Black Tourmaline Idea

If you read my previous post, I shared with you what I like to do to get my space cleaned up energetically. Once of the crystals I like to use for this is black tourmaline. This crystal packs a huge energetic punch and, as I've found, pairing it with selenite and clear quartz will boost its effectiveness and help it transmute the globby, feeling down causing energies into something more positive. I know it's a cliche, but it really does feel like a difference between night and day.

I feel that I should quickly point out that while you could make this into a traditional crystal grid! for this purpose it isn't necessary to go through the motions. The energies of these three crystals are powerful enough on their own and linking them together in that way, though beneficial, isn't always necessary. Sometimes I feel like the crystal grid phenomenon has exploded so much that people don't think it's possible to use their energies together with the same benefit without grinding them. I'm here to confirm that isn't true!

Before I share my way, I want to briefly talk about the sizes do crystals. Even the smaller ones are going to be useful, but for this I try to find larger pieces, at least the size of Palm stones. It is easy enough to find selenite, black tourmaline, and clear quartz in those sizes, but yes, they can get expensive. If you can't get the larger pieces at first, know that it will still do what you need it to. If you're using small tumbled pieces then you may prefer to do a grid ceremony and that is fine if that is what you want to do.

Once you've done some physical cleaning, find the center of your room or home, or even property. Set up the crystals and take a moment to put your hands on each of them and tell it what your purpose is. Since you're not asking them to do something against their nature, such as change color whenever someone with bad energy is entering the room, they'll be receptive and willing to work with you. Just the proximity of these three crystals being near each other will amplify their power and what their purpose is. After they're set up I like to take a moment to meditate, picturing the energy of the crystals pouring out into each nook and cranny of the room, then the house, and then my property. It's okay of you just want to keep this contained to your own bedroom, or your side of the duplex.

I picture the energies tangling together and making each other stronger. I end it by saying something along the lines of "the energies of these crystals cleans and purify my space, working together and alone, to create my purified sanctuary." Then you're done! You may not notice any changes immediately, but over time you'll be able to perceive the difference.

You can also experiment with other crystals, such as smoky quartz in place of black tourmaline, and rose quartz in place of the selenite. For me, the clear quartz is the amplifier, but if you have a nice piece of citrine you'd rather use, feel free!

Space Cleansing with Crystal Energy

Hello everyone.

I've been feeling a little blue as of late, so I decided it was time to get my spaces in order, both physically and energetically. After tossing all of my bedding into the washer with a little bit of lavender scented fabric softener, I decided to tackle the hard stuff. Vacuuming, dusting, washing the walls; you name it, I've done it. The place smelled so great but something was still missing.

That's when I knew that the energetic level was off too. The physical cleaning isn't exactly fun for me, but the energy cleaning is like I'm giving myself permission to have fun and go crazy!

I started by burning some sage (I've also used a purifying incense in place of sage in the past, but sometimes a place just needs some white sage to clear out all the energetic gunk). I've been making my own version of Hibiscus Moon's Negativity Neutralizer spray, using a couple of substitutions in place of what she uses in her own recipe, which I got from her Sparkly Space Clearing ekit. I especially like to use this on fabric (like the curtains) because it leaves a fresh scent and takes care of anything trying to latch onto the fibers. Who needs Fabreeze when ya have this stuff?!

Once the place is saged up, I open a window for a few hours to get some fresh air moving around my space. Then I break out the crystals, especially the black tourmaline, selenite, and clear quartz. You can also use amethyst, rose quartz, citrine, carnelian, etc. There are endless crystal combinations you can try. Once the crystals are out I mediate in the room! breathing in the fresh air, and say something to the effect of "my crystal's energies are amplified to give this space positive vibes and to create a sanctuary for me." It's as simple as that!

For more ideas, purchase Hibiscus Moon's ekit. It includes a video tutorial on how to make her Negativity Neutralizer spray which you'll find invaluable. I've even been thinking of turning this into a lotion I could put on my hands before ritual work. Until next time, peeps!

YouTube Recommendation - Sprit Science Crystal Series

If you have an interest in crystals, I suggest checking out the Spirit Science channel on YouTube. They have posted a series of four videos on crystals covering everything from what they are to how to use them. I wanted to share it with all of you because they have great animation and information for even the newest beginner when it comes to working with crystals.. Below is the first video.
Enjoy it!

6) Carnelian

I've read a lot of sources suggesting that the best way to cleanse this stone is by placing it in the sun. While short trips into direct sunlight now and again probably won't do much damage, excessive exposure to sunlight can drain it of its reddish hue. If you're as big on crystals having associations in relation to their color as I am, you may wish to use a different cleansing method. Even holding it under cool tap water will do the job!

Carnelian is great for working with the Sacral Chakra. It boosts personal power and physical energy. Using it in conjunction with clear quartz will amplify that energy, especially when used in crystal grids with "like-minded" crystals. It is also a stone of creative energy and I have used it to work my way through writer's block with great benefit. Some sources say that it can also help protect homes from fire, theft, or destruction from storms.

This one is a great addition to a neophyte's collection because of it's multiple uses, strong energy field, and its ability to pair well with other crystals. It is also inexpensive and can be found in a variety of shapes and sizes.  

