started with work from a Navajo craftsman.
The origin of the name for the stone has a few possibilities; some believe that it came from the word Turquie, French for Turkey (the country, not the animal) since it was believed that this was where the stone had come from, however more likely came from either Persia or Egypt. Another possible origin, also French in nature, is “pierre turquin”, which means dark blue stone.
Different forms of turquoise can be found in various parts of the world including the US, Egypt, Mexico, China, Iran, Peru, Poland, Russia, France, Tibet, Afghanistan and Arabia. In the US turquoise is most often found in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada. New Mexico was the largest US producer of turquoise until the 1920s when the stone was found in great quantities in Arizona and Nevada. Nevada was the top producer until the 1980s; currently Arizona produces the most of the stone that comes from America.
There are two different types of turquoise that are very distinct. The stone that comes from most of the places where it is found is typically some shade of blue, ranging from a very deep, true blue to a blue green. Another kind of turquoise, known as Tibetan Turquoise, carries a different color and energy. The Tibetan variety is much more of a green color with blue overtones, rather than the other way around.
Working with Turquoise
Turquoise can be used for several different healing and metaphysical uses. Many cultures, specifically in the Middle East, have used turquoise for protection. The stone was believed for centuries to be a natural deterrent of the Evil Eye and was used for making amulets to ward against it. In Navajo myth it was believed that throwing a piece of turquoise into a river while praying to the Rain God would bring much needed rain to an area. One interesting new age use for turquoise suggests wearing the stone in some form close to the body during times of stress. When your body begins to react to the stress around you the copper levels in the body will rise and react with the stone causing it to change colors, thus alerting you of a need for a break and a need to bring yourself back into balance.
In a healing sense, turquoise, being a blue stone, works great for dealing with issues of physical and energetic healing of the throat. As a strengthening stone it helps to build up one’s ability to speak up for themselves and can also help to release any words or actions related to communication that can create a self-sabotage situation. Turquoise also works well with issues of mood, mood swings and panic attacks.
Turquoise is a stone that is said to contain both energies of earth and sky working to unite both male and female energies. This makes it a great stone for balance in all areas. It can be used to help balance all the chakras or a specific chakra, even if it’s not the throat. Use the stone on your third eye and throat chakra areas for clarity and balance in receiving and sharing psychic and intuitive messages.
Turquoise can be great for making an elixir, especially for mood elevation, however this is a toxic stone as it contains copper, to remember to use it in and indirect method when creating your elixir.
Healing a Sore Throat with Turquoise
With allergy season in full swing soar throats are a possibility for many allergy sufferers. Here is a simple method for working with turquoise to alleviate soar throat irritation.
If you’re able to do this during the waning moon, all the better since the decreasing energies of the moon can be a great help in decreasing your irritations, but you can do this any time you need to. Each night, usually for about a week, spend some time laying down with a piece of turquoise resting on your throat. Allow your throat chakra to open up and absorb the healing energy from the stone for about 10-15 minutes. When you’re done, place the stone in a bowl of salt to help remove the unwanted energies that it has taken from you. Leave the stone in the salt overnight. In the morning remove the stone and place it in a fresh, clean bowl of spring water. This will complete the clearing and cleansing of the stone making it ready for another use. Take the stone out of the water a hour or so before you intent to use it, allowing it to air dry. When you have finished working with the stone for the week, cleanse it a final time and place it in a cloth or charm bag to keep it safe for the next time you need it.
Crystal Wednesday: Simple Chakra Balancing
May 26th
We’ve talked in the past about using crystals in layouts on and around the body to help bring healing. When we talk about these crystal techniques we often talk about the chakras and using the crystals on and around specific chakras to help bring in healing energies and release blockages. For some people who are just getting started with this work they may not know how to open their chakras, how to balance them or how to work with them. Heck, many people can’t even pronounce the word “chakra” when they are just getting started! And that’s FINE! We all start somewhere and getting started with both energy work and crystals can be simple and basic and easily accessible for the beginner with just a small bit of knowledge. This week, let’s look at chakras in a nutshell, the stones and colors to use with them, and how just through simple intention you can begin to learn to open and experience your chakras, bringing them into balance, with crystals.
Chakra Basics in a Nutshell
Working with and studying the chakras can be a lifelong pursuit, and I can say from time both as a crystal healer and Reiki Master, working with the chakras can be super simple but it can also be very deep and technical. Because there is so much to learn and know with regard to chakras, we’re going to make this as simple as it needs to be to get started.
Base Chakra – Also called the Root Chakra. The color associated with this chakra is a deep but vibrant red. It is located at the base of the spine. Some people believe that the root chakra is not fixed and that when we stand it moves to where our body is physically rooted to the earth (so at the feet) but when we sit it rests at the base of the spine with the sitting bones. The Root Chakra connects to the energies of security, safety and groundedness.
Sacral Chakra – The color associated with the Sacral Chakra is orange and it is located a little bit below the belly button. This chakra is associated with creative energy, fertility and sexuality.
Solar Plexus Chakra – The color associated with the Solar Plexus is yellow and this chakra is located right above the belly button. This is the chakra that handles our sense of self, personal power, control and understanding.
Heart Chakra – The color associated with the Heart Chakra is typically green though some people prefer to use pink (you can also alternate these colors when doing healing based on the type of heart chakra healing that needs to be done). This chakra is located in the center of the chest at the breastplate. The energy contained here is that of love (for ourselves and others), emotional growth, and balance.
