I have a new addition to my crystal jewelry collection! A red jasper bracelet! Apart from it looking nice with the other three I wear (pink quartz, obsidian, turquoise) it adds the metaphysical properties of bringing physical energy to me, which I sorely need now that I work much longer shifts at my retail job.
Red jasper is known as an enduring stone and along with helping with physical energy, helps with stamina, focus and determination. It can help with detoxifying the circulatory system, and may help with a sluggish libido. Personally, I wouldn’t use it for the last one. There are other stones I find more useful in that department. It’s also thought to absorb negative energy, protect against electromagnetic pollution, and is a good stone for those who are easily overwhelmed. You can find more information on red jasper HERE.
Since I bought the bracelet, I have noticed an increase in my physical energy levels. That isn’t to say that I don’t feel tired at the end of the day, but working seven to nine hour shifts tire me out, especially on the back side of my hour lunch, and I find that drawing on the energy from these stones does help. They give me that extra push to finish off the day. It was a good purchase and I wore it and the others faithfully over the holidays.
Do you wear any crystals? What do you use them for? I’d love to know! Maybe I can add them to my collection.
As February is all about romance, it would be nice to look at the crystal most associated with love; the rose quartz.
Thought to be first used by the Romans and Greeks, this stone has always symbolized emotions connected with the heart; love, romance and nurturing are a few of the ways that this stone can work for you, but it’s not restricted to just romance as there are other forms of love this crystal can help with.
Rose quartz is strongly associated with all types of love, including self-love. It is well known for its therapeutic uses. Platonic love, helping to balance any negativity related to relationships, is another use for this stone. It’s thought that sleeping with a stone under your pillow will help with peaceful rest and inspiration. Many of the healing properties are of soft feminine energy, compassion, and peace and, work to balance the emotional body as well as the physical.
Connected to the Heart Chakra, meditate with rose quartz to bring loving energy into your life. One of the more powerful properties of this stone is its ability to promote trust. Rose quartz helps the wearer understand the reason for mistrust and helps to dispel the underlying emotions. I keep a rose quartz close to my bed to help with restful sleep.
Check out the links below to get more information on rose quartz.
At this time of year, with less sunlight and colder temperatures, it’s easy for some of us to become depressed. There’s a study that shows that seasonal depression is a real thing and it affects millions of people around the world, but there are some subtle ways to help combat this intrusive psychological disorder.
***DISCLAIMER-THIS IS NOT MEANT AS A TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION BUT AS A COMPANION IF YOU ALREADY TAKE MEDICATION. DO NOT STOP TAKING YOUR MEDICATION.***
Depression can manifest in different ways and to different degrees. The most common way to use crystals is by breaking the cycle or shifting one’s thought patterns. This is not something that will happen overnight, and like most self-help practices, it does take some time to train yourself on how to use them. Some people sense a shift or a calmer feeling right away but don’t be discouraged if this doesn’t happen to you. The key is consistency. Keep working with the stones, allow their energy to help you.
All the crystals that I listed I found on several sites. These sites can explain better than I, how these stones work, and they all recommend the same ones. You don’t have to purchase them all, but chose the ones that best fit how you’re feeling.
It’s that time of year, folks! Autumn is upon us, and with it comes the battle between the summer heat and the winter cold. I love everything about autumn; the food, cooler temperatures, the colours but the one thing that gets me every year is how I feel with so much turbulence in the atmosphere. It sounds kookie, but the changing weather patterns really take a toll on me. Emotionally, I’m all over the place, so I’m going to put my stones to work and use their healing abilities.
I did some research online to figure out which stones would work best, and I got about as many different answers as there are web pages. A few were consistent, but I use them for other things as all crystals and stones have several metaphysical properties. It’s why I have so many of them. They all do many things, but I don’t like using the same stone over and over for different things. I could, but that’s just me.
The top three crystals for calming during the autumn are Blue Lace Agate, Blue Calcite, Black Tourmaline, and Howlite. All four invoke calming energy, and I use two for the season, Blue Calcite and Black Tourmaline. I wear Black Tourmaline to work every day but incorporating Blue Calcite will be new. You can see them HERE.
I don’t feel the turmoil while I’m at work (or maybe because there’s so much there it just blends in), but at home, where I’m away from all that mayhem, it really affects me. I can’t focus, I’m anxious, and I feel like I should be doing something. I get the same way when a storm is coming. If I start cleaning the kitchen at 10 pm at night, something’s up.
Do the changing seasons affect you as well? What do you do to relieve the symptoms? I’d love to know. If it works for you then maybe I will add it to my de-stressing routine.
(This is kind of a continuation from my Wiccan post)
Recently, I’ve integrated more crystals to my life. You know how much I LOVE them, and with the ongoing negativity in the world, it was taking a tole on my well-being, so, what’s a better way to counter-act that nastiness, but with banishing, negative-clearing crystals!
I already own a hematite ring, a black tourmaline crystal and an onyx ring (needs to be fixed), but before the holidays I bought a second black tourmaline that I can hand on a chain and a black obsidian bracelet. You can see them HERE.
