Crystals are often fashioned as wands or magical tools, but they come in all shapes and sizes. It is claimed that an odd number of facets on the stone aid in healing, while an even number of facets create the best energizers. Red, yellow and orange stones are said to produce energy; clear and aquamarine stones are healers; and lavender and blue-violet stones create calming effects.
Crystal power
Below is a list of commonly known crystals and their reputed benefits. Please note that this information is not intended to replace any licensed medical or psychological treatment, and no guarantee is made towards their validity.
Amethyst: This purple and white stone is the most valuable form of quartz crystal and it is thought to have wonderful healing and cleansing abilities. It is used to reduce anger and impatience and to ease insomnia and headaches. It is also used to cleanse other crystals before their use in healing and divination, and is sometimes called the psychic crystal for use in enhancing intuition and ESP. In magic, wearing an amethyst or using one in a spell will ward off evil.
Aquamarine: Known as the ‘water stone’, it is thought to prevent seasickness, ease water retention and help purify drinking water. Aquamarine is also used for its calming, uplifting properties and its ability to help release anxiety, fear and restlessness.
Bloodstone: As the name suggests, this crystal is thought to cleanse the blood. It is also believed to promote courage and help people face difficulties calmly.
Carnelian: Thought to be good for the circulatory, reproductive and digestive systems and to help stimulate libido, energy and fertility, as well as to boost confidence and drive.
Coral: Thought to be a good aid to digestion and to encourage self-esteem and positive thinking.
Diamond: Believed to stimulate a powerful sense of direction in life and help strengthen one’s courage.
Emerald: The stone of true love, emerald is thought to generate insight into a relationship - which may or may not be welcome. It is also thought to bestow psychic ability, heal inflammation and promote a feeling of inner peace and relaxation.
Garnet: This stone is said to be good for balancing out sexual problems. Both overactive sexuality and repressed urges are thought to benefit from the power of garnet. It is also thought to encourage assertiveness and to help regularize blood pressure.
Jade: Said to be good for the heart, thymus, immune system and kidneys and for cleansing the blood and the nervous system. Jade is thought to help promote courage, knowledge, justice, compassion, emotional balance, humility, generosity, harmony, wealth and longevity. It remains the crystal most revered by the Chinese, where it is believed by some to be of divine origin. In magic, jade is used to help remember dreams and to use them to solve problems.
Kunzite: Discovered in 1902, this stunning pink stone is thought to be superb for women with gynaecological problems, and for women seeking to come to terms with all aspects of their sexuality. It is believed to be a reassuring, healing, calming stone.
Lapis lazuli: Honoured as a royal stone by the ancients, this blue and gold stone has always been used to help create a link between reality and the realm of intuition. Egyptian high priests used to wear it ground up as eye makeup and in jewellery during rituals. It is thought to be good for anyone undergoing spiritual awakening or instruction in a particular religion.
Malachite: Said to be good for the stomach, liver, kidney stones, respiratory system, immune system, vision and the circulatory system. It is often used to help ease pain, inflammation, depression and anger, and to stimulate psychic vision and concentration.
Opal: The common misconception that opal is unlucky is due to Sir Walter Scott’s fictional story Anne of Gererstein, but opal is in fact considered to have profound magical, spiritual and healing powers. Opals are said to enhance intuition and positive beliefs as well as bring luck and money to business leaders. They are also thought to reveal the state of your physical and emotional energy, being dull when energy is low and brilliant when it is high.
Pearl: Thought to be a gem of hope and inner strength. If a pearl loses its lustre, it is unlikely to regain it or attract good energy; crystal enthusiasts believe when it has lost its life force a pearl becomes dull.
Quartz: Generally a term for a number of crystals, including amethyst and topaz, but clear quartz is the substance used to make crystal balls. Rose quartz is thought to have special powers to attract affection and is used in love spells or at times of high emotion, like the break-up of a relationship or a bereavement. Along with amethyst, no person serious about crystals would be without this versatile, powerful stone, believed to emit a form of electrical energy that helps to stimulate psychic powers. Many people believe that wearing quartz crystals benefits a person’s health and spiritual wellbeing. Quartz is typically used to rid an environment of unhealthy vibrations and electromagnetic toxins. In magic quartz is used as a protective amulet against evil and for spells, and for centuries quartz has been used to enhance a person’s ability to foretell the future.
Ruby: Thought to boost blood circulation and to attract love, courage, confidence, vitality, stamina and strength, and to help one triumph over adversity.
Sapphire: Thought to be a stone of control that can help you overcome temptation and guide your thoughts to higher things. Also thought to be good for reducing fever.
Tourmaline: Thought to be a stone of transition, both physical and emotional, and to help people through the processes of birth, menopause and death, as well as other rites of passage. It is believed to be good for people who feel the world is against them and for those who have a great need to forgive - especially themselves.
Turquoise: An ancient symbol of the sky, this stone is thought to benefit lungs and throat, and because it contains a good deal of copper it is believed to be a superb conductor for the healing force. It is also good for those terrified of speaking in public or of appearing physically or emotionally weak.
Practitioners of modern-day crystal therapy believe that the stones’ ability to work as conductors allow them to focus energy by way of a person’s thoughts to stimulate healing - both physical and non-physical - and thousands of people worldwide swear by the use of crystals to help a variety of mental, emotional and physical problems.
Many people who work with crystals believe that the stones choose whom to work with, not the other way round. But whatever you believe you need to be selective with the stones you use. Once selected it is suggested that you should never let anyone touch your crystals, and should programme’ it to attune to your particular energy. Each crystal should be cleansed before use to clear any stored energy, by either soaking it in salted water or by wrapping it in silk and burying it in the ground for 24 hours.
CURSES
Associated with black magic and intended to cause someone harm, curses are deliberately malevolent or vengeful oaths, spells or invocations of spirits directed against another person by psychic means.
See also Psychic attack.
D
DACTYLOMANCY
An ancient form of divination involving rings. A ring was tied to a string, or dropped into a bowl of water, with the position of the ring at the end of the string, or at the bottom of the bowl, determining the answer or response to the question asked. Dactylomancy is thought to be one of the earliest forms of divination involving the use of pendulums.
DAGG POLTERGEIST
Poltergeist activity that eventually manifested itself as a speaking entity in 1889 on a farm in Quebec owned by George Dagg.
According to records the activity began with streaks of animal faeces or manure appearing on the floor of the house. A young boy, Dean, was blamed; however, when the boy was out of the house the stains continued to appear, proving that he was not the cause. Soon the activity increased: windows were smashed, objects were thrown and fires broke out. This time the focus was identified as 11-year-old Dinah McLean, an adopted child of the family.
In November 1889 an investigator named Percy Woodstock asked Dinah to take him to the woodshed where she had reported seeing a strange man. To Woodstock’s amazement, from the middle of the empty shed a few feet away came the clearly audible voice of an old man. It cursed them both in a deep, gruff voice, using language Woodstock would not record. It said, ‘I am the devil, I’ll have you in my clutches, I’ll break your neck.’ Woodstock talked to the voice for several hours, during which it admitted causing the fires, spreading the manure, smashing the windows and moving objects. Eventually it calmed down and admitted it was only doing the haunt-ings for fun.
A crowd soon heard about the phenomena and gathered around the house and woodshed, where the entity allegedly performed incredible feats for the audience. Woodstock organized a statement signed by 17 witnesses acknowledging that they had seen the phenomena of flying stones and a mouth organ playing by itself:
