Pearl

Pearls have long been cherished as symbols of perfection and purity, Pearls shimmer with beauty and have also come to represent riches and elegance. To me, pearls signify self- containment. This is another of the gems and crystals formed from organic origins; it starts as a lowly secretion coating an irritating grain of sand inside a freshwater or marine mollusk shell. Pearls are usually the much- loved, lustrous whitish color but can be a rainbow of shades including pink, violet, black, gray, tan, and gold, with many other subtle permutations.

Throughout human history, pearls have fascinated and have been used as a favored adornment. People so lusted after them that they began introducing sand into oysters to force pearl production, resulting in the cultured pearls we see on the market today. For myself, I prefer the more oddly shaped freshwater pearls. Sadly, natural pearls have become nearly nonexistent due to the overheated oceans of the world and industrial pollution.

Pearls have affinities to the moon, femininity, and fertility, and they are a sacred symbol for pregnant women. The great tradition of pearls, especially in Asia, was that they represented modesty and wholesomeness. Pearls are truly soothing. That is why they exist in the first place—for soothing the irritated shellfish. They are an excellent helpmate in any stress-related illness and are good for stomachaches, ulcers, hypertension, headaches, and fatigue.

Pearls amplify energy and are especially good in combination with emeralds and diamonds. They are environmentally sensitive and pick up vibrations from the person wearing them. What is more, they remember the feeling (positive or negative), hold it inside, and then emanate it. If you are sad or in a bad mood, remove your pearls so you don’t unknowingly keep that negativity hanging around you. By the same token, do not ever loan your pearls.

Opal

This gem can light the inner fire of your spirituality. One of the seven sacred stones of the Cherokee people, opal is a favorite of many for its fiery and glinting opacity. The milky white stone seems to have an ever changing rainbow of colors inside; this is due to a high percentage of water in its makeup. This gem has one of the best spectral displays of any stone, and the opalescence is the result of many layers of precipitated silica balls in a jelly-like watery mass.

There are three different kinds of opals: precious opal, with the telltale flashes of fire; fire opal, in the reddish yellow color; and common opal, with the rather unfortunate-sounding name of potch. Black opal is the rarest and most desirable of the precious opals, and the highest grade comes from one place in Australia, Lightening Ridge.

Although opals are semiprecious gems, their name comes from the Latin word opalus, meaning “precious stone.” They are among the more sensitive gemstones. They need TLC and can be irrevocably damaged by exposure to heat and chemicals. In addition, they can lose their large water content if they are cracked or damaged. Opals need to be approached with very nearly the same level of caution in terms of using them for energy and healing work, as the can easily diffuse personal energies.

Opals can help if you want to get the special attention of a certain someone or if you have to give a speech or presentation. Opal is one of the rare stones that has both male and female energies within; it contains the energy of the sun and the moon. The fiery flashes generate flashes of intuition and of inspiration. Opals can facilitate wonderful dreams and positive change. They can bring submerged feelings and trapped emotions to the surface and can help uptight individuals get in touch with their emotions and loosen up.

Onyx

Onyx has a lot of earth energy. This stone can come in many colors—from white to black with every shade in between, including pink, red, yellow, and brown. It is so common that it is often used as building material. I would think it would be interesting to live in a building material. I would think it would be interesting to live in a building made of onyx since this stone holds memories and secrets! Onyx retains the physical record of what happens around it; therefore, it is a story stone. Onyx is super stable and shares this strength with people who need it. It is particularly good for athletes and people who do physical labor. Healers recommend that onyx be worn only on the left side of the body or on a chain so that it hangs at the center of the body in the heart and solar plexus area. Onyx is best at reliving stress and quieting the mind.

This is a generous rock in that it creates goodwill and self-confidence. If you have an occasion that makes you nervous, or a very thorny and difficult task at hand, you should adorn yourself with an onyx ring, bracelet, or pendant, and things will go much better and you will feel more optimistic about them. Onyx is good for issues with the skeleton, the teeth, and the bones. Be careful about wearing onyx as a choke

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Opal Fire Power

Opal is best worn as a pinkie ring. It is also a popular engagement ring, as it is a symbol of faithfulness and is effective in bringing stability and longevity to relationships. Fire opal is good for business by promoting positive action and prosperity. Hold your opal in your right hand and your wishes will be granted!

