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Crystals & Stones

Stones: A Natural Attraction

A Look at Clear Quartz Crystal

The Crystal Point

Common Alternatives, Education and Intuition

Stones: A Natural Attraction
by Tina Merrill

From the very earliest of times, humans have used stones for a wide variety of reasons. For example, stones have been used for building, as tools, and as adornments. They have also been used as weapons, instruments of prophecy, and implements of healing. There are many more uses of stones as well. People from all walks of life, young and old alike, have had a fascination with stones throughout the ages, and that brings us to the question...

What is that "thing" about stones? Does anybody truly know what this attraction is all about and, if so, who's to say? Well, I'll tell you who -- it's you! Subconsciously, we all know something about stones simply from our natural attraction to them. It happens to all of us - times in which we are drawn to a particular rock because it looks cool, or seems to call to us, or merely because it feels good in our hand.

An important thing to remember about the energy of stones is that what you read is not (forgive the pun) written in stone. Although there are numerous books written on the subject, and most have some good information, we all need to find what speaks to us personally. As you accept the knowledge that holds true for you, you will begin to find where the energy of the stones has its greatest power, or resonance, for your life at this time.

Every stone has its own particular energy, just as every person does. I have yet to find two stones or met two people, including twins, with the same energy or frequency. Even two stones of the same rock cut into similar shapes will have a different feel. Because of this difference, the impression or response you get from each stone will be unique for you.

Taking all of this into consideration, you might begin to see how there is a whole lot more to the energy of stones than meets the eye! One might even say that this energy is what meets the soul or the higher consciousness. I say this because most of the time we do not understand why we hang onto and take home a particular stone. We just know we need to, and so we do.

I believe that part of our desire to possess particular stones could be due to some depleted or missing frequency in the spectrum of our own energy bodies. This depletion leaves us out of balance and in search for what will help us heal. I think this is why we are attracted to certain stones, minerals, crystals - or "rocks" in general.

An attraction to a stone and the need to take it home may not always mean that it is meant for you, however. It is possible that you could be drawn to it for someone else. People we are in contact with leave an impression or a residual energy within our aura, and we connect with them even if they are not physically around us.

There have been many times I have set aside a stone or crystal or put one in my pocket before I went out, not knowing exactly why. Later, when conversing with someone, it will dawn on me that the stone I have in my pocket or put aside is meant for that person. There are also times when I know beforehand - though, personally, I like being surprised by the synchronicity. It is more fun and confirming to me that way.

I have found it very interesting and enlightening over the years to learn about the different ways people use the stones that come into their lives. My best friend Nick, for example, has been a rock junkie for most of his life. He says that the stones talk to him. Nick does lapidary work, so when he gets an impression of the shape a particular stone wants to be, he cuts and polishes it in order to enhance its energy for that specific purpose. He also sometimes wire-wraps stones to make them into necklaces for wearable healing tools.

There are several ways to utilize the energy of stones. One simple way is to make a medicine bag. Say you want more clarity in a certain situation in your life. The first thing to do is focus on what you want to know. Now, pay attention to what stones come to mind first or which ones may stand out if you have them in front of you. Collect the stones that you feel will be most beneficial for this situation. You can now put them into a leather bag (or one made of other material) and either wear it or put it in your pocket. Be sure to be aware of your thoughts and the synchronicities that occur in the days and weeks to come.

The gathering of stones was something I never planned on. In fact, I never considered working with stones - it just happened. In late 1990, I was working as an electronics technician when I discovered I was soon going to be out of work. In 1991, I went to my first gem and mineral show and found myself literally moved by a stone called Septerian Nodual. I was in a booth that had nothing but Septerian Nodual. Within three minutes, my head got that light, buzzy feeling - the kind you get right before you pass out. I left the booth to go sit on a bench, figuring I just need to eat something. After eating a bit, I felt fine and went to look at other booths. Eventually, I made my way back to the same booth and the same experience happened all over again. Although I loved the stone, I realized I could not be around so much of it.

After that experience, I was hooked. I wasn't really sure what had happened, but I was determined to find out. And so I began to learn all I could about stones. About a year later, I met Nick, who taught me a lot and still does. Most of what I know about how to listen to stones I learned from him.

In the next issue, I will share more about what I know about stones, particularly clear quartz crystal, one of my personal favorites.

Tina Merrill has been working with stones for ten years. In 1992 she developed the stone area of Black Elk Leather, Beads and Stones.

