Crystal Information and Techniques

The World of Crystals...

Crystals

Distilled wisdom of the ancients

of the ancient elementals

That once roamed this land.

The distilled intelligence and wisdom

Of the first earth cycle,

of the great, creator beings

That guide us today.

Guide us today,

Fused to minerals.

Crystals

The great ancients spirits,

Helping us out today.

Choosing Crystals

Perhaps the most basic part of using crystals is, of course choosing and getting them. For those who are already knowledgeable in them, this is, of course, not a problem. But for those new to crystals it can be daunting. There are several ways you can go about choosing and collecting crystals, which will be looked at below.

Gifting – Well, you don't buy or select gift crystals, or crystal jewellery, but it is a good way of finding crystals come to you as a beginner. This is especially true if it's something that is given to you by someone who knows a lot about crystals and has made a considers choice, or it may be a part of a persons collection that wants to move on and it chose to be yours next. There are even some crystals that move around the place, being put back where they were found by the previous owner for the new owner to find them. These are probably the best as a beginner as they take the panic and guesswork out of finding a crystal. And of course, it's always nice to be thought of enough to get a gift.
Intuition – Sometimes, crystals will call you. This is more common with those that have been working with them a while, but if you have an interest in them, and are just starting to learn, you can also be called by crystals in the same way. This is when you walk into a shop and walk straight over to a crystal display or cabinet and know you want that particular crystal, or that particular piece of jewellery, then you know this is what is happening. This is your intuition at work picking the right crystal, so go with it.
Following Spell or Ritual Instructions – Perhaps you are not just new to crystals, but also new to a system of magick you are working on mastering. You might be working a particular spell, or have a book that details the basic crystals you will most commonly be working with in your magickal system. In this case, you will most likely have an idea of what you want, but not exactly what it is or what it means outside your early reading. A good idea here is to have a list, or something written out before looking around. If you need help when you get there and find it harder to find what you want, then you can always look at the step below, asking for help.
Asking for Help – This might sound a strange one, but so many people starting out don't like asking, fearing that they will be told it is a stupid question to ask. But remember, the friendly staff are there to help you, to guide you to make the right purchase. Sometimes even more experienced fellow customers will be willing help you if you ask them, or you strike up a conversation with them. This is not a problem, and well, ninety nine percent of questions are not stupid, so don't be afraid to ask. Often, if you know what you want your crystal for but don't know much about them, you will be surprised how helpful the staff and your fellow customers are.
Research – Today, with the proliferation of books, apps and internet sites you can research crystals for little to no cost. This way you go with some information, not feeling so bewildered as you look through the array of crystals you can see in many shops. It is always best to either find a reliable source, or check at least two or three sources, as different sites and books can have very different meanings for crystals, considering what you want and what resonates with you. The Crystal Bible is one of the best sources I have found, which also comes with a successor for rare and newly discovered crystals. However, there are many, many books out on the market, and there is more information online and in apps for your devices to help guide you.
Choosing crystals or crystal jewellery does not need to be daunting, even for a beginner. If you have a little information, trust your intuition on which one you want and are not afraid of asking for help you will find choosing crystals can be a learning journey, and not a bad one. Each time you do it, you will learn more and grow in confidence to make it easier next time.

Good luck with your crystals shopping, and your journey with your crystals.

Crystal Shapes

Crystals come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. If you are lucky enough to come across one for free, or have it given to you, well, good on you. But we're not all that lucky. Often, you have to buy one. When you do, and are looking around, there are some things to remember. Apart from the type of crystal, shape comes into play when choosing a crystal. One of them is the cut, or the natural shape of a crystal. While nowadays there is a dizzying array of crystal shapes out there, from raw natural to carved into figures such as angels, there are some basic shapes that tend to dominate the market and be used most often. I will be going through those below as well as looking at some advice in looking at the carved and shaped variety if you wish to go that way, or they attract you. However, overall, the most useful ones a majority of the time will be the most common ones that I will be looking at below;