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Magical Marcasite Scrying Ring

Did you know that lovely marcasite is really hematite? Thank heavens it has made a fashion comeback of late and is commonly available in inexpensive jewelry. This powerful seer stone can be used for a quick scrying. Look at your marcasite ring and then close your eyes and see what flashes into your mind.

Obsidian

This black volcanic glass is found the world over. Obsidian was an important tool for prehistoric peoples, who used it for knives, mirrors, bowls, and jewelry. Obsidian is most often thought of as a pure, glassy black, but it can also have milky white stripes or flecks. Rainbow obsidian, a spiritual love crystal, is especially beautiful, with peacock-colored gradations. And dark red mahogany obsidian is a true gift, as it puts you in touch with your life’s very purpose. Native Americans valued obsidian immensely for its eagle-eye vision power, which they believed was good for the eyes as well as for seeing within. Shamans still hold obsidian in the highest regard, and it has come to be an invaluable aid in prophesying.

Obsidian is a protector and absorbs and keeps away negativity. It is also a rock with very direct energies and will help with great immediacy. Very sensitive people should keep obsidian around their homes and offices. This is a letting-go stone and will get rid of old patterns, old thoughts, a lingering torch for an old flame, or whatever you need to be over and done with. It gives you the get-up- and-go to get on with your life—to travel and explore and grow. Don’t wear or keep obsidian around all the time, though, as you will wear yourself and the stone out!

Muscovite

Muscovite, mined in Switzerland, Austria, and the Czech Republic and found first in Russia, from whence it takes its name (after the city of Moscow), is fairly common. It often comes in sheets of mica that can be clear and translucent or a pearly white, gray, pale pink, yellow, rose red, or violet. At one time, sheets of muscovite were used in the kitchen over windows. While it is most frequently an ordinary rock, it can occur as a gem; of particular note is the rare Brazilian twin variety that forms five-pointed stars and is referred to as star muscovite. There is also an emerald green specimen called fuchsite.

Muscovite is a problem-solving crystal. It also has a rare and wonderful quality in that it facilitates astral travel and astral projection. This is a visionary stone and can put you in contact with the angelic realm so you can call on your guardian angels to come to your aid. Muscovite helps us all to take a deep look inside and see how we are missing out on important messages and are unaware of certain behaviors and projections we are putting out unconsciously. Though this can be tough work, this kind of self-examination is essential for true soul growth. Muscovite also gives the inner grit to make changes based on this new information about the self.

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Relationship Rescue

If you and your mate are simply not getting along of late, turn to this romantic remedy rock: moonstone. Moonstone can reunite loved ones who have parted in anger. This lovely, shimmering stone also imparts luck in love. Keep moonstone around, by all means!

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Polish Your Perceptions

So what do you do if you are attracted to all the wonderful qualities I just stated are inherent in the mysterious, water green malachite but are afraid of the negativity-amplifying aspect? Go for this fairly commonplace natural merging of malachite and azurite becoming popularly known as azur-malachite. It is a similarly lovely green blue and a real helper crystal. Azurite has the incredible ability to help us all integrate unacknowledged beliefs, and malachite is a creativity crystal, so when these two stones occur together, their combined power enables us to handle the hardest truths about ourselves.

Whereas malachite is so powerful by itself that it can cause heart palpitations among more sensitive souls, the combined stone is very gentle and peaceful. What Aldous Huxley wrote about, cleansing the doors of perception, can happen with azur-malachite!

Morganite

Named after J.P. Morgan, one of the richest American men of his time, this is really a pink beryl and occurs in Brazil, Russia, and North America. It deserves its own mention since it is a crystal with powerful love energy. Morganite is also wonderfully beneficial to the nerves and is a calming crystal. But the greatest gift this gem can give you is to bring love into your life and keep it there.

