Magic Metals: Silver

Aligned with the planet and the god Mercury, silver is about communication. Silver has been associated with the moon for thousands of years. As such, it is a stabilizer of any crystal or gem. Rather than adding to the energy of a stone, it secures the energy and supports the gem. 

Silver is a healing metal that should not be worn all the time; let your body tell you when it feels right. Silver offers a mirror of your inner spirit, and this should be given very special attention. Silver is a detoxifying agent and communicates with the body to alert you to raised levels of hormones and other chemical imbalances. The metal is good to wear as a necklace, as it is very beneficial to the throat and lungs. Your synapses even fire more efficiently because silver acts as an energy conductor. Consequently, silver is good for people encountering memory reduction, psychological issues, and diseases affecting the brain.

In olden days, women wore silver around their waists to improve fertility. Men can do the same—by wearing a silver belt buckle, perhaps—to treat impotence or other sexual dysfunction. 

Moonstones are wonderful in combination with the sacred moon metal. Amethyst is also great in a silver setting. Jaspers, agates (especially fire agate), and opals are very suitable in silver. Although diamonds are more often set in gold, they are also terrific in silver settings. The same holds true for sapphires. Lapis, jades, emeralds, and pearls set in silver are said to attract love. Here is a list of stones you should not set in silver: zircon, tourmaline, and amber. I see amber set in silver all the time, and it is unfortunate because amber is a hot stone and works better with any other metal.

In foreign countries, silver is used in a variety of customary ways. Parents in China, for example, give their children silver-locket necklaces to show love and offer protection and luck. In France, couples wear silver chains upon getting engaged.

Jewels of Wisdom

• Agate worn as an amulet around your neck will ensure that you speak only your truth. It can also attract favors from powerful people!
• A black agate on a short chain or in a ring will ensure success in business and athletics.
• If you wear moss agate while gardening, you will have a healthy harvest.
• If you wear amazonite while gambling, you will have great luck.
• Amber will attract love into your life and increase sexual pleasure if you wear it during lovemaking.
• If a man wears an amethyst, the stone will draw a good woman to him.
• Apache tear in a pendant will protect a woman in her pregnancy.
• Frog-shaped jewelry is the ultimate traveler’s amulet; pilots, stewards, sailors, and anyone who frequently travels across water should wear aquamarine in frog-shaped jewelry for enhanced safety and protection from drowning.
• Wear bloodstone in court for victory in legal matters.
• Carnelian jewelry will keep you from being struck by lightning.
• Cat’s-eye worn as a ring will retain your youthful beauty and lift any depression.
• Ladies, coral earrings will attract men into your life. Pacific Islanders believe this “nature’s jewel” contains the very essence of life.
• A diamond with a six-sided cut will offer you great protection; set in platinum, it will ensure victory in any conflict.
• Jade carved into the shape of a butterfly will attract love into your life.
• Lapis lazuli beads strung on gold wire will offer health, growth, and protection.
• A diamond set in onyx will overcome sexual temptation and incite the loyalty of a partner.
• Opal earrings will awaken your psychic powers.
• A red pearl ring or pendant will heighten intelligence.
• A dark peridot ring will bring you more money and raise your spirits, allaying any melancholy.
• A geode as jewelry will attract love and help a woman avoid miscarriage.

Magic Metals: Gold

Gold is beloved for its sheen and purity. Whether white or yellow, it is a fantastic energy conductor. Gold enhances any gem or stone and encourages the action of said stone with a dose of quickening energy. It is a symbol of wealth and personal power and accentuates any gem or crystal. Gold also accentuates you.

The softest and the strongest metal, gold never tarnishes and seems to stay beautiful and perfect through anything; it’s impermeable to weather and the effects of aging. This is an adaptable, mutable metal and maintains its unity in alloys.

Gold fascinates—no doubt about it. It is used in jewelry, in industry, and also in medicine. Because gold is a viable energy conductor, it has wonderful healing properties, and because it is impervious to harm, gold is a tremendous element of renewal and regeneration. It has been said to help with arthritis, blood and circulation problems, and mental and emotional issues. 

Gold can give you courage and self-esteem. It can accentuate the positive in yourself and your regard of others. Wearing gold-nugget jewelry might even bring in a continuous flow of wealth! 

In Mexico, gold is linked to religion and faith. Gold crucifixes and crosses are worn for protection and as a link to God, Christ, and Mary. In India, parents give their young children tiny gold amulets to guard against harm and illness.

Let this metal of kings and queens cast a golden glow over your life!

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Wear This at Work

Geode jewelry can bring you success at work. At my favorite metaphysical five-and-dimes, I have been seeing baby geodes that can easily be glued to a fabric choker band or are already in pre-made pendants. If you are feeling like you are in a slump at work or want to impress the boss, begin wearing a pretty and professional geode necklace and things will be looking up soon! If this style is not for you, just buy a geode, set it on your desk, and look at it while picturing yourself climbing the ladder of success.

Seven Sacred Stones Bracelet

Take any silver chain-link bracelet and add “charm” to it! Bracelets act as protection jewelry, and, well, they look simply divine on our delicate wrists, do they not? Of late, the trend has been to layer bracelets, but with gem magic, there’s a danger that jeweled pieces worn together could cancel each other out because they have conflicting energies. So, I’m going to recommend that you wear this bracelet along, without other magical wrist wear.

To make this piece, you’ll need seven stones on small pendent settings, a silver chain-link bracelet, seven jump rings, and pliers. Plain silver chain-link bracelets are easy to obtain at any jewelry department or store, from Target to Tiffany. Jump rings, which have an opening through which you can slide a pendant and then close up with small chain-nose pliers, are readily available at any craft or jewelry store.

Before you choose your seven stones, decide what energy enhancement you desire. If you want lots of energy and zest, choose red jasper or pink clamshell. If you want to be uplifted, try jade. To become wiser, pick sapphire. To stay safe while traveling, pick dendritic agate. To remain calm and overcome stress, choose blue lace agate. For more mental clarity, choose malachite. For a self-esteem boost, try rhodonite.

