Crystal blessings! Happy Leo new moon, and happy belated Lugnasadh - unfortunately, I wasn't doing too much celebrating yesterday, as I've been dealing with some pretty intense health issues. But, I fully plan to compensate by extending my Lughnasadh festivities throughout the whole week. After all, this is the sabbat that reminds us to enjoy warm sunshine, summer clothes, and extended daylight while we can, as fall is quickly approaching. In a few short weeks, classes start, days become shorter, and the temperature will drop, causing us to retreat back into our homes for another long, meditative winter.
But anyway - a little astrological update. Phew, are there some BIG changes ahead! We have no fewer than THREE eclipses all occurring before mid September - that's A LOT of energy! As I always say, this energy isn't necessarily negative, so don't run to the corner and assume fetal position. However, eclipse energy can be quite transformative, and with THREE of them on the horizon, you can definitely expect some pretty intense transformation to occur in some sect of your life (if it hasn't already - I know many people who have already had a life-altering event shake up their world, and are in the midst of intense personal transition. Many people experience the effects early.) But anyways, I digress - there are a few pretty exciting planetary things happening on this very day, too. We get to celebrate Lughnasadh in the midst of a Leo New Moon, which is a really fun, playful, festive lunation, so this is really quite fitting. Leo moons are flirty and fun, and this is a time to be outgoing and socialize (even if you're typically more introverted, like me), meet new people, dare to ask for things you wouldn't normally, and be generous - even extravagant. Because this is the new moon, this is a really good day to set your intentions - what do you want to accomplish this lunation? The energy of the Leo moon can especially help with matters involving love, courage, generosity, self-expression, creativity, performing, and taking the spotlight. But of course, New moon energy is excellent to set any intention you may have.
We also have dynamic Mars entering daring Sagittarius today, where he will reside until the end of September. Mars is the planet of action and willpower - he can sometimes get us into trouble, but Mars in Sagittarius energy is really conducive to getting things done and making BIG changes and taking BIG chances. Again, you will want to be careful not to be too impulsive, but be sure to harness this energy to initiate needed change in your life - don't shy away from it. If you don't like something about your life, the time to act is now.
Alright, now - where were we? Oh, that's right - this is supposed to be a blog about crystals, isn't it?
Sorry - but with all these exciting astrological occurrences, I was bound to get distracted.
So...you want to know about crystals for protecting against electromagnetic smog.
First of all, what exactly is "electromagnetic smog"? This scary-sounding term refers to the theory and possibility that the electromagnetic fields of various technologies (cell phones, televisions, microwaves, all of it) have adverse health effects on people. Now, scientific studies have been conducted to determine the truth behind these claims, but little evidence has been found to strongly suggest that "electromagnetic smog" plays a role in causing certain diseases. That being said, I have no doubt that technology emits a kind of negative energy that can be draining and harmful to people at the mental/emotional level if not physical, especially those who are sensitive to the negative energies around them daily and have not become desensitized. I know this to be true because I myself experience negative symptoms around technology. When I was a little girl, I would make Grandma drape my Pocahontas towel over the television in her bedroom before I took my nap. At the time, I didn't know why, but now I understand that - simply put - I didn't like the TV's vibes. Because there is little scientific support, I usually refrain from using the term "electromagnetic smog," as it implies a scientific connection that I'm not sure is there. Instead, I usually just call it "the negative energy emitted by technology." While it sounds abstract, that's all I really know for sure - the energy of technology seems to make me feel negative.
So, what if you're totally confused reading this, and feel that you have never experienced negative symptoms from the technologies around you? Well, if something isn't broken, don't fix it - if you don't feel this is a problem for you or that this applies to you, then don't worry about it! But, you may be experiencing side effects and just don't know it - headache, energy depletion, and difficulty sleeping are the three main side effects of "electromagnetic smog." If you are experiencing any of these, dowse with a pendulum to find out the cause - you might be surprised.
Some of you, however, will likely realize that while some like the TV on for background noise, it drains you, distracts you, and makes you ungrounded. Some people feel deeply at peace when in remote areas away from technology, such as when camping - this is because they are responding to a comforting lack of EMS in their environment. But of course, if you live in civilization, it is pretty much impossible to avoid technology and the energy it emits. Luckily, as powerful absorbers of energy, crystals can help.
There are three main ways that you can work with crystals if you're wanting to protect yourself against the negative energy emitted by technology. The first way is to wear the crystal as jewelry, thereby protecting your aura from accepting this negative energy. You should especially wear the piece as a necklace, as typically the thymus/higher heart chakra is where this negative energy will sneak in and start depleting you of your own personal energy. Whenever I feel affected by technology, I always break out my black tourmaline wrap. The second way is to grid the crystals around the source if you have enough tumbled stones. When I say "grid," I just mean circle the piece of technology with tumbled stones, or create a single line of tumbled stones in front of the source of EMS. I have a line of tumbled Amazonite in front of my television, and used to have a Malachite grid around my Microwave (then I got rid of that sucker altogether.) Lastly, you can also place the stone directly on the source - this works especially well for computers or cell phones. If it's a large specimen, you can just place it on your laptop when not in use. However, I recommend actually taping a stone (or several) to your laptop and cellphone. I have an Amazonite taped to my cell phone, and a Lepidolite taped to my laptop. Whenever the stones fall off, this means that they have absorbed too much energy and have reached maximum capacity - give them a rest in some soil or brown rice for a few days before taping it back on. Polished pieces that have a single point are wonderful to place near sources of EMS, because single points help transmute energy - which, in this case, is what you want. I have a fluorite point and a malachite pyramid on my TV stand, just in case my army of Amazonite doesn't do the trick.
So, here is a list of my favorite crystals to use to protect against the negative energy emitted by technology. I will add to and update the list over time as I learn and experience more, but as of right now, my top recommendations are: Amazonite, Green Aventurine, Black Tourmaline, Fluorite, Amethyst, Malachite, Sodalite, and Lepidolite. The combination stone of Ajoite and Shattukite is extremely effective, though rare and expensive.
So that's a little bit about EMS and some ways you can minimize its effects on you using crystals. Play around with different crystals and see which ones seem to resonate best with you, as we're all different. Don't forget to follow me on twitter under the name @crystalwitch6, and let me know if you would like some crystal recommendations for another specific purpose - I'll blog about it. Thanks for stopping by. New Moon blessings. ~
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Friday, July 22, 2016
LET'S TALK LARIMAR.
Hi there! The energy from the Capricorn full moon is winding down, and I hope your full moon period wasn't too stressful and you were able to use the energy to your benefit in a positive way. For me, the most emotionally intense time seems to be about a week before the actual date of the full moon, when the energy is building. Right now, the moon is transitioning from quirky Aquarius into intuitive Pisces, which it will enter early tomorrow morning. Make sure to pay attention to your dreams tonight, and if you keep a dream journal, make a special point to record your dreams over the next few nights; the Pisces moon is a mystical one that always leads to increased intuition and awareness, especially through dreams.
Speaking of this watery, reflective energy, we're discussing Larimar today. Larimar is blue Pectolite, a stone that originates volcanically, and only comes from one place - the Dominican Republic. Sometimes, Larimar is known as the Dolphin's Stone because it does carry a very dolphin-like energy in that it combines the water element with a tendency to inspire playfulness, joy, and childlike excitement. For this reason, Larimar is a really good stone for overly-serious types to get more in touch with this 'laxed Dolphin energy. Larimar also encourages one to go with the flow, helping to temper the type A personality when it becomes disruptive or uncomfortable.
Larimar is a little bit rare, and is not usually found in New Age shops. The specimen I have came from a nearby mineral shop, and most specialty mineral and crystal shops will carry Larimar because it's so highly demanded. However, unfortunately, you need to be on the look-out for fake Larimar. I would especially avoid buying these blue babies online (like on ebay), as these sources can be sketchy. Luckily, there are a few ways you can tell if the Larimar specimen you're looking at might be a fake. The first way is to search for too much uniformity in it's pattern - one of the most distinct things about Larimar is it's dramatic and unique patterns, which are unlike that depicted by any other Larimar specimen beside it. You can also hold the Larimar up to the light to look for any transparency (light passing through) - if the specimen is transparent, it's not Larimar. Lastly, Larimar ONLY comes from the Dominican Republic and cannot be found anywhere else, so asking your provider where the Larimar came from can give you an idea - if they tell you anywhere other than the Dominic Republic, walk away.
So, once assuring your Larimar is the real deal, let's talk about some ways you can work with it. First of all, because it's so calming and feminine, Larimar helps to temper a tendency toward aggression - of course, a healthy level of assertiveness is a virtue, but if you (or someone you know) have/has a tendency toward needless aggression, try working with the soothing energy of Larimar to bring that in. Larimar also helps to transmute guilt, so is beneficial for people who suffer from unnecessary guilt (which indicates the need to give your sacral chakra some attention, but in the meantime, you can work with Larimar to work toward transmuting the guilt.)
I recommend Larimar to help people get back in touch with themselves; as a reflective, water-element stone, it puts you in touch with your inner tides - your thoughts, your quirks, your current level of happiness and what to change if it's not where it could be. Meditating with Larimar or placing it on the heart chakra for a few minutes while laying quietly makes you aware of how you feel, what you want, and who you are.
Larimar is considered to be one of the greatest stones to work wth if you're trying to reconnect with your soulmate (or, rather, twin flame.) Often, the reason you have not been reunited with your twin flame is simply because you're not ready - there are still lessons to learn, fears to be addressed, and transformations to be had. While working with Larimar doesn't change this, it can accelerate the process - especially if fear implanted in the heart chakra is the reason your twin flame hasn't yet made their appearance. Larimar handles fear really well, especially that which is emotionally based.
Larimar also helps to mellow out emotional extremes, so its a common crystal recommendation for those who suffer from bi-polar disorder. On a lighter note, it can be used to prevent and soothe mood swings, or turbulent personalities who have a tendency toward emotional upheaval or instability. It also works on the heart chakra to help transmute self-imposed blockages or a tendency toward self-sabotage, whether actively sabotaging yourself or indirectly doing so by refusing to take control of your own life, and perpetually seeing yourself as a victim with no choices or willpower. While Larimar works well to address the emotional component of this unhealthy perspective, the root and solar plexus chakras may need additional attention to permanently transmute it. Check out my blog post for some crystal recommendations for the root chakra, and one for solar plexus crystals is to come (but typically, you'll want a yellow crystal - Citrine, Honey Calcite, Yellow Jasper, etc.)
Spiritually, this stone has a really strong Earth connection. It carries a feminine, Earth Goddess energy, so can be used in spellwork which invokes the Earth Goddess archetype and can also be placed on areas of geopathic stress or pollution to heal the Earth herself. Like most stones of this color, Larimar brings angelic contact and can facilitate a bond between you and the Angelic kingdom. It's also really useful when trying to meditate if you have a hard time detaching from the everyday world and slowing down your mind.
Physically, Larimar resonates with the cartilage, and can be used to strengthen it or transmute any dis-eases associated with it. As a throat chakra stone, Larimar is commonly recommended to treat any physical ailments of the throat. It can also be used to alleviate pain when placed over the area experiencing discomfort.
Larimar has a Moh's hardness of about 5, so is tough enough to cleanse in water. These blue beauties also respond really well to moonlight and soil or brown rice due to their Earth connection.
Just in case you didn't have time to sit down and read this Larimar rant, below is an abbreviated version...
Vibe: Gentle, calming, feminine, watery, reflective.
Zodiac Recommendations**: Capricorn's sometimes have a tendency to be overly-serious, and can benefit from the playful dolphin energy of Larimar. Emotional Scorpios and moody Cancers benefit from Larimar's calming energy, as do aggressive Arians.
Everyday Uses: Combats mood swings, helps to go with the flow and calms an overly-serious personality, calms aggressiveness, guilt, fear, and all forms of self-sabotage.
Spiritual Uses: Helps with meditation, brings contact with angels, summons your twin flame by bringing emotional healing, reflection.
Use in Spellwork For: Healing the Earth, attracting your soulmate, calling on Angels, raising your vibration, calling on the Earth Goddess.
Physical Uses: All things relating to cartilage, pain relieving, ailments of the throat.
Chakras: Heart (place here for emotional healing), throat, third eye, crown.
Preferred Cleansing Method: The moon, soil or brown rice.
Alright so, that's a little bit about Larimar! Hopefully now you're comfortable with working with this stone and inspired to do so. If there's another crystal that you would like to see a post about, let me know! You can follow me on twitter at @crystalwitch6 (I've been pretty good about posting frequently) or reach out through the blog in the comment section. Thanks for coming by. Namaste. ~
**These recommendations only take the individual's Sun Sign into account, which may lead to inaccuracy - don't underestimate the importance of the Moon Sign and other planetary placements!
Speaking of this watery, reflective energy, we're discussing Larimar today. Larimar is blue Pectolite, a stone that originates volcanically, and only comes from one place - the Dominican Republic. Sometimes, Larimar is known as the Dolphin's Stone because it does carry a very dolphin-like energy in that it combines the water element with a tendency to inspire playfulness, joy, and childlike excitement. For this reason, Larimar is a really good stone for overly-serious types to get more in touch with this 'laxed Dolphin energy. Larimar also encourages one to go with the flow, helping to temper the type A personality when it becomes disruptive or uncomfortable.
Larimar is a little bit rare, and is not usually found in New Age shops. The specimen I have came from a nearby mineral shop, and most specialty mineral and crystal shops will carry Larimar because it's so highly demanded. However, unfortunately, you need to be on the look-out for fake Larimar. I would especially avoid buying these blue babies online (like on ebay), as these sources can be sketchy. Luckily, there are a few ways you can tell if the Larimar specimen you're looking at might be a fake. The first way is to search for too much uniformity in it's pattern - one of the most distinct things about Larimar is it's dramatic and unique patterns, which are unlike that depicted by any other Larimar specimen beside it. You can also hold the Larimar up to the light to look for any transparency (light passing through) - if the specimen is transparent, it's not Larimar. Lastly, Larimar ONLY comes from the Dominican Republic and cannot be found anywhere else, so asking your provider where the Larimar came from can give you an idea - if they tell you anywhere other than the Dominic Republic, walk away.
So, once assuring your Larimar is the real deal, let's talk about some ways you can work with it. First of all, because it's so calming and feminine, Larimar helps to temper a tendency toward aggression - of course, a healthy level of assertiveness is a virtue, but if you (or someone you know) have/has a tendency toward needless aggression, try working with the soothing energy of Larimar to bring that in. Larimar also helps to transmute guilt, so is beneficial for people who suffer from unnecessary guilt (which indicates the need to give your sacral chakra some attention, but in the meantime, you can work with Larimar to work toward transmuting the guilt.)
I recommend Larimar to help people get back in touch with themselves; as a reflective, water-element stone, it puts you in touch with your inner tides - your thoughts, your quirks, your current level of happiness and what to change if it's not where it could be. Meditating with Larimar or placing it on the heart chakra for a few minutes while laying quietly makes you aware of how you feel, what you want, and who you are.
Larimar is considered to be one of the greatest stones to work wth if you're trying to reconnect with your soulmate (or, rather, twin flame.) Often, the reason you have not been reunited with your twin flame is simply because you're not ready - there are still lessons to learn, fears to be addressed, and transformations to be had. While working with Larimar doesn't change this, it can accelerate the process - especially if fear implanted in the heart chakra is the reason your twin flame hasn't yet made their appearance. Larimar handles fear really well, especially that which is emotionally based.
Larimar also helps to mellow out emotional extremes, so its a common crystal recommendation for those who suffer from bi-polar disorder. On a lighter note, it can be used to prevent and soothe mood swings, or turbulent personalities who have a tendency toward emotional upheaval or instability. It also works on the heart chakra to help transmute self-imposed blockages or a tendency toward self-sabotage, whether actively sabotaging yourself or indirectly doing so by refusing to take control of your own life, and perpetually seeing yourself as a victim with no choices or willpower. While Larimar works well to address the emotional component of this unhealthy perspective, the root and solar plexus chakras may need additional attention to permanently transmute it. Check out my blog post for some crystal recommendations for the root chakra, and one for solar plexus crystals is to come (but typically, you'll want a yellow crystal - Citrine, Honey Calcite, Yellow Jasper, etc.)
Spiritually, this stone has a really strong Earth connection. It carries a feminine, Earth Goddess energy, so can be used in spellwork which invokes the Earth Goddess archetype and can also be placed on areas of geopathic stress or pollution to heal the Earth herself. Like most stones of this color, Larimar brings angelic contact and can facilitate a bond between you and the Angelic kingdom. It's also really useful when trying to meditate if you have a hard time detaching from the everyday world and slowing down your mind.
Physically, Larimar resonates with the cartilage, and can be used to strengthen it or transmute any dis-eases associated with it. As a throat chakra stone, Larimar is commonly recommended to treat any physical ailments of the throat. It can also be used to alleviate pain when placed over the area experiencing discomfort.
Larimar has a Moh's hardness of about 5, so is tough enough to cleanse in water. These blue beauties also respond really well to moonlight and soil or brown rice due to their Earth connection.
Just in case you didn't have time to sit down and read this Larimar rant, below is an abbreviated version...
Vibe: Gentle, calming, feminine, watery, reflective.
Zodiac Recommendations**: Capricorn's sometimes have a tendency to be overly-serious, and can benefit from the playful dolphin energy of Larimar. Emotional Scorpios and moody Cancers benefit from Larimar's calming energy, as do aggressive Arians.
Everyday Uses: Combats mood swings, helps to go with the flow and calms an overly-serious personality, calms aggressiveness, guilt, fear, and all forms of self-sabotage.
Spiritual Uses: Helps with meditation, brings contact with angels, summons your twin flame by bringing emotional healing, reflection.
Use in Spellwork For: Healing the Earth, attracting your soulmate, calling on Angels, raising your vibration, calling on the Earth Goddess.
