Tranquility Touchstones: Crystal Cairns

I am sure you will come to find this to be true: certain crystals can be touchstones in your life and bring multitudinous benefits, both emotional and spiritual. Find spots in your home or office where you can incorporate them into your every day, whether at a shrine, on your nightstand, or stacked in a corner on your desk as a sort of crystal cairn. This can be your special corner of the world where you can renew and connect with your spiritual center. Picking up and holding your touchstones can be one of the most soul-nourishing small acts of self-care you can do.

Following is a list of different crystals and what their presence will bring you:

Inspiration: Amazonite, aventurine, carnelian, chrysolite, chrysoprase, citrine, green tourmaline, malachite, yellow fluorite

Intuition: amethyst, azurite, celestite, lapis lazuli, moonstone, selenite, smoky quartz, sodalite, star sapphire, yellow calcite

Love: amethyst, magnetite, rhodochrosite, rose quartz, twinned rock crystals

Abundance: bloodstone, carnelian, citrine, dendritic agate, diamond, garnet, hawk’s-eye, moss agate, peridot, ruby, tigers-eye, topaz, yellow sapphire

Protection: amber, apache tear, chalcedony, citrine, green calcite, jade, jet, smoky quartz

Self-belief: azurite, chalcedony, chrysocolla, green tourmaline, hematite, rutilated quartz, tiger’s-eye

Serenity: amber, aventurine, blue jade, dioptase, Herkimer diamond, jasper, kunzite, moonstone, onyx, peridot, quartz, rhodonite

Confidence: carnelian, obsidian, quartz, selenite, sodalite, topaz

Positive Energy: agate, aventurine, bloodstone, calcite, chalcedony, citrine, dioptase, emerald, garnet, orange calcite, ruby, topaz

Deep wisdom: emerald, fluorite, Herkimer diamond, moldavite, serpentine, yellow calcite

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.

Jewelry That Protects You and Your Loved Ones: Amulets

The term “amulet” comes from the Latin word meaning “defense.” Indeed, amulets are a way to protect yourself that dates back from the earliest human beliefs. Pliny himself subscribed to the use of amulets and wrote about three common kinds used by the Romans of the classical age. A typical amulet of that era was a bit of parchment inscribed with protective words, rolled up in a metal cylinder, and worn around the neck. Evil eyes might be the most global of all amulets, the belief being that they could ward off a hex by simply reflecting it back to its origins. Phallic symbols have always been popular, too, coming in the shapes of horns, hands, and the phallus, of course. Some amulets were devoted to a specific god or goddess, and the wearer of such a piece would be protected by that divine entity.

The peoples of the Mesopotamian plain wore amulets. The Assyrians and Babylonians favored cylindrical seals encrusted with precious stones. They also loved animal talismans for the qualities associated with different animals: lions for courage, bulls for virility, and so on. The ancient Egyptians absolutely depended on their amulets for use in burial displays, and we can see many preserved in the cases of today’s museums. To make their amulets, the Egyptians employed a material called faience, a glazed composition of ground quartz that was typically blue green in color. Wealthier denizens of the Nile, royalty, and the priestly class wore precious and semiprecious gems and crystals as amulets. Lapis lazuli was perhaps the most revered of these and was worn in many shapes, the eye of Horus being the most significant religious icon, followed by the scarab symbolizing rebirth; the frog, symbolizing fertility; and the ankh, representing eternal life.

Organized religions appropriated the idea of amulets from pagan peoples, and it was very popular in medieval times to wear a tiny verse from the Torah, the Bible, or the Koran. Today, many a Catholic wears a medal honoring a given saint, such as Saint Christopher, the patron saint for travelers. Wiccans and modern pagans are great proponents of protective amulets, causing a resurgence in Celtic symbols and imagery.

Amulets are very easy to create and make nice gifts, as long as you believe your friends will truly benefit from them and are aware of the special qualities and powers they hold. To make one, select a crystal that is endowed with the desired energy. Hold it in the palm of your hand until it is warm from your touch. Then, visualize the specific power the stone is offering. If you’re giving your amulet to yourself, wear it as a pendant or tuck it into your pocket or purse for a “guardian to go.” Here is a list of stones from which to choose for the specific kind of safeguard you are in need of:

• Amethyst helps with sobriety by preventing inebriation.

• Aquamarine is good for attracting wisdom and overcoming a fear of water and drowning. It is also a guard against malevolent spirits.

• Bloodstone brings luck and is good to wear during travels.

• Carnelian is to the devil as garlic is to a vampire— keeps him away!

• Chrysolite drives away evil spirits and promotes peaceful sleep, especially if set in gold.