Throat Chakra – The color associated with the Throat Chakra is blue and it is located at the base of the throat. This chakra deals with the energy surrounding communication and expression.
Brow Chakra – This charka is also most commonly referred to as the Thrid Eye Chakra and is located just about the center of the brows. The color associated with this chakra is a deep purple or indigo. The energy here is spiritual. This is the center related to spirit communication, psychic connection and growth, perception, intuition and vision.
Crown Chakra – The color with this chakra can vary based on tradition or personal beliefs. Some use violet and others use gold. I personally recommend white/clear for this chakra as it is the chakra connected to the pure, spiritual light of the divine. This is the chakra that deals with our connection to the Gods as well as coherence and integration of other energies.
The Crystals
When it comes to picking crystals to use with the chakras you can begin by working as simply as picking out stones that match the color of the chakras. But it can be helpful to have some traditional suggestions. Here are some stones that you can seek out and start with. Pick stones that resonate with you. When you go to pick out your stones, hold them for a moment asking if this stone is the right one to work with a specific chakra. For example, if you pick up a piece of quartz for your crown chakra, hold it for a minute, focusing on how the crystal feels and ask the spirit and energy of the stone if this is the right stone to work with opening, cleansing and balancing your crown chakra. When you get your answer you’ll know if that’s the right stone (you may feel nothing, meaning this isn’t the right piece, or you could feel a pulse or hum in your hand meaning it’s the one to use; some people may even feel a tingle in the area of the chakra they are asking about which would be a definite yes).
Root Chakra – red jasper, tiger’s eye, garnet, ruby
Sacral Chakra – carnelian, sunstone, orange calcite
Solar Plexus Chakra – citrine, yellow jasper, amber
Heart Chakra – malachite, jade, green aventurine, rhodonite, rose quartz, rubellite
Throat Chakra – sodalite, blue calcite, angelite
Third Eye Chakra – amethyst, flourite, sugilite, lapis lazuli
Crown Chakra – danburite, clear quartz
Working with the Stones and Chakras
When it comes to using the stones begin by doing a simple cleansing of each stone either by running it under cool running water or by smudging it with sage. Then hold the stones one at a time and send energy into the stone with the intention of that stone being attuned to you and your specific chakra that the stone is meant for.
When you’re ready lay down and begin placing the stones on your body (of if you’re working with a friend you can have them place the stones for you). Begin at the root chakra. Your legs should be open slightly so that the stone can rest between your thighs. Place the rest of the stones in the corresponding areas on the body. When you get to the crown, place the stone right above the center of you head on the floor (or wherever you’re laying).
Once the stones are in place focus on the stones one at a time. Start at the root and work your way up to the crown. You don’t need to spend a long time, simply take a few minutes to direct your energy and attention to each stone and each chakra one at the time. How does the stone feel on or near your body? Do you have any sort of sensations at the chakras (warmth, coolness, tingling, etc)? Imagine the color in that chakra. Is it bright or dark? Feel and know, with full intention, that the chakra is becoming a bright and pure center of energy. When you feel that one chakra is bright and clear move up to the next one. When you are done with all seven take a little time to feel the flow of energy in your body knowing that you are in balance, centered and focused. When you feel ready to finish, take a moment to say thanks to Spirit, and slowly come back to normal consciousness, grounding as needed.
Remove the stones and you can cleanse them again between uses and then keep them together in a special box or bag. Any time you feel a specific energy center needs cleansing you can do a single one by just placing the stone you need to work with on the chakra that you wish to cleans and balance.
The key to remember is that even if you don’t think you know what is going on technically, placing the stones on the chakras with intention and holding that intention to have clear and balanced energy centers is all you need. The stones, your energy body and Spirit will do the rest!
Crystal Wednesday: Prehnite
May 5th
Raw Prehnite
Our crystal for this week is one that I was completely unfamiliar with until recently when my husband found it in a local Pagan shop. He found the stone and pointed it out to me because of it’s description of being a calming stone and he wanted me to pick one out to carry in the car. I am a nervous passenger. Apparently I’m a nervous driver too, but I don’t know about that. When I’m not in charge of the car I tend to be very jumpy, I misjudge distances and I think that every car that drives by is going to either hit us, cut us off to come slamming into us. That drives my husband nuts because it makes him nervous too. So he thought if I had a piece of this stone that I could hold onto in the car I might be a bit more calm when we’re driving. So I was game. I’ve done some reading, research and work with the stone since and I have to say it’s quickly becoming a favorite.
Prehnite ranges in color from a very pale, milky white green to a deep mint that can also have what are sometimes called “chocolate” colored inclusions. while still others have a green-yellow look. Some pieces, especially those that have been tumbled or faceted, have a look similar to moonstone but with a green hue. It originates from South Africa and has the nickname “Cape emerald” because it was believed at one point to be a form of emerald. Prehnite has since been found in other parts of the world including Australia, the US, and in the Alps. The stone was originally discovered in Cape of Good Hope in Africa in 1774 with Dutch colonel having found it.
The chemical make up of the stone is calcium aluminum silicate hydroxide (making it unsafe for any internal use such as with elixirs made directly from the stone). Prehnite has been mistakenly thought to be a zeolite, a type of mineral that is a silicate used in a lot of industrial applications because of it’s ability to purify, detoxify, and deodorize. One of the common traits that prehnite has with other zeolites is it’s ability to excrete water when it’s heated up, however unlike actual zeolites, prehnite cannot reabsorb the water.
