S

Sapphire

Corundum. Blue, green, pink, purple, clear. Related to Ruby.

Blue: Communication, insight, intuition, clairaudience, inspiration, spiritual prayer/devotion, peacefulness. Pituitary and Thyroid. Detoxifies skin, body. Antidepressant. Cools, contracts, soothes, thus reducing inflammation, fevers, nosebleeds. Hearing problems, TB, burns, etc. Nervous system (& Epilepsy) and meridians. Strongest if next to skin. Especially Throat Chakra. Also: wisdom, will, centering, cheerfulness, luck. Reduces radiation effects, anxiety, procrastination. Some effects subtle.

Black: more grounding. Protection. May strengthen by posing challenges to overcome. Found in the US, Australia, and India. Lessens tension and aligns the mental, physical, and spiritual planes. Can be an important stone for people with spiritual confusion or depression, those involved in situations out of their control, and anyone with concentration problems. Black Sapphires are the most protective of all Sapphire colors.

Star Sapphire: Similar to the Blue Sapphire, differs in that it has an aqueous inclusion in its makeup that creates a refracted five-pointed star on the stone's surface. This star is a focus point in the gem. Recommended for people who wish to awaken or heighten their psychic abilities. Works as a relaxing agent during times of extreme physical exertion. Healers of the spirit and and body are often drawn to this stone.

Sard

A porous brick-red stone. Found in the US and India. Not generally considered to be a strong healer, though it does possess limited properties similar to Carnelians. Suggested for open wounds and conditions of the blood. Can be beneficial to the cleansing organs and in strengthening to the mind.

Sardonyx

A layered combination of Sard and Onyx. Can include shades of red, brown, black or white. Found in Brazil and India. Best known for its effect upon the bones and lungs. Recommends its use for depression and in matters of love. Take care to consider the color combination of the stone. Red stimulates, brown is grounding, black is absorbing, and white is purifying. The colors do not cancel each other out. They do, however, buffer each other and maintain a median balance that allows you to affect change. Recommended for explorers, those engaged in combat, and executives.

Selenite

A Gypsum. White/clear striated crystals. Has been used to work against cancer and is known to stabilize epileptic disorders. Mental focus, growth, luck, immunity, kundalini. Centuries-old recordkeepers of events/information. Smoothes emotions. Holding crystal,visualize it bringing white light/energy (higher ideas/consciousness) from transpersonal point above head down through body, out through feet into earth/physical plane. Place on 3rd eye for stored info. May help physical and emotional letting go. Repair; spine and nerve system, emotional and athletic flexibility. Sends healing to the earth. Expands sensitivity, field of awareness.
Desert Rose: rose-like flower buds. Known to help new moms increase breast milk.

Silica

"Gem Silica" The highest, purest form of gem quality Chrysocolla. One of the highest evolved blue-green stones. (Also see: Chrysocolla.)

Silver

Excellent for mental, emotional, and physical releasing and cleansing. Works on mind/emotions to see overview, emotional balance, patience. Like the moon's energy, it has gentle, cool, smoothing effect. Thus it reduces inflammation, fever, nervous system stress. Best with the gentler, cooler-colored gems. Works with pituitary and upper energy centers. Generally Yin. Wear the metal that you feel attracted to. Works best as a communicator. Should be worn only when it feels right. Benefits the circulation and detoxifies the blood. Helps the body recognize imbalances or high levels of hormone and chemicals more readily, enabling them to be naturally corrected. Helps the lungs and throat and reduces irritation by pollutants and other impurities in the air. Improves the transmission of nerve impulses. Aids those with degenerative brain disease, poor memory, irrational fears, and emotional imbalance. Also aids in verbal and representational communication. Helps balance the functions of both sides of the brain. Can be worn as a belt buckle to improve fertility. Can help resolve sexual problems that result from dysfunction or impotence. Mental activity is clarified. An increase in your ability to approach intellectual problems. Also known to lessen anxiety over problem-solving. Suggested use in conjunction with Agate, Jet, Moonstone, and Turquoise. Silver Settings: Silver is ruled by the Moon a feminine planet, and therefore imparts a softened less assertive emotional energy to crystals & minerals that are mounted in it.

Smithsonite

Light blue, pink, or lavender fuzzy bubbles. Harmonizes and aligns Heart, Throat, and Brow Chakra for smoother communications, leadership, perceptiveness and depth in relationships, and expansion into new areas. Meditation clarity, and receptiveness. Insight via dreams, dream recall. Versatile; Historically works well in many areas, especially Throat Chakra, nose, lymph, immunity; tissue elasticity. Chakra corresponds with stone color. Suggested for security and a balanced life. Also helps you deal with difficult relationships.