Physical Uses: All things relating to cartilage, pain relieving, ailments of the throat.
Chakras: Heart (place here for emotional healing), throat, third eye, crown.
Preferred Cleansing Method: The moon, soil or brown rice.
Alright so, that's a little bit about Larimar! Hopefully now you're comfortable with working with this stone and inspired to do so. If there's another crystal that you would like to see a post about, let me know! You can follow me on twitter at @crystalwitch6 (I've been pretty good about posting frequently) or reach out through the blog in the comment section. Thanks for coming by. Namaste. ~
**These recommendations only take the individual's Sun Sign into account, which may lead to inaccuracy - don't underestimate the importance of the Moon Sign and other planetary placements!
Monday, July 18, 2016
CRYSAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALLERGIES
Hi guys! The moon is waxing through Capricorn today, so this is a really good day to tend to your responsibilities and get things done. Flint and Onyx have a very disciplined, organized energy that can help you face your responsibilities today.
So lately, my allergies have been really, really bad. I'm about ready to admit that I might just be coming down with a cold. All day, I've been unable to stray too far from my box of Kleenex. So, as you probably could have guessed, I finally decided to confront and fight back against my discomfort using my favorite weapon - crystals.
Allergies are a little bit difficult to fight using crystals because allergies are indicative of a pretty deep-rooted imbalance in your heart chakra, and while carrying a prescribed stone in your pocket during an allergy flare-up may help with your discomfort, it certainly won't tackle the actual problem - which, in holistic healing, is what we want. So, you will want to be aware of the fact that the oversensitivity of your immune system is on some level related to your emotional oversensitivity, caused by an imbalance in your heart chakra center which will require extensive attention in order to be transmuted. Luckily, there are a lot of ways to redress a chakra imbalance: yoga poses, dietary adjustments, crystals, meditation exercises, and daily affirmations and routines. While I will do a more extensive blog post on crystals for the heart chakra in the future, crystals alone are still not sufficient enough to redress the deep-rooted heart chakra imbalances that lead to allergies, so you might want to read Liz Simpson's The Book of Chakra Healing for an extensive list of ways you can adjust your lifestyle to heal your heart chakra.
My second disclaimer is that obviously, it's important to know your allergen and avoid contact at absolutely all costs. This blog post refers more to the stuffy nose that sometimes results from pollen and other allergens in the air that you can't see and can't always avoid. I'm obviously not a doctor and I'm not dispensing medical advise - just sharing with you a holistic way you can approach allergies, in conjunction with whatever medical approach you use.
So first and foremost, I do utilize other forms of holistic healing when dealing with allergies than crystals, because of the deep-rooted nature of its cause. One of my favorite complementary forms of holistic healing to use along with crystals is aromatherapy and essential oils. The minute I realized that my mountain of used tissues sitting on my coffee table was a little ridiculous, I began diffusing Eucalyptus oil in my oil diffuser, one of my favorite oils to assist breathing. I also put the tea on - if I had had time to plan ahead, I would have made a Green Aventurine elixir and subsequently made that into a hot tea, but making a crystal elixir takes a whole day. I do have a Green Aventurine elixir being made right now in the fridge, just in case my symptoms have not subsided by tomorrow.
My next course of action was to grab my Rock Salt Lamp from my bedroom - I sleep with it on every night, as I'm one of those weird people that doesn't like to sleep in total darkness and I also like it's vibes. Halite - that is, salt - is one of the most underrated crystals in my opinion, with a number of physical, mental, emotional, and energetic benefits. Rock Salt lamps are great because they emit negative ions which purify the air and actually improve air quality, helping with a number of physical discomforts, including allergies. So, I placed my rock salt lamp in the living room and turned that baby on to start fighting the invisible allergens floating about my living room.
My final course of action was to deck myself out in my heart chakra jewelry. As I mentioned, allergies are always traced to a severe and deep-rooted dysfunction of the heart chakra, and this is not something that will be transmuted in a day. However, that being said, I still like to pile on the heart chakra jewelry, as prolonged contact with the stones will help in the long run (along with the other components of my heart-chakra-health holistic healing plan.) My go-to stone is Green Aventurine - I just love it's vibes. It's super gentle, one of the very best stones of the heart chakra in the entire crystal kingdom, and tends to be quite effective in transmuting the symptoms of allergies. I'm also wearing my Seraphinite and Rose Quartz rings - no crystal book will tell you that these babies directly heal allergies, but again, they are very effective healers of the heart chakra, and that's what we're interested in here - we want to tackle the whole problem, not just the symptoms. As far as picking out what to wear in your own jewelry selection, green and pink crystals tend to resonate with the heart chakra, like Malachite, Emerald, Kunzite, Morganite, etc. If you don't have any crystal jewelry, throw a few heart chakra stones in a mojo bag and tuck it into your pocket for the same prolonged/direct contact allowed with jewelry. In addition to working with heart chakra crystals, the other ones you might want to work with will vary according to your symptoms - if your allergies effect your lungs rather than your nose, try working with Apophyllite. Brecciated Jasper is recommended if your allergies stem from an animal. Turquoise, Muscovite, and Chlorite can be worn or carried for alleviation and prevention of allergy symptoms, but you'll want to play around and see which one best resonates with you, as we're all different.
But of course, don't stop there - spend each day giving that heart chakra some attention to work toward ridding of allergies altogether.
So, don't forgot to follow me on twitter at @crystalwitch6 for daily little crystal/astrological updates. I'm also really interested in hearing any questions that you guys might have regarding crystals, whether there is a specific crystal you want me to talk about, or you would like crystal recommendations for a specific purpose. I want to write about what you guys want to read about, so please ask me your questions either directly through the blog in the comment section, or through twitter.
Thanks for stopping by. Namaste. ~
So lately, my allergies have been really, really bad. I'm about ready to admit that I might just be coming down with a cold. All day, I've been unable to stray too far from my box of Kleenex. So, as you probably could have guessed, I finally decided to confront and fight back against my discomfort using my favorite weapon - crystals.
Allergies are a little bit difficult to fight using crystals because allergies are indicative of a pretty deep-rooted imbalance in your heart chakra, and while carrying a prescribed stone in your pocket during an allergy flare-up may help with your discomfort, it certainly won't tackle the actual problem - which, in holistic healing, is what we want. So, you will want to be aware of the fact that the oversensitivity of your immune system is on some level related to your emotional oversensitivity, caused by an imbalance in your heart chakra center which will require extensive attention in order to be transmuted. Luckily, there are a lot of ways to redress a chakra imbalance: yoga poses, dietary adjustments, crystals, meditation exercises, and daily affirmations and routines. While I will do a more extensive blog post on crystals for the heart chakra in the future, crystals alone are still not sufficient enough to redress the deep-rooted heart chakra imbalances that lead to allergies, so you might want to read Liz Simpson's The Book of Chakra Healing for an extensive list of ways you can adjust your lifestyle to heal your heart chakra.
My second disclaimer is that obviously, it's important to know your allergen and avoid contact at absolutely all costs. This blog post refers more to the stuffy nose that sometimes results from pollen and other allergens in the air that you can't see and can't always avoid. I'm obviously not a doctor and I'm not dispensing medical advise - just sharing with you a holistic way you can approach allergies, in conjunction with whatever medical approach you use.
So first and foremost, I do utilize other forms of holistic healing when dealing with allergies than crystals, because of the deep-rooted nature of its cause. One of my favorite complementary forms of holistic healing to use along with crystals is aromatherapy and essential oils. The minute I realized that my mountain of used tissues sitting on my coffee table was a little ridiculous, I began diffusing Eucalyptus oil in my oil diffuser, one of my favorite oils to assist breathing. I also put the tea on - if I had had time to plan ahead, I would have made a Green Aventurine elixir and subsequently made that into a hot tea, but making a crystal elixir takes a whole day. I do have a Green Aventurine elixir being made right now in the fridge, just in case my symptoms have not subsided by tomorrow.
My next course of action was to grab my Rock Salt Lamp from my bedroom - I sleep with it on every night, as I'm one of those weird people that doesn't like to sleep in total darkness and I also like it's vibes. Halite - that is, salt - is one of the most underrated crystals in my opinion, with a number of physical, mental, emotional, and energetic benefits. Rock Salt lamps are great because they emit negative ions which purify the air and actually improve air quality, helping with a number of physical discomforts, including allergies. So, I placed my rock salt lamp in the living room and turned that baby on to start fighting the invisible allergens floating about my living room.
My final course of action was to deck myself out in my heart chakra jewelry. As I mentioned, allergies are always traced to a severe and deep-rooted dysfunction of the heart chakra, and this is not something that will be transmuted in a day. However, that being said, I still like to pile on the heart chakra jewelry, as prolonged contact with the stones will help in the long run (along with the other components of my heart-chakra-health holistic healing plan.) My go-to stone is Green Aventurine - I just love it's vibes. It's super gentle, one of the very best stones of the heart chakra in the entire crystal kingdom, and tends to be quite effective in transmuting the symptoms of allergies. I'm also wearing my Seraphinite and Rose Quartz rings - no crystal book will tell you that these babies directly heal allergies, but again, they are very effective healers of the heart chakra, and that's what we're interested in here - we want to tackle the whole problem, not just the symptoms. As far as picking out what to wear in your own jewelry selection, green and pink crystals tend to resonate with the heart chakra, like Malachite, Emerald, Kunzite, Morganite, etc. If you don't have any crystal jewelry, throw a few heart chakra stones in a mojo bag and tuck it into your pocket for the same prolonged/direct contact allowed with jewelry. In addition to working with heart chakra crystals, the other ones you might want to work with will vary according to your symptoms - if your allergies effect your lungs rather than your nose, try working with Apophyllite. Brecciated Jasper is recommended if your allergies stem from an animal. Turquoise, Muscovite, and Chlorite can be worn or carried for alleviation and prevention of allergy symptoms, but you'll want to play around and see which one best resonates with you, as we're all different.
But of course, don't stop there - spend each day giving that heart chakra some attention to work toward ridding of allergies altogether.
So, don't forgot to follow me on twitter at @crystalwitch6 for daily little crystal/astrological updates. I'm also really interested in hearing any questions that you guys might have regarding crystals, whether there is a specific crystal you want me to talk about, or you would like crystal recommendations for a specific purpose. I want to write about what you guys want to read about, so please ask me your questions either directly through the blog in the comment section, or through twitter.
Thanks for stopping by. Namaste. ~
Thursday, July 14, 2016
WHY CRYSTAL HEALING DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK, & HOW TO ENSURE THAT IT WILL
Hello, and happy Jupiter day. The moon is finally leaving Scorpio this evening and I'll be honest, I can't wait. While this intense and emotional energy has initiated some needed change in my personal life, I can't wait for it to start to dissipate under tomorrow's lighthearted Sagittarius moon.
So today, this blog post is going to be a little bit different because I'm actually going to tell you a story that answers one of the bigger questions you might have in regards to crystal healing: how come it doesn't always seem to work?
I'm not going to sit here and give you a less-than-helpful list of reasons that you probably could have come up with yourself, like suggesting that it needs to be cleansed, or that maybe you're not ready to work with that crystal. Instead, I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that it's actually your own doing. That's right. It's not crystal healing itself that's faulty - it might be your approach to it. Crystals CAN result in direct, immediate change, and using them the right way can literally better your day.
Today, for example, I was sitting on my computer trying to get some writing done when I noticed I simply wasn't feeling up to it. I lacked energy, my eyes were glazed over, and I was not even a little bit focused on my task at hand. I was immediately able to rule out that I simply needed a nap, as I indulged in sleeping in rather late this morning and slept well last night. So when the only thing I had energy to do was lay my head down on my throw pillow and sleep further, I quickly realized something was off. Not only was I experiencing a lack of mental and physical energy, but I also noticed a throbbing headache was starting to develop. Rather than ignoring my symptoms and plugging through my writing assignment, I closed my laptop and decided to address my discomfort using crystals. Follow the below steps - as I did today - to ensure that your approach to crystal healing will lead you to your desired result every time.
1.) KNOW THE ENERGETIC ROOT OF THE PROBLEM YOU'RE TRYING TO SOLVE. According to all holistic healing, every form of noticeable discomfort or dis-ease can be traced to an energetic root. I quickly noticed that all of my symptoms - an inability to focus, a lack of energy, a headache - are all consistent with a collection of energy accumulating at my crown chakra, causing me to feel ungrounded. If you don't know the chakra system well enough to discern where you're energy blockage is through your symptoms alone, you can consult a pendulum. However, I highly recommend familiarizing yourself with the chakras if you want to start working with crystals, as the two go hand-in-hand. "The Book of Chakra Healing" by Liz Simpson is amazing, as is "The Chakra Bible" by Patricia Mercier. If you don't even know where the energetic root of your problem rests, attempting to heal it with crystals is like a doctor prescribing medicine before first knowing the problem - it's a shot in the dark.
2.) KNOW YOUR CRYSTALS. So, I knew that I needed the surplus of energy stuck at my crown to start moving downward through my root chakra. Fittingly, I just wrote a lengthy blog post on Hematite, and this is ALWAYS your go-to stone whenever you need emergency grounding - I always keep one in my purse. So I took two tumbled hematites and first placed them at the bottom of my feet, and then laid down with them directly over my root chakra for about six minutes - yes, this part requires some patience! When using crystals to tackle a problem or ailment, you need to make sure you are choosing an appropriate crystal for the job. This can be assured by simply learning every crystal in your collection and how it's overall energy works. If I tried to put a crown chakra stimulator like Apophyllite on my root chakra today, this would have been completely ineffective and could have even worsened the problem. You can always use your personal feelings and intuition to guide you when choosing a crystal, too, as not everyone receives the same crystal the same way.
3.) KNOW HOW TO USE THEM. The right crystal won't do anything if you don't know where to place it or how to work with it. In my situation, a body layout to fire up my root chakra was required. Your situation might benefit from using feng shui, crystal elixirs, adding crystals to the bath, wearing crystal jewelry, or simply placing them in your pocket or environment.
4.) DIRECT, PROLONGED CONTACT IS BEST. Following my brief work with my hematite crystals to fix my energetic imbalance, I turned to my selection of crystal jewelry to help me remain grounded and prevent energy from accumulating at my crown again. Wearing crystals as jewelry is a wonderful way to work with them because it allows the direct, prolonged contact under which they work best. I especially like crystal rings, as I believe crystals initiate change better when positioned against the joints. Out of the crystal rings I have, my black onyx and fire agate rings were the two bests for grounding, so I slipped those on my fingers and couldn't help but notice that I already felt better.
5.) NOTE ANY ENVIRONMENTAL OR SITUATIONAL STRESSES THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED YOUR ENERGY IMBALANCE. So, feeling much better by now, I opened my laptop and started in on my work again only to realize that despite my efforts, I could feel my fresh burst of energy starting to dwindle. I quickly remembered that the fluorite crystal I normally tape to my laptop had fallen off a few weeks ago and I never replaced it. Electromagnetic smog, or EMS, is the negative energy emitted by technology - computers, cell phones, televisions, microwaves, appliances, wires. For more sensitive individuals, the side effects associated with EMS are more pronounced and uncomfortable, and include a lack of energy, inability to sleep, exhaustion, or headaches. I quickly realized that the exposure to EMS was likely the external cause for my energy imbalance. So, I quickly taped a piece of rough Amazonite to both my computer and my phone, which was sitting nearby, and then wrapped my black tourmaline and fluorite necklaces around my neck, as these are my two favorite stones for protection against EMS. Once I was protected from the energy leaks my computer was causing, I felt much better, more energized, my headache was gone, and I was thus inspired to write this blog post. Remember that in this case, the cause of my imbalance was environmental, but yours could be situational. You might be unhappy in a job or living situation, or a person in your life might even be the cause of your dis-ease. Take a step back and examine what part of your life (or in my case, your livingroom) might need adjusting.
So the moral of the story here is to fight the temptation to consult your nearest crystal book for a quick recommendation, and wonder why your situation hasn't changed upon holding the suggested crystal or having it in the vicinity. What many don't realize is that working with crystals requires a little bit more due diligence; as with all forms of holistic healing, it requires you to have a deeper understanding of yourself, and the many dimensions that lead to physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dis-ease. By attacking every angle and following the above five steps, I was able to successfully clear myself of my headache and my lethargy using only crystals, and as a result, was able to get a lot done today - including this blog post, which I wasn't even planning on writing.
So before you disregard crystal healing as mere myth, first consider: are you approaching it the right way? Or are you wondering why an amethyst tucked in your pocket hasn't completely transformed your life overnight? Obviously, my story is pretty specific, and each situation and each goal will require working with different crystals in different ways. Regardless of your situation, though, if you approach crystal healing the way I did today and follow the five steps above, it won't fail you.
Blessings!
So today, this blog post is going to be a little bit different because I'm actually going to tell you a story that answers one of the bigger questions you might have in regards to crystal healing: how come it doesn't always seem to work?
I'm not going to sit here and give you a less-than-helpful list of reasons that you probably could have come up with yourself, like suggesting that it needs to be cleansed, or that maybe you're not ready to work with that crystal. Instead, I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that it's actually your own doing. That's right. It's not crystal healing itself that's faulty - it might be your approach to it. Crystals CAN result in direct, immediate change, and using them the right way can literally better your day.
Today, for example, I was sitting on my computer trying to get some writing done when I noticed I simply wasn't feeling up to it. I lacked energy, my eyes were glazed over, and I was not even a little bit focused on my task at hand. I was immediately able to rule out that I simply needed a nap, as I indulged in sleeping in rather late this morning and slept well last night. So when the only thing I had energy to do was lay my head down on my throw pillow and sleep further, I quickly realized something was off. Not only was I experiencing a lack of mental and physical energy, but I also noticed a throbbing headache was starting to develop. Rather than ignoring my symptoms and plugging through my writing assignment, I closed my laptop and decided to address my discomfort using crystals. Follow the below steps - as I did today - to ensure that your approach to crystal healing will lead you to your desired result every time.
