A Crystal for Every
Season: Quartz
Charlie Rainbow Wolf
Yule wraps up the sabbats for 2019. It’s the time when the Oak King wrestles with the Holly King to see who will rule—but as we know, the Oak King always wins this one! The actual festival lasts from midwinter’s day on December 21 through January 2, although mostly it’s celebrated around the solstice. This is the longest night; the days start to lengthen from now on, as once again the wheel turns. It’s the time of year when the northern hemisphere celebrates the return of the light.
Yule stones include—but aren’t limited to—azurite, bloodstone, garnet, ruby, sapphire, sugilite, and my favorite, clear quartz. It reminds me of ice and snow. When meditating with quartz, I easily get drawn into its chasms and chambers and crystalline structure. I find it a good dream stone, one that helps me wander through my mind uninhibited.
Quartz comes in so many different shapes, sizes, terminations, and patterns that there’s something there for everyone, each stone as different and unique as you are. It’s readily available and often inexpensive. It’s one of the most abundant minerals on earth. Most of the sand on the beaches in the world is made up of silicon dioxide—quartz.
Quartz is useful in manufacturing because it’s piezoelectric, meaning that it creates a voltage when you apply mechanical pressure onto it. This is why it’s used in computers, watches, and other electronics; quartz’s frequency is known and it’s predictable. It’s a 7 on the Mohs scale, so it’s pretty tough. In addition to its use in electronics, it’s also valuable as as an abrasive (think sandpaper), in recreation (baseball diamonds and play sand), and as a gemstone.
It comes in many forms: amethyst, bloodstone, carnelian, citrine, jasper, and more. In healing, clear quartz is valuable because it is a conductor of energy. It magnifies and focuses what you pour into it, making it versatile and adaptable. The different colors influence the energy of the stone, as well as its shape and inclusions.
There’s a lot of New Age hype around quartz crystals, so be careful you don’t get sucked in. Go with what resonates with you, no matter what you’re being told. I can’t stress enough that the fundamental ingredient in any endeavor is your intent, not what someone else believes. Having said that, there are some things that feel right to me and I’m happy to share them below in case they’re what you need to get started.
Crystal Cluster
In her book Crystal Enlightenment, Katrina Raphaell describes quartz clusters as “individual crystals who all live together in harmony and peace” (Raphaell 1985). This is an excellent Yule stone, because this is traditionally the time for the proverbial “peace on earth and goodwill toward men.” Place the cluster in the center of your Yule altar to keep the energies bright and pure, or use it in a table centerpiece to create harmony and togetherness during your activities.
Double Termination
I’ve long been fascinated by DTs and use them often in my copper wand-making. These are stones that have naturally formed with a point at each end, so they have a mutual reception of energy, the proverbial give and take. In a wand, they shoot energy from the cosmos down the wand, to me, and then launch my energy up the wand to the cosmos. When one stone is used by two people, a bridge of energy is formed. Telepathy is enhanced when using a DT, as is healing, understanding, and cooperation.
Rainbow Quartz
This is a clear quartz stone that has a rainbow inclusion. The prismatic reflection is created because the stone has been damaged in some way. The lesson I’ve found it to teach is that no one is perfect. Trying times are chances to shine, to develop color and personality. Grace is born through learning to cope with trials and overcome inhibitions. I’ve found rainbow quartz to be a valuable talisman to carry as a reminder that something doesn’t have to be flawless to be beautiful.
Phantom Crystals
Next on my list of must-have stones is a quartz phantom. This is a stone within a stone, marking the stone’s growth patterns. The ghostly inclusions are usually white, but they may be a different color, depending on what the inclusion is. For me, a true phantom mimics the shape of the outer stone, and reaffirms that not everything is the same on the inside as it is on the outside. Phantoms make pretty snowscape decorations, but they are much more than that. They’re keys to help you unlock your inner secrets so you can know your authentic self and appreciate your true value.
Crystal Balls and Spheres
I couldn’t write an article on crystals without including the good ol’ crystal ball! Of course this is a stereotype, but it’s still worth exploring. Be mindful if you choose to go down this road; not everything that is sold as a crystal ball is actually stone; much of what’s on the market now is glass. I’m not knocking that at all, but it’s been my experience that quartz crystal balls seem much more alive. Select your sphere carefully. Clear crystal is pricey and doesn’t necessarily work any better than stone that has milky inclusions or other marks.
My favorite crystal ball is nowhere near clear, but it seems to change color ever so slightly with the weather and with my mood, and that’s why I like it. Every time I gaze at the dings and clouds in it, I see something new. A fun group activity when you’re working with a sphere is to pass it around and ask people to share what they see in it. Even if your work is solitary, you might want to try this. Gaze into the stone at different times during your Yule activities, and jot down your thoughts in a journal. Think of it as your own seasonal “snow globe.” What images lie waiting for you in its patterns?
Reference
Raphaell, Katrina. Crystal Enlightenment: The Transforming Properties of Crystals and Healing Stones 110. Vol 1. Santa Fe, NM: Aurora Press, 1985.