In healing we can use prehnite to help with issues that might be happening with the bladder and kidneys. When doing energy healing prehnite stones
Tumbled Prehnite
can be placed over the bladder and kidneys to help aid in healing for any issues in those areas. It can also be used for issues of nervous stomachs and digestion issues that happen due to nerves and nervous conditions. The stone is a calming stone who’s main functions are to soften and sooth as well as alleviate tensions, making it a great stone for addressing anything that might be causing problems to both the physical and energy bodies because of nerves. The stone can be carried or held on the receptive side of the body whenever there is a need to calm to nerves or it can be placed on the body wherever it may be needed. It is also used with the solar plexus chakra for nerves and strength and with the third eye for meditation and visualization as it is also said to be a stone of prophecy and it can help open up the third eye for vision and journey work.
Magically the main function of prehnite is to help with psychic work, exploring past lives, and working within the astral realms. It is also a stone that can be used for dream work and makes a great addition for dream pillows. When being used psychic and vision work prehnite can help to break down boundaries between time and space. This helps to be able to see and interpret messages from the past, present and future in a clear manner. It can also be used to specifically increase and enhance clairvoyance for remote viewing and it can help with channeling. Prehnite is also said to be sacred to to the Archangel Raphael.
Prehnite is easily found and is readily available in tumbled stones, perfect for carrying, and can be found in clusters and points for healing and altar work. You can find it easily online and in many specialty crystal stores.
Crystal Wednesday: Make A Crystal Bag
Apr 21st
This week’s Crystal Wednesday is going to be a short and simple one. We’ve talked about a number of more involved uses for crystals but sometimes simple is better, so today we’re going to talk about creating small and simple crystal bags. Crystal bags can be used for a number of different reasons. Some people will
create a bag for protection, some for love, others for money or career related work. The idea with a crystal bag is to put together a grouping of stones that will all work together to create a specific vibration and energy that you can then carry with you and use for a specific purpose. I’ve seen people create really lovely but very large and heavy crystal bags that you can’t really carry it with you easily and one of the joys of the crystal bag is being able to toss it in your purse or pocket to take with you wherever you go. So we’re going to focus on creating a crystal bag that contains only 4 stones and that can easily be taken on the go.
The first thing to remember when doing this is bigger isn’t always better, nor is having more the way to go. So if you’re going to carry the bag with you, you might not want really large points or other larger pieces of crystal. The size of a crystal, when used in this manner, doesn’t matter as much as the feel and quality of the piece. Size might be a factor when we’re working with healing because want to have something substantial to lay on a person’s body or something to that end, but even a small chip of a stone carries the same energy and power as the larger piece that it came from, so don’t feel that you have to use anything big or heavy.
When making a bag, start simple and add as you personally feel called to. The way that I make bags and the way that I recommend others start out a bag is to pick 4 stones. You can decide if you want to use the four elements as your guide by picking a stone that will draw on specific aspects of earth, air, fire and water for your goal, or you can use 4 stones with one each representing mind, body, spirit and deity/ally. By working with just 4 we are able to create something that is simple and portable and by working with stones with a meaning, purpose and structure rather than just any 4 stones, we have a guide to help us in picking out what we need.
Decide on your Intent
You’ll want to decide first on your goal and intent. This is obviously the most important piece of the puzzle; what do you want to work on and what do you want to transform? Pick a single focus and something that you can define in a simple or basic few keywords or sentences. This helps to make your focus clear and direct now as you create the bag and also for the future as you work with the bag.
For our purposes here we’re going to work through this with an example and we’ll use the example intention of creating a bag for emotional healing. We’re going to say that the individual that we’re making the bag for is working through the difficulties of a bad divorce and we’ll be creating a bag for healing the heart and helping this person to move forward in their life. A few keywords we’ll work with here and keep in mind are healing, self-esteem, and self-love.
Pick your Configuration
This is simply deciding on how you want to pick your stones; do you want to use the elements method or the method of mind/body/spirit? For our purposes with the type of bag and intent we’re working with, the mind/body/spirit approach feels best, so we’ll be using this configuration.
Pick your Stones
Now comes the fun part, picking stones. Let yourself be creative and consider working with stones that you might not normally work with. Don’t just grab stones that you have in your collection because they’re easily accessible; really make this an adventure of creation and look for new and different pieces that call to you. In the same token, if things you have really and truly speak to you, use them.
Remember that with this bag no one stone works on its own. All 4 stones will work together and generate a single intention and energy. Picking stones that build on the energy of the others is key. So the first thing to do is to start by grabbing a notebook or your Book of Shadows and making four columns on a single page. Here we’ll go with Mind, Body, Spirit, Deity. On this page under reach header brainstorm what sort of energies related to your goal and intention you would like to draw on for each area. Let’s work with this with our example; these are just some general ideas, and only a few for each point to show and example. When working on this with your own intention brainstorm as much as you feel you need to.
Intention: Emotional healing from divorce
Mind: confidence, a sense of mental peace with what has happened, a feeling of self-esteem, release of fears for the future
Body: feeling a sense of physical independence, sexual security, desirability, beauty
Spirit: feeling a sense of personal empowerment, sovereignty
The next one, Deity, is one where you want to pick a God or Goddess, or even an Otherworld ally, whom you feel connected to with this work and intention. You can list several and then as you narrow down your specifics in your next step you may find that one specific deity from your list really calls to you.