1.) KNOW THE ENERGETIC ROOT OF THE PROBLEM YOU'RE TRYING TO SOLVE. According to all holistic healing, every form of noticeable discomfort or dis-ease can be traced to an energetic root. I quickly noticed that all of my symptoms - an inability to focus, a lack of energy, a headache - are all consistent with a collection of energy accumulating at my crown chakra, causing me to feel ungrounded. If you don't know the chakra system well enough to discern where you're energy blockage is through your symptoms alone, you can consult a pendulum. However, I highly recommend familiarizing yourself with the chakras if you want to start working with crystals, as the two go hand-in-hand. "The Book of Chakra Healing" by Liz Simpson is amazing, as is "The Chakra Bible" by Patricia Mercier. If you don't even know where the energetic root of your problem rests, attempting to heal it with crystals is like a doctor prescribing medicine before first knowing the problem - it's a shot in the dark.
2.) KNOW YOUR CRYSTALS. So, I knew that I needed the surplus of energy stuck at my crown to start moving downward through my root chakra. Fittingly, I just wrote a lengthy blog post on Hematite, and this is ALWAYS your go-to stone whenever you need emergency grounding - I always keep one in my purse. So I took two tumbled hematites and first placed them at the bottom of my feet, and then laid down with them directly over my root chakra for about six minutes - yes, this part requires some patience! When using crystals to tackle a problem or ailment, you need to make sure you are choosing an appropriate crystal for the job. This can be assured by simply learning every crystal in your collection and how it's overall energy works. If I tried to put a crown chakra stimulator like Apophyllite on my root chakra today, this would have been completely ineffective and could have even worsened the problem. You can always use your personal feelings and intuition to guide you when choosing a crystal, too, as not everyone receives the same crystal the same way.
3.) KNOW HOW TO USE THEM. The right crystal won't do anything if you don't know where to place it or how to work with it. In my situation, a body layout to fire up my root chakra was required. Your situation might benefit from using feng shui, crystal elixirs, adding crystals to the bath, wearing crystal jewelry, or simply placing them in your pocket or environment.
4.) DIRECT, PROLONGED CONTACT IS BEST. Following my brief work with my hematite crystals to fix my energetic imbalance, I turned to my selection of crystal jewelry to help me remain grounded and prevent energy from accumulating at my crown again. Wearing crystals as jewelry is a wonderful way to work with them because it allows the direct, prolonged contact under which they work best. I especially like crystal rings, as I believe crystals initiate change better when positioned against the joints. Out of the crystal rings I have, my black onyx and fire agate rings were the two bests for grounding, so I slipped those on my fingers and couldn't help but notice that I already felt better.
5.) NOTE ANY ENVIRONMENTAL OR SITUATIONAL STRESSES THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED YOUR ENERGY IMBALANCE. So, feeling much better by now, I opened my laptop and started in on my work again only to realize that despite my efforts, I could feel my fresh burst of energy starting to dwindle. I quickly remembered that the fluorite crystal I normally tape to my laptop had fallen off a few weeks ago and I never replaced it. Electromagnetic smog, or EMS, is the negative energy emitted by technology - computers, cell phones, televisions, microwaves, appliances, wires. For more sensitive individuals, the side effects associated with EMS are more pronounced and uncomfortable, and include a lack of energy, inability to sleep, exhaustion, or headaches. I quickly realized that the exposure to EMS was likely the external cause for my energy imbalance. So, I quickly taped a piece of rough Amazonite to both my computer and my phone, which was sitting nearby, and then wrapped my black tourmaline and fluorite necklaces around my neck, as these are my two favorite stones for protection against EMS. Once I was protected from the energy leaks my computer was causing, I felt much better, more energized, my headache was gone, and I was thus inspired to write this blog post. Remember that in this case, the cause of my imbalance was environmental, but yours could be situational. You might be unhappy in a job or living situation, or a person in your life might even be the cause of your dis-ease. Take a step back and examine what part of your life (or in my case, your livingroom) might need adjusting.
So the moral of the story here is to fight the temptation to consult your nearest crystal book for a quick recommendation, and wonder why your situation hasn't changed upon holding the suggested crystal or having it in the vicinity. What many don't realize is that working with crystals requires a little bit more due diligence; as with all forms of holistic healing, it requires you to have a deeper understanding of yourself, and the many dimensions that lead to physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dis-ease. By attacking every angle and following the above five steps, I was able to successfully clear myself of my headache and my lethargy using only crystals, and as a result, was able to get a lot done today - including this blog post, which I wasn't even planning on writing.
So before you disregard crystal healing as mere myth, first consider: are you approaching it the right way? Or are you wondering why an amethyst tucked in your pocket hasn't completely transformed your life overnight? Obviously, my story is pretty specific, and each situation and each goal will require working with different crystals in different ways. Regardless of your situation, though, if you approach crystal healing the way I did today and follow the five steps above, it won't fail you.
Blessings!
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
YOUR GUIDE TO HEMATITE
Hi guys! I'm feeling a little ungrounded today as the moon makes its slow transition into Scorpio, which it will finally enter later this afternoon. Remember, Scorpio moons make even the most laid-back person feel jealous, emotional, and tense, so don't allow yourself to be easily offended over the next few days and let the little things roll of your shoulders, even though your natural inclination will be to stiffen up and plot your revenge against every minor offender who tells a joke at your expense or looks at you the wrong way.
Since I did my last blog post on Goethite, I thought I would keep up with the theme of iron compounds and discuss HEMATITE today, a close relative of Goethite (ever heard of Rainbow Hematite? It's the Goethite/Hematite combo.)
Hematite is super abundant, affordable, and easy to find, and I recommend it for beginners for both its availability and its grounding and protective abilities, which are top-notch and matched only by smoky quartz and black tourmaline. But let's backtrack for a minute - what exactly do I mean by grounding? You probably hear this term thrown around all the time in New Age books, but may not really understand what it is. Grounding refers to pulling down excess energy that makes you feel spaced out, floaty, confused, dazed, and unproductive - all of which are side effects of being ungrounded. While virtually all crystals can help with this (most crystals form deep within Mama Earth, making them excellent grounding tools), Hematite is pretty much the very best.
So, Hematite is protective and grounding, and these are the two basic descriptive words that are always attached to this stone. But from there, what are some other ways you can work with it?
Hematite is a powerful yang crystal - so this means it helps with timid people (especially women) who lack yang energy. Hematite encourages the yang virtues of assertiveness, survivability, courage, and confidence. If you are quiet, timid, and tend to get stepped on or taken advantage of, extensive work with Hematite can calm the overabundance of yin energy causing these personality imbalances.
Hematite is also powerfully stimulating to the mental body and can help with memory, studying, learning and concentration, and is one of the very best crystals for helping with the intellectual reasoning needed for math. If you struggle with math, try working with Hematite in a mojo bag with colorless beryl (which is a little hard to find, but great with assisting mathematical reasoning), as well as Cassiterite and Angelite. While especially appropriate for math, Hematite is useful for all subjects and studying in general.
Because Hematite is so intensely grounding and earthly, it can also help with manifestation, another New Age vocab word that simply means to create through visualization and thought. Prayer is merely a form of manifestation, in which you're imagining and asking for your desire, and hoping this will lead to its physical appearance on the Earth plane. Because Hematite pulls down energy and brings it here, tangibly, it is an excellent tool to work with to expedite the manifestation process.
Magically, Hematite is one of the most powerful talismans to help with legal matters. If you're fighting a speeding ticket or custody battle, bring a hematite with you in a little pouch to court for a little bit of luck. You can also add bloodstone and Red Jasper to this pouch, as both of these stones are associated with justice and correcting unjust situations.
Physically, Hematite is closely related to the blood - the name "Hematite" actually comes from the Greek word for blood, as the ancients noted the blood red hue of powdered Hematite. In crystal healing sessions, it is used to cleanse the blood and regulate blood supply, treat circulatory disorders such as anemia, and assist the production or red blood cells. It is also traditionally used for alleviating insomnia and anxiety, assisting spinal alignment, and calming fevers when taken as an elixir.
Because Hematite can be an inflammatory, it should not be used for long periods of time or in situations of inflammation.
Grounding crystals like Hematite tend to really benefit from cleansings in dirt or brown rice for a few days, to help them rest and recharge. But don't cleanse Hematite in water, as it will actually rust.
So, that's a little bit about Hematite, a very common stone that you should definitely have in your collection if you don't already. Thanks for stopping by. Sending blessings your way. ~
Since I did my last blog post on Goethite, I thought I would keep up with the theme of iron compounds and discuss HEMATITE today, a close relative of Goethite (ever heard of Rainbow Hematite? It's the Goethite/Hematite combo.)
Hematite is super abundant, affordable, and easy to find, and I recommend it for beginners for both its availability and its grounding and protective abilities, which are top-notch and matched only by smoky quartz and black tourmaline. But let's backtrack for a minute - what exactly do I mean by grounding? You probably hear this term thrown around all the time in New Age books, but may not really understand what it is. Grounding refers to pulling down excess energy that makes you feel spaced out, floaty, confused, dazed, and unproductive - all of which are side effects of being ungrounded. While virtually all crystals can help with this (most crystals form deep within Mama Earth, making them excellent grounding tools), Hematite is pretty much the very best.
So, Hematite is protective and grounding, and these are the two basic descriptive words that are always attached to this stone. But from there, what are some other ways you can work with it?
Hematite is a powerful yang crystal - so this means it helps with timid people (especially women) who lack yang energy. Hematite encourages the yang virtues of assertiveness, survivability, courage, and confidence. If you are quiet, timid, and tend to get stepped on or taken advantage of, extensive work with Hematite can calm the overabundance of yin energy causing these personality imbalances.
Hematite is also powerfully stimulating to the mental body and can help with memory, studying, learning and concentration, and is one of the very best crystals for helping with the intellectual reasoning needed for math. If you struggle with math, try working with Hematite in a mojo bag with colorless beryl (which is a little hard to find, but great with assisting mathematical reasoning), as well as Cassiterite and Angelite. While especially appropriate for math, Hematite is useful for all subjects and studying in general.
Because Hematite is so intensely grounding and earthly, it can also help with manifestation, another New Age vocab word that simply means to create through visualization and thought. Prayer is merely a form of manifestation, in which you're imagining and asking for your desire, and hoping this will lead to its physical appearance on the Earth plane. Because Hematite pulls down energy and brings it here, tangibly, it is an excellent tool to work with to expedite the manifestation process.
Magically, Hematite is one of the most powerful talismans to help with legal matters. If you're fighting a speeding ticket or custody battle, bring a hematite with you in a little pouch to court for a little bit of luck. You can also add bloodstone and Red Jasper to this pouch, as both of these stones are associated with justice and correcting unjust situations.
Physically, Hematite is closely related to the blood - the name "Hematite" actually comes from the Greek word for blood, as the ancients noted the blood red hue of powdered Hematite. In crystal healing sessions, it is used to cleanse the blood and regulate blood supply, treat circulatory disorders such as anemia, and assist the production or red blood cells. It is also traditionally used for alleviating insomnia and anxiety, assisting spinal alignment, and calming fevers when taken as an elixir.
Because Hematite can be an inflammatory, it should not be used for long periods of time or in situations of inflammation.
Grounding crystals like Hematite tend to really benefit from cleansings in dirt or brown rice for a few days, to help them rest and recharge. But don't cleanse Hematite in water, as it will actually rust.
So, that's a little bit about Hematite, a very common stone that you should definitely have in your collection if you don't already. Thanks for stopping by. Sending blessings your way. ~
Thursday, July 7, 2016
ALL ABOUT GOETHITE (FINE...CACOXENITE)
Blessings! The moon is passing through Virgo today, making it a wonderful time to troubleshoot your life. Take a step back and assess what can stay, what needs to go, and what needs to be added. Whether it's organizing your fridge or ending a relationship that no longer serves you, the Virgo moon gifts you with the perfect time to fuss over the state of your life.
Today, I wanted to focus on exploring one specific crystal with you that you may think you've never heard of, but its actually quite likely that you have and just didn't know it. I want to talk to you about an extremely abundant iron-bearing mineral known as Goethite. Goethite is an extremely important source of iron-ore, and is roughly a 5 on the Moh's scale (which is considered fairly hard, making salt-water cleansing and jewelry-making appropriate for this stone.) Goethite is often found growing within a host crystal, such as quartz or, more commonly, amethyst, and it most commonly appears in this form in the world of metaphysics.
Remember when I said you probably think you've never heard of Goethite, but likely have? When it appears on the New Age market, it is usually under its trademarked name, Cacoxenite - geologists and mineralogists cringe when this title gets thrown around in their presence. If you follow me at all, you know I detest the phenomena of trademarking crystals, as it is confusing. This is another example of its redundancy; "Cacoxenite" is Goethite. Unfortunately, a lot of crystal books don't make this distinction for you; most only discuss Goethite under the name Cacoxenite, and some, even more confusingly, actually have separate chapters for each, leaving the impression that they are different. So realize that each chapter is actually talking about the same mineral. Being the rebel that I am, I am going to continue to refer to this mineral under its original name as opposed to the cooler, newly bequeathed one.
My favorite thing about Goethite is it's ability to intensely purify the emotional body. What do I mean by this? It removes negative thoughts, ideas, and self-talk that merely holds you back. Feelings of failure, thoughts of inadequacy, and memories of insults and verbal abuse can accumulate in your emotional body, and while some have more of a tendency to hang onto these than others, we all have days where we feel incapable, inferior, or unattractive. Goethite can clear this out.
In terms of the chakras, Goethite is a cleanser of the Earth Star chakra under the feet and the root. This makes it really grounding, and its recommended for people who are daydreamers to the point where they don't seem to make any actual progress in the everyday world. It doesn't rid of their creativity, however, and actually combines inspiration with practicality and an ability to function in the everyday world. This lays the groundwork for the initiation of creative projects. For help with this, you can pair Goethite with a solar crystal like Healer's Gold, Heliodor, Sunstone, Gold, or Carnelian, as well as Bumblebee Jasper (which has a very creative vibe) and a dynamic stone that quickly makes things happen, like Crocoite or Bixbite.
Additionally, I add Goethite to mojo bags made for grief healing. My go-to stones for healing grief are Amethyst, Apache Tear, and Healer's Gold, which absorb pain and help their beholder to move forward, but Goethite adds a tough love element and makes one face their grief so it can be healed and transmuted. Because of this unique element, it makes a really nice complement to a mojo bag containing the regular cast of characters.
Goethite is a very metaphysical stone, especially when included in witchy Amethyst, and can be used to help with your psychic abilities and bring greater accuracy with dowsing or divination. Its always really fun to utilize crystals to assist you with your preferred method of future-telling, and Goethite is a really good one.
Mentally, Goethite helps with concentration, and should be worn or placed on your desk to help you buzz through homework or paperwork. For emphasis on this, you can also work with Fluorite (the rightful king of kick-starting the mental body), Flint, or the Agate family.
So that is a little bit about Goethite (aka Cacoxenite...but rebel with me, and lets call it by its real name.) There are many minerals that I think are really underrated - and as you can see, Goethite is one of them. Because its so abundant and unimpressive to the physical eye, it often gets overlooked. Luckily, acknowledgement of its importance is being revived in the New Age community - even if under a different name. Hopefully this proved helpful, and as always, thank you for reading and don't forget to follow me on twitter under the name @crystalwitch6 for updates. ~
Today, I wanted to focus on exploring one specific crystal with you that you may think you've never heard of, but its actually quite likely that you have and just didn't know it. I want to talk to you about an extremely abundant iron-bearing mineral known as Goethite. Goethite is an extremely important source of iron-ore, and is roughly a 5 on the Moh's scale (which is considered fairly hard, making salt-water cleansing and jewelry-making appropriate for this stone.) Goethite is often found growing within a host crystal, such as quartz or, more commonly, amethyst, and it most commonly appears in this form in the world of metaphysics.
Remember when I said you probably think you've never heard of Goethite, but likely have? When it appears on the New Age market, it is usually under its trademarked name, Cacoxenite - geologists and mineralogists cringe when this title gets thrown around in their presence. If you follow me at all, you know I detest the phenomena of trademarking crystals, as it is confusing. This is another example of its redundancy; "Cacoxenite" is Goethite. Unfortunately, a lot of crystal books don't make this distinction for you; most only discuss Goethite under the name Cacoxenite, and some, even more confusingly, actually have separate chapters for each, leaving the impression that they are different. So realize that each chapter is actually talking about the same mineral. Being the rebel that I am, I am going to continue to refer to this mineral under its original name as opposed to the cooler, newly bequeathed one.
My favorite thing about Goethite is it's ability to intensely purify the emotional body. What do I mean by this? It removes negative thoughts, ideas, and self-talk that merely holds you back. Feelings of failure, thoughts of inadequacy, and memories of insults and verbal abuse can accumulate in your emotional body, and while some have more of a tendency to hang onto these than others, we all have days where we feel incapable, inferior, or unattractive. Goethite can clear this out.
In terms of the chakras, Goethite is a cleanser of the Earth Star chakra under the feet and the root. This makes it really grounding, and its recommended for people who are daydreamers to the point where they don't seem to make any actual progress in the everyday world. It doesn't rid of their creativity, however, and actually combines inspiration with practicality and an ability to function in the everyday world. This lays the groundwork for the initiation of creative projects. For help with this, you can pair Goethite with a solar crystal like Healer's Gold, Heliodor, Sunstone, Gold, or Carnelian, as well as Bumblebee Jasper (which has a very creative vibe) and a dynamic stone that quickly makes things happen, like Crocoite or Bixbite.
