Ultimate guide to crystals and stones - Uma Silbey 2016

Channeled Information: Crystal Formations, Markings, and What They Mean
Metaphysical Properties of Crystal Markings and Formations

Much of the metaphysical and channeled information about the use of crystals and stones was first revealed by the earliest crystal pioneers of the '70s and early '80s, not only myself, but also most notably Kartina Raphaell, Marcel Vogel, Nick Nocerino, and DaEl Walker. Along with information about the use of crystals, these pioneers have channeled information about the inner and outer formations of quartz crystals, assigning various properties to some of the different markings that stones may have within them or on their surfaces. It is said that when we have these stones with us, meditate with them, or otherwise interact with them, these properties can connect us to certain energies or the higher realms represented by that shape or marking. Some of us will find ourselves attracted to one or more of these stones with the special markings or formations and find it easier or more effective to use them rather than crystals or stones without these markings. If we feel called by one or more of these types of crystals, we should first meditate with it and find out what that stone has for us. Then we should test what we have received, seeing that it really does work in the everyday physical world. That way we will retain our balance in both the higher planes and physical world. As with any form of crystal, stone, or energy work, it also works best to retain only what is appropriate, relevant, or useful to us and use only that. However, it is good to remember that ultimately every quartz crystal has the capacity to do and be everything that is suggested by these separate metaphysical types. In other words, irrespective of the channeled information, it is good to remember that all clear quartz crystals can be used to access ancient records, to send and receive messages, can bring us personal power, and can be teachers or act as temples, just like the specially marked crystals. I worked many years with a Native American medicine man who was able to create amazing effects using a crystal most of us might discard, thinking it to be rather useless because it was small and opaque rather than clear, and the tip had a large chip in it.

It is important to note that one crystal can have more than one marking or special formation. For instance, it is possible to have an elestial scepter with a window, a spirit quartz transmitter, or a laser wand with striations. These markings don’t only exist on clear quartz, they can be found in many of the colored crystals as well. These are all natural markings and formations, created eons ago through natural earth forces. Though it is possible to find some of these markings in polished stones, in many cases it is best if they are left natural and unpolished so that their natural power is undiminished.

Channeled Information: Crystal Formations, Markings, and What They Mean

There are many crystal shapes and formations that are regarded as special, probably as many as those who are using stones. Even though they can be arranged in categories that reflect their growth patterns, surface etchings, formations, or color, each stone within that formation is unique. Since each person and stone are unique, though we may study their categories, ultimately we need to sit with each stone and see what its unique value is for us, even if it is only valuable in some way for us alone. That said, the following is a list of some of the most common markings and types of crystals along with their channeled spiritual or healing properties:

Atlantean or Record Keeper Crystals

Record keeper crystals are those that have one or more etched triangles on the faces of crystals. They can be hard to see, but if we turn the crystal a certain way in the light we can see them more easily. They are usually found on crystals from the quartz family: amethyst, citrine, clear quartz, smoky quartz, or Herkimer diamonds. Sometimes, however, they can be found on the surfaces of sapphires or rubies. These triangles can be both indented into the face of the crystal or raised above its surface, but they are always pointed upward. Record keeper crystals are believed to contain implanted and stored information from the more advanced, ancient civilization of Atlantis, thus their name: Atlantean record keeper crystals. It is believed that when we meditate with these crystals while focusing on the triangles, we will be able to access the stored information from these ancient people. It is also believed that we can access information stored from the Akashic records, a compendium of all thoughts and events from our distant past that are stored in the nonphysical ether, or akasha. Through our meditation on the triangles we can connect with our personal spirit guides and helpers. If we have an open and receptive mind when meditating with these stones, we can hear their message or particular wisdom contained within.

An Atlantean record keeper has smaller triangles etched into one or more of its faces. These can be hard to see unless we turn the crystal a certain way in the light. It is said that if we meditate on one of these triangles, we can access the records of ancient Atlantis.

Striated Crystals

Striated crystals are those that have a series of parallel indented lines that run perpendicular to the base of the crystal and appear to be engraved on its surface. Sometimes striated crystals are confused with Lemurian seed crystals, because they both have striations. However, Lemurian seed crystals have a distinct pink hue and are usually opaque. Whereas Lemurian seed crystals are regarded as containing information from the lost ancient civilization of Lemuria, striated crystals are believed to have in them recorded information from all ancient knowledge. Used to amplify and focus universal life energy, striated crystals are believed to accelerate growth and healing wherever they are placed on the body.