Buyer Beware

I've recently stumbled upon an online trend that sort of irks me. Not because I necessarily think that people are trying to be sneaky and get more money from customers, but because they either don't know the difference or they just aren't being specific enough. This trend, fearless readers, is the listing of citrine calcite.

Most of the time, if you see these two words in the same listing, you'll find the color of the calcite to very much resemble the abundant heat-treated citrine on the market. I think, for the most part, the majority of online sellers fall into this category. There likely are a few, however, that may be purposefully trying to confuse potential buyers so that they can charge natural citrine (the stuff that isn't heat-treated amethyst) prices for calcite that has that familiar attractive golden yellow color.

It is very rare for both citrine and calcite to appear in the same specimen. If they were, the prices would likely be in the hundreds of dollars range. Just remember to do your research before purchasing anything, especially crystals. And remember, if it seems to good to be true (price wise), back away slowly and let someone else take the plunge first.

5) Lepidolite

After a long and unforeseen break, I am back with the 5th crystal in my Crystals of Neophytes series.

One of my new favorites, Lepidolite boasts a beautiful coloring that will appeal to most men and women alike. This stone is one of the few that contains natural lithium which makes it great for persons dealing with depression. Because of that, it is wonderful for a variety of emotional ailments, including those dealing with ADHD. It can be used on the heart, third eye, and crown chakras.

Known as a transition stone, Lepidolite helps us to modify our energy patterns and leaves a sense of hope and positivity in the process. It is great for use in meditation and can also be used effectively in mojo bags for anything having to do with emotions, change, or to simply help one find balance. To use this in elixir form I suggest an indirect method of your choosing.

I don't suggest charging this stone in the sunlight because of the high probability of it fading. Instead, use smoke, sound, moonlight, or even placing it on a slab of selenite.

Review: The Book of Crystal Spells

It would be possible for me to walk into a bookstore and come out with half of their Pagan section (or New Age, since we're relegated to a fad instead of being an actual religion in the eyes of most bookstores). It would be great for the learning aspect, which I consider an important part of living life, but not so easy on the bank account. That means I have to be selective with my purchases and I tend to rely a lot on online reviews. When I saw this book on Lewellyn's upcoming titles I knew that I had to get it, which is what I did.

I've never heard of Ember Grant, but the premise of her book, The Book of Crystal Spells - Magical Uses for Stones, Crystals, Minerals...And Even Sand, was of interest to me. I'm a crystal junkie, this much is known by all that are close to me, and I tend to collect books on the subject almost as much as the crystals themselves. I've been interested in crystal magic for quite some time and have used it with successful results in the past. For that reason, and because of my sense of curiosity, I knew I had to have the book. I'm so thankful that it turned out to be a good read and a valuable resource that I will likely refer to again and again.

The book has ten chapters and contains a lot of useful information. Even as an admirer of Judy Hall, I must admit that a lot of current books on the market tend to feature the same information that she has in her works, so I was pleasantly surprised to find her name and titles missing from the author's bibliography. Instead, she used a variety of other research materials combined with her own experience, making this book a great tool for anyone interested in crystal magic. Even better is that the majority of it isn't redundant and not available in any other book that you could buy.

This book is less about crystal healing and more about spellcraft via crystals, so if you're looking for the latter you'll be surprised. While the author herself admits there is overlap between the two, such as using crystal grids and elixirs, and meditating with the crystals, the two are just as equally different from one another. This book gets to the nitty gritty (no pun intended) of using your own energy, pairing it with crystals, and using the enhanced product to bring about change in the world. Crystal healing is similar, yes, but also not quite the same.

The Book of Crystal Spells features some of the usual subjects, such as cleansing and empowering crystals, but it also delves into newer waters that some people may not think of exploring. One of those is using sand, which is given an entire chapter. It's a subject that I didn't give much thought at all to before this book, but now I find myself looking at it in an entirely different way. Is there anything more you can ask of a book?

Another gem (pun intended) of this book was the association with numerology. My eyes have been opened to numerology before but through this chapter I was able to calculate my life path number and pair them to crystals. Many of them were ones that I've used before though I was saddened to see some of my favorites missing from the list. Which is okay, in the long run, as we all have different crystals that speak to us throughout our lifetimes.

I could go on and on about the positives of this book, but I feel I should touch on a couple of the negatives. The first isn't much of a downside for most people, but as a lover of ametrine, I was a little bummed to find no references to it in this book. I tend to think of ametrine as a crystal that is more than just the sum of its parts, so it would have been nice to see it featured here in some aspect or another. To those of you that couldn't care less about ametrine, you likely won't miss it.

My second issue with the book is kind of a double edged sword. I enjoy using rhymes when it comes to my spells. I find they set the tone and help me with my focus. Also, if I do say so myself, I seem mysterious and powerful as I wave my hands over crystals and candles and chant some rhyming couplets. But I have to be honest here as some of the chants are a little hokey and a few are just downright silly. All in all, I would only consider using about 40% of those given, but I also tend to write my own spells anyway.

This book is geared to a beginner to crystal spell work. Even experts at the subject will find some use here, even if it is just the appendix. This thing is loaded with useful information including Platonic Solids descriptions, associations by season and day of the week, and even important details in relation to the color spectrum. All in all, get this book. I don't think you'll regret it one bit.