Moonstone

This milky, bluish white feldspar gemstone cut from albite is beloved of the world over for its pleasant and somewhat mysterious smooth surface. Moonstone is quite obviously connected to the moon and is as soothing to the psyche as it is pleasing for the eye. The gem is associated with sensitivity, psychic ability, loyalty, sleep and dreams, emotional balance, and femininity. Moonstone is related to all the feminine organs and also the cleansing organs, especially the skin. This stone has a very rare ability to help with eating disorders, particularly overeating. it can calm the stomach and adjust the vibrations so you are directed to eat the proper amount in the future. Moonstone opens the heart chakra and, very importantly, helps overcome any anger or hard emotions toward the self. Pagans have seen this as a Goddess crystal for millennia and see it as a source for nurturing, wisdom, and intuition. A moonstone is a powerfully protective and loving talisman for pregnant women. In India, moonstone is sacred and very lucky, but is even more valued in the subcontinent because it helps make you more spiritual. Moonstone is at its very best on your behalf if worn in a ring with a silver setting.

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Malachite Bone Soother

One healer recommends this malachite bone cure: Using tape or a soft cord, create a band with a small piece of malachite. Tape or wrap the band to the injured or bruised area and leave it overnight. The benefits should start within one day as the inflammation is greatly eased by the miraculous coppery green crystal. I have a bad ankle from a really bad sprain and a subsequent really bad break, and my malachite ankle band is invaluable when the ache-inducing rain is coming on.

Malachite

I received a beautiful malachite heart from my mother and father for Christmas this year—how I treasure it! Malachite has always been a connection to the Divine, especially divine inspiration. Malachite, named for the Greek word mallow (green herb), is formed from copper ore and frequently occurs in conjunction with chrysocolla and azurite. Malachite is a lovely green blue in color and has endless patterned bands. No two pieces of malachite are ever alike. Malachite was associated with royals and high priests and priestesses in ancient times. They loved to adorn their bodies, their homes, and their temples with this special stone. They would have entire tables and chairs and altars. One would certainly feel like a king of queen when dining from a malachite table! Even still, some of the largest sheets found in South Africa, Zamia, Zaire, Russia, and Romania are fashioned into small boxes, bowls, and obelisks.

Malachite can help you connect to your place in the Divine Plan. Malachite draws out old patterns and thoughts. It will aid in clearing away the deadwood from your life and your psyche. It offers psychic protection, too. This green grounding stone will also get you more in touch with the earth and more grounded as a person—more stable. As with most green stones, it has to do with prosperity, abundance, and money. Malachite will awaken your creativity. If you are allowing others to benefit from your creativity, this stone will help stop that draining in its tracks. Malachite requires extra care in its use because it amplifies whatever energies are already there. If anger, suffering, and deceit are present, these qualities could inadvertently be increased by malachite. Basically, malachite is really useful only for people who are typically helpful and happy. It is best for children, really. One theory is that malachite is still evolving and is becoming a master key for the future.

Malachite helps with maintaining boundaries and comes highly recommended for that purpose by many healers. Malachite can help restore anyone who is suffering from burnout. Those who do psychic work and healing are among those who are affected by this most severely, so they need to keep malachite nearby for rejuvenation. Malachite opens the heart and throat chakras and rebalances the solar plexus, enabling realignment of the psychic and etheric bodies. Malachite is best used as a ring on your right hand. Malachite is used to ward off insanity and has been used both as an eye remedy and as a cosmetic by the unstoppable Egyptians. I shudder to think of the Egyptian elixirs involving malachite, many recipes for which they left behind on papyrus; they are likely extremely toxic. Please avoid any malachite elixirs!

Magnetite

This gray or dark brown stone is also known as lodestone, a poetic name I much prefer. It has a major quantity of iron and is, as the name implies, very magnetic. The ancients called it lodestone, although Plato himself wrote that it was the “heraclean stone.” All iron-based crystals are considered to be very helpful to the blood and circulatory system. Magnet therapy has come into vogue in the last twenty years and is becoming pretty commonplace nowadays. Even athletes and physicians are trying magnetic therapy, and any controversy about this onetime New Age healing method is fading thanks to the many positive endorsements.

