We have calcium in our bones, iron in our veins, carbon in our souls, and nitrogen in our brains. 93 percent stardust, with souls made of flames, we are all just stars that have people names.
—NIKITA GILL
LET ME BE CLEAR: I am not an astrologist. However, in my line of work, astrology comes up a lot. For example, I’ll be at a dinner party where an astrologer friend pulls up my chart (on an app) to explain, in astrological terms, why I have the feels that day. This inevitably leads to a conversation about why my Saturn is running extra laps around its pastel-hued rings (i.e., why I need to learn certain lessons around workload and boundaries). My response is that there is a crystal to help. Eureka! Crystals can be perfect companions to a celestial reading. Each type of stone out there resonates with a particular astrological sign, and it’s useful to know what crystals work best for you depending on your sign.
WHAT’S YOUR SIGN? AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Why is your sign important? (Aside from its use as a cheap pickup line!) Zodiac signs are based on the belief that people have strong, predetermined personalities and traits, depending on the conditions of their birth, including when they were born and the positions of celestial bodies at the time they were born. Astrology involves the study of personality types and their relationships to one another, and this can help you in your personal and professional life by allowing you to better understand yourself and how you react in different situations, how others perceive you, and how to work with people of other personality types.
Astrology employs a tool called a “natal chart” or “birth chart,” which is a map of where all the planets were at the time of your birth. By using the exact time, date, and place of your birth, we can use a natal chart to determine how the positioning of the planets influences the very core of who you are. It’s a common misconception that you are only one of twelve astrological signs. Each of us is actually a celestial amalgam of the Zodiac signs, meaning that you’re a unique combo of your sun sign (which is what the magazine horoscopes discuss), as well as your moon sign, rising sign, Venus sign, and much, much more. Your personal starry blend helps determine every aspect of who you are: what clothes you like to wear; what colors you gravitate toward; how you choose to work, live, play, and socialize; the people you choose to date; and how you communicate with others.
These are the important elements to pay attention to on your natal chart, which go beyond whether you are technically Virgo, Aries, or Pisces, with info on how they relate to your crystal practice:
YOUR SUN SIGN
Your sun sign is determined by the day and month of your birth. It represents your Zodiac personality: your basic nature, your core traits, and who you are as a person when you’re not consciously thinking about how you may be acting. Your sun sign explains why you like what you like and why you do things in a certain way.
YOUR MOON SIGN
Your moon sign is determined by the cycle of the moon at the time of your birth. Your moon sign represents your inner self and your emotional underbelly, the hidden side of who you are that you don’t normally reveal to people. Have you ever had someone say to you in a stressful situation, “You’re not acting like yourself. What’s up?” This most likely means that your moon sign was coming out to play. If the moon can move the ocean and affect the tides, why wouldn’t it also affect humans, who are roughly 70 percent water?
YOUR RISING/ASCENDANT SIGN
Your rising sign is determined by the Zodiac sign that was ascending on the eastern horizon the moment you were born. It represents the way others see you, and the first impressions that you give off. Upon meeting you, people will interact with your rising sign, and many people wear their ascendant sign as a kind of mask. Have you ever been perplexed by how others describe you? They are describing your rising sign, which may not align with the way you see yourself.
YOUR VENUS SIGN
Your Venus sign or love sign is determined by the position of the planet Venus at the time of your birth. Venus is your attraction factor, including how you attract monetary abundance, love, and any of the other things that you may want. Venus governs how you view relationships, what you want from a relationship, how you behave in a relationship, and the type of person you are attracted to. Please note: We’re talking about who you are attracted to, not who you are actually compatible with.
CRYSTAL RX FOR YOUR STAR SIGN
Now that you have a basic handle on the birth chart, and how astrology is about more than just your “sign,” I’d like to introduce you to some of the crystal healing methods I prescribe for my clients, depending on what’s going on in their celestial worlds.
- Karmic Kismet: There are six pairings of opposing signs in the Karmic Wheel of Astrology, aka the 7–7 Zodiac. If you count the signs on the wheel, your “karmic opposite” will be seven signs away from your sun sign. Opposites attract on the Zodiac, and opposing signs have complementary characteristics. You know those people in your life who you feel magnetically attracted to, even though they push your buttons and you are polar opposites? These oil-and-water pairings actually make us stronger, more balanced and complete. You two are “karmic medicine” for each other. With crystals, it works the same way. I often prescribe crystals that represent a client’s karmic opposite on the astrology wheel in order to address the challenges they are working on.