• Diamond in a necklace brings good fortune and lends force and valor. This dazzling stone should always touch the skin and works best when it is received as a gift.

• Emerald can cancel out the power of any magician!

• Jade offers protection, especially for children, and

  guards their health. It also creates prosperity.

• Jasper is reputed to be a defense against the venom of poisonous insects and snakes.

• Jet set in silver will help expel negativity.

• Moonstone is another boon to travelers and brings fortune and fame.

• Turquoise is believed to be great for a horse’s gait if affixed to the animal’s bridle.

Mystical Crystal DIY: Elixir of Love

 

An elixir is a very simple potion made by placing a crystal or gemstone in a glass of water for at least seven hours. Then you remove the stone and drink the water, which now carries the vibrational energy of the stone, the very essence of the crystal. This is one of the easiest ways to receive crystal healing and is immediate.

The red stones always hold a lust for life. So, for the Ecstatic Elixir, we are going to push the envelope here and put as many red stones into our potion as we can! Place the following into a glass of water: carnelian, garnet, rough ruby, red coral, red jade, jasper, red sardonyx, cuprite, aventurine, and red calcite. If you don’t have all of these, just mix and match. Even a single rough ruby and a tiny chunk of jasper is a lot of love in a jar.

Place the Ecstatic Elixir on the love corner of your room or altar. Light amber incense and a red candle and speak this spell: “This jade is my joy, the garnet my grace.”

Leave the water on your altar for seven hour or overnight, and drink it upon awakening. Your life energy will quicken, and you should feel very upbeat and good to go. 

Crystal Wish Box

Keep a magic wishing box on your desk. Every so often, look at it and make a wish for your heart’s desire. It’s easy to make: Take a bowl or small 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
  
• Rose quartz for love

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.

Self-Esteem Stones: Raise Your Spirits with Rose

If you want to jump-start your life and bring about positive change, tap into the power of rose and red stones. Stones of this side of the color spectrum contain life’s energy and can help you become more motivated, energetic, and vibrant, as well as give you an appealing aura. Wear this list of rosy and red stones, or place them on your desk and throughout your home for an instant boost: alexandrite, carnelian, garnet, red coral, red jasper, rhyolite, rose jasper, and ruby.

Stones with Purpose: What to Wear and What it Does

Agate—Ensures you speak the truth when worn on an amulet; attracts favors from powerful people

Black Agate—Ensures success in business and in athletic competition if worn on a short chain or in a ring

Amazonite—Brings luck when worn while gambling

Amber—Brings love into your life; increases sexual pleasure

Amethyst—If worn by a man, will bring a good woman into his life

Bloodstone—Brings court victory in legal matters 

Carnelian—Protects from lightening

Cat’s-Eye—Helps retain beauty and life, depressing when worn as a ring

Coral earrings—Attracts men to your life

Dark Peridot Ring—Raises your spirits; brings you money 

Diamond with a Six-Sided Cut—Protects; ensures victory in conflict if worn in platinum

Diamond Set in Onyx—Incites loyalty in partner; overcomes sexual temptation

Frog-Shaped Jewelry—Protection while traveling, especially travel across water; potent if includes aquamarine gem

Geode Worn as Jewelry—Attracts love; helps women avoid miscarriage

Jade—Attracts love to your life if shaped like a butterfly 

Lapis Lazuli—Offers health, growth, protection if in the form of beads on gold wire

Moss Agate—Healthy harvest if worn while gardening 

Opal Earrings—Awakens psychic powers 

Mystical Crystal DIY: Elixir of Love

An elixir is a very simple potion made by placing a crystal or gemstone in a glass of water for at least seven hours. Then you remove the stone and drink the water, which now carries the vibrational energy of the stone, the very essence of the crystal. This is one of the easiest ways to receive crystal healing and is immediate.

The red stones always hold a lust for life. So, for the Ecstatic Elixir, we are going to push the envelope here and put as many red stones into our potion as we can! Place the following into a glass of water: carnelian, garnet, rough ruby, red coral, red jade, jasper, red sardonyx, cuprite, aventurine, and red calcite. If you don’t have all of these, just mix and match. Even a single rough ruby and a tiny chunk of jasper is a lot of love in a jar.

Place the Ecstatic Elixir on the love corner of your room or altar. Light amber incense and a red candle and speak this spell: “This jade is my joy, the garnet my grace.”

Leave the water on your altar for seven hour or overnight, and drink it upon awakening. Your life energy will quicken, and you should feel very upbeat and good to go.

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.

