Discover the Folklore of Gemstone Magic and Crystal Healing

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“Ancient priests used quartz crystals to render negative energy impotent, to dissolve enchantments and spells, and to destroy all black magic.”

Melody, Love is in the Earth

The celestial powers of gemstones and crystals give them the ability to heal. Gems and crystals can be used as powerful magical charms. The color of a gem or crystal often reveals the spiritual nature of the stone. 

You can obtain gemstones and crystals in a variety of ways including:

  • Receiving them as a gift from a friend or family member.
  • Finding stones outdoors while hiking or walking.
  • Digging up stones while performing farming and gardening chores.
  • Purchased from a vendor at a gem and mineral show.
  • Purchased from a New Age/Occult supply store.

While any type of stone can be used for a variety of magical and healing purposes, or as an embellishment to your magic wand, I am listing my personal favorites which I like to work with on a continual basis.

Love Is In The Earth; A Kaleidoscope of Crystals by Melody is my go-to source for crystal and gemstone healing information.

All About the Healing Properties of Gemstones

The element associated with each of the stones is also listed in this healing crystals chart for reference purposes. Most white and pale to medium yellow stones are associated with the element air. Red and orange gemstones are associated with the element fire along with stones that are formed directly by fire such as obsidian. Blue and brilliant green stones are associated with the water element. Mossy or dull green and brown colored stones are most often associated with the earth element. Clear or purple-colored stones are often associated with spirit.

Amber – AKA warrior stone. Fossilized tree resin. Amber can be used for balancing intellect and emotions, love including self-love and acceptance, purification, spirituality. Amber can also be used to help heal problems with the bladder, kidneys, and throat. Element = fire, Zodiac sign = Leo & Aquarius.  

Amethyst – AKA wine stone. Amethyst is a form of quartz and is used as a charm against drunkenness. Inner peace, meditation, psychic energy, spirituality. Amethyst is a perfect stone to meditate on prior to conducting shamanic journeys. This tone can also be used for digestive disorders, insomnia, headaches, and mental problems along with problems with the skin, teeth, heart, and stomach. Element = spirit, Zodiac sign = Pisces, Virgo, Aquarius, Capricorn.

Aquamarine – AKA stone of courage. Use aquamarine for help with intellectual pursuits, spirituality. Helps alleviate swollen glands along with problems with the eyes, teeth, and bones. Element = water, Zodiac sign = Gemini, Pisces, Aries.

Aventurine – AKA deity stone. Wire wrap an aventurine crystal onto the end of your handmade wooden wand to help tap into the power of god and goddess energy and enhance your creativity. Helps with disorders of the lungs, heart, and adrenal glands. Available in green (most common) and peach varieties. Element = water, Zodiac sign = Aries.

Blue lace agate – AKA water stone. Arthritis, broken bones, fingernails, pancreas, brain, eyes, nervous system, digestion. Element = water, Zodiac sign = Pisces.

Carnelian – physical energy, creativity, compassion, spirituality. Helps to rid one of fear, rage, and envy. Used to alleviate allergies, colds, gall and kidney stones. Element = fire, Zodiac sign = Taurus, Cancer, Leo.

Citrine – business, wealth, balances yin/yang energy. Also helps with blood and thyroid problems. Element = air, Zodiac sign = Gemini, Aries, Libra, Leo.

Diamond – You could substitute an economically affordable Herkimer diamond in place of a real diamond. Prosperity, luck, success. Herkimer diamonds are specifically used for attunement, harmony, and clairvoyance. Zodiac sign = Sagittarius.

Emerald – a powerful stone used for healing. It was also used for a variety of magical purposes. Meditation, memory, intelligence, psychic ability, harmony. Helps heal the spine, lungs, heart, muscles, and eyes. Element = earth, Zodiac sign = Taurus, Gemini, Aries.

Malachite helps balance the mind, body, spirit connection. Image courtesy Pixabay.

Fossils – AKA ancestor stone. Use fossils as an aid to past life regression. Fossils can be used as a general negativity remover allowing one to continue on a positive path. Element = earth.

Jet – fossilized wood. Use for protection, calming, grounding. A great healing stone for migraines, epilepsy, lymph nodes, and colds. Element = earth, Zodiac sign = Capricorn.

Labradorite – destiny, subconscious mind, moon energy, goddess representation, patience, intuition. Used to alleviate problems with the brain, anxiety, and stress. Element = water, Zodiac sign = Scorpio, Leo, Sagittarius.

