ADHD Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Aggregate A mixture of minerals combined in a geological process; resembles a solid rock.
Akashic records A library of spiritual information that exists on another plane.
Asterism An optical effect that results in a star-like appearance.
Astral travel The ability to send a part of the astral/spirit body to travel outside of the physical body (while remaining connected to the physical body).
Attunement The process by which you become connected to Reiki energy so that it can flow through you. There are three levels of Reiki attunement.
Aura The subtle energy field (qv) around the body.
Botryoidal Describes bulbous minerals that resemble a bunch of grapes.
Casting stone Stones used in many types of traditional divination, such as runes and witches’ stones, and by African and Native American medicine men. There can be many varieties of stone.
CFS Chronic fatigue syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalitis (ME).
Chakra The Sanskrit word for “wheel.” Chakras are the energy centers of the body, appearing as spinning balls of energy, like wheels, to people who can see energy
Channeling The communication of messages or information from the spirit world via a medium.
Chatoyancy An optical effect, also known as “cat’s eye” found in some polished crystals. Chatoyant crystals bring good luck, happiness, and serenity. They raise intuition and awareness, provide protection, and can help with disorders of the eyes, night vision, and headaches.
Clairaudience The ability to hear psychic information.
Clairsentience The ability to feel psychic energies.
Clairvoyance The ability to see psychic information.
COPD Chronic pulmonary obstructive disease.
Crust The top or outer layer. Crystals occurring as crusts are growing on the surface of a rock or mineral. See also Druse.
Cubic Describes a cube-shaped crystal, with six square faces. The three axes are the same length and are at right angles to one another.
Dendrite A mineral that crystallizes in the shape of a tree or branch, or grows through another crystal or rock creating the impression of a tree or branches.
Dis-ease A state of unsoundness on any level (physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual), which may weaken the body’s natural defense systems and increase the risk of illness or disease. It relates to underlying causes and not a specific illness or disease.
Distant healing The process of sending healing energy, good thoughts, or prayers to a person who is not physically present. Also known as absent healing or remote healing.
Dodecahedral Describes a crystal having 12 pentagonal (five-sided) faces meeting in threes at 20 vertexes.
Double terminated A crystal with two terminations (qv) at opposite ends.
Druse A surface crust of small crystals on a rock of the same or a different mineral.
Earth healing Sending/directing healing energy to the planet.
Elixir Water in which a crystal has been immersed and which is then drunk to treat various conditions. To create an elixir, after cleansing your crystal physically and energetically, place it in a glass of water (ideally distilled or mineral water, but tap water will do), cover, and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. Note that some crystals should never be made into elixirs—these are clearly indicated by ‘No elixir’ in the Crystal Finder (Chapter 5).
EMF Electromagnetic fields.
ESP Extra-sensory perception.
Feldspar A group of silicate minerals.
Fibrous/fiber A rock made up of roughly parallel fine threads.
Fire A play of color caused by dispersion of light within a crystal, such as that shown by diamonds. Fire opal does not necessarily exhibit fire, but occurs in colors of fire—reds, oranges, yellows. Opal does not display true fire but a play of light caused by the scattering of light by microscopic silica spheres in the opal structure.
Geopathic stress Energy that emanates from the earth and is detrimental to human health. Two sources of this energy may be underground moving water or radiation from cell phone masts. Geopathic stress is linked with a long list of ailments, ranging from headaches to cancer.
Granular A mineral composed of grains. May be formed with rounded, semi-rounded, or angular grains or can be massive (see Mass).
Hexagonal Describes a crystal system having four axes, of which the three horizontal axes are equal in length and cross at 120° angles, and the vertical axis is a different length and at right angles to the others. A hexagonal crystal has eight faces.
IBS Irritable bowel syndrome.
Inclusion A mineral found within the structure of a different mineral.
Indigo children Children with special abilities, often psychic. Most indigo children are now grown adults and are at the forefront of the human consciousness movement..
Iridescence Colors appearing inside a crystal due to either the diffraction or refraction of light within the crystalline structure.
Labradorescence Iridescent flashes of color appearing on the surface of the labradorite crystal.
Karma/karmic process/karmic healing Karma equals action or deed. Also refers to cause and effect and specifically to how the actions of an individual can/will affect his/her future. Karmic healing is about healing karma from past lives or this life so you do not take it with you into the next life, meaning it cannot influence the next life.
Ki The second part of the word “Reiki,” Ki is the energy or life force of the universe, believed to flow round the body and to be present in all living things. In other cultures it has different names—for example, chi (China) and prana (India).