Deity: Lilith, Athena, Aphrodite, The Morrighan
Next reflect on what you have written. You might even want to set this down for a bit and meditate on it, doing a little further journaling if you feel so called. Think in what you have written and think about your goal. What area of the four feels most important or needing the most focus. This doesn’t mean that this is going to take some prominence over the other areas but it will be your starting point. So, working with our example, let’s say that we decide that the thing that we are most hurt by from the divorce is the feeling of not being wanted anymore; in our example we’ll say that the woman’s husband had an affair and one of her big issues is being left for a younger, more attractive woman and feeling unwanted and unattractive. So we’ll focus on the Body aspect and we’ll work with sexuality and beauty.
With this as our starting point we look at the other areas and find what else compliments and supports that. In the Mind area we’ll focus on self-esteem and in the Spirit area we’ll focus on sovereignty. As for a Deity, since we want to focus on sexuality and beauty we’ll work with Aphrodite. So let’s make a new little list to start picking our stones from:
Mind: self-esteem
Body: sexual beauty
Spirit: sovereignty
Deity: Aphrodite
So now we have almost a shopping list, in a sense, for looking for stones. We want to pick a stone for each of these areas and qualities and we want to try and find stones that also share some of these qualities and can work together well. Try making a list of some possible stones for each of these qualities.
Mind: self-esteem = moss agate, pink calcite, opal, rose quartz, rhodichrosite
Body: sexual beauty = fire agate, red garnet, pyrolusite, ruby, pink thulite
Spirit: sovereignty = beryl, lepidolite, sunstone
Deity: Aphrodite = copper, emerald, moonstone, pearl, turquoise
Once you have this list start out by picking the stone you feel most drawn to from the area that you have chosen to be your main point of focus. For our example bag we’re going to pick first from the Body category. Let’s work with red garnet. The color red corresponds with the root chakra which helps with feelings of security. Red is a color of fire and sexuality as well. Red garnet is a stone who’s main focus is sexuality as well as heart energy. So this stone becomes a big catch all for sex, sexuality, and the issues that surround it. From there we pick from each of the other areas and pick stones that will work with and support this one. Go with both your intuition and with what you can find in research. This is what I would make for this bag from what we have here:
Mind: pink calcite
Body: red garnet
Spirit: sunstone
Deity: emerald
You’ll want to next take time to cleanse and charge your stones, each one with the specific direction that you have decided on for each area. Dedicated your Deity stone to the specific God or Goddess you have chosen to work with and ask for their energy and blessing on this stone.
You’ll then want to put your stones in a small spell bag to carry with you. Pick a color and style that supports your goal and intention. In this cause I would pick a pink silky looking bag.
When your bag is complete and together, cast a circle or create sacred space however you feel called to create it and sit in your space, holding your bag in both hands, and feel the energy and power that it contains. Call on the deity you have chosen to work with and ask them to be with you and help you to feel the power of the stones. Take time to open your chakras, specifically the one(s) that may be most connected to your issue or goal. Draw the energy from the bag into this chakra and feel it meld with your personal energy, helping to heal and help you. Take a moment to then dedicate the bag to you. When I say to dedicated it you, rather than a God or Goddess, I mean to specifically fill this bag with the intention to work with you, heal and help you, and respond to your energy. You have a deity connected to it, but you don’t have to dedicate the bag to them specifically, instead dedicate it to you and your personal power, energy and growth.
This is a bit more of an in-depth process than how most people would do this. Most people just pick a handful of stones that appeal to them for their specific goal. And while this is fine, the process presented here can be helpful in really creating a powerful crystal healing tool. Next time you feel you need to make a crystal bag, give it a try!
Crystal Wednesday: Super Seven
Apr 15th
We’re a wee bit late with this week’s Crystal Wednesday post, but as I always say, better late then never! This week we’re going to take a brief look at a special stone that I had the chance to get well acquainted with last year while working on a crystal therapy course with Earth & Sky Spirit Reiki. The stone is know by two different names, Super Seven and Melody’s Stone. This is a rare stone found in the Espiritu Santo region of Brazil and is a form of rutilated amethyst. Rutilated stones are created with there are rutile inclusions found, which are simply needles of color that almost look like fibers embedded in the stone. This is most common among the various forms of quartz, a crystal family which amethyst is a part of.
The reason that the stone is called Super Seven is because it contains seven different minerals within it; Amethyst, Cacoxenite, Goethite, Clear Quartz, Lepidocrosite, Smokey Quartz and Rutile. Here is a little bit of what each of these brings to the overall stone energy:
- Amethyst – Strength, stability, spiritual enlightenment, patience and the ability to remain calm during stressful situations
- Cacoxenite – Spiritual awakening, deeper understanding, seeing the positive in all situations, being open to new ideas
- Goethite – Communication, opens one’s clairaudient abilities, clarity, focus, clears distractions of the mind
- Clear Quartz – Enhances communication, increases energy, opens one up to harmonious energy flow
- Lepidocrosite – Enhances the intellect and opens one up to intellectual pursuits, helps with retaining knowledge, grounds and centers and promotes clear thinking
- Smokey Quartz – Focus, creativity, ability to deal with pressure and stress, creativity
- Rutile – Strength, love, the ability to make decisions easier, spiritual development, accelerates growth of body, mind and spirit
Super Seven, as a whole, is a fantastic and powerful healer stone that is said to never need cleansing, clearing or charging. It is a stone that can be used for a number of healing applications but is most known for it’s grounding ability as well as it’s ability to help us create deep connections to our Higher Self, especially when healing is needed there. It is also a stone that is said to help with creating bonds between those working together on common goals, such as those who are working together spiritually in groups, groves and covens. It can be used to connect each person’s Higher Self to those of the group while aiding in attaining common spiritual goals.
