The Powers of Stones

For mental clarity: Amber, Fluorite, Lapis Lazuli, Moonstone,
Silver Topaz, Smoky Quartz.

For productivity: Agate, Garnet, Opal, Rhodolite

Building self esteem: Aventurine, Carnelian, Diamond, Emerald,
Garnet, Spinel.

For feelings of happiness: Agate, Amethyst , Calcite, Diamond,
Jade.

For calmness and balance: Amethyst , Ametrine, Aquamarine,
Citrine , Coral, Diamond, Jade, Malachite, Pink Tourmaline, Tanzanite,
Zircon.

For feelings of strength and confidence: Agate, Amber, Aquamarine,
Carnelian, Diamond, Garnet, Iolite, Malachite, Onyx, Opal, Ruby, Sapphire,
Topaz (blue).

For wisdom: Coral, Jade, Pearl, Sodalite.

For luck: Alexandrite, Amber, Aventurine, Opal, Pearl, Turquoise.

For love and friendship: Alexandrite, Amber, Amethyst , Emerald, Moonstone, Pink Tourmaline, Sapphire, Topaz

For wealth: Aventurine, Calcite, Emerald, Jade, Opal, Pearl, Peridot,
Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz, Tourmaline.

Exploring Your Crystals

For this visualisation exercise, choose one of your favourite crystals, one you already know quite well. A good place to hold the crystal for this exercise is at the solar plexus.

1. Sit in a relaxed comfortable position, holding the stone in both hands. Take a few moments just to relax and focus on the crystal in your hands.

2. Slowly let your awareness float down into the crystal until you reach a point where you seem to come to rest.

3. In your minds eye, identify how the crystal feels to you. is it warm or damp, cool or dry, smooth or rough? Take a minute or two to explore the energy of the crystal through your inner touch.

4. Now relax again and turn your attention to any quality of sound within the crystal, whether it appears to be a tone, a pulse or a tune. Is it high or low? Simple or complex? Listen to the sound of the crystal for a few moments, then relax again.

5. Take a few deep breaths, then imagine you are breathing in the crystal’s energy through your nostrils. What smell, what taste does the crystal have? Can you identify it?

6. Relax once more, then open your inner eyes. Imagine what the structure and the energy of your crystal looks like: the quality of light, the images, the landscapes, scenes and figures that may be related to you. Don’t attempt to analyze what you see. Just let the imagery play before your eyes.

7. Now become aware once more of the crystals taste, its smell, its sounds and its touch. Very gradually bring your awareness out of the crystal and become more aware of your body and the world around you. Record notes in your journal so that you may remember your experiences.

Crystal Purification Incense

2 parts Frankincense

2 parts Copal

1 part Sandalwood

1 part Rosemary

1 pinch finely powdered Salt

1 sm. purified Quartz Crystal point

To use, pour a bit of the incense (leaving the crystal in the jar) onto charcoal. Smolder, and pass the crystals to be purified through the smoke, visualizing the smoke wafting away the stone’s impurities. This incense can be used in conjunction with other recommended purifying rituals, or in place of them.

Incense To Cleanse Crystal Jewelry

2 parts wood aloe

1 part mace (the outside covering of nutmeg)

1 part gum arabic

1 part benzoin

Grind the ingredients together and burn in a censer or an earthenware saucer. Pass crystals and jewellery through the smoke several times visualising the fumes purifying the object. Best performed outside for the practical fact of smoke alarms.

Crystals

A crystal is a body that is formed by the solidification of a chemical element, a compound, or a mixture of them, and has a regularly repeating internal arrangement of its atoms and often external plane faces. But it’s more than that. A crystal is one of the many bounties of the Earth’s crust. They are a powerful tool and correspond directly to the element of Earth, but also the Air, Fire and Water. Each crystal has it’s own vibration and thus each vibration corresponds to a correspondences such as healing, protection, relaxation etc. Because each crystal does have a vibration, a larger crystal is not any more powerful than a smaller one. A larger one might look better, but not everyone has the means for such a thing.

Several crystals have the same correspondences, but, to chose which one you want you must first have a look at all those crystals without touching them. See which one has an effect on you. Now, when the crystal has been chosen, or when the crystal has chosen you, you must individually have a look at the crystals, Separate the ones which you like from the ones you don’t like just by having a look at them. Then, pick up each crystal in you receptive hand, opposite to the power hand, so if you are right handed it’s your left hand, and close your hand into a gentle fist. Feel the crystals pulse, it should be like a gentle drum rhythm, it could be very fast, or slow. You will feel whether the crystal is right for you, or not. The crystals vibration will complement yours and act like a ‘lock and key’ to your aura in the sense that they will blend. The crystal will let you know if it is not for you.

A newly bought crystal should be cleansed. This could be as long as a whole moon phase, with elemental cleansings, or just a simple mental cleansing. Before buying that particular crystal, it would have been touched my many people, and been next to many people who might have been upset, angry, sad etc. So this may effect you. To cleanse, it could simply be a dip in salty water, being buried over night in the ground, gone through crystal cleansing incense (or frankincense, sandalwood or just about anything for that matter, maybe even a herbal blend for the crystals purpose), being placed on a bed of quartz crystal, being passed through a flame, fairly quickly, being brushed with a feather, being placed overnight in moon light, or sunlight. Be careful because some crystals fade or lose color from being held in the sun, some even disolve in water, or may react with the candle flame, so be careful.

Finding The Right Crystal

FINDING THE RIGHT CRYSTAL

Special care should be taken when selecting a personal crystal. Try and obtain a
single point with an intact point and all six facets visible on its surface. If
the point is chipped, the energy emitted will not be as focused. It should also
be small enough to hold in one hand. The suggested sizes can range from less
than two inches to five inches in height and diameter. If you are right-hand
dominant, the quartz’s vibrations can be tested by holding the crystal point up
toward the head in your left hand.

The Point is placed up rather than down in order to direct the energies into
your brain. The left hand is preferred as it is connected to the opposite side
of the brain. This is the right hemisphere, the intuitive portion of our mind.
For those people who are left-handed dominant, the holding process should be
reversed.