THE 7–7 MIX ’N’ MATCH
- Aries-Libra
- Taurus-Scorpio
- Gemini-Sagittarius
- Cancer-Capricorn
- Leo-Aquarius
- Virgo-Pisces
As an example, let’s take the karmically opposite pairing of Virgo, sign of the Healer, and Pisces, sign of the Dreamer. Virgos are known to be grounded and organized, while Pisces are creative and emotionally expressive. Let’s say a Virgo and a Pisces are working on a project together at work. If the Virgo is feeling stuck and the anxiety of a deadline is looming, she can embrace the energy of Pisces by working with Ocean Jasper to calm her overactive thoughts and do some out-of-the-box problem solving. On the flip side, fluid and dreamy Pisces may need to embrace Virgo’s energy and write a team meeting agenda for the upcoming project with the help of some Amazonite.
- Sun Meet Moon: We want to be full spectrum gem-bosses, right? This means we need to look at our personal polarity, aka the opposing sides of who we are. Each of us has a sun side and a moon side, depending on the situation. I also like to refer to these two opposing sides as “sparkle” and “shadow.” And there are crystals we can use to address these polarities. When shamans work with someone’s moon side, we are taking a look at that person’s dark side, or shadow, whereas a person’s sun side, or sparkle, represents the opposite.
As an example, let’s imagine someone whose sun sign is Sagittarius and whose moon sign is Aries. The sparkly side of this Sag is that she is an extroverted truth-seeker who loves to travel. This person’s shadowy Aries moon side makes snap decisions with a hot temper to boot. Imagine that this globetrotting Sag is traveling in a foreign country, and decides she wants to hop on a train to get from point A to point B. Only when she arrives at the train station, there are no more seats available, because Sag didn’t book ahead. Sag’s moon in Aries shows up and throws a tantrum for the ticket booth attendant. To ground our wanderlust-y Sag, let’s prescribe Black Obsidian with a side of Sodalite to keep her calm during travel and keep that hot-tongued mouth on ice.
- Spin the Zodiac Wheel: Below are all the zodiac signs with a list of the stones and crystals that resonate for each. You can use this list to formulate your own Crystal Rx. Flex your intuitive muscle and pick from the suggested list of crystals for your sign, based on your gut and what you’ve read about each crystal elsewhere in the book.
HOUSE OF ARIES
The Ram
Birthdate: March 21–April 20
Featured Crystals: Agate, Amethyst, Blood Agate, Bloodstone, Carnelian, Citrine, Diamond, Fire Agate, Green Calcite, Iron Pyrite, Kunzite, Pink Tourmaline, Red Jasper, Red Tiger’s Eye, Ruby, Watermelon Tourmaline
Planetary Positioning + Elemental Ally: Mars + Fire
Calling Cards: action-oriented, assertive, courageous, change, independence, fiery, passionate, overcoming obstacles, self-confidence, sexual, strong, vitality
Celestial Power Colors: Red and Orange
Chakra Association: 3rd/Solar Plexus
HOUSE OF TAURUS
The Bull
Birthdate: April 21–May 20
Featured Crystals: Amber, Emerald, Jade, Malachite, Pink Mangano Calcite, Rainbow Moonstone, Rose Quartz, Sapphire
Planetary Positioning + Elemental Ally: Venus + Earth
Calling Cards: patience, persistence, loyal, reliable, stable, lovers of beauty
Celestial Power Colors: Green or pink
Chakra Association: 4th/Heart
HOUSE OF GEMINI
The Twins
Birthdate: May 22–June 21
Featured Crystals: Agate, Citrine, Labradorite, Opal, Yellow Jasper
Planetary Positioning + Elemental Ally: Mercury + Air
Calling Cards: adaptability, good communication skills, intelligent, versatility, negotiations, positive, uplifting
Celestial Power Colors: Yellow
Chakra Association: 5th/Throat
HOUSE OF CANCER
The Crab
Birthdates: June 22–July 22
Featured Crystals: Citrine, Emerald, Lemurian Quartz, Milky Quartz, Moonstone, Opalite, Pearl, Selenite
Planetary Positioning + Elemental Ally: Moon + Water