Lemurian or Lemurian Seed Crystals

Lemurian crystals or Lemurian seed crystals are those that have parallel striations on one or more of their sides. Having a pink hue and often misshapen with rough edges and uneven sides, these quartz crystals are usually opaque and sometimes even twisted. Even so, they are thought to be very powerful in helping us access, develop, and utilize our intuitive powers. Regarded as containing the wisdom of the ancient lost world of Lemuria, they can be powerful in assisting us to reach higher states of meditation. As they are most frequently laser shaped, they make excellent wands, and it is often thought that these are some of the most powerful of the healing crystals. Primarily feminine and sweet in nature, unlike the more solar, male Atlantean crystals, they can help us access divine compassion and love. They are often quite useful for protection.

Lemurian crystals should remain unpolished so that the striations remain prominent, especially because it is thought that a Lemurian crystal needs to be activated by rubbing the finger lightly upon the striations whereupon the Lemurian information can be “downloaded” into our consciousness. When meditating while rubbing our fingers on the striations, it is thought that we can be connected to the Lemurian energy grid pattern, which has been planted in specific locations on this planet and even beyond, onto other stars in our planetary system, and into other higher-frequency dimensions.

Gazing into the center of this teacher crystal, we may see an angel. The more we harmonize with this angelic teacher, the more we hear his or her voice within.

Teacher Crystals

If we look into the front seven-sided face of a quartz, or sometimes danburite crystal, while centering the back three-sided face in the middle of it, the outlines of the faces will reveal the shape of a sitting spiritual teacher. Other times we can gaze into a crystal and see a shape that resembles a human figure, a totem animal, a mythical form, or a god or goddess form. These are called teacher crystals, purported to be excellent crystals for meditation and for the realization of our true self. They help us access information left for us by our personal teachers, either in physical form or etheric form. Sometimes there are one or more teachers in a crystal. Other times the teachers change or disappear only to reappear later when they are needed. In any event, whether the teacher is symbolic or actually projecting some of their energy into the stone, the teacher is there to impart some important information that you need for an answer to a problem, for your spiritual growth, or for your healing. The teacher within can act as a guide in the physical plane, etheric, mental, or other higher spiritual planes of existence. It is believed that they can help us with astral traveling and other forms of spiritual traveling, as well as helping us find and follow our path here in this world. Being teaching crystals, it is believed that when meditating with them, like record keepers, they can help transfer ancient wisdom into our consciousness.

Channeler Crystals

A channeler crystal is one in which there is a large seven-sided front face that has a perfect triangle on the opposite face. Representing the numerology of the intuitive seven and the balancing and creative self-expression of the three, the use of this crystal helps us with the attainment of mystical truths and the ability to express them. It can help us consciously connect with our own accumulated wisdom within, as well as the enlightenment contained in the higher planes, and thus helps us integrate this with our body, mind, and spirit. As such, it is an excellent stone for working with the higher light energies.

Devic Temple Crystals

When we hold this crystal vertically, its horizontal internal fractures appear to be shelves or ledges that serve as resting places for higher order light beings. Sometimes regarded as master crystals and very beautiful, they have an inner world that is filled with rainbows and inclusions of trapped air, water, or gas, called veils or fairy frost. The crystal’s internal and external formations can also resemble temples, with doorways and stairways forming gateways through which higher dimensional beings, angels, and spirits can enter into our world, bringing us their light-filled energy and their particular things to teach us. This quartz allows the veils between the worlds to be lifted so that higher spiritual energies can come into our bodies, minds, feelings, and the surrounding environment. They are excellent to use for crystal gazing, dream work, and visualization.