Additionally, I add Goethite to mojo bags made for grief healing. My go-to stones for healing grief are Amethyst, Apache Tear, and Healer's Gold, which absorb pain and help their beholder to move forward, but Goethite adds a tough love element and makes one face their grief so it can be healed and transmuted. Because of this unique element, it makes a really nice complement to a mojo bag containing the regular cast of characters.
Goethite is a very metaphysical stone, especially when included in witchy Amethyst, and can be used to help with your psychic abilities and bring greater accuracy with dowsing or divination. Its always really fun to utilize crystals to assist you with your preferred method of future-telling, and Goethite is a really good one.
Mentally, Goethite helps with concentration, and should be worn or placed on your desk to help you buzz through homework or paperwork. For emphasis on this, you can also work with Fluorite (the rightful king of kick-starting the mental body), Flint, or the Agate family.
So that is a little bit about Goethite (aka Cacoxenite...but rebel with me, and lets call it by its real name.) There are many minerals that I think are really underrated - and as you can see, Goethite is one of them. Because its so abundant and unimpressive to the physical eye, it often gets overlooked. Luckily, acknowledgement of its importance is being revived in the New Age community - even if under a different name. Hopefully this proved helpful, and as always, thank you for reading and don't forget to follow me on twitter under the name @crystalwitch6 for updates. ~
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
5 TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE CRYSTAL HUNTING
Yesterday, I went shopping for some new crystals. I first went to one of my local New Age shops that I honestly don't care for the vibe of, but still frequent because the selection of books and minerals makes the few moments of discomfort worth it. The second shop I stopped at was more of a serious mineral shop in which cards explaining metaphysical uses don't accompany the thousands of minerals it sells. Upon arriving home, I submerged my new crystals into a bowl of spring water with some Himalayan pink salt for an over-night cleansing (only after first ensuring the Moh's hardness of each was above 4, of course.) This morning, the satisfaction of pulling my cleansed crystals out of the water one-by-one and drying them off was something all crystal lovers are familiar with. But yesterday's excursion had me thinking about the act of shopping for crystals, which, in itself, is an interesting topic to explore - and the one I want to discuss with you today.
This topic is a little difficult to discuss because it's pretty dependent on whether or not you are a more experienced crystal worker and have been navigating crystal shops for years or have never set foot in one. Even if the former describes you, continue reading and see if your experiences have been similar. Below are a few things to watch out for when shopping for crystals that I have learned over the years, and wish someone had told me, too.
1.) More often than you would think, crystal and New Age shops seem to have an intense - even negative - vibe. This is not nearly as mystical as it sounds. I'm not picking up on anything that you don't pick up on, too. You know how sometimes you walk into a room and feel stress, pressure, icky, or like you just plain want to do your business quickly so you can get out of there? More often than you would think, this can sometimes accurately describe your feelings when you enter some new age shops. My best explanation as to why this is? The light always attracts some darkness. Whether the shopkeeper is snobby and rolling her eyes at all your questions, or the crystal shop just seems to always attracts odd people and situations, your fur will definitely go up when you don't like the vibe of a shop you've entered (or, for that matter, any given place.) I say this because one of the shops near me with the best selection always seems to have kind of a yucky energy, and it amazes me how many people have brought this to my attention independent of any suggestion from me. The shopkeeper is never friendly, the clientele is always peculiar, and the energy leaves me wanting to scoop up my purchases as quickly as possible and be on my way. However, sometimes, it is simply worth it - as long as the shop doesn't seem to be SERIOUSLY weird or sketchy (to the point where you feel unsafe, or something - always trust your intuition.) It is okay to purchase crystals from a place that you note has some uncomfortably intense energy, but just make sure you give them a particularly thorough cleanse afterwards, and if it's an option, find another place to shop. If not, make your trips quick and carry or wear black tourmaline to keep you grounded and energetically protected.
2.) More often than you would think, crystal and New Age shops exhibit unethical behavior. I have shared with you before my experience at one such New Age shop where they were attempting to sell Goldstone - artificially manufactured glass with inclusions of copper - as sunstone. This is unlikely a mere oversight, as the two look nothing alike. If the mislabeling WAS accidental, this reveals such questionable knowledge of crystals that I would still suggest fleeing. I have had other experiences with unethical practices, too - I once bought a specimen under the pretense that it was Charoite only to later realize that it was a variety of Chinese fluorite often sold as Charoite to deceive the naïve, as it is far more common. To avoid making this mistake yourself, realize that Charoite has very little white - if a tumbled stone is being sold as charoite and it has thick, distinct white bands, it's fluorite. While I can sometimes look past a store for having strange or off-putting vibes, I cannot forgive pure deceit and dishonesty - the minute you realize a shop is selling fakes or trying to pass Goldstone as Sunstone or Fluorite as Charoite, head for the door - you now know that you have no idea what you're buying.
3.) Don't go into a New Age Shop acting like you know everything. Even if you do. It is understandably perceived as disrespectful to someone who runs a New Age shop and prides themselves in knowing their stuff when you loudly start telling everyone how fine-tuned your crysal knowledge is, and how each crystal in your vicinity works. My favorite New Age shop in my area is owned by a lovely Shaman who - while very pleasant - responds negatively when people appear to be showing off or attempting to strip her of her authority in her own place, as she enjoys answering questions. It may sound silly, but just be respectful of the shopkeeper, and let them do their thing - it likely means a lot to them to be able to address questions.
4.) That being said, don't ask silly questions. More often than not, shopkeepers have arranged it so that with each stone is a clear description of its energy signature and some of its most useful and commonly known properties, usually on a card or piece of paper. Many also have reference books placed near their crystal selection. When I say a "silly question" I mean holding a stone up to your shopkeepers face and saying "What does this do?" or "I'm a Leo, what crystal do I need?" If you are a frequent reader of my blog, you know these overly general questions are the bane of my existence. People want to think that each crystal has one distinct function - it either attracts love, attracts money, or offers protection. A certain crystal is for an Aries, while the other is for Librans. But the frustrating truth is that it's not that simple, and while your shopkeeper will likely be excited to address good questions, don't be afraid to take it upon yourself to go off of your intuition, your own pre-existing crystal knowledge, and any references offered by the shopkeeper before flagging them down to get a verbal description. After all, crystal shopping is a personal thing, and it's not about them - it's about you. Don't over-rely on them.
5.) Combine intuition with practical knowledge. While it's great to consult your crystal books to figure out what you need, as is taking advantage of the cards the shopkeeper may have typed up and left out for you, shopping for crystals based on intuition is really rewarding and never fails to lead you to exactly what you need. One really fun exercise to try is to take your favorite crystal book and ask your spirit guide to open you up to the page that contains the crystal you most need right now. Then, open up to a random page. I tried this once, and opened up to Cavansite - a fairly rare crystal that I had never even seen in person, and one that most New Age shops don't carry. However, upon entering the shop moments later, I was amazed to find a lovely selection of Cavansite and quickly adopted one. Of course, a good combination of intuition and learned knowledge is ideal, but make sure you do utilize your inner sight when crystal hunting.
Some of these tips may sound silly, but it's definitely important to demonstrate etiquette when shopping for crystals and meeting the crystal authority figures in your area - if you can build a relationship with them, they can help you further your knowledge and introduce you to even more contacts. I have befriended many shopkeepers by simply being kind, respectful, and a frequent visitor of their shops, and it has helped me greatly to have such forces on my side. So, thanks for reading, and hopefully you find these helpful the next time you step into a crystal shop. Namaste.
This topic is a little difficult to discuss because it's pretty dependent on whether or not you are a more experienced crystal worker and have been navigating crystal shops for years or have never set foot in one. Even if the former describes you, continue reading and see if your experiences have been similar. Below are a few things to watch out for when shopping for crystals that I have learned over the years, and wish someone had told me, too.
1.) More often than you would think, crystal and New Age shops seem to have an intense - even negative - vibe. This is not nearly as mystical as it sounds. I'm not picking up on anything that you don't pick up on, too. You know how sometimes you walk into a room and feel stress, pressure, icky, or like you just plain want to do your business quickly so you can get out of there? More often than you would think, this can sometimes accurately describe your feelings when you enter some new age shops. My best explanation as to why this is? The light always attracts some darkness. Whether the shopkeeper is snobby and rolling her eyes at all your questions, or the crystal shop just seems to always attracts odd people and situations, your fur will definitely go up when you don't like the vibe of a shop you've entered (or, for that matter, any given place.) I say this because one of the shops near me with the best selection always seems to have kind of a yucky energy, and it amazes me how many people have brought this to my attention independent of any suggestion from me. The shopkeeper is never friendly, the clientele is always peculiar, and the energy leaves me wanting to scoop up my purchases as quickly as possible and be on my way. However, sometimes, it is simply worth it - as long as the shop doesn't seem to be SERIOUSLY weird or sketchy (to the point where you feel unsafe, or something - always trust your intuition.) It is okay to purchase crystals from a place that you note has some uncomfortably intense energy, but just make sure you give them a particularly thorough cleanse afterwards, and if it's an option, find another place to shop. If not, make your trips quick and carry or wear black tourmaline to keep you grounded and energetically protected.
2.) More often than you would think, crystal and New Age shops exhibit unethical behavior. I have shared with you before my experience at one such New Age shop where they were attempting to sell Goldstone - artificially manufactured glass with inclusions of copper - as sunstone. This is unlikely a mere oversight, as the two look nothing alike. If the mislabeling WAS accidental, this reveals such questionable knowledge of crystals that I would still suggest fleeing. I have had other experiences with unethical practices, too - I once bought a specimen under the pretense that it was Charoite only to later realize that it was a variety of Chinese fluorite often sold as Charoite to deceive the naïve, as it is far more common. To avoid making this mistake yourself, realize that Charoite has very little white - if a tumbled stone is being sold as charoite and it has thick, distinct white bands, it's fluorite. While I can sometimes look past a store for having strange or off-putting vibes, I cannot forgive pure deceit and dishonesty - the minute you realize a shop is selling fakes or trying to pass Goldstone as Sunstone or Fluorite as Charoite, head for the door - you now know that you have no idea what you're buying.
3.) Don't go into a New Age Shop acting like you know everything. Even if you do. It is understandably perceived as disrespectful to someone who runs a New Age shop and prides themselves in knowing their stuff when you loudly start telling everyone how fine-tuned your crysal knowledge is, and how each crystal in your vicinity works. My favorite New Age shop in my area is owned by a lovely Shaman who - while very pleasant - responds negatively when people appear to be showing off or attempting to strip her of her authority in her own place, as she enjoys answering questions. It may sound silly, but just be respectful of the shopkeeper, and let them do their thing - it likely means a lot to them to be able to address questions.
4.) That being said, don't ask silly questions. More often than not, shopkeepers have arranged it so that with each stone is a clear description of its energy signature and some of its most useful and commonly known properties, usually on a card or piece of paper. Many also have reference books placed near their crystal selection. When I say a "silly question" I mean holding a stone up to your shopkeepers face and saying "What does this do?" or "I'm a Leo, what crystal do I need?" If you are a frequent reader of my blog, you know these overly general questions are the bane of my existence. People want to think that each crystal has one distinct function - it either attracts love, attracts money, or offers protection. A certain crystal is for an Aries, while the other is for Librans. But the frustrating truth is that it's not that simple, and while your shopkeeper will likely be excited to address good questions, don't be afraid to take it upon yourself to go off of your intuition, your own pre-existing crystal knowledge, and any references offered by the shopkeeper before flagging them down to get a verbal description. After all, crystal shopping is a personal thing, and it's not about them - it's about you. Don't over-rely on them.
5.) Combine intuition with practical knowledge. While it's great to consult your crystal books to figure out what you need, as is taking advantage of the cards the shopkeeper may have typed up and left out for you, shopping for crystals based on intuition is really rewarding and never fails to lead you to exactly what you need. One really fun exercise to try is to take your favorite crystal book and ask your spirit guide to open you up to the page that contains the crystal you most need right now. Then, open up to a random page. I tried this once, and opened up to Cavansite - a fairly rare crystal that I had never even seen in person, and one that most New Age shops don't carry. However, upon entering the shop moments later, I was amazed to find a lovely selection of Cavansite and quickly adopted one. Of course, a good combination of intuition and learned knowledge is ideal, but make sure you do utilize your inner sight when crystal hunting.
Some of these tips may sound silly, but it's definitely important to demonstrate etiquette when shopping for crystals and meeting the crystal authority figures in your area - if you can build a relationship with them, they can help you further your knowledge and introduce you to even more contacts. I have befriended many shopkeepers by simply being kind, respectful, and a frequent visitor of their shops, and it has helped me greatly to have such forces on my side. So, thanks for reading, and hopefully you find these helpful the next time you step into a crystal shop. Namaste.
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Q&A: WHEN TO CLEANSE YOUR CRYSTALS & HOW TO KNOW
Hey crystal workers! While the moon is still finishing up it's time in Gemini as I'm writing this, it enters Cancer tomorrow morning around 9:30, and we're looking at a new moon in this sensitive sign on the fourth of July, making this an excellent day to pull out your moon journals and write down your intentions for this Cancer lunation. Adjustments and progress in regards to the home and family circle particularly resonate with this lunation, but any New Moon is a great time to re-evaluate your life and decide what you want to manifest.
Today, I want to do another blog post in regards to a question I received not from a reader of this blog, but from a friend. Before I proceed, I want to remind you to take advantage of this offer and please feel free to ask me your questions - the best way to do this is through the twitter account I just set up and have been updating daily (and am even starting to figure out how to use - hehe.) You can follow me on twitter under the name @crystalwitch 6 and send me your crystal-related questions!
But, returning to today's topic. While I won't bother quoting her directly, she basically asked me how to know when a crystal needs cleansing. My response to her, as usual, was lengthy - the short answer being that there are several ways.
First of all, it is always a good idea to cleanse a crystal using your chosen method upon first purchasing it - most shopkeepers will remind you to do so when you purchase your crystals, especially if they can tell you're a newbie, and this is solid advise to follow. I don't believe that crystals can be tainted by harmful energy or hurt you; even if they have come into contact with a nasty person over the course of their journey to you, you don't have to worry about being stuck with a crystal that will make you physically sick or harm you on any level. I have actually gotten this question before. A friend of mine got sick after purchasing a crystal, and wondered if it may be because they hadn't cleansed it. The answer to this question is not long or complicated - it's a firm NO. Your crystal will not make you come down with a cold because you didn't cleanse it - I promise. But even though the consequences are not dire if you forget to give your crystal a needed cleanse after purchasing, I do believe that, as absorbers and storehouses of energy, crystals can hang onto energy and become saturated with it, and this can make it harder for them to function and do their jobs. So while your new onyx won't send you to the doctor, it probably won't be making its powers of protection known, either. In order to achieve optimum results from working with crystals, cleansing is necessary, especially when you first add them to your collection; they have probably been through a lot before reaching you. This is especially true with crystals that have a strong tendency to absorb energy, such as fluorite, which is like an energy vacuum, and Jet, which bonds particularly well with its owner. All black crystals typically tend to absorb energy rather efficiently and will therefore need frequent cleansing.
So now that you have purchased a crystal and know to give it it's initial welcome-home cleanse, how do you know from here when your crystal needs to be cleansed again? The first answer to this is obviously simple intuition, but of course, some people are more sensitive to crystal energy than others. Even if you aren't particularly sensitive to crystal energy, sometimes, if you bond enough with a crystal, you can get a sense of when it might be feeling a little tired or sluggish. However, if this answer totally makes you panic because you don't think you will ever be able to sense crystal energy, fear not - there are physical indicators. Sometimes, crystals will actually start to feel heavier or look cloudier. Obviously, another way you can tell is if you simply feel that the crystal doesn't really seem to be functioning properly. If your amethyst pendant isn't making you feel as good as it normally does, place that babe under the full moon. If the rose quartz in your love corner doesn't seem to be bringing 'em in through the windows, hit it with some sage smoke. My main way of knowing when my crystals need to be cleansed is when I notice they don't really seem to working as effectively as usual.
Before I wrap up this blog post, I did want to leave you with one more note on cleansing. A lot of people that I talk to attach excessive importance to cleansing - if they forget to leave their collection out on the night of a full moon, they think they've failed and ruined their crystals; if they forgot to cleanse it upon purchasing it, they think it will make them sick. Cleansing is not nearly as important as people would like to think. Crystals are gifts from Mama Earth with their own personalities and their own inherent energy signatures. That being said, it's hard to give an exact timeline of how often you should cleanse your crystals, because there really is no clear answer, and if there was, it would depend on a lot of factors, such as how often they are used. But the one thing I can tell you about how often you should cleanse your crystals is that is isn't as often as you think - certainly not monthly and under every full moon of the year. If it gives you joy and makes you feel good, keep doing it, but it really isn't something to beat yourself up about if you skip a month. Plus, as your crystal collection grows and you acquire bigger specimens, this method of cleansing in particular starts to become cumbersome and irrelevant. Not only do you not need to cleanse your crystals as often as you think, but it also doesn't have to be as much work as you think - a few rings of your altar bell over the stone or a few passes through the smoke of some incense, and your crystal is cleansed.
For more information on cleansing, I have a blog post that goes into detail regarding the different methods and their pros and cons that you might want to look at. I hope you found my answer to this question helpful. Thanks for stopping and don't forget to follow me on twitter (@crystalwitch6) and try me with your own questions. Love and light ~
Today, I want to do another blog post in regards to a question I received not from a reader of this blog, but from a friend. Before I proceed, I want to remind you to take advantage of this offer and please feel free to ask me your questions - the best way to do this is through the twitter account I just set up and have been updating daily (and am even starting to figure out how to use - hehe.) You can follow me on twitter under the name @crystalwitch 6 and send me your crystal-related questions!