Calling Cards: sensitivity, kindness, nurturer, home and family, children and animals, fertility, protection, secretive, go-to confidante, emotional security, sexuality, magical, highly intuitive
Celestial Power Colors: Silver
Chakra Association: 6th/Third Eye
HOUSE OF LEO
The Lioness
Birthdate: July 23–August 23
Featured Crystals: Amber, Black Onyx, Carnelian, Fire Opal, Fire Lemurian, Gold, Iron Pyrite, Red Spinel, Ruby, Sunstone
Planetary Positioning + Elemental Ally: Sun + Fire
Calling Cards: ambitious, courage, nobility, self-confidence, power, pride, prosperous, protector, talented, show(wo)man
Celestial Power Colors: Gold, Royal Blue, Purple, and Red
Chakra Association: 7th/Crown
HOUSE OF VIRGO
The Maiden
Birthdate: August 24–Sept 22
Featured Crystals: Amazonite, Chrysocolla, Green Aventurine, Green Calcite, Jade, Peridot, Peacock Ore, Serpentine, Snow Quartz
Planetary Positioning + Elemental Ally: Mercury + Earth
Calling Cards: Perfectionist, organization, methodical, task-oriented, list makers, efficient, detail oriented, dependable, love routine
Celestial Power Colors: Green, Blue, Lilac
Chakra Association: 5th/Throat
HOUSE OF LIBRA
The Scales
Birthdate: August 23–October 23
Featured Crystals: Amethyst, Blue Lace Agate, Blue Sapphire, Chrysocolla, Lapis Lazuli, Rainbow Opal, Tourmaline
Planetary Positioning + Elemental Ally: Venus + Air
Calling Cards: harmony, ability to see both sides, balanced, peacemakers, strong sense of justice
Celestial Power Colors: Light Blue and Indigo
Chakra Association: 4th/Heart
HOUSE OF SCORPIO
The Scorpion
Birthdate: October 24–November 22
Featured Crystals: Black Opal, Garnet, Hematite, Mahogany Obsidian, Malachite, Red Spinel, Rose Quartz, Titanium Quartz
Planetary Positioning + Elemental Ally: Pluto + Water
Calling Cards: intensity, transformation, birth and death cycles, psychic awareness
Celestial Power Colors: Red, Crimson, Black, Indigo, Purple, Burgundy
Chakra Association: 2nd/Sacral
HOUSE OF SAGITTARIUS
The Archer
Birthdate: November 23–December 21
Featured Crystals: Amethyst, Aragonite, Aqua Aura Quartz, Clear Quartz, Goldstone, Peacock Ore, Topaz, Turquoise
Planetary Positioning + Elemental Ally: Jupiter + Fire
Calling Cards: expansive, creativity, optimism, truth seeker, clear vision, world traveler, exploratory, flexible
Celestial Power Colors: Purple, Dark Blue, Yellow, Scarlet, Light Brown
Chakra Association: 3rd/Solar Plexus
HOUSE OF CAPRICORN
The Goat
Birthdate: December 22–January 20
Featured Crystals: Black Onyx, Garnet, Green Aventurine, Hematite, Jet, Mexican Tiger’s Eye, Petrified Wood, Sardonyx, Smoky Quartz, Tiger’s Eye
Planetary Positioning + Elemental Ally: Saturn + Earth
Calling Cards: cautious, task-master, self-discipline, loyalty, ambitious, persistent, traditional, prudent
Celestial Power Colors: Brown, Green, Gray, Indigo
Chakra Association: 1st/Root
HOUSE OF AQUARIUS
The Water Bearer
Birthdate: January 21–February 18
Crystals: Amethyst, Angelite, Celestite, Garnet, Sodalite, Sugilite, Titanium Aura Quartz, Turquoise
Planetary Positioning + Elemental Ally: Uranus + Air
Calling Cards: idealistic, independent, humanitarian, unique, inventive
Celestial Power Colors: Dark Purple, Blue
Chakra Association: 1st/Root
HOUSE OF PISCES
The Fish
Birthdate: February 19–March 20
Crystals: Amethyst, Aquamarine, Bloodstone, Fluorite, Girasol, Ocean Jasper, Pink Kunzite, Sugelite, Watermelon Tourmaline
Planetary Positioning + Elemental Ally: Neptune and Jupiter + Water
Calling Cards: intuitive, empathetic, fluid, adaptable, creative
Celestial Power Colors: White, Mauve, Light Green, Silver, Blue
Chakra Association: 3rd/Solar Plexus
Interview with Guru Jagat, Founder of RA MA Institute for Applied Yogic Science and Technology
