Flint

Flint is probably not thought of as a crystal, let alone as a healing crystal, but it is a variety of quartz whose crystal structure is not visible to the eye. Flint most commonly occurs in the form of rounded nodules in a grayish black color. If it is found near chalk, it will have a white coating. Flint can also be red or brown in color, and it is found all over the world.

Early humans in the Stone Age cultures of the Pleistocene era appreciated the hardness of this practical crystal, and they used it to make crude tools and spearheads. More-modern men used flint to set off the gunpowder in flintlock guns. It is unfortunate that flint came to be so relied upon for weapons, as its energy can actually be very beneficial to the tissue of the human body. Flint gives an allover sense of well-being, not just in the body but also in the mind. The special gift flint gives is a renewed sense of strength and gentle healing power to those suffering from degenerative diseases. Flint in your home will ground you and create a sense of safety and comfort.

Coral

Coral is another stone formed from organic material. In this case, it is the skeletons of many sea creatures. Coral can be found all around the world in our oceans. Ancient cultures revered coral for its medical benefits and its beauty. The ancients attributed much religious significance to coral as well. Coral comes in a nearly infinite number of shapes, and the colors range almost as widely—from white to black. The different colors of coral have different properties:

* Pink is comforting

* Red is invigorating

* Gray brings accord

* Black absorbs energy

* White brings constancy

Coral abets the bones and the blood and is a cleanser, good for inner organs and mental processes. Edgar Cayce used it to pacify and soothe. Since coral is made up of many generations of organisms, it is a gateway to the past. Because it was so readily available—by washing up on shore and being easily harvested from the seas—ancient man believed sailors could calm the waters with it. It was commonly worn as an amulet or pendant, with the most powerful coral having been freshly taken from the ocean unbroken. The ancients believed the living being remained inside the coral until it was broken, giving it enormous power. Moonlight is supposed to intensify the healing power of coral. Use the color guidelines above to help you choose the coral you need at any given time. You should provide yourself with an entire wardrobe of corals in all shades. Wear a red coral necklace to rid yourself of a chest cold; wear gray if you are squabbling with your mate. Wear white if you need more “Zen” in your world.

Chalcedony

This member of the quartz family is also a gem family in and of itself, including cat’s-eye, tiger’s-eye, jasper, onyx, agate, and carnelian. It is a fine-grained and multihued type of silica mineral quartz with a waxy patina. Chalcedony most commonly occurs in a white, gray, yellow, brown, or light tan form known as chert. It is the result of silica’s replacing the original organic material—sea sponges, fish, plants, or wood from trees. Some spectacular chert specimens are the petrified trees in Arizona’s Petrified Forest National Park; their brilliant reds and greens are due to the traces of iron contained within, giving them an otherworldly effect. 

As chalcedony is actually a stone from some of Earth’s earliest living things, it has been with us since man’s earliest days and has been used in tools and as adornment. It is still actively produced in South America, primarily in Uruguay and Brazil, as well as in the southwest part of Africa. Known as the stone of brotherhood, chalcedony was sacred to Native Americans and was a powerful stone used to unite tribes in holy ceremonies. It is a stone of stability, kindness, endurance, and balance and is said to create peace. Chalcedony engenders a desire for introspection and can help overcome low self-esteem and bring about enthusiasm for a new lease on life. This star-powered crystal can also prevent loss of mental faculties as your age. Keep your memory intact with chalcedony!

This crystal is best if you wear it in a ring, a necklace, or a belt. It is a cleansing stone and can even assist you with healing your skin. Chalcedony is most unusual in that it doesn’t have to be cleansed after each use. It absorbs negative energy and is a protector; exposure to ultraviolet light will increase these cleansing powers. An old wives’ tale (literally) is that chalcedony promotes both lactation and the maternal instinct and is, therefore, a mother’s stone. The ancient Egyptians recorded many medicinal formulas made up of powdered chalcedony. Don’t drink it, however; wear it to stay smart and soothe your soul and your skin.