Cathedral or Lightbrary Crystals

These crystals have one main terminated point with other smaller terminations growing out from it. Essentially, it is one crystal that grows with many terminations, each termination growing upward in the same direction. Resembling a cathedral or castle, they are thought to contain within them etheric libraries in which the ancient Akashic records, written in the form of light, can be accessed and studied. Also known as Atlantean Temples, these crystals can act as conduits, sending us specific information that is most useful to both humanity and ourselves at this time in our evolution. It is a powerful tool to raise our vibration enough so that we can be sensitive to and comprehend universal frequencies, thought forms from the mental plane, and higher spiritual truths. It is sometimes believed that people who have these crystals in their possession have worked with them in previous lifetimes and are the guardians of these stones through time.

Resembling a cathedral or castle, cathedral or lightbrary crystals are believed to raise our vibration enough so that we can read ancient records from past civilizations, channel thought forms from the mental plane, and connect with higher spiritual truths. Having many smaller crystals growing from the main side faces, this cathedral crystal is also an elestial.

Bridge Crystals

These easily recognized crystals appear as one crystal that has another smaller crystal growing across, or bridging, one of its planes. Bridge crystals help connect one level of energy to another, assisting us in connecting ourselves and other people, the self and the higher self, or energetically connecting the self with higher worlds or dimensions of energy. It is thought that because these crystals act as a bridge between energy frequencies, it can help us increase our metaphysical and spiritual understandings as well as helping us access and act in these other planes while retaining our attachment to the physical.

Bridging between realities and personalities, the bridge crystals pierce a larger striated temple crystal. The double-terminated bridge crystals can help bring the ancient knowledge into physical life.

Tabbies or Tabular Crystals

Tabular crystals are those that appear flat, with two of the opposing six sides being larger and wider than the other four sides. They are believed to have a unique energy frequency that helps us maintain balance while connecting and transmitting between two opposing forces, between two points, between two people or two worlds. Because of this ability to help us connect, they are believed to help us with communication, translating feelings into mental awareness so that we are able to verbally express ourselves with more consciousness. They are also thought to help balance and align our intuition with our intellect.

Tabulars are thought to help us communicate, connect our intellect with our intuition, and bring balance on the mental plane. The cluster will bring these attributes into all relationships. The striations will help with growth and healing.

A crystal cluster is a formation of mainly single-terminated crystals that share a common base. It is excellent to use to energize environments and to clear smaller stones. A family of interlocked crystals connected to the same base, a cluster is excellent to work with relationships of all types.

Crystal Clusters

A crystal cluster is a formation of mainly single-terminated crystals that share a common base. These are good for charging other smaller crystals and stones when they are placed on top of the cluster. Crystal clusters represent community, with each member retaining its individuality yet sharing a common ground, and as such represent harmonious living. Placed in a room or the home, clusters are thought to bring healing vibrations, charge, cleanse, and balance the environment wherever they are placed.

Elestial Crystals and Elestial Lightkeepers

Elestials are known by many other names: crocodile quartz, jacare quartz, heavenly quartz, angelic quartz, elestial lightkeepers, and skeletal quartz being among the most common. They form in smoky quartz, clear quartz, citrine quartz, amethyst, and in some rare cases rose quartz. Many types of growth forms are included in the term “elestial.” These forms include parallel grown small scepters, parallel arrangements of triangular crystal faces, skeleton quartz, single scepters growing sideways, or forms in between, like skeletal scepters. One definition is that elestial quartz is quartz that has small crystals growing on the faces of a larger crystal somewhat like a multiple scepter quartz. Another is that an elestial crystal is one that has an overgrowth of crystals over the face of an etched or layered crystal. Forming in layers with a complex skeletal structure, the natural etchings may resemble certain key formations or form indented areas that go into the crystals, forming natural windows or doorways. Excellent examples of this are the Herkimer diamonds found in Herkimer County, New York. While differing mineralogical phenomena are included in this same term, what ultimately seems to determine an elestial for the crystal metaphysician is its appearance.

Found in Herkimer County, New York, Herkimer diamonds are an excellent example of elestial crystals. Forming in layers with a complex skeletal structure, the natural etchings may resemble certain key formations or form indented areas that go into the crystals, forming natural windows or doorways. Used for astral and dream work, the hexagonal Herkimer diamond is known as being the most energetic of all the quartz crystals.

