Rose Quartz: Known as the Love stone, Rose Quartz works to release the pain of a broken heart and to bring new love and friendship into your life. It promotes harmony in established relationships, as well as fertility. It can also work in any healing spells when the impulse to heal comes from unconditional love.
Smoky Quartz: Relates to strength, physical stamina and the material plane. It can transform negativity into positivity and, as it stimulates primal energy, is good for spells involving sex magick.
Agate
There are many types of agate and they all work towards enhancing communication and sometimes healing (Blue Lace Agate is good for this). Have agate around if you are having problems with getting on with people at work or school; and also to assist in job finding and fulfilment at work.
Other Crystals
Black Obsidian: Polished slices of this are great for scrying (see the chapter Divine Dealings for more about this). Its energy is aligned with the planet Pluto and as such can be used to encourage deeper journeys into the self. Use it in talismans where you are working to enhance your ability to reach an ego-less state (the right space to be in when doing divinatory work).
Bloodstone: Aids in power for all spells, protects against hexing and gives wisdom and courage.
Citrine: This is one of my favourites – it’s great for stimulating intellect (wear some around your neck when studying or doing mentally taxing work). Wear a large chunk dangling over your solar plexus chakra to enhance personal power and have it around for spells involving material gain and career success. It can also protect from harm (as Angels are supposedly attracted to it!).
Diamond: Protects from evil, clears out psychic dangers, assures the owner of love and comfort.
Fluorite: Another of my favourites, especially when it is cut into pyramid form. I know I explained earlier how to get nice raw rocks, and I’m breaking my own rule here – but rules are made to be broken! The pyramid cut really does enhance this particular crystal’s qualities. It’s extremely good for thinking processes, helping to clear out the dross and get focused, as well as stimulating original creative ideas. It can also stimulate prophetic dreams and aid in magickal power.
Hematite: Good for relieving RSI (repetitive strain injury). I discovered this whilst writing this book! One day my hands were hurting so much I couldn’t pick up a pencil, but I handled a piece of this stone and after a few minutes the pain was gone. Quite a miracle! It’s a great healing stone and good for spells to do with growth and prowess.
Jasper: Ensures success in business and courage.
Lapis Lazuli: The ancient Egyptians used lapis lazuli to stimulate psychic abilities and to represent royal status, especially if the stone had lots of gold flecks – which is actually iron pyrite. They would grind the stones down and make blue dyes for the robes of their exulted ones. Today it can be used as a mental and spiritual cleanser, as well as a way to connect with the Goddess and God (within!) or in any spell where you need to really rise above anything that’s holding you back and do something spectacular! It can also encourage fidelity in love, peace, happiness and beauty.
Malachite: Use this in any empowerment spells where you really want to let go of past memories and fears and move on … but beware! Malachite amplifies your current mood and mirrors externally what is within, so, while it can be a powerful aid for transformation, you should use it only when you really know it’s time to change. Because it can effectively hold negativity and malice, it can be used in hexing and binding spells.
Moonstone: Good for spells involving ‘female issues’, e.g. menstruation, lactation, ovulation – anything to do with a woman’s body’s ability to breed. Also, hold a piece in each hand when you are trying to see auras – it can help. It enhances any spells to do with invoking Lunar essence.
Onyx: Carry to banish woes and bring self-control to the emotions.
Sodalite: Dispels guilt and fear and gives divine inspiration.
Tiger’s Eye: Great for spells involving courage, legal battles and luck.
Tourmaline: As I mention in my chapter Cyber-Sorcery, it’s great to have Tourmaline around your computer not only to enhance the effectiveness of your Internet surfing, but also to ward off problems with electrical equipment (like a computer crash).
Notes on Caring for Crystals
Rinse them periodically in salty water (the ocean is best) and put them under the light of the full moon or the morning sun to charge them up again. You can also bury them in earth for seven days or place them on a large, cleansed amethyst cluster to clear any stored vibrations. Use your intuition as to how often you clean your crystals.
Other (Non-Crystals)
Amber: This is a fossilised resin that can sometimes have insects and other things embedded in it (remember Jurassic Park?!). It is used for healing, luck and protection when working with spirits and other Beings. It can aid in childbirth (wear a necklace of amber), and it is also used in the traditional Witch’s necklace of amber and jet.
Cats Claws: Carry to protect from slander, arguments and harassment from enemies.
Coral: This is the skeletal matter of sea creatures – it has magickal properties of protection and healing.
Cowrie Shells: These look a bit like female genitalia and represent Goddess energy on my altar. Whenever I find one I consider it a sign of good fortune.
Dried Lizards: If you find a little one in the countryside or by the road, keep it on your altar when doing spells to increase success and for luck.
Jade: Protects from psychic attack and nightmares, and gives health and long life.
Pig’s Tusk: I found one of these on a beach on Tanna, the southernmost Pacific island of Vanuatu (it has a live volcano which you can climb). In Vanuatu, a pig’s tusk worn around the necks of male chiefs is a symbol of prosperity and fertility. I have it on my altar to represent male energy.
Opal: Great for use in beauty (self-appreciation) spells, and it can protect from curses.
Pearl: Confers beauty and grace, and is great for love spells working for long-lasting, deep relationships.
Petrified Wood: Protects against illness and injury and gives security in relationships. Can also help to ensure a safe journey.
Ruby: The greatest stone for ensuring good health; it also protects against financial ruin.
Shark’s Tooth: Keep one in your wallet to ensure plenty of money.
Snail Shell: Gives stability in money and business, brings patience and aids in meditations.
Snake’s Skin: Rumour has it that if you carry one with you in a yellow bag when you go to the casino you can win lots of money! Personally I think snake skins bestow wisdom and a sense of moving beyond time, so they can assist in rituals to do with rebirthing of the spirit.
Topaz: Aids in clairvoyance and protects from accidents. Also heals anger and hurt.
Turquoise: Brings health and optimism and has a calming effect.
Gold and Silver: A lot of Witchy books suggest that male Witches’ ceremonial jewellery should be gold, and female Witches’ silver, as gold is ruled by the Sun and silver by the Moon. But everyone has male and female in them and just as many men are drawn to silver as women are to gold. Both substances are powerful to use in magickal work. Flecks of gold, when added to any spell-working, whether it be in charms, amulets, or, for example, sprinkled over a sick person, will give it an added boost. When worn, silver amplifies magickal powers and assists with accurate intuition. Silver and gold jewellery set with crystals becomes powerful magickal accessories, but make sure that the settings are open – for example,