I know this looks like overkill but considering what each of these stones can do and the fact I work retail, I don’t go to work without them.
As the end of October is the celebration of Soween, I thought I would post this list of crystals that may be useful to you. A few of these stones I use all year long, so they can be utilized for any time you need their energy. If you plan on doing any metaphysical work on the 31st, you might look into using a few of these, depending on what you wish to do.
Soween is the time to communicate with spirits, divination, to honour the ancestors, and to reflect on the past year. There are many crystals whose energy can help, but the list below are ones that I have either used or have a strong connection to the Soween activities.
I’m not sure if I’ll be doing anything extra for this celebration. I just may sit outside and listen to the night with a candle and a few crystals. At this time of year, I find that sometimes, the simpler rites are easier. Especially if I’ve had to work that day as somedays, it can take a few hours to decompress.
Fluorite – Connected to the energies of Neptune, Fluorite is useful in developing psychic abilities. Soween is the perfect time for as this is one of two dates on the wheel where the veil between worlds is at its thinnest.
Obsidian – Obsidian is one of three crystals I use to protect my personal energy. Not only is it a protective stone (actually, its volcanic glass, not a stone), but it also absorbs negative energy.
Smokey Quartz – This crystal is helpful with grounding and meditation. You will need a calm mind for whatever work you plan to do.
Hematite – Another stone is good for focus and grounding.
Labradorite – This crystal is useful for Full moon magic, intuition, divination and help with communicating with the spirit world.
Howlite – This stone is very particular with what it can do. It is connected to and helps with connection to past lives.
Some of the other stones that I researched were:
Amethyst, Lapis Lazuli, and Azurite are all helpful with when asking for psychic insights.
I suggest some meditation prior to attempting any spiritual work. You need to be in the right mindset to understand any information that may be given you.
Citrine can help with enhancing concentration and can help cleanse the negative aspects and doubt of the mind. This is very useful for focusing or with meditation.
Don’t forget to include scents with your work. It will enhance and help you focus on your task. Good luck and have a Blessed Soween!
September is a wild month, in more ways than one. Back to school flurry, gardens are going dormant and the season is noticeably changing. The hot summer days are mixing with cooler weather, and that can bring all sorts of atmospheric energy that can play havoc with your body. The energy of an approaching storm front can mess with me to the point I feel scattered, hyper, and seriously disoriented.
During the fall and spring I like to wear balancing and grounding stones. With everything in such flux, these stones help to keep me focus, especially when the energy level is high. Most of the stones I use are black; black tourmaline and hematite. I wear a hematite ring every day (especially when I go to work), to protect against negative energy. As a bonus, this stone helps combat energy from electronics that can affect one’s aura and physical wellbeing.
I carry a piece of black tourmaline to alleviate stress, think positive, and help with physical ailments. Many of the characteristics of this stone deals with bringing positivity into one’s life, and I find it a great companion stone to the ring.
I found a few web site that lists, in great detail, quite a few stones that can help with just about every calm and balance issue. You can read it them HERE and HERE.
Finding the right stone may take some time as each crystal can help with more than one problem, so it’s nice to have seveal to cover your needs. Also, some stones are more expensive than others and if you’re just starting to collect, try to purchase a less expensive stone, and don’t worry, you’re still recieving the same amount of protection no matter how big or small the stone.
I try to cleanse my more used stones once a month during the full moon. All stones need to be rid of the toxic energy they collect, and all stones should be cleansed once they’re brought home before you use them. Good luck and happy collecting!
I want to take a break from crystals on this post and write about metals. As you all know, I love crystals. I, like million around the globe, believe strongly that they have an effect on the human body, but did you know that metal also has an effect? Just like crystals, metals interact with our personal energy field in much the same way. This is why jewelry can be a powerful talisman as it harnesses both the properties of the stone and the metal.
Like crystals, each type of metal has its associations with colour, positive/negative, planet, etc. One of the best books I’ve found on the subject is Scott Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic. His book is my go-to for any information on crystals and metal; with only sixteen entries but it covers a wide range of elements. Some, I’ve never even heard of, but like a lot of his books, the information is very detailed and in-depth.
From the book, he writes;
‘Metals have been used for thousands of years as tools for hunting and cooking, and they’ve also been used for spiritual connections as well. In ancient times, metals were seen as ‘the flesh of the gods and goddesses’, the bones of the Earth.’**.
One of the uses for crystals is in jewelry, and as all are made with metal, combining them to work with a specific stone can amplify the energy for both. There’s not a bad combination of crystal to metal that I can think of, but you would be wise to choose a metal/crystal combination that are more compatible, for example;
Silver is often the metal of choice for jewelry with a moonstone. They are connected to the moon, and many pieces of Wiccan jewelry for full moon ritual consist of both. Silver and moonstone are also receptive, which means they draw energy toward them. Wiccans wear silver/moonstone jewelry during ritual to connect or receive energy from the Goddess and the moon.