Elestial quartz crystals and elestial lightkeepers are believed to be powerful healing stones with deep spiritual energy. Elestials, translated as “crystals of the angels,” have a very strong connection with the angelic realm and can help bring us in touch with these light-filled beings. As such, they have extremely high rates of vibration and are potent stones to aid our spiritual growth. It is thought that if we keep one of these stones near us, their spiritual vibrations can continuously attune to us, regulating and gently increasing our vibratory rate so they open doorways to the higher dimensions. Attuned to the higher dimensions, we are able to experience the love and light from the angelic realms at a frequency that we are comfortable with. They are said to facilitate visionary experiences, open the third eye chakra, and help us travel freely through time and space, past and future, and all other forms of interdimensional travel. The more complex the inner structures, the more doorways, portals, or gateways exist within the stone, enabling us to become aware of the energy patterns and eternal wisdom of the universe. Being attuned to the angelic realms, they can help alleviate depression, sorrow and grief, and a blocked heart chakra, bringing comfort in their stead and attuning us to the highest good within ourselves and within others.

Generator Crystals

Generator crystals are those that have six natural faces that all join together evenly at the top of the termination. Thus, they have six equal sides and six equal faces. They are thought to be the best for charging other crystals and can transmit, store, amplify, and receive all levels of energy. Because of their equal sides and faces, they can send out a powerful beam of energy that is uninterrupted by the influence of other intruding crystals, breaks or fissures, uneven growth patterns, and the like. Because of this unity, their strength makes them good meditation tools. They are good for focusing and intensifying energy that they then amplify and send into the higher planes of reality. As will be shown in later chapters, the power of a generator crystal can be enhanced with the use of other smaller crystals arranged around its three equal sides, all equidistant and pointing to its tip.

The even-sided faces meeting symmetrically at the tip help this crystal to generate and send out large amounts of energy, especially when coupled with focused intention.

Being programmed with violet, these single- and double-terminated quartz crystals channel and direct subtle energy. The violet programming will bring healing and higher awareness. The diamond-shaped window on the front left quartz crystal is a right-leaning time link activator that's meant to help us see into the future.

Time Link or Activator Crystals

Time link crystals are those that have a parallelogram on one of its faces that is attached to the face of one of the terminations. It is thought that if we meditate on this parallelogram we can travel through time in order to consciously connect with aspects of our self that exist in other times or dimensions. If, when facing the crystal, the parallelogram points to the right, we can move into the future; this is called a future time link. If the parallelogram is pointing to the left as we face the crystal, we can move into the past; this is called a past time link. Because we can travel through time and space, from one dimension to another, time link crystals are excellent to use for soul retrieval or past life work and the healing of childhood or past life trauma. It is thought that these crystals are valuable for reminding us that time is not linear, as viewed through the lens of our human consciousness, but is rather a creation of our dualistic brain and ways of thinking. Other uses suggested for time link crystals are divination, telepathy, achieving our goals (left leaning parallelogram), increasing our creativity, and bringing inspiration (right leaning parallelogram).

Earth Keepers

Earth Keeper crystals are huge crystals that can be many feet in length. Extremely powerful crystals, it is believed that they are meant to protect and guard the earth. They do this work either singly or in connection with all the other earth keepers buried deep beneath the surface of the earth. These crystals are not necessarily clear, but can often be quite opaque, sometimes having a milky appearance upon their surface. Beneath their surface, however, they are often very clear. It is believed that these crystals are originally inactive when they are pulled from the earth and need to be activated upon discovery. When activated, they will channel the higher cosmic frequencies into our planet, helping us as a race to step forward in our evolution, aligning the earth’s frequencies with the higher dimensions of reality. Just being in their presence will benefit us with expanded thinking and awareness. They bring both individual and planetary harmony. Because of their size and power, they are very good to use in communities, healing centers, and large groups of people.

The author receiving information from an earthkeeper crystal. Extremely powerful, it is believed that these crystals are meant to protect and guard the earth along with holding ancient earth records of times long past.

Twin Crystals

Twin crystals, two crystals joined together, come in a variety of formations or types. The most popular formations are twin flame crystals, tantric twins, soul mate twins, and spirit guardian twins. No matter the particular type, each set of twins has to do with relationship, balance, and the melding or joining of consciousness between individuals. Each type of twin depends on the length of the crystals with respect to each other and their position with respect to each other. Generally speaking, twin crystals are purported to help build relationships, help find soul mates that are presently alive on earth, and balance our outer manifestation with our inner being so they are not in opposition to each other.

