Copyright © 2001 D. J. Conway
Gemstones and minerals have been used by most world cultures for centuries for their healing and magical properties. They were employed in ritual worship and worn as talismans. Talismans are actually a form of portable altar that we carry with us. The following list by no means describes all the known and used stones.

Agate-Strength and courage. It also balances energies. Blue Lace Agate can remove blockages from the nervous system and promote calmness. Moss Agate is an opener for the crown and brow chakras, thus connecting the physical with the spiritual. It can also protect the aura, cleanse the environment, and help one to balance logic with intuition. It can be used to attract enlightenment and luck, while helping to open psychic abilities and facilitate contact with spiritual guides. Brown Agate helps one to become grounded when one's energies and emotions are flying everywhere. Orange and Brown Agate also aids in grounding and stabilizing.

Amber-This fossilized resin has a wide range of magical uses. By helping to stabilize brainwave patterns, it can change negativity to positivity, both in thoughts and surrounding vibrations. It also calms, protects, repels psychic attack, gently revitalizes, and aids in releasing karmic problems and influences.

Amethyst-A major stabilizing and grounding stone, it balances the aura and cleanses it. It also improves meditation and breaks negative patterns. On the spiritual level, amethyst aids in developing psychic abilities and helps to open spiritual dimensions.

Bloodstone-Although not a stone of great beauty, bloodstone brings renewal and harmony, and enhances talents and creativity. It is also valuable when attempting to contact deceased ancestors.

Carnelian-This reddish orange stone raises the mood, aids in seeing into the past, grounds, and protects. It is also helpful in stabilizing the energy in an atmosphere and repelling psychic attacks or ghosts.

Chrysocolla-Comparable to lapis lazuli, this stone can soothe grief, ease tension and heartache, give inner strength, and balance the emotions.

Chrysoprase-Green in color, this stone can balance the attitudes, heal heartache and old traumas, and help one to accept one's self.

Fluorite-The green-colored stone helps with concentration, gives the ability to see through illusions, and calms the nervous system. The purple-colored fluorite aids in psychic development; grounds, calms, and protects.

Garnet-Red garnet draws earth energy. It can attract a compatible mate, protect against negatives, give courage, and regenerate.

Hematite-This gray-black stone is useful for grounding, calming, reducing stress, and dispelling negativity.

Lapis lazuli-Known and used for centuries, this stone has many uses. It can be used to gain wisdom in understanding spiritual mysteries, bring success in relationships, protect from psychic attack, release past pain, and raise the mood.

Malachite-A green stone, it helps to change situations, release negative experiences, inspire hope, create an unobstructed path to goals, and prevent attack by negative vibrations. It also connects the physical plane to the spiritual.

Obsidian-Black obsidian is very useful in grounding, calming, protecting, shielding from negative thoughtforms, and collecting scattered energy. It can also aid in making psychic contact and dealing with past lives.

Onyx-Black onyx will absorb negativity, protect, reduce stress, banish grief, enhance self-control, and draw good fortune.

Pyrite-This glittering, gold-colored stone aids the memory and intellect, protects from all negativity, and grounds the energies.

Quartz: crystal-A very powerful, all-healing, transpersonal stone, clear quartz crystal cleanses the atmosphere, helps with clear thinking, aids in contacting spirit guides, enhances psychic abilities, energizes, harmonizes, and dispels negativity.

Rose quartz-A pink stone connected with the heart and love, it balances, relieves depression, and rejuvenates. It is also helpful for acceptance, forgiveness, learning self-love, healing emotional pain, and attaining inner peace.

Tiger's eye-This stone, with its golden brown color, aids in recognizing karmic ties, manifesting ideas into reality, protecting, balancing, and stimulating wealth.

Tourmaline-All colors of tourmaline can inspire, balance the energies, and clear the aura. Green tourmali.ne, also called verdelite, transforms negative energy into positive, draws prosperity and creativity, calms fears, attracts love, and dispels fear. Watermelon tourmaline helps to heal past emotional scars, stabilizes, attracts love, and protects.

Turquoise-A powerful stone and master healer, it protects, calms, draws prosperity and good luck, absorbs negativity, and increases psychic abilities.