Carnelian

 If you have lost your lust for life and fallen into a pattern of old habits and uncreative day-to-day drudgery, this is the stone for you. Carnelian, also referred to in bygone days as carbuncle, is a type of quartz from the chalcedony gem family. Among the more abundantly available stones, it is found in Peru, Iceland, Romania, Britain, India, Pakistan, and the Czech Republic. Carnelian is a clear stone and is most commonly thought of as red, thus the name, but also comes in orange and occasionally very dark brown. It is found in pebble form and is translucent.

Carnelian has a long history and was used to cleanse other stones. It is an earth stone and acts as an anchor to the earth. Carnelian is thought to eliminate fear of death and is grounding and clarifying. In olden days, it was used as a sort of backward mirror to recall historical events. It is a lucky stone for people pursuing business ventures and for women hoping to have children. Carnelian is linked with the lower chakras and can heal holes in the etheric body and give support for letting go of anger, old resentments, and emotions that no longer serve a positive purpose. Orange carnelian is especially beloved for its ability to promote energy and vitality—to warm the emotions.

Part of the tradition around carnelian is that if worn at your throat it overcomes timidity and lends the power of great and eloquent speech. Like some other red stones, carnelian also gives your courage. In addition, wearing carnelian can offer you a sense of comfort with your environment and create the proper atmosphere for meditation and total clarity of mind and thought. Carnelian as a pendant or belt gives you control of your thoughts and understanding of others.

Carnelian—Safety Stone

Said the ancient Egyptian religious leader Jafar, “He who wears carnelian will have whatever he desires.” Wearing Carnelian dates back to at least biblical times; there are several mentions of soldiers and priests wearing it.

Carnelian was a favorite in ancient times, when people believed that wearing the stone could protect them against injury from falling stones. As the saying goes, “No man who wore a carnelian was ever found in a collapsed house or beneath a fallen wall.” Other lore of this jewel includes the Armenian belief that an elixir of powdered carnelian would life any cloud to life and fill the heart with happiness. In olden days, carnelian was credited with being able to defy no less than the devil! So, people wore this lovely red-orange stone with the intention of protecting themselves from evil, oftentimes repeating this prayer:

“In the name of God the Just, the very Just!
I implore you, O God, King of the World,
God of the World,
Deliver us from the Devil
Who tries to do harm and evil to us
Through bad people and from the evil of the envious.”

Darning Your Aura

We have all encountered psychic vampires, whether we know it or not. The problem is, your aura will know it because psychic vampires tear away little pieces of your chi, or life force, leaving holes in your aura. You can identify the places that need patching because they will become noticeably cold as you pass a crystal over them. Pick your favorite stone from amethyst, citrine, or any quartz and run it all around you at a distance of about 3 inches. Make note of the cold spots and lay the crystal on those places for about five minutes, until the spot feels warmer. You will have repaired the holes in your etheric body and should being to feel a pleasant sense of renewed wholeness once again.

Here’s another technique: crystal combing. It sounds odd, but you will become an aficionado immediately after you have felt the wonderfully soothing results. The beautiful pink kunzite is amazing as a mental management crystal. Take the crystal and brush it in gentle, slow, downward strokes from the top of your head, the crown chakra, to the bottom of your feet. The next time you feel overwhelmed by anxiety, try this and you will feel more relaxed and in control afterward.

Crystals have very mild and serene ways of tranquilizing negative energy and releasing the pain. In my case, I ever so gently rub the crystal across my ankle. (Carnelian works well because it is said to be good for healing bones, but quartz can also serve the purpose.) The stone feels cool and calming as the pain dissipates. I can also visualize the pain going into the crystal, and the crystal forming a prism that contains the pain. At first, this was very frightening for Kunzite is also a heart mender, touching upon the heart chakra to bring inner peace, clear away old romantic wounds, and get rid of emotional baggage. You can place a chunk of kunzite upon your chest, meditate with it, and feel the healing energy flow in.

Ambition Amulet

Fill a little pouch of muslin or cotton with pieces of tiger’s-eye, cedar, and carnelian. Carry it in your pocket or purse to give you that extra little push of motivation to jump over any hurdles or difficult tasks at work.

Ecstatic Elixir

An elixir is a very simple potion made by placing a crystal or gemstone in a glass of water for at least seven hours. Then you remove the stone and drink the water, which now carries the vibrational energy of the stone, the very essence of the crystal. This is one of the easiest ways to receive crystal healing and is immediate.

The red stones always hold a lust for life. So, for the Ecstatic Elixir, we are going to push the envelope here and put as many red stones into our potion as we can! Place the following into a glass of water: carnelian, garnet, rough ruby, red coral, red jade, jasper, red sardonyx, cuprite, aventurine, and red calcite. If you don’t have all of these, just mix and match. Even a single rough ruby and a tiny chunk of jasper is a lot of love in a jar.