But, returning to today's topic. While I won't bother quoting her directly, she basically asked me how to know when a crystal needs cleansing. My response to her, as usual, was lengthy - the short answer being that there are several ways.
First of all, it is always a good idea to cleanse a crystal using your chosen method upon first purchasing it - most shopkeepers will remind you to do so when you purchase your crystals, especially if they can tell you're a newbie, and this is solid advise to follow. I don't believe that crystals can be tainted by harmful energy or hurt you; even if they have come into contact with a nasty person over the course of their journey to you, you don't have to worry about being stuck with a crystal that will make you physically sick or harm you on any level. I have actually gotten this question before. A friend of mine got sick after purchasing a crystal, and wondered if it may be because they hadn't cleansed it. The answer to this question is not long or complicated - it's a firm NO. Your crystal will not make you come down with a cold because you didn't cleanse it - I promise. But even though the consequences are not dire if you forget to give your crystal a needed cleanse after purchasing, I do believe that, as absorbers and storehouses of energy, crystals can hang onto energy and become saturated with it, and this can make it harder for them to function and do their jobs. So while your new onyx won't send you to the doctor, it probably won't be making its powers of protection known, either. In order to achieve optimum results from working with crystals, cleansing is necessary, especially when you first add them to your collection; they have probably been through a lot before reaching you. This is especially true with crystals that have a strong tendency to absorb energy, such as fluorite, which is like an energy vacuum, and Jet, which bonds particularly well with its owner. All black crystals typically tend to absorb energy rather efficiently and will therefore need frequent cleansing.
So now that you have purchased a crystal and know to give it it's initial welcome-home cleanse, how do you know from here when your crystal needs to be cleansed again? The first answer to this is obviously simple intuition, but of course, some people are more sensitive to crystal energy than others. Even if you aren't particularly sensitive to crystal energy, sometimes, if you bond enough with a crystal, you can get a sense of when it might be feeling a little tired or sluggish. However, if this answer totally makes you panic because you don't think you will ever be able to sense crystal energy, fear not - there are physical indicators. Sometimes, crystals will actually start to feel heavier or look cloudier. Obviously, another way you can tell is if you simply feel that the crystal doesn't really seem to be functioning properly. If your amethyst pendant isn't making you feel as good as it normally does, place that babe under the full moon. If the rose quartz in your love corner doesn't seem to be bringing 'em in through the windows, hit it with some sage smoke. My main way of knowing when my crystals need to be cleansed is when I notice they don't really seem to working as effectively as usual.
Before I wrap up this blog post, I did want to leave you with one more note on cleansing. A lot of people that I talk to attach excessive importance to cleansing - if they forget to leave their collection out on the night of a full moon, they think they've failed and ruined their crystals; if they forgot to cleanse it upon purchasing it, they think it will make them sick. Cleansing is not nearly as important as people would like to think. Crystals are gifts from Mama Earth with their own personalities and their own inherent energy signatures. That being said, it's hard to give an exact timeline of how often you should cleanse your crystals, because there really is no clear answer, and if there was, it would depend on a lot of factors, such as how often they are used. But the one thing I can tell you about how often you should cleanse your crystals is that is isn't as often as you think - certainly not monthly and under every full moon of the year. If it gives you joy and makes you feel good, keep doing it, but it really isn't something to beat yourself up about if you skip a month. Plus, as your crystal collection grows and you acquire bigger specimens, this method of cleansing in particular starts to become cumbersome and irrelevant. Not only do you not need to cleanse your crystals as often as you think, but it also doesn't have to be as much work as you think - a few rings of your altar bell over the stone or a few passes through the smoke of some incense, and your crystal is cleansed.
For more information on cleansing, I have a blog post that goes into detail regarding the different methods and their pros and cons that you might want to look at. I hope you found my answer to this question helpful. Thanks for stopping and don't forget to follow me on twitter (@crystalwitch6) and try me with your own questions. Love and light ~
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
YOUR GUIDE TO JASPER
The moon today is waning through argumentative Aries, so even the meeker souls are unafraid to call you out for cutting them in line at the grocery store, or slam on their horn if you cut them off. Celestite is a great crystal to use to soothe a temper, and Gaspeite will protect you against not only your own anger, but that of others.
Today, I am excited because I've decided to devote today's entire blog post to Jasper, which I have recently become obsessed with. Jasper is a metamorphic rock and yet another member of the quartz family. Like Chalcedony (agate), to which it is very similar, Jasper is crypto-crystalline quartz - the difference between these two stones is the way in which the quartz is laid out. With Chalcedony or Agate, the quartz is laid into fibrous layers or bands. In Jasper, the quartz is loud out in grains. Jasper is extremely tough, a 7 on the Moh's scale, making these little guys common in jewelry and appropriate for salt-water cleansing. The name "Jasper" is Greek in origin, and means "Spotted Stone" - a quick glance at a piece of Orbicular Jasper establishes the appropriateness of this name. Because Jasper specimens can contain up to 20% foreign minerals, you can look at two tumbled pieces of Jasper and never known they are members of the same mineral group. The Jasper family is extremely diverse in the shapes, colors, and patterns flaunted by its members, which reflects the diversity in energy you can experience by working with the world of Jasper.
There are so many different types of Jasper, so I'm just going to offer brief descriptions of the more common ones below - as you know, I despise overly-simplified descriptions of crystals and the fact that people expect one-word answers when asking "what does this crystal do?" Therefore, more extensive blog posts on each of these varieties of Jasper are to come. But first, a note on the Jasper family as a whole.
Jasper is one of those crystals that is known to work more gradually (like its closely related cousin, agate) - so while potent, you will want to work with these guys closely and extensively in order to benefit from their energy signatures. Jaspers are nurturing, supportive, and protective stones, and the various chakras correspond well to the various colors of Jasper - you could do a chakra-balancing layout with only the Jasper family, easily. I like to recommend the Jasper family to Geminis, because it helps to encourage organizational abilities (and Geminis have a tendency to be a little scattered), and to help them finish the projects that they start - Geminis are notorious for starting a bunch of different projects and taking up multiple hobbies, but failing to pursue or fully develop any pne of them. Physically, Jaspers are known to help with prolonging sexual pleasure (especially the red variety) and support the circulatory, digestive, and sexual organs. But now, lets talk about some of the more specific members of this family, which differ rather extensively in their energy signatures.
Blue Jaspers: Connect you to the spirit world and can be used to induce astral travel. Blue Jasper is recommended when fasting, as it is one of the best stones for sustaining energy.
Brown Jaspers: I have a tumbled piece of Jasper which I bought under the name Cappucino Jasper, but all brown Jaspers are going to work similarly at the energetic level, regardless of the cutesy names they may be sold as. Brown Jasper is an extremely earthy stone, and should be paired with Botswana Agate to help one quit smoking. It is known to stimulate ecological awareness, and is a powerful Earth Healer, and can be buried in areas of pollution, war, deforestation, or other forms of environmental stress. Brown Jasper makes an excellent ally for meditation, drawing you deep into yourself to experience past life regression and discovering the karmic roots of the problems you currently face. Physically, Brown Jasper stimulates the cleansing organs and can be used to treat the skin as an elixir. It corresponds to the Earth chakra below the feet.
Green Jaspers: This is an ideal stone for bringing balance to your life when one area overtakes the others - for example, a work-obsessed person benefits from the energy of Green Jasper, as it helps them tend to the other areas of their life. Green Jasper also addresses other unhealthy obsessions. Physically, it is said to dispel bloating, treat skin disorders, inflammation, and the digestive tract, and corresponds to the heart chakra.
Purple Jaspers: Stimulate the crown chakra.
Red Jaspers: Known to rectify unjust situations, Red Jasper can be brought to a court case or used in spell-work to bring about justice, especially when paired with Hematite and/or bloodstone. It is also useful in that it helps to bring problems to light to be addressed before they become bigger. Physically, red jasper strengthens the circulatory system, the liver, and cleanses the blood, and corresponds to the root chakra.
Yellow Jaspers: Highly protective during spiritual work and physical travelling. A great stone for the solar plexus. Used to release toxins, treat the stomach and digestion, and energize the endocrine system.
Black Jasper (also known as Basanite): Perhaps the most mystical Jasper which can be used for scrying and bringing prophetic dreams and visions.
Australian Jasper (also known as Mook Jasper or Mookaite): Is the yellow and red variety. It imparts a healthy desire for new experiences and a calm collectedness with which to face them, which is why I recommend these specimens for Taureans and Cancers, who tend to dislike change; working with this stone can help them become more flexible and versatile. Physically, Australian Jasper can be used as a wound-healer, especially as an elixir, fortifies the immune system, and is said to purify the blood.
Picture Jasper: Carries a particularly nurturing Earth Mother energy which is especially effective in bringing comfort and removing fear. It can also be used to bring feelings to the surface that have been pushed aside. It is best known at the physical level as a cleanser of the kidneys, and a stimulator of the immune system.
Orbicular Jasper: Jasper which contains orbs. Instills patience and encourages taking responsibility for yourself. Physically, used to combat body odor.
Royal Plume Jasper: Said to bring status and power.
Brecciated Jasper (also known as Poppy Jasper): Red Jasper veined with Hematite; sometimes, the Hematite veins form floral markings. Extremely grounding, brings mental clarity, and helps with emotional stability. Poppy Jasper is a motivating stone that gives a boost of adrenaline. It works on the base chakra to either dissipate sexual frustration if this energy center is over-active, or to stimulate sexual libido if it is a little sluggish. This is the perfect stone to ward-off an ex that won't let go. Physically, it supports the digestive, circulatory, and sexual organs, and is one of the best stones for assisting allergies to animals, and can be paired with other allergy-combatting crystals like Apophyllite.
Leopardskin Jasper: A variety of Orbicular Jasper. Brings clarity by showing you what is actually before you and eliminating any ingrained assumptions. A self-development crystal, Leopardskin Jasper reduces insecurity and strengthens your sense of self. It puts you in touch with Jaguar, Panther, Leopard, and Cougar energy if these are your totem animals. Physically, Leopardskin Jasper is used to treat abdominal pain, kidney and gallstones, and assist digestion.
Ocean Jasper: Another variety of Orbicular Jasper. Brings long withheld emotions to the surface to be addressed and healed. Used to heal the female reproductive system, PMS, the digestive tract, eczema and other skin diseases, colds, insomnia, inflammation, and bloating, is said to dissolve cysts and tumors.
Rainforest Jasper: Passes on the wisdom of plants, and helps tap into Grandmother energies and ancestral matriarchs. Rainforest Jasper balances the chakras to bring about emotional stability, and encourages self-acceptance and self-respect, working very much in a feminine way and resonating particularly with females. It is said to balance humidity in an environment, benefit cold and flu, fluid imbalance, and viral infections.
Chohua Jasper: Rare and only available from China, Chohua Jasper is said to represent various types of dragon energy in its various colors. If your integrity or honor have been compromised, wear Chohua Jasper to restore trust in yourself and your reputation. Physically, Chohua Jasper stimulates the kidneys, immune system, heart, and circulation, and strengthens the veins and arteries.
Guinea Fowl Jasper: Another spotted variety of Jasper, Guinea Fowl is commonly recommended stone for those who have suffered trauma. It is a power stone for timid people. Physically, it is said to heal shingles and psoriasis.
Sea Sediment Jasper: A blue variety of Jasper, Sea Sediment Jasper is calming, reassuring, and protective, and sometimes puts you in touch with past life issues.
Cinnabar Jasper: This variety of Jasper is super rare, but worth mentioning. Cinnabar Jasper is a wonderful stone for treating anger and those who perpetually have a short fuse. It treats the blood, circulatory system, liver, and spleen.
Polychrome Jasper: Very protective when travelling between the worlds, Polychrome Jasper is useful for Shamans and those who astral travel.
Kamababa Jasper (also known as Crocodile Jasper, Green Stromatolite, and Nebula Stone): Extremely wise, and useful for Wiccans and Pagans because it aligns you with the natural cycles of the Earth. A fertility stone, Kambaba Jasper can be gridded in the four corners of the garden to see growth, or around the bed to encourage physical fertility.
Ocean Blue Jasper: The source of this stone has become exhausted, so it is extremely rare, but again worth mentioning nonetheless. It is said to protect on both internal and external travels, and put you in touch with orbs and help with decoding their messages.
Bumblebee Jasper: Represents triumph over what is perceived to be impossible, and assists with new projects. A powerful healer of the sacral chakra.
Silver Leaf Jasper: Sometimes considered an agate, Silver Leaf Jasper is the ideal stone for those who are nurturing, but to the extent that they forget to take care of themselves or have a difficult time saying no; another safety amulet that protects on both internals and external travels.
Shell Jasper: Helps with making a safe spiritual connection. Assists the bones, teeth, and spinal alignment as an elixir.
Dalmation Jasper: Sometimes known as just "Dalmation Stone," this guy fortifies the physical body and pulls you out of your head if you have a tendency to get stuck there, combatting a tendency to overthink and overanalyze.
Trummer Jasper: Brings self-confidence and a positive outlook, combatting self-doubt and concerns with self-image. Said to heal chronic and severe illnesses, and counteract viruses and bacteria.
Elephant Skin Jasper: Just mentioned this stone in yesterday's post, Elephant Skin Jasper is helpful in cases of loneliness to help one feel more comfortable in their own company. A useful travel amulet for driving long distances
Flower Jasper: Also mentioned in my last blog post, Flower Jasper is a feel-good stone that brings joy to those who are overly-serious. It encourages self-worth, self-love, and independence.
Picasso Jasper: A form of metamorphic limestone, Picasso Jasper attracts friendship and helps with reconnecting with old friends. It can be paired with Axinite for some extra help.
Spider Jasper: Encourages networking and social interaction. A great stone for uncovering hidden secrets when meditated with.
Zebra Jasper: Helps to ensure the realization of one's plans and dreams by removing self-doubt.
Fancy Jasper: Used to boost mental function and offer help with attending to practical chores and obligations of daily life. It closely resembles Bloodstone.
What a long blog post this turned out to be. While I don't expect you to read this in one sitting, hopefully this acts as a nice reference for you when dealing with the Jasper family. As I said, more extended posts are to come on the various types of Jasper, as I merely scratched the surface here. Thank you for stopping by, and don't forget to follow me on twitter for daily crystal tips at @crystalwitch6. Namaste. ~
Today, I am excited because I've decided to devote today's entire blog post to Jasper, which I have recently become obsessed with. Jasper is a metamorphic rock and yet another member of the quartz family. Like Chalcedony (agate), to which it is very similar, Jasper is crypto-crystalline quartz - the difference between these two stones is the way in which the quartz is laid out. With Chalcedony or Agate, the quartz is laid into fibrous layers or bands. In Jasper, the quartz is loud out in grains. Jasper is extremely tough, a 7 on the Moh's scale, making these little guys common in jewelry and appropriate for salt-water cleansing. The name "Jasper" is Greek in origin, and means "Spotted Stone" - a quick glance at a piece of Orbicular Jasper establishes the appropriateness of this name. Because Jasper specimens can contain up to 20% foreign minerals, you can look at two tumbled pieces of Jasper and never known they are members of the same mineral group. The Jasper family is extremely diverse in the shapes, colors, and patterns flaunted by its members, which reflects the diversity in energy you can experience by working with the world of Jasper.
There are so many different types of Jasper, so I'm just going to offer brief descriptions of the more common ones below - as you know, I despise overly-simplified descriptions of crystals and the fact that people expect one-word answers when asking "what does this crystal do?" Therefore, more extensive blog posts on each of these varieties of Jasper are to come. But first, a note on the Jasper family as a whole.
Jasper is one of those crystals that is known to work more gradually (like its closely related cousin, agate) - so while potent, you will want to work with these guys closely and extensively in order to benefit from their energy signatures. Jaspers are nurturing, supportive, and protective stones, and the various chakras correspond well to the various colors of Jasper - you could do a chakra-balancing layout with only the Jasper family, easily. I like to recommend the Jasper family to Geminis, because it helps to encourage organizational abilities (and Geminis have a tendency to be a little scattered), and to help them finish the projects that they start - Geminis are notorious for starting a bunch of different projects and taking up multiple hobbies, but failing to pursue or fully develop any pne of them. Physically, Jaspers are known to help with prolonging sexual pleasure (especially the red variety) and support the circulatory, digestive, and sexual organs. But now, lets talk about some of the more specific members of this family, which differ rather extensively in their energy signatures.
Blue Jaspers: Connect you to the spirit world and can be used to induce astral travel. Blue Jasper is recommended when fasting, as it is one of the best stones for sustaining energy.
Brown Jaspers: I have a tumbled piece of Jasper which I bought under the name Cappucino Jasper, but all brown Jaspers are going to work similarly at the energetic level, regardless of the cutesy names they may be sold as. Brown Jasper is an extremely earthy stone, and should be paired with Botswana Agate to help one quit smoking. It is known to stimulate ecological awareness, and is a powerful Earth Healer, and can be buried in areas of pollution, war, deforestation, or other forms of environmental stress. Brown Jasper makes an excellent ally for meditation, drawing you deep into yourself to experience past life regression and discovering the karmic roots of the problems you currently face. Physically, Brown Jasper stimulates the cleansing organs and can be used to treat the skin as an elixir. It corresponds to the Earth chakra below the feet.
Green Jaspers: This is an ideal stone for bringing balance to your life when one area overtakes the others - for example, a work-obsessed person benefits from the energy of Green Jasper, as it helps them tend to the other areas of their life. Green Jasper also addresses other unhealthy obsessions. Physically, it is said to dispel bloating, treat skin disorders, inflammation, and the digestive tract, and corresponds to the heart chakra.
Purple Jaspers: Stimulate the crown chakra.
