Let the Right Crystal Find You

Many crystals seem to possess juxtaposing qualities, which means you are able to dance around your choice of crystal before finding the perfect one for you. Choosing a crystal is more than a visual journey, as each crystal will ask your energy if it is meant to be yours. While some people are more sensitive to sensing a crystal's calling, you can also follow your first instincts. Often, following your gut when deciding on a crystal will result in the best match, as opposed to trying to find one that fits all your boxes. In life, there are often times when we think we know what we want, only to realize there was something we were missing on a different path. This is the joy of life, and we think that crystals embody this joy quite well.

The crystals we carry are generally rough and raw, but a few may be faceted (such as Mad et Len's Terre Blanch, which features faceted quartz). Quartz based crystals in particular have naturally occurring facets at their tips. Quartz crystals usually have six facets, equating to the six chakras from the base to the third eye. 

Finding the crystal that calls to you can be difficult online, which is why we wanted to compile all the properties each of our crystals have, as well as which signs generally resonate with each crystal. Remember, even if your sign is not listed with a crystal, it does not mean you should exclude it from your options. Instead, try to have an open mind, and this openness will draw the right crystal to you.

Crystal Properties

Amber

Properties: Clears negativity, cleanses chakras, auras, and energy from the environment.

Although not technically a crystal, amber is used extensively in crystal healing. It is actually fossilized tree resin, and the best amber comes from the Baltic region. Do not use water or salt to cleanse this crystal, and instead opt for a smoke cleanse. 

Cancer. Leo. Virgo. Capricorn. Aquarius. 

Amethyst

Properties: Protective and insightful. Moving from a base of love. Provides more focus and control of your faculties.

Amethyst is a quartz crystal and a semiprecious gemstone, and is one of the world's more common crystals. It is an extremely powerful and protective stone. It is considered one of the most spiritual stones, promoting love of the divine, giving insights into its true nature, and encouraging selflessness and spiritual wisdom. It assists in transmuting energy into love, and is considered a natural tranquilizer.

Amethyst is extremely beneficial to the mind, calming or stimulating as appropriate. It also facilitates decision making processes and helps you feel less scattered mentally. At a subtle level, amethyst balances and connects the physical, mental, and emotional bodies, linking them to the spiritual. Be aware that placing amethyst directly in sunlight may begin to dilute the saturation of color.

Although many experienced gem lovers mention that true amethyst does not fade in sunlight, I have personally seen my large amethyst chunk lighten in color over the past five years. It is very subtle, but note that it may occur. To prevent this, keep your amethyst away from direct light for an extended period of time (such as on a windowsill).

Aries. Sagittarius. Aquarius. Pisces.

Black Tourmaline

Properties: Promotes a laid back attitude with objective neutrality and clear, rational thought. 

Tourmaline can be found in several colors, with black tourmaline focusing specifically on energy protection. Black tourmaline, also known as schorl, protects against electromagnetic smog and negative energies of all kinds. It grounds energy and increases physical vitality, disappearing tension and stress. It encourages a positive attitude no matter the circumstances, and stimulates practical creativity. Tourmaline in general is able to transform dense energy into a lighter vibration, allowing for removal of blockages.

A fun fact about tourmaline is that it acts as a natural insecticide keeping pests and bay. When buried into the soil, tourmaline is said to encourage the growth and health of crops. This points to the importance that having easily flowing energy has on our mental state. Because it absorbs so much energy, it is important to cleanse black tourmaline regularly.

Taurus. Gemini.

Blue Calcite

Properties: Stabilizing stone that gently soothes the nerves, lifts anxieties, and releases negative emotions.