Kundalini energy Kundalini is the source of primal energy (chi (qv), prana, ki, etc.) and consciousness that we are born with. It comes coiled like a serpent at the base of the spine and can be awakened/raised using various methods such as yoga and crystal healing.
Manifestation The bringing of your dreams, desires, or goals into physical reality.
Mass Matter that has no definable crystalline structure. When the term massive is used, it refers to this rather than to the size of the crystal.
ME Myalgic encephalitis, also known as CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome).
Meridian An energy pathway through the body. Meridians carry ki the same way that veins and arteries carry blood.
Mica Individual member of the mica group of related aluminum silicate minerals that are soft and have perfect basal cleavage (when a mineral has only one cleavage plane), which allows individual members to be “peeled.”
Mineraloid A naturally occurring mineral-like substance that does not demonstrate a crystalline structure. Mineraloids have chemical compositions that vary beyond the generally accepted ranges for specific minerals.
MS Multiple sclerosis.
NLP Neuro-linguistic programming.
Nodule A form of mineral that is massive (see Mass) with a rounded outer surface.
OCD Obsessive compulsive disorder.
Octahedral Describes a crystal having eight faces that are all equilateral triangles; resembles two four-sided pyramids joined at the bases.
Orthorhombic Describes a crystal system having three axes of unequal lengths that cross at right angles.
Peak experience A moment of euphoria that can be reached through meditation.
Piezoelectricity The transducer effect that is caused by applying pressure to a crystal. This allows the transmutation of electrical to mechanical energy. This creates a physical vibration which in quartz crystal resonates at a regular and constant frequency. This effect is very stable. So, if you have a quartz watch—and the quartz crystal is pure and cut at the correct angle to its axis—it will be accurate.
Plate A crystal that has grown flattened and often thin.
PMS Premenstrual syndrome. Also known as PMT (premenstrual tension).
Prismatic Describes a crystal having faces that are similar in size and shape and that run parallel to an axis; the ends are rectilinear and similar in size and shape. For example, a triangular prismatic crystal has two triangular ends joined by three rectangular faces, while a hexagonal prismatic crystal has two hexagonal ends connected by six rectangular faces.
Pseudomorph A mineral that replaces another within the original’s crystal structure. As a result, the new mineral has the external shape of the departed one.
Psychic abilities These include intuition or gut feelings, channeling (qv), clairaudience (qv), clairsentience (qv), clairvoyance (qv), sensing energies, and auras (qv), seeing auras, interpreting auras, telepathy, extrasensory perception, and increased insight into divination and tarot card readings.
Psychic attack The intentional energetic assault on one’s energy from a distance.
Psychic surgery A technique used to enter the physical body with psychic fingers to remove unhealthy energy.
Pyramidal Describes a crystal in which the base is a polygon (i.e. with at least three straight sides) and the other faces are triangles that meet at a point.
Reiki Master A person who has been attuned to Reiki level 3.
Remote viewing The ability to see places and events at a distance. See also Astral travel.
Rhombododecahedral Describes crystals that have 12 equal sides with oblique angles.
Rhombohedral Describes crystals having six faces, each of them a rhombus (which has four equal sides, with opposite sides parallel, and no right angles). A rhombohedron resembles a cube that is skewed to one side.
RNA Ribonucleic acid, genetic material found in cells throughout the body, forms DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid). Both are essential in coding and expression of genes and essential for most known carbon-based life forms.
Scalenohedral Describes crystals having 12 faces, each of them a scalene triangle (which has three unequal sides).
Scrying Looking into a crystal ball (or obsidian mirror) to see images to predict the future, or to view the past or present.
Shamanic healing An umbrella term covering a multitude of ancient forms of healing, all of which are linked to nature. One of the oldest forms of traditional healing.
Spirit guides The beings or energies of departed souls who impart information, knowledge, and wisdom to help you on your path.
Stalactites Mineral formations descending from the roof of caverns, created as mineral-rich water drips down, facilitating the mineral to deposit over thousands or millions of years.
Striated Describes crystals having parallel grooves or markings along their length.
Tabular Describes crystals that are broad and flat; sometimes shortened to “tabby.”
TB Tuberculosis.
Termination The end of the crystal formed by the facets or faces making up the point. Note that a few varieties of crystal have flat terminations, such as some tourmaline and spodumene crystals.
Totem animals Animal spirits or characteristics that help to guide you on your path in life.
Trapezohedral Describes crystals that have trapezium-shaped faces.