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Lapis Ledger

The power of lapis lazuli distantly reflects the energy of the person who wears it. I suggest keeping a record of what happens in your life when you wear it, a sort of lapis lazuli progress report. It might end up being a series of extraordinary stories!

Lapis Lazuli

 

As long as I can remember, this has been one of my favorite stones. The mysterious blue and extremely compelling surface is like no other, both smooth and rough at the same time. Some lapis lazuli specimens are even flecked with fool’s gold, pyrite, giving an irresistible glitter. Still others are swirled with streaks of white calcite.

Through lapis lazuli, I feel a connection with all things ancient. I associate lapis lazuli with the Egyptians, but it is now most often found in Russia and Afghanistan. The Egyptians favored this handsome rock immensely, and it was their most highly regarded talisman, considered to be most magical. Lapis lazuli is the gateway to unlocking your own intuition and, as such, is invaluable.

As with any other crystal, it must be used with thoughtfulness and caution, but do double your vigilance with this one! It is one of the major mental stones; lapis lazuli is a thought amplifier very nearly second to none. Lapis also enhances psychic power and can open the third eye by being laid very briefly on your forehead in the place of the third eye.

In this day and age, almost all of us are overextended and become so busy that we get away from our core. There is a danger with this: We can get off track and stop living our lives—our lives are living us. We can get so caught up in the business of work and home and family obligations that we are not living out our destinies. Lapis lazuli is a stone that will help you always stay in touch with your essence, with who you are supposed to be becoming. Blue is always the color of peace, spirituality, and tranquility. Lapis lazuli is a guide to be listened to in absolute stillness. In today’s world of endless distraction, I urge you to dive into the pool of blue that is lapis lazuli and restore yourself. This gem will help you regain your balance. Lapis lazuli is such a powerful healer that it has even been used to dispel hallucinations.

Lapis is a cleansing stone, which is of great aid to the lungs, the blood, the liver, the kidneys, the nervous system, and the immune system. Lapis is also a great pain reliever and can simply be applied to the spot in need of relief. This gem has been used to treat migraines for centuries. According to sage wisdom that has been passed down about this special stone, lapis lazuli must be worn above the waist to that energy is passed upward. Wear it near the throat for best effect.

Labradorite

I LOVE labradorite. As I said before, I love shiny, glittery objects, but I have a special thing for iridescence. Plus, labradorite is a sleeping beauty. It can look as dull as dirt until you give it a closer examination; then you can see the glow under the surface. When cut and polished, it is fascinating and gorgeous, with an impressive light show including yellows, oranges, blues, and violets. Sometimes a single color takes the stage, and other times they perform all at once. In fact, the special play of light and color across the surface is called labradorescence. The effect is caused by lamellar intergrowths, which were produced inside the crystal while the crystal formed during a shift of temperature from extremely high to very low. Named for the place it was first found, Labrador, this loveliest of shiny objects can also be found in India, Finland, Russia, Newfoundland, and Madagascar.

As you might guess, this bluish feldspar is a soul stone with a very powerful light-energy. It abets astral travel, the higher mind, and intelligence and is a favorite of mystics. It brings up nothing but the positive for the brain and consciousness and excises the lower energies of anxiety, stress, and negative thoughts. It is an aura cleanser and balancer. Labradorite, which used to be called spectrolite, also protects against aura leakage. This is a crystal to hold and keep with your during meditation for psychic flashes, much like the flashes of light from within the stone.

Kunzite

Perhaps the reason the pretty crystal kunzite hasn’t reached great popularity is that its splintery nature makes it a real challenge to cut. This lesser-known stone is the pink variety of spodumene and is one of only two gems in this small family; the green hiddenite is the other. Mined in North America, Brazil, Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Madagascar, it has a striated surface and is translucent. Kunzite has different color intensities depending on the vantage point from which it is being viewed. Its deep pinkness is due to the mineral lithium it contains. If lithium sound familiar, that’s because it is. Lithium has been used widely in the treatment of mental illness. Kunzite is indeed a spirit-lifting, soothing stone and helps neutralize stress and prevent worry and fear. This pink stone can help you control your thoughts and have the ability to detach yourself from what burdens you. Kunzite is a heart opener and creates the condition for love. It is also beneficial to the blood and circulatory system. Kunzite can help anyone with problems. Kunzite is another of the environmental stones that can absorb back harmful radio waves. It will also help you feel and express your love for your significant other without feeling possessive and jealous.