Smoky Quartz

Helps to overcome Depression, Nightmares, Stress. Smoky, rootbeer, or chocolate-colored clear crystals. The clearest, most intense ones powerfully open the Crown Chakra sending light down the Root Chakra, inducing Alpha/deep meditation for channeling/higher guidance, deep relaxation, lovingness. Ancient use also to stimulate meridians, kundalini, and correct fertility/PMS/reproductive imbalance. Stores info well. Alleviates fear, anxiety, depression, emotional Dense, dull, solid/semisolid black/brown, less attractive. Very grounding, opposite of other smoky's. May feel dense, heavy, nonconductive Many were irradiated to turn them this flat, dark color with white edge of base. If so, they're not useful for conducting light/healing, thus less useful for wearing or healing. This medium-to-dark brown crystal found in the US, Brazil, and Scotland. A word of warning is in order regarding choosing Smoky Quartz crystals. Its dark color is caused by impurities, usually carbon, iron, or titanium. But the color of some Smoky Quartz is caused by the effects of minute amounts of decaying radium, within the crystal itself. Because of the presence of this natural low-grade radiation, Smoky Quartz is good for people with radiation-related illness or those in chemotherapy. It is best to avoid the heavily irradiated crystals. Most gemstone and crystal stores do not sell them, and most gem experts advise against using them in layouts. Natural Smoky Quartz crystals, like other brown stones, are closely in tune with the anchoring energy of the earth. Often used for ailments of the lower torso. The reproductive organs, muscle tissue, heart, and nervous system all profit. Heightens your understanding of nature and concern for the environment.

Sodalite

Healing, Meditation, Wisdom. General communication and writing stone. Logic, ideas, truth. Balances body energy levels via thyroid, pituitary, lymph, and other glands. Helps Throat Chakra, insomnia, neck, mouth, hearing, bloodsugar, etc. Cooling and drawing for infections, burns, sinus inflammations, high blood pressure, etc. Still evolving. This blue stone found in North America as well as in Brazil and France. Can strongly affect changes in your attitude about yourself. Helps you be more objective and less critical about ways of dealing with existence. Suggested for balancing the metabolism. Beneficial for the cleansing organs and can boost the immune system. Effective in combating the effects of natural and artificial radiation and is recommended for those who work around X-ray equipment or are involved with radioactive material.

Spectrolite: See: Labradorite

Spinel

Blue, green. Calms alleviates stress, depression. Mental rejuvenation. Most commonly used to aid in detoxifying (together with fasting, enemas, and alcohol/chemical detoxifier of blood and organs, including skin). Red: Also for strength, kundalini. . Found in the US, USSR, Sri Lanka, Italy, and Germany. Encourages moderation of all excesses and aids in the detoxification of both the blood and the mind. Helps lessen anxieties. Benefits the skin. Said to be an aid in fasting.

Star Ruby

Star Ruby is known as the "star of purity", "star fire" or "ruby crystal" is said to promote dreaming and tends to stimulate connection between the self and your spirit guides. Used as a rod-like conductor, it provides the pathway from the user to the electrical and magnetic forces. It assists in purifying, and correcting disoriented energy which leads to atrophy. It helps to align the auric and physical bodies as one. It is an excellent stone for releasing blocks which keep you from a spiritual path.

Staurolite

"Fairy Cross" Brown/grey, cross-like extrusions. Represents four elements and joining of spirit with earth/matter. Spirituality, compassion, allowingness, dis-attachment; Focus centered on the Here and Now. This beautiful and rare stone crystallizes in the form of flat and short prismatic crystals with cruciform crossing. This mineral is a talisman of good luck! Historically, this stone is said to be formed from the tears of fairies when they were brought the news of the death of Christ. This stone is said to provide a connection between the physical, astral and extraterrestrial planes. It can provide an overpowering "release" in stressful situations and provides support, initiation and incentive in dealing with detrimental habits.

Stichtite

Stichtite is usually found as a deposit on another mineral, for instance, serpentine. It is rarely found in veins from which half inch or inch thick pieces of the pure mineral can be taken. Stichtite is formed when continental plates collide. It brings one higher awareness of one’s emotions. In the home, it creates a tranquil environment, and can be useful in adapting children’s behavior so that it is more acceptable. It also encourages one to be true to one’s word, to keep an open mind, and to treat all ( including oneself ) with gentleness. Stichtite eases the passage of Kundalini energy through the Heart chakra.

