Use this stone to get in contact with your guardian angel. The lore about this sky blue stone is that it is a star seed from the Pleiades and that those 100 million geodes were sent to Earth. It is a truth-telling crystal, rendering anyone holding it unable to tell lies.
Angelite is a condensed form of celestite with a highly unusual pattern of striping that looks like angel wings. Both forms of the magical stone will put you in touch with spirits and helpful energies from the angelic realm.
Said the ancient Egyptian religious leader Jafar, “He who wears carnelian will have whatever he desires.” Wearing Carnelian dates back to at least biblical times; there are several mentions of soldiers and priests wearing it.
Carnelian was a favorite in ancient times, when people believed that wearing the stone could protect them against injury from falling stones. As the saying goes, “No man who wore a carnelian was ever found in a collapsed house or beneath a fallen wall.” Other lore of this jewel includes the Armenian belief that an elixir of powdered carnelian would life any cloud to life and fill the heart with happiness. In olden days, carnelian was credited with being able to defy no less than the devil! So, people wore this lovely red-orange stone with the intention of protecting themselves from evil, oftentimes repeating this prayer:
“In the name of God the Just, the very Just!
I implore you, O God, King of the World,
God of the World,
Deliver us from the Devil
Who tries to do harm and evil to us
Through bad people and from the evil of the envious.”
The ancients believed that calcite placed at the base of a pyramid could amplify the structure’s power.
In medieval times, Christians used bloodstone for sculptured bas-reliefs depicting the martyred saints and Christ’s crucifixion—thus the name “martyr’s stone.” The myth behind bloodstone is that some of Christ’s blood dripped down and stained jasper that lay at the foot of the cross. In the great Louvre Museum, in Paris, is the seal of the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II carved into bloodstone. The ancient Egyptians loved bloodstone and gifted it to pharaohs, great warriors, and kings, believing it had the power to calm their tempers and prevent wrath and bloodshed.
An ancient book of Egyptian magic, known as The Leyden Papyrus, recorded the high regard for bloodstone: “The world has no greater thing; if any one have this with him he will be given whatever he asks for; it also assuages the wrath of kings and despots, and whatever the wearer says will be believed. Whoever bears this stone, which is a gem, and pronounces the name engraved upon it, will find all doors open while bonds and stone walls will be rent asunder.”
Damigeron, a classic historian, wrote that bloodstone could disclose the future through what were called audible oracles and could also change the weather. He further claimed that this favored stone kept the mind sharp and the body healthy and protected the reputation of anyone who wore it.
Medieval historian Arnoldus Saxo said that warriors used beryl to help in battle and also reported that it was good for court cases. Saxo was perhaps a bit hyperbolic in his declaration that the wearer of this stone was made unconquerable and smarter and cured of any laziness! Thomas de Cantimpre’s German classic De Proprietatibus Rerum spoke about the power of the stone beryl to reawaken the love of married couples. Early crystal balls were frequently made of beryl polished into spheres, rather like J.R.R. Tolkien’s palantirs used by wizards. The Druids and Celts used beryl to divine the future, and legend has it that Merlin, King Arthur’s magician, carried a beryl ball around with him for exactly that purpose.
A favorite among sailors and mariners, this stone is said to keep them safe. Aquamarine is the signifier of the oceanic divinities, sea goddesses and sirens. The Egyptians loved this gem and gifted it to the dead as part of the treasure hoard to grant them safety in the next life. They also gifted it to the gods of the netherworld as a guarantee of safe passage. Egyptian high priests wore on their shoulders two aquamarine, or shoham, as they called them, engraved with the names of the six tribes of Egypt. This sacred stone was also one of the twelve sanctified gems used in the breastplate of the biblical King Solomon. Today, aquamarine can be a boon to a couple, as it helps maintain a long and happy marriage. And it defends against the devil! The sun is the nemesis of the blue gem because the color of the aquamarine fades if overexposed to sunlight.