I LIVE JUST DOWN THE STREET from the RA MA Institute in Venice, California, which means I get to call Guru Jagat and the Aquarian Women’s Leadership Council my neighbors. Guru Jagat, RA MA’s Founder, is the youngest senior Kundalini yoga teacher in the world and the face of the new Kundalini movement. Kundalini yoga is a blend of Bhakti yoga (the yogic practice of devotion and chanting), Raja yoga (the practice of meditation/mental and physical control), and Shakti yoga, (for the expression of power and energy). And the RA MA Institute is a gathering place for those who want to learn how to use Kundalini yoga and meditation to chemically release, strengthen, and activate their genetic code, while igniting the energy centers of the body, mind, and spirit. Guru Jagat has studio locations in LA, New York City, and Mallorca, and she’s a complete force of nature—plus, she’s funny, wise, and super humble.
When did you get into crystals?
I’ve been into crystals since I was a child, as they were part of my upbringing. It was a family affair. Growing up, my mom’s friends were all Vedic astrologers and Reiki masters. My brother turned our kitchen into a temple and later on became a Hare Krishna. We hosted drum ceremonies on our land regularly as well. We were highly spiritual vegans living in rural West Virginia in the 1980s; nobody else in my grade school had crystals or was eating a broiled tofu sandwich at the lunch table.
When did Kundalini yoga come into your life?
I was looking for a teacher; I didn’t realize at the time that was what I was looking for, but looking back, that’s what I needed. I had moved to New York City in my early twenties and had tried the party scene, and that wasn’t the right fit for me. I knew there was something beyond the eat, sleep, work, watch TV, have sex, and die matrix. I attended a “weird” yoga class right after 9/11, where the teacher was doing something called Kundalini and she wore a cool turban. Literally, within 20 seconds of being in the Kundalini class, I felt like I was home. I started studying with Yogi Bhajan at his ashram, and the rest is history.
How do astrology and crystals play into your yoga practice?
I want to be clear, I am not a Vedic astrologer—however, I do use the foundations of Vedic gem technology as an activator in my practice. (Vedic astrology, also sometimes called jyotish in Sanskrit, translates to “science of light.” It’s a mathematically based form of astrology describing the planetary patterns at the time of our birth. The Vedic tradition is distinctly different from what we think of as Western astrology, as it uses the sidereal zodiac, which is based on the fixed, observable positions of the constellations as we see them in the sky. Western astrology, in contrast, uses what is called the tropical zodiac. The tropical zodiac is based on the changeable position of the sun, rather than on the fixed, observable positions of the constellations.) I believe that we can activate certain planetary aspects by wearing certain gems on certain fingers. My teacher, Yogi Bhajan, says that our fingers are “antennae” for planetary activation. These are the “Planetary Rings” that he believes you should wear on certain fingers to activate certain things:
- JUPITER FINGER (pointer): Yellow Sapphire
- SATURN FINGER (middle): Blue Sapphire, Hessonite, Cat’s Eye, or Diamond
- SUN FINGER (ring): Ruby or Coral
- MERCURY FINGER (pinky): Emerald or Pearl
PLEASE NOTE: Rings should only be worn on the middle or Saturn finger for very specific reasons and by spiritual masters. Please consult a professional before engaging in this practice.
If you were a crystal, which one would you be?
Tibetan Clear Quartz, because of my connection to Tibet. There’s something really incredible and ancient about it.
Since you now know how to put on your crystal best from head to toe, from the inside out, and from here to the cosmos, it’s time to go on a little road trip. Trade in your high heels for hiking boots, as we are about to get dirty in the very best of ways. I am taking you off-off-road to meet some of my favorite people in the most faraway places.