Place the Ecstatic Elixir on the love corner of your room or altar. Light amber incense and a red candle and speak this spell:

“This jade is my joy, the garnet my grace.”

Leave the water on your altar for seven hour or overnight, and drink it upon awakening. Your life energy will quicken, and you should feel very upbeat and good to go. 

Amulets

The term “amulet” comes from the Latin word meaning “defense.” Indeed, amulets are a way to protect yourself that dates back from the earliest human beliefs. Pliny himself subscribed to the use of amulets and wrote about three common kinds used by the Romans of the classical age. A typical amulet of that era was a bit of parchment inscribed with protective words, rolled up in a metal cylinder, and worn around the neck. Evil eyes might be the most global of all amulets, the belief being that they could ward off a hex by simply reflecting it back to its origins. Phallic symbols have always been popular, too, coming in the shapes of horns, hands, and the phallus, of course. Some amulets were devoted to a specific god or goddess, and the wearer of such a piece would be protected by that divine entity.The peoples of the Mesopotamian plain wore amulets. The Assyrians and Babylonians favored cylindrical seals encrusted with precious stones. They also loved animal talismans for the qualities associated with different animals: lions for courage, bulls for virility, and so on. The ancient Egyptians absolutely depended on their amulets for use in burial displays, and we can see many preserved in the cases of today’s museums.

To make their amulets, the Egyptians employed a material called faience, a glazed composition of ground quartz that was typically blue green in color. Wealthier denizens of the Nile, royalty, and the priestly class wore precious and semiprecious gems and crystals as amulets. Lapis lazuli was perhaps the most revered of these and was worn in many shapes, the eye of Horus being the most significant religious icon, followed by the scarab symbolizing rebirth; the frog, symbolizing fertility; and the ankh, representing eternal life.

Organized religions appropriated the idea of amulets from pagan peoples, and it was very popular in medieval times to wear a tiny verse from the Torah, the Bible, or the Koran. Today, many a Catholic wears a medal honoring a given saint, such as Saint Christopher, the patron saint for travelers. Wiccans and modern pagans are great proponents of protective amulets, causing a resurgence in Celtic symbols and imagery.

Amulets are very easy to create and make nice gifts, as long as you believe your friends will truly benefit from them and are aware of the special qualities and powers they hold. To make one, select a crystal that is endowed with the desired energy. Hold it in the palm of your hand until it is warm from your touch. Then, visualize the specific power the stone is offering. If you’re giving your amulet to yourself, wear it as a pendant or tuck it into your pocket or purse for a “guardian to go.” Here is a list of stones from which to choose for the specific kind of safeguard you are in need of:

Amethyst helps with sobriety by preventing inebriation

Aquamarine is good for attracting wisdom and overcoming a fear of water and drowning. It is also a guard against malevolent spirits.

Bloodstone brings luck and is good to wear during travels.

Carnelian is to the devil as garlic is to a vampire—keeps him away!

Chrysolite drives away evil spirits and promotes peaceful sleep, especially if set in gold.

Diamond in a necklace brings good fortune and lends force and valor. This dazzling stone should always touch the skin and works best when it is received as a gift.

Emerald can cancel out the power of any magician!

Jade offers protection, especially for children, and guards their health. It also creates prosperity.

Jasper is reputed to be a defense against the venom of poisonous insects and snakes.

Jet set in silver will help expel negativity

Moonstone is another boon to travelers and brings fortune and fame

Turquoise is believed to be great for a horse’s gait if affixed to the animal’s bridle

Mixing Crystals

Here are some tips about stones not to mix together in jewelry, as their energies cancel each other out:

* Carnelian counteracts amethyst, as it connects more strongly with the body.

* Lapis lazuli stimulates the mind, and blue lace agate relaxes it.

* Lapis lazuli and turquoise are also opposites, although I can’t help but notice that this didn’t stop the Egyptians from using them together!

* Turquoise dampens the energy of malachite.

* Diamonds and turquoise have such different energies that they conflict.

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.

Self-Esteem Stones: Raise Your Spirits with Rose

If you want to jump-start your life and bring about positive change, tap into the power of rose and red stones. Stones of this side of the color spectrum contain life’s energy and can help you become more motivated, energetic, and vibrant, as well as give you an appealing aura. Wear this list of rosy and red stones, or place them on your desk and throughout your home for an instant boost: alexandrite, carnelian, garnet, red coral, red jasper, rhyolite, rose jasper, and ruby.