Blue is one of the many colors of calcite, a stone formed from calcium and carbonate. The surface of calcite looks almost chalky, with a grayish blue hue. Blue calcite is a gentle stone for recuperation and relaxation. Blue calcite can absorb energy, filter it, and return it to benefit the sender. A powerful amplifier and cleanser of energy, simply having calcite in the room cleanses negative energies from the environment and heightens your energy. In the same sense, it helps remove stagnant energy and alleviate emotional stress by replacing it with serenity. Calcite also helps enhance trusting in oneself and strengthens the ability to overcome setbacks. Do not use water or salt to cleanse this crystal, as the crystal itself is often quite soft and susceptible to pressure.

Gemini. Cancer.

Clear Quartz

Properties: A universally appealing stone. Absorbs, stores, restores, and regulates energies.

Quartz is the most powerful healing and energy amplifier on the planet because of its unique helical spiral crystalline form. Transparent and translucent, clear quartz is a high-vibrational stone and is known as the master healer. This worldwide stone absorbs, stores, releases, and regulates energy. It amplifies the effects of other crystals around as well, and will need to be occasionally cleansed of build up energy. Quartz is a great energy saver, and it is even a material used in computers "because they can create electrical signals that are highly precise." At a mental level, quartz aids concentration and filtering out distractions. Containing every color possible, clear quartz works on all levels of chakras.

Emerald Brut

Properties: A stone of inspiration and infinite patience.

This precious gemstone is cloudy in its rough, or brut, form. Known as the "stone of successful love," it brings domestic bliss and loyalty. It enhances unity, unconditional love, and partnership and promotes friendship. No more "green with envy" frenemies! Emerald helps keep a partnership in balance. Opening the heart chakra, emerald is a stone of regeneration and recovery, and can heal negative emotions, as well as enhance the ability to enjoy life to the fullest.

Taurus. Cancer. Libra. Scorpio.

Green Aventurine

Properties:  All-around healer bringing well-being and emotional calm.

Aventurine comes in a variety of colors, but we will focus on the green variety today. Regardless of color, aventurine reinforces leadership qualities and decisiveness, promotes compassion, and encourages perseverance. Some of the many other features aventurine has is that it helps stabilize one's state of mind, stimulates perception by seeing alternatives and possibilities, and enhances creativity. Green aventurine specifically is a comforter and heart healer, and general harmonizer, protecting the heart. It brings things back into control and is useful to dissolve negative emotions and thoughts. Green aventurine brings together intellectual and emotional recovery and enables living within one's own heart. Green aventurine is a form of quartz, and the green color comes from fuchsite. 

Aries. Libra. 

Green Fluorite

Properties: Grounds and integrates spiritual energies, cleanses, purifies, and stabilizes the aura. Will dispel and reorganize anything within the body that is not in perfect order.

Another stone that comes in a rainbow of colors, fluorite is generally seen as a cleansing and protective stone. It brings information up from the subconscious mind and accesses intuition, which can cause great change within oneself. Psychologically, fluorite helps one discover illusions and reveal truth to move beyond narrow-mindedness. Green fluorite grounds excess energy, such as computer energy and electromagnetic stress. It is particularly effective at absorbing negative energies within the environment, and helping discern when outside influences are at work within yourself and shuts off undue mental influence. It is an effective auric, chakra, and mental cleanser, dissipating obsolete conditioning. Do not use salt or water to cleanse this crystal.

Capricorn.

Obsidenne / Obsidian

Properties: Absorbs negative energies from the environment and strengths in times of need.

Made of quickly-cooled molten lava, obsidian is technically a stone as opposed to a crystal. It is volcanic glass that may be smooth, or have rough and craggy edges. The cooling process is so quick, there is no time to crystalize. These stones (or minerals) are highly connected to the root chakra and are useful for grounding energies. The speed at which it was created affects the speed at which it heals. In other words, obsidian is quick and merciless against energy - nothing can hide from it. Obsidian impels us to grow and lends solid support while we do so. It is an extremely protective stone, forming a shield against negativity. Because obsidian is so effective in absorbing negative energy, it is important to thoroughly cleanse it in your preferred method when you feel it has lost some effectiveness (or when dust has settled on it).

