The Ultimate Guide to Crystals & Stones: A Practical Path to Personal Power, Self-Development, and Healing - Uma Silbey 2016

Basic Crystal and Stone Information

As they did at the birth of the “new age” in the ’70s and ’80s, the Stone People are speaking up quite loudly again (not that they ever stopped talking), asking us to extend the wisdom that we have gathered so far. Since then, our work with stones has concentrated on expanding our consciousness into the lighter realms in order to rebalance and heal ourselves, others, and the larger world. We have focused on becoming aware of our light bodies, subtle energy bodies, the astral and the causal bodies, and other planes of awareness, which have allowed us to effectively work with crystals and stones. In the process, we have begun to realize our own unlimited self, a realization that unfolds automatically as we do our work with crystals and stones. Furthermore, there is an ever-increasing amount of information offered about various qualities and uses of hundreds of special stones, gems, and types of crystals, along with various methods to work with them.

In the following pages of this book, besides presenting older information, new information will also be included. Not only will older stone-working techniques be further elaborated upon, but techniques to work with “ordinary” rocks will be explained as well. As the Stone People have expressed, it is time to realize that the seeming solidity of granite holds lessons for us that are just as important as the quartz crystal. It is time to delve back into the depths of the earth, as well as into the light of gems and crystals. It is time to hear the voices of all rocks, to not turn our faces away from that which seems insignificant or unenlightened, to reject nothing, so that like a healthy tree we grow deep roots as well as long branches. We have become top heavy in our work with crystals and gems, drawing too heavily on our upper energy centers while leaving our lower centers to become weak. Now is the time for a rebalancing and strengthening of what we have slighted.

IF WE HAVE THE EARS TO HEAR, ALL STONES TALK.

This book will lay out a total path, providing detailed exercises and practices with crystals and stones that will open us to the dark as well as the light, to regular stones as well as crystals, to a more universal consciousness so we can work well with all stones. The door will be opened to reveal the wisdom and endless knowledge that is always centered within us waiting to be discovered and utilized. In the process of doing the stone work described within these pages, this development of consciousness is likely to proceed automatically, and as our consciousness expands so too does our ability to interact and work with any crystal or stone. We will be able to clearly hear their voices and follow their guidance so that, among other things, what we envision can become a reality, whether it be healing, personal growth, or expanded consciousness.

Finally, though the stones speak to us, bringing their lessons and empowerment, it is important to know that the stones aren’t gods who magically produce certain results. They are tools that help us to do a certain job. For the most part, it is only through our interaction with them that any changes occur. Nor is the use of stones the only way to help us heal, increase our awareness, or any of the other benefits that we experience through our interaction with them. There are many other methods that are equally valid. We use stones because we are called to do so.

There are many things to know in order to successfully work with stones. Because we are working with subtle energy or vibration, we need to learn about energy systems as a whole, both inside and outside our physical body. Subtle energies and increased life force are often awakened when working with stones, so we’ll need to know how to utilize these unleashed energies and powers in a balanced manner. There are chakra systems, or energy matrixes, in our bodies that often become activated as we work with stones. These can be activated to empower our work in order to bring balance and healing. Whether we are conscious of it or not, working with stones involves the more subtle planes of reality, so we need to know how to work with the astral and mental planes. When working with the stones, we often draw tremendous forces of energy through our subtle and physical bodies, so learning how to build up and maintain the strength of our subtle and physical nervous system and the health of our physical body is important. As these processes unfold within us, we can transcend our limiting thinking patterns and limiting sense of ego to ultimately become conscious of a much larger reality … And become master stone workers.

Stone and crystal work is a combination of the mind, the will, the stone, and the guiding, empowering spirit. When we have awareness and are in a state of surrender, we become a channel through which this life force or energy can flow and the healing spirit can do its work. As we focus our mind, leaving behind the impediments of doubt, ego, fear, pride, excess intellectuality, and physical weakness, the more we can become this clear channel.

This sounds like a lot, yet with clear intention, focus, and practice, these abilities will naturally unfold within us. In this book, practices will be provided in order to help this unfolding progress more quickly. Techniques will also be given to help develop sensitivity to these subtle energies and vibrations. Common obstacles will be addressed with some information about how to overcome them.

Honesty is completely necessary to be successful in our work with stones. It is not helpful to pretend that an expected result is happening when it is not. Neither must we judge ourselves by the results we experience, even if we seem to have no apparent results at all. Instead, it is important to hold the attitude that it is not we who are doing the healing. Rather, we are using our stones as tools to set the conditions through which healing happens.

Having said this, the most common reason for not getting the results we want is not being in sufficient contact with the larger guiding, empowering spirit and, instead, being more focused on our limited ego-self during our stone work. Or, looking for a quick, spectacular result, we miss the subtle changes that are actually occurring. It is important to realize that results happen in their own time and in their own way, and that they often change their nature over time. Instead of immediate results, our stone work may start a process that continues for days, weeks, or even over an entire life. Whether the results are immediate or not, it is important to keep on working. Be patient, accepting, and open to what may be deep, long-lasting, permanent changes.

Both obvious and subtle changes may happen as we work with the various stone and crystal practices. Our body may go through changes, making it more sensitive in certain ways. The experience of our psychic, subtle self may become as strong as our experience of our physical body. We may learn how to observe our mind and emotions so that they serve and inform us, but do not control us. Psychic energy may become so deeply integrated in our everyday life that our use of it becomes common. What before seemed miraculous may now seem commonplace as our expanded consciousness helps us discern that all seeming miracles actually operate according to common laws that become obvious as we closely observe their inner workings through our stone work. As our work continues, we may become aware of an unlimited source of creative energy flowing like a river within us, and the inward flowering of a love that is not emotionalism, but rather a deep, compassionate understanding of others. Along with this blossoming, a strong desire to serve others may spring from within. If so, we are shown how to help. In so doing, we may become fearless, accepting, wise, and content, effortlessly able to help bring happiness and healing to others.