Alternative Stones for the Third Chakra: Yellow amber, citrine, yellow fluorite, pyrite, golden topaz

Fourth or Heart Chakra (Rose Quartz)

Colour: Green or Pink

Choose: tumbled stone, cabachon, polished piece or natural rough stone.

Rose Quartz has a dynamic intensity and healing power. A healer for internal wounds. Aids kidneys and circulatory system. Increases fertility. Helps clear stored anger, resentment, guilt, fear, jealousy. Reduces stress and tension, cools temper. Enhances self confidence and creativity. Promotes love, forgiveness, compassion. It is often called the 'love stone'. When healing with or wearing rose quartz, be prepared for emotional releases and the surfacing of suppressed memories and feelings.

Use a tumbled stone, a cabachon or shaped and polished stone, or a small piece of natural rose quartz rock.

Alternative Stones for the Fourth Chakra: Pink or green aventurine, moss agate, rhodonite, rhodocrosite, green jasper.

Fifth or Throat Chakra (Blue Lace Agate)

Colour: Light blue

Choose: tumbled stone or other polished piece.

Blue lace agate helps to open and expand consciousness. Enhances creativity and confident statement. Calming to the mind, soothing to the emotions. Encourages communication, wisdom, patience, peace, kindness, honesty. Influences thyroid, nervous system. Strengthens a sense of calm centredness to help in social situations. Discourages nervous habits. Useful for building confidence in public speaking. It is also excellent for cooling hot tempers and relieving stress. Can be carried or worn when you want to maintain calm. Good for neutralising energies such as anger, infection, inflammation and fever. Opens the throat chakra for other stones to be used to express higher wisdom.

Alternative stones for the Fifth Chakra: Holly blue agate, blue fluorite, aquamarine, blue topaz.

Sixth or Third Eye Chakra (Amethyst)

Colour: Purple or Dark Blue

Choose: natural point, tiny cluster, tumbled stone, faceted stone, shaped piece.

Amethyst enhances right brain activity. Blood cleanser and energiser. Assists purification and regeneration; cuts through illusion. One of the best stones to use for meditation, it has a calming mental effect. Use for overworked, overstressed and overwhelmed mental states. Especially good for people suffering from recurrent nightmares. Will help clear and transform energies in the environment where it is placed. Will help to release unbalanced energies. Also helps you understand your dreams. Amethyst has strong protective qualities and will enhance psychic abilities and spiritual awareness. Balances and soothes an over-active mind. Mythology says that Amethyst helps us remain sober - it is the stone that Bacchus used to cure his drunkenness. Amethyst can also be utilised for cleansing other crystals and stones, by placing them on an amethyst cluster. Strengthens endocrine and immune system and is useful in the treatment of emotional/mental disorders, nervous disorders and easing pain. As an elixir it is useful for easing the pain of arthritis. Faceted stones are really good for energy focus and need not be large.

Alternative stones for the Sixth Chakra: Lapis lazuli, sodalite, charoite, strombolite, purple fluorite, azurite.

Seventh or Crown Chakra (Clear Quartz Crystal)

Colour: Clear or Purple

Choose: Natural point, tumbled stone, polished shape, cabachon.

Quartz crystals reflect pure white light that can be channeled into daily thoughts, feelings, words and actions. By touching, wearing, using or meditating with these crystals, one can work with that light in a physical form. Enhances crystalline properties of blood, body and mind. Emotional balancer. Stimulates brain functions. Receives, activates, stores, transforms, transmits and amplifies energy. Excellent for meditation. The most easily programmed of all crystals and healing stones, because of its crystal shape and flat faceted points and sides, and the most useful of healing stones. A cluster in a room can transmit healing energies. Emotional balancer, dispels negativity, amplifies thought forms. Use clear quartz crystals for contacting your guides and for interdimensional communication. Beneficial to the whole body but especially the pineal and pituitary glands.

Preferably use a natural point - a small one is fine. Use with the point towards the crown chakra if possible.

Alternative stones for the Seventh Chakra: Selenite, Calcite, Amethyst (points only).

Exploring a Crystal.

For this visualisation exercise, choose one of your favourite crystals, one you already know quite well. A good place to hold the crystal for this exercise is at the solar plexus.

1. Sit in a relaxed comfortable position, holding the stone in both hands. Take a few moments just to relax and focus on the crystal in your hands.
2. Slowly let your awareness float down into the crystal until you reach a point where you seem to come to rest.
3. In your minds eye, identify how the crystal feels to you. is it warm or damp, cool or dry, smooth or rough? Take a minute or two to explore the energy of the crystal through your inner touch.
4. Now relax again and turn your attention to any quality of sound within the crystal, whether it appears to be a tone, a pulse or a tune. Is it high or low? Simple or complex? Listen to the sound of the crystal for a few moments, then relax again.
5. Take a few deep breaths, then imagine you are breathing in the crystal's energy through your nostrils. What smell, what taste does the crystal have? Can you identify it?
6. Relax once more, then open your inner eyes. Imagine what the structure and the energy of your crystal looks like: the quality of light, the images, the landscapes, scenes and figures that may be related to you. Don't attempt to analyse what you see. Just let the imagery play before your eyes.
7. Now become aware once more of the crystals taste, its smell, its sounds and its touch. Very gradually bring your awareness out of the crystal and become more aware of your body and the world around you. Record notes in your journal so that you may remember your experiences.

Candle Therapy and Crystals
The techniques of allowing candles to help in crystal work involve holding a selected crystal in your hand or hands or placing the stone on the floor or table near you and your mat and allow yourself to focus on the mineral as you meditate.
In a meditative or yoga group circle, you may place the candles and crystals in the center of the group. Make sure that the intention of the entire group is that of the same intent.
Crystals can allow one to reach higher spiritual levels during meditation. The crystal magnifies one's personal energy by aligning and connecting with universal power. The candle can center and align by concentrating on it's flame.

To Promote Growth in Plants
"Plant" clear quartz crystals or moss agate in the center of any type of garden to promote lush growth and abundant harvest

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