Written in Stone:
Thirteen Essential Crystals and Their Many Meanings
There are so many pretty crystals and stones easily available these days that it’s often a bit of a minefield trying to work out what is the most beneficial and what could wait until another day. I’ve attempted to take the guesswork out of that for you by listing thirteen foundation stones that I recommend any would-be crystal user include in their collection—no matter how large or small it may be! These stones won’t break the bank, and many of them have more than one purpose. As you grow in your experiences using crystals, you will probably want to keep different sets for different things. If you’re a beginner or on a tight budget, this is a good place to start.
Thirteen Foundation Stones
Quartz
I can’t say enough about quartz crystal. It’s my go-to stone for nearly everything. It comes in different terminations (the way the facets come to a point), inclusions (things inside the stone as it was forming), and hues (clear quartz, milky quartz, and more). Quartz is a form of silicon dioxide (SiO2) and is one of the most abundant minerals on the planet. It’s even found in your own brain in the form of silica! Many beaches contain vast amounts of quartz sand too.
What makes quartz so special is the way it’s able to be programmed to do things. On a practical level, quartz crystals are used in watches and clocks to keep the time right, because the oscillations of this stone are predictable. On a metaphysical level, it is a crown chakra stone and helps you to connect with ascended masters and your spirit guardians. It can be programmed as a healing stone, a cleansing stone, or a scrying stone, and, unlike some stones, it’s easy to clean quartz’s energy and reprogram it for another purpose.
Carry or wear quartz to help you deflect negative energy. This doesn’t have to be malicious; empaths and sensitives need protecting from any flotsam and jetsam that’s out there. Even electromagnetic emissions from your cellphone or computer monitor should probably be dispersed.
Use quartz as a worry stone if you’re in a stressful situation. The tangible feel of it in your hands will help you to focus on something other than what—or who—is stressing you. Focusing on the stone has the potential to help you draw confidence as well as soothe your nerves.
In divination, clear quartz usually means clarity. It often points to a window opening up, your thoughts becoming clearer, or you being able to see a new and more appropriate plan of action. It’s a good luck stone and can be used to influence any astrology sign (and thus any time of year) or to draw positive energy to any issue.
Carnelian
You could be forgiven for thinking that carnelian looks like glass. It polishes so very shiny, thanks to being a form of chalcedony, which is yet another type of quartz. This stone ranges from a peachy orange to the deepest vermillion and always stands out from the crowd. It is a sacral chakra stone and helps you build confidence and vitality. It’s associated with Mars, Aries, and early spring. In divination, it indicates passion and matters of the heart. It’s telling you not to settle for second-best but to hold out for what you truly want from all areas of your life.
Rose Quartz
Some quartz colors are worthy of closer inspection, and the beautiful rose quartz is another one of them. This is a wonderful stone when it comes to learning forgiveness, compassion, and self-acceptance. Rose quartz is pink in color and is found in both opaque and translucent forms. It’s a heart chakra stone, bringing tenderness and empathy, but it isn’t a pushover. It aligns with Venus, Taurus, and the middle of spring. In divination, it’s a sure sign that love is on its way—though that doesn’t necessarily mean romance.
Chrysocolla
Chrysocolla is sometimes called the teaching stone because it’s got a way of being heard. It doesn’t matter how the message is conveyed; this is the stone of musicians and poets and elders. It calms stress so that the soul can be heard through self-expression. Carry or wear it when you’re composing, writing, or delivering an important message. It is a throat chakra stone and will enable you to know when to speak and when to listen. It’s associated with Mercury, Gemini, and late spring. In divination, it urges you to speak up for what you want and to voice your needs and desires so that the universe will hear you.