Raw Stones – Unpolished pieces of crystal left in their natural form, in various shapes and sizes, these stones carry the raw energy of the crystal. They can be worn, used in altars, crystal grids, as energy holders at work or at home, or just carried around in a bag. They tend to be inexpensive, but there are some stones that can be prone to damage in their raw state so it might be an idea to protect them.
Tumbled Stones – Polished pieces of crystal that vary in size, these stones are good for beginners, inexpensive and can be used for anything the raw stones are. Versatile and cheap, they are a good tool for beginners and more advanced users to have on hand for purposes such as crystal grids, place holding and altars. They can also be set on key rings, in Jewellery or carried around in bags. While they can chip they are not as prone to damage as raw stones, and are a good staple to have on hand for many, many uses.
Spheres/Orbs – This spherical shape, perhaps best known for the stereotypical clear quartz crystal ball, is a very commonly used shape. This is used for altar placements, divination and scrying, holding power in a space and many, many other uses. Among the suggested uses on a skim of spiritual websites is as a meditation aid. This is a carved shape that can be made from any crystal, and what they will be used for will vary by the crystal meaning. My most common use for orbs tends to be to hold a particular form of energy in place. For the for instance, red quartz, black obsidian and smoky quartz at my altar as altar pieces, holding different energy forms, allowing me to work with various energies as I wish.
Carved Single Terminators – These crystals, which are mostly five to six sided shapes with one flat end and a point at another end, bring the energies of this crystal into focus on one point. Used for when you want to focus energy, or create an energetic focal point, these crystals are good for altar pieces, smaller ones for wearing to focus the energy of a particular crystal (See Crystal Directory for more information) as well as placing in the home, if you wish to manifest, or 'Direct a particular energy.
Natural Points – Crystals which have grown naturally into a point, these carry the raw power of the elements in a true form. Popular for many uses, including Jewellery, talismans, altar pieces, crystal grids, these are perhaps the most versatile. Not all crystals come in natural points, but many of the most common ones do such as clear quartz and amethyst, these are a staple of most who use crystals. From wearing them, to using them in altars, to just putting them in your clothing (many ladies have crystals in their bras as they go about their day). Points are a versatile, natural focusing tool that you will find indispensable.
Double Terminators – With rare exceptions this powerful shape is more likely to be artificial. Used for channeling energy, rather than focusing on one point, it is less commonly used than points or carved single terminators, and allows energy to flow in a channel that connects energies at particular points. I once had one of these to wear, a clear quartz one. A I went on in my initiations, and my energy changed, it no longer wanted to be mine and lost it, going onto the next one. My talismanic jewelry has been like that over the years, it tells me when it no longer wants to be mine and move on. Back onto the original flow, these are powerful communications tools, cut or otherwise.
Towers – More common in softer stones like Senenite, here they are a natural formation of rock. They act as a form of antennae, bringing in or transmitting energy. Towers can also be carved out of other stones, where they amplify and transmit the energy of the stone. Best used for altars and holding energy in a place such as a desk at work or at home.
Pyramids – Not a shape I have used much, this shape is a good one for amplifying and transmitting the energy of the stone. This is a good one for an altar especially, or a special place like a bedside table or a study desk to amplify, for instance, Tigers eye for concentration, or Rose Quartz for love beside your bed. Use these to amplify and bring in the stones energy into your life
Cubes – Not a shape I have used often, either, but one mentioned quite often, on a skim of many crystal guides online. It is said to hold energy in place, and is good for space holding, energy clearing and storing energy.
Cluster – Wether large or small, a Cluster is an excellent energy amplifier to have on your altar, desk, office, or just as a house centre piece. Made of many points, this amplifies the energy of the crystal that forms it, holding space and giving out good energy wherever it is. Quartz and Amethyst are common ones to have for places like your work desk or bed, but I have a citirine one I use for Energy storage and holding I use on altars. A versatile place holder, from a small cluster at the corner of your desk to a large cluster worth a lot as the centre piece of your altar or home.
Geode – A good centre piece to an altar, desk or home, depending on size, a geode is an amplified cluster. Also called thunder eggs, these are formed when a natural formation of crystals is sliced in half. Varying in range from small ones less than twenty dollars that can fit onto your desk at work, to massive geodes worth thousands, there is a size and crystal in geodes to do any job from clearing the energy on your desk at work to being the feature decoration in your house if you are lucky enough to afford a large one. I have an amethyst Geode I use as an altar piece that I find sets the energy very well for any working, for instance, that was a middling price and reasonably small to move and carry around between altars. I've also seen small (probably dyed or irradiated) geodes in bargain shops, for under twenty dollars that could for instance help hold positive energy in your workspace, at an office desk. This makes them handy in most spaces that you want to hold, or change the energy of.
Bars – Used mostly in soft, fibrous stones like Selenite (along with towers) this shape sanctifies and holds the energy of whatever is put with it, or on it. Small ones are relatively inexpensive and they act as an energy bar for whatever you use them for. The best use I have found for them is on Altars, for instance, where you put things you want cleared or charged with the high frequency energy of the crystal that they're formed from.
Carved Crystal Shapes - Not a basic shape, these come in all shapes and sizes. From carved crystal hearts that are used in love and self love and acceptance workings, to guardian angel carved crystals to power animal ones like a little raven I have and love as an altar piece. Another popular shaped crystal is the crystal skull, a record keeper and celestial communication tool. these tend to be for specific uses. If you have the use get these, or if they call you for a particular reason. However, they have specific uses and as such you will find you have less of them. However, they are very useful for their specific uses, like my little Raven, who I love as a main altar piece. A small one can also be an inexpensive way of bringing in a specific energy, so they can be a very useful item if they call you or they have a purpose in your life.
Overall, the basic crystal shapes will be the ones you use the most. There are more out there, as there is more information out there, but if you remember the basic primer above you can choose the crystals you need for most purposes. Happy Crystal shopping and get great results