A Look at Clear Quartz Crystal
by Tina Merrill

There are many different kinds of quartz crystals such as amethyst, citrine, black, smoky, white and clear. Clear quartz is one of the most common, one of the most highly used, and one of the most versatile forms of crystal. What is it, then, that makes quartz crystals so special? Let's start at the beginning…

How Crystals Are Formed

Two years ago, I went to Arkansas to dig crystals for my birthday. Best birthday I ever had! It was a kick digging in the mud for rocks, but while I was there I also learned the process of crystal mining. Crystals have to have the right set of conditions to grow: they need water, heat and pressure. I learned that crystals usually run in sets of two veins parallel to each other some feet apart. Most of the time, the pocket in between the veins is filled with mud, unless it is a cave. The veins can run a few feet across and down in the earth to several feet. Let me tell you, it is a whole lot of work getting those crystals out of the ground!

After the crystals are removed from the earth, they are put through a multi-stepped process of acid baths and rinses to get them clean. This can take weeks. I certainly learned why the cost of crystals is high, and I no longer complain about the prices.

The main function of clear quartz crystals is that of an amplifier. Quartz is very versatile and can be programmed for any purpose -- from healing specific ailments to protection or clearing negativity. Specific types of quartz (determined from the way they are formed) have specific qualities; when these are programmed, that quality enhances their purpose. Of course, being a natural amplifier, when quartz is programmed or added to other stones, it increases the energy of the program or quality of the other stones.

Types of Quartz

To date, I have counted over 60 types of quartz, and I am sure there are more. Some of the more common clear quartz crystals are the cluster, point, shard, double-terminated, rainbow, phantom and the sphere.

The crystal cluster is easy to recognize. It is just as the word describes it -- a bunch of crystals stuck together, some of the clusters still on the matrix. Besides being beautiful, the cluster is good for dispersing energy in many directions at once. This type of quartz formation is excellent for calming as well as magnifying the bonding in family or group situations.

The crystal point is one that has been separated from the cluster. They usually come from the shifting of the earth and earthquakes. While still in the ground, the points break off and end up in the mud pockets between the two veins. Some points also come from breakage in the mining process. There are several different types of crystal points such as record keepers, transmitters, receivers, windows and old souls. (We will explore this vast topic in a future issue.) These precious little gems are very small to about palm size and are good for learning about how to deal with independence due to separation. The quartz point amplifies the energy around it. Its own energy comes out of its termination. Points are great as pocket stones, for jewelry, in medicine bags and placing around your home, work, or in your car.

The shard has basically the same qualities as the crystal point. Shards, however, are larger in size, running from about five to nine inches in length. These are like the ones used in movies such as Dark Crystal or Superman. Shards are often seen used in walking sticks, staffs, or in their natural state as wands.

The double terminated (DT) crystal comes to a termination at both ends. The majority of the DT crystals have grown separate and unattached from a mother rock, although they are in clusters as well. Most people find external energy to be drawn in one end and sent out the other end, making them a good catalyst. Thus, they are great to use in junction with other stones or with your own energy, because when the energy comes out, it is not only amplified, but can also be directed. I have discovered that the DT's own energy is bi-directional. Since its energy comes out of both ends, you can use other stones placed between the terminations to send that force in two directions at once. DT crystals are good for the same things single points are good for, only with a bit more strength.

A rainbow crystal occurs when the natural inclusions within the crystal reflects light, thus causing a rainbow to appear on the inside of the crystal. The internal fractures of these crystals are caused by the shaking and shifting of the earth. This type of crystal is good for bringing more color and happiness into your life. It can help you to see the more positive side of things. One way to imagine the energy of this little beauty is to recall how you feel when you see a rainbow in the sky and the promise that rainbow represents.

Remember that crystals need the right set of conditions to grow? Well, the phantom crystal is an example of when those conditions were not met. When there is not enough water for the crystal to grow, other minerals form on the crystal faces and/or sides, depending on the position of the crystal. When it rains and the water supply becomes plentiful, the crystal begins to grow again, thus encasing the other minerals inside of it -- and sometimes even water gets trapped inside. The most common mineral that forms is chlorite, which can be white, green, brown or red and all the shades in between. Phantoms can help you deal with all that "stuff" inside. They can teach you how to grow despite the setbacks. The chlorite within is good for all-purpose healing and contributes to the healing power of the phantom.

The crystal sphere is not a natural form for quartz; rather, it is shaped that way. I have found people to be quite drawn to the sphere. I believe it has something to do with the fact that its energy is omni-directional. The crystal ball has all the same qualities as the crystal point, except that the energy goes in all directions at once. Therefore, it is good to use whenever you want energy to be evenly distributed. I like to use them in stone grids or to hang in the center of a room to even out the energy. The most popular use for the crystal ball has been for fortune telling.

The definitions I have included here are what I have learned from using the crystals myself. I hope you will use them as basic guidelines to help you learn what these wonderful stones have to say to you.