Scorpio.

Rose Quartz

Properties:  Draws off negative energy and replaces it with loving vibes.

Rose Quartz is a partially transparent quartz with a milky, rosy color. You cannot accept love from others nor love them unless you love yourself. Rose quartz is the stone of unconditional love and infinite peace. It purifies and opens the heart (chakra) at all levels, and brings deep inner healing and self love. It is calming, reassuring, and strengthens empathy. Rose Quartz enhances positive affirmations, and is excellent to meditate with if you need a boost of sensitivity and to accept necessary change. This stone encourages self-forgiveness and acceptance, and invokes self-trust and self-worth.

Taurus. 

Sodalite

Properties: Encourages rational thought.

Sodalite displays a denim blue color with white or black striations and spots. It looks a little like lapis lazuli, but the coloring is lighter overall. Sodalite unites logic with intuition and opens spiritual perception, bringing information from the higher mind down to the physical level. This stone instills a drive for truth and an urge towards idealism, making it possible to remain true to yourself and stand up for our beliefs. Sodalite also clears electromagnetic pollution and can be placed on or nearby computers to block their emanations. This is a particularly good stone for group work, as it eliminates mental confusion and intellectual bondage. 

Intentions

For this section, we will move to incorporating crystals in a meditative practice. You do not need to use crystals, but they can help you as previously outlined. Some intentions and meditations we at Bellini's align with are:

• Amber and black tourmaline work well with this intention
• Don't try to avoid getting angry, it is a necessary emotion. in the moment, allow yourself to fully experience and express your anger so that you can release it and move forward).

• Green aventurine is ideal for this intention.
• Most often, it is your mindset that prevents change. It may help to think of change in a different way. Instead of considering change as a necessary evil or something to fear, set your mind to believe that change is always an opportunity to bring positive, new energy into your life.

• Try using amethyst, green aventurine, or rose quartz with this meditation.

• Clear quartz enhances the law of attraction when clearly affirming your goals.
• Remember to phrase your affirmations in a positive light (i.e. "I have all the money I need to live a comfortable life" instead of "im, not broke anymore".)

• Use amber to amplify your intention.

Crystal Cleansing

Due to their energetic nature, crystals hold on to energy patterns with which they come in contact. by the time your crystals have made their way to you, they have been in many hands and places. While some people are very steadfast in not letting others touch their crystals to protect the energies entering the crystal, you are also able to periodically cleanse them when you feel pulled to. There are a few ways to clean crystals, all of which vary based on the porosity of the crystal as well as your personal preferences.

The timing of your cleanse does not greatly matter, but many people do enjoy a ritual of cleansing their crystals on a new moon (properties) or a full moon (properties). I personally forget to look at the moon, and cleanse my crystals on a random Sunday which I use the (distilled) water to later feed my plants.

Salt + Water.

Mix together sea salt or Himalayan pink salt with water to submerge non porous crystals, such as quartz and amethyst.

• Ideally submerge for at least one hour.
• Do not submerge metallic crystals into salt water as it may cause rust.

Smoke or Energy.

To use smoke, you can use a bundle of sage, palo santo, or incense. Simply light your bundle of choice and extinguish the flame so only a trail of smoke is left. From there, you can circle the crystal a few times to cleanse it. It also helps if you can keep the idea of "cleansing" in your mind while you do this to help incorporate energies from every aspect.

If you are familiar with Reiki, you can use the energies around to aid in cleansing your crystal.

As you may know, change tends not to happen overnight. As part of an ongoing healing and learning process, these meditations can be a powerful helper to the more traditional steps you may be taking to resolve a particular challenge. 

Resources 

Frazier, K. (2022) Crystals for healing: The complete reference guide with remedies for mind, heart & soul. Oakland, CA: Althea Press.

Hall, J. (2009) The Crystal Bible. Alresford: Godsfield.