Dream Crystals

Crystals have been used for millennia for seeing into the future, long before crystal balls were first used for divination. Certain crystals are very powerful revelatory rocks, showing what is to come through dreams. In extremely rare cases, stones show the future through their shiny surfaces. Crystals are highly recommended tools to use for calling up dreams. I slept with a garnet by my head last night to bring about an empowered state of mind and inspired visions. The appearance of stones, gems, and crystals in your dreams is deeply meaningful. If you are so lucky as to see light shining through a stone in a dream, you will soon be relieved of a problem or issue that has been plaguing you.

Here is an age-old dream that rarely happens in the modern day but is a clear message from the unconscious mind: If you dream of jewels in a cave guarded by a dragon or other fantastical creatures, your spiritual side is longing to come out and be nourished and supported. Get thee to a retreat!

Here is a concise guide to the meaning of crystals appearing in your dreams:

• *  Agate: Beware of an impending rift between friends.

• *  Amethyst: Expect great news of a surprising nature.

• *  Aquamarine: Look forward to a very happy love life.

• *  Bloodstone: Watch out for unhappiness in love.

              * Diamond: If you do not own any diamonds, anticipate a gain but less than expected. If you do not own diamonds, expect a loss.

• *  Jade: await abundance and financial security.

• *  Jet: strengthen for sorrowful news.

• *  Lapis Lazuli: Have wisdom to remain flexible to change.

• *  Onyx: Fight procrastination due to fear of failure.

• *  Opal: Give or receive a valuable gift.

• *  Quartz: Brace for betrayal by a trusted friend or loved one.

• *  Ruby: Ignite great romantic passion.

             * Sapphire: If you are wearing it in a dream, watch out for sudden urges. If another person is wearing it, get ready to gain recognition                 and status.

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Hope Stone

In this day and age of turbulence and chaos, you can use stone power to remain steadfast during the toughest times. Sky blue amazonite is the hope stone of ancient legend and can give you the fortitude to withstand any trials and tribulations.

Jet

Jet is a stone but is organic—petrified wood found all over the world in deposits dating back to the Stone Age. It is a tough form of lignite coal that is polished to a glossy sheen, unlike ordinary coal. Jet is black and extremely hard. It has been with us since prehistory and was found to have been used for both tools and jewels in the caves ancient Egyptians lived in.

Native Americans also wore jet in powerful amulets. Jet is an energy absorber and has been used as such for centuries; it has been used for many disparate cures, from insanity to the common cold. The absorbency, however, makes it truly great for dispelling fear, and though it obviously can’t cure mental illness, it can help stabilize mood swings and stave off debilitating depression. Jet is used to treat headaches, edema, and epilepsy. Anyone who suffers from migraines should carry a jet amulet to ease both the pain and the fear around those difficult episodes. Jet is also a potent treatment for enhancing virility. The stone is best served by a silver mounting into jewelry. Jet is a useful dream stone and can send forewarning of sorrowful events. Despite that, jet is a stone of the positive, creating optimism and improved money energy.

Jasper

The authors of the Bible mentioned jasper quite a lot; their great city of heaven is reputed to have jasper walls. The opaque kind of chalcedony is a common stone here on Earth. In fact, it is found on every continent. It occurs in shades of brown, yellow, blue, green, and red, as well as combinations of these colors, often displayed in exquisite striations. Jasper has been ground up into powder and added to healing elixirs for thousands of years. The stone offers encouraging effects, but they tend to happen gradually over a long period of time. Patience is required. Jasper is an energy crystal and also a stone of sensuality, engendering immense ardor.

* Brown jasper can connect you to the earth and also to past lives, helping with regression memories and uncovering all patterns that have clung on from incarnation to incarnation. If you are interested in exploring previous incarnations, wear brown jasper rings or
bracelets on your left arm and pay attention to your dreams, which will be revealed!