Tina Merrill has been working with stones for ten years. In 1991, she developed the stone area of Black Elk Leather, Beads and Stones.

The Crystal Point
by Tina Merrill

So what’s the point about crystals? For one, crystal points are readily available in a wide variety. I think about all the other stones out there in the world and their preset purposes around the energy they hold and I wonder if there isn’t perhaps a crystal point to serve the same purpose? I do believe that for every exotic stone that is hard to find, there is a more common easily obtainable equal – so why not use a crystal point? After all they are programmable. I shall leave it to your imagination to ponder all the possibilities of that!

Old Soul; Self-Healed; Bridge; Record Keeper; Generator; Window; Transmitter; Receiver; Twin; Mother-Child; File; Key … wherever did these crystal points get their names? I believe it to be a matter of interpretation, of what the point may remind us of or look like. Some person somewhere held on to a crystal that had a bunch of small crystals attached to it and thought to him or herself, “This one reminds me of a teacher or an old wise man with all his followers. It must be a wise old soul. That’s it -- I’ll call it an Old Soul!” The Old Soul, therefore, can help us learn knowledge and wisdom from others.

Let’s examine next the Self-Healed crystal. It is said that these crystals, after being broken off the mother rock, continue to grow to become whole again by creating several terminations at their broken end. As they show us in nature and what we perceive from this definition, Self-Healed crystals can help us learn about healing our own bodies.

The Bridge crystal has a smaller crystal protruding from it. Most usually the termination of the smaller crystal is encased in the larger crystal. What comes to mind when you think of a Bridge crystal? Obviously, a bridge is something that joins two things. What could a Bridge crystal be joining? Perhaps it joins the inner and outer worlds, bridging the gap of whom you are inside and who you project to be. It could also bridge the gap between emotional and physical or between other realms. This is where the beauty of programming a crystal with your intention is handy. You can program this crystal to
bridge the gap between any two things you need to better understand.

The Manifestation crystal is a bit harder to find because this crystal has another whole crystal or small cluster completely encased within. The Manifestation crystal is just as it sounds, for it can help with creating what you want and need in your life.

A Record Keeper is something like a scrapbook, holding memories of times gone by. This crystal is bit more common than the Manifestation crystal, but yet still not as common as some of the others. To find a Record Keeper, you need to get light reflecting off the face of the crystal and look for small-elongated triangles. Those triangles are said to be the records of history. The way I prefer to access the records within these crystals is to sleep with one under my pillow. The dreams that follow are usually pretty fantastic. Others have accessed the Records by placing them on their third eye or throat, using them in mediation, or just holding on to them.

Now, the Generator crystal is fairly rare. In the 10 years I have been working with stones, I have only come across a dozen or so. A Generator crystal is one in which all of its faces come together to create a perfect point, and all of the faces are true triangles. A generator is good for charging other crystals. Some people use them in group meditations and for hands-on healing.

I hope you are getting the idea on how to interpret what various crystals are good for and how they might be used. It is just a matter of reading a little more deeply into their names and appearances. From here on, I will give only a brief description of what some other crystals look like. A good exercise would be to list the crystals on a piece of paper and write what you think they may be good for. Find a few stone guidebooks; then, compare their definition with yours and see if you came up with some of the same qualities. One book I suggest is “Crystal Personalities: A Quick Reference to Special Forms of Quartz” by Patricia Troter, Eric Lovstad (Illustrator).

Window: This crystal has a diamond shape at the base and between the two faces. There can be more than one window on a crystal.

Transmitter: This crystal has one large face that is a tall triangle. Its function should be fairly easy to figure out.

Receiver: Receivers have one face with seven edges. This one should also be easy to figure out. The question is: how would you use it?

Trans-Receiver: This crystal has a tall triangle on one side and a seven-sided face on the other.

Twin: As might be expected, this one has two crystals that are attached side by side. One of the crystals may be shorter than the other.

Mother-Child: This formation has one main crystal with one or more smaller crystals at the base.

Elestial: This crystal might best be described as having a surface that resembles alligator skin or a turtle shell. The term “elestial” is taken from the word “celestial” but has also been associated with the word “skeleton.” The only way I can relate the meaning of this crystal is to say, that to us humans an Elestial is very fragmented. In an Elestial crystal there are parts missing; we only see certain parts. One could perhaps relate these unique crystals to a piece of artwork that is done in relief.

File: This crystal has ridges on one or more sides, but not on the face.

Key: This one has an indentation where another crystal was once attached.

I would love to see what definitions you come up with. If you care to share your thoughts or insights, or if you have any questions, please e-mail me at tina@blackelk.alaska.com.

Tina Merrill has been working with stones for ten years. In 1991, she developed the stone area of Black Elk Leather, Beads and Stones.