Lapis lazuli – ancient knowledge, sacred texts, celestial magic, psychic attacks, relationships, knowledge, intuition, mysticism, dream work, self-love and acceptance. Helps heal throat problems and alleviate vertigo. Element = water, Zodiac sign = Sagittarius.

Malachite – transformation, spirituality, insight, balances the mind/body/spirit connection, instinct, intuition, friendship. Asthma, arthritis, swollen joints, tumors. Element = water, Zodiac sign = Capricorn & Scorpio.

Moonstone – AKA wolf’s eye – is used to sharpen your perception of spirits and ghosts. This stone is sometimes referred to as the Earth Mother stone. It is also a good stone to use in love spells and to enhance your psychic ability. Element = water, Zodiac sign = Cancer, Libra, Scorpio.

Moss agate – AKA weather stone. Wealth, self-esteem, emotional balance, communication with the plant and animal spirits. Colds, flu, eyes, fungal infections. Element = earth, Zodiac sign = Virgo.

Pearls – faith, charity, innocence, integrity, spirituality. Element = water, Zodiac sign = Cancer & Gemini.

Petrified wood – grounding, past lives, meditation, new beginnings, transformation. Back, skeleton, hearing, hair. Element = earth, Zodiac sign = Leo.

Picture jasper – creative visualization, business endeavors, fellowship, brotherhood. Also used to help alleviate disorders of the skin and kidneys. Element = earth, Zodiac sign = Leo.

Pyrite – Use pyrite for protection and to help shield you from physical danger. Used in intellectual pursuits, love magic, and as a friendship enhancer. Pyrite can be used to help heal bones, cells, lungs and fevers. Element = fire, Zodiac sign = Leo.

Rhodochrosite – AKA stone of love. Dreamwork, meditation, spirituality. Use with problems with the ears, sinus, ulcers, digestion, heart, thyroid. Element = water, Zodiac sign = Scorpio & Leo.

Rose quartz – AKA stone of harmony. This is a calming and cooling stone that helps to promote peace, gentle love, and friendship. It can also be used by artists and musicians, and writers to add extra creativity to their work. Rose quartz balances yin/yang energy and can be used for emotional healing, stress, tension, vertigo along with problems with the kidneys and adrenal glands. Element = water, Zodiac sign = Taurus & Libra.

Ruby – AKA stone of healing. Ruby is a wonderful stone to help curb excessive bleeding. Red is a color that is often associated with healing and can be used as a powerful shaman stone. Psychic attack, stability, dream work, nurturing, spirituality, health, wealth, knowledge, astral travel. Ruby is commonly used as an aid in love and relationship issues. Used to reduce fever and heart problems. Element = fire, Zodiac sign = Leo, Scorpio, Cancer, Sagittarius.

Fossilized ammonite shell is a gemstone of transformation. Image courtesy Pixabay.

Sapphire – AKA stone of prosperity. Beauty, joy, peace, intuition, and prosperity. Sapphire can be used as a general healing stone and is especially helpful in alleviating problems with the blood and circulation. Element = water, Zodiac sign = Virgo, Libra & Sagittarius.

Shells – Fossilized shells such as ammonite work well as a tool of transformation as they have turned from a shell to a stone. Use shells to increase your intuition, sensitivity, imagination, adaptability, and insight. Shells can also be used for the healing ability to help with hearing and nervous system problems. Element = water, Zodiac sign = Pisces.

Silver – AKA stone of the soul. Silver represents the moon’s energies and helps to bring added power to other stones especially when used during new and full moons. Use silver on its own to help eliminate toxins and alleviate vision problems. Also used to bring power to speech, conversation, intuition, and as an aid to astral travel. Element = water, Zodiac sign = Cancer & Aquarius.

Sodalite – Self-esteem, logic, intellect, fellowship, solidarity, companionship. Use to heal problems with the glands, digestion, insomnia. Element = water, Zodiac sign = Sagittarius.

Sunstone – AKA stone of the sun. Sunstone represents the healing light of the sun and god energy. Stress reliever, vitality, energy, independence. Use to heal sore throats, ulcers, rheumatism. Element = fire, Zodiac sign = Libra & Leo.