* Yellow jasper is the spirit rock, an aid during any spiritual work. It is also a great stone to take on a trip, a traveler’s support. Yellow jasper offers vigor and touches upon the endocrine system. Wear a yellow jasper ring on your right hand on your next trip and you will enjoy lively dreams.

* Blue jasper impacts the sacral and heart chakras and makes travel in the astral plane possible. This is a powerfully mystical crystal.
Blue jasper can put you into the spirit realm yet keep you anchored to the earthly plane. It is perfect for any soul work. If you want to embark on a new spiritual practice or even deepen your meditation, this gem will set you on the proper path

* Green jasper is great for the skin and for the mind; if you are thinking too much about any one thing, green jasper will dispel the obsession. Women, including myself, also value this shade because it prevents bloating. For clear skin and an even clearer mind, wear green jasper!

* Red jasper can bring emotions that lie beneath the surface to the forefront for healing. This stone is connected strongly to the root chakra, the source of sexual energy and kundalini. If you would like to explore the sacred sexual practice of tantra, both partners could wear red jasper, the stone of passion. Red jasper can be a tool for rebirth and finding justice.

Jasper is a nurturing stone and can create a sense of wholeness through chakra alignment. I need to place jasper on my desk, as well, as it is a great organizational crystal and would help me see all my various projects through to completion. This is a stone that balances the male and female energies. Jasper will ground you, and the lovely spectrum of shades can help you care for yourself, body and soul.

Jade

I can’t help but marvel that I’m writing about jade on Chinese New Year. Jade is held in the highest regard by the Chinese and has been for thousands of years, thought to bring good luck and prosperity. Jade is a harbinger of purity and tranquility. The Chinese so adore this tone that they carry little talismanic pieces with them everywhere they go. Other cultures—the Maori of New Zealand and the Japanese—also hold jade blessed. Jade is a soft stone, perfect for carving. Both the Chinese and Japanese decorated royal personages with exquisite jade jewelry. Jade comes from Myanmar, Russia, Italy, China, and North and Central America. It is so affordable, I urge you to explore all the magical colors—yellow, orange, blue, red, purple, white, brown, and classic jade green—and powers of positivity.

Jade brings with it the power of love and protection. It is also a dream stone, promoting prophetic and deeply meaningful dreams.

• Purple jade heals the broken heart, allowing understanding and acceptance in and pain and anger out. If you are going through a breakup, purple jade will help you with the heartache.
• Green jade is the counselor stone and can help relationships that aren’t working become functional instead of dysfunctions; this shade is also a boon for the brain. Green jade helps with getting along.
• Red jade promotes the proper release of anger and also generates sexual passion. Serve your lover a passion potion in a cup of carved red jade while wearing only red jade. Sparks will fly!
• Blue jade is a rock for patience and composure and for conveying a sense of control. Wear blue jade pendants for serenity.
• Yellow jade is for energy, simple joy, and maintaining a sense of being a part of a greater whole. A yellow jade bracelet or ring will help you feel that all is well in your world.

Jadeite and nephrite are two varieties of jade, with the far more translucent and rarer jadeite being the more popular. Their healing properties are very much the same, however, and the different colors manifest different curatives. All jade brings positive energy. In 2001, a 2,000 ton boulder of jade was discovered in Ptiakant in Myanmar—now that’s a whole lot of love!

Tips ’n’ Tricks: a Box of Rocks

Keep a magic wishing box on your desk. Every so often look at it and make a wish upon your heart’s desire. It’s easy to make: Take a bowl or idleness box and fill it halfway with sand. Place these suggested wish stones in any arrangement you find pleasing.

• *  Agate for a new home,

• *  Amethyst for spirituality,

• *  Carnelian or Lapis Lazuli for a job,

• *  Coral for wanting children

• *  Fool’s gold for money, an

• *  Rose quartz for love.

Iron Pyrite

Fool’s gold! Some of my friends say I’m a magpie because I am so attracted to shiny objects. Let’s count fool’s gold among them. I don’t care if it is a hundred times less valuable than actual gold, it is very pleasing to my magpie eyes, and every time I see it, I want to possess it. You’ll be happy to know that I have restrained myself (often with the help of friends) many times. Iron pyrite is usually the bright metallic yellow of its namesake but can also come in bright green and coppery colors, too. Minted in North America and South America, it is a crystal that has been mineralized, forming shiny clusters.