Khel'Shen Akh'Hon Kyshera Du'Shkhall Kre'Mashen Akh'Hense

Using Crystals for Personal and Space Clearing

Crystals can also be used for personal and space clearing. Here are some techniques that can be used with some inexpensive, basic crystals to cleanse and defend yourself or your space. For ideas on basic defences look up basic techniques for light white shielding.

Crystal Chakra Cleansing

This is a technique that requires more planning to use, needing crystals. However, with a little planning this can be a good one to use on a weekly, monthly or just when you need to before a ritual. This is a little more involved, but not too much.

You may even choose to carry the crystals with you if you are travelling or going in a high energy environment. This will, however, need some privacy or an otherwise safe place if you are going to use it out and about, just to make sure that you're not disturbed.

1x Quartz Crystal
1x Amethyst Crystal

Set up a basic defence and ensure that you are safe and relatively comfortable, seated or lying down is best. If you can find a place that you can connect with the earth, if not, find a place where you are comfortable.
Hold your crystals and bring awareness of yourself around you. Hold the crystals in your hand, run it up and down your Spine and above your head three times.
Breathe in and out three times holding the crystals, feeling unclean energy coming in and clean energy going out. Feel your energetic systems and aura clean.
After a final breath put crystals down on bag and close up.
Put crystals away.

As with all clearings and cleansing tools it is important to clean up your crystals regularly, either through exposure to moon, salt or by burying in the earth. This is important as they will keep on adsorbing a lot of energy over time and need it cleared to remain effective. This should be done regularly and when they have had very heavy use.

Crystal Smudging

This is a technique that rather than using a smudge stick uses a pair of Quartz Crystals to achieve the same end, clearing your area of energies. It does this by channelling any unwanted energies into the crystal and discharging them by burying them to the earth harmlessly. As with the above smudge, a chant can be used to enhance this, but is not necessary. If you have a specific one in mind prepare in advance. Other verbalisations, such as a hum or tone like OM are also as useful here as above on the Sage smudging. Here something like that might be especially useful with the vibration of the crystals.

Spring-clean your crystals in Salt Water for at least an hour, preferably overnight.
Take them out, dry with clean cloth and hold them in your hands in the centre of your space. Rub together and charge in your hands.
When Crystals charged walk around room Clockwise, using a chant or verbalisation if you chose to.
Touch the corners of your area and move back in counter clockwise.
Enfold your crystals with a barrier, holding in the energy you have cleansed and then put back into a fresh bowl of salt water overnight before burying to discharge for a week. Pack away and store for next time.

