Elements | Gender | Planetary Ruler | Magic

Crystals, stones and metals have been used by humans for tens of thousands of years. They are used to make our homes and have been made into weapons or used to sharpen them. They also have been used as tools of magic and religious ritual and as talismans and offerings to the Gods. We may not notice them, but they are everywhere in our lives. It is not uncommon to find the even the most skeptical non-believer wearing a birthstone ring, the stone considered lucky for a person born during that month. Today, the natural energies of stones and crystals are being rediscovered by a whole new generation.
 

As tools of magic, stones lend us their energies and provide us with places to store our own energies. They are like natural batteries, storing within them the energies of the Earth. They come in a rainbow of colors from ice clear to solid, glossy black and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and textures. They are a direct connection to the Earth that provides us with all we need for existence. They are found within the Earth, a true gift of the Goddess and God. Stones are used as talismans to protect from the unknown and are returned to the Earth to insure the fertility of the fields and the success of the crops. Stone magic covers all aspects of life: health, love, prosperity, spirituality, wisdom, just to name a few.
 

In conjunction with candle magic, stones add their energies and concentrate the purpose within themselves. Because of this, the stone used for a positive spell is retrieved and used as a talisman. For a negative or banishing spell, the stone is never touched and carefully returned to the earth far from your home.

Before a stone is used in a spell, the stone should be charged with the purpose of the spell. This is done by holding the stone in your projective (right) hand and letting the energy that is within you pour into the stone while visualizing the purpose.

Some say the best stones are the ones you gather yourself. For most of us, this is not very realistic, but if you can, try to find stones in stream beds or lake bottoms, maybe from a wooded path or even in your own back yard. Remember, when you do gather stones, ask the Earth first and then thank it for its sacrifice. Some witches perform a small ritual before they go on stone gather expeditions, making offerings to the Earth and praying for a good hunt.

Keep in mind that the stones you buy from whatever source (I found a wonderful selection at a Books-A-Million not too long ago), the stones need to be cleansed of any negativity or lingering psychic clutter. You have no idea how many people have handled the stones before you or how they were claimed from the Earth, but you can probably guess that the Earth was not asked or thanked for its sacrifice.

The stones can be cleansed using several methods. Set the stone in direct sunlight, preferable outside, and let the Sun's energies do the work. The stone should stay outside for anywhere from one day to a week, depending on how much other energy the stone's absorbed. The stone should be brought in every evening at dusk. Check the stone by placing it in your receptive hand (left). Does the stones natural energy vibrations feel normal? Once they do, the cleansing is finished.

If you happen to live near a stream or river or maybe on the ocean, you can use the running water to cleanse the stones as well. This is done by placing the stones in a mesh bag, tying them off somehow so as to not loose them and let the running water cleanse them overnight. If one night is not enough, leave it for another.

The Earth can also be used, although this method is much more time consuming. Take the stones and bury them in the earth. Remember to mark where the stones are buried! Leave them there for a week or two. Check them to see if they are cleansed. If not, rebury them and wait another week.

If none of these methods are possible, a small ritual can be performed using a bowl of fresh earth (North), a small basin of water (West), incense (East) and a red candle (South). Pass the stone through each of these elements while asking the element to aid in cleansing the stone of all negativity and unwanted energies.
 

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