Rev. Carol A. Ingle AKA Raven First Aid Crystals

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

First Aid Crystals

In this section I have listed some crystals that I call my first aid crystals. These are crystals that I and others have used time and time again. Also in this section are some crystals for you to try. When starting to work with crystals it is always a good idea to note how you are feeling before wearing a certain crystal and then note how you feel when you have finished with a particular crystal. Sometimes the changes are subtle and it's not until we look back that we then see how we may have acted differently or maybe the crystal might have allowed us to be more out spoken, more balanced in our manner or maybe our sleep pattern improved. Choose a crystal from the list below, go with what you are drawn to and work with the crystal for one/two weeks being aware of any changes you may feel or sense.

It is important to cleanse and charge certain crystals when you have worn them a lot or have been working with them. Some crystals pick up negativity when placed near or on our bodies, so by cleansing them and then charging them the energy of the crystal will always be ready to work at its optimum capacity. The Crystal Companion book written by Nicki Parkin-Jones is a great little starter book explaining how to charge and cleanse crystals, where to place them in your home and how to attune to a crystal. It is available to buy on this website, just go to The Crystal Companion book section and follow the instructions.

1. Black tourmaline

This is a black crystal with vertical striations running down through the crystal. You can buy it in its raw state or sometimes tumble polished.

Black tourmaline is a very protecting energy. When wearing black tourmaline on the body it feels like a protective cloak. If you imagine your aura as egg shape. This large egg shape surrounds you like you are standing inside the egg. For me personally when I wear black tourmaline I imagine the outer shell of my egg being a beautiful graphite silver colour and hard on the surface. I can still see through my eggs' surface but it is hard and strong protecting me from any emotional or mental disturbance given off from other people's energy. If you know you are entering a situation that could be difficult or entering a room where people could be a little 'off'! then by wearing black tourmaline on your person it gives you a feeling of protection. Other peoples' comments or negative vibes will still be noticeable but they will not affect you. Sometimes we can be hurt by a comment made or a certain look by someone, that negative energy enters our aura and we really feel it. It has an effect on us. Tourmaline allows the wearer to be fully aware of what is going on but doesn't allow the negative energy to enter the aura.

Also black tourmaline is good to carry with you if you have a long journey. If travelling by car or boat, it stops the feeling of 'still moving' once you have reached your destination. Also if you were flying, imagine how much negativity your aura could pick up waiting in an airport. I feel it s important to protect our auras especially if we are entering busy places with lots of different energies around.

Black tourmaline as well as protecting is a good grounding crystal. Sometimes through circumstances we feel our energies are too much in the head area. This can lead to a feeling of light headedness and dizziness, or sometimes it feels as though were not quite with it. This is when the person needs their energies to be more grounded. You can place black tourmaline at the bottom of the bed near your feet or simply sit with some black tourmaline for a while until you start to feel more 'with it' or 'in the real world?'

Tourmaline not only comes in black but dark green known as verdelite, watermelon tourmaline which has colours of green, pink and blue in it, indicolite which is blue and rubellite which is red to pink. The different colours of the tourmaline creates slightly different vibrations. The black is very protecting and grounding, the watermelon and green are used mainly in the areas of the heart chakra and matters of the heart, whilst the blue can be worn in the throat area.

2. Red jasper

Red jasper is brownish/red in colour and can have an earthy, clay appearance. This crystal is good for the base chakra and is energising from the feet up. Red jasper brings in warrior determination, gives you that extra strength that is needed to carry on. The strength is held deep within yourself; the red jasper connects and grounds your energy to mother earth, once connected willpower and determination is increased. It allows you to feel surer of the path you are on or the situation you are in, energising you in a strong earthly manner rather than a zippy, sugary hit. Good to wear if you are dealing with a difficult long term project or feeling lost and not quite with it. Place in your pocket during the day and remove at night.

3. Red coral

Red coral is a lovely crystal to help with re-rooting when you have had some upheaval in your life. If you have moved house or changed schools or jobs, even though you may move into your dream house or be successful in obtaining that dream job, you can feel wobbly, unsure and out of sorts in your new surroundings for some time after the change. I feel this happens because on an energy level with the change that has occurred your energy is floaty and not grounded and once the change has happened it is important to ground your energy into the new surroundings, job or school. When your energy is rooted into the earth you will start to feel more settled, stronger and confident. Carry a piece of red coral in your pocket during the day until you can feel yourself becoming more settled.

All corals are precious and I feel it is not good to thin out our coral reefs anymore on this planet, so if you are lucky enough to find a piece of red coral that has come from a sustainable source then that is great, but please check where the coral has been sourced from before ordering or buying it.