Tiger eye – helps to bring the energies of the sun and earth into balance with one another and can help to bring harmony to left and right brain activity. This stone also acts as a good grounding stone, used for meditation, to enhance psychic ability, and alleviate depression. Helps heal problems with the eyes, throat, spinal column, and broken bones. Element = earth, Zodiac sign = Capricorn.

Tiger iron – Tiger iron is a combination of golden tiger eye, red jasper, and hematite. Use this stone to enhance your creativity, artistic ability, and physical strength. Element = earth, Zodiac sign = Leo.

Topaz – Creativity, love, happiness, meditation, health, wealth. Topaz also helps to heal wounds and skin disorders. Element = air, Zodiac sign = Sagittarius.

Unakite – AKA stone of mysticism. Spirituality, past lives, past events, helps balance the body/mind/soul connection. Use to bring strength to the reproductive system and for a healthy pregnancy. Element = earth, Zodiac sign = Scorpio.

Cleansing and Charging Gemstones

Gemstones may pick up and absorb negative energy or be drained of their energy after being used for a while. You should periodically cleanse and charge your stones to ensure they can be used efficiently for healing purposes. Cleansing and charging are especially important for any stones that are not found by you in their natural environment.

For example, gemstones purchased from New Age stores may have been handled by a multitude of customers before you purchased the stone. Cleansing will remove any build-up of unwanted energy that may have accumulated from previous handlers of the stone.

Cleansing your gemstones: 

A simple and magically potent method for cleansing gemstones is to present each of your stones to the four elements. You may also cleanse any of your other magical implements using this method such as rune stones, chalices, athames, boleens, cauldrons, and magic wands.

Air – present your stone to the east and pass the object through the smoke of burning incense or a smoldering bundle of smudging herbs. Or take the stone outside on a windy day for at least a few minutes or longer if you have the time.

Water – present your stone to the west and pass the object through salted water. If you have more time take the stone to a river or sea and wash it in the freshwater.

Fire – present your stone to the south and pass the object through the flame of a candle or small fire. If you have more time let the stone stand overnight in the light of the full moon or if you are really pressed for time take the object outside for a few minutes or longer during the heat of the noonday sun.

Earth – present your stone to the north and wave a preciously charged rock or crystal over the stone that is being cleansed. Or if you have more time you may bury the object overnight in the ground or in a cauldron filled with salt.

Gemstone charging charm:

After your stone has been cleansed as described above you will need to recharge it with positive energy so that it can be put back into service for healing purposes. Hold the stone in your dominant hand while it is being charged. I am left-handed so I hold my stones in my left hand while I am charging them. Visualize the stone being filled up with healing energy while reciting this charm three times.

  • This wonderful stone is a precious gift
  • From our great and powerful mother earth
  • May this stone be imbued with energies of old
  • So it may be used for healing and giving ones spirit a lift

As most people are drawn to bright and shiny objects such as gemstones I often place baskets of stones that are not used for healing purposes in strategic locations throughout my house. Anyone is free to pick up and handle the stones in these baskets without my having to worry about them being drained of energy as all of my healing stones are safe and secure in a separate location.

When your stones are not being used for healing purposes they should be placed in a secure location away from curious hands. You don’t want the time and energy you placed in the cleansing and charging or your stones to be neutralized by the energy of other people. I place each individual stone in a muslin, draw-string bag. I place the bags in a large basket which is then placed in my closet along with all my jars and containers of healing herbs. My healing stones are used for healing purposes only and never as decorations.

Crystal Healing Methods

Crystals store heat, cold, moisture, and light energy and are thought to be powerful healing instruments. Thus every stone and crystal contains a representation of each of the four elements within it namely:

  • Heat = fire
  • Cold = earth
  • Moisture = water
  • Light = air 

A common method of using gemstones to heal is to place gemstones representing the name of the person to be healed into an amulet bag or healing pouch. This pouch can be carried with you or worn around your neck as a magical healing talisman. Use one gemstone or crystal for each letter of a person’s first name or for each initial of their name. For example, my name is Lynn Ellen Smythe (LES) so I could use labradorite, emerald, and sodalite in my own personal crystal healing bag. 

If you are married and have taken your spouse’s surname you may want to use your maiden name when choosing the particular crystals to utilize. I have an easy time choosing which crystals to use as my maiden name and married name initials are the same. My mother remarried when I was 11 years old and I took the surname of my stepfather at this time. I didn’t become interested in natural magic until a much later age so I don’t feel the need to follow my birth name initials. The initials of your birth name may be used if they differ at all from your maiden and/or married names. 