Soul mate crystals are two that are joined together side by side, sharing one base with two distinct tips. They are said to help connect us with another person on the level of soul in order to facilitate our spiritual growth.

Twin flame crystals are those crystals that are joined at the side or in a V shape at their base. Each joined crystal is similar in size, but not equal in length, one being longer than the other. It is said that if we meditate or focus on these crystals we will attract to us compatible souls whose spiritual evolvement is similar to ours, each soul helping the other in their spiritual growth. Mirroring and balancing our inner world with our appearance in the outer world, these crystals also help boost our psychic affinity with others.

Tantric twins, also helping us achieve a balance between our inner self and the manifestation of our outer self, are those that share a common base while having two distinctly separate terminations. They are said to help us discover loving unions and conscious relationships on all levels. The two terminations joined with one base are said to represent a perfect relationship between two individuals, two separate identities also joined as one. The tantric twin helps us to fully release ourselves into a relationship without surrendering or losing our own self. Tantric twins also help us achieve union between our earthly self and our higher self. It is said that meditating together with a tantric twin is excellent to build compatible relationships on all levels.

Soul mate twins are similar to the tantric twins in that both work on the level of soul and soul mate. This twin can be recognized as two individual crystals of approximately the same length growing side by side rather than in a V shape. Symbolizing and enhancing the harmony and compatibility between energies, we use the tantric twin to work in conjunction with another being who is connected to us on a soul level in order to lovingly facilitate each other’s spiritual growth. It also works to open our awareness to all of the soul levels of our higher self. As all twin crystals, it is said to assist us with all aspects of a relationship, no matter what form it is.

Spirit guardian twins are two double-terminated crystals somewhat equal in size and length growing side by side. Because the double-terminated crystals can channel energy in both directions, this exponentially increases the energy of connection and harmony. It is said that the spirit guardian twin can, because of its amplified energy, attract spiritual guides to us and help us connect with and understand the subtle messages and information that comes to us from these other dimensional spiritual counselors and helpers. It is said that these are excellent tools for the development of higher consciousness, psychic development, increasing our intuitive abilities, and accessing deeper spiritual wisdom. It is especially helpful to meditate with a spirit guardian twin on our third eye.

Transmitter Crystals

The transmitter crystal is one in which the main face is a three-sided triangle that is in the center of two seven-sided faces. This relationship between the seven and three faces is especially powerful because the two triangular faces help bring the energy of the higher self, represented by the seven-sided face, to our individual consciousness so that we can manifest it on the physical plane. It is believed that the transmitter crystal can connect our consciousness with universal wisdom so that we can both send and receive specific cosmic or spiritual information and insights. As such, these stones are excellent for accessing and integrating telepathic, intuitive, clairaudient, and clairvoyant abilities into our communications and interactions with others.

Trans-Channeling or Dow Crystals

Dow or trans-channeling crystals are both transmitters and channelers in their configuration. Based on the various configurations of the faces, the trans-channeler crystal has faces that have alternatively seven sides, then three, seven, three, seven, and then another three sides. In other words, behind the front seven-sided face are two other seven-sided faces with three-sided faces between each of them. (A channeler crystal has a main seven-sided front face, with a three-sided face on each side, while a transmitter has a three-sided face with a seven-sided face bordering each side of it.) Because they combine the channeler with the transmitter, the dow or trans-channeling crystal combines the attributes of both, the channeler’s capacity to enhance conscious connection with accumulated wisdom and knowledge with the transmitter’s ability to help us refine our ability to communicate on all levels: the physical, the intuitive, the psychic, and the spiritual. Because of the symmetry of the faces, these crystals are also about balance, not only in our physical life, but also in our spiritual life. These are reported to be excellent helpers for any mystical or spiritual work that we may be doing.

Receiver Crystals

Receiver crystals are those that have a broad, upward sloping front face. It is said that when these crystals are used in meditation we are able to receive signals from the higher energy planes. This receptive, broad-faced crystal is said to be excellent to help us be able to receive any form of energy, not only from the higher planes, but also in the form of new concepts, visions, or dreams, which can be stored in the crystal and used later. It is also helpful to draw in energy for healing and to increase energy that we can pull into and circulate through our bodies for healing.