In healing work Super Seven is most specifically used for awakening and simulating healing and energy within the body.
An example of a rutilated quartz.
It is a stone that can be added to other stones in a crystal layout to help stimulate the energy field of the body and the Higher Self so that the healing vibrations of other stones used in a session are well received. In metaphysical and magickal work it is a stone often used for it’s ability to awaken and trigger the psychic senses in the body, mind and spirit. It can be used in meditation, placed over the third eye chakra, to help stimulate any of these senses with intention and focus. Super Seven can be esepcailly helpful in awakening the senses of telepathy, clairvoyance, clairaudience, and clairsentience.
When compared to the first picture at the top of the page, this shows how varied in color and apperance Super Seven can be.
When looking for a piece of Super Seven, it’s important to remember that not all seven minerals may be visibly present but that doesn’t mean that theyaren’t there. Some Super Seven pieces can look like rutilated clear quarts while others can actually look just like ametrine with almost no obvious rutile in it. The key is to take the time searching for a piece that really calls to you and that you feel connected to. But don’t just go by the stone’s physical appearance, look around for ones that, when you pick it up and hold it in your receptive (non-dominate) hand gives you the sensation of both a calmness while feeling energized or awakened. You may feel your crown and third eye chakras react as well; this is a good sign of finding the right piece for you. Super Seven isn’t terribly rare but it’s also not the easiest to find in every day magickal or new age shops. If you prefer picking out your stones in person, look for specialty gem and rock shops or local gem and mineral shows open to the public for your best chances of finding a variety of stones to pick from.
Crystal Wednesday: Charging Your Crystals
Apr 7th
During our Crystal Wednesday segments we’ve done a lot of talking about different crystals and their uses of healing and magick, but we haven’t really stopped to talk about some of the real simple basics that go into working with crystals and stones. One of those is the process of charging your stones for your magickal work.
When we talk about charging our crystals we’re actually going to be talking about two processes, the actual charging with intent but also the act of clearing the stone of existing vibrations that it has picked up before we give it specific direction for healing or magick. Some people wonder if they can use a crystal more than once and you certainly can, but you need to take the time to clear it first of any previous energies that it has picked up or been charged with. There will be times that you just wont want to use a stone for anything other than what it was originally intended for, and if that was a spell you might find that once the spell is over the stone feels “dead” or like it will no longer be of use to you. When you find this to be the case, return the stone to the earth, either by tossing into a moving body of water, like the ocean or a river, or burying it in the earth.
Clearing a stone can be done in one of several very simple ways. You can clear your stones by smudging them with cedar or sage. Either break off some sage from a smudge stick or light the end of the smudge stick and rest in a fire safe dish and allow the smoke to rise upward. Hold the stone in the smoke and pass it around several times so that all sides and surface area of the stone are run through the smoke. Visualize any unwanted energies being carried away from the stone and upward with the sage or cedar smoke to be cleansed. This is great and simple and a method best used when you need to clear and work with your stones right away.
Moonlight is another method that can be used if the timing is right. Set your stones out either in a window sill or right outside if there is a place that will be safe for them to be. You will want to place the stones out on the night of the Full Moon and let them saying there all through to the next New Moon. The Waning Moon phase will help to clear and remove all the previously held energies from within the stones. You will want to take the stones out of the sunlight during this process since the sun can bleach out some stones, so each day see how the stones feel to you. You may find that certain stones don’t need to sit out for the full time while others may need several cycles to be fully cleared.
Another method is burying the stone. You can bury your stone in a bowl of cleansing herbs such as sage, cedar, lavender and sweetgrass, or you can bury them in a bowl of dry earth. Some people like to use salt, but salt can react with some crystals causing pitting and even cracking. Be sure to do some research into your crystals before picking a method like this so that you know for sure what your stones can be left safely in. Take the stone and place it deep within the bowl of herbs or soil, cover, and leave in a safe place, like your altar, for several days. If you have a large amount of crystals that just need a general clearing this is a great method to use; place all the stones in a bowl of herbs or soil at the beginning of the Waning Moon and leave them there through the Waning phase, then remove and physical clean. Then you’re ready for our next step, charging.
Charging is just what it sounds like; you’re going to give you stone a job and some direction. Based on the stone and your purpose try and narrow down your intention to a single work or two. For example love or self-love for use with a pink quartz; vision or psychic visions with an amethyst, etc.
Gather together:
- a small bowl of water
- a red candle
- a stick of incense (you can use incense related to your intention or you can use sandalwood)
- a small bowl of soil
- a bottle of anointing oil (again this can be related to your intention, it can be an anointing blend, or it can be plain sandalwood)
- a small charm bag or piece of cloth to keep it in
Set up your items on your altar or other work surface. Light your incense and candle and take a moment to ground and center yourself, clearing seeing your vision of what you wish to charge your crystal for. Have the word or words in mind and keep them in your mind throughout the process. All the other words given here are just my suggestions, so please modify as needed.