Moonstone
Moonstone is so soothing to frayed nerves with its soft texture and its pearly iridescence. It comes in the softest of hues, from the palest milky blue to rainbow and into a deep pewter gray. It’s a stone that will aid you in organizing your thoughts and feelings as well as guiding you when it comes to developing insight and psychic awareness. It is a third-eye chakra stone and teaches you the difference between a vision and an illusion. It’s aligned with the Moon, Cancer, and early summer. In divination, it points to an older female, the archetypal grandmother and her wisdom, and advocates that you should start paying closer attention to the cycles and rhythms of your life.
Citrine
This is also a form of quartz, and as for amethyst, care must be taken when choosing it. Most citrine on the market today has been heat treated to get the lovely amber color. Citrine comes in as many shapes and hues as amethyst and from the darkest brown to the palest honey gold. This is an excellent stone for clearing out what needs to be dismissed and for soothing your nerves while you do so. Use it as either a sacral or solar plexus chakra stone, depending on its coloring. This stone resonates with the fire signs of the zodiac (especially Leo), the Sun, and midsummer. In divination, it points to energy and new beginnings.
Rhodochrosite
From the palest pink to the deepest rose, often with white or black striations, rhodochrosite demands your attention. It’s hard to be down in the presence of this stone. Reach for it when you are trying to balance your karma or get rid of emotional baggage. It’s a form of calcite, sometimes referred to as a “spar.” It’s a truth-seeking stone, which is why it’s so beneficial when working through hurt feelings. It aligns with Virgo, Mercury, and late summer. In divination, it’s encouraging you to let go of the past, to forgive and open yourself to loving and being loved, and to learn how to play again.
Malachite
It’s usually hard to feel stressed when you’re gazing up on the exquisite striations of malachite. It’s an outstanding protection stone, and like quartz it helps to absorb and diffuse negative energies. It’s a good ally in the workplace, for it will shield you from the electromagnetic energies and the harshness of the artificial lighting. It is a heart chakra stone and assists you in finding kindness and understanding. It resonates with Libra, Venus, and early autumn. In divination, it suggests it’s time to listen to messages from the heart, whether they’re metaphorical or literal. It is also a good sign that emotional stress is ending.
Agate
Agate comes in many colors and many moods, from the beautiful blue lace agate to the snakeskin-like turritella agate, and more. Agate is quartz stone in the form of chalcedony. Agates encourage strength and resilience, enhance creativity, improve self-confidence, and reduce stress and tension. All the different types of agate are aligned with Scorpio, Pluto (and to a lesser extent, Mars), and midautumn. Their exact influence depends largely on their color, so it’s useful to have more than one agate in your bundle.
Blue lace agate is powder blue with darker and lighter stripes running through it. This stone soothes and is helpful when you’re facing stressful times. It’s in tune with the throat chakra, and in divination it usually refers to a younger woman.
Botswana agate looks like a bull’s-eye. It’s another calming stone, and it works to elevate a low mood when worn or carried. It’s usually considered a root chakra stone, and in divination it encourages you to look for answers in existing situations.
Crazy lace agate encourages you to be flexible in your thinking and promotes positive energy. It connects with the spirit world so that you might be able to contact other realms without being afraid of them. It’s most often a third-eye chakra stone, and in divination it is advising you to chill out and get some rest and relaxation with your loved ones.
Dendritic agate looks like it has a tree growing in it! These stones range from clear to milky gray, and they soothe frayed emotions. They’re generally associated with the root chakra, but green-hued ones will also work with the heart chakra, and the milky ones with the crown chakra. In divination, they encourage you to branch out and advise that this is not the time to try to be too independent.
Fire agate gets its flashes of color from inclusions within the stone. This is a crystal that stimulates protective energy. Put it on the windowsills of your home and carry it with you to ward off negativity. It’s mostly a root chakra stone, but is sometimes assigned to the sacral chakra. In divination, it warns against temptations and distractions.
Moss agate often looks like lichen growing on ice. It’s a stone of growth and wealth, so put one with your coin purse and use it in the soil if you’re a gardener. It’s linked to the heart chakra and promotes the purging of negative emotions. In divination, it shows that things are progressing in a good and harmonious way.