Lapis Lazuli—Babylonian Blue

Ancient Babylonians and their south-of-the-Mediterranean neighbors, the Egyptians, could not get enough of this bright blue jewel. The Egyptians named it chesbet and usually included it on their list of VIP items to be paid to nations under the dominion of the great kingdom of the Nile. The Babylonians, who piled lapis lazuli high in their tributes to Egypt, had access to a plentitude of this stone because they were the earliest people to mine it—back in 4,000 B.C.!

Lapis lazuli was so holy to the Egyptians that the high priest himself worse a pendant of the blue stone in the shape of their goddess of truth, Mat. The Egyptians seemingly wished to swim in seas of lapis, as they used it daily— as adornment, for funeral masks and tools, and as an ingredient in their art, traditions that lasted for many generations into the future. Lapis has the unusual ability to hold its pigment even when it is ground up, which leads to what is perhaps my favorite of all the myriad and wonderful uses of lapis lazuli: eye makeup. Can you imagine getting ready for a big night out by painting your eyelids peacock blue with a very expensive lapis lazuli-laced eye shadow? I love the idea, and I’m sure Cleopatra did, too.

Calcite—Bone of the Earth

The ancients believed that calcite placed at the base of a pyramid could amplify the structure’s power.

Bloodstone—Martyr’s Stone

In medieval times, Christians used bloodstone for sculptured bas-reliefs depicting the martyred saints and Christ’s crucifixion—thus the name “martyr’s stone.” The myth behind bloodstone is that some of Christ’s blood dripped down and stained jasper that lay at the foot of the cross. In the great Louvre Museum, in Paris, is the seal of the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II carved into bloodstone. The ancient Egyptians loved bloodstone and gifted it to pharaohs, great warriors, and kings, believing it had the power to calm their tempers and prevent wrath and bloodshed.

An ancient book of Egyptian magic, known as The Leyden Papyrus, recorded the high regard for bloodstone: “The world has no greater thing; if any one have this with him he will be given whatever he asks for; it also assuages the wrath of kings and despots, and whatever the wearer says will be believed. Whoever bears this stone, which is a gem, and pronounces the name engraved upon it, will find all doors open while bonds and stone walls will be rent asunder.”

Damigeron, a classic historian, wrote that bloodstone could disclose the future through what were called audible oracles and could also change the weather. He further claimed that this favored stone kept the mind sharp and the body healthy and protected the reputation of anyone who wore it. 

Charm Boxes

Charm boxes, also known as spell boxes, are simple tools of magic you can easily make for yourself. Ancient cultures, particularly the Native Americans, Greeks, Celts, and Egyptians, used boxes for ceremonial magic and for the storage of sacred objects. Is not the famed biblical ark of the covenant a magical box? During medieval times, much spell work revolved around boxes. Even a young woman’s hope chest is a type of magical box, filled with the wishes, intentions, and materials for a happy marriage.

Gem-magic boxes can either contain crystals of special importance to you or be adorned with gems you affix to the outside of the box. You can create a job-spell box with peridot or aventurine stones, green candles, patchouli incense, and dried ferns placed inside.

Make a love-spell box with two pieces of rose quartz, a pink candle, rose petals, and two copper pennies. Fashion a psychic-spell box using amethyst and quartz crystals, cloves, and rosemary.

Brass

Brass is the result of combining copper and zinc. You may be surprised to learn that brass has been used successfully to treat hair loss! Healers favor it as a detoxifier and cleanser for people who have too much metal in their bloodstreams. Brass is also a strengthening alloy for the body and supports gems and crystals in their energies and abilities to interact in a positive way with your body. The iron content in the brass is what makes it a real stabilizer. The healing and protective powers of brass are enhanced if it is worn as a brooch in the shape of a dog, falcon, or snake.

Brass is a wealth attractor and has often been used as a shiny substitute for the much more costly gold. The ancients loved placing their gems in brass for the way it made the beautiful colors really stand out.

Sacred Stone Shapes

Ankh-shaped stones represent the key to life. Use this ancient Egyptian symbol to develop creativity, wisdom, and fertility.

Clusters are among the most common natural crystal forms and bring balance and harmony into your life.

Diamond-shaped stones bring the energy of wealth and abundance and are said to attract riches.

Egg-shaped stones denote creativity and give new ideas to anyone wearing them

Heart-shaped stones bring love energy. They promote self-love and romance.