Take your crystal and hold it over the incense and say “I charge you with the power of the winds and the element of air.” Blow on it with your breath visualizing your breath being a color related to your intention; see it penetrate the stone.
Next, hold the stone over the flame of the candle (being careful not to burn yourself or your stone). Say “I charge you with the power of the flame and the element of fire.” Visualize the aura of the flame engulfing the stone and infusing it with your desires.
Take your stone and carefully dip it in the water (lightly sprinkle the stone with a few drops if it is something that is easily damaged by water). Say “I charge you with the power of the waves and the element of water.” Visualize the water penetrating the stone deep to its core and filling it with your intentions.
Next role the stone in the bowl of dirt and say “I charge you with the power of the soil and the element of earth.” Visualize the soil changing to the same color you visualized your breath as when it touched the stone, covering the stone in this color and, thus, with your intention.
Take a drop or two of anointing oil into your palms and rub the stone in your hands, covering it with oil. Say “I charge you with the power of Spirit and the power of life.” Do this until you feel the oil is penetrating the stone and the stone no longer feel slick or greasy.
While doing this chant the word or words that you have chosen for your intention. As you do this raise energy through your body and into your hands and direct it into your stone. When your hands and your stone being very warm and you feel that your stone is bursting with energy, speak words into the stone. Hold the stone up to your mouth so that your breath covers it and give it a specific charge. You can say something like “I charge you with the energy of self-love. As I carry you with me may you grant me to power to love myself, inside and out, and be open to receiving love from others.”
When you have finished and you feel your stone is filled with your intention, please it within its bag or piece of cloth. It is now ready to do its work for you! If you’re going to use it for a spell you can set it aside on your altar in its cloth until you’re ready to work the spell; if it’s meant to be carried with you, you can start carrying right away. If it is charged for healing you can set it aside until you’re ready to use it.
Clearing and charging your crystals helps you to have prepared magickal and healing tools on hand at all times and by giving them a clear intention you can be sure that they will draw the correct energies needed to you and they will align with your personal energy more accurately.
Crystal Wednesday: Ametrine
Mar 17th
One of my favorite stones that can be quite unique from piece to piece is ametrine. Ametrine is a form of quartz that contains both amethyst and citrine and carries energies of both stones along with bringing a powerful cleanings and balancing energy.
Ametrine takes many forms, but in it’s natural state, the colors can be very dark and blended together in a way that can make some pieces look like they are just very deeply colored amethyst. Other pieces have clear yellow or gold citrine elements within them. Ametrine is minded almost exclusively in Bolivia which is where it gets one of its trade names, bolivianite, though some ametrine has been found on parts of India and Brazil in recent years.
Ametrine forms naturally in the Anahi mines in Bolivia because of the various temperature combinations, air pressure and the natural chemicals in the mines which cause a natural oxidation process to happen within the iron of the crystal itself. Since the temperatures and pressures vary so greatly in this specific mining area, the oxidation rate of the iron deposits are so different that some parts of the crystal form as a yellow/gold color, creating citrine, while other parts turn varied shades of purple, creating amethyst. Sometimes during the process one area will oxidize at a slightly different rate, just enough to cause part of a piece that would normally have been all amethyst to have a portion that formed as citrine.
When looking for ametrine, especially for healing or magickal work, it’s important to look for natural, raw, or tumbled pieces that are very obviously not meant for the purposes of making jewlery. Many pieces of ametrine that are made for or sold as jewelry, such as faceted pieces for rings, are quite often (but not always) synthetic. Ametrine can be easily mimicked either with dyes being applied to heat treated clear quartz or even by using different heat treatments to plain amethyst. One sign of an artificial piece of ametrine is when the definitions between the amethyst and citrine are very obvious, as though the two pieces were almost fused together with a defined beginning and end to each color. While this can happen in natural ametrine it’s very rare and you’re more apt to find pieces where one color is more dominant than the other and they blend or swirl together in the stone. Also, the color of the stone can be a sign of whether it’s natural or synthetic; if the stone has a greenish-yellow color to the citrine part or if the amethyst has a blue hue to it, it is almost definitely synthetic since these colors do not happen naturally in these stones. Deep, rich purples, as well as deep golds, are a sign of a true piece of ametrine.
Ametrine can be used for a number of healing purposes. As a stone that brings harmony to the spirit and body, if you are finding that you’re feeling “out of sorts” or if you have a sense of being disconnected, either from your thoughts or your body, meditating or just relaxing while holding the ametrine in your power hand will help to bring you back into balance. Ametrine is also believed by many crystal healers to be a stone of male/female balance; if someone is having a hard time connecting to one of these halves of their personalities, or if there is a lack of balance between the two, ametrine can be used for bringing them into harmony.
Using ametrine in meditation can help to open up and empower the third eye. If you or a client in a healing session are having trouble with their psychic senses, or if there is a feeling of not being in touch or in balance with your intuition or psychic senses, place a piece of ametrine on the third eye and let it rest, giving it a chance to open up and balance the third eye chakra. Ametrine can also help clear out any lingering negative energy from emotional trauma or emotional worries and concerns which makes this a great stone for working with healing sessions for those that are experiencing issues with releasing and letting go from bad relationships, working through issues of abuse and overall problems with moving on from a bad patch in personal relationships.