The turritella agate with its snakeskin appearance is very much a stone of grounding energy. Its patterns are created from minute fossils trapped within the stone. It connects to the earth and to the ancestors and encourages practicality. It makes sense that it’s a root chakra stone, and in divination, it means you need to appreciate what you have and be practical about your goals.
Sodalite
Sodalite is an attractive cleansing stone and a good substitute for the more expensive lapis lazuli. It cleans away what’s blocking you from progressing, as well as assists you in purging negative energy from your subtle body. It’s a beautiful indigo blue, often with white flecks. This is a throat chakra stone, keeping your words truthful and allowing you to see deception in others. It’s associated with Sagittarius, Jupiter, and late autumn. In divination, it cautions you to keep things clean in your dealings with others and advises that perhaps there are things—and people—that need clearing out of your life before you proceed.
Tourmaline
Tourmaline is another stone that comes in a variety of colors. It’s the black tourmaline that I include in a crystal set. Its energies are grounded and centered, and it’s a very useful stone to have as an anchor. It’s a root chakra stone, urging you to ensure that your basic needs are met. Wear or carry this stone if you’re dealing with fear or anxiety. It sympathizes with Capricorn, Saturn, and early winter. In divination, it indicates that things may not unfold as quickly as you’d like. This doesn’t necessarily mean that there are obstacles in the way; you might just need to take your time and be more thorough.
Fluorite
This is another stone that comes in a variety of colors, from the very palest of mauve and turquoise to the deepest purple and aquamarine. It’s a stone of creativity, of new ideas and new ways of looking at things. If you want a stone to get your mind working and your ingenuity flowing, this is it! Rainbow fluorite is my favorite. It’s in harmony with all chakras, and has such beautifully soothing bands of translucent color. It’s associated with Aquarius, Uranus, and midwinter. In divination, it points to all manner of fertility and creativity and encourages you to find your heart’s desire through what you love to do.
Amethyst
Amethyst is one more addition to the quartz family. When shopping for it, take some time to get the real thing, as some inferior stones have been heat treated to get their color. Amethyst comes in many shapes and hues, from druse to points; from the palest violet to the darkest purple; and opaque, clear, or banded. It’s a very spiritual stone and works with the crown and third-eye chakras. It’s one of the stones that resonates with Pisces, Neptune, and late winter. In divination, it points to some kind of movement. Usually, this is spiritual growth of some sort, but it can also indicate a house move.
Storing Your Stones
There’s no right or wrong way to keep your stones. I have mine in an interesting bag that I picked up in a thrift store decades ago simply because I liked the resonance of the pouch! You could make your own if you’re crafty, and if you do, you’ll add your own energy to things and make it even more personal and magical. I’ve known people who keep their stones in wooden or ceramic boxes, in interesting old jars, and more. Go with what feels right to you, but consider these points when choosing your receptacle:
• Does it need to be portable? If so, then a pouch or purse might be more suitable than a box.
• Is it going to be where other people are able to see it? If that’s the case, it might be best if the storage container is opaque rather than transparent, so that the stones stay protected from random energies.
• Is there one main purpose for your stones? As I mentioned previously, I have a set of stones for healing and another (larger) set for divination. If you’re going to use your crystals mainly for divination, you might want to think about including some kind of casting cloth in with them. This doesn’t have to be ornate; a silk scarf or something similar will get you started.
Conclusion
There’s only one more point to add, and it comes with a warning. Crystals are addictive! Once you start collecting and working with them, a whole new world is at your fingertips, and it beacons strongly for you to come explore! You’ll find ways to include the beneficial properties of crystals in all aspects of your life, from adding them to your bath, keeping them as protective guardians in your car, using them in energy grids around your home and garden, making gem elixirs, and more! My medicine elder referred to crystals as “the bones of the earth.” They’re truly a gift from the planet, one which is often overlooked thanks to the technological world in which we live.