Iron pyrite enables the skin to ward off contaminants. It is a plus for the respiratory system and is said to aid oxygen flow. It also has a strong connection to the iron levels in the blood and therefore benefits the circulatory system. Most people get relief from digestive aliments, too.

I treasure iron pyrite for its nearly unmatched support to personal mental workings. It boosts creativity, intelligence, logic, and the ability to communicate and soothes fretfulness and angst. These crystal clusters radiate stability. Native Americans revered iron pyrite as a protective amulet. This money-bringing and creativity-boosting stone is a must for the studios and workstations of artistry provides income.

Herkimer Diamond

First off, this is not a diamond. it is a clear quartz first discovered in Herkimer, New York. It was exclusively mined there until recently, when it was uncovered in Oaxaca, Mexico. The reason it is nicknamed diamond is because it is of its brilliance, sparkle, and diamond shape. It also has a lovely rainbow-like effect at its center—optimism at the very core.

This crystal releases energy blockage and is helpful to the chakras. Herkimer diamond is a stone of attunement. it is most effective if placed upon each chakra area in need of therapy. For example, if you are having difficulty speaking about something that troubles you, place a Herkimer diamond on your throat. If you are brokenhearted, place it on the heart chakra. Some crystal healers believe the greatest power of the Herkimer is the prevention of illness.

My penchant for this stone lies in its ability to tremendously meaningful, prophetic, and illuminative dreams. This crystal boosts the intuition in a big way and even engenders an ease in past-life recollection.

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Diamond Dreams

If you place a Herkimer diamond beneath your pillow, you will have incredibly vivid dreams, which you should keep track of in a dream journal and discuss or study in dream work. If the power of these dreams is overwhelming, you can make it more manageable by placing an amethyst beside the Herkimer diamond, which will moderate the intensity of the dreams.

Herkimer diamonds are power stones, bringing great vitality and exuberance into your life. They can redirect stress away from you with their absorptive abilities. Placing these rocks in your bedroom will cause the stress to melt away and help you relax and feel safe.

Lastly, if you live anywhere near a nuclear facility of any kind, whether it is a power station or medical hospital that performs radiation, this stone will absorb the radiation and help protect you and your loved ones. Herkimer diamonds retain the memory imprint of what they have borne witness to in their environment and reflect back to us great understanding of what they have seen. I have a Herkimer diamond pendant that evokes many compliments. I was attracted to it at the International New Age Trade Show in Denver in 1999 and couldn’t stop thinking about it. Later, when I was diagnosed with cancer, to the amazement of all my friends and family, I didn’t need radiation or chemotherapy, and I think I know why!

Hawk’s-Eye

Hawk’s-eye is an abundance stone. It can look very much like its namesake, the eye of the powerful bird. This under-known crystal is a darker version of tiger’s-eye. It occurs in South Africa, North America, India, and Australia and is branded like its brother stone. Hawk’s-eye has strong earth energy. It has the rare ability to calm and energize at the same time. While tiger’s-eye is about taking in the long view, hawk’s-eye is about taking the aerial vantage point, the detached viewpoint.

Hawk’s-eye has a blue-green glint, while tiger’s-eye is yellow gold. Both offer flashes of insight from different perspectives. In many cultures, hawks are the messengers of the gods. In the same way, you can hold this stone to your third eye or in the palm of your hand and ask for deep wisdom. Wait and listen, and the answer will come to you. I love this stone because it attracts not only wealth and material objects but also people who are good for you and bring advantageous connections. Hawk’s-eye is your solace when you are in real trouble and can’t see your way out. As a healer, it is good for the circulatory system, the legs, the bowels, and the eyes of course. Photographers, scientists, airline pilots, and anyone whose vision is essential to their success would do well to wear hawk’s-eye at work. 