Isis Crystals

Isis crystals have one or more symmetrical five-sided faces. The five-sided faces do not have to be the largest ones on the crystal. Isis crystals are believed to connect us to all forms of the feminine goddess energy. Not only does the number five symbolize Isis, the goddess, or other forms of feminine energy, but it also symbolizes the harmony of the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, and ether), health, love, compassion, and inner harmony. It is believed that because of these attributes, along with its tendency to balance the male—female energies and integrate opposing forces in a complementary unity, that it is an excellent crystal for any type of healing. These crystals are believed to help transmute all suffering into wholeness and a state of well-being. This is because they are able to transmit the essence of both understanding and comfort into all of life’s problems so that we can learn from their lessons.

Window Crystals

Window crystals can be recognized easily because they have a four-sided, diamond-shaped window on the surface of the front face of the crystal. Though all crystals that contain veils and inclusions form inner windows through which we might travel to the higher spiritual realms, this diamond-shaped window is on the surface and is said to form an especially powerful gateway or opening that will allow us to see beyond the illusion of this physical life into the splendor of our higher self. It is through this window that we can move between worlds, from within the deepest regions of our human consciousness to the highest of spiritual planes. This allows us to grow from fear and insecurity to love and light. The diamond shape is representative of balance, so not only can we gain information from the higher planes of reality, but we are then able to blend or synthesize both the spiritual and physical realms into our lives.

A window is a point of access through which we can use our concentrated mind to travel toward a new vision. This right-leaning time link activator window is said to lead us into the future.

It is said that gazing into the window of a left-leaning time link activator will connect you with the knowledge of past times.

Scepter and Reverse Scepter Crystals

Recognized by having a naturally formed and terminated crystal that grows over the base of an older crystal, scepter crystals resemble the scepters used by royalty all over the world. According to legend, scepter crystals were used as a symbol of spiritual authority in both ancient Atlantis and Lemuria. It is believed that these crystals are powerful tools that help link our crown chakras with the higher spiritual centers of the eighth, ninth, and tenth chakras, so that we can become conscious of increasingly higher spiritual planes. As we use the scepter crystal, placing it over our crown center or holding it in our hands while meditating on our crown chakra, it will bring the energy from these higher realms down through our crown, vitalizing our lower chakras and bringing the highest spiritual truths into our consciousness.

Scepters can be especially useful in healing ceremonies, helping us focus energetic vibrations into the heart of both the spiritual and physical energies and using this information for healing, but also allows to focus the higher spiritual healing energies so that blockages can be dissolved. Opening our creative mind, scepters are thought to help us manifest thought into physical form and align us with our ideals so we can live more fully in spiritual truth. Related to the concept of royalty and power, these stones help us regain our personal power, overcome procrastination and lack of direction, and release fear or anger.

Scepter crystals are recognized by the naturally formed and terminated crystal that grows over the base of an older crystal, resembling the scepters used by royalty all over the world. Scepters help bring our thoughts into physical form. They are believed to bring personal power, release blockages, bring direction, and align us with our ideals.

A reverse scepter is when a smaller crystal emerges from the base of a larger stone, and they share the same attributes as the scepters. These crystals help us to release negative energy while retaining the positive. Opening the crown chakra, they help us to clear our minds of any negative thought impressions. They are believed to be excellent for inward reflection.

Phantom Crystals

When gazing inside phantom crystals we can see what looks like a faint outline of another crystal that has the same structure and shape of the outer crystal. This is naturally formed when the initial crystal has reached one state of growth only to have minerals precipitate on its surface for a short time, which then become embedded onto the growing crystal. Then, as the crystal grows larger, it leaves the outline of the minerals behind, leaving the faint phantom outline. If this happens several times, we can see several stacked phantoms. If minerals or trace elements that embedded into the initial crystal are colored, then it isn’t unusual to see milky, smoky, brown, green, yellow, red, orange, or even light amethyst phantoms within a clear quartz crystal. Clear quartz is not the only stone that can have phantoms. Phantoms can be seen in amethyst, smoky quartz, or quartz crystals containing iron.