I believe one of the primary reasons crystals populate our planet is for healing. I was a bit oblivious to this wonderful gift from the universe until I faced a serious health crisis of my own. Now, I am keenly interested in the healing power of crystals, and I am quite amazed at the extensive array of curatives crystals offer. However, do not ever replace traditional medicine with a crystal-only approach. If this sounds like a disclaimer, it most certainly is. I believe in a combination of Easter and Western medicine, inclusive of gem and crystal healing, is the best way to cover all of your bases for health and wellness. I believe that gem-healing magic can be the difference between feeling okay and feeling GREAT. And, who doesn’t want to feel wonderful.
Crystals are also powerful amplifiers. Berry, another priestess in Z’s circle, taught me that crystals store and back up our thoughts. She pointed out that it is very important to clear out any thoughts of negativity when working with crystals, as many can store this bad energy and emanate it in all directions. She taught me to be clear in my thinking when working with crystals so that all influences would be both positive and good. You see, crystals affect the energy of the body as well as the energy of the mind.
Berry showed me a technique for measuring this amplification. She had me choose two seedlings; I chose two tomato plants of the same size. Then, I was instructed to treat the plants exactly the same way in terms of water, light and food. I placed the same quartz crystal I used in the water-transformation test beside the left tomato seedling, which I placed 4 feet apart from the other seedling. When I tended the plants each day, I gave them exactly the same basic necessities, but Berry instructed me to take the crystal beside the leftmost seedling and hold it in my left hand while talking to the plant. It felt a bit silly at first, I admit. But soon, it became the most natural thing in the world to speak with the tomato plant and tell it what a wonderful tomato plant it was and how excited I would be to eventually taste its fruit. Also, I visualized it growing hearty and strong and loaded with tomatoes ripening for salad. Perhaps the most important step in the process was to send positive thought energy to the seedling. The seedling on the right received no daily chats or crystal vibes. After a month, you could tell an enormous difference. Both plants were healthy, but the plant on the left was much bigger and bushier. The crystal had clearly amplified the energy.
Crystals are not only used in batteries; they are batteries in their own right. Crystals become charged with energy and store that energy. Some crystal gazers also believe we can store information in crystals. The shamanic crystal skulls of the Mayans have caused people who have handled them to have many dreams and visions that seemed to be recordings of historic events. These crystal skulls are theorized to be depositors of all the knowledge of the Mayans—crude computers, if you will.
Again, using crystals to store energy must be approached mindfully and with great consciousness. If you are very happy one day, remember to pour some of that bliss into a crystal, and it will remain there as a source for some happiness on a blue day. Do not send negative energy into a crystal, as it will store the bad along with the good and be a negative transmitter.
Very advanced crystal wielders also use crystal batteries for transfer of energy and even for telepathy, which, I must confess, goes well beyond my skill level.
If you are having a hard time getting away from a relationship that you feel isn’t good for you any longer, get closure by wearing morganite until the other person gets the message.
Crystals are tools used to heal and transform our lives. I think of them as the tools of the metaphysician. Meta means “beyond” or “above,” and physics is the science of the physical world. So metaphysics literally means “beyond physics,” and there is much that cannot be explained by ordinary science and the laws that have been established. Physics is very much about tracing energy and the origins and effects of it, yet ordinary science and physics cannot necessarily explain how crystals manage and direct energy in powerful ways. They can be used to store, change, amplify, focus, and send energy.
Crystals can be a point for focus, an aid to absolute clarity of thought and intention. I was once told that these stones can be “tuning forks” for the consciousness, a though I just love.
I recommend this meditation exercise for training yourself to gain laser-like focus: Lie on the floor in a place where you will not be distracted. Clear your thoughts and open your mind. Place a small quartz in the center of your forehead. Your pineal gland is located here, as is your third eye—the source of all intuition. After a few moments pass, you should start to have visualizations that are sort of like daydreams, but these messages are from your higher consciousness. I have had friends and workshop mates report that while performing this technique they went into another realm entirely—a fantasy world, a paradise, an unknown and a very appealing place. Nearly everyone reports that they passed through a set of gates. You should perform this meditation for about thirty minutes, but no longer. We don’t want anyone to leave us for too long and remain in reverie.