Hematite

Hematite takes its otherworldly metallic sheen from the iron oxide of which it is made. Even way back in the “Stone Age,” when I had my rock tumbler, I could quite easily come up with a silvery pebble after tumbling and polishing hematite. Occasionally, hematite has a reddish color or red speckles on the surface. This may be why hematite is named thusly: the root of the word, haima, is the Greek word for blood. Hematite has long been associated with blood, blood rituals, and medicine for treating nosebleeds, menstruation, heart disease, anemia, kidney disease, hemophilia, birth, surgery, insomnia, lung problems, and fever. Native Americans use hematite in dentistry and to treat wounds and substance abuse. Ancient Egyptians ground hematite up and put it in medicines and unguents. Egyptians loved this glistening rock, and every person could have one (which wasn’t the case with emeralds). They frequently wore hematite as an amulet, believing it could render the wearer invincible.

Hematite is most frequently found in North America, Sweden, Britain, Switzerland, Italy, and Brazil. Hematite is almost like the “Magic Metals” previously discussed (see chapter two) because it contains high levels of iron, driving its blood-cleaning capabilities. It is also a protective rock and fortifies tissue regeneration. Hematite shores up self-image and self-belief. It also transforms negative energy into positive. Hematite is considered to be yang, a more male energy. My preferred aspect of this shiny wonder is that it assists with both legal problems and astral projection. Hematite is a creativity crystal and a marvelous mental enhancer, increasing the ability to think with logic, to focus, to concentrate, and to remember more clearly and completely. Hematite draws anxiety out of the body and creates calm. In addition to all of these aspects that project outward, hematite contributes to inner work: self- knowledge, deeper consciousness, and wisdom. Like the iron in the earth from which it is formed, hematite grounds. If you feel spacey or disconnected, you should wear hematite.

You now know that hematite can be found fairly commonly in North America and parts of South America, but you may not be aware that it can be found in plenitude on Mars! Yes, Mars has a bad case of “rust” dust due to the gray hematite in a massive patch on the surface near the Martian equator, proving that Mars had water or at least water vapor at some point. This has led to tantalizing theories from scientists about possible hot springs that were once active on our red neighbor planet. I discovered this while cruising the NASA Web site. How do they know it was hematite? Through an infrared-imaging system known as THEMIS (Thermal Emission Imaging System) I also discovered a quote by Victoria Hamilton, a planetary geologist at Arizona State University, explaining that “all materials vibrate at the atomic scale...each mineral has a unique infrared spectrum that identifies it as surely as the fingerprints of a human being.” Fascinating!

Garnet

I love that the word “garnet” comes from granatum, referring to the color of a pomegranate seed—how mythic and romantic! (And much more appealing than the word coined by the Egyptians, “carbuncle.”) Garnet has come to be considered a wine-colored stone, but in actuality, it can come in green, yellow, or brown. Garnets are found all over the world and can make up a family of minerals:

• Almandite, the most common of the garnets and probably the favorite, is dark red with a deep brown cast; its rich color is brought on by the content of iron and aluminum. It is often cut as a jewel.
• Andradite is a combination of calcium and iron and varies in color from red to green to yellow to black. Green andradites are favored as gems.
• Grossular, composed of calcium and aluminum, occurs most often in a white or clear color. In Sri Lanka, there is a topaz-like brown grossular that is of jewel quality, and in Siberia, there is one that’s gooseberry green—thus the name of “grossular,” derived from the Latin word for this fruit.
• Pyrope is the most precious garnet, with the clearest red color due to the magnesium content. The most valuable pyropes come from South Africa, in the “blue earth” where diamonds are found.
• Spessartine is the rarest garnet, an aluminum-and-manganese gem with an appealing orange tint.
• Uvarovite is not very common. This grassy green garnet is usually discovered in calcium-rich serpentine rock and has a unique crystalline structure.

Red garnets are love stones. These sexy stones can help those with a lethargic libido tune into their passion. Green garnets are the real healing stones. These crystals offer protection to the chakras. You should wear green garnets as earrings or in a necklace to get the most benefit from the inner and outer healing power.

Garnets are conductors of past-life memories and are memory sharpeners in the here and now. They offer the welcome advantage of increasing patience. Garnets also promote compassion and awareness of the world and the self. They help a person let go, especially of self-loathing.