4. Carnelian

The crystal carnelian is orange in colour, but the colouring can vary from bright orange to a more brownish colour. The energy of carnelian is masculine and practical. It has a safe, holding feel to it allowing the person to feel very motivated in a grounded and practical way. If you have a lot of practical things to do but feeling a little flat then carnelian would be a good crystal to try. Place carnelian in your trouser pocket, shirt pocket or wear around the neck for about a week and then note how you are feeling. It is a nice crystal to wear in the winter months as it has a very positive vibration. If you find you have a busy week ahead and groan at the thought of how you are going to achieve it, then carnelian is the crystal to try. It is so motivating; you really will achieve all that you set out to do! It is truly amazing.

5. Fossilized wood

Fossilized wood is dead wood that has been saturated with silicic acid in the absence of air and then solidifies through loss of water. This crystal has a wonderful calmness about it. If you are having trouble sleeping, try placing a slice of fossilized wood on the floor underneath your bed(place in the middle at the foot end of the bed). Leave the crystal there for as long as you want, but allow a week to see if your sleep has improved. It brings a feeling of being in the right place at the right time, everything as it should be. It can be calming and quietening to a busy, confused mind. It keeps us grounded and real but in a calm and light manner not pulling down and heavy like some grounding crystals can be. This crystal can be worn for long periods of time, during the day and at night. It is also a nice crystal to place around the home, bringing in calm peaceful energies.

6. Citrine

If you're looking for a bit of a pick me up during the winter months, then citrine is a good crystal to try. This crystal is a lovely yellow with lots of sparkle. The energy of citrine is positive, light and happy. It can be very energising (bit like a sugar rush!) and so is best worn during the day. Citrine energises the mind and allows the person to feel mentally alert so it is a handy crystal to have with you if you have an exam to sit or lots of paperwork to do. Citrine can be worn in the pockets or around the neck. It helps to increase your drive and zest on your life path and is a wonderful positive energy to have during the autumn and winter when we can feel low, bogged down and a little weary. It helps us to see the positives in all that we do, lifting our mood and others around us.

7. Yellow aventurine

There are quite a few different types of aventurine on the market, green aventurine, red, blue, silver, peach and white. I find all aventurines to have a balancing quality about them but depending on the colouring there will be a variation in the vibration of the crystals. Yellow aventurine is good to use on the 3rd or solar plexus chakra. This is the chakra where we hold our frustrations and our energy here can become sticky or blocked, showing up as stop start, stop start in our plans. Things start to move forward and then there seems to be a problem or glitch and suddenly our plans are put on hold until the problem can be resolved, this leads to more frustration which in turn leads to our energy becoming even more stuck! The energy of yellow aventurine is like old fashioned lemon curd, soothing, slightly solid with a light but sharp zing to it. Yellow aventurine helps to soothe the annoyances and frustrations held in the solar plexus, brings in a positive feel with a light sugary burst of energy. When our energy levels are boosted we feel boosted and energised, more positive and a lighter mood. You can wear this crystal around your neck, in your shirt pocket or bra for a few days, or you can place a piece of yellow aventurine on your 3rd chakra area, lay down and relax for twenty minutes. When the crystal is placed on the 3 rd chakra use your breath to expel the negativity you are feeling. As you draw in a deep breath imagine you are drawing up all that frustration and on the out breath blow out all that frustration and negativity. Continue to do this until you start to feel lighter in your feelings and mood, this should happen after 6-8 deep breaths. This crystal can be worn, used in meditation or put under the pillow at night, a lovely soothing balance with a positive feel.

8. Clear quartz

This crystal is a great overall healing energy. Clear quartz can be used to energise us, amplify the energies of other crystals we are wearing or working with, help remove excess energy in the form of heat or emotions and generally help our energies to re-align and find the best possible balance for that time. You can use single points; tumble polished, wands, pyramids and spheres and more. Clear quartz comes in many shapes and sizes and I feel it is up to the individual as to what they prefer. If you are going to wear a piece of clear quartz then a single point or tumble polished would be best. I have found if you use a single pointed crystal the energy seems to be concentrated from that point, where as if you use a rounded or tumble polished piece of clear quartz the energy appears to be more diffused and evenly distributed. Clear quartz (also known as rock crystal) brings in clarity and so helps us to have a clearer and better understanding of situations and people. With emotional and mental clarity we can be more decisive and surer of our path.
Handy exercise..

Have two clear quartz points and place one quartz above your head and one quartz below your feet (do this when you are lying down).

If you are feeling full up and feel like you are going to blow! emotionally and mentally, then place the points outwards from your feet and head. This will help to draw off any excess energy like hot emotions, frustration or anger.

If you are feeling drained and tired then place the points of the crystals inwards towards your feet and head. This will help to put some energy back into your body.

On both of these exercises do it for about fifteen minutes. You can do these simple exercises twice a week as part of a self maintenance programme.