After holding the stone for a few minutes some people may experience energy
vibrations in the form of body temperature changes, colors flashing through the
mind, or a feeling of peaceful compatibility. If any uncomfortable sensations
are experienced, choose another crystal and repeat the same process. It is
important that you synchronize with its energies.

Often a stone will choose us by projecting strong vibration. It is not uncommon
to walk away from such a crystal only to discover a compulsion to return and
purchase it.

The most aesthetically pleasing is not necessarily the correct crystal.

The Care and Feeding of Crystals

THE CARE AND FEEDING OF CRYSTALS
by Matrika

Crystals have been in the lime-light ever since celebrities such as Shirley
Mcleane and Cher have come out of the closet and admitted they were “New-
Agers”. However, along with this public scrutiny, has also been a whole bunch
of misconceptions. The most common of which is that a person just wears a
crystal like jewelry or carries it and it works like some kind of instant stage-
magic or prestidigitation. This, of course, is not the case. To get the full
effect of “Crystal Power” in your life means, as with so much else, that you
must put into it what you take out of it. So here are a few simple guidelines
for those of you who plan on taking this subject seriously.
1. Selecting your Crystal

To select a Crystal is not all that much different from selecting a pet or a
work of art. When you go into the store to purchase your crystal – or any other
stone used in healing or Psychic work – just pick the one that “calls” to you.
Handle the various stones and place them, one by one, in your receptive hand,
(the one that is not your dominant hand; if you are right-handed or ambi-
dextrous, your receptive hand is your left. If you are completely left-handed
your receptive hand is your right.) The stone that is right FOR YOU will “pull”
you to it. This may not be the stone that looks the clearest or the most
impressive, either. Our societies materialistic values and our conditioning to
accept them must not enter into our decision, which is very hard for most of us
at first. Our first tendency is to judge the stone -as we always judge
ourselves and everything else in a constant stream of thoughts- by what we have
been conditioned to believe is “good” or “bad”.

If the piece you are choosing is for a specific purpose; i.e. for healing, or to
enhance your psychic abilities, or for meditation; it will help if you keep that
purpose in mind while you are selecting the stone. An interesting phenomena
often happens to people who are just going into the gem and mineral healing or
psychic work. Most people start off with clear quartz, because it has the most
applications. They go into a store or a gem show to purchase a clear quartz and
find themselves drawn to all kinds of other “rocks” (as the collectors call
them) too. Many times they bring a bag of various mineral specimens home with
them. Later they look up the stones in one of the many reference books on this
subject, only to find the stones they were drawn to are exactly the ones they
need to deal with issues or illnesses that they need to work on.

The very first thing you need to do when you first get a crystal is to “clear
it” from the imbalanced energies of anyone else who has touched it. Crystals
“work” because of their piezoelectrical field. Researchers in Kirlian
photography and other subjects have long shown us that the body is surrounded by a field of electro-magnetic energies, which psychics call the AURA. People who have studied this subject tell us that Crystals help us by attuning their
piezoelectrical charge to the charge of our auras. So we must first remove the
charges from the stone that come from other’s handling of it. This is done by
leaving the stone in sea-salt (available at almost any health-food store) for 3
days. The only time you will have to use this technique – which is drastic – to
cleanse the stone is when you first buy it.The reason I say the technique is
drastic is because it erases ALL of your energy from the stone too, so the
stone has to be rebonded. (explained later) This piezoelectrical effect of the
stone is the same reason that quartz is useful in making computers, telephones,
watches, and in other electronic devices.

2. The regular maintenance of your stone

The regular care and maintenance of your stone is really quite simple. First of
all a gentler method of clearing the piece should be used at least once a week
and after any uses in either physical or inner (mental/emotional/spiritual)
healing work. This can be done in several ways. First of all, you can run it
under COOL – no extremes of temperature PLEASE – water in your sink for several
minutes, while visualizing (intensely imagining in vivid detail, from a
meditative or extremely relaxed state) all imbalanced energies leaving it. You
can also leave it in mugwort (an herb) for 2-3 days buried it in carefully. You
can also place it in a flowerpot with an African violet plant, but you should
know that if it has been used to heal any severe conditions, the plant will die.
The stones should also be re-charged about once a month or after every use. For
other stones, direct sunlight is not such a good idea as it can fade the colors.
You can get the reflected energy of the sun by placing them in the moonlight
during the waxing of the moon. (from one day after the new moon through the
night of the full moon) They can also be charged by surrounding them in a
circle of quartz points that have been charged by the sun, with the points of
the crystals facing inward toward the stones being charged. Another method is
to purchase an amethyst or quartz cluster and place the stones on it. A cluster
is a specimen with several individual crystals on it. Oh, and if you charge the
stone by a circle of crystals, be sure they have been cleared and charged
themselves before using them to charge anything else. The circle should consist
of at least 4 points, but 8 is best. These stones used for charging do NOT have
to be large at all.

3. Using your stones

Stones are tools in our psychic work and, as in any other object used, work by
focusing the mind’s powers. To get the best use out of them, more than just
wearing them or carrying them is required. They should be used from a state of
meditation, while visualizing the goals we wish to accomplish with them – such
as healing, increased Psychic perception, etc. A good way to do this for to help
you focus and a self-hypnosis tape that relates to your goals and use it. And
if you are using the crystals in healing, be aware that they are NOT meant to
replace the care of a competent health professional – but many people find them
a useful adjunct to it.

What Do You Know About The Gem Of January???

January

Garnet (Constancy)

Said to ward off depression and treat arthritis, anaemia, and when green, for sinus ailments eye sight and soreness of the breast. The Garnet was extremely popular with the Victorians and is the main stone related to Aquarius, but Amber, Amazonite and Hematite can be found to provide healing functions for those born in this month too, the Capricorn and the Aquarian.

For Capricorn the Diamond will bring confidence in personal abilities in this month with the White Sapphire providing much needed support in work, and the Falcon’s Eye providing that creative spark.

VESUVIANITE

VESUVIANITE (IDOCRASE)

SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION: Vesuvianite is composed of calcium, magnesium
and aluminum silicate, often with some beryllium and fluorine. The
chemistry is Ca10Mg2Al4(SiO4)5(Si2)7)2(OH)4. Specimens range from brown
and green to a rare yellow or blue. The hardness is 6-1/2.

