Have you ever noticed the uplifting feeling you get when you walk into a shop that is full of crystals?  Crystals have been used for healing since ancient times.  We know from Egyptian papyrus records that amethyst was used as a remedy against snakebite as an example.

There is no certian reason why different crystals have different healing and divination properties, but many believe the healing qualities stem from the way different electrical vibrations react with the body’s electrical field, allowing imperceptible but significant changes to the body’s own healing process.

Here you need to a little about the chakra system, based on an indian system which describes energy centres, in particular the seven major points, or chakras, around the body. 

The first chakra is located at the bottom of the spine and its main attributes are to deal with stability, adrenal glands, and energy; it is ruled by the colour red.  The stones or crystals represented by this chakra can include:  Red Jasper, Bloodstone, Ruby, and Garnet to name a few.  Its main duty is to ensure physical survival, the stability of the body and the distribution of energy.  These are the others:

Second chakra, located in the lower abdomen – creativity, sexual feelings; colour orange - stones can include: Carnelian, Mimetite, Zincite  

Third chakra, solar plexus – self-confidence, identity; colour yellow – stones can include: Topaz, Amber, Citrine

Fourth chakra, heart – relationships, personal development; colour pink or green – stones can include: Rose Quartz, Rhodochrosite, Beryl, Emerald, Jade, Malachite

Fifth chakra, throat – communications, expression; colour blue – stones can include: Lapis Lazulli, Turquoise, Aquamarine, Sodalite

Sixth chakra, third eye – understanding, perception, knowledge; colour indigo – stones can include: Sapphire, Tanzanite, Lazulite

Seventh chakra, crown – intuition, perception, overall balance; colour violet – stones can include: Amethyst, Sugalite, Tourmaline

The chakras are energy centres and are often pictured as spinning vortices.  Each one represents a particular energy.  When stress accumulates in a particular chakra its energy is blocked and the chakra will appear to a psychic to be dull.  Given time, as the particular chakra becomes disturbed, the effect will spread to other chakras.

A good way to enable all-over healing is to balance the chakras.  Laying the relevant coloured stones over the chakra points can achieve this.  Initially you may need help with this exercise until you get use to where the stones need to go.    You may also decide to do a visualization meditation to help align your chakras for this purpose before applying the stones. 

Either on your own or with a helper, lie down and close your eyes.  Place the stones at the relevant points on the body.  Use your visualization technique to visualize the power of each crystal/stone entering your body.  Now lay quietly and rest for half an hour before removing the crystals and you should find that you feel much better.

Three Useful Stones/Crystals

There are three gemstones that are always useful to have around: amethyst, malachite and rose quartz.

Amethyst has long been associated with healing.  The Romans used to crush the stone and swallow the powder as a protection against drunkenness.  Amethysts are used to calm the effects of stress, and placing one under a pillow will help those with insomnia, emotional problems or mood swings.  Those under psychic or physical attack often benefit from wearing amethyst and it has often been given as a gift to those venturing on long journeys.

It was also very rare at one point and was considered a stone of royalty.  It is also a very spiritual stone and ideally worn by those attempting mediation.  Bishops’ rings are often made of amethyst for this reason as well.

In these days of computers and large electronic circuits, an amethyst  cluster placed by the computer  helps to absorb any harmful radiation.  the crystals should ideally be placed between you and the monitor.  You can also use clear quartz or smoky quartz to achieve the same effect.

Malachite is another useful gemstone.  Malachite was used in ancient Egypt , crushed, as a green pigment for eye make-up.  It was said to improve vision and would be worn as an amulet.  In Italy, a malachite amulet was thought to protect the wearer from lightening strikes.  It has long been believed to improve psychic vision, and as it is basically a copper ore it is ruled by Venus.

Malachite is good for healing painful areas, as it is copper it is particularly useful for joint problems.  It absorbs negativity, balances the spirit and helps the body rejuvenate.  Copper bracelets have, of course, long been used for illnesses such as arthritis.

Because malachite absorbs toxins from the body, you will notice that it can lose its lustre.  Placing it in cool spring water, drying it and leaving it on a pure quartz crystal to cleanse can soon restore this.

Applied straight to the painful joint is the best way to use malachite.  This is useful both for arthritis and for mending broken bones.  It also helps with eye problems; a sufferer would do well to carry the stone around with them.

Rose Quartz is a good healing stone to use where there has been a recent loss – particularly if it involves the break-up of a relationship or the death of a close relation or friend.  Often rose quartz has been given as a token of love and friendship.  It allows the user to release his or her emotions.  Placed on the heart chakra, it can relieve stress and is also said to help in balancing blood pressure.