Once you have pursued all the gem and crystal descriptions in this book, you can and should experiment with all manner of combinations. But I highly recommend the Seven Sacred Stones

Bracelet with the following very beneficial stones and energies:

-citrine for a better ability to communicate,

-lace agate for happiness with your job,

-lapis lazuli for mental brilliance,

-moonstone for self-love and self-expression,

-red coral for good health and physical strength,

-rose quartz or opal to make you appealing to others, and

-turquoise for calmness and protection from the earth.

Friends of mine have reported wonderful results with this banishing and boosting bracelet. Where else can you find jewelry that will make you feel good about yourself, protect you from harm, and help you to look even prettier? You have to make it! You can find these pendant-set stones in any jewelry or New Age store. The metaphysical stores have the best selection, however.

To begin, place the stones on your altar or in front of a candle for six days and six nights. Write on a piece of paper or parchment what you desire from each stone. While you light the candle each night, think about and meditate upon all the wonderful things you want in your life. On the seventh day, loop each pendant stone onto your bracelet with even spacing. Burn the parchment with the candle flame and then put your bracelet on and jingle it seven times. From now on, every time you hear the seven sacred stones jingle on your wrist, think about the qualities the stones are bringing you and you’ll refresh the crystal magic. 

Gem-Magic Get-Together

Forget the Tupperware party and have a gem-magic party with your girlfriends instead. Make popcorn, eat pizza, drink champagne, and, most importantly, make magic together. What could be more fun? All you have to do is pick a night and assign everyone two ingredients to bring—one snack and one batch of crystal beads. You provide the thread, tools, glue, and good vibes.

Think about beginning the night by making brooches. A brooch worn over the heart is a symbol of loyalty and love among friends. You’ll need to get some flat-circle brooch pins at a craft store. Give each person at the party a brooch and ask her to choose a partner. Using glue, each gal will encrust the front of her brooch with as many crystals as possible in a color and an array that best represents the personality of her partner. Then, the partners exchange brooches. Your gaggle of girlfriends will be forever bonded by their love brooches, not to mention the glue!

Here are a few other festive and fun projects you can whip up together: birthstone bracelets, bewitching barrettes, pendulum pendants, true-love tiaras, blessing bracelets, bodacious bobby pins, and nights-of-enchantment necklaces. The possibilities are endless; let your imagination (and your friends) run wild!

Rings of Power

You can follow the exact steps above to make yourself finger rings that can bring more grace and less grief into your life. Think about the different areas of your life and then create an entire collection of rings to sprinkle a little magic into those areas.

You can explore and discover dozens of marvelous stones from which to choose. Do you want to be more creative? Try tiger’s-eye. Need to find a job? Plume agate is your stone. Looking to add some pizzazz to your love life? Alexandrite will bring lots of zest. Feeling blue? Citrine or jet can banish dark days. Stressed out? Rhyolite races to the rescue!

Twinkle-Star Toe Ring

Every step you take will be supernatural when you wear your Twinkle-Star Toe Ring! To make this ring, you’ll need forty-four tiny amethyst beads, 18 inches of elastic thread, two sewing needles or two wire thread needles, and glue. Once you get the knack of the projects, you can try it again and vary the number and type of crystal beads.

Begin by blessing the beads on your altar. Next, thread the needles onto each end of the elastic thread and then string four beads to the center of the elastic. Thread the left needle through the last bead on the right-hand side. Pull it tight, forming a diamond shape. Next, string one bead on the left thread end and two beads on the right. Thread the left needle through the last bead on the right. Pull it tight. Repeat until all the beads are used. In order to close the ring, thread the left needle through the end bead of the first diamond, instead of the last bead on the right. Pull tight, tie the ring off with a double knot, and place a drop of glue on the knot.

Notice how everyone is looking at you as you sparkle by? You are irresistible!

The Language of Jewelry: Belts, Ankle Bracelets, & Toe Rings

Belts

Waist jewelry has recently made a big comeback. People are going beyond belts and wearing belly chains and lariats. Gemstone belts and buckles can really enhance your joie de vivre and give you greater physical strength and health. Turquoise stones are grounding, and agates raise the energy level. For healing power, try bloodstone. For keeping life on an even keel, the organic-gem family—shells, corals, and abalone—is optimal. For impetus and motivation, wear carnelian. To boost your health and well-being, wear red coral for the lungs, bloodstone for the heart, and moonstone during pregnancy.

Ankle Bracelets and Toe Rings

Bejeweled feet and ankles are very sexy. Jewelry in this area of the body is also grounding and stabilizing. If you are dealing with anxiety or substance-abuse issues, wear amethyst around your ankle. If you’re feeling drained of energy, jasper or rock crystal will come in handy. Rhodonite will do the trick if you are feeling disconnected or restless.

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Pearls for Patience

In this fast-paced world, we are so accustomed to instant gratification—high-speed internet

connection, same-day delivery. We are multitasking ourselves to death. Slow down and enjoy

your life. It is worth it, I assure you. Here is a quick way to simply relax and enjoy the little things

of life: Wear a pearl. Pearl earrings and necklaces are the best, as they calm and clear the

mind.

Tips ’n’ Tricks: A Pocketful of Kryptonite

While making a gemstone belt or waist chain could be a major investment of time and money,

placing a rock in your pocket is a quick and easy way to bring change into your life. To get a

new job, carry tourmaline, moss agate, tiger’s-eye, or carnelian. If you’re looking for love, pocket

a moonstone. For money, carry green jade.

The Language of Jewelry: Brooches, Headdresses, and Bracelets

Brooches

Brooches symbolize virginity, faithfulness, and protection. A diamond-studded brooch is a double symbol of love and safeguarding. Brooches were the costume jewelry of the medieval Irish, who decorated themselves with gems and valuable stones to show they were part of the aspiring warrior caste.

Headdresses

It is no accident that kings, queens, and emperors wear crowns. The ancients wanted their leaders to be wise, and bejeweled crowns brought the energy of gems to bear on their brows. While you might not want to wear a tiara to the office, you can wear hair clips and barrettes with crystals and stones attached for some of the same reasons. Why not be smarter and smartly accessorized?

I love it when bindis (the “dots” traditionally worn by Indian women on their foreheads) came back into vogue, because jewels on the third eye (an invisible organ of spiritual perception) stimulate intuition and compassion. Wear bindis in moderation, however, to avoid exhausting your center of intuition.

Bracelets

I love bracelets and am wearing an aventurine cuff right now. The wrists are perfect pulse points. Organic gems, such as coral and abalone, are very helpful for energy flow and release. Turquoise is great for stabilizing and calming you physically. Ancient cultures loved to wear armbands and cuffs, and those have gone out of style except among the most dramatic of fashionistas. Perhaps we should try to bring this style back because gem and crystal armbands are very good for body and soul.

The Language of Jewelry: Rings

Rings represent eternity, unity, reincarnation, safety, union, power, and energy. They symbolize the eternity of the circle shape—the universe. Wearing rings was believed to help ward off any kind of malevolence through their continuity—nothing could get in. A ring binds you with the energy of the stone. In dream psychology, a ring represents the desire for reconciliation of the different parts of your being and personality; it shows you want to be an integrated whole, which is the first step in making it happen. If you want to deepen a friendship, exchange amber rings with your friend to bind you together forever. Why do you think Native Americans wear turquoise rings? They know it is a guardian stone; its power is doubled when it is in a ring.

When wearing a ring, be sure the bottom side of the stone is open to allow greater connection between the stone and your skin. On your left hand, wear ring gems that awaken and release emotions, and on your right hand, wear stones that will enhance your career and your personal goals in life. I know that thumb rings have become a big trend, but you should know that wearing them could block the energy of the thumbs or, even worse, bring out egotism and selfishness.

Your index fingers are indicators of achievement, and wearing the proper gem on that finger can really aid you in striving for your dreams. For wisdom, wear lapis lazuli. For greater love of yourself and others, try pearl, moonstone, or garnet. For success, wear carnelian. For a quiet mind and greater calm, wear sodalite chrysocolla, or turquoise.

Your middle fingers are about ideas and insight as well as intuition; the left hand represents the receiving of ideas, and the right hand represents action and achievement in your life. Wear stones on the middle finger only when you want to get a lot of psychic input from the world around you. For greater sensitivity and creativity, wear amethyst. To awaken your inner and outer beauty, wear ruby. To access your higher good and know your life purpose, wear sapphire or quartz crystal.

The ring finger is about creativity, and, of course, the ring finger on the left hand is your love center and a direct connection to your heart. For deep and loyal ties of love, wear diamond. To express your love, wear moonstone. To inspire creativity, wear emerald. To meet creativity goals, wear tiger’s-eye or cat’s-eye. For practicality in your work and art, wear turquoise. For service to your community and the world, wear opal. For serenity both within and without, wear ruby.

Pinkie fingers represent change. The right gem on your little finger can help you find and pursue new opportunities and change the direction of your whole life. This is a lot of power in one little ring! For better organizational habits, wear pearl. For unwinding and simplifying, wear turquoise. To bring new energy and new prospects, wear aventurine.

Tips ’n’ Tricks: A Muse-ical Wand

If your passion is making art or music, throwing pots, or growing an artful garden, you are an imaginative person, and you need to stay in touch with your muse. Call her to you anytime you are feeling blocked or uninspired. You can make a very special tool that will draw your muse to you with sweet-smelling smoke.

You’ll want to keep a pot of the hardy and sun-loving herb sage on your windowsill so it is handy at all times. Here is a simple way to use this herb to create a wand for instant inspiration: Combine a long stalk of fennel with a twisted bundle of sage and long sticks of your favorite incense, such as cinnamon or nag champ (my personal favorite). Braid the materials tightly together into a wand using purple (for power) and gold (for money) string or thread. Before any artistic endeavor or meditation, light one end of the wand with a candle and wave it around to clear your environment, allowing the smoke to clear your mind in the process.

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Speaking Stones

If you are a singer or speaker or simply wish to improve how you express yourself, wear these stones in chokers or necklaces to realize a noticeable change for the better: amber, amethyst, aquamarine, azurite, blue obsidian, blue topaz, blue tourmaline, kunzite, lepidolite, and turquoise.

The Language of Jewelry

A little thoughtfulness about how and where to wear your crystal and gem jewelry can go a long way toward enhancing your health and happiness. The left side of your body is the most sensitive, or feeling side; the right side is your action side. Information and energy flow into your left side much more quickly, so you can protect yourself by wearing crystals on that side that act as energy guards. Jewelry worn on the right side of your body helps with work, productivity, and success.

Necklaces, Pendants, and Chokers

Perhaps you want to be a better communicator or to sing or simply to express yourself more freely. A blocked throat chakra can result in your feelings and ideas being blocked. So, in this case, you will want to focus on opening up the throat chakra. A necklace or choker can serve this purpose. A strand of pearls not only looks timelessly elegant but also boosts your self-esteem and sociability. The best metals for this use are silver, copper, and gold. You will want to avoid aluminum entirely because it is considered to be a health risk.

Earrings

You can wear one gold earring and one silver earring to rid yourself of the discomfort of a headache. Earrings were once worn to guard ears from potential disease and from hearing bad news. They were also believed to strengthen weak eyes, especially if set with emeralds. Earrings help to balance both hemispheres of the brain and can stabilize the throat chakra. The earlobes are sensory centers on the body and usually benefit from the stimulation of a gem or crystal. Jade and tiger’s-eye are great for reviving and refreshing. You will generally feel quite good with these two earring choices. Sapphires will bring you greater wisdom. However, lapis lazuli and opal can be overstimulating as earrings, so watch carefully and see how your body reacts to them. Some people feel light-headed with these two stones placed so high on the body. Malachite can be too spiritually stimulating as earrings; don’t wear them unless you want to be in a soulful or dreamy reverie. Go for garnet, as garnet earrings will enhance your popularity. And here is a tip that might soon cause a stampede to the jewelry shop: Rose quartz is wonderful for the skin and can even slow aging!