ENVIRONMENT: Vesuvianite forms by igneous and metamorphic processes. It
commonly is metamorphic and occurs with grossular, wollastonite, and
calcite in hornfels of contact metamorphic rocks; with chromite and
magnetite in serpentinite of hydrothermal metamorphic rocks; and with
wollastonite, andradite, and diopside in carbonatites.

OCCURENCE: Gem-quality Vesuvianite has been obtained from a pegmatite in
marble near Sixteen Island Lake, Laurel, Argenteuil Co., Quebec, and
beautiful micromount cyrstals of purplish-pink color occur in massive
Vesuvianite at the Montral chrome pit at Black Lake, Megantic Co.,
Quebec. The blue variety called [cyprine] has been obtained at Franklin,
Sussex Co., New Jersey. Fine crystals up to 1-1/2 inches across occur in
pale-blue calcite at Scratch Gravel, near Helena, Lewis and Clark Co.,
Montana, and spectacular material of similar nature occurs at quarries
near Riverside, California. Beautiful pale-green massive Vesuvianite
([californite]) occurs in California at Pulga, Butte Co.,
and near Happy Camp, Siskiyou Co., and crude yellow prismatic crystals
occur with grossular at Xalostoc, Morelos, and Lake Jaco, Chihuahua,
Mexico.

GEMSTONE INFORMATION: Translucent gray to green or nearly colorless
Vesuvianite with green streaks is called [californite], and is often
sold as “California Jade.” Californite is fashioned into cabochons.
Principal sources are the USSR, Italy, Canada and California.

NAME: The name “Vesuvianite” is from the original locality at Mt.
Vesuvius, Italy. The alternate name, “idocrase,” comes from the Greek
[eidos,] “form”, and [krasis,] “mixture,” because Vesuvianite may appear
to combine the crystal forms of several other minerals.

LEGEND and LORE: None found.

MAGICAL PROPERTIES: Dolfyn associates this stone with Passion, enthus-
iasm, warmth and devotion.

HEALING: No specific information found, other than what Dolfyn states.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: None. I do not have a specimen of Vesuvianite.

——-bibliography——-
1. Scientific, Environment, Occurence and Name are from (or paraphrased
from)”The Audubon Society field Guide to North American Rocks and
Minerals”.
2. Other scientific information may be from “Simon & Schuester’s Guide
to Gems and Precious Stones”.
3. Precious and semi-precious gemstone information may come from
“Gemstones” by E. H. Rutland.
4. Other precious and semi-precious gemstone information may come from
“Gem Cutting”, sec. ed., by John Sinkankas.
5. Basic Legends, Lore and Magical Properties are from “Cunningham’s
Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic”, by Scott Cunningham.
6. Some magical and healing information from “Crystal Wisdom, Spiritual
Properties of Crystals and Gemstones” by Dolfyn.
7. More legends and lore may come from “Stone Power” by Dorothee L.
Mella.
8. Healing information is from “The Women’s Book of Healing”, by Diane
Stein.
9. Additional healing information may be from “The Occult and Curative
Powers of Precious Stones” by William T. Fernie, M.D.
10. Personal Experience is from MY personal experience, journals and
notebooks.

OPAL

SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION: Opal is hydrous silica, often with some iron and
aluminum. Its chemistry is SiO2.nH2O; amount of water varies up to 10
percent. It ranges in color from White, yellow, red, pink, brown to
gray, blue and even colorless. It is most easily recognized by its rich
internal play of colors (opalescence). Its hardness ranges from 5-1/2 to
6-1/2. It is vitreous and pearly. The streak is white. It is not found
in crystal form, rather is is usually massive, botryoidal, reniform,
stalactitic, and/or earthy.

ENVIRONMENT: Opal is a low-temperature mineral and usually develops in
a wide variety of rocks as cavity and fracture fillings. It requently
develops as amygdules in basalt and rhyolite of volcanic rock and
replaces the cells in wood and the shells of clams.
2625

OCCURENCE: Common opal is widespread and can be readily obtained at many
places, but localities for precious opal are rare and seem to localized
in W United States and Mexico. Magnificent examples of opalized wood can
be found in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington, and lively
green fluorescing opal (hyalite) occurs in seams in pegmatites in New
England and North Carolina and in cavities in basalt near Klamath Falls,
Oregon. Beautiful precious opal, as a replacement in wood, has been
obtained in Virgin Valley, Humboldt Co., Nevada. Excellent fire and
precious opal occur in laval flows in N Mexico. Nevada, Australia, and
Honduras are sources for black opal; Australia and Czechoslovakia
for white opal; Mexico and SW United States for fire opal.

GEMSTONE INFORMATION: Black, dark blue, dark green opal with dark gray
body color and fine play of colors is called [black opal;] opal with
white or light body color and fine play of color is called [white opal;]
and transparent to translucent opal with body color ranging from
orange-yellow to red and a play of colors is called [fire opal.] Play of
colors depends upon interference of light and is not dependent upon body
color. Black opal is the most highly prized, and fire opal is the most
valued of the orange and red varieties. Most opal is fashioned into
cabochons, but some fire opals are faceted.

NAME: The word is from the Sanskrit [upala,] meaning “precious stone.”

LEGEND and LORE: Opal is a birthstone for October.

“October’s child is born for woe,
And life’s vicissitudes must know;
But lay an Opal on her breast,
And hope will lull those foes to rest.” (5)

Opals have traditionally been considered “lucky” stones…but only for
those born in the month of October. It has been considered bad luck to
wear them if you were born in any other month.

MAGICAL PROPERTIES: Opal is considered to be able to confer the gift of
invisibility on its wearer. To accomplish this, Cunningham says “The gem
was wrapped in a fresh bay leaf and carried for this purpose.” He also
says, “Opals are also worn to bring out inner beauty. A beauty spell:
Place a round mirror on the altar or behind it so that you can see your
face within it while kneeling. Place two green candles on eithe side of
the mirror. Light the candles. Empower an opal with your need for beauty
— while holding the stone, gaze into your reflection. With the scalpel
of your visualization, mold and form your face (and your body) to the
form you desire. Then, carry or wear the opal and dedicate
yourself to improving your appearance.” (2)

HEALING: Opals contain all the colors of the other stones, thus, it
could be used in place of any of them. (They are akin to quartz
crystals, in this aspect.) Generally speaking, Opal is used more
frequently for healing the spirit, rather than the physical body.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: Opals are probably my favorite stone. This may be
partially due to the fact that they are my birthstone, and I have been
surrounded by them all of my life. For me, they are protective and
invigorating. I normally use them during Journeying, and when doing
“readings” for other…anything where I am using altered states of
consciousness. I find that they help me to understand the symbols of my
2626

visions in a way that makes them meaningful for others.