When looking for some creative ways to use ametrine, consider the fact that both the properties of amethyst and citrine are contained in this stone, regardless of how much of each is evident from looking at a piece. Amethyst contains the ability to bring serenity and calm as well as protection while citrine helps with creativity, mental clarity and inner strength and confidence. Ametrine can be a great stone for students who want to create a talisman for helping with their studies. Take a piece of ametrine and charge it for this by calling on the aspect of amethyst to grant you a calm, focused state of mind, and the citrine to help you better understand the work and have the confidence to display your understanding through homework assignements and exams.
The color therapy, or color magick, available in ametrine can be very powerful as well since the purple of the amethyst can help with visualizing and mentally creating the image of what you desire while the gold of the citrine can help with manifestation in the physical world. Holding ametrine or using it as part of spells where manifesting something in the physical world can be quite helpful. These two colors together can also help with balancing the third eye chakra and the solar plexus chakra. These are two chakras, that when in balance, can help us to feel and follow our intuitions, our “gut feelings”, more confidently.
In healing for physical purposes ametrine can be used for a number of different purposes including releasing toxins, releasing muscle tension, reducing fever and helping with the aches and pains caused by head or chest congestion. You can make an elixir with ametrine and take to help with any of these, but it can be especially useful in this manner for toxin release. If you get massage regularly you know about the need to drink water to help with the flushing of the toxins that are released from the muscle tissue. Taking 3-6 drops of an ametrine elixir in your water following a massage can help this process along and help you feel not only physically but also mentally refreshed after.
Ametrine is a great stone that has endless possibilities because of the unique combination of energies that it brings. Even just a small piece can be used for a number of purposes and makes for a great addition to any set of healing crystals.
Crystal Wednesday: Crafting Gemstone Elixirs
Mar 3rd
A simple and practical way for you to make use of your gemstones, aside from carrying, meditating and laying them on and around the body for healing, is to make an elixir or gemstone potion. These liquid creations can be used in many, many ways; you can take them internally as a way to absorb and incorporate the energy of a stone or crystal in the body, they can be added to plant water to energize them, drops can be added to a pre-ritual bath, or you can even use the charged water for cleansing ritual objects or even just areas in the home that may need some extra energy. It’s a simple process and one that anyone can work with.
A BIG Word of Caution
Before you begin working with this method it is highly imperative that you purchase a good, solid resource manual for your crystal information as many crystals and stones are actually toxic and NOT recommended for this sort of process. While any of the stones can be used externally on and around the body, some stones contain very dangerous minerals and inclusions such as sulphur, copper, lead, mercury and more. I am going to include a list of some of the more popular stones that are known to be toxic and I will include some substitution suggestions as well along with a few source recommendations.
But, with that said, you can work with some of the toxic stones as long as you are creating an elixir that will be used for external purposes only, like for cleansing tools or cleaning the home. In some crystal books when information on elixirs is given, you may see the suggestion of using elixirs made from toxic stones to be used for anointing the body, but again I have to even caution against because by putting the water made with these stones on the skin it’s possible for the undesired elements to absorb through the skin and into the blood stream. So again, play it safe and do your research before making any elixirs.
Picking Your Stone
The best way to work with these elixirs is to use a single stone or crystal for each one and to work with taking the elixirs one at a time. So when you’re making your very first one, try picking a stone that either has a very specific property that you wish to work with, such as carnelian for healing issues of anger or jealousy, or maybe amethyst to help with your psychic development or to open up the third eye before meditation. When you aren’t sure, or you’re just giving this whole thing a try and don’t know what to work with, you can always used clear quartz as it is a stone that will give your energy vibrations an overall life and balance as well as being able to be used specifically for things like meditation and spiritual development.
Making Gemstone Elixirs
The process of making the elixirs is quite simple and doesn’t require a large amount of tools. In fact, as long as you have your stones already, you can probably round up everything you need right in your own home.
You Will Need:
- A glass jar or bottle, with a lid, one for each elixir you’re making if you’re making elixirs from multiple types of stones. NEVER use plastic!
- Spring water, distilled water, or filtered water. This is important because you don’t want the natural inclusions found in tap water to leach or react with the stones themselves or their possible inclusions.
- A bowl that will be large enough to hold the amount of water you will be using for your elixir (multiple bowls will be needed if you’re doing multiple types of elixirs).
- A measuring cup and funnel for easy pouring.
- A singing bowl (this is for an optional step, but this is a nice touch if you have one)
Once you have gathered together everything, make sure that you cleanse everything, physically and psychically/energetically. You might want to bring your items into sacred space to sit and charge at your altar overnight. If you’re familiar with crystal grids (something we’ll talk about on a Wednesday in the future), you can place your bottles within a grid or layout to cleanse them as well. Otherwise, a simple physical wash, including sterilizing the bottles and then given them a smudging with sage and charge with white light and energy (if you’ve never done this before, or if it’s been a while since you’ve sterilized a baby bottle, simply submerge your bottles, and droppers if you’re using them, in a pot of water on the stove, turn on the heat and let it come to a boil and let the bottles sit in the boiling water for five minutes, remove with tongs because they will be very hot, and place on a drying rack or paper towels to cool and air dry).
While you’re waiting for your bottles to dry you can work with cleansing your stone. Give it a physical cleansing in cool, running water and then dry it. Charge your stone with your intent; all stones have multiple energy properties so ask that the specific one(s) that you are looking to call into your elixir come forward and focus on sensing that energy or energies growing and becoming the dominate vibrations within the stone. Place the stone on your altar and allow this to sit and charge until it is time to add it to your water. You may also want to place the stone in direct sunlight or you can leave the stone with the water for the same 24 hours that it will be charging for. Some people like to charge their stones for several days in sunlight, but use whatever stone charging and activation method you normally use or feel drawn to using.