After you try meditating solo, you may want to participate in activities with a group. At a retreat I organized for Z Budapest at the Ralston White Retreat Center in Mill Valley, California, she led us through a truly magical journey deep into Mother Earth. This was for the purpose of grounding us so we could get the most benefit from the weekend adventure. With Z’s permission, I will share this meditation with you. You can do it with a group of people who have a shared intention. Start by having everyone lie down in a circle formation with their eyes closed. Z’s guided tour follows:
Blessed beings, you are about to enter the Mother, our great earth goddess, Gaia. In your mind, you are standing with bare feet on the ground. You can feel the grass with your toes, the solid earth underneath your feet. Feel the solidity and fastness of the earth fill your body with strength; we are all made of clay. We come from the death, and we are made of earth. Feel your connection to the Mother. We come from the earth, her womb. We are made of stardust and clay and the waters of the ocean. Feel the blood in your veins. The water of life. Know that you are alive. Feel her winds, the breath of life. Breathe deeply ten times, completely filling your lungs and completely emptying your lungs. Breathe and feel your chest rising and falling with each breath.
Now feel your backbone connecting to the earth; you feel a cord connecting you and your life to the earth. Concentrate on the cord until you can feel it running all the way through you and deep into the earth. Tug on the cord; feel it give. Now, take the cord in your hands and follow it down, down deep into the earth. It is dark as you go down and down, but do not be frightened. Trust in the universe and keep descending into the bosom of the Mother. Down we go, not falling but moving purposefully, gracefully, following the cord of the earth. Now you see light. Keep moving toward the light and keep holding the cord as it leads you to the shining distance.
The light grows nearer, and you see that it is an opening, a cave, a safe place in which to shelter. Enter the cave. It is filled with light, firelight reflected off a thousand crystal points. An old woman sits as the fire, warming her bones in her warm and dry cave. It is beautiful, more beautiful than the palace of any king or the castle of any queen. It is the crystal cave of the Goddess, and you are with her. Show your respect to the Goddess and light the incense at her altar at the side of the cave, piled up with many shimmering stones and priceless gems, the bounty and beauty of our generous benefactor.
Sit quietly and head the special message she has for you. You are her child, and she has dreamed a dream for you. Now we listen and breathe. Blessed be.
Z led us back to the circle, and after that, nobody’s life was ever the same. In my experience with this particular guided visualization, I could smell the incense as we lit it. All the women at this retreat had profound experiences with Z Budapest and the Goddess that day. It helped greatly to have such a skilled guide as the Dianic priestess, Ms. Budapest, with her purring Hungarian accent. But with caring intention and the willingness to really let go, we can all achieve marvelous breakthroughs with these meditative exercises.
On that day, I received a very specific insight from the Goddess to go back to graduate school and pursue my abandoned dream of a master’s degree in medieval studies. I felt exhilarated by this resolute in my decision. I felt alive with purpose and so blessed to be pursuing both my scholarship and my spirituality. I remember that the reality of working full-time and going back to school at night wasn’t easy, but whenever I started to stumble on my path, I remembered back to the crystal cave and my time with the great glowing Goddess in her magnificent crystal cave, and I immediately felt stronger.
Here is an exercise I learned long ago from my mentor in all things magical, Z Budapest, for the transformation of energy: Fill a bowl with 2 cups of water, preferably distilled or, better yet, good old rainwater. Put a chunk of clear quartz crystal that weighs at least 6 ounces into the water basin. Take another bowl of the same size and fill it with the exact same kind of water and place it in another room at least 15 feet away from the bowl containing the crystal. After one full day and night, fill two glasses with the water from each bowl; you will marvel at the difference in taste. What makes the difference? There is a molecular change in the water containing the crystal. The water is transformed.
Raise your chi with crystal mandalas. A mandala is sacred space through which we can connect to the greater energy of the universe for spiritual growth and health and well-being. Different designs and grids have different properties. By laying out these sacred patterns, you can focus and calm yourself and create conscious change in your mind and body. The wheel with spokes is the most common pattern, but you should experiment and create your own new form with crystals and meditate upon it.