——-bibliography——-

1. Scientific, Environment, Occurance and Name are from (or paraphrased
from) “The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and
Minerals”.

2. Legends and Lore, Magical Properties are from “Cunningham’s En-
cyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic”, by Scott Cunningham.

3. Some of the healing information may come from “Color and Crystals, A
Journey Through the Chakras” by Joy Gardner.

4. Personal Experience is from MY personal experience, journals and
notebooks, by <grin> Tandika Star.

5. Birthday poem from “The Occult and Curative Powers of Precious
Stones” by William T. Fernie, M.D.

OBSIDIAN

SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION: Obsidian occurs as volcanic lava flows that are
thick and of limited area. Its black, glassy, lustrous, and often
flow-banded appearance makes it rather easy to distinguish from the
other volcanic rocks with which it is commonly associated. This mineral
forms when a silica-rich magma of granitic composition flows onto the
earth’s surface, where it solidifies before minerals can develop and
crystallize. It is, therefore, an amorphous solid or glass rather than
an aggregate of minerals. The hardness of Obsidian is between 6 and 7;
it will scratch window glass. Although generally black, it is more or
less smoky along translucent to transparent edges; other colors are
gray, reddish brown, mahogany and dark green. When it has small white
“flower” designs in it, it is called Snowflake Obsidian. It is also
possible to find pieces with a sheen, or chatoyance. This is often
called Rainbow Obsidian.

ENVIRONMENT: Obsidian is an environment for very few minerals. Lithophy-
sae and spherulites may contain small but beautiful crystals of
feldspar, tridymite, and cristobalite.

OCCURENCE: Some locations of Obsidian bodies are California (Inyo,
Imperial, and Modoc Cos.), Oregon (Crater Lake), Wyoming (Yellowstone
Park), and Mexico (near Pachuca.)
2624

NAME: The name is dervied from the latin name for the mineral, [obsio.]

LEGEND and LORE: Polished pieces of black Obsidian have been used for
Scrying. Primitive peoples once valued obsidian highly, chipping and
flaking it into knives, spearheads, and many other implements with
razor-sharp edges resulting from the intersecting conchoidal fractures.

MAGICAL PROPERTIES: Obsidian is a very protective stone. It is also
associated with the inner mysteries of the Goddess, symbolizing entrance
to the labyrinth, the womb or the subconscious self.

HEALING: Because of its protective qualities, Obsidian is a good stone
for those who are soft-hearted and gentle. It will help to guard them
against abuse. This stone cleanses toxins from the liver, so it is also
good for people who are exposed to environmental pollutants.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: This is the “balance” stone for Clear Quartz
Crystals. We jokingly refer to it around here as a “dark sucker”…mean-
ing it will absorb all sorts of negative things. It is also a grounding
stone, and I use it at the Base Chakra (below the feet) at the beginning
of a layout to keep my client “grounded”. In India, the women wear
obsidian toe rings for the same purpose. I use Black Obsidian in
conjunction with Quartz. If I’m not using Clear Quartz, I use Snowflake
Obsidian. I also have a piece of Rainbow Obsidian, but it is relatively
new and I haven’t finished “conversing” with it, so I have no advice
as to how to use it…at the moment.

——-bibliography——-

1. Scientific, Environment, Occurence and Name are from (or paraphrased
from) “The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and
Minerals”.

2. Legends and Lore, Magical Properties are from “Cunningham’s En-
cyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic”, by Scott Cunningham.

3. Some of the healing information may come from “Color and Crystals, A
Journey Through the Chakras” by Joy Gardner.

4. Personal Experience is from MY personal experience, journals and
notebooks, by <grin> Tandika Star.

MOONSTONE

SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION: Moonstone is one variation of Orthoclase. It
owes its beautiful silvery to bluish sheen (‘adularescence’ or ‘schil-
ler’) to its composition of extremely thin plates of orthoclase and
albite. The thinner these plates are, the bluer is the sheen. There are
also moonstones consisting mainly of albite. These are less translucent,
but they can occur in a variety of colours: grey, blue, green, brown,
yellow and white. There are also moonstone cat’s-eyes. The chemical
composition is KAlSi3O8 and the hardness is 7. The streak is white.

ENVIRONMENT: The potash feldspars are important rock-forming minerals in
plutonic, volcanic, and metamorphic rocks. Adularia and sanidine are
found usually in volcanic rocks.

OCCURENCE: The main countries of origin are Ceylon, southern India (the
district near Kangayam), Tanzia and Malagasy which, together with Burma,
produces some of the finest stones with a deep blue schiller. White
adularia crystals up to 2.5 cm (1″) across have been found in gold-bear-
ing quartz veins at Bodie, Mono Co., California, and in the silver mines
of the Silver City district, Owhyee Co., Idaho.

GEMSTONE INFORMATION: Moonstone is always cut into cabochons, to display
the cat’s-eye, or schiller.

NAME: Adularia (another name for Moonstone) comes from the locality in
Switzerland, the Adula Mts.

LEGEND and LORE: This stone has always been revered because of its lunar
attraction. It was believed that the shiller in the stone would follow
the cycles of the moon. (Becoming greatest when the moon was full.) In
addition, it has always been considered a “feminine, or Goddess” stone.

MAGICAL PROPERTIES: Meditation with moonstone calls into consciousness
the three-form moon phase goddesses, Diana/Selene/Hecate, the waxing,
Full and waning Moon. These are woman as goddess in her ages and
contradictions, Maiden/Mother/Crone. Cunningham favors this stone for
spells involving love. In addition he has a longish essay on using it
for a “diet” stone.