Red Jaspers: Known to rectify unjust situations, Red Jasper can be brought to a court case or used in spell-work to bring about justice, especially when paired with Hematite and/or bloodstone. It is also useful in that it helps to bring problems to light to be addressed before they become bigger. Physically, red jasper strengthens the circulatory system, the liver, and cleanses the blood, and corresponds to the root chakra.
Yellow Jaspers: Highly protective during spiritual work and physical travelling. A great stone for the solar plexus. Used to release toxins, treat the stomach and digestion, and energize the endocrine system.
Black Jasper (also known as Basanite): Perhaps the most mystical Jasper which can be used for scrying and bringing prophetic dreams and visions.
Australian Jasper (also known as Mook Jasper or Mookaite): Is the yellow and red variety. It imparts a healthy desire for new experiences and a calm collectedness with which to face them, which is why I recommend these specimens for Taureans and Cancers, who tend to dislike change; working with this stone can help them become more flexible and versatile. Physically, Australian Jasper can be used as a wound-healer, especially as an elixir, fortifies the immune system, and is said to purify the blood.
Picture Jasper: Carries a particularly nurturing Earth Mother energy which is especially effective in bringing comfort and removing fear. It can also be used to bring feelings to the surface that have been pushed aside. It is best known at the physical level as a cleanser of the kidneys, and a stimulator of the immune system.
Orbicular Jasper: Jasper which contains orbs. Instills patience and encourages taking responsibility for yourself. Physically, used to combat body odor.
Royal Plume Jasper: Said to bring status and power.
Brecciated Jasper (also known as Poppy Jasper): Red Jasper veined with Hematite; sometimes, the Hematite veins form floral markings. Extremely grounding, brings mental clarity, and helps with emotional stability. Poppy Jasper is a motivating stone that gives a boost of adrenaline. It works on the base chakra to either dissipate sexual frustration if this energy center is over-active, or to stimulate sexual libido if it is a little sluggish. This is the perfect stone to ward-off an ex that won't let go. Physically, it supports the digestive, circulatory, and sexual organs, and is one of the best stones for assisting allergies to animals, and can be paired with other allergy-combatting crystals like Apophyllite.
Leopardskin Jasper: A variety of Orbicular Jasper. Brings clarity by showing you what is actually before you and eliminating any ingrained assumptions. A self-development crystal, Leopardskin Jasper reduces insecurity and strengthens your sense of self. It puts you in touch with Jaguar, Panther, Leopard, and Cougar energy if these are your totem animals. Physically, Leopardskin Jasper is used to treat abdominal pain, kidney and gallstones, and assist digestion.
Ocean Jasper: Another variety of Orbicular Jasper. Brings long withheld emotions to the surface to be addressed and healed. Used to heal the female reproductive system, PMS, the digestive tract, eczema and other skin diseases, colds, insomnia, inflammation, and bloating, is said to dissolve cysts and tumors.
Rainforest Jasper: Passes on the wisdom of plants, and helps tap into Grandmother energies and ancestral matriarchs. Rainforest Jasper balances the chakras to bring about emotional stability, and encourages self-acceptance and self-respect, working very much in a feminine way and resonating particularly with females. It is said to balance humidity in an environment, benefit cold and flu, fluid imbalance, and viral infections.
Chohua Jasper: Rare and only available from China, Chohua Jasper is said to represent various types of dragon energy in its various colors. If your integrity or honor have been compromised, wear Chohua Jasper to restore trust in yourself and your reputation. Physically, Chohua Jasper stimulates the kidneys, immune system, heart, and circulation, and strengthens the veins and arteries.
Guinea Fowl Jasper: Another spotted variety of Jasper, Guinea Fowl is commonly recommended stone for those who have suffered trauma. It is a power stone for timid people. Physically, it is said to heal shingles and psoriasis.
Sea Sediment Jasper: A blue variety of Jasper, Sea Sediment Jasper is calming, reassuring, and protective, and sometimes puts you in touch with past life issues.
Cinnabar Jasper: This variety of Jasper is super rare, but worth mentioning. Cinnabar Jasper is a wonderful stone for treating anger and those who perpetually have a short fuse. It treats the blood, circulatory system, liver, and spleen.
Polychrome Jasper: Very protective when travelling between the worlds, Polychrome Jasper is useful for Shamans and those who astral travel.
Kamababa Jasper (also known as Crocodile Jasper, Green Stromatolite, and Nebula Stone): Extremely wise, and useful for Wiccans and Pagans because it aligns you with the natural cycles of the Earth. A fertility stone, Kambaba Jasper can be gridded in the four corners of the garden to see growth, or around the bed to encourage physical fertility.
Ocean Blue Jasper: The source of this stone has become exhausted, so it is extremely rare, but again worth mentioning nonetheless. It is said to protect on both internal and external travels, and put you in touch with orbs and help with decoding their messages.
Bumblebee Jasper: Represents triumph over what is perceived to be impossible, and assists with new projects. A powerful healer of the sacral chakra.
Silver Leaf Jasper: Sometimes considered an agate, Silver Leaf Jasper is the ideal stone for those who are nurturing, but to the extent that they forget to take care of themselves or have a difficult time saying no; another safety amulet that protects on both internals and external travels.
Shell Jasper: Helps with making a safe spiritual connection. Assists the bones, teeth, and spinal alignment as an elixir.
Dalmation Jasper: Sometimes known as just "Dalmation Stone," this guy fortifies the physical body and pulls you out of your head if you have a tendency to get stuck there, combatting a tendency to overthink and overanalyze.
Trummer Jasper: Brings self-confidence and a positive outlook, combatting self-doubt and concerns with self-image. Said to heal chronic and severe illnesses, and counteract viruses and bacteria.
Elephant Skin Jasper: Just mentioned this stone in yesterday's post, Elephant Skin Jasper is helpful in cases of loneliness to help one feel more comfortable in their own company. A useful travel amulet for driving long distances
Flower Jasper: Also mentioned in my last blog post, Flower Jasper is a feel-good stone that brings joy to those who are overly-serious. It encourages self-worth, self-love, and independence.
Picasso Jasper: A form of metamorphic limestone, Picasso Jasper attracts friendship and helps with reconnecting with old friends. It can be paired with Axinite for some extra help.
Spider Jasper: Encourages networking and social interaction. A great stone for uncovering hidden secrets when meditated with.
Zebra Jasper: Helps to ensure the realization of one's plans and dreams by removing self-doubt.
Fancy Jasper: Used to boost mental function and offer help with attending to practical chores and obligations of daily life. It closely resembles Bloodstone.
What a long blog post this turned out to be. While I don't expect you to read this in one sitting, hopefully this acts as a nice reference for you when dealing with the Jasper family. As I said, more extended posts are to come on the various types of Jasper, as I merely scratched the surface here. Thank you for stopping by, and don't forget to follow me on twitter for daily crystal tips at @crystalwitch6. Namaste. ~
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Q&A: CRYSTALS FOR A BREAK-UP
Hey guys, blessings! Today, the moon is void between dreamy Pisces and assertive Aries, leaving you feeling a tad floaty, ungrounded, and unproductive. Grab a fluorite to slice through mental fog (atacamite works great, too, for a rarer option) and keep your favorite grounding crystal on you as well (smoky quartz, hematite, black tourmaline, black onyx, carnelian, agate...to name a few.)
Before I get started with today's question, I wanted to let you know that I am now on twitter (@crystalwitch6) - you can follow me for quick little daily crystal tips and astrological info. I am also going to start accepting specific crystal related questions that you may have and addressing them in my blog posts, so please feel free to contact me through twitter with your questions - crystals for specific purposes, a specific crystal you would like to see a post about, or anything else you may be wanting to know. There is now a more direct line through which to contact me.
Today, I'm going to respond to a very good question that I received today. The question was: "My sister has recently gone through a break-up and is having a really hard time - emotionally, she's not in a good place. I'm a little worried about her doing something silly out of loneliness, like jumping into a new, equally unhealthy relationship just to rebound. I know her situation is difficult, but I would like to see her grow from this and handle it in a positive manner. What would be a good crystal for her?"
So... there are A LOT of ways I could approach this question. First, let's address the first part: crystals for a break-up. This is a really common question that I get all the time. My first recommendation for soothing the pain associated with a break-up is rose quartz. If there's a hurt in your heart chakra, regardless of what it is, reach for your Rose Quartz - this is your go-to stone for all emotional healing. Green Aventurine is often credited for its rightful title as the luckiest of all crystals, but its important association with the heart chakra and emotional healing is sometimes overlooked. Green Aventurine is another good crystal to reach for whenever you need any sort of emotional healing, but is particularly effective in dispersing the pain associated with a relationship break-up. These two crystals are extremely common, and I recommend both for the beginner, and if you don't have them, they're super readily available and affordable. If you have a little bit more of an advanced crystal collection, Diopside, Aegirine, Moss Agate, Jet and Iolite are a few other really good crystals for mending a broken heart.
So now, we've addressed her broken heart, but it sounds like there is an underlying emotional pattern that concerns you with your sister - it sounds like she could use a loving stone to help restore her sense of self-worth and self-love, which have become compromised following her upsetting break-up. Elephant Skin Jasper and Flower Jasper are two of my favorite members of the Jasper family and would both benefit your sister in this case. Elephant Skin Jasper helps to alleviate loneliness, restores self-confidence, and helps you to become contented with your own company. Flower Jasper takes it a step further and helps to increase one's sense of self-worth and self-love. It also mends a broken heart in addition to quieting the self-doubt one is often left with when a relationship fails. Therefore, it is frequently recommended for this exact predicament - it promotes independence, self-love, and mends a broken heart, hitting all of the bases. Some other crystals I like to recommend for independence are Budd Stone, Golden Beryl, Iolite, Ocean Jasper, and Jade, and Chrysocolla makes an excellent personal power stone, especially chrysocolla with quartz.
You might be left wondering how your sister should work with these crystals. One suggestion is meditation. A fifteen minute meditation session each night with a rose quartz on her chest will help to gradually heal the trauma left in her emotional body. Another suggestion - and the one I always recommend above all the others - is throwing these crystals into a mojo bag with some dried herbs of your choosing and a few drops of essential oil. The mojo bag can then be carried with her everywhere she goes. You could also make any of these crystals into elixirs (see my blog post on this.) Chrysocolla, however, is not elixir-safe due to its copper content, but the rest should be fine. Just use the indirect method of elixir-making if you're nervous (or, skip the elixir and work with the crystals in a mojo bag, body layouts, or meditation.)
So I certainly hope this was helpful to this questioner and anyone else who may have been wondering about useful crystals for relationship break-ups. Don't forget to send me your own questions through twitter (@crystalwitch6), and I will give an in-depth response here on the blog. Thanks for stopping ~
Before I get started with today's question, I wanted to let you know that I am now on twitter (@crystalwitch6) - you can follow me for quick little daily crystal tips and astrological info. I am also going to start accepting specific crystal related questions that you may have and addressing them in my blog posts, so please feel free to contact me through twitter with your questions - crystals for specific purposes, a specific crystal you would like to see a post about, or anything else you may be wanting to know. There is now a more direct line through which to contact me.
Today, I'm going to respond to a very good question that I received today. The question was: "My sister has recently gone through a break-up and is having a really hard time - emotionally, she's not in a good place. I'm a little worried about her doing something silly out of loneliness, like jumping into a new, equally unhealthy relationship just to rebound. I know her situation is difficult, but I would like to see her grow from this and handle it in a positive manner. What would be a good crystal for her?"
So... there are A LOT of ways I could approach this question. First, let's address the first part: crystals for a break-up. This is a really common question that I get all the time. My first recommendation for soothing the pain associated with a break-up is rose quartz. If there's a hurt in your heart chakra, regardless of what it is, reach for your Rose Quartz - this is your go-to stone for all emotional healing. Green Aventurine is often credited for its rightful title as the luckiest of all crystals, but its important association with the heart chakra and emotional healing is sometimes overlooked. Green Aventurine is another good crystal to reach for whenever you need any sort of emotional healing, but is particularly effective in dispersing the pain associated with a relationship break-up. These two crystals are extremely common, and I recommend both for the beginner, and if you don't have them, they're super readily available and affordable. If you have a little bit more of an advanced crystal collection, Diopside, Aegirine, Moss Agate, Jet and Iolite are a few other really good crystals for mending a broken heart.
So now, we've addressed her broken heart, but it sounds like there is an underlying emotional pattern that concerns you with your sister - it sounds like she could use a loving stone to help restore her sense of self-worth and self-love, which have become compromised following her upsetting break-up. Elephant Skin Jasper and Flower Jasper are two of my favorite members of the Jasper family and would both benefit your sister in this case. Elephant Skin Jasper helps to alleviate loneliness, restores self-confidence, and helps you to become contented with your own company. Flower Jasper takes it a step further and helps to increase one's sense of self-worth and self-love. It also mends a broken heart in addition to quieting the self-doubt one is often left with when a relationship fails. Therefore, it is frequently recommended for this exact predicament - it promotes independence, self-love, and mends a broken heart, hitting all of the bases. Some other crystals I like to recommend for independence are Budd Stone, Golden Beryl, Iolite, Ocean Jasper, and Jade, and Chrysocolla makes an excellent personal power stone, especially chrysocolla with quartz.
You might be left wondering how your sister should work with these crystals. One suggestion is meditation. A fifteen minute meditation session each night with a rose quartz on her chest will help to gradually heal the trauma left in her emotional body. Another suggestion - and the one I always recommend above all the others - is throwing these crystals into a mojo bag with some dried herbs of your choosing and a few drops of essential oil. The mojo bag can then be carried with her everywhere she goes. You could also make any of these crystals into elixirs (see my blog post on this.) Chrysocolla, however, is not elixir-safe due to its copper content, but the rest should be fine. Just use the indirect method of elixir-making if you're nervous (or, skip the elixir and work with the crystals in a mojo bag, body layouts, or meditation.)
So I certainly hope this was helpful to this questioner and anyone else who may have been wondering about useful crystals for relationship break-ups. Don't forget to send me your own questions through twitter (@crystalwitch6), and I will give an in-depth response here on the blog. Thanks for stopping ~
Saturday, June 18, 2016
YOUR GUIDE TO MOONSTONE
Hi there, thanks for coming by. I hope you are enjoying the lighthearted Sagittarius moon, which brings a much-needed sigh of relief between two intense lunar periods (the moon in Scorpio makes everyone intense and oversensitive, and the Capricorn moon can render us earthlings a little down in the dumps.) Of course, the Sagittarius moon is not without its own perils - we all have a tendency to blurt out whatever comes to mind (don't go around asking everyone if they like your new haircut unless you're okay with receiving an honest answer!) Just make sure to be careful about what you say, in fear of hurting the more sensitive souls around you (in particular, watch out for those Scorps and Cancers). Such folks might benefit from the energy of Aragonite, Fluorite, or Colorless Beryl to help them recover from the blunt remarks made under this moon, and the rest of us should work with Atlantasite to help us think before we speak.
I always try not to go on an astrological rant - this blog was intended to be devoted entirely to crystal healing and magic - but I simply must note the exciting blessing that is to overcome us earthlings this coming Monday, the twentieth. Not only is it the summer solstice - the longest day of the year, and one full of magic and power - but it is a full moon AND falls on a Monday (Monday is the day of the moon, so I always consider Monday full moons to be especially powerful.) But woah. Talk about some intense energy.
Often, when people hear "full moon," they run to the corner of the room to assume fetal position and cry for their mamas. Full moons, however, are nothing to fear (except the Scorpio full moon - I dread that baby the entire calendar year, and remind myself in all caps on my calendar two weeks before it arrives that this dreaded period is approaching along with its lovely side effects). Otherwise, the day of a full moon is one of magic and power. Use it. Don't fear it. Besides, this particular full moon is in Sagittarius which - as I just said - is perhaps the moon's most laid-back residence.
I apologize for this exceptionally long intro (but not really - if there's one thing that nearly rivals my love for crystals, it's astrology, and specifically Mama Moon). However, you will perhaps be relieved to hear that this rant was not unrelated to the crystal that we're going to talk about today, which is the crystalline embodiment of the moon - you guessed it. Moonstone.
Moonstone is a common feldspar mineral with a hardness of 6-6.5 on the Moh's scale - which is important to know, because it indicates that this baby is tough enough to withstand a cleansing via salt water if this is your preferred method. This is traditionally an important stone for love, especially in India and Europe where it was used as love tokens for newly weds to bless their marriage, and also endowed their beholder with psychic abilities when placed in the mouth on the night of a full moon. Moonstone remains a favorite of crystal workers today, and is particularly important to witches and those involved in spirituality and magic.
If you know anything about the symbolism of the moon, then you already know quite a bit about moonstone. It is an extremely feminine crystal, emitting powerful yin energy that can be used to temper a dominance of yang energy in the personality regardless of your physical gender. If you have the tendency to be overly assertive, aggressive, or macho, it is likely you have an overabundance of yang energy in your personality, and moonstone is the perfect crystal companion to wear or carry to mitigate this.
I just mentioned that moonstone holds a particular importance for witches and those interested in the more spiritual/metaphysical side of crystals. This is because moonstone is wonderful for fine-tuning your metaphysical abilities, from intuition (always go with your gut when wearing or carrying moon stone) to clairvoyance and psychic abilities when placed on the third eye for long periods of time in meditation. While A LOT of crystals can be used to draw out your latent psychic abilities, moonstone in particular helps with divining the future and quite literally gives you the powers of the moon. In meditation, it can be used to bring forth what is already unconsciously known.
Perhaps the most important aspect of moonstone's energetic signature is that it has an extraordinary ability to calm and stabilize the emotions, calming overreactions and turbulent behaviors. When placed on the solar plexus chakra in a healing layout (about where the diaphragm is, in the center of the torso) moonstone can help move one on from negative emotional patterns, bringing them to the surface to be acknowledged and transmuted.