Another popular combination is gold and diamond. Both have projective energy and are ruled by the sun. It’s interesting to note that the magical lore of a diamond doesn’t list love as an attribute (rose quartz is the love stone), but it’s thought that diamonds ensure fidelity, so a man giving his love a diamond ring could signify that the wearer is the only one for them.
Below is a list of the metals Mr. Cunningham has outlined in his book.
Antimony – projective, ruled by the Sun, element of fire. (Caution; Highly toxic)
Boji Stones – projective, ruled by Mars, element of fire & Akasha
Brass – projective, ruled by the Sun, element of fire.
Copper – receptive, ruled by Venus, element of water.
Gold – projective, ruled by the Sun, element of fire.
Iron – projective, ruled by Mars, element of fire.
Lead – receptive, ruled by Saturn, element of earth.
Lodestone – receptive, ruled by Venus, element of water.
Mercury – projective & receptive, ruled by Mercury, element of water, earth, air.
Meteorite – projective, ruled by the universe, element of Akasha, fire.
Pyrite – projective, ruled by Mars, element of fire.
Silver – receptive, ruled by the Moon, element of water.
Steel – projective, ruled by Mars, element of fire.
Tin – projective, ruled by Jupitor, element of air.
I highly recommend picking up Cunningham’s book for more information on metal and the magical properties associated with each. The appendix in the back has six chapters that detail all correspondence to not only the metals but the stones as well. This book is a must have for beginners learning about crystals.
The Aries energy is powerful. We are the FIRE energy. We are the WARRIER energy. We’re feisty, independent and trailblazers. We’re full of ideas and half the time we don’t know where to begin so we try to do it all at once. Our birthstone is the diamond. Hardest natural substance on the planet, and if you’ve ever argued with an Aries, you’ll get a taste of that, but having all that energy isn’t always a good thing and with all the qualities imbued to an Aries, there is a negative side to it all, so here are a few crystals for my fellow Aries to help them navigate those erratic waves.
Aquamarine – Aries are all about fire but sometimes that’s not a good thing. Aquamarine is a WATER stone and can help calm some of those fiery impulses.
Black onyx – This is a good stone to help us find balance in our lives.
Clear quartz – this stone can be used in conjunction with other stones. Everyone should have at least one clear quartz in their collection.
Garnet – This protection stone is the ultimate stone for an Aries. It can enhance the natural energies of our sign.
Red jasper – This stone can temper our minds and let us think clearly, especially when our natural reaction is to do now, think later.
Apart from the Aquamarine and quartz, there’s a colour pattern here-red and black. Two colours that are associated with the Root Chakra, and the primal energies of our bodies. If you’re meditating with one of these stones, use a spicy (patchouli, clove) incense or woody (pine, cedar, bamboo).
These are just a few stones that I found while researching. The link below has several more that help with other aspects of the Aries nature.
I found a new stone when I went to by some new crystals. It’s called Healerite. Healerite is a soft, smooth, yellow/green stone and a form of Serpentine. A few sites I researched refered to it as ‘Nobel Serpentine’ but these sites seemed to copy and paste off the original. Some sites called it a ‘new’ stone, but there were others who claim it’s just Serpentine, but in a different colour. Most of the research I found on it either contributes the metaphysical properties of Serpentine to it, or lists it with so many attributes that it could only be described as a ‘cure-all’ for anything chakra related.
The information on this stone was gathered from Crystalpedia.
CHAKRA(s): Solar Plexus, Heart
ENERGY: Healing, Luck
PROTECTION: Protects Cellular Structure, Shields the Etheric Field, Guards Against Radiation
STIMULATION: Purification, Chakra Alignment, Chakra Energizing, Cleaning of Energy Meridians, Hope, Faith, Emotional Stability, Emotional Healing, Lucid Dreaming, Self-Love, Compassion, Self-Acceptance, Balance, Physical & Etheric Harmonization
METAPHYSICAL PROPERTIES: Restructure misaligned Chakras and meridians, Reinvigorates the etheric bodies, Brings a great beneficial infusion of subtle matter-energy, Offers waves of well-being to the body, mind, and soul
As you can see, there is a lot connected to this stone. Personally, I’m not too sure what it does as I’ve not had the chance to work with it yet. I bought it a short while after the first lockdown was over, to help with weight loss (cos we all ate too much during lockdown) and had to cleanse it with the full moon, but at that point, there was so much political turmoil going on, that I wasn’t in the right mindset to use it. It is worth mentioning that all the sites that offered information on this stone, was just a repeat of each other. Have you worked with this stone? What was your experience?
Darke Conteur is a writer at the mercy of her Muse. The author of stories in several genres, she prefers to create within the realms of Science Fiction and Dark Fantasy. A pagan at heart, her personal goal is to find her balance within nature; exploring the dark through her stories and the light through her beliefs. When not writing, she spends her time collecting crystals, knitting, gardening, cooking and listening to very loud music.
Darke Conteur 