9. Rose quartz

This crystal is a member of the quartz family and is pink in colour. This crystal resonates with our heart chakra and the energy of rose quartz is watery, loving and supportive. Rose quartz is wonderful to give as a gift, by giving the crystal to someone you are giving them unconditional love, accepting and understanding them for who they are. If you wear rose quartz for a couple of weeks you may find that you feel wobbly, your emotions may seem to pop up out of nowhere and a little tearful. Don't be put off by this! The rose quartz is actually helping you to release buried or stuck emotions and it is a positive thing that they come to the surface and you let go of them. Emotionally rose quartz will help us to release whilst gently and lovingly supporting us. In my experience I have found that people who do not have a lot of emotional stuff to release really enjoy wearing rose quartz and it has a calm, loving effect on them and people who consciously or sub-consciously have emotional blockages find at first it has a disruptive, wobbly feel (releasing the emotion) and then balances out to a supportive, loving feel. Rose quartz can be placed around the home or workplace to bring a welcoming energy into the building.

Rose quartz has a gentle yet firm energy and its energy in the long term is good for us, we just need to embrace its energy, go with the flow and release all those stuck emotions allowing our hearts to fill up with love and joy.

10. Danburite

The energy of danburite is quite high and some people use this crystal more at the crown chakra where as I have found this crystal good to use at the heart chakra. Danburite is a clear crystal with striations running down the crystal (similar markings to black tourmaline) and generally has a tabular point at one end. You can come across tumbled pieces of danburite as well as crystal points. Looking at clear quartz and danburite you might think they are difficult to tell apart but danburite has a glassy look to it. It has a brighter, clearer hue than clear quartz and it also has the striations running down it that clear quartz doesn't have. Danburite works deep within the heart chakra. It is subtle and the longer you work with it or wear it the deeper it goes into the layers of your heart, in what you are truly wanting. It helps you to be more honest with yourself, allowing you to feel what makes your heart sing. Bringing in higher universal energies lifting our energy to a higher, finer vibration enabling us to look at our situations and see with high clarity what it is that we are wanting. It enables us to stand in our true power and make decisions for ourselves without another's influence. Universal love, strength and guidance are felt with this crystal. By being honest with ourselves and what we want in our hearts we in turn are able to be honest and open with those around us, erasing confusion and bringing in loving clarity.

11. Rhodocrosite

I personally feel Rhodocrosite is an excellent crystal when you are on your path of transformation. Rhodocrosite is a beautiful salmon pink crystal with white bands running through it. Rhodocrosite has the tones of pink and lemon within its colouring. The salmon pink ray works on the heart chakra and the subtle tones of lemon within the pink, work on the solar plexus area.

Rhodocrosite helps us to open our heart, opening to love, support, positive opinions and the wanting and the zest for improving ourselves. It supports us while we seek ourselves. The loving vibration of rhodocrosite helps us to improve our self esteem, self confidence and self belief. This crystal carries a positive energy that feels supportive and gentle. The longer we wear the crystal the more its vibrations open us to who we are.

Rhodocrosite can be worn around the neck as a pendant, placed in your bra next to your heart or as a ring. Because its vibration is gentle and supportive you could also place the crystal under your pillow and sleep with it. On an emotional and mental level it stops us from beating ourselves with that ‘stick', we become more accepting of who we are without judgement or shame. We slowly start to feel support coming from within ourselves, helping us to realise that it is just as important to give ourselves love, support, encouragement etc as well as giving it out to others. If we feel emotionally supported, loved and happy on the inside (within ourselves) then I feel this energy radiates out and all around us, our work colleagues, our family, pets and friends all benefit from this and feel the essence of support and love too.

I feel at this moment in time it is important for all of us to take responsibility in becoming more self aware. I feel as we move nearer towards 2012 the time of seeking externally is fading and I feel the emphasis is more on seeking truth, internally. In the past people have chose to satisfy a feeling of ‘something missing' by over shopping, buying the biggest house, the fastest car, the bigger the better, but despite having it all ,the feeling of ‘something missing' has not gone away. All we have done is satisfy a hunger with a quick fix. I feel it is time not to see what we have on the outside but to focus on within, a time to start learning about ourselves, learning who we are in a supportive and accepting way, allowing our true light to shine.

Rhodocrosite helps our light become brighter, encouraging and supporting us while we identify with our true selves. We all hold many answers and much knowledge deep inside we just need to reconnect with ourselves.

Two weeks with Rhodocrosite:

Write a small list of how you feel about yourself. Place your negative thoughts about yourself in one column and also list your positive thoughts about yourself. Put the list away in a safe place and start to wear a piece of rhodocrosite for the next two weeks.

Every morning with your piece of rhodocrosite take a couple of minutes to sit and say an affirmation. The affirmation needs to be in the present tense and positive. For example you could say:

I am happy and centred within my heart

I am positive and supportive of myself

I am content with me. I love me.