If you want pleasant and divinely restful sleep and dreams, place these crystals under your mattress: moonstone, tiger’s-eye, and turquoise.
The colors of stones, gems, and minerals have great meaning and are clues to the power lying within the crystalline structures. Color is one form of energy with individual vibrations. It is becoming common knowledge that the color is in our work and home environments can affect our moods, calm us down, make us more energetic and more romantic, and promote any number of desired states of being. Decorators have to study psychology now! Whatever the case, anyone using color is, consciously or not, tuning in to the vibrational frequency of color.
The color system springs from seven basic vibrations, the same ones at the foundation of our chakra system and also the musical scale. The “heaviest” vibrations are at the bottom, and the “lightest” vibrations are at the top. Each of the seven basic colors relates to one of the seven chakras. Highly skilled psychics can read your aura and see the energy radiating our from your body as colors.
You can use color management on the simplest level each day of your life. If you wake up feeling depressed, wear yellow to raise your energy level. If you are having a big business meeting, do wear red, the power color. If you have a meeting with some folks and you want to put them at ease, by all means wear the earthy colors of brown or green and you will see them relax with gratitude. When I need inspired ideas, I wear blue. And, like many other similar-minded folks, I wear purple when I want to be at my most spiritual.
Following is a guide to colors. Don’t be afraid to really let go and work with a multitude of hues. Have fun, and remember how you feel while you are learning and experimenting. Find your soul colors!
RED relates to the root chakra and corresponds to security and survival issues. On a soul level, red is passion and intensity. On a healing level, it is warmth and fights cancer.
Sub-colors of red are rose red (corresponding to issues regarding mother, home,
grounding, and money; soul-wise, it is love), clear red (corresponding to the
sense of smell; soul-wise, it is anger), and red orange (corresponding to
sexual passion).
Red is the most physical of the colors and is also a strong emotional color. Red gems and crystals are the ones to aid you in matters of the body. Jasper, amber, and agate in shades of red can help people who have a hard time with shyness to feel stronger. It is of great interest to me that I am seeing a huge resurgence of interest in red coral. This stone is a great help to skeleton and bones. I think people need to feel their vitality more than ever. Red coral is also a boost to the lungs, and there has been an increase in influenza, tuberculosis, and asthma such as we have not seen since the Depression era.
For the Chinese, red rice symbolizes immortality. In the tarot, the hermit, the high priestess, and the empress wear red beneath blue robes, symbolizing the great hidden knowledge they hold. Dark red relates to female mysteries and the source of all life.
PINK is a sweeter color and has a calmer vibration than the reds. Where red is passionate, pink is nurturing. Pink is the esteem-boosting color and can direct love to the self, which is very important in this day and age when people are so directed by others. Pink pearl will also make your intuition about love and romance more accurate. Those of us who pick the wrong people, could do well to sport a pink pearl ring or pendant. Pink coral makes for a sweet, upbeat, and more genuinely loving attitude. Rose quartz will help in self-enhancement and directing positive energy toward the self. Rhodonite, rhodochrosite, or a big pink diamond will help build an unconditionally positive regard within and without.
ORANGE relates to the sacral chakra, or abdominal region, and corresponds to physical urges such as hunger and sex. Soul-wise, it is ambition. For healing, it helps with sexual issues, increases potency, and builds stronger immunity. Orange is great for stimulation and motivation; it hones and builds focused energy. Orange is also great for lucidity and orderliness. Carnelian, in the family of orange crystals, is the stone to wear if you are embarking on a new exercise regimen or training for a sporting event. Any orange stone will help keep the physical and emotional self in balance. Some parents have reported great effects after giving a child who was a finicky eater a carnelian to wear. If you are feeling a bit depressed or missing some of your general lust for life, do wear an orange stone. You will snap out of it right away!
The saffron orange robes of Buddhist monks reflect divine life, as do the orange velvet crosses of the Knights of the Holy Ghost. Roman brides wore vials of orange to indicate the eternalness of the wedding vows.
