has anyone used crystals, gems, herbs for magickal workings?

has anyone used crystals, gems, or herbs in magickal workings? if so what has been your experiences with this? good or bad. if so how has this helped you in your life? any info would be appreciated!

Just a moderator comment. Magic(k) in general gets discussed in Spirituality. Its discussion here would have to be very limited and related only to the properties of certain crystals and herbs.

Thanks,
Alta
Moderator

Yes, I have. I have used calcite to increase the energy of the working - especially optical spar, which at least doubles any energy running through it. I create grids of certain stones to bring that energy into the working. For instance Herkimers, smoky quartz, and apophylite are good for communication/evocation. You could also use citrine for drawing prosperity. I try to ask each crystal what it wants to do. I have programmed crystals, of course, to perform certain tasks that are in line with their properties. And I have enchanted (for lack of a better word - a more ritual-like activitiy) stones to do bigger jobs, but that really changes the energy of the crystal - or magnifies one aspect at the expense of all its other properties. These enchanted items have names, act more like an artifact, and have come in handy.

Besides just the programming of crystals (see the sticky thread for more info), I've done the following things:

- used ulexite, aka TV Stone, to help boost my efforts to make something become true. Ulexite is a natural stone that works like fiberoptics, as it can bring the image of whatever's under the stone to the top of the stone. So, in effect, it makes a two-dimensional image have three dimensions. Putting the thing I want (via written word or picture) under the ulexite is an exercise I do to help make it more "real".

- I have two matching halves of a small geode. I also have a few tiny quartz points that will fit into the halves of the geode. If I want to make a person feel better or improve a situation, I program them accordingly. For example, if I have someone who needs confidence, I might program the geode (which is full of quartz) for confidence, then program one of the small points to be a stand-in for the person. Then I put the point into the geode. Bingo -- the person is, figuratively, surrounded by confidence.

I say these things and immediately need to follow them up with "I don't do magickal things", per se. I certainly don't use any form of ritual. But I do believe that INTENT is all we really need, when all is said and done, and these are a couple of ways that I use to help me focus, and realize, that intent.

Edit to add: Ah, yes. I forgot optical calcite. As ncharge posted, that can be used to double the effect of one's actions.

thanks so much for all of that invaluable information! i am kind of new to all of this; i find it all so fascinating. any other info on gems, etc you could impart i would love to learn more! this is one for my journals!

I use the little stones that came in the "Crystal Wisdom Kit" placed on tarot cards, on my altar, when I do tarot spells and rituals, to strengthen them. Yes, I think they work.

You might find some of the info in this book to be a good "starting place" quick reference. There are no pictures of the gemstones themselves, but it has various charts & lists.
The Seven Secrets of Crystal Talismans by Henry M. Mason
ISBN: 978-0-7387-1144-7
2008, Llewellyn