Chains

Chains represent links between people, the ties that bind you to another. Other mystical associations for chains are happiness and justice; prayer; reason and the soul; communication and command. Plato referred to a chain of being, a golden chain linking the earth to the heavens above, a bond between humans and immortals. Socrates tied our human happiness to the concept of justice with a chain of steel and diamonds. Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite compared the practice of prayer to an infinitely luminous chain going from Earth to heaven. An astral cord, akin to a golden chain, binds the spirit to the psyche and binds reason to the soul.

Charging Your Jewelry with Magic

Charging a gem or crystal imbues it with your intent. Upon charging your jewelry, you can use it in spell work or anytime you want to surround yourself with the magic you put into the gemstones. While picturing your truest wish and hope, and what you ultimately want to achieve through this process, anoint a candle with an essential oil that most expresses your energy. Perhaps it is rose or, as in my case, amber. Begin by lighting the candle and gazing into the flame. Then, place the piece of jewelry in front of the candle and say aloud, “Into this jewelry, I imbue my essence and the power of this blessed earth. This gem of great hue is charged until my magic is through. So mote it be!”

You can further empower the jewel by scratching your desire into the wax of the candle. Then, each time you burn the candle, place the gem before it and think upon your quest. You can further empower the jewel by scratching your desire into the wax of the candle. Then, each time you burn the candle, place the gem before it and think upon your quest.

To enchant all of your jewelry, you need to create and altar for this express purpose. You can prepare the way for letting crystal and gem magic into your life, and focusing your desires and dreams, with a gem-magic altar. If you already have an altar in place, incorporate some of the following elements. The more you use your altar, the more powerful your spells will be. Your gem-magic altar can be a low table, the top of a chest, or even a shelf. First, you must purify the space with the smoke of a sage bundle. This is called smudging and is essential in clearing energy to make way for magic. You can use wild sage or purchase it at any herb store or metaphysical five-and-dime.

Once you have smudged the space, cover your altar with your favorite fabric; I recommend the color white. Place a candle in each corner. I prefer candles of many colors to represent the rainbow array of gems. Place gems and crystals of your choice around the candles. Rose quartz is a heart stone, and fluorite is a calming crystal, so these are good choices for grounding yourself, particularly if your altar is in your bedroom, as many are! Add to the altar fresh flowers, an incense you simply love to smell, and any objects that have special meaning to you. Some folks place lovely shells or feathers they have found in their paths or on the beach, and others use imagery that is special—a goddess statue or a star shape. The most important point is that your altar be pleasing to your eye and your sensibilities. You should feel that it represents the deepest aspects of you as a person.

Ideally, you will bless your altar on a new moon. Light the candles and incense, and say aloud:

    “Here burns happiness about me,

    Peace and harmony are in abundance,

    Here my happiness abounds.

    Gems and jewels—these bones of the earth

    Bring love, prosperity, health and mirth.

    Be it ever thus that joy is the light

    That here burns bright.

    Blessed be!”

You have now consecrated your altar. It will ease your spirit anytime and become your power source. Your altar connects you to the earth of which you and all gems and crystals are a part. Your altar will connect you to the crystal magic that has now entered your life. Whenever you want to add a dash of magic or a supernatural sparkle to a stone or piece of jewelry, you can place it on your altar for seven days. On the seventh day, wear the jewelry and bewitch everyone you encounter! Remember that your level of clarity and concentration will be reflected in the jewel’s power.

Now, enjoy your sacred stones.

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Fairy Flint

Flint is favored by the fairy folk. If you want to be on the good side of the wee ones, keep flint around, and they will go about their own business and not meddle in yours. No more lost car keys or misplaced wallets after that.

Precious and Semiprecious Stones

Gemstones are cherished for their incredible durability and eternal beauty. The variety of gems is quite wide, but the U.S. Trade Commission lists only emeralds, natural rubies, diamonds, and sapphires as precious gemstones. All others are considered semiprecious, which seems a bit limited to me but is nonetheless the rule of thumb, according to governmental authorities. Rubies, if unflawed and of a perfect, deep red, are the most valuable of all gems, being the least available. Emeralds are next, and diamonds, perhaps surprisingly, are the last in line of this precious trio. Interestingly, the ancient Egyptians actually valued semiprecious stones more. The Egyptians made a vast study of gems of all kinds, and the earliest writing of any kind about these sacred stones was found on papyrus dating back to 1500 B.C. 

Gems have fascinated and played important roles in the lives of historical figures from alchemists to biblical scholars. The famous philosopher’s stone is, of course, purported to be a gem of enormous power and significance. Gem lore tells us that a stone can also have the power to throw a life into disarray. Marie Antoinette lost her head as a result of the public outcry over a purloined diamond necklace, and everyone who owned the Hope diamond either died before their time or was bankrupted until it was donated to the Smithsonian Institution. Bearing these examples in mind, just know that stones carry energy, and if they are stolen or ill-gotten, the energy clinging to the stones can greatly impact the owners and wearers. Being honorable is essential when you are wielding stone power. Having said that, the pleasures of owning and working with gemstones can be enormous. Gems can adorn your hand and help make you wiser. A gem-power pendant can open your heart to love and give you greater happiness than you have ever known. Gem power can heal your body and clear your mind.

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Crystalline Catalyst

If you are reading this book, it is a good sign that you are wanting positive change in your life. Crystals and gems are powerful vehicles for creating advantageous new directions for you to try. Certain crystals are revolutionary rocks—they can bring fresh change into your life NOW. Moonstone stimulates all the senses. Onyx helps with self-control. Peridot balances the physical energies. Sapphire is a motivator. Pink quartz helps overcome bad habits. Bloodstone rids emotional blockage. Alexandrite encourages love for life.

Making Magic with Crystals and Gems

Gems are powerful tools that can pave the way for a better life for you. There is a long history of the use of gems, stones, and crystals as amulets, symbols, charms, and jewelry in magic. These myriad stones can really enrich your life in so many ways. In the next chapter, you will learn how to make your own magical gem and crystal jewelry and how to charge the stones you already own with supernatural power.

