Articles — crystals

Looking for stones for your magickal toolkit? Here’s a crash course in 40 of the most commonly available crystals and gemstones. Working with crystals can improve your personal energy, amp up your spellwork, and help you create the life you desire. This handy guide will help choose the right crystals for you, whatever your goals might be. After you’ve read these crystal meanings, I encourage you to spend some time gazing at and handling your crystals. Crystals are a hands-on, eyes-on, heart-on hobby. One of the best ways to study them is to visit with them. It sounds kooky, I...

Before there were fidget spinners and mind-numbing mobile games, there were worry stones. It’s just about the simplest form of natural medicine! Read on to learn about worry stones and what they can do for you. What’s a Worry Stone? A worry stone is a smooth rock used to soothe stress and anxiety. It is a versatile aid for self-calming and meditation. Worry stones may be as small as a thumbprint or as large as the palm of your hand. Larger worry stones may be called palm stones, and look like the oval-shaped rocks used for stone massage. You can...

A chakra stone set is a small collection of gemstones, in which each stone corresponds to one of the body's subtle energy centers. You've probably seen them for sale in metaphysical shops and online. Chakra stones are used in energy healing and meditation. Witches and Pagans may also use them for spellwork or divination. To the well-practiced crystal user, a chakra set is like a painter's palette. Handling the chakra stones allows the practitioner to focus on a particular vibration (or "color" of energy), quickly accessing it to achieve his or her aims. Making your own chakra set is an...

Collecting crystals can truly enrich your life, but it shouldn't put you in the poorhouse.  Here's some helpful tips for building a mineral collection on a limited budget:  1. Start small.  Consider getting an assortment of tumbled stones, then buying larger specimens of the ones that are the most useful or appealing to you. (That Amethyst cathedral can wait!) If you don't have a crystal shop nearby, you can often find gemstone assortments and build-your-own bins in museum gift shops and other attractions. As you acquire larger pieces, you can pass your smaller stones on to friends, or use them...

Bright and cheery Citrine is a member of the Quartz family. Citrine comes in shades of honey, amber, and deep gold--sometimes with tiny rainbows inside.  It's one of the best stones for attracting positivity, dispelling stale energy, and lifting the mood.  History Some say that Citrine is mentioned in the Bible, but the "golden stone" in Genesis was probably Topaz.  The Romans likely acquired Citrine in trade with the East.  Their jewelers were among the first to regard it as as a precious stone.  Medieval Celts prized Citrine as a health-bringing amulet, and it was thought to ward off poison...