Stilbite

Pale pink/gray/white. Pink is especially helpful with loving, creative energy, acceptingness, allowingness, letting go, manifesting May vivify/heighten physical senses, esp. taste. Detoxifies. Gentle self-expression.

Sugilite

"Lavulite/Royal Azele" Solid, violet pink to purple. Psychism. Gets you in touch with your Spiritual Guides. Important healer's stone used to gently draw out pain (headaches too), inflammation, stress, dis-ease, toxins, emotional blocks. Protects; Absorbs and dissolves anger, hurt, unwanted energies. Is placed on Brow to alleviate depression/despair, stress. Brings spirit/light into physical body and heart for healing. Balances adrenal, pineal, pituitary, Lt/Rt brain. Peace of mind, well being, spiritual love. Androgynous.

Sulphur

Protection, Willpower, Healing Energy. Solid/clear yellow. Rejuvenating, especially if one does a great deal of thinking/mental work and little physical exercise. Mental clarity, focus, analysis, understanding, willpower, discipline, confidence. Used in Egypt and modern hot springs/baths for arthritis, pain, rheumatism, swelling, lymph, cysts, hemorrhoids. Traditionally very healing for wounds, cleansing and healing skin, sinus, pancreas, liver, syphilis, appendix, indigestion, insomnia, depression; Strengthens endocrine glands. Found in garlic, mustard, chives, onions, horseradish, etc. Repels garden bugs.

Sunstone

Honors the God, energizes and empowers one's self. Aventurine feldspar with gold-orange metallic sheen. Warms the heart and lifts/rejuvenates the spirit. Protection, life force, grounding.

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T

Tanzanite

Rare, Clear, blue-purple-violate Zoisite crystal. (Use clear ones for healing meditation.) Placed on brow, it powerfully opens brow plus Crown centers for clairaudience, visions, spiritual connectedness, protection, manifesting. Helps expand our physical and mental seeing, hearing, hair, skin. It was first discovered in Tanzania, which is how it got its name. This stone stimulates both the Throat chakra and the Third Eye chakra, and bring together all aspects of communication and psychic power. Tanzanite is a “stone of magic” that facilitates spiritual awareness and stimulates insight. It is also said to relieve depression. Tanzanite is known to both dispel and transmute negativity.

Tiger's Eye

Chalcedony Quartz Cat's Eye. Yellow-gold. Money, Protection, Courage, Luck Confidence, Willpower, Clear Thinking (and thus speaking), personal power in life. Yellow/Solar Plexus Chakra. Works on Mental plane: amplifies thinking and manifesting what you think about (careful)! will. Helps separate thoughts from feelings, so centered, less emotional. Digestion, stomach, anxiety, ulcers, bones. Rub with essential oil on Front. Bottom for blood detox. Use with malachite or pearl for mental/emotional balance, understanding. Helps change anxiety, fear and obsessiveness into practicality, logic. Yang. Has the grounding energy of the earth, but is embellished with a glowing warmth. A stone for people who need more confidence to accomplish their goals. Draws helpful people and material things to the wearer. Centers energy and mental focus.
Red: Strengthens your body force. Green or Blue: See Hawk's Eye.

Topaz

The stone of "true love and success in all endeavors". It can be used to manifest health and correct disorders within the body. They promote understanding, compassion, kindness and empathy. They open and heal the hearts of those who have closed them while also protecting the openhearted from too much pain. Instrumental in visualizations for healing and attracting in meditation and projection. Helps one to creatively change personal world, enhance awareness, expansiveness and manifestation.

Most common Topaz has a radiant yellow color, but can also be found in shades of green, blue, and brown. Mined in the US, Mexico, Brazil, and Sri Lanka. Sends out positive energy to all who need it. For those in crisis or in need of motivation. Recharges and increases the user's energy level. Benefits those who are problem solvers, such as those involved with the arts or science. An excellent stone for relaxation and comfort. Calms the nervous system and lessens tension. Also benefits the blood. Sheds light on the path to your goals. Those in tune with Topaz's positive energy will feel limitless and philanthropic. They will experience an increase in their personal abilities.
Golden or pink/"Champagne" Crystal.

Golden: The most powerful, electromagnetic of yellow/solar plexus gems. A strong, steady, high level gem for mental clarity, focus, perception, high level concepts, confidence, personal power, stamina. Helps mood swings, insomnia, worries, fears, depression, exhaustion, nervous system stress, stomach anxiety. Also works somewhat with the Crown Chakra. Liver/pancreas detoxification, bloodsugar balance, tissue and backbone strengthener (physically and emotionally). Radiates warmth,sun/light energy, protection. Excellent for water signs, teachers, excess work stress, manifesting, higher-self connection. Brings emotions and thinking into balance.