HEALING: Because of it’s feminine nature, Moonstone has long been
considered a “womans healing stone”. It is used traditionally for
healing/balancing of female organs and hormones.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: I use Moonstone at the Transpersonal Point, for
connection to the Goddess and Universal Feminine Energy. This is the
connection to dreams and dreaming, feminine “intuition”, and “cycles”.
There are cycles of time, seasons, the moon, stars, etc. I also use/give
2623

this stone for those clients who are having difficulty being in tune
with the feminine side of their nature. (Everyone has a masculine and
a feminine side.)

NOTES: In the past, this stone has also been called “Cylon Opal”.

——-bibliography——-

1. Scientific, Environment, Occurence and Name are from (or paraphrased
from) “The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and
Minerals”.

2. Precious and semi-precious gemstone information may come from
“Gemstones” by E. H. Rutland.

3. Other Precious and semi-precious gemstone information may come from
“Gem Cutting”, sec. ed., by John Sinkankas.

4. Legends and Lore, Magical Properties are from “Cunningham’s En-
cyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic”, by Scott Cunningham.

5. Some of the healing information may come from “Color and Crystals, A
Journey Through the Chakras” by Joy Gardner.

6. Some of the healing information may come from “A Journey Through the
Chakras” by Joy Gardner.

7. Personal Experience is from MY personal experience, journals and
notebooks, by <grin> Tandika Star.

8. Birthstone poem from “The Occult and Curative Powers of Precious
Stones” by William T. Fernie, M.D.

MALACHITE

SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION: Malachite is a basic copper carbonate. It’s
chemistry is Cu2CO3(OH)2. It ranges in color from emerald green thru
grass green to shades of silky pale green. The streak is light green.
It’s hardness is 3-1/2 to 4. Crystals are rare. Most gem specimens
display distinctive concentric colorbanding; (alternating dark green and
light green bands.)

ENVIRONMENT: Malachite is a secondary copper mineral and develops in the
zone of alteration in massive, lode, and disseminated hydrothermal
replacement deposits. Associated minerals are azurite, limonite, and
2621

chalcopyrite.

OCCURENCE: The copper mines at Bisbee, Chochise Co., Arizona, are famous
for their fine specimens of massive malachite and pseudomorphs of
malachite after azurite. Mines at Morenci in Greenlee Co., and at Globe
in Gila Co., Arizona, have yielded beautiful malachite specimens, of
which some consist of alternating layers of green malachite and blue
azurite. Fine malachite has also come from copper mines in California,
Nevada, Utah, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.

NAME: The name is from the Greek [moloche], “mallow,” an illusion to the
mineral’s leaf-green color. Malachite is used as an ore of copper and as
a gemstone.

LEGEND and LORE: It is said that if malachite is worn, it will break
into pieces to warn the wearer of danger.

MAGICAL PROPERTIES: Used to direct power towards magical goals.
Protective, especially towards children. According to Cunningham, “Small
pieces of malachite placed in each corner of a business building or a
small piece placed in the cash register draws customers. Worn during
business meetings or trade shows, it increases your ability to obtain
good deals and sales. It is the salesperson’s stone.” (2)

HEALING: If the malachite is of the blue-green variety, it can be
associated with the Sacral Center, or Splenic Chakra (Svadisthana).
Here, it’s energy branches to the left, to the spleen. (It is intended
in this position for those who are celebate.) In addition, if it is
grass-green, it can be used at the Lumbar/Solar Plexis Center. “When the
malachite is placed at the solar plexus and a piece of green jade is
placed at the heart center and a double-terminated quartz crystal is
placed between them, people may remember events that have been blocked
for years. They may cry or scream. As these buried emotions are brought
to the surface and released, a great weight is lifted and they soon feel
renewed.” (3)

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: I am very careful about using Malachite. It has
been my experience that the emotions that it releases can be very
powerful, to the point of overwhelming some people. On the other hand,
if the individual is ready to deal with them (in a “growth” period) it
may work out just fine. You could “balance” the emotional content with
a pink stone (such as rose quartz) to cut down some on the intensity.

A few years ago, I broke my arm. To do so, I damaged the muscles and
nerves in my wrist. I was in a lot of pain, and was searching for what
I could do to help the situation. During a journey, I saw malachite, so
I found a malachite heart which I held in the palm of the broken arm
while meditating. I got a lot of relief from it. Now, if the wrist acts
up, I use the heart, taped over the wrist area when I go to bed at
night. It seems to help quite a bit. I now recommend malachite for
nerve/muscle damage with some success. (4)

——-bibliography——-

1. Scientific, Environment, Occurance and Name are from (or paraphrased
from) “The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and
Minerals”.

2622

2. Legends and Lore, Magical Properties are from “Cunningham’s En-
cyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic”, by Scott Cunningham.

3. Some of the healing information may come from “Color and Crystals, A
Journey Through the Chakras” by Joy Gardner.

4. Personal Experience is from MY personal experience, journals and
notebooks, by <grin> Tandika Star.

Friendly Little Witch Tip – Jasper

Friendly Little Witch Tip

Magickal Uses for Jasper

Traditionally Jasper was believed to protect from the effects of snake bites and other poisons.
Provides unique solutions to practical problems.

Friendly Little Witch Tip – Onyx

Friendly Little Witch Tip

Magickal Use of Onyx

Has a calming effect, which can be used to balance excitability and a quick temper
Increases introspection, but can also lead to inertia and withdrawal from everyday activities in some people.
Can make the user or wearer less noticeable to others if desired.