Do you want to get a new job? Jade jewelry magic will do the trick! Need to get over a heartbreak? A chrysocolla heart-healing spell will soothe your soul. Are you an author suffering from the dreaded writer’s block? A creativity crystal incantation is exactly what you need. Gems and statues positioned in strategic places around your home can help accelerate the positive vibrations you are activating by practicing crystal and gem magic. Using what I call crystal feng shui, you can place a crystal or a geode or an appealingly shaped rock in the appropriate position of your home to facilitate change. For example, amethyst will promote healing and release any negative energy that is clinging. Clusters of citrine will activate vibrations of abundance and creativity.

So, if you want to bring more money into your home or office, place a big chunk of citrine on the left side of your desk, and the money will begin to flow! If you have a dark hallway that feels spooky or an area in your home or office in which the energy feels very static or low, place an obsidian ball there, perhaps in a pedestal, to absorb this negative energy. If you want to have your bedroom be a place of bliss and unconditional love, rose quartz will create this all-important atmosphere.

Crystal magic also involves color magic and spell craft, topics that are covered in depth herein. With crystal magic, you will learn to improve your life in ways large and small. You will discover the stones that are special to you and how to fully utilize these birthstones and karmic crystals. You will undertake the magical arts of crystal conjuring and spell casting with stones. You will be inducted into the practice of healing with crystals and how to achieve wellness every day. Finally, you will have at your fingertips the history, description, and instructions on how to use each and every gem and crystal.

Using gems and crystals in rituals, spells, and affirmations has been part of the human experience for millennia. By incorporating this practice into your life, you will create a flow of positive energy that will enable you to enhance your work, your family, your love, and every other part of your existence.

Yes, through the magic of gems, anything is possible. Again, welcome to this glittering and magical realm and begin a special journey under a sky where every star is a jewel you can wish upon!

The Mystique of Minerals

Each gem, mineral, crystal, and stone that is discussed on my blog has its own unique properties. Look at it this way: We have a vast healing and life-enhancing trove of beautiful and sacred stones from which to choose, and each stone has its own inherent, divine qualities. Each one is unique for the energy it emits and how it interacts with our subtle energy field, or aura. In the same way that no two fingerprints or snowflakes are alike, each crystal is completely individual, never to be repeated again in nature. Man-made crystals are exactly alike, thus reducing their appeal and healing qualities, at least in my mind.

Crystals found in nature are imbued with special qualities from the minerals and rocks surrounding them. Geologists are fond of explaining the varying colors of crystals as chemical impurities, and while that may well be so, I prefer to liken the development of crystalline color to the making of a fine wine, wherein the soil and even the neighboring trees, plants, sun, and rain affect the grapes and the resulting nectar. So, gems have notes, like a perfume or a wine or even music. Truly gifted gemologists can distinguish these delicate differences, especially the vibratory sounds.

Defining Crystal Categories

First, let’s explain the different categories: precious and semiprecious gems, crystals, and stones. We’ll start with the widest category, stones, which actually encompasses all the other categories. Stones can hold much magic and bring the best to you. I’m always looking in my path for a pretty stone or one of an unusual shape or coloration. In fact, I have a mobile altar in my car that is frequently augmented by a charming chunk of rock. I always notice that my friends and passengers are unable to resist picking them up and rubbing the smooth surfaces admiringly. Maybe one day, I’ll find a diamond in the rough in my path!

Stones have been of interest for many centuries. Primitive peoples probably picked up stones out of curiosity. Through trial and error, they discovered which rocks withstood the test of time and were more durable for use in tools. Doubtless, they also noticed that some stones could be polished to a lovely sheen.

Stones are primarily minerals that can be defined as natural, generally inorganic substances with a chemical composition and an internal atomic structure. So, a diamond, the most precious of all in the eyes of many rock hounds, is a stone and also a crystal with a very simple structure of one element—carbon. Quartz, a very commonly available and rarely expensive stone, is usually referred to as rock crystal and is composed of two elements—silicon and oxygen.

Crystals are defined as such because of their internal diffracting patterns—that is, by the way they hold and reflect light. Rocks can be defined as natural, solid compounds of mineral grains, or glass, or a combination of both.

What is the difference between precious and semiprecious gems? The simple distinction between these two categories is that only the most rare and costly gems are classified as precious. Emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds fall into this foremost category. Those remaining gems, such as opal, amethyst, and bloodstone, are semiprecious. Gems are a special class of very valuable minerals rated according to their hardness, color, and luster. Gems are held so dear because of their quality; they are usually clearer, rarer, and exquisitely beautiful.

All of these “rules” date back thousands of years in some cases. There is great tradition surrounding the lore and love of gems, stones, and crystals. They are simply glorious. Think about it—not only are they lovely to look at and to adorn yourself with, but they also have properties that bring love, health, happiness, abundance, and peace of mind.

Tips ’n’ Tricks: Dream Crystals

Thomas Edison carried quartz crystals with him at all times and called the stones his dream crystals. He believed they inspired his ideas and inventions. Literary legends George Sand and William Butler Yeats also relied on crystals to help spark their considerable creativity. 

Data has also been gathered to show the effectiveness of quartz in certain healing techniques, such as chakra therapy, acupressure, and light-ray therapy, as we will discuss in depth later. But the simplest way to promote healing with crystal is to wear a stone. 

Quartz can take the form of great hexagonal stones or of crystals so small that only a microscope can see them. Quartz can appear in clusters or singly. It can also appear in every hue of the rainbow. The gorgeous and varied hues of quartz come from electrostatic energy, which now can be altered through technology. I, however, prefer the simple beauty provided by Mother Nature herself.

Quartz is the largest of the crystal families, and we can be grateful for that since it is such a powerful healer. Moreover, it is an energy regulator for the human body, affecting the vibrations of the aura, or energy field that surrounds all living beings.

The Power of Crystals and Gems

Where do gemstones get their power? They all have a crystalline structure that can collect, store, and release electromagnetic energy, similar to the way today’s commonplace battery does.

Scientists and engineers have discovered through experimentation that a crystal will accumulate and concentrate the energy of any given energy field in close proximity. Further, they’ve discovered that if a crystal is squeezed, energy from within the crystal is released. Light can also be released during the compression of a crystal. While the expansion is infinitesimal, electrons are emitted and are then reabsorbed by the crystal, thus producing energy. Schoolchildren discover this by rubbing or heating crystals and feeling a marked static change. This is known as the piezoelectric effect. Anyone who doubts the power of this effect need only be told that it is one of the causes of earthquakes.