Pink and Champagne: Works also especially with the heart for love, spiritual compassion.

Blue: Alignment with our higher self, creative expression, writing, focus on your path. An empathetic stone. Gives out its warm glow quite readily.

Tourmaline

A powerful, electromagnetic, striated gem. Strengthens body and spirit (and meridians), transmutes lower frequency thought/energy to a higher frequency of light and brings light/spirit into the physical. Radiates light protection for wearer. Clears higher frequency, effectiveness. Especially for nervous system; blood/lymph toxins.

Black: Does not absorb negative energy. It repels it. It is suggested to carry this stone when you feel surrounded by negativity. A valuable stone for crisis and for periods of extreme stress. Helps you defend against debilitating diseases. Strongly suggested for persons with weakened immune systems. Sometimes found embedded in Clear Quartz (see Tourmalinated Quartz).

Cat's Eye Tourmaline: Little information exists. It is suggested that it is a lesser healer because of its inclusions. Further suggested that derived benefits take place over a long period of time. Use this stone only if you are very drawn to it.

Clear Tourmaline: Has many of the qualities of the other Tourmalines but in a more low-key manner. Beneficial for the immune system and for detoxification of the entire body. Suggested use is for the eyes and for nervous disorders such as epilepsy.

Brown Tourmaline: (Dravite) is said to bring a realization of the “God-within”. It protects one from the effects of bad karma, and is very gentle for use in grounding. Dravite balances the chakras, cleanses the aura, and brings a warm sense of Earth and peace to the Higher Self. It also is used to treat intestinal tract disorders.

Opalized Tourmaline: Almost the reverse of Cat's Eye Tourmaline. The inclusion, resulting from water, heightens the effects of the stone. The additional refraction of light helps intensify the healing energy, accelerating its benefits. It is rare. A valuable addition to one's collection of healing stones. Forcefield, Protection Stone. Powerfully deflects/shields against unwanted or dark energies, especially for sensitive people. Grounds spiritual/light energy into Root Chakra, for centering amid chaos. Neutralizes fears, resentment, neurosis, obsessions, intestinal or spine energy blocks, toxins, constipation. Place at feet, knees, or base of spine for grounding during/after healing. Radiation protection.

Blue Tourmaline (Indocolite): Same basic qualities as Green, Red, or Watermelon Tourmaline. Especially benefits the upper torso, the pulmonary system, and the immune system. Some believe it has a religious nature and that its purpose is to teach spiritual oneness.

Green Tourmaline: A healing stone that some gem healers consider the strongest of all green stones. Helps achieve balance in all areas. Extremely beneficial for the nervous system, brain, and immunological system. Stimulates creativity and communication. Helps you recognize and avoid negative energies before they become damaging. Recommended for people who wish to better understand their own spirituality. Business, Success. Taking heart, will to live, life-force, prosperity, compassion. Energizes Central Nervous System (for neuralgia, migraine, burns, etc.) Opens/heals physical and emotional Heart Chakra. Lungs, asthma. Cleanses meridians and blocks, stimulates new growth, rejuvenates heart, lymph, immune system. Thymus and entire body health. Yang.

Pink: Emotional and spiritual love, healing loss, emotional pain, fear, self-gentleness (especially with severe illness like cancer, emphysema). Best in combination with counseling. Most powerful together with Kunzite or Rhodocrosite. Self-love, compassion, release of old hurt. Trust. See Rubellite.

Red (Rubellite): Strengthens, grounds/rejuvenates, warms. Unites heart and body for love, courage, passion, energy, stamina, steadiness. High Lithium content (thus pink/red color) brings emotional balance, lovingness, devotion in a down-to-earth way. Balances body's electrochemistry. Heart and Root Chakra. Helps detach from personal pain. Releases reproductive, blocks; stimulates fertility. Used to strengthen and detoxify blood and immune system and to ease radiation effects. Yang.

Watermelon: (Red/pink and green) Draws Love. Brings together compassion, passion, depth of heart with life-force and grounding (red). Emotional and spiritual love (light pink) expressed in the physical heart (Green) Excels for immune system and life-threatening illnesses. Balances metabolism, endocrine system; harmonizing. Empowers other tourmalines. Yin/yang balance.

Tourmalinated Quartz

Tourmalinated quartz provides an energy or " solving atmosphere". Used to actualize an innate strength in the body. It helps eliminating "crystallized " patterns in the body which have been destructive in a physical and mental manner in one's life. It also helps in adjusting imbalances throughout the body.