Holes that form naturally in stones are very auspicious and magical. If you look through the holes by the light of the moon, you should see visions and spirits.

Human body-shaped stones bring good energy to the body parts being depicted and strengthen those areas.

Obelisks are four-sided, pyramid-topped shapes and are wonderful energy activators, or manifestors. Write your wish down on paper and place it beneath an obelisk to bring that hope into reality.

Octahedrons, eight-sided stones, bring order to chaos and are great for analysis and organization. They are also terrific for healing. Carry an octahedron crystal in your pocket if you are unwell, so you can feel better soon.

Pyramid-shaped stones carry energy upward, toward their pointed tips. I have a beautiful little malachite pyramid that I keep on my computer simply because I love to look at it. When the need arises, however, I can place a dollar bill underneath it and visualize positive money energy flowing up out of the stone.

Rectangular rocks and crystals represent the energy of God. In addition to symbolizing male energy and the phallus, this shape is symbolic of energy itself and electrical current. It also denotes protection. Rectangular stones are great for love and sex spells.

Round stones represent the universe and the Goddess. They are symbols of spirituality, connection to the universe, femininity, and, of course, pregnancy. Round crystals can be used in all love spells to cause attraction.

Square stones represent the earth and are harbingers of plenty and prosperity.

Triangular stones are guardian stones and protect the wearers.

Lunar Goddesses of the World

Alkmene is the mortal mother of legendary Greek hero Hercules. Her name means “might of the moon.”

Candrea is the Indonesian deity from a love story about princess Candra Kirana of Kediri. Candra was the incarnation of Dewi Ratih, goddess of love, and her name means “glowing like the moon.”

Io, this Greek word for “the moon,” comes from the mythological story of the priestess of Hera, who was loved by Zeus. Fittingly, the moon of Jupiter was named for her.

Luna is the Roman name for a moon goddess and means “moon.” 

Marama is a mythic Polynesian lunar goddess whose name has
come to mean moon.

Selena is the Latinate form of the Greek name Selene, meaning “moon,” and also refers to the mythic moon goddess.

Deities of the Ancients

Supreme God: Woden, Frigg (Germanic); Jupiter, Juno (Roman); Zeus, Hera (Greek); Ra (Egyptian); Marduk (Babylonian)

Creator: Ptah (Egyptian); Anu (Babylonian)

Sky: Frigg (Germanic); Jupiter (Roman); Uranus, Zeus (Greek); Nut (Egyptian); Anu (Babylonian)

 Sun: Apollo (Roman); Helios (Greek); Ra (Egyptian); Anu, Anshar (Babylonian)

Moon: Diana (Roman); Artemis (Greek); Thoth (Egyptian); Sin (Babylonian)

Earth: Sif (Germanic); Tellus (Roman); Gaia (Greek); Geb (Egyptian); Enlil (Babylonian)

Air: Enlil (Babylonian)

Fire: Hoenir (Germanic); Vulcan (Roman); Hephaestus (Greek); Girru (Babylonian)

Sea: Niord (Germanic); Neptune (Roman); Poseidon (Greek)

Crystal Cures for Every Day of the Week

Gemstones and crystals have healing powers based on ancient belief systems passed down from the Chaldeans and metaphysicians of the old world. Among the treasure trove of knowledge they passed down are these crystal cures:

Sapphire has violet energy; worn first on Saturday on the middle finger of the right hand two hours before sunset, the stone is said to be curative for kidneys, epilepsy, tumors and sciatica.

Diamonds, containing rays of indigo light, are for eyes, nose, asthma, laziness and drunkenness, especially if worn on the right pinkie on Friday with the waxing moon. Worn on Sundays, diamonds enhance spiritual understanding when worn on the left ring finger.

Emerald has green light rays and can help with the heart, ulcers, cancer, asthma, and influenza, when worn on the right side pinkie on Wednesday two hours after dawn. On Tuesdays, wear it on the other hand for calm, sound sleep and to repel bad dreams and nightmares.

Pearls radiate orange rays and operate as a curative for work on Monday mornings. They help with insanity, diabetes, colic and fever.

Topaz has blue rays and helps with laryngitis, paralysis, hysteria, scarlet fever and assorted glandular disorders if worn on the right ring finger on Thursday mornings.