Crystals and gemstones can be very beneficial in your meditation practice as well as in everyday life. Each stone possesses certain properties that can help with various areas of your life. Learning to work with crystals is an ongoing and rewarding process. There are lots of books and websites that list the properties of stones, but it is always best to learn how to tune into the stone yourself and see what response you get from it. (For more information about how to work with crystals please check back soon for articles dealing with: connecting with your crystals, how to cleanse crystals, and different rituals you can do with crystals.)
Since there are so many stones that you can work with, we thought it would be helpful to choose one crystal each week and discuss its properties.
To get us started I decided to pick Smoky Quartz as the first Crystal of the Week! Why? Because it is one of the most useful and gentle stones that I have worked with!
Keywords: Cleansing, Protection, Purification, Transmutation of energy
Smoky quartz is an extremely powerful but gentle crystal that pulls negative energy out of the user and transmutes the energy so that it is harmless. Unlike with some other stones, I’ve never had smoky quartz give me the “head rush” that occasionally comes from toxins being released, or energy fields being activated. While I can definitely feel it’s purification properties working, it is always a very relaxing experience (just make sure you are breathing deeply and keep affirming that you want to release all energy that is not for your highest good.)
I like using smoky quartz to ensure that all the energetic debris from the day is out of my system before I go to sleep. Before going to bed, stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Place a piece of smoky quartz in between your feet and let your arms fall gently to your sides. Take deep abdominal breathes and with each exhale mentally push any negative energy out of your body and aura and into the smoky quartz. (Even if you have trouble holding the visualization the smoky quartz will still clear out your energy). When you are done, you can place the crystal on a windowsill where it will be cleansed by the lunar energy. (We’ll discuss other clearing methods soon!) If you feel that you’ve really cleared out a lot, then it may be helpful to have a few sips of water before retiring to bed. This helps additionally flush out your system and brings hydrating balance.
I’ve also found smoky quartz is a wonderful crystal to place around the home or office. It helps protect you from other people’s harsh thoughts and emotions and transmutes them into harmless energy. Place a piece in your office, in your school locker or desk, in your living room, etc – you’ll really see a difference! If you are holding an energy healing class, or doing any other kind of group energy work, it is a good idea to have smoky quartz in the room as an additional environmental cleanser.
Another great property of smoky quartz is its ability to remove nightmares. Place a piece under your pillow or bed and enjoy a restful night of sleep! (Do not place the same piece of smoky quartz under your bed that you used to do the Standing Clearing Exercise described above without first cleansing it!)
How has smoky quartz been helpful for you? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
Mermaid Tree 