Crystal Magick

Crystals and stones are gifts of the Goddess and God. They are sacred, magickal tools which can be used to enhance ritual and magick. Here are some of the ways of Earth magick.
PREPARING THE CIRCLE: The magick circle can be laid out with crystals and stones, if desired, rather than with herbs.
Beginning and ending in the North, lay 7, 9, 21 or 40 quarts crystals of any size around the circle, either inside the cord or in place of it. If the ritual to be conducted within the circle is of a usual spiritual or magickal nature, place the quartz crystals with points outward. If of a protective nature, place with points facing inward.
If you use candles to mark the four quarters of the magick circle rather than large stones, ring each candle with any or all of the following stones:
North: Moss Agate, Emerald, Jet, Olivine, Salt, Black Tourmaline East: Imperial Topaz, Citrine, Mica, Pumice South: Amber, Obsidian, Rhodochrosite, Ruby, Lava, Garnet West: Aquamarine, Chalcedony, Jade, Lapis Lazuli, Moonstone, Sugilite       A Stone Altar:
To make this altar, search through dry riverbeds and seashores for a variety of smoothly-shaped stones. Or check rock shops for appropriate pieces.
Create the altar itself of three large stones. Two smaller ones of even size are used as the base, while a longer, flat stone is placed on top of these to form the altar itself. On this place one stone to the left of the altar to represent the Goddess. This might be a natural, river-rounded stone, a holed stone, a quartz crystal sphere, or any of the stones related to the Goddess which are listed below.
To the right of the altar, place a stone to represent the God. This might be a piece of lava, a quartz crystal point, a long, thin or club-shaped rock or a God-symbolic stone such as those presented below.
Between these two stones place a smaller stone with a red candle affixed to it to represent the divine energy of the Goddess and God as well as the element of Fire.
Before this, place a flat stone to receive offerings of wine, honey, cakes, semi-precious stones, flowers and fruit.
A small, cupped stone (if one can be found) should be set to the left of the offering stone.   Fill this with water to represent that element. To the right of the offering stone place a flat rock. Pour salt upon this to symbolize the element of Earth.
Additionally, another flat stone can be placed before the offering stone to serve as an incense burner.
Use along, thin, terminated quartz crystal as a wand and a flint or obsidian arrowhead for the Athame.
Any other tools which are needed can simply be placed on the altar. Or, try to find stone alternatives to them.
This can be used for all types of Craft rituals.
Stones Of The Goddesses:
In general, all pink, green and blue stones; those related to the Moon or Venus; Water and Earth-ruled stones, such as peridot, emerald, pink tourmaline, rose quartz, blue quartz, aquamarine, beryl, kunzite and turquoise.
Stones which are related to specific deities follow.
Aphrodite: salt Ceres: emerald Coatlicue: Jade Cybele: jet Diana: amethyst, moonstone, pearl Freya: pearl The Great Mother: amber, coral, geodes, holed stones Hathor: turquoise Isis: coral, emerald, lapis lazuli, moonstone, pearl Kwan Yin: jade Lakshmi: pearl Maat: jade Mara: beryl, aquamarine Nuit: lapis lazuli Pele: lava, obsidian, peridot, olivine, pumice Selene: moonstone, selenite Tiamat: beryl Venus: emerald, lapis lazuli, pearl
Stones Of The God:
Generally, all orange and red stones; stones related to the Sun and Mars; Fire and Air-ruled stones, such as carnelian, ruby, garnet, orange calcite, diamond, tiger’s eye, topaz, sunstone, bloodstone and tourmaline.
Stones which are related to specific deities follow. Aesculapius: agate Apollo: sapphire Bacchus: amethyst Cupid: opal Dionysus: amethyst Mars: onyx, sardonyx Neptune: beryl Odin: holed stone Poseidon: beryl, pearl, aquamarine Ra: tiger’s eye Tezcatlipoca: obsidian
[Pearl and coral have been mentioned in these lists as “stones” because they were anciently thought to be such. Our knowledge of them as products of living creatures leaves us with the ethical question of whether or not to use them in ritual. This must be a personal decision. Beach gathered coral and shells (mother of pearl is from shells) can be used without conflicting with the above statement because the creature has already died by the time the item was found. If you decide not to use them, just remember leather is also a product of a living creature.]
CAIRNS: In earlier times, throughout the world, people built mounds or piles of stones. These were sometimes formed to mark the passage of travelers, or to commemorate some historic even, but such cairns usually had ritual significance.
In magickal thought, cairns are places of power. They concentrate the energies of the stones used to create them. Cairns are rooted in the Earth but lift upward to the sky, symbolically representing the interconnectedness of the physical and spiritual realms.
During outdoor circles, a small cairn, composed of no more than nine or eleven rocks, can be fashioned as each point of the Circle of Stones. This can be done prior to creating the circle itself.
The next time you’re in some wild, lonely place with a profusion of stones, clear a place among them and sit. Visualize a magickal need. As you visualize, grasp a near-by stone.   Feel the energy beating within it – the power of the Earth, the power of nature. Place it on the cleared ground. Pick up another stone, still visualizing you need, and set it next to the first.
Still visualizing, continue to add stones, building them into a small pile. Keep adding stones until you feel them vibrating and pulsating before you. Place the last rock on top of the cairn with firm ritual intent – affirm to yourself, to the cairn and the Earth that with this final magickal act you’re manifesting your need.
Place your hands on either side of the pile. Give it your energy through your visualization. Nurse it. Feed it strength and see your need as being fulfilled.
Then leave the cairn alone to do its work.A QUARTZ AND CANDLE SPELL: Have a candle of the color symbolic of your magickal need, according to the following list (or as your intuition tells you):
WHITE – Protection, Peace, Purity, Truth, Sincerity, Spirituality
RED – Strength, Health, Vigor, Sexual Love, Passion, Protection, Courage, Danger, Warning, Anger, Element of Fire, God oriented, Male aspects
LIGHT BLUE – Tranquillity, Happiness, Understanding, Patience, Health, Element of Water, Goddess oriented, Feminine aspects
DARK BLUE – Impulsiveness, Depression, Changeability, psychism
GREEN – Finance, Fertility, Luck, Growth, Employment, Element of Earth, Goddess                  oriented, Feminine aspects
GOLD/YELLOW – Attraction, Persuasion, Charm, Confidence, Intellect, Study, Divination, Element of Air, God oriented, Male aspects, (Gold) The Great God, The Sun
BROWN – Hesitation, Uncertainty, Neutrality, Healing Animals, Poverty
PINK – Honor, Love, Morality, Friendship
BLACK – Protection from, absorption Evil, loss, discord & Confusion, Lack of color and vibrations, Neutrality, Element of Akasha, Spirituality, The Divine, The Void
PURPLE – Relief from; Tension, Calming, Healing of severe Disease, Spiritualism, Meditation, Protection, Psychic Power, Element of Akasha, The Divine
SILVER/GRAY – Cancellation, Neutrality, Stalemate,(Silver) The Great Goddess, The Moon
ORANGE – Encouragement, Adaptability, Stimulation, Attraction, Energy
GREENISH YELLOW – Sickness, Cowardice, Anger, Jealousy, Discord
With the tip of a cleansed, terminated quartz crystal, scratch a symbol of your need onto the candle. This might be a heart for love, a dollar sign for money, a fist for strength.   Alternately, use an appropriate rune or write your need on the candle with the crystal.
As you scratch or draw, visualize your need with crystal clarity as if it had already manifested. Place the candle in a holder. Set the crystal near it and light the wick.
As the flame shines, again strongly visualize. The crystal, candle and symbol will do their work.

