Yes, crystals deserve their own board!

[Angaridatha]

Especially since I'm primarily a crystal worker lol. Anyone has a question about the properties of crystals this is the place to direct it to. Here's a good overview though:

White or clear crystals (especially quartz):
Good all purpose, if you're good at visualization (and if you're a working wiccan and you're not, why why why!) you can have but one crystal for all your needs by imposing different colors or properties on it, and this is it. Since white and clear are open colors, this is the standard multipurpose crystal. Quartz in particular is also a good power amplifier.

Blue crystals (lapis lazuli, sodalite):
Blue is traditionally the color of psychism and healing, to an extent. Sodalite is excellent for these purposes.

Purple crystals (amethyst):
Healing. If you have but one crystal for healing, make it an amethyst that you are familiar with and that "likes" you. Amethysts are all purpose, for spiritual or physical healing, and one of the best stones for it.

Green crystals (malachite, emerald):
Growth and nurturing, if you grow plants place one of these in the base and they will act as "magical miracle grow." Trust me, I have tested this theory with a giant green onyx egg. They are also generally good for nice calming earth energy, if you need some.

Yellow crystals (citrine):
Yellow crystals are mood boosters. They are filled with the positive energy of the sun, and if you're depressed they can be programmed to help pull you out of it.

Black crystals (onyx):
Black crystals are for psychic protection, primarily. That is because like the black handle of the athame, they absorb negative energy. Black is an absorbant color. It's the thicker quicker picker upper of crystals, to clean up all the messes.

Special crystals (hematite):
I have to mention hematite simply because it's sooo cool. It's reflective silver, a healing and grounding stone. Have one, you'll see what I mean, everyone needs a hematite.

Oddly enough, you can find a lot of the smaller specimens of these stones for not very expensive at osky walmart, in the craft section with the beads. Good way to get your collection started. Make yourself a necklace of the two that feel the best to you, or carry around a pendant. I believe they carry amethyst, hematite, unakite (for friendship, earthy stone), tiger eye (courage and willpower) sodalite, and....there was one more, maybe aventurine. But anyway, work with a few, they're worth the time spent.

[Hazel]

Yes, aventurine was one cause I thought it was a neat name, .

Just the other night I programmed my quartz to help clarify my thinking and my amethyst to help in emotional healing, and both seem to be working for me.

I love amethyst, unfortunately my favorite one was corrupted last year in a cleansing ritual, it is buried in the earth for a year and a day to hopefully be cleansed once and for all. I have my other amethyst which I like, but it's not as powerful for me in my opinion.

I also have an obsession with saphires, my birthstone, but also because I just have an affinity for them, I received a star saphire ring for my b-day last year that I wear all the time, it's my ward, or one of them anyway. It is set in white gold which I am still attempting to identify the properties of, I can find gold and silver, but not white gold, oh well.

That is enough rambling from moi for one post.

[Saiok Tarek]

Le Suck!

My stones have to be kept in about fifty billion layers of stuff if I don't want them to be drained.

My white quartz is my favorite...it takes quite a lot for me to drain it.

I also am in love with my hematite stones....they help keep my energies grounded with in me...many thanks, Sionnach for that stone, I have to feed less often because of it!

[Marius Morningstar]

I'm still out of order.

Although, I was able to feel the energy in the lapis lazuli, I haven't done it a second time. Is there any way I could work on this skill in my free time here at ISU?

[Angaridatha]

There are many ways you could do this. The first way would be to develop your empathy skills outside of crystal magick altogether, which might be an easier option if you don't have a crystal to work with.

When you get a spare moment and are surrounded by living things, try to concentrate on their life force. I do this naturally and am always "on", so sometimes it's difficult for me to convey to others how this is done. Try visualizing energy around things in the form of spheres, if you're a visual person this can help make the energy of things more noticable to you.

Or, try meditation. Sit in a natural spot or a room full of people and notice them. Notice every detail, hear every breath, every blade of grass swaying, the moistness of the earth, the crispness of the air. Sink deeper and deeper into yourself until you can feel your own energy pulsating around you, a tangible object. Then expand slowly into your surroundings. Feel the energy of the grass, of the wind, of the people around you. Raise your conciousness of the power in the things that surround you, and you will be more and more adept at feeling their power without entering a medatative state. Lifeforce is a tangible thing, once you teach yourself to sense it as such. All things have energy, but in different forms. Once you teach yourself to sense it in people and natural object, you will be able to sense it in stones.

You can always meditate on a stone if you have one, then just add it to the exercise above and include its energy in your overall picture of your surroundings. Pay extra attention to the heartbeat, the way it responds to you.

Jaimie

[Marius Morningstar]

Wow, thanks for the detailed reply! ;D

[Angaridatha]

Not a problem, I'm very wordy