How to 'work' with crystals?

[Red Emma]

Crystal healing

Not sure what your comment about about a $400 crystal being cost effective is supposed to mean - that instead of buying thousands of dollars of drugs they could cure themselves with a $400-a-thumbnail-sized stone?

Sorry, Tarot Bear. I should know by now to not make such blanket statements. Maybe...if I live long enough ......

 

[Red Emma]

Uses of crystals

If you want to meditate with a stone just hold it in your hands and allow yourself to sink into it, see it as a light which slowly surrounds you and just observe how that energy affects you. Netzach

Ah, Netzach, this is the information I'd hoped to find. You're a living doll. Maybe a rose quartz living doll.

 

[Netzach]

Diverging slightly from the topic of crystals, of course you are right, Red Emma, about the true meaning - or should I say, the derivation - of the word "occult". Unfortunately, like so many other words in current usage (gay, wicked, cool . . . to name but a few) the present day meaning is quite different from the original and whereas some words have also retained their original meaning, I do think that "occult" has had such a bad press that it may be better not to use it. The Tibetans speak of "hidden" teachings - perhaps we should follow suit.

Netzach

 

[Gaby]

"Hidden teachings"! I love that, it's perfect! And very suitable *Ü*
I vote for "hidden teachings"!

 

[Red Emma]

Working with crystals

Unfortunately, like so many other words in current usage ... the present day meaning ... (of occult) ... is quite different from the original ... I do think that "occult" has had such a bad press that it may be better not to use it. Netzach

Here's where we part company, Netzach. Occult is a lovely word, and I
intend to continue using it. As a matter of fact, most of the people I know as well as the mainstream media still use it in it's original guise. Perhaps there's a difference in American and British usage.

 

[Netzach]

That's interesting. I think you could be right about the British/American difference. Maybe the British were too much influenced by Aleister Crowley and by the novels of Dennis Wheatley whose books were all on "occult" themes - and those practising the occult were always the bad guys. (I loved those books when I was in my teens!) However, now that I come to think of it, we do use occult to mean "hidden" in a medical context - occult blood, for example (blood you can't see but have to test for, eg in urine). But that's getting onto another tack entirely!

Netzach

 

[tarotbear]

Here are some books from my 'crystal section' of my bookshelf:

Crystal Healing: The Next Step by Phyllis Galde ISBN 0-87542-246-2
The Crystal Handbook by Kevin Sullivan ISBN 0-451-15491-6
Focus on Crystals by Edmund Harold ISBN 0-345-34584-3
Crystal Awareness by Catherine Bowman ISBN 0-87542-058-3

and the Triolgy by Katrina Raphaell:
Crystal Enlightenment ISBN 0-943358-27-2
Crystal Healing ISBN 0-943358-30-2
The Crystalline Transmission ISBN: 0943358-33-7

You may be able to track some of these online as used paperback books.

****edited to add:

Crystal Love by Connie Church ISBN 0-394-75786-6 (so-so book, but the one that got me into crystals). She also has one called Crystal Clear which I never read.

The Complete Crystal Guidebook by Uma Silbey ISBN 0-553-34499-4 . She also has tapes for crystal meditations available.

 

[Bluemanticore]

Just want to add one book to Tarotbear's list. A must-have in my opinion is "Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem, and Metal Magic." This book is the foundation of all my stone spellwork. It is very well researched and organized.

 

[MoonGypzzy]

I started meditating last June....and the very first time I did this meditation I used stones. I chose to use the ones that depict each color of the chakras. As I held the stones in my hands I would say ohm....3 times or more. Well this experience was very unique from what I understsand bcuz during this meditation and any time I meditated I always saw images almost like movies to be exact. I cant begin to tell you how amazing these images were. I saw Egyptian images as well as images of Jesus..etc. I also saw my third eye for the first time and learned how to tell whether it had opened or not. I also had burnings in my hands for hours after....So I then decided to carry my stones in my bra. It was very helpful for me to do this..in order to make a connection with them. I love my stones dearly and have the cutest pouch I carry them in. I'd like to say my favorite of them all is my lapis lazuli ..woo hoo..its gorgeous. lol...The one problem I did run into tho...is the tingling I get on the back of my head. I have no clue what it is..or why it happens. But it happens often and its almost like I have a magnet in my head.Im not crazy lol ...has anyone ever had this occur...the tingles??

 

[Netzach]

The one problem I did run into tho...is the tingling I get on the back of my head. I have no clue what it is..or why it happens. But it happens often and its almost like I have a magnet in my head.Im not crazy lol ...has anyone ever had this occur...the tingles??

Yes - it frequently happens if I'm using my hands for healing. A number of healers who I know get it as well. It's simply a sensation of energy flow and an easy way to get rid of it is to hold your arms out in front of you and then shake your hands vigorously. But it won't do you any harm - and it gives a whole new meaning to "getting a buzz" out of something!

I really envy you your visualisations. How wonderful. Only once or twice have I received really vivid pictures. I agree with you about lapis - it's a truly beautiful stone. Do you find that any one stone is better than another to meditate with?