Grant - The book of crystal spells: magical uses for stones, crystals, minerals-- and even sand

About the Author

Ember Grant (Missouri) has been practicing the Craft for more than ten years. She has been contributing to Llewellyns Magical Almanac, Llewellyns Herbal Almanac, Llewellyns Spell-A-Day Almanac, and Llewellyns Witches Calendar since 2003. Her writing has also appeared in PanGaia, newWitch, and Circle magazine.

Introduction

Do you remember the first time you gazed upon a crystal or faceted gemstone and were mesmerized by its sparkle? I, too, have a passion for stones: from the pure polished diamond of a wedding ring to the giant granite boulders that grace the landscape of my Midwestern home. I have felt the power of Earth while standing awestruck in the shadow of mountains and by contemplating tiny grains of sand. This is where the magic of stones beginsthe way they inspire us, comfort us, and arouse a sense of wonder about the earth. Perhaps you have used a worry stone to soothe anxiety or felt more confident wearing a particular crystal pendant. If so, you know the power of crystal magic, and I invite you to continue your journey here.

My interest in rocks and minerals was the first step in my discovery of crystal magic. I remember finding a bit of pyrite when I was a childof course I quickly learned it wasnt real gold, but this knowledge did little to dampen my enthusiasm or decrease my fascination. Fossils also stirred my curiosity about the earth itself and the life that once walked upon it. I recall spending hours outside searching for rocks and studying them, amazed by form, sparkle, colorwanting to know why, where, and how.

I bought my first field guide when I was about ten years old; I still re-member walking around with a magnifying glass trying to identify every specimen I collected. I also remember the first rock tumbler I had, grinding away in the basement, polishing stones. I had boxes of rocks stashed in the barn and in my bedroom. I had no idea this hobby would become so meaningful to my life, my love of nature eventually becoming a spiritual path.

We make meaning with our experiences. Stones may be surrounded by myth and folklore, but we can add to that knowledge and bring our own meaning and perspective to crystal magic. The spells in this book are designed to enhance your current knowledge of crystal magic and perhaps to offer new ways of working with stones that will help you continue your practice.

About the Spells

For the spells and rituals in this book, use whatever method you choose for creating sacred space or casting a circle. Assuming readers already have a basic understanding of magical timing and appropriate moon phases and moon signs, these details are not always given for each spell. In addition, begin all spells with stones that have been appropriately cleansed and chargedchapter one offers some techniques; in some cases, this method is part of the spell. Otherwise, use whatever method you prefer to prepare your stone(s).

The spells that follow are presented in chapters organized by style. For example, the section on preparation contains procedures for cleansing, charging, and dedicating stones; theres a chapter on jewelry, talismans, and amulets; one for stones in the home and garden; and other categories such as glass and sand, elixirs, and grids. You may progress through the chapters in order or jump around based on your interest.

In addition, the appendix contains lists and correspondences based on planetary associations, chakras, elements, and more. You can use this information to create your own crystal magic or locate a substitute stone if you dont have the one specifically called for in a spell.

Youll notice that all the spells in this book contain rhyming chants. This is because words help bring our intent into the physical realmwe are stating our purpose out loud to the universe. While the actual words dont contain power, they are one more tool we have in magical practice. Rhyming and rhythm also help the mind focus; sometimes the rhyme schemes and number of lines in a chant are based on numerology. Feel free to add your own words if you need to be more specific. As for any spell, the chants should be accompanied with visualization techniqueshopefully, the words will help with your visualization.

I use the word stones throughout this book to refer to all types of materials, including crystals and minerals, organic gems (substances from living organisms), metals, and rocksthe goal is to expand the realm of what we consider crystal magic to include these items. The ancient Greeks gave us the word crystal, krystallos , which means ice, since clear quartz was once believed to be frozen water that couldnt melt. The scientific definition of a crystal is a mineral with specific atomic symmetry; a structure that repeats in an orderly pattern of units. Minerals are crystalline solidsatoms arranged in lattice structures with definite geometric patterns in a variety of chemical combinations. It is this special orderly structure that rests at the core of crystal magic. That being said, we should not ignore stones that lack a perfect crystalline structure, such as resins like amber, and even glass. You may notice I dont mention coral or ivorythis is because these particular organic (that is, from living organisms) gems are often rare or even endangered. Coral, especially the red variety, has long been used in jewelry; sadly, coral reefs are threatened around the world, and red coral has been severely overharvested. Ivory, too, should not be sought. Uses for amber, jet, and pearl are explored in this book, on the other hand.