LEPIDOLITE

SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION: Lepidolite a potassium, lithium, aluminum
fluorsilicate mica. Its chemistry is complex: K(Li,Al)3(Si,Al)4O10-
(F,OH)2. It is pink, lilac, yellowish, grayish white or a combination of
all of these. The streak is colorless. It is one of the softer stones,
with a hardness of 2-1/2 to 3.

ENVIRONMENT: Lepidolite is confined to granite pegmatites, where it
occurs either as fine-granular masses near the core of the pegmatite or
as stubby or tabular crystals in cavities. It is commonly associated
with microcline, quartz, and tourmaline.
2619

OCCURENCE: Large fine masses of lepidolite have been mined at the
Stewart Pegmatite at Pala, and superb sharp crystals have been obtained
from the Little Three Pegmatite near Ramona, both in San Diego Co.,
California. It has also been mined in substantial amounts in several New
England states and in the Black Hills of South Dakota.

NAME: The name comes from the Greek [lepidos], meaning ‘scale’, in
allusion to the scaly aggregates in which the mineral commonly occurs.

……………………………………………………………………..
2620

LEGEND and LORE: Lepidolite is a stone that could certainly be con-
sidered “new age” in the sense that it is just now coming into recogni-
tion by healers and magicians. There is no “past lore” on this stone, to
the best of my knowledge. Part of this may be due to the fact, that it
is native to the United States.

MAGICAL PROPERTIES: “This stone soothes anger, hatred or any other
negative emotion. To quiet the entire house, place lepidolite stones in
a circle around a pink candle.” (2)

HEALING: Lepidolite is also know as the “Dream Stone”. It will protect
the individual from nightmares, especially those caused by stress or an
upset in personal relationships. It can be used in the same types of
circumstances as Kunzite, namely for manic depression or schizophrenia.

NOTES: Lepidolite has been used as a source of lithium. The above
description of the appearance of this stone may be deceiving, as I found
Cunningham’s to be, also. All of the specimens of this stone that I have
seen so far have been grey to a pale lavendar grey with “sparkles” of
the lithium mica embedded in it. The heart-shaped cabuchon that I have
also has very distinctive crystals of rubellite (pink tourmaline) and
veins of white running through it. I was originally looking for a MUCH
brighter lavendar stone. It is unusual, also, to find specimens that are
cut and polished. Usually the stone is too “crumbly” to take a good
polish. However, it is equally handsome in rough form.

——-bibliography——-

1. Scientific, Environment, Occurence and Name are from (or paraphrased
from) “The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and
Minerals”.

2. Legends and Lore, Magical Properties are from “Cunningham’s En-
cyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic”, by Scott Cunningham.

LAZURITE (LAPIS LAZULI)

SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION: Lazurite is a silicate of sodium calcium and
aluminum, with some sulfur. It is a member of the sodalite group. It’s
chemistry is (Na, Ca)8(Al,Si)12O24(S,SO)4. The color ranges in shades of
blue from violet blue and azure blue thru greenish-blue. Lazurite is
distinguished from sodalite by its deeper color and fine grain. It is
also softer and lighter in weight than lazulite. It is dull to greasy
and the streak is pale blue. The hardness ranges between 5 and 5-1/2.

ENVIRONMENT: Crystals are rare. It is usually granular, compact,
massive. It forms in association with pyrite, calcite, and diopside in
hornfels of contact metamorphic rocks. The opaque, vivid blue, light
blue, greenish-blue, or violet-blue stone, consisting largely of
lazurite but with appreciable amounts of calcite, diopside, and pyrite,
is a rock called [lapis lazuli.] The stone is usually veined or spotted.
Its value depends largely upon excellence and uniformity of color and
absence of pyrite, although some purchasers prefer lapis with pyrite.

OCCURRENCE: Lazurite is a rare mineral in North America, but it does
occur on Italian Mt. in the Sawatch Mts. of Colorado; on Ontario Peak in
the San Gabriel Mts., Los Angeles Co., and in Cascade Canyon in the San
Bernardino Mts., San Bernardino Co., California. The finest lapis lazuli
has come from Badakshan in Afghanistan, and less valuable material has
come from Russia and Chile.

NAME: The name is from the Arabic [lazaward], “heaven,” which was also
applied to sky-blue lapis lazuli.
2618

LEGEND and LORE: Lapis Lazuli was a favorite stone of the ancient
Egyptians. In the past Lazurite has been burned and ground to form the
pigment “ultramarine.” It was consider an aid to childbirth, and has
long been associated with altered states of consciousness and trance
work. Lapis is sometimes designated as a birthstone for December,
although turquoise is most common.

MAGICAL PROPERTIES: To quote Cunningham: “This stone is used in rituals
designed to attract spiritual love. Take an untumbled piece of lapis
with a sharp edge. Empower the stone and a pink candle with your need
for love. Then, using the lapis lazuli, carve a heart onto the candle.
Place the stone near the candleholder and burn the candle while
visualizing a love coming into your life.” Actually, the most important
magical aspect of lapis is it’s ability to strengthen psychic awareness.
Cunningham says “Despite its somewhat high price, lapis lazuli is one
stone every stone magician should own and utilize.”(2)

HEALING: This stone is used at the Ajina, the Brow Chakra. It’s related
gland is the pituitary. The pituitary gland is also referred to as the
“master gland” because it regulates all of the others. This location is
also the center for the eyes, ears, nose and brain.

——-bibliography——-

1. Scientific, Environment, Occurrence and Name are from (or paraphrased
from) “The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Rocks and
Minerals”.

2. Legends and Lore, Magical Properties are from “Cunningham’s En-
cyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic”, by Scott Cunningham.