Physically, moonstone is perhaps the very best stone for treating and supporting the female reproductive system and all its functions - it is said to assist PMS, conception, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, fertility, and all menstrual problems. It is also helps to soothe the digestive system, and is a very calming stone for hyperactivity, particularly in children, and can be added to a mojo bag with neutralizing black agate and another calming crystal (like Amethyst, Rose Quartz, or Howlite) and some dried lavender. Traditionally, moonstone by the bed was said to prevent sleepwalking and the elixir was ingested to fight insomnia. This is still a good recommendation, and moonstone is eixir-safe, but placing a tumbled specimen under the pillow or beside the bed will also work just as well.
As is the case with some crystals, Moonstone comes with a disclaimer. First of all, this stone increases in power when the moon is full, so moonstone jewelry may need to be removed on the night of a full moon simply because it may be unpleasant for those not wishing to experience its energy signature. Additionally, it can sometimes gloss over situations and cause its beholder to be disillusioned.
Not to be overlooked is Rainbow moonstone, which is basically white labradorite. While similar, Rainbow moonstone is a little bit rarer (though still pretty easily obtained) and perhaps more intense. Like common moonstone, it provides insight and stimulates psychic abilities, and likewise becomes more powerful on the night of a full moon and may therefore need to be removed.
In terms of cleansing, moonstone is not picky - as I mentioned, it is hard enough to withstand the abrasiveness of a salt-water cleanse. Obviously, moonstone (both the common and rainbow variety) charge up very well under the moonlight, and they aren't particularly efficient absorbers of negative energy, so additional cleansing may not be necessary (but use your judgment.)
So that's a little bit about moonstone - your talisman for yin energy, intuition, and emotional stability. Hopefully you found this blog post helpful and if not, there is plenty of information on moonstone out there. Any crystal book you come across will include it.
Thanks for stopping. Crystal blessings and happy summer solstice. ~
I always try not to go on an astrological rant - this blog was intended to be devoted entirely to crystal healing and magic - but I simply must note the exciting blessing that is to overcome us earthlings this coming Monday, the twentieth. Not only is it the summer solstice - the longest day of the year, and one full of magic and power - but it is a full moon AND falls on a Monday (Monday is the day of the moon, so I always consider Monday full moons to be especially powerful.) But woah. Talk about some intense energy.
Often, when people hear "full moon," they run to the corner of the room to assume fetal position and cry for their mamas. Full moons, however, are nothing to fear (except the Scorpio full moon - I dread that baby the entire calendar year, and remind myself in all caps on my calendar two weeks before it arrives that this dreaded period is approaching along with its lovely side effects). Otherwise, the day of a full moon is one of magic and power. Use it. Don't fear it. Besides, this particular full moon is in Sagittarius which - as I just said - is perhaps the moon's most laid-back residence.
I apologize for this exceptionally long intro (but not really - if there's one thing that nearly rivals my love for crystals, it's astrology, and specifically Mama Moon). However, you will perhaps be relieved to hear that this rant was not unrelated to the crystal that we're going to talk about today, which is the crystalline embodiment of the moon - you guessed it. Moonstone.
Moonstone is a common feldspar mineral with a hardness of 6-6.5 on the Moh's scale - which is important to know, because it indicates that this baby is tough enough to withstand a cleansing via salt water if this is your preferred method. This is traditionally an important stone for love, especially in India and Europe where it was used as love tokens for newly weds to bless their marriage, and also endowed their beholder with psychic abilities when placed in the mouth on the night of a full moon. Moonstone remains a favorite of crystal workers today, and is particularly important to witches and those involved in spirituality and magic.
If you know anything about the symbolism of the moon, then you already know quite a bit about moonstone. It is an extremely feminine crystal, emitting powerful yin energy that can be used to temper a dominance of yang energy in the personality regardless of your physical gender. If you have the tendency to be overly assertive, aggressive, or macho, it is likely you have an overabundance of yang energy in your personality, and moonstone is the perfect crystal companion to wear or carry to mitigate this.
I just mentioned that moonstone holds a particular importance for witches and those interested in the more spiritual/metaphysical side of crystals. This is because moonstone is wonderful for fine-tuning your metaphysical abilities, from intuition (always go with your gut when wearing or carrying moon stone) to clairvoyance and psychic abilities when placed on the third eye for long periods of time in meditation. While A LOT of crystals can be used to draw out your latent psychic abilities, moonstone in particular helps with divining the future and quite literally gives you the powers of the moon. In meditation, it can be used to bring forth what is already unconsciously known.
Perhaps the most important aspect of moonstone's energetic signature is that it has an extraordinary ability to calm and stabilize the emotions, calming overreactions and turbulent behaviors. When placed on the solar plexus chakra in a healing layout (about where the diaphragm is, in the center of the torso) moonstone can help move one on from negative emotional patterns, bringing them to the surface to be acknowledged and transmuted.
Physically, moonstone is perhaps the very best stone for treating and supporting the female reproductive system and all its functions - it is said to assist PMS, conception, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, fertility, and all menstrual problems. It is also helps to soothe the digestive system, and is a very calming stone for hyperactivity, particularly in children, and can be added to a mojo bag with neutralizing black agate and another calming crystal (like Amethyst, Rose Quartz, or Howlite) and some dried lavender. Traditionally, moonstone by the bed was said to prevent sleepwalking and the elixir was ingested to fight insomnia. This is still a good recommendation, and moonstone is eixir-safe, but placing a tumbled specimen under the pillow or beside the bed will also work just as well.
As is the case with some crystals, Moonstone comes with a disclaimer. First of all, this stone increases in power when the moon is full, so moonstone jewelry may need to be removed on the night of a full moon simply because it may be unpleasant for those not wishing to experience its energy signature. Additionally, it can sometimes gloss over situations and cause its beholder to be disillusioned.
Not to be overlooked is Rainbow moonstone, which is basically white labradorite. While similar, Rainbow moonstone is a little bit rarer (though still pretty easily obtained) and perhaps more intense. Like common moonstone, it provides insight and stimulates psychic abilities, and likewise becomes more powerful on the night of a full moon and may therefore need to be removed.
In terms of cleansing, moonstone is not picky - as I mentioned, it is hard enough to withstand the abrasiveness of a salt-water cleanse. Obviously, moonstone (both the common and rainbow variety) charge up very well under the moonlight, and they aren't particularly efficient absorbers of negative energy, so additional cleansing may not be necessary (but use your judgment.)
So that's a little bit about moonstone - your talisman for yin energy, intuition, and emotional stability. Hopefully you found this blog post helpful and if not, there is plenty of information on moonstone out there. Any crystal book you come across will include it.
Thanks for stopping. Crystal blessings and happy summer solstice. ~
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
MY RECOMMENDED READING LIST
Today, the moon is waxing through the sign LIBRA, so this is a really good time to cuddle up to your sweetie or a good friend - more than anything right now, we really want to spend time relating to others - just be careful not to get so caught up in showing friends and fam how much you love them that you forget about yourself. Heliodor is my favorite independence crystal, and Chrysoprase helps one to maintain their independence within a romantic relationship. You can benefit from the energies of these two crystals now.
For a while now, I have wanted to do a blog post dedicated to revealing to you the contents of my crystal library. For those just starting out with crystals, you can benefit from this list because my descriptions and reviews of the books will help you to decide which book best satisfies your current needs. For the intermediate and advanced crystal workers, reading my list should be even more fun; I always love to know what my fellow crystal lovers are reading.
Not to suggest that the below books are the ONLY ones on the subject - in fact, quite the opposite. There are many others. These are just the books that have made their way to me along my crystal journey. If your favorite book is missing from my list, it doesn't mean I dislike it - it simply means I have not read it. As always, feel free to comment below with any recommendations you have for me or the other readers of this blog - I would love to hear what you're reading.
So, without further adue, below is a complete list of the books in my crystal library and a little bit about them. They are not in any specific order. For each book, I will recommend a stage on your crystal journey in which to read the book, what I consider to be the books strengths and weaknesses (that is, what you can use it for, and what you may want to consult another source to find out), and whether or not it makes an effective reference book for at-a-glance searching. Let's get started.
1.) THE BOOK OF STONES: WHO THEY ARE & WHAT THEY TEACH by Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian.
Recommended For: Intermediates
Reference Book: Yes, but a little more detailed than a typical reference book.
Strengths: Goes into great detail of the stone's overall energy signature. Touches on practical as well as spiritual uses for the crystal. Unique in that his information comes from channeling and personal experience with the crystals rather than the same information other crystal books are based on.
Weaknesses: Includes the trademarked crystals. Physical healing tips for crystals are slightly underdeveloped. Sometimes uses New Age jargon and touches more on the big picture, so more recommended for intermediate practitioners that have the basics down.
This book is easily a favorite among Crystal Workers, and a lot of you probably own - or have at least heard of - this work. For each crystal, Robert Simmons picks a few key words, an elemental association, and a chakra association, and then provides useful information regarding the stone's minerology before diving deeper into its energetic signature. What I like about this book is that it makes a convenient reference book if you're wanting a straightforward, alphabetized list of crystals and their properties. However, that being said, he goes into detail that some other books on this list do not, really explaining the overall energetic signature of the crystal and why it works the way it works, while still providing straightforward information easily understandable at a glance. This book is important to add to your collection because a lot of crystal books tend to be repetitive in the information they deliver, as many are based off of the same information and what has already been said about crystals. Robert Simmons, however, bases his book on personal experiences and meditations with the crystals. My only beef with Robert Simmons is that he promotes the use of the trademarked crystals, and is in fact in association with the company that trademarks them. As I extensively discuss in my blogpost on the subject, I am very much against trademarking crystals because it is confusing, misleading, and unnecessary - the trademarked stones are merely already discovered minerals assigned new names and deemed somehow more powerful by their trademarkers. So, while I skip the chapters on the trademarked crystals when I use this book, it remains one of my favorites - it is informative, reflective, while still straightforward enough to be used as a reference book.
2.) THE COMPLETE CRYSTAL HANDBOOK by Cassandra Eason.
Recommended For: Beginners
Reference Book: Yes
Strengths: Delivers quick, easy, practical tips. Covers a great deal of information and over 500 crystals.
Weaknesses: While she quickly covers a great deal of information (mental, emotional, spiritual, magickal, practical, and physical uses for the crystal), inherently, not one of these sects is fully developed or described; in this sense, this book merely scratches the surface, which is why it is perfect for beginners and as a reference guide.
For crystal enthusiasts that are uninterested in New Age jargon and energy signatures, this is your book. I think this book is vastly underrated; I have never really heard of any other crystal workers using it, but it was one of the first to find me and remains one of my favorites. Cassandra Eason provides extremely practical, specific tips for each crystal. The selection of crystals she covers is more extensive than any other crystal book I own. I will say, however, that I tend not to reach for this book when I'm looking for a crystal recommendation for a physical dis-ease, as Cassandra Eason is a little more interested in magickal and practical uses for crystals than their physical healing properties. But, for witches and those interested in integrating crystals into their everyday life in practical ways with minimal confusion, Cassandra Eason provides straightforward and specific tips that you will find useful.
3.) CRYSTAL ENERGY: 150 WAYS TO BRING SUCCES, LOVE, HEALTH, AND HARMONY INTO YOUR LIFE by Mary Lambert.
Recommended For: Intermediate; not complicated, but requires a developed crystal collection to be relevant.
Reference Book: Yes, but for crystals for various properties, not properties of various crystals.
Strengths: Everything - I love this book.
Weaknesses: None - get it.
This is not a reference book, nor is it a book you will want to pick up for an in-depth description on a specific crystal. Rather, this is a nice complement to your reference books like the previous two I mentioned, as it contains Mary Lambert's crystal recommendations for various purposes, from studying to soothing a sore throat. Therefore, I would recommend obtaining this book only after you have a fairly developed crystal collection - I open a random page every day and always love her informative and interesting tips on new ways I can use the crystals in my collection. She is solid, respectable, and unique among the other voices in the crystal healing community. If you are more interested in learning about crystals for specific purposes than uses for specific crystals, this is the book you want. I also appreciate that, like Cassandra Eason, Mary Lambert refrains from using New-Agey lingo that can be confusing to the average Joe Schmo who wants to incorporate crystals into his life in practical ways.
4.) HEALING CRYSTALS: THE A-Z GUIDE TO 43O GEMSTONES and CRYSTAL POWER, CRYSTAL HEALING:THE COMPLETE HANDBOOK, both by Michael Gienger.
Recommended For: Beginners
Reference Book: Yes.
Strengths: Very straightforward and perfect for a beginner who does not want to drown in too much information. The former of the two books I mentioned is very small, and is therefore portable, so makes a perfect on-the-go reference book for when you're crystal shopping.
Weaknesses: The former of the two books is less appropriate for intermediate or advanced crystal workers, as they will likely find it overly simple. The latter of the two books can be repetitive, often intersecting with the information of other crystal books, and does not cover a diverse range of crystals, discussing only the more common ones.
The former of the two is a very small reference book which delivers a few tidbits of information on each crystal along with its rarity and minerology. The cool thing about this book is that it covers 430 gemstones (which is quite a lot for one book) and is portable. The latter of the two books is a little more appropriate for intermediate crystal practitioners. It is divided into three parts: the first part discusses the pure science of crystals, the second part discusses the theory of crystal healing itself, and the final part dives into a selected list of crystals and their properties. My only critique of this list is that a.) it only covers the more common crystals, again making it more appropriate for a beginner, and b.) it tends to be repetitive in its information, often intersecting with the work of Judy Hall and other writers - therefore, I don't know that you need both works. Of course, it's always good to read as many different perspectives on crystal healing as you possibly can, and the first two parts of this book are what make it unique among the others on the shelves. I am very much a fan of Michael Gienger and might even recommend this book over those which contain similar information.
5.) HEALING CRYSTALS AND GEMSTONES FROM AMETHYST TO ZIRCON by Dr. Flora Peschek-Bohmer and Gisela Schreiber.
Recommended For: Beginners
Reference Book: Yes
Strengths: Includes detailed zodiac sign recommendations and suggestions on a cleansing method.
Weaknesses: The information sometimes seems to be a little bit off.
This book is definitely cool, listing several magickal and healing properties and even including detailed zodiac sign recommendations, chakra classifications, and recommended cleansing methods for each stone it explores. However, I will say that this is the only book on this list whose information I straight-up don't always agree with. It also seems to conflict sometimes with the information I'm getting in other crystal books - this might be a good thing, but it also makes me wonder - if every other book is in agreeance, and this one book seems to be alone out in left field, it is clear who is likely the more questionable source. Therefore, I don't know that the information in this book is always spot-on, but it is nevertheless helpful and fun for a crystal beginner who wants practical recommendations and tips delivered in a clear, straightforward manner.
6.) ANYTHING BY JUDY HALL.
Recommended For: The Crystal Bible is for beginners, The Crystal Bible 2 is for intermediates, and The Crystal Bible 3 is for advanced.
Reference Book: Yes
Strengths: Between the three editions, a vast amount of crystals are covered, and a great deal of useful information is given on each crystal; this information is also well-organized.
Weaknesses: Merely scratches the surface and does not always offer needed further explanation; often hides behind New Age jargon that can be confusing to the beginner.
I have many of her books, but lets stick to THE CRYSTAL BIBLE and the following two editions. The three Crystal Bibles target different audiences; the first bible is a reference book for the more common crystals, and the crystals explored become increasingly rare with each edition; The Crystal Bible 3 only discusses rather rare crystals and is therefore only relevant to a more advanced crystal practitioner/collector. My favorite thing about Judy Hall is that her information is solid and well organized. My only complaint is that she sometimes uses too much New Age jargon and, unlike Robert Simmons, does not clarify or further explain herself, making her books a little confusing to the crystal beginner. Also, because this is a reference book, it merely scratches the surface. It is, however, definitely a handy little guide for when you want to read all about a crystal you have just purchased. The Encylopedia of Crystals is basically a condensed version of the 3 Crystal Bibles, but perhaps misses some of the rarer crystals covered in The Crystal Bible 3.
7.) GEMS OF THE 7 COLOR RAYS by Willim C. Stuber.
Recommended For: Intermediate and Advanced.
Reference Book: No
Strengths: Everything - get it.
Weaknesses: None.
This is the book you want if you are more interested in holistic healing as a whole and want to do far more than just scratch the surface. William C. Stuber goes in depth in discussing color therapy and how this relates to crystal healing, and discusses (in GREAT detail unmatched by any other book on this list) a few crystals that most strongly contain a certain color ray, and how this can then be used to heal. While certainly not appropriate for the beginner who just wants to know the properties of the three crystals in their collection, this is the ideal companion for the serious holistic healer that wants to change their life with crystals and understand how/why all of this works.
8.) THE HEALING POWER OF GEMSTONES IN TANTRA, AYURVEDA, AND ASTROLOGY by Haris Johari.
Recommended For: Advanced
Reference Book: No
Strengths: Everything
Weaknesses: None
This book is too intense to briefly summarize; in fact, I have started reading it several times before realizing I'm not quite ready for it, and setting it aside. It explores the magickal properties and associations of several gemstones, with an Eastern flare. Johari's perspective is a unique one unlike that of any other writer on this list, so I highly recommend adding this book to your library, especially if Eastern myth appeals to you.
So hopefully you find this list to be helpful. These are the crystal books that got me where I am today with my crystal knowledge (along with a dose of personal experience, online researching, and speaking with other crystal lovers.) As I said, if you have any recommendations, feel free to comment below and help out any beginner that may be frequenting the blog (and me - I wanna know what you're reading!). Go grab yourself a cup of tea and give one of these books a read and let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping. ~
For a while now, I have wanted to do a blog post dedicated to revealing to you the contents of my crystal library. For those just starting out with crystals, you can benefit from this list because my descriptions and reviews of the books will help you to decide which book best satisfies your current needs. For the intermediate and advanced crystal workers, reading my list should be even more fun; I always love to know what my fellow crystal lovers are reading.