YELLOW relates to the solar plexus chakra and to personal power, freedom, control, fire, and the eyes. Soul-wise, it rules the intellect. For healing, yellow is clarity. If you are in a career that necessitates good communication, place a big chunk of yellow quartz on your bookshelf in your office; this will create a cheerful energy and kindle your desire to be in contact. You should wear citrine, topaz, or yellow zircon to improve your ability to speak clearly and with ease. Or, if you are shy, yellow amber will help you to open up and share. These yellow stones will also make life more enjoyable, for they are harbingers of happiness. Yellow is also a color that encourages honesty. Wearing yellow crystals as jewelry during your working day will help you and your coworkers on a daily basis.
GREEN relates to the heart chakra and to relationships, the heart and lungs, the element of air, the sense of touch, and the will for life. Soul-wise, it is the caring nurturer and the healer. In healing, it helps with balance and general, overall health and well-being. Green stones are among the most beloved, and it is easy to see why because they offer so much emotional soothing. Emerald and green jade bring security, prosperity, and protection. Other green stones, such as chrysocolla and malachite, calm the mind, and green-flecked bloodstone is a stress buffer.
Alchemists taught that the light of the emerald revealed the most closely guarded of all secrets. In medieval times, physicians wore green cloaks as they worked with greens—herbs and simples—for curing. It is still the color preferred by pharmacologists. Green is the color associated with the wood element in Chinese astrology. For Muslims, green is the emblem of salvation. In medieval times, painters portrayed Christ’s cross in green, as it was the instrument by which the whole human race was regenerated through his great sacrifice. Green stones have a large role in the Arthurian and Holy Grail legends. BLUE relates to the throat chakra and to communication, intuition, listening, and the ears. Soul-wise, blue is the teacher. For healing, it maintains calm and protects the aura. I have to admit to a preference, above all, for blue stones.
I don’t like them because I know blue is a mental color; I just have a natural attraction. We all need to pay attention to such affinities, as they express much about our psyches. Blue is the color of creativity and mind control. To embark on any creative and intellectually demanding project, try wearing a lovely ring or pendant of blue lace agate. If you are feeling like you might be obsessing over something or overly influenced by someone else’s thoughts and opinions, try sodalite, one of the stones relegating independence of mind. Beautiful blue sapphire is also great for making personal declarations of independence and for feeling good about yourself while you make them.
To Tibetan Buddhists and to the Egyptians, the color blue has represented transcendent wisdom; it is truth. For Christians, blue and white are the colors of Mary, our Lady, and of detachment from the material world. In Poland, the houses of brides-to-be are painted blue.
INDIGO relates to the third eye and to intuition. Soul-wise, it represents the urge toward the spiritual. For healing, it opens the third eye and promotes clear headedness.
VIOLET relates to the crown chakra and connection to all else in the universe. Soul-wise, it is the deep connection to spirit. For healing, it works on deep tissue and helps rid oneself of deep pain. Gentle purple amethyst is good for issues of sensitivity. Many people drink too much because they are sensitive to environmental noise and are trying to block out some of the overstimulation. Another reason for substance abuse is the longing for an ecstatic spiritual experience. Amethyst helps in all such instances and keeps your energy from draining out of you. The purplish agates will also guard the receptive nature and act as ballasts for stability and contentment. Violet is associated with secrecy, the veil behind which transformation takes place.
BROWN, GRAY, BLACK, WHITE, SILVER, and GOLD are not chakra colors but certainly exist in the world of crystals and stones. Ancient Romans and the Catholic Church regarded brown as the color of humility and poverty—thus the brown robes for monastic orders. Brown is a color representing safety and the home. Brown gems and rocks are great stability stones for grounding. Agate, jasper, and petrified wood all act as agents of security.
The ancient Egyptians regarded gray as the color of fertility. The color symbolized resurrection in medieval times, and the artists of that era depicted Jesus at the Last Judgment in robes of gray, the color of grief and mourning. Gray, however, is the first color the human eye can perceive in infancy.