Rose quartz does need to be used with a little caution as some people can find it makes them too emotional. to avoid this you may have to use a smaller stone for shorter periods of time. 

You can use pendulum dowsing, to get a feel for whether the stone is right for you.  Ask the pendulum whether this is the right crystal to use and wait for it to give you a positive or negative answer.  You can also use a pendulum over your body or another’s body to locate the best place for healing stones to be used.

Crystals have been used for thousands of years as an oracle by means of one of two methods.  One is where a person sees pictures in a single large crystal, the other involves throwing a number of crystals or stones over a surface area and making predictions for the future by the pattern of where they fall.

These practices are known as crystallomancy or catoptromancy, though these also come under the more generic name of scrying.  This includes using crystals as a viewing medium, as well as, the ancient Persian method involving glass mirrors, and even Nostradamus’ preferred medium – a bowl of water.

The quartz crystal ball, though, remains the dominant image of crystal divination.  In fact, the most common crystal balls used by gypsies and other scryers tended to be aquamarine – which, with its pale blue-green colouring, was thought to be influenced by the moon.  Indeed, many seers would only attempt scrying when the moon was on the increase – the first two weeks between the start of the new moon and the end of the full moon.

So, how can you put these ancient methods to work for you?

Cleansing Crystals or Stones for Protection and Use

Once you have collected your crystals or stones you should cleanse them for use.  Place the crystals or stones in a glass bowl where they can be bathed in moonlight overnight.  Traditionally this should be done at the full moon, when they can absorb the energy of the moon – particularly appropriate if you intend to use these crystals or stones for healing or psychic work.

If the crystals or stones are to be used for magical work such as spells, to gain help with finances or love, then the new moon should be used to cleanse them.

Caring for Your Crystals or Stones

It is vital for you to sympathize with your stones as you are going to be pouring your energy and work into them.  You will need to consecrate them to the four elements.  This is particularly important if you have bought the crystals or stones from a shop.  It is not necessary if you have collected the crystals or stones yourself direct from the earth. 

If you intend to use your crystals or stones for divination, they should be treated as sacred objects and kept away from mundane influences.  Traditionally such objects were kept out of contact with the profane so their power would not be drained.  This, incidentally, is why red carpets are laid out for royalty – the monarch’s sacred feet should not be allowed to touch the earth.

You will find that your ability to read the crystals or stones accurately is enhanced if you respect and believe in them.  It is not easy to pour your psychic energies into things that are left around collecting dust, so you could, for instance, wrap the crystals or stones in silk, either a cloth or a bag.

Your crystals or stones, though, will get damaged and some will in time shatter.  That is all part of the process, so do not worry too much.  If you do want to protect them a little more, particularly those that are hard to replace, you can apply a layer of clear natural varnish to them.  A couple of layers should do the trick.  You must not, though, do this with stones that you are using for healing as the varnish can act as a barrier and lessen the effects of the stone.

Scrying

Although some will tell you that you need a natural crystal ball to undertake readings, this is not so.  These days you can buy lead glass crystal balls, which are generally considerably less expensive then natural crystal balls, but scrying purposes they can be just as effective.  You can even, if you wish, use a bowl of water or a single crystal.

Tradition says that when not in use the crystal ball should be covered with a black cloth, in the same way that you would not leave a television on when not in use.   Your scrying crystal should not be left in direct sunlight.  There is perhaps a safety element in this as the crystal might focus the light from the sun and become a fire risk.

Now you are ready to begin …

Try to remember when you were a child looking at the clouds and seeing patterns, faces, and images within them – this is the skill that you need to recapture.  It is the basic way of reading.  Take a black cloth and put the ball in the cloth, cupped in your hands.  Slowly look into the depths of the crystal and relax your eyes.  the aim is to let your eyes drift into a dreamy state.  You will find that suddenly the crystal appears to take on a misty white background.

What happens is that when you look into a crystal and let your eyes blur the image you start to see patterns in your minds eye.  Your subconscious self transfers images to your conscious mind, and these patterns and shapes – and sometimes images of actual people – can then be interpreted.

A good exercise is to use the crystal ball as a meditational focus and as you stare into it you will start to see images.  Practice this enough and you will be able to see images quite quickly whenever you want, as you will have developed a way of focusing your mind on your crystal.

To avoid eye-strain, restrict your crystal-gazing to short periods at first.  You will find that after a while you can tune into your eyes more quickly.

As to the patterns you see, you will find that the symbols gradually start to mean something.  One of the important factors to recognize in your study of divination  (not only crystal divination) is that all methods seem to cross-link to each other.  This is due in part to the fact that some systems have developed out of others, and that all relate to looking at patterns.  Nothing in the psychic realm is completely random or happens by chance.