Quartz is the crystal most often used today in both scientific and spiritual realms. It is, perhaps, the most prevalent of all gemstones and can be found on every land mass on Earth. Common quartz was used in the world’s first radio broadcasts and enabled the chips that propelled the computer revolution. It stands to reason that quartz was the first crystal to be synthesized by manufacture. Today, man-made crystals are in vast usage in our watches, computers, and other electronic devices.

Quartz is composed of silicon and oxygen, the same basic minerals that make up this planet. Silicon dioxide (SO 2 ), the building block responsible for the geologic makeup of the earth, is also inside us, which may explain why there is a natural attraction between our bodies and crystals.

Fill Your Life with Enchantment

We are experiencing a witchy renaissance here in the early years of the twenty-first century. I get frequent requests from friends and, thanks to the quick connections of social media, questions via Facebook about how to handle the stress, strain, and busyness of modern life. I am honored to be able to help in any small way and am constantly seeking new methods for healing magic and insights and spells for sacred self-care.

One thing I do know, both from my personal experience and from my circle, is that spellwork and habitual ritual can be healing in and of itself. Rites and ritual gatherings regulate our lives, individually and as groups. Anthropologists, psychologists, and other students of the human race have shown that ritual has existed since the dawn of humanity and has always played an important role in culture. Scholars of the psyche, including Freud, who eloquently addressed the role of ritual, speak of the power of ritual and how it brings people together physically and emotionally. Ritual creates “communities” from which spring a sense of unity, harmony, and belonging.

These magical moments are very important; they signify that we have stepped out of the routine of the ordinary day to day and are exploring a higher consciousness. I believe a moment spent in ritual is embracing life itself. Even 5 minutes of sacred time can change your life for the better. And that is my hope for you: a life enriched through these easy enchantments and simple spells. May you enjoy much peace of mind, prosperity, love, and sheer joy!

Sanctified Sunday: Sure Success Incantation

Here is one of the ways I got a great job on my first day in San Francisco, despite the fact that I wasn’t really qualified and looked like an absolute hayseed after driving cross-country for four straight days from Appalachia. I was broke and fresh out of grad school with no real experience but I created some luck for myself. You can, too, with this surefire spell.

Light a gold candle on a Sunday night before you undertake your job hunt or whenever you are about to go on a job interview. Repeat this incantation three times while holding a vision of your desired job:

    I see the perfect job for me; I see a place of plenty.

    Upon my heart’s desire, I am set;

    My new boss will never regret.

    This job will come to me NOW.

    Harm to none I VOW.

    So mote it be.

Sundays are for Basking in the Warmth

Sunday is the day of our greatest star, Sol, otherwise known as the sun, with colors of gold, orange, and radiant white. This is the time to rest and renew, indulge in creativity, and enjoy the fruits of this life. Sunday is the time to make spells for fame and fortune.

Magical Affirmations

Sundays are an ideal time for boosting your confidence and esteeming yourself.

On a Sunday morning after your ablutions, when you are your most well-rested, freshly scrubbed, shiniest self, speak these powerful words:

    I am amazing and awesome

    I grow in wisdom each day.

    I am succeeding.

    I am prospering.

    Blessings to all and blessed be me.

Feel free to create your own affirmations, if you are so inspired. This Sunday ritual feels simply divine and truly is empowering. If it works as well for you as I suspect it will, you may want to incorporate it into every Sunday morning. Blessed be!

Saturday Spell for Contacting Spirits

Outside of the witchy world, it is not well known that Saturday is the optimal day for contacting those who have passed from this realm to the next. When Samhain, to mark the end of the harvest season, falls on a Saturday, it gives a big boost to our ability to make contact through the veil between the worlds. After nightfall, you can speak to lost loved ones or others with whom you desire contact.

Gather together

    * an amethyst of the deepest, darkest purple, obsidian, and/or rainbow moonstone (see spell)

    * your Book of Shadows and a pen

    * strong-smelling incense, such as frankincense, nag champa, or sandalwood

    * a fireproof clay or glass dish

    * sage for smudging

You can either use one of each of the three crystals, or three of the same kind of crystal. Sit in a comfortable position on the floor or on a pillow with your Book of Shadows and pen nearby. I learned from High Priestess Z. Budapest that “the dead love incense, the stronger the better and it will call them to you.” Light the incense in the fireproof dish and pass the crystals through the smoke. Then touch your third eye with one of the crystals for a moment and picture the person you want to contact. Place that crystal by the dish of sweet-smelling smoky incense. Take the other two crystals in your hand and speak this spell aloud:

    Great Goddess, I call ___ [speak the name of the spirit] forth now.

    From this side, to you, will I bow.

    Words of wisdom, we need here and now.

    Peace and love is here, I vow.

    With harm to none, Blessed be thou.

Now pass your Book of Shadows through the incense smoke and start writing down the messages. Whatever comes into your mind is what you are meant to know. After a few moments, thank the spirit and say goodbye, directing it back to its side of the veil. Extinguish the incense and light the sage and give a very good smudging to the area. Place your Book of Shadows on your altar and consider the message this generous spirit has given you.

Sacred Self-care: Relaxation Massage Oil Blend

Weekends are the best time for taking good care of yourself. We all need to practice self-care more than ever now that the world seems so chaotic and life is crazy-busy. Sandalwood, lavender, and clary sage create a deeply soothing blend with a sensuous scent. It is both restful and stimulating—the perfect combination.

Gather together

    * 6 drops sandalwood essential oil

    * 6 drops lavender essential oil

    * 6 drops clary sage essential oil

    * ½ cup (120ml) jojoba or almond carrier (or base) oil

    * dark-colored, sealable bottle with a dropper cap

    * 1 cup (240ml) warm water

Put the essential oils and carrier oil into the dark-colored, sealable bottle. Carefully cap the bottle and gently shake until the oils have blended together. Store the bottle in a dark cupboard. Before using it on yourself or a loved one, shake well. You can warm it by putting the sealed bottle in a cup of warm water and let it sit there for 4 minutes. Many masseuses pour the oil into their palm and let their own body heat warm it. Either way adds to the relaxation factor.

Moon Sister Smoke

To strengthen the bond between you and your gal pals, share this rite of friendship and fun on a Friday night.

Gather together

    * a bottle of red wine

    * goblets for all

    * pink and purple candles,1 for each person

    * rose and vanilla incense,1 stick per person

    * a large tray to hold everything

    * incense burners

Sit on the couch around a table or in a circle on the floor among cozy pillows. Place the wine bottle, goblets, candles, and incense on the tray in the center of your group. Each participant lights a candle and a stick of incense. Wave the incense around and put in a burner on the tray. Now pour the wine into the goblets and pray aloud so your guests can hear you:

    Daughters under the sun,

    Sisters under the moon,

    Tonight we bind our hearts and minds.

    So mote it be.

Speak the spell twice, hand each participant a goblet of wine and then toast each other. Let the merriment begin! You can change the wording of this spell for gender.

Magic Amplified: Prayer for Pagan Partnership

Perhaps what you need most is a partner to support, encourage, and collaborate with in your magical workings. On a waxing moon Friday night, this spell will bring your partner to you.

Gather together

    * 1 lemon

    * 1 orange

    * 2 rosemary sprigs

    * 1 orange candle

    * a fireproof clay or glass dish

Group the fruit and rosemary around the orange candle. Light the candle and intone:

    On this night

    I do invite

    new energy to bring delight

    Under this lunar light. So mote it be.

Now, using the candle flame, light the tip of the rosemary sprigs and set them in the fireproof dish. Rosemary has a very powerful cleansing smoke. It was used as an incense by ancient priests and priestesses in Greek and Roman times and by prophets and seers. It cleanses the aura and paves the way for major magic. Soon your partner in spellwork will appear.

Support from Afar

We all have friends and loved ones who live many miles away but who need our support. Long-distance magic can be quite effective so, on a Thursday, try this ritual with your group. It has worked really well for my spiritual circle.

Gather together

    * a photo of the friend in need or other symbol to represent that person

    * a small hand bell or chime

    * a vase of yellow flowers

    * a piece of paper and a pen

Take the photo of your friend or the symbol that represents him or her, for example a gift he or she has given, or even a business card, and place it on a pedestal or table. Surround it with a small hand bell or chime and a vase filled with one or more of these “flowers of fortune:” nasturtiums, golden poppies, daisies, yellow roses, or your friend’s favorite happy posy.

Take a piece of parchment and write your friend’s full name. Speak the following spell:

    On this earth and under these stars, I call upon the gods and goddesses to bring great help and good        fortune to ______ [your friend’s name].

Ring the bell or chime.

    In this air and through these waters, speed here in the name of _____.

Ring the bell or chime again.

    Through the fire and through the rain, bring aid, goodwill, and bright blessings to _____ now.

Ring the bell or chime again.

As a group, send the positive energy to your friend across the miles by saying, “We love you, ____”, and ring the bell vigorously one last time.

Visualizing Your Bright Future: Jovial Enchantment

As the sun sets on a Thursday, you can connect to the god of all good things who can shine his bright light on your accomplishment and productivity. Thursdays are ruled by Jupiter and the color of this day is blue.

Gather together

    * mortar and pestle

    * ½ teaspoon each of amber resin and patchouli

    * a censer or fireproof clay or glass dish

    * 1 blue candle

    * amber essential oil

With your mortar and pestle grind together the amber resin and patchouli. Burn this incense in your censer or on a piece of charcoal in a fireproof dish. Anoint a blue candle (for expansion and Jovial energy) with amber essential oil. Light the candle and meditate on the flame, inhaling deeply the scent of the warm and sweetly fragrant amber oil. As you meditate, think about how you sometimes doubt yourself and your instincts. Visualize clearing that from your mind. Think about your talents and your potential as you chant:

    Jupiter, great god in the sky

    as you may flourish, so do I.

    Right now, under your blue light,

    I see my future and it is bright.

    And so it is.

Blow out the candle and cast both it and the incense ash remnants into a fireplace or your cauldron. You must completely destroy the candle, as it contains the energy of your inner critic.

The Secrets of Seers: Prophecy Potion

If you and your circle, coven, or group want to increase your abilities to intuit and invent together, brew up a batch of creative juices at a Wednesday gathering.

Gather together

    * ½ cup (30g) of dried herbs: kava kava, borage, mugwort, yarrow, or dandelion

    * 4 cups (960ml) of freshly boiled water

    * a large teapot

    * 4 mugs

Steep the herbs in the freshly boiled water in your teapot for 4 minutes, then pour the tea into the four mugs. Before your group begins drinking, say:

    Goddess of the Oracles, please give us the sight!

    God of the Prophets, please give us the vision!

    Fate of the Future, we call on you for truth.

    Harm to none, so mote it be.

Notice we did not mention to strain the herbs. In addition to the dreams, visions, and all you will soon foretell, you can begin with these cups of aromatic herbs and read the tea leaves by interpreting the shapes you see at the bottom of the mug once you have drunk the liquid.

    * An apple symbolizes knowledge or success in studies.

    * A candle indicates wisdom and enlightenment.

    * A cat can mean you have a deceitful friend.

    * A dog can mean you have someone loyal in your life.

    * Flying birds represent a letter bearing a happy message.

    * Ravens are an omen of troubles ahead.

    * A shamrock shows a wish will come true.

    * Kite shapes show good news flying to you.

    * A letter of the alphabet references a person whose name starts with that letter.

Communing with Your Coven

The path of Wicca can often feel solitary, but it doesn’t have to be. Witchcraft, which is in itself highly creative, is even more so when practiced in a supportive circle. Wednesdays are wonderful for getting together with like-minded folks. Invite four of your fellow pagans over.