Black is about protection and strength. If you are surrounded by psychic vampires who rob your energy, wear jet or onyx or obsidian. This color also girds your personal energies and gives you more inner authority. In North Africa, black symbolizes the color of the life-giving rich earth and of nourishing rain clouds. Christians and Muslim clergy wear black robes to proclaim their renunciation of all vanity and show their faith. Sufi dervishes see the progress of the inner life as a ladder of color, starting at the lowest rung of white and ascending to the highly evolved black, the absolute color to which all colors lead.
White represents purity, peace, patience, and protection; silver relates to communication and greater access to the universe; and gold is a direct connection to God and facilitates wealth and ease.
Combining your gems and crystals with certain medals is very meaningful. The metal mounting of your jewelry is a vessel that contains and supports the energy of the stone. There are five metals commonly used—gold, silver, and platinum are the precious metals, and brass and copper are the semiprecious metals
The concept of chakras originated many thousands of years ago in Asia. The ancient philosophers and metaphysicians identified seven main energy centers around the body and saw each chakra emanating energy in the form of a rainbow color that affected the mental, physical, and spiritual balance in a human being. Chakra theory is the basis of many Eastern healing practices. One of the simplest ways to achieve well-being is to place crystals on the parts of the body where certain chakras are centered. Many people I know credit their clarity and well-being to chakra therapy. One sure way to relieve stress and fortify the emotional body is this laying on of crystals.
Crystals have very mild and serene ways of tranquilizing negative energy and releasing the pain. In my case, I ever so gently rub the crystal across my ankle. (Carnelian works well because it is said to be good for healing bones, but quartz can also serve the purpose.) The stone feels cool and calming as the pain dissipates. I can also visualize the pain going into the crystal, and the crystal forming a prism that contains the pain. At first, this was very frightening for me, but I found that rose quartz helped me deal with my fear. I placed the rose quartz over the heart area, the solar plexus, and as the crystal touched upon the heart chakra, I felt the fear dissolving while the pain gradually lessened. Turquoise and carnelian are also good for this.
I once had a copper bracelet set with onyx, coral, and turquoise from a Cherokee reservation that was so effective at treating wrist pain that it finally disintegrated from overuse. Copper is unmatched for dealing with edema, the swelling and inflammation that can be caused by arthritis, repetitive stress injuries, sports-related soreness, and many other issues.
Malachite has a lot of the mineral copper in it, so a pendant, ring, or bracelet with malachite can be a great agent for pain reduction. Iron-rich magnetite is another pain absorber.
Lapis Lazuli has been used to treat headaches for millennia. My dear friend Abby suffers from migraines and cluster headaches. I gave Abby some earrings with lovely blue lapis settings to help her with this chronic condition, and she has reported great success. These headaches can have many causes and triggers; my beloved amber essence oil was one until we figured that out! The main causes are stress, anxiety, and various food triggers. Oddly enough, amber in crystal form alleviated Abby’s heinous headaches, seemingly absorbing the negative energy. Amethyst and turquoise are also good for this. Several stones are good for stomach illness; citrine and moonstone create calm, in this case, that stops the stomach unrest from signaling the brain to have a headache.
We have all encountered psychic vampires, whether we know it or not. The problem is, your aura will know it because psychic vampires tear away little pieces of your chi, or life force, leaving holes in your aura. You can identify the places that need patching because they will become noticeably cold as you pass a crystal over them. Pick your favorite stone from amethyst, citrine, or any quartz and run it all around you at a distance of about 3 inches. Make note of the cold spots and lay the crystal on those places for about five minutes, until the spot feels warmer. You will have repaired the holes in your etheric body and should being to feel a pleasant sense of renewed wholeness once again.
Here’s another technique: crystal combing. It sounds odd, but you will become an aficionado immediately after you have felt the wonderfully soothing results. The beautiful pink kunzite is amazing as a mental management crystal. Take the crystal and brush it in gentle, slow, downward strokes from the top of your head, the crown chakra, to the bottom of your feet. The next time you feel overwhelmed by anxiety, try this and you will feel more relaxed and in control afterward.