Inside phantom crystals we can see what looks like a faint outline of another crystal that has the same structure and shape of the outer crystal. Chlorite and other minerals interrupted this crystal's growth many times to leave multiple phantoms within. Phantoms are said to help with personal evolution. The five-sided isis face on the tip is said to bring one into harmony with the divine feminine energy.

Phantom crystals are believed to represent the evolving soul and its growth toward the higher realms of light. Not only do these crystals stimulate our creativity, but it is thought that they help us grow beyond self-limiting beliefs. Phantom crystals are said to be excellent for past life work and personal evolution in all forms.

Spirit Crystals

Spirit quartz crystals (different from spirit guardian quartz crystals) are also called cactus or porcupine quartz. This crystal, mined in South Africa, is like a community of stone with sometimes hundreds of tiny crystal points encrusted around a larger central crystal, which makes it resemble a cactus or porcupine. These many tiny points usually cover many, if not all, of its sides and can flow up onto parts of the very top faces, leaving the central tip intact. This is a stone of harmony and alignment that is thought to bring us dynamic energy, joyfulness, and an appreciation for the wonder of life. Amplifying the energy of the main stone, it harmonically radiates spiritual energy in all directions. It is said that this is a very good stone for raising ourselves above mundane living and instead experiencing delight, pleasure, and enjoyment in our daily life. It is also thought to be especially effective in activating any chakra with which it is placed in alignment.

Wand and Laser Wand Crystals

Wand crystals are single-terminated crystals that are long and narrow in their formation, allowing us to precisely aim their projection. Laser wand crystals are thicker at the base than the tip, with their termination a lot smaller than the rest of the point. The body of a wand crystal is straight so that the energy projection follows a straight line in the direction it is aimed. The laser wand crystal is generally straight, although the edges of its sides can often be somewhat curved and sometimes heavily lineated. (Lemurian seed crystals are very often found in the shape of laser wands.) However, even though the sides may be curved, the energy projection from a laser wand is still straight.

This six-inch-long amethyst wand crystal is used for precision healing because its shape and length releases a narrow beam of violet energy that can be precisely aimed. The more narrow the tip of the wand, the more laser-like its energy projection.

Laser wands have a powerfully precise and narrow focus, enabling us to do precision work. The thin and elongated shape allows energy to move at a tremendously rapid rate from the bottom to the top of the crystal, making its stream of energy that is beamed out like a laser ray powerfully precise, especially when it is combined with our focused intention. Not only are these stones thought to be good for very precise work like psychic surgery, but they are also useful for cutting psychic or mental cords that bind us to other beings, or cutting the emotional cords within us of jealousy, anger, or guilt. Traced along the energy pathways, they are also excellent to open energy pathways connecting the various chakras within our energetic bodies. A laser wand is also good to use for sending out or transmitting specific thoughts as opposed to larger thought patterns.

Pyramid Stones

Though cut and polished instead of natural in their formation, it is believed that pyramid-shaped crystals and stones can be used to gather energy through their bottom, which then gets tightly focused as it flows out through the tip. This can be used in many ways, most frequently to draw off negative energy from the various chakras and other energy centers, as well as helping to gather up and draw out physical, mental, emotional, and other energy blockages for healing and rebalancing. To do this we have only to place the pyramid on the blockage and, with meditation, visualize the blocked energy being collected and released through the tip.

The colored stone pyramids also charge the area with their color; first enhancing it, and then focusing the amplified power of the color into what is being blocked, leaving it charged and whole. Rose quartz, for example, will help sooth while drawing out the negative energy and replace it with love. A gold tiger eye pyramid will charge the area with grounding, warmth, and strength.

For those who are drawn to the ancient Egyptian culture and mythology, it is felt that the stone pyramids, being based on the sacred geometry of the Egyptian pyramids, can be used to attune us to the pyramid’s psychic, healing, and energetic properties. To do this, we can hold the stone pyramid in both hands, palms upward with the right hand upon the left, and then in meditation open ourselves to this energy.

A stone pyramid can also be used to send messages by visualizing what we want to send entering through the bottom and out through the tip. Likewise, if we want to energetically receive a message, we can meditate with the pyramid and visualize any messages for us as entering through the bottom to be released through the tip into our consciousness. (Personally, I find it much easier to use a clear crystal point to send and receive messages.)