Not to suggest that the below books are the ONLY ones on the subject - in fact, quite the opposite. There are many others. These are just the books that have made their way to me along my crystal journey. If your favorite book is missing from my list, it doesn't mean I dislike it - it simply means I have not read it. As always, feel free to comment below with any recommendations you have for me or the other readers of this blog - I would love to hear what you're reading.
So, without further adue, below is a complete list of the books in my crystal library and a little bit about them. They are not in any specific order. For each book, I will recommend a stage on your crystal journey in which to read the book, what I consider to be the books strengths and weaknesses (that is, what you can use it for, and what you may want to consult another source to find out), and whether or not it makes an effective reference book for at-a-glance searching. Let's get started.
1.) THE BOOK OF STONES: WHO THEY ARE & WHAT THEY TEACH by Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian.
Recommended For: Intermediates
Reference Book: Yes, but a little more detailed than a typical reference book.
Strengths: Goes into great detail of the stone's overall energy signature. Touches on practical as well as spiritual uses for the crystal. Unique in that his information comes from channeling and personal experience with the crystals rather than the same information other crystal books are based on.
Weaknesses: Includes the trademarked crystals. Physical healing tips for crystals are slightly underdeveloped. Sometimes uses New Age jargon and touches more on the big picture, so more recommended for intermediate practitioners that have the basics down.
This book is easily a favorite among Crystal Workers, and a lot of you probably own - or have at least heard of - this work. For each crystal, Robert Simmons picks a few key words, an elemental association, and a chakra association, and then provides useful information regarding the stone's minerology before diving deeper into its energetic signature. What I like about this book is that it makes a convenient reference book if you're wanting a straightforward, alphabetized list of crystals and their properties. However, that being said, he goes into detail that some other books on this list do not, really explaining the overall energetic signature of the crystal and why it works the way it works, while still providing straightforward information easily understandable at a glance. This book is important to add to your collection because a lot of crystal books tend to be repetitive in the information they deliver, as many are based off of the same information and what has already been said about crystals. Robert Simmons, however, bases his book on personal experiences and meditations with the crystals. My only beef with Robert Simmons is that he promotes the use of the trademarked crystals, and is in fact in association with the company that trademarks them. As I extensively discuss in my blogpost on the subject, I am very much against trademarking crystals because it is confusing, misleading, and unnecessary - the trademarked stones are merely already discovered minerals assigned new names and deemed somehow more powerful by their trademarkers. So, while I skip the chapters on the trademarked crystals when I use this book, it remains one of my favorites - it is informative, reflective, while still straightforward enough to be used as a reference book.
2.) THE COMPLETE CRYSTAL HANDBOOK by Cassandra Eason.
Recommended For: Beginners
Reference Book: Yes
Strengths: Delivers quick, easy, practical tips. Covers a great deal of information and over 500 crystals.
Weaknesses: While she quickly covers a great deal of information (mental, emotional, spiritual, magickal, practical, and physical uses for the crystal), inherently, not one of these sects is fully developed or described; in this sense, this book merely scratches the surface, which is why it is perfect for beginners and as a reference guide.
For crystal enthusiasts that are uninterested in New Age jargon and energy signatures, this is your book. I think this book is vastly underrated; I have never really heard of any other crystal workers using it, but it was one of the first to find me and remains one of my favorites. Cassandra Eason provides extremely practical, specific tips for each crystal. The selection of crystals she covers is more extensive than any other crystal book I own. I will say, however, that I tend not to reach for this book when I'm looking for a crystal recommendation for a physical dis-ease, as Cassandra Eason is a little more interested in magickal and practical uses for crystals than their physical healing properties. But, for witches and those interested in integrating crystals into their everyday life in practical ways with minimal confusion, Cassandra Eason provides straightforward and specific tips that you will find useful.
3.) CRYSTAL ENERGY: 150 WAYS TO BRING SUCCES, LOVE, HEALTH, AND HARMONY INTO YOUR LIFE by Mary Lambert.
Recommended For: Intermediate; not complicated, but requires a developed crystal collection to be relevant.
Reference Book: Yes, but for crystals for various properties, not properties of various crystals.
Strengths: Everything - I love this book.
Weaknesses: None - get it.
This is not a reference book, nor is it a book you will want to pick up for an in-depth description on a specific crystal. Rather, this is a nice complement to your reference books like the previous two I mentioned, as it contains Mary Lambert's crystal recommendations for various purposes, from studying to soothing a sore throat. Therefore, I would recommend obtaining this book only after you have a fairly developed crystal collection - I open a random page every day and always love her informative and interesting tips on new ways I can use the crystals in my collection. She is solid, respectable, and unique among the other voices in the crystal healing community. If you are more interested in learning about crystals for specific purposes than uses for specific crystals, this is the book you want. I also appreciate that, like Cassandra Eason, Mary Lambert refrains from using New-Agey lingo that can be confusing to the average Joe Schmo who wants to incorporate crystals into his life in practical ways.
4.) HEALING CRYSTALS: THE A-Z GUIDE TO 43O GEMSTONES and CRYSTAL POWER, CRYSTAL HEALING:THE COMPLETE HANDBOOK, both by Michael Gienger.
Recommended For: Beginners
Reference Book: Yes.
Strengths: Very straightforward and perfect for a beginner who does not want to drown in too much information. The former of the two books I mentioned is very small, and is therefore portable, so makes a perfect on-the-go reference book for when you're crystal shopping.
Weaknesses: The former of the two books is less appropriate for intermediate or advanced crystal workers, as they will likely find it overly simple. The latter of the two books can be repetitive, often intersecting with the information of other crystal books, and does not cover a diverse range of crystals, discussing only the more common ones.
The former of the two is a very small reference book which delivers a few tidbits of information on each crystal along with its rarity and minerology. The cool thing about this book is that it covers 430 gemstones (which is quite a lot for one book) and is portable. The latter of the two books is a little more appropriate for intermediate crystal practitioners. It is divided into three parts: the first part discusses the pure science of crystals, the second part discusses the theory of crystal healing itself, and the final part dives into a selected list of crystals and their properties. My only critique of this list is that a.) it only covers the more common crystals, again making it more appropriate for a beginner, and b.) it tends to be repetitive in its information, often intersecting with the work of Judy Hall and other writers - therefore, I don't know that you need both works. Of course, it's always good to read as many different perspectives on crystal healing as you possibly can, and the first two parts of this book are what make it unique among the others on the shelves. I am very much a fan of Michael Gienger and might even recommend this book over those which contain similar information.
5.) HEALING CRYSTALS AND GEMSTONES FROM AMETHYST TO ZIRCON by Dr. Flora Peschek-Bohmer and Gisela Schreiber.
Recommended For: Beginners
Reference Book: Yes
Strengths: Includes detailed zodiac sign recommendations and suggestions on a cleansing method.
Weaknesses: The information sometimes seems to be a little bit off.
This book is definitely cool, listing several magickal and healing properties and even including detailed zodiac sign recommendations, chakra classifications, and recommended cleansing methods for each stone it explores. However, I will say that this is the only book on this list whose information I straight-up don't always agree with. It also seems to conflict sometimes with the information I'm getting in other crystal books - this might be a good thing, but it also makes me wonder - if every other book is in agreeance, and this one book seems to be alone out in left field, it is clear who is likely the more questionable source. Therefore, I don't know that the information in this book is always spot-on, but it is nevertheless helpful and fun for a crystal beginner who wants practical recommendations and tips delivered in a clear, straightforward manner.
6.) ANYTHING BY JUDY HALL.
Recommended For: The Crystal Bible is for beginners, The Crystal Bible 2 is for intermediates, and The Crystal Bible 3 is for advanced.
Reference Book: Yes
Strengths: Between the three editions, a vast amount of crystals are covered, and a great deal of useful information is given on each crystal; this information is also well-organized.
Weaknesses: Merely scratches the surface and does not always offer needed further explanation; often hides behind New Age jargon that can be confusing to the beginner.
I have many of her books, but lets stick to THE CRYSTAL BIBLE and the following two editions. The three Crystal Bibles target different audiences; the first bible is a reference book for the more common crystals, and the crystals explored become increasingly rare with each edition; The Crystal Bible 3 only discusses rather rare crystals and is therefore only relevant to a more advanced crystal practitioner/collector. My favorite thing about Judy Hall is that her information is solid and well organized. My only complaint is that she sometimes uses too much New Age jargon and, unlike Robert Simmons, does not clarify or further explain herself, making her books a little confusing to the crystal beginner. Also, because this is a reference book, it merely scratches the surface. It is, however, definitely a handy little guide for when you want to read all about a crystal you have just purchased. The Encylopedia of Crystals is basically a condensed version of the 3 Crystal Bibles, but perhaps misses some of the rarer crystals covered in The Crystal Bible 3.
7.) GEMS OF THE 7 COLOR RAYS by Willim C. Stuber.
Recommended For: Intermediate and Advanced.
Reference Book: No
Strengths: Everything - get it.
Weaknesses: None.
This is the book you want if you are more interested in holistic healing as a whole and want to do far more than just scratch the surface. William C. Stuber goes in depth in discussing color therapy and how this relates to crystal healing, and discusses (in GREAT detail unmatched by any other book on this list) a few crystals that most strongly contain a certain color ray, and how this can then be used to heal. While certainly not appropriate for the beginner who just wants to know the properties of the three crystals in their collection, this is the ideal companion for the serious holistic healer that wants to change their life with crystals and understand how/why all of this works.
8.) THE HEALING POWER OF GEMSTONES IN TANTRA, AYURVEDA, AND ASTROLOGY by Haris Johari.
Recommended For: Advanced
Reference Book: No
Strengths: Everything
Weaknesses: None
This book is too intense to briefly summarize; in fact, I have started reading it several times before realizing I'm not quite ready for it, and setting it aside. It explores the magickal properties and associations of several gemstones, with an Eastern flare. Johari's perspective is a unique one unlike that of any other writer on this list, so I highly recommend adding this book to your library, especially if Eastern myth appeals to you.
So hopefully you find this list to be helpful. These are the crystal books that got me where I am today with my crystal knowledge (along with a dose of personal experience, online researching, and speaking with other crystal lovers.) As I said, if you have any recommendations, feel free to comment below and help out any beginner that may be frequenting the blog (and me - I wanna know what you're reading!). Go grab yourself a cup of tea and give one of these books a read and let me know what you think. Thanks for stopping. ~
Friday, June 10, 2016
ALL ABOUT HOWLITE
Crystal blessings! I am a little bit of a wreck right now, as I somehow misplaced my bowl full of tumbled amethyst which I leave out and periodically draw from for healing sessions on myself and others, blessing and empowering food or drinks, grids and body layouts, or just to rub one of the stones when I need a boost of calming energy. I'm heartbroken that I misplaced it! Will you do me a favor and help manifest my bowl of amethyst turning up? Any helpful energy you can send me would be much appreciated.
Moving on, today the moon is waxing through Virgo, so we are all feeling a little health conscious. The energy today is very conducive to starting a new work-out routine or initiating a healthier diet. To help eliminate nasty cravings today, work with Ametrine and Apatite, placing them in your kitchen or tucking them into your pocket to hold when thoughts of potato chips or cheez-its start plaguing you. For your work-out sessions, take some copper or dalmation jasper with you to the gym, to fortify and strengthen your physical body.
But, I digress.
Today I wanted to talk to you about Howlite. I have had my tumbled piece of Howlite for about a year now - the only specimen in my collection - and I noticed yesterday it's starting to collect dust behind my Chalcopyrite, Vera Cruz Amethyst, and Strawberry Quartz. I pulled it out and realized I had not worked with the little guy since adding him to my collection. So, lets turn the spotlight to this underrated crystal beauty and talk a little bit about some of the cool ways you can use your Howlite - and trust me, there is no reason why he should be tucked behind your strawberry quartz collecting dust.
Howlite is a silcate mineral and is rather common as a tumbled stone - pretty much any New Age shop you visit will more than likely have a nice selection of tumbled Howlites. Howlite is white with grey veins, and is often artificially dyed blue to look like turquoise. Interestingly, some crystal healers say that dying Howlite blue, while an artificial process, actually alters its energy. In addition to the other uses of Howlite I will mention below, the blue variety is particularly efficient for helping with dream recall and gaining insight through your dreams.
Howlite has an extremely calming energy. As a result, it is one of the very best crystals to use as an EMOTIONAL STABILIZER of turbulent emotions - so if you're an emotional powerhouse, try carrying a Howlite with you to help temper you a little bit. Albite, moonstone, celestite, and chrysocolla are a few of my other favorite emotional stabilizers, and Howlite can be thrown into a mojo bag with these crystals and some dried lavender. Howlite is particularly effective at mitigating ANGER - not just yours, but also that which is directed toward you. Use it with GARNET for this.
I love to recommend Howlite for insomnia, especially that which is caused by an over-active mind. If you can obtain enough tumbled Howlite specimens, grid them around your bed in a circle, or you could make it into an elixir and sip it about an hour before you go to bed, as Howlite is elixir-safe. You could also keep it simple and place it under pillow along with your amethyst and a few drops of lavender essential oil on the pillow.
Metaphysically, Howlite is a must-have, and a wonderful little companion for your meditation sessions. Because it is so calming, it helps to induce a meditative state and calm an over-active mind. When placed on the third eye, it paves the way for intense inner journeying, and can also assist past life recall. Of course, don't expect to place a Howlite on your third eye and blast outside of your body. If experienced with meditation, however, holding a Howlite for your next session can lead to some pretty cool astral experiences and past-life insights.
Because Howlite has such a calming effect on the emotions, this is a really good crystal to hold or have on your person when talking an issue through with somebody without getting upset.
In terms of Zodiac recommendations, working with Howlite can help make Virgoans a little less critical, and Arians should work with it to help them work on being more selfless.
As I already mentioned, Howlite is elixir-safe, and this is a highly effective way to use this stone's energies.
In terms of cleansing, Howlite is not particularly picky but definitely carries a lunar energy and would appreciate being left out on the night of a full moon. You could also use the traditional method of a salt water cleansing, as Howlite is alright with water contact.
So that's a little bit about Howlite, a super easily obtained crystal that has, within approximately 24 hours of working with it and studying it, become one of my favorites. Go pick one up at your closest New Age shop and let me know what ya think. Thanks for stopping by.
Moving on, today the moon is waxing through Virgo, so we are all feeling a little health conscious. The energy today is very conducive to starting a new work-out routine or initiating a healthier diet. To help eliminate nasty cravings today, work with Ametrine and Apatite, placing them in your kitchen or tucking them into your pocket to hold when thoughts of potato chips or cheez-its start plaguing you. For your work-out sessions, take some copper or dalmation jasper with you to the gym, to fortify and strengthen your physical body.
But, I digress.
Today I wanted to talk to you about Howlite. I have had my tumbled piece of Howlite for about a year now - the only specimen in my collection - and I noticed yesterday it's starting to collect dust behind my Chalcopyrite, Vera Cruz Amethyst, and Strawberry Quartz. I pulled it out and realized I had not worked with the little guy since adding him to my collection. So, lets turn the spotlight to this underrated crystal beauty and talk a little bit about some of the cool ways you can use your Howlite - and trust me, there is no reason why he should be tucked behind your strawberry quartz collecting dust.
Howlite is a silcate mineral and is rather common as a tumbled stone - pretty much any New Age shop you visit will more than likely have a nice selection of tumbled Howlites. Howlite is white with grey veins, and is often artificially dyed blue to look like turquoise. Interestingly, some crystal healers say that dying Howlite blue, while an artificial process, actually alters its energy. In addition to the other uses of Howlite I will mention below, the blue variety is particularly efficient for helping with dream recall and gaining insight through your dreams.
Howlite has an extremely calming energy. As a result, it is one of the very best crystals to use as an EMOTIONAL STABILIZER of turbulent emotions - so if you're an emotional powerhouse, try carrying a Howlite with you to help temper you a little bit. Albite, moonstone, celestite, and chrysocolla are a few of my other favorite emotional stabilizers, and Howlite can be thrown into a mojo bag with these crystals and some dried lavender. Howlite is particularly effective at mitigating ANGER - not just yours, but also that which is directed toward you. Use it with GARNET for this.
I love to recommend Howlite for insomnia, especially that which is caused by an over-active mind. If you can obtain enough tumbled Howlite specimens, grid them around your bed in a circle, or you could make it into an elixir and sip it about an hour before you go to bed, as Howlite is elixir-safe. You could also keep it simple and place it under pillow along with your amethyst and a few drops of lavender essential oil on the pillow.
Metaphysically, Howlite is a must-have, and a wonderful little companion for your meditation sessions. Because it is so calming, it helps to induce a meditative state and calm an over-active mind. When placed on the third eye, it paves the way for intense inner journeying, and can also assist past life recall. Of course, don't expect to place a Howlite on your third eye and blast outside of your body. If experienced with meditation, however, holding a Howlite for your next session can lead to some pretty cool astral experiences and past-life insights.
Because Howlite has such a calming effect on the emotions, this is a really good crystal to hold or have on your person when talking an issue through with somebody without getting upset.
In terms of Zodiac recommendations, working with Howlite can help make Virgoans a little less critical, and Arians should work with it to help them work on being more selfless.
As I already mentioned, Howlite is elixir-safe, and this is a highly effective way to use this stone's energies.
In terms of cleansing, Howlite is not particularly picky but definitely carries a lunar energy and would appreciate being left out on the night of a full moon. You could also use the traditional method of a salt water cleansing, as Howlite is alright with water contact.
So that's a little bit about Howlite, a super easily obtained crystal that has, within approximately 24 hours of working with it and studying it, become one of my favorites. Go pick one up at your closest New Age shop and let me know what ya think. Thanks for stopping by.
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