I suppose I could get really fancy and use my birth name when performing maiden-based rituals, my maiden name when performing mother-based rituals and my married name when performing crone-based rituals but this seems a bit too complicated for my needs.

Collect a wardrobe of fashionable gemstone rings and tap into the healing properties of magical gemstones. Image courtesy Starbright at Pixabay.

Zodiac Healing Stones

Each sign of the zodiac is thought to govern a certain part of the body. When performing any type of healing magic you may want to wait until the moon is in the appropriate sign according to what part of the body is being healed.

Here’s a great tip: consult an annual Farmers Almanac to help you determine what sign of the zodiac the moon is in on any particular day.

There is a myriad of gemstones that have been associated with the twelve signs of the zodiac. I have listed my favorite gems and minerals that I associate with each sign of the zodiac.

Aquarius – January 20th through February 19th. Governs all problems and illnesses associated with the calves, ankles and blood. Aquarius gemstones include garnet, hematite, mica, and silver.

Pisces –  February 20th through March 20th. Governs all problems and illnesses associated with the feet and toes. Some of the gemstones associated with this sign include aquamarine, coral, fluorite, and turquoise.

Aries – March 21st through April 20th. Governs all problems and illnesses associated with the eyes, face, and head.

Gemstones associated with Aries include aventurine, bloodstone, diamond, and emerald.

Taurus – April 21st through May 20th. Governs all problems and illnesses associated with the ears, larynx, neck, throat, and tonsils.  

Gemini – May 21st through June 20th. Governs all illnesses associated with the arms, hands, lungs and shoulders. Gemstones associated with this sign include copal, howlite, and snowflake obsidian.

Cancer – June 21st through July 22nd. Governs all problems and illnesses associated with the breast, chest, diaphragm, ribs, and stomach. Some of the gemstones associated with Cancer are calcite, marble, moonstone, and pearl.

Leo – July 23rd through August 22nd. Governs all problems and illnesses associated with the back, heart, and spine. Gemstones associated with the zodiacal sign Leo include amber, carnelian, cinnabar, citrine, gold, jasper, platinum, pyrite, and tiger iron.

Virgo – August 23rd through September 22nd.  Governs all problems and illnesses associated with the bowels, intestines and nervous system. Amazonite, moss agate, peridot, and sapphire are a few of the gemstones associated with this sign.

Libra – September 23rd through October 22nd. Governs all problems and illnesses associated with the appendix, kidneys, liver and lower back. Libra gemstones include granite, jade, opal, sunstone, and tourmaline.

Scorpio – October 23rd through November 22nd. Governs all problems and illnesses associated with the bladder, colon and reproductive organs. Scorpio gemstones include flint, labradorite, malachite, rhodochrosite, unakite, and turquoise.

Sagittarius – November 23rd through December 21st. Governs all problems and illnesses associated with the hips and thighs. Gemstones associated with Sagittarius include alabaster, Herkimer diamond, iolite, lapis lazuli, obsidian, sodalite, and topaz.

Capricorn – December 22nd through January 19th. Governs all problems and illnesses associated with the bones, knees, joints and teeth. Some Capricorn gemstones are galena, jet, pumice, smoky quartz, and tiger eye.

Healing chakra crystal pendants – wire wrapped bullet shape gemstone necklaces.

Using Jewelry to Heal

Wearing jewelry that is adorned with magical gemstones and healing crystals can be used to help heal a particular region of your body. These healing crystal necklaces and amulets are not only functional, they also make a wonderful fashion statement. 

  • Necklaces – for problems associated with the neck, throat, chest, and lungs.
  • Rings – for problems associated with the fingers, hands, and circulation.
  • Earrings – for problems associated with the ears, face, mouth, and nose.
  • Bracelets – for problems associated with the arms, shoulders, and back.
  • Barrettes – for problems associated with the head and brain.
  • Navel rings & belly chains – for problems associated with the internal organs, stomach, and digestion.
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Do you have any tips or tricks you’d like to share? Leave a comment on this post or shoot me an email: info@thecreativecottage.net and I just might feature your story in a future blog post.

Take care,
Lynn Smythe

Founder and Chief Blogger
The Creative Cottage

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Disclosure: This post may contain ads or affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you!#CommissionsEarned

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