Stone Spheres

Otherwise known as crystal balls, stones formed into spheres are especially good to use for crystal gazing, which refers to the process of using the crystal as a focusing device through which we can develop and maintain an altered state of awareness in order to access information of one sort or another. Another term for this is crystal ball gazing. Though gazing can be done with a clear crystal, especially one with veils and inclusions, a sphere shape is even more useful, since the round shape easily draws our awareness into its center when we maintain a meditative state. If they are clear or slightly opaque, a colored sphere can also be used, the color influencing us in ways appropriate for that color. As with any crystal, stone spheres can be placed around the room or environment in certain energy patterns or grids. (I will talk about energy grids and crystal ball gazing in later chapters.)

The rainbows in this clear quartz crystal sphere help us reach into the astral and other higher realms. The sphere's shape tends to draw us effortlessly into its center.

Crystal Skulls

Crystal skulls have been fascinating subjects for historians and metaphysicians since the early 1800s, when they first started appearing along with other articles during the craze for pre-Columbian artifacts. Usually attributed to ancient Aztec or Mayan civilizations, most of the artifacts were, in fact, fakes. However, this went undiscovered until more sophisticated testing methods were available.

The early nineteenth-century museum collections of crystal skulls held today in the British Museum and in Paris’s Musée du Quai Branly have been tested with electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography, through which it was discovered that they were probably carved with modern tools, most likely from the German town of Idar-Oberstein, which was renowned at the time for crafting objects made from imported Brazilian quartz.

Furthermore, the type of quartz in these early skulls, filled with chlorite inclusions, is only found in Madagascar and Brazil, and thus was unknown in pre-Columbian Aztec or Mayan civilizations. Even the most famous Mitchell-Hedges skull, supposedly discovered in 1924 by Anna Mitchell-Hedges and purported to be over twelve thousand years old and to have been chiseled with diamonds, then shaped and polished with sand for one hundred and fifty to three hundred years, and according to legend used by the high Priest of the Mayan to perform various esoteric rites, has since been discovered by the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History to have been worked with a high-speed, hard metal rotary tool coated with a hard abrasive, probably diamond, thus placing its carving in the 1930s. (Walsh, Jane MacLaren, May 27, 2010, “The Skull of Doom: Under the Microscope.” Archaeology Magazine, Archaeological Institute of America.)

Pre-Columbians carved stones with wooden tools and other stone, then later, after “civilized” contact, with copper tools in combination with various abrasive sands or pulverized stone. None of the other “ancient” skulls that have been tested with scientific study have actually been authenticated as pre-Columbian in their origin. Furthermore, according to modern historians, even though skulls represented some of the Aztec gods, none of the legends of crystal skulls with mystical powers are included in genuine Mesoamerican or other Native American mythologies and spiritual stories. Today, thousands of crystal skulls are carved in China, Brazil, Germany, and other locations, making them available for everyone.

Nonetheless, whether a crystal skull is actually ancient or not, relics of ancient Atlantis, or the result of extraterrestrials’ visits to the Aztecs before the Spanish conquest or not, they are used by some crystal workers for, among other things, healing, the development of psychic powers, and receiving messages from ancient civilizations. Many believe the crystal skulls able to record and store the energy of those around them, which then pictorially replays as images to those who gaze into its eyes, imparting information about the distant past. Like crystals, they can be used as tools to awaken consciousness, learning who we are, where we came from, and why we are here. To do that, we learn to resonate with the crystal and then gaze into its eyes, setting up a continuous flow of magnetism between the crystal and us. This divination effect is even more powerful when shining a light from the bottom of the skull through its eyes. In this way the skull acts as an amplifier and transmitter of psychic and earth energy forces. Furthermore, it is said that a crystal skull will be dormant, unable to do its work, unless activated through exposure to an ancient skull through actual exposure or visualization, or through meditation. Skulls that are carved from colored stones rather than clear quartz employ the attributes of that color to their work. People who are attracted to the stone skulls find them to have an otherworldly beauty, power, and energy, as well as an ability to manifest things in life, from material needs to conscious awakening.