Gather together

    * a censer or incense burner

    * 2 green candles

    * 2 yellow candles

    * palo santo incense

Place the ritual elements on a table that will serve as an altar. Stand in a circle near the altar, holding a censer or incense burner. Ask each of your guests to represent one of the four directions: north, east, south, and west. Give the people representing north and south green candles and east and west get yellow. Light the incense and bless each candle with the sweet-smelling smoke.

Bless the candle of the East, saying:

    Inspired by air.

Bless the candle of the West saying:

    Burnished by fire.

Bless the candle of the North, saying:

    Cleansed by water.

Bless the candle of the South, saying:

    Strengthened by earth.

Together, everyone chants:

    Blessed be.

After the ritual, sit in a circle and share your ideas and creative vision. Talk about how you can support each other in realizing your full potential.

The Sacred Flame

Here is a marvelous way to “reset” and forge a new path for yourself with fire, best done on a Tuesday.

Gather together

    * your cauldron or an outdoor firepit or grill

    * sage for smudging

    * athame

    * several pieces of paper and a pen

Light a fire in your fire-safe vessel, then light the sage and smudge the area well. With your athame, draw the magic circle around your fire circle. Sit around the fire, relax, and think about what challenges you face and need to overcome in your life.

Write on a separate piece of paper each issue that comes up for you. Then, with great intention, place each piece of paper on the fire. Take a moment of silent meditation, and on a new piece of paper write your hopes for the future. Fold this paper and carry it with you in your purse or wallet. Your vision for the future will take on a life of its own. End the ritual with another sage smudging and make sure the fire is completely out before you go back inside.

You should perform this rite at least once a year.

Good Impression Incantation

Are you going for an interview, attending an important meeting, or speaking to your new editor? Clearly, you will want to make the best impression when launching this important new relationship. To ensure that you start on the right footing, let the enchantment begin!

Gather together

    * 1 orange candle

    * 1 yellow apple

    * 5 pumpkin seeds

    * a citrine or clear quartz

All of these objects contain the properties of sharpness, intelligence, and clarity.

In the first light of a Tuesday morning, place the items on your altar. Light the orange candle and eat at least half of the apple and all the pumpkin seeds. Ancient Romans called our sun Sol and viewed it as an invincible life-bringing force. Meditate and visualize the beginning of your successful encounter and watch as the glow of sunshine fills the room with the radiant energy of the yellow-orange sun. Chant:

    Sol, I bask in your bountiful rays, this and all days.

    As you shine, so shall I.

    So mote it be.

Snuff out your candle and be prepared for a productive new relationship that will carry your work to new heights.

The Sacred Seven

This simple spell acknowledges the life force and the cycles of nature that give rise to our creativity.

On a Monday, light seven purple candles to represent the days of the week, and say aloud:

    We begin by honoring the sun;

    We begin by honoring the light.

    We light these candles for our friends, Our families, those we love.

    May the light of these candles draw the power of nature into our hearts;

    May the light of the candles inspire us to help and never harm;

    May each of the seven days be radiant with the Light from every start.

    Blessed be.

Your Psychic Shield

You would not leave your house on a cold windy day without a sweater or jacket, right? I highly recommend you do not leave your house on a Monday morning without a psychic shield—you’ll thank yourself later. If every work week feels like a challenge with a huge workload, tons of meetings, presentations, calls, and interactions, you should erect a protective shield so you can do good work but emerge unscathed from all busyness and business with others.

Visualize whatever feels like a secret defense against unwarranted psychic intruders. Some folk see big castle doors or a drawbridge, others utilize an enclosing egg, and I have even heard of a big silver blanket as a shield, but I prefer a kind of “force field” shield that I put up or take down. I also use a mental hooded robe that I wear anytime I go out in a group where I feel unsure about the people. In my mind, I cloak myself in my silver robe and do a brief silent meditation. Also, the best defense is a strong, positive attitude and sense of self. The more you practice your meditation and creative visualization, the greater your skill will grow.

Crystal Meanings

* Amethyst: change is coming

* Black agate: monetary gain

* Red agate: long life and health

* Aventurine: new horizons and positive growth

* Blue lace agate: the need for spiritual and physical healing

* Citrine: the universe offers enlightenment

* Diamond: stability

* Emerald: lushness

* Hematite: new prospects

* Jade: everlasting life

* Red jasper: the need for grounding

* Lapis lazuli: heavenly fortune

* Quartz: clarity where there was none

* Rose quartz: love is in your life

* Ruby: deep passion and personal power

* Sapphire: truth

* Snowflake obsidian: your troubles are at an end

* Tiger’s eye: the situation is not as it appears

* Snow quartz: major changes

Prompt Prophecies: Crystal Divination

Give your tarot cards a rest and create a one-of-a-kind divination tool: a bag of crystals you can use to do readings. It is very easy to do. Collect together the stones you have picked up on your travels, and keep your eye out for crystals as you go about your daily business. You can also acquire relatively inexpensive stones, such as garnets, agates, amethysts, and tiny citrines, at your favorite metaphysical shop or you can buy them online. Ideally you would have all the stones listed opposite, but if you don’t, you should have at least a dozen to start with.

I have used this divination tool for matters ranging from career, wealth, health, love, and travel. Once I asked about staying at a job where I was increasingly unhappy and pulled out tiger’s eye, amethyst, and quartz. The crystals were telling me that dishonesty was involved on some level and a shift would soon be revealed. That was all I needed to initiate a new job hunt as quickly as possible. Happily, and with the help of prosperity magic in this book, I landed a more lucrative new position. Shortly after I left, a former colleague contacted me to say that bankruptcy was in the works because of years of financial chicanery. Listen to the messages of crystals!

Select a favorite velvet bag, and when the need arises, turn to crystal visions for your enlightenment. Most of us cannot afford diamonds in our bag of crystals, so substitute with clear quartz here; for emeralds, switch to peridots, and garnets can substitute nicely for rubies. Some New Age stores and online sources also have “rough rubies” and “rough emerald” pieces for just a few dollars each, so it is possible to find these spiritual stones at reasonable prices.

Casting the stones is as easy as one, two, three:

1. Shake the bag well.

2. Ask a question.

3. Remove the first three stones you touch, and then interpret them with the following guide.