3. Some of the healing information may come from “Color and Crystals, A
Journey Through the Chakras” by Joy Gardner.

GARNET (GROSSULAR)

SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION: Grossular Garnets are from a group of very
closely related calcium silicates. The Chemistry for the Grossular
variety is Ca3Al2Si3O12. These Garnets range in color from yellow, pink
and brown through white and colorless. The hardness ranges between 6-1/2
and 7-1/2.

ENVIRONMENT: Grossular occurs with wollastonite, calcite, and vesuviani-
te in hornfels of contact metamorphic rocks.

OCCURENCE: Being the commonest of all garnets, it is found in a variety
of locations. Fine colorless crystals up to 1/2″ across occur in
Gatineau and Magantic Cos., Quebec, fine lusterous pale brown crystals
up to 3″ across were found near Minot, Androscoggin Co., Main, and
beautiful white and pick crystals up to 4″ across have been found near
Xalostoc, Morelos, Mexico.

GEMSTONE INFORMATION: Grossular also has the typical crystal form of
garnets, occuring in isolated crystals which are often complete, in the
shape of a rhombic dodecahedron, sometimes combined with a trapezo-
hedron. They vary from transparent to semiopaque. The typical color is
light (gooseberry) yellowish green; but they can be a strong to bluish
green, honey yellow or pinkish yellow, or even colorless. When transpar-
ent, the crystals have good luster. Like other garnets, they have no
cleavage. The greenish to yellowish varieties are used as gems.
Grossular is not a rare mineral. The types used as gems mainly come from
the gem gravels of Sri Lanka (honey yellow variety); the the United
States, Canada, Mexico, Madagascar, Kenya. The green variety of
grossular garnet, discovered a few decades ago and found mainly in
Kenya, near the Tsavo National Park, is also known as Tsavorite (or
Tsavolite) It is a light, verdant, or dark green, similar to the color
of the better green tourmalines and sometimes, it is said, even
comparable to African emerald. It has good luster. These gems, which are
usually given a round or pear-shaped mixed cut, or occasionally a
brilliant cut, are generally small, rarely exceeding one carat and never
more than a few carats.

NAME: Grossular is from the New Latin [grosssularia,] “gooseberry,”
because some Grossular crystals are pale green like the fruit.

LEGEND and LORE: I do not find anything referring specifically to yellow
or green garnets in my sources.

MAGICAL PROPERTIES: While deep red garnets focus on “Will” and orange–
red garnets focus on “Desire”, yellow garnets are focused on Personal
Power and Personality. In addition they are (because of their color)
associated with athletic prowess and Oriental philosophies.

HEALING: Being linked to the Solar Plexus Chakra, yellow garnets are
energizing. They can be used for the digestive organs, the diaphram (and
the breath) and eyesight. Green garnets center their healing on the
Heart Chakra.

NOTES: Garnets are used in industry as an abrasive.

——-bibliography——-

1. Scientific, Environment, Occurence and Name are from (or paraphrased
from) “The Audubon Society field Guide to North American Rocks and
Minerals”.

2. Other scientific information may be from “Simon & Schuester’s Guide
to Gems and Precious Stones”.

3. Precious and semi-precious gemstone information may come from
“Gemstones” by E. H. Rutland.

4. Other precious and semi-precious gemstone information may come from
“Gem Cutting”, sec. ed., by John Sinkankas.

5. Basic Legends, Lore and Magical Properties are from “Cunningham’s
Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem & Metal Magic”, by Scott Cunningham.

6. Other Magical and Healing information may come from “ccrystal Wisdom,
Spiritual Properties of Crystals and Gemstones” by Dolfyn.

7. More legends and lore may come from “Stone Power” by Dorothee L.
Mella.

8. Healing information is from “The Women’s Book of Healing”, by Diane
Stein.

9. Additional healing information may be from “The Occult and Curative
Powers
of Precious Stones” by William T. Fernie, M.D.

GARNET (SPESSARTINE)

SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION: Spessartine Garnets are from a group of very
closely related aluminum silicates. The Chemistry for the Spessartine
variety is Mn3Al2Si3O12. These Garnets range in color from brownish red
to hyacinth-red. The hardness ranges between 6-1/2 and 7-1/2.

ENVIRONMENT: Spessartine occurs with albite and muscovite in granite
pegmatites and with quartz and riebeckite in blue schist or regional
metamorphic rocks..

OCCURENCE: Large corroded crystals of Spessartine have come from the
Rutherford No. 2 Mine, Amelia, Amelia Co., Virginia; crystals up to 1″
in diameter have been found in several pegmatites in the Ramona
District, San Diego Co., California; sharp, dark-red, well-formed
crystals occur in cavities in rhyolite near Ely, White Pine C., Nevada;
and brilliant crystals of Spessartine have been found with topaz at Ruby
Mt., near Nathrop, Chaffee Co., Colorado. Gem material comes from the
gem gravels of Sri Lanka and Burma. It is also found in Brazil and
Madagascar.

GEMSTONE INFORMATION: The gem variety of Spessartine Garnet is uncommon.
It tends to be midway between spessartine and almandine in composition.
The “aurora red”, orange-red or orange-pink color is typical. It has
good transparency and considerable luster. It is normally given a mixed,
round, or oval cut. The weight does not normally exceed a few carats.
Gems of about 10 carats are extremely rare and usually of an atypical,
rather dark, unattactive color.

NAME: Spessartine is named after an occurrence in the spessart district,
Bavaria, Germany.

LEGEND and LORE: In the 13th century garnets were thought to repel
insect stings. A magical treatise, “The Book of Wings”, dating from the
thirteenth century says “The well-formed image of a lion, if engraved on
a garnet, will protect and preserve honors and health, cures the wearer
of all diseases, brings him honors, and guards him from all perils in
traveling.”

MAGICAL PROPERTIES: Spessartine is normally considered to be red-orange
to orange-pink. Thus it links the “will” with the “desire”. It is a good
stone to use when casting a spell for your “heart’s desire”, especially
if it is of the orange-pink” variety.
HEALING: The orange garnets are linked to the root and the belly chakra.
They are beneficial in instances of infertility, dealing with reproduc-
tive organs. Mentally, it inspires confidence in personal creativity and
self-worth.