Next, take your water and place it in a window sill, on your altar, or in another space that is near a window where it can catch direct sun and moonlight. Do not worry if it is not a full moon, however working with the moon phases while creating your elixirs is another wonderful way to add extra energy to your potion. The idea here is to charge the water with sun and moon energy for a full 24 hours. The energy of the moon is always there, even when we can’t see it, so as long as you’re placing the bowl in line with an exposed window, you’re fine.
The next step, which happens once the water has charged, is to bring together your stone and water in a bottle for storage. There are several ways to do this. The first way is to simply take your stone, place it inside your bottle or jar, and then fill it with your charged water. The other way utilizes a singing bowl. If you have a singing bowl, first physically and psychically cleanse and charge it. Place your stone inside the bottom of the bowl and fill the bowl with the water. Be careful not to fill the bowl to the top because if it’s too full you’re going to spill the water and possible end up with quite a wet mess (I bet you can’t guess I’m speaking from experience). Take a moment to center yourself and call up the energy that you’re looking to charge your elixir with and begin to play your bowl. You’ll notice that the water will vibrate from the action of the bowl which not only adds the vibrational energy of the bowl itself but also activates the crystal energy on another level. When you are ready allow the vibrations to settle on their own and then you can begin to add the water from the bowl into your jar or bottle. At this stage you can either place the crystal in the bottle as well or, if you wish to keep the crystal out of the bottle, you can just pour in the water. The work with the singing bowl and the vibrational activation will have merged the crystal’s energy with the water already. Personally, I still like to keep the stone in the main storage bottle, even when I use this method.
Once the bottle is filled and sealed be sure to label your bottle. Include the date, moon phase or astrological timing if you worked with that as a factor, the type of water used, the stone used, the method used (did you use the singing bowl or just place everything together in the bottle), and the specific purpose of this elixir. This is important because you can create two or three elixirs using the same stone but with a different intention. Let the jar sit for 24 hours in sun and moonlight. Over this next day you want to keep an eye on the bottle to make sure that there is no scum or algae forming either in the water itself or on the glass of the jar. If it does you’ll need to toss the water out, sterilize the bottle, wash the stone, and try again. This will happen if you missed one of these steps or didn’t properly or completely cleanse something in the initial process.
Store your bottles in a cool place our of direct sunlight. It might sound a little silly, but if you have made multiple elixirs for different purposes be sure to store the bottles so they are not touching. It is possible for the energies from the bottles converge in this situation and it could confuse your work. But, on the reverse, if you have something like a bottle of body lotion or shampoo that you’d like to infuse with the energy of a specific elixir, you can place the bottles together, touching, and the energy from the stone in the elixir will mingle with the other item(s). This is a great way to add some of the benefits of the elixir energy to something that shouldn’t necessarily have water added to it.
If you are going to take your elixir internally, take 3-6 drops 3-4 times a day, either under the tongue or add to a glass of drinking water. There is usually no real restriction to how long you can make use of these elixirs, so use them when and for as long as you feel you need to. Be sure to periodically check your bottles for any contamination as well!
Toxic Stones
Here is a list of some stones that people may think of using for making elixirs because they may use them often in other healing or crystal work, however, these are all toxic. This is by no means a complete list! Please be sure to go online, call a gem shop, or purchase a comprehensive gemstone guide to reference if you are in any way unsure as to the toxicity of a stone. I am including the known inclusion that makes the stone toxic for internal use as well as a few safe substitutes as well and will add a few book recommendations at the end.
Amazonite – (copper), substitute with Aventurine
Amber – (toxic dust, fumes, raw amber will disintegrate in water)
Angelite – (lead sulfate)
Cobalt-Calcite/Pink Calcite – (cobalt)
Coral – (while organic, bacteria and toxins develop and form within it which can be dangerous when ingestied), substitute with Carnelian or Red Jasper
Emerald – (aluminum), substitute with Aquamarine or Peridot
Garnet – (aluminum)
Labradorite – (aluminum)
Lapis Lazuli – (can contain copper)
Malachite – (copper)
Moldavite – (aluminum)
Moonstone – (some contain aluminum, but other toxins can also be present depending on the type of moonstone)
Mother of Pearl and Pearl – (organic but toxins in the water when it is formed will be present)
Ruby – (aluminum)
Sodalite – (aluminum), substitute with Carnelian
Tiger’s Eye – (can contain asbestos and dyes)
Topaz – (aluminum), substitute with Citrine
Tourmaline – (aluminum)
Turquoise – (copper)
A few book recommendations:
Love is in the Earth: A Kaleidoscope of Crystals by Melody Over 700 pages and one of the most popular and recommended reference guides for stones and crystals and their use in healing and metaphysics. A must have for anyone looking to work with stones in this way.
The Essential Crystal Handbook by Simon and Sue Lilly – This is a great, small book that you can toss in your bag and take with you when you go shopping for your crystals. Lots of tips for working with stones for healing, some great meditation tips, and excellent information on over 100 different stones. One great thing about this book is you will also get the chemical composition for each which can help you quickly identify those that could possibly contain toxic elements.
Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem and Metal Magic by Scott Cunningham – A wonderful quick reference for some of the more commonly used stones, with information on substitutions, picking stones by specific intents, and information on magickal and healing uses.