Crystals have very mild and serene ways of tranquilizing negative energy and releasing the pain. In my case, I ever so gently rub the crystal across my ankle. (Carnelian works well because it is said to be good for healing bones, but quartz can also serve the purpose.) The stone feels cool and calming as the pain dissipates. I can also visualize the pain going into the crystal, and the crystal forming a prism that contains the pain. At first, this was very frightening for Kunzite is also a heart mender, touching upon the heart chakra to bring inner peace, clear away old romantic wounds, and get rid of emotional baggage. You can place a chunk of kunzite upon your chest, meditate with it, and feel the healing energy flow in.
My friend Nancy and I love to shop together. On the weekends we browse through bookshops, take in a movie and lunch, and then go to our favorite little shop, Planet Weavers, a sort of metaphysical five-and-dime. I noticed there was a time when Nancy kept buying citrine, a fine yellow or gold form of quartz. Nancy is much less New Age than I; her feet are firmly planted on the ground. But I was aware that she was going through a really hard time at work with a very critical supervisor. She always seemed to be getting into trouble and never saw that she might have been at fault in some way. After she wore her favorite citrine-chip necklace, her path at work got smoother, and she and her boss started getting along. Citrine can aid in being able to receive and hear criticism gainfully. It certainly worked for her. So, please do listen to sudden stone attractions. Your body or subconscious may be sending you a very important message!
It is becoming widely known that crystals can be curative for the emotional body, the spiritual body, and the physical body. And, we have learned that crystals can interact electromagnetically with people. The prehistoric medicine man and shamans knew instinctively how to harness this stone power and use it to enhance or stimulate energy; they never doubted the power of the unseen. Modern shamans talk about the body in a different way; they are in tune with and are working with the etheric body, the subtle life force that sustains the physical body and serves as the matrix for the metabolic functions. They work with the system of chakras (points of energy in the astral body that are associated with various parts of the physical body) and endeavor to make sure everything is in proper alignment. Illness beginning with misalignment of either the etheric body or physical body can result in a domino effect of maladies. Imbalance in the etheric body can cause low energy; depression; stress-related diseases such as shingles, ulcers, and migraines; and any number of other serious physical issues.
It is important to recognize that crystals work in a subtle manner and are useful for dealing with causes. Crystal medicine isn’t going to cure ulcers or migraines, but it can get at the root of the problems and is marvelous when used in connection with Western medicine. I am thrilled that my hospital here in the San Francisco Bay Area—California Pacific Medical Center, on Webster Street in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights—has an Institute for Health & Healing. This integrative medicine center has a Healing Store that sells crystals, healing stones and herbs, finger labyrinths, and aromatherapy and meditation aids and offers classes in Easter approaches to healing, such as yoga and tai chi. We are living in wonderful times when you see medical doctors also practicing alternative and integrative healing methodologies.
There are so many kinds of rituals, from everyday actions to special incantations for high holy days such as Beltane (May Day) and Samhain (All Hallows Eve). You have sampled just a few spells and rituals here and have learned how you can wield gem magic in your life. After you have been practicing these crystal conjurations for a while, you can experiment with new variations, and they will most likely come naturally to you. Try the stones you are attracted to for your altar, and if you feel an affinity for a certain crystal, explore it in the resource section of this book and then discover for yourself how you can use that stone to suit your needs. Just think about the positive change you want in your life and create your personal spell book.
Take a stick (a small piece of sea-smoothed driftwood is perfect); tie string around chunks of any or all of these crystals that help you make contact with your guardian angels—celestite, aquamarine, muscovite, morganite, and selenite; and tie each string to the wood. Hang it in your home or wherever you want to make contact with the spirit world.
Welcome the spirits by blessing the new chime by smudging it with sage smoke. Jingle the chimes energetically while you speak this spell:
“I call upon my angels to guide joy to my door
Such gladness as I receive, so I shall give
By the moon and the stars
I call upon my guardians
To show me the best way to live.
For this, I am grateful. Blessed be.”
