What Can I Do With Crystals?

• Agates come in a wide variety of colors and appearance, but their distinctive bands of color hint at the layers and hidden depths inside us all.
• Amethysts are widely used by psychics and can help those who struggle with compulsive behaviors and addictions of all kinds.
• Aventurine is thought to be a particularly holistic, all-purpose healer, on a spiritual, emotional, mental and physical level.
• Bloodstone has been associated with health and well-being for centuries to treat diseases and to speed healing after surgery, ease menstrual cramps and prevent miscarriage.
• Carnelian has come to symbolize faithful companions and the soul’s passage into the next world. Carnelian is also associated with eloquence and self-confidence.
• Citrine is associated with the radiance and optimism of the sun, and is associated with wealth and financial success.
• Flourite is often associated with advanced civilization and high technology, and can be good if you do a lot of work with computers, or if you need to program yourself to think in more logical terms.
• Hematite is one of the best-known grounding stones. It can absorb and disburse negative thoughts and emotions. Its reflective sheen makes it an ideal material for scrying.
• Howlite may be one you’d like to use if you are trying to reach those who have crossed to the Other Side.
• Jasper comes in a rainbow of colors and designs. It has been popular for centuries, and might be the original touchstone.
• Lapis lazuli, the ancient alchemists’ stone of heaven, does seem to reflect the skies above us. And for centuries, painters have revered the blue pigment of crushed lapis lazuli.
• Malachite can reportedly help buyers get bargains and it can help a salesperson close a deal. During the Middle Ages, some used it as protection against black magic.
• Moonstone embodies all of the magic and mystery we associate with the Moon. Some believe moonstones will grow brighter or dimmer along with the phases of the Moon.
• Obsidian is like a tinted window into the soul. Many people believe obsidian is the most grounding stone available. Today, obsidian is commonly used for scrying.
• Peridot has been valued for centuries to protect from enchantments and to gain foresight and divine inspiration.
• Petrified Wood is a tangible reminder of ancient ways, as well as a physical connection to the ongoing world of nature. It can also teach about preservation and survival or as a tool for past-life regression.
• Quartz can store, send and receive energy, both physically and metaphysically. Use clear quartz for any metaphysical purpose, including meditation, divination, dream work and healing.
• Rhodonite is a stone of contrasts: it is both hot pink, which represents passion, as well as a grounded, deep rich black. It is often associated with the throat chakra.
• Sodalite can help you focus, concentrate, remember, learn and organize your knowledge. Keep sodalite near computers and television sets to absorb electromagnetic emissions.
• Tiger's eye reveals a narrow band of white light that looks like the eye of a tiger. Ancient Romans carried tiger's eye into battle, believing that it would speed up their reaction time.

Hot Stone Massage
Popular in spas and holistic healing centers, hot stone sessions melt away tension and complement crystal healing and other forms of spiritual therapy, such as Reiki.

Hot stone massage kits contain almost everything you need to get started—detailed instructions and precautions, an assortment of smooth, rounded stones, and a warmer, which is typically a roaster-style oven that you can fill with hot water and stones. If you don't have a hot stone massage kit, you can experiment with any large, smooth, rounded stones you have on hand. Black basalt rocks are best, because they retain heat the longest and won't split or crack over time.

Wash your stones with soap and water every time you use them. Warm your stones in hot water, but be sure to monitor the temperature with a thermometer: stones hotter than 130° Fahrenheit can leave serious burns. If you plan to simply lay the stones, don't put them directly on the skin; use a thin towel or flannel sheet to absorb some of the heat.

You can put inch-long "cosies" between your toes, and arrange other small stones in a daisy-petal pattern on your face. You can put palm-size stones on each of the chakras on the front of your body, or run two columns of stones down your back, on either side of your spinal column. (Do not put any hot stones directly on the spinal column or on any protruding bones.)

If you plan to use the stones as massage tools, oil both the stones and the skin with massage oil first.