This is a good technique if you have pesky items around like sensitive smoke detectors or highly flammable materials as it does not use anything burning. This is also a good technique to use if you are in a place where flame cannot be used for another reason, e.g. in an office or cubicle. One set of Crystals is provided in the kit to start you off with you off but you may wish to purchase more so you have one set cleansed and ready to go at all times.

Set Crystal Shield

This one unlike the others is a stationery shield that can be placed around a site or area using sacred geometry and crystals to hold a force field. More than one can be used at once, overlapping. I set this at three and have used a 2x3 in the form of a overlapping triangle star shape, but you may decide four or five works for you. These instructions are for the three, but reset accordingly if you do change it. If you are using two set shields onto of each other then use the same controller and set up and attune to the controller and each other separately. Equipment is needed for this one you should have in advance.

This is something that can remain set around a permanent altar constantly, but cleanse this space between anyway. It is set and maintain, not set and forget. The candles can go out and keep on putting their energy out, though it is a good idea to keep them maintained every night and freshly through the rituals. You can also put your three centre stones in the candle holder between rituals if you're maintaining without the constant candles.

4 x tea light or votive candles – plain white
3x3 Small Garnet Tumbler stones
3x Bloodstone or Onyx larger tumblers
4x heatproof plates
1 larger crystal controller – Smoky Quartz either wearable or point/terminator.. (focus your money on this one if you have limited resources).

One by one set out the plates with the three crystals and a candle in the middle, going counter clockwise. Light the candles as you go along.
Put the fourth plate on your altar or on a special table just out of the way, placing your bloodstone or obsidians on it. Light fourth candle, attune. If you are using two sets set the other one out on an overlapping triangle and re attune. If you are invoking any kind of deity or entity do so here.
Close eyes, hold the controller. Attune and hold shield in place till it connects. It will now maintain and control your space across the stations. Place the controller on the main part of the altar and conduct your ritual.
If this is temporary when finished thank any deities or entities that you have invoked and station by station, walk clockwise and start to dispel by snuffing out candles and putting your stations away. Then put away your central stones after snuffing out candle and then the controller.
If permanent then place controller on central plate on your altar if not wearable (I suggest you wear it if it is) and set to burn the candles out, once again thanking the special co-operation of any deity or entity you have invoked.

Four Point Set Shield

This somewhat newer technique, based around room defence, works to create a shield around the room by joining energy through the crystals to create a permanent shield around a room or use if for a short time at four points of a square or diamond. This can be set up as part of a circle ritual on four cardinal points or as a separate ritual by itself. This is a good one to have ready incase, or have two going if you use this permanently so you can keep cleansing and grounding one while using the other.

This works slightly differently, requiring no candles or other source once set up. This requires four crystals, clear quarts points, in a group ahead of time. Keeping them in a bag, cleaned and charged is a good thing to do, or a second set if you have this permanently set up. Even if you only plan to use them regularly it is a good thing to have two sets so you have one ready to go. Unlike the three point set shield this only takes four quartz crystals with no candles or plates.

4x Quartz Crystals

Take your crystals in your hand and stand in the centre to charge. Visualise white light going into the crystals charging them up in your hand.
Anchor energy in crystals. If using this as a part of a circle casting then say the stationery part of the circle as normal.
Walk around the room or space putting the crystals at square or compass points. If using a circle casting with this use the directions and castings and do so.
Keep the line of energy between the four crystals, connecting it by touching the first crystal then walking in the middle. Visualise the circuit energised, snapping onto place.
To dispel walk around and take the crystals up, from first to last. If using an circle, say the dispelling chant as you do so.

If you keep this up permanently renew the shield with the fresh one (Recommended at new moon every month) cleanse in salt water and bury the crystals to ground any harmful or negative energies they have trapped. This way the space can remain pure and cleansed.

The Spiritual Weal

The Spiritual Hub for the Feyan Energetic Wisdom Weal