Keep the affirmation simple, positive and about you. Say your affirmation as many times as you can in a day. I find morning, lunch, dinner and bed time a good starting point. Continue over the next two weeks, wearing your rhodocrosite day and night, wear it all the time if you are able. At the end of the two weeks, take out your original list that you wrote about yourself and re-write it. See how many positive things you write about yourself now!

If you feel really happy wearing rhodocrosite, continue to wear it for as long as you feel the need. There is no set time limit, it will continue to improve your opinions about yourself and open your heart to truly accepting you. (warts and all!)

12. Apatite

Apatite is sea green in colour. Some crystals can have a dark blue appearance and others can be more clear with a pale blue/green appearance. The vibration of apatite is very clearing. It is good to use for chest problems, heavy colds and blocked sinuses. When worn apatite starts to clear the lungs, head and nasal area if congested.

Wear the apatite crystal around the neck for as long as it feels comfortable. Once the head cold and blocked feeling disappears take the crystal off. I have had some success using apatite with people who snore loudly. They have worn the crystal around their neck to bed for 4/5 days and have noted (or their partner has!) that the snoring has decreased.

On an emotional and mental level I have found apatite has an easy air to it. The person can feel clear, calm and easy going. I describe it as a happy flow, the person feels flexible and easy going with people and situations around them. Apatite has a clearing energy too and brings mental clarity to the wearer.

13. Chrysocolla

This crystal is very soft and is a beautiful bright blue. The energy of chrysocolla is very feminine and helps the wearer connect to their softer feminine side without giving any of their power away. Chrysocolla is good worn around the throat, helping to increase creativity and communication. This crystal helps you to stand in your true space (power) when wanting to put your point of view across. For example, if you need to draw up a plan for a venture or business talk, you want to come across as strong, confident and know the subject that you want to talk about. Chrysocolla can help with all this, allowing your throat energies to flow your communication will be clear,your creative skills will also be enhanced and you will feel in your true power. Chrysocolla encourages self awareness helping the wearer to connect to themselves, helping to feel confident, creative, intuitive and calm in their work and daily life. In my experience I have found this crystal to be very useful for women who are starting to find themselves once again. Maybe the children have grown up and left home, or a woman has recently broke up from a long term relationship, this is the time when a woman wants and needs to feel her own power and be strong and confident to go out there and show the world what she is capable of. Chrysocolla can enhance those feelings of being a woman and encourage you and support you with feelings of inner feminine strength, confidence and creativity.

14. Fluorite

Fluorite comes in many colours from blue to purple, green clear and yellow (gold). Tumble polished pieces and wands can have a mixture of all these colours. It is personal choice as to what colouring you are drawn to. I have found the energy of fluorite to be all about flexibility on all levels. Physically fluorite can help to alleviate symptoms of arthritis. This is where the physical body can become stiff and inflexible causing inflammation of the joints making movement painful or restricted. You can stroke a flat piece of fluorite over the painful area (circle movements in a clockwise direction) to help alleviate the pain or wear a fluorite bracelet on the wrist. Mentally fluorite helps to dissolve old, rigid mental patterns allowing us to have more of an open mind. The fluorite helps to open our mind, bringing in new ways of thinking helping us to be not quite so stubborn in our routines and how we would like to do things. It helps us to go with the flow, seeing the bigger picture in situations and not always excepting that our way is right. Spiritually it connects us to higher energies and helps us to process the information that we are feeling or sensing to make more sense in our head. Emotionally fluorite helps us to understand our emotions and how they affect us.

15. Blue lace agate

Blue lace agate is blue/lilac in colour and has bands of white running through it. I find blue lace agate very calming and expansive to the mind. This crystal has the ability of allowing the mind to ‘float off', relax and open the mind to new ideas. I have used blue lace agate many times for temperature control with my children! When a child becomes sick, they become irritable, snappy, hot and bothered. The physical body works towards a peak when the child's temperature is at its highest, once the ‘fever' or heat has reached this peak it then breaks and the temperature starts to drop. By placing blue lace agate at the wrist and ankle (pulse points) the crystal helps to keep the child calm and cool emotionally and mentally and whilst the physical body is hot, inside they do not feel this heat. The body naturally works at combating the virus, the physical body expels the heat but the child feels cool and calm in themselves. They are able to relax and sleep and allow the body to naturally fight the virus.

Also blue lace agate is good to use on inflammations too. Blind spots, boils on the skin can be reduced and cooled by placing a small piece of blue lace agate on top of the spot itself. Sometimes it works best if you can gently tape the crystal onto the affected area and leave on overnight.

Blue lace agate is a wonderful crystal to place in childrens' bedrooms creating a cool and airy resting space. It can also be used in meditation giving airy, expansive energy, calming the mind allowing the person to ‘drop down' the levels to reach their centre.

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