Turquoise

Light blue/blue-green. A good general healer for all illnesses and excellent conductor (high copper). Speech enhancer, Friendship, Communication, Healing. This gentle, cool, soothing stone is a Native American classic. It opens the Throat Chakra, for open communication, creativity, serenity, spiritual bonding, uplifting; Opens the Heart Chakra for giving/receiving. Symbolizes our source (spirit/sky) and spiritual love for healing, help. On brow: Psychic connection to great spirit. Strengthens and aligns all meridians, chakras, and energy fields. Like amethyst, it protects and detoxifies from alcohol, poison, pollution, x-ray/sun radiation. Ancient absorber of "negativity"; protection from "evil eye." Brings wisdom. Helps anorexia, headache, fear, etc. Throat, lungs, asthma, infections, teeth, TMJ, hearing, high blood pressure, creativity block, depression. Dull, paler, weaker. Works well with Chrysocolla, best with Silver. Used for healing on every continent! Androgynous, balances yin/yang. Fades in sunlight, sweat, oil, and dishwater. Avoid bleach/chlorine!

Found in the US, France, and Tibet. Truly reflects the individual carrying or holding it. Tunes into the energies of the person and transmits them back into the world. Can also help you get more in tune with others. A popular stone with creative problem solvers. Meant for those who wish to communicate. Beneficial for the entire body. Has special applications for the respiratory and immune systems. If you are sick, Turquoise helps to put you at peace. Recommended for healers, those involved in negotiations, optometrists, veterinarians, and those who must rely on communications skills to get complex ideas across.

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U

Ulexite

"TV Stone" White/Translucent. Insight into self and others; seeing solutions to difficulties. Somewhat 3rd eye opening. Some find it helpful for amplifying dreams, imagination, imagery, fantasy states for creativity (not recommended if addictive or escapism tendency). May fall apart if soaked in water.

Unakite

We often think of the emotions as originating and residing in the heart, and Unakite can soothe Heart Chakra issue, but another place where they live, often imprisoned, is in the solar plexus. As young children, discouraged away from the full expression of our emotions, we learn that shallow breathing helps us not to feel as much. The repression of feeling can become automatic, and life, while perhaps less painful, also has less joy. Unakite can be very helpful in the steady release of feelings long held in. An opaque coral and olive-green stone (two colors associated with the solar plexus), it consists of three minerals: feldspar, epidote, and quartz. When one is supported by deepened self-esteem and self-awareness, it is easier to allow old feelings to arise so that they may be released. Unakite lends another element to self-awareness. In working with this stone people have noticed that they were able to go deeper than the physical symptoms of an illness and understanding the mental and emotional sources for it. It is also believed to help release conditions which have been inhibiting personal growth.

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V

Variscite

Solid cool, pale green. Eases depression, fear, worry, anxiety, impatience, stress of a hectic/pressured day by bringing calm and stillness to even the most busy/talkative mind, thus a good meditation stone. Works on astral and etheric level for healing via the nervous system (Central Nervous System) and at DNA level. Centers the Solar Plexus and Heart Chakra; also slightly helpful for intuition center. Skin and blood vessel elasticity, impotence/male reproductive healing.

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W

Worry/Stress Stones

This is not one particular kind of stone, but usually any crystal that is sliced into a thin piece and often have a groove carved into the stone for the thumb. Worry stones are great to use in a stressful situation. You simply rub the flat stone with thumb and forefinger. It is said that the stone will absorb the stress from your body the more you gently rub the stone. Stones that are easily cut, such as agate, onyx, and quartz, make great worry stones.

Wulfenite

Translucent yellow to red, mostly orange crystal. Invigorates and harmonizes emotions, passion, appetite. Warms and grounds. Helps us get in touch with feelings. Used for healing and warming reproductive (especially women's). Spleen and yellow chakras, and digestion/nutrition assimilation. Cleanses and uplifts emotions, muddiness, alignment or imbalance in spleen.

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Z

Zircon

All colors. Clear, colorless, natural form: Works with the Crown Chakra and transpersonal point (and pituitary and pineal) for Universal Truth, intuition, durability, steadiness, integrity and connection with "All That Is." Eases depression, insomnia. Also historical poison detoxifier. Man-made (cubic Zirconia or "CZ") is not nearly as strong/effective as natural. "Pink Ice" is pink CZ.

Zoisite

Green with red streaks of ruby. For trust in the universe, releasing fears. Strengthens heart, energy/adrenals and reproductive Chakra. General health.

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