On the next new-moon night, take the two pieces of rose quartz and place them on the floor in the center of your bedroom. Light two red candles and use this affirming chant:
“Beautiful crystal I hold this night,
Flame with love for my delight.
Goddess of Love, I ask of you,
Guide me in the path that is true.
Harm to none as love comes to me—
This I ask and so shall it be!”
The full moon is the most powerful time of the month and the perfect time to celebrate with special people in your life. The ritual will heighten your spirituality, your friendships, and your connection to the powers of the universe. As I write this, it is a full moon in Libra, and I look forward to getting together with some of the sisterhood, some fellow Wicca chicks, and kicking up our heels in celebration of life and asking for what we need from the universe. We will wait until midnight, the traditional witching hour. We will gather in one of our favorite spots near water under the spring moonlight.
Here is our recipe for ritual: We place a large crystal—usually a geode, an amethyst chunk, or a big quartz or rock crystal—in the middle of the altar. We place a goblet of wine before an image of the Goddess. We all bring candles in sturdy, tempered-glass votives to light out way, and we perform a rite we learned from our elders. Each of us holds a crystal that is our touchstone.
You can perform this ritual in your home or garden or a sacred place of your choosing. Designate a leader who will perform all the incantations as the group forms a circle. Begin with the appropriate chanting:
“Oh, lady of silver magic, we honor you here,
In this place, sacred and safe.
This circle is in your honor.”
The person in the northern point of the circle places her candle and her crystal on the ground as the leader chants:
“Blessed one, all earth is yours.
May we all heal,
May we all draw strength,
May we grow.”
The person in the eastern point places her candle and her crystal on the ground while the leader chants:
“Oh, lady of laughter and joy, so is the sky yours, too.
May the air be clear and pure,
And the clouds sweet with wind and rain.”
The person at the southern point lays down her crystal and candle while the chanter speaks:
“Oh, lady of summer, each season is yours.
May each spring bring flowers and crops for all.”
The person at the western point lays down her candle and crystal while the chanter speaks:
“Goddess of the waters,
The rivers and the ocean are yours.
May they once more flow crystal clear.
Lady, we have built this circle in your honor.
Be with us here now.”
Now each member of the circle goes to the altar and kneels, placing her candle and crystal on the altar. Each takes a sip from the goblet of wine and says:
“I toast thee, bright lady,
In your honor. Blessed be.”
Then, they all pick up rattles and drums and sing and dance under the sparkling crystals in the sky.
Choose a brown crystal, such as jasper, smoky quartz, selenite, or brown jade, to improve and secure positive, grounding energy in your home. Anoint two candles with rose oil and light some cinnamon incense. Place your brown crystal in front of the candles. Meditate to clear your mind of any distractions, which is essential to opening the mental and spiritual space necessary to create. Once you feel focused, light a single leaf or sage bundle and say aloud:
“By my hand
And by the blessing of the spirit,
The fire of home and heart burns bright,
Burns long,
Burns eternal.
I offer my home to
New friends and new love.
Welcome!”
Place these objects in your home to attract loving energy—new friends and relationships:
* Two crystals of rose quartz of equivalent size,
* Pink, orange or red fabric,
* Two red candles, and
* Images of two butterflies.
Recently, I have been wishing and hoping for peace in this world of ours, as have most of us. I have been making, burning, and giving away candles with the word “peace” written with crystals embedded in the soft candle wax.
If possible, perform this spell during a full-moon night for the greatest effect. Place your stained-glass peace candle on your altar and light rose incense, which represents love and unity. Light the candle and chant:
“I light this candle for hope,
I light this candle for love,
I light this candle for unity,
I light this candle for the good of all the world
That we should live in peace. And so it shall be.”
Sit in front of your altar and meditate, eyes closed, for a few minutes while visualizing peace in the world. Let the candle burn completely for full charging.
Fill a little pouch of muslin or cotton with pieces of tiger’s-eye, cedar, and carnelian. Carry it in your pocket or purse to give you that extra little push of motivation to jump over any hurdles or difficult tasks at work.
