I would like to discuss the healing (or not) power of stones.
Have you worked with stones?  Do you think stone power is a 
stones are powerful, individualistic healers?  Can stones talk?
Can we talk to them?  What is your opinion?

101 responses total.

Well, this is my first attempt to enter an item...and for some reason
it left out a few words....to recap
      "Do you think stone healing is a load of New Age hooey?"

Yes, that was the automatic flame-filter, which removes offensive
language from the item text, but not from the responses.  >8)

HA HA robh....that wasn't meant as fuel for a fire
but as food for thought.  A rather delicate line
I will admit.:->  So...what do you think about
stones?   

Pretty rocks, shiny, wants 'em, yes precious...<g>
Seriously, I don't tend to work well with the usual crystal points, but I can
often pick up an object, including a rock of one sort or another, and get
some idea what it might be good for: a battery, grounding, cleansing, in a
mix with something else, etc.  If one has a healing talent or skill, and an
affinity for crystals of one sort or another, they certainly might make a 
good tool.  On the other hand, a rock on a shelf is just that- nothing 
special by itself.  I suppose I see a difference between different types of
crystals/rocks- the ones I like best aren't really even rock: amber is a 
super-cooled (?) or anyway, very slow liquid.  Obsidian is a kind of glass, so
also a liquid, etc.

I'd go with the "New age hooey" theory for the most part...
I guess the thing that really bugs me is when people talk about how they
"charged" this stone or that stone. Or even sorse I've seen some people
claiming to have leached the color from a crystal...sure you did. It's
especially sad when these "charged" crystals are sold. Very scary. IMHO. On the
other hand I do have some lucky jewelry consisting of semi-precious stones,
so...

Um...Phaedrus....I have a flourite shaped like a wand that a very
ill friend used while she was in the hospital...not only did
she leach the color....there is now a black spot near the tip
of the wand.  I have friends who saw the wand before and then
again after.  I questioned the person to whom I gave the
wand just to make sure it hadn't been left out in the
sun...it had not.  She had it under her pillow in the hospital.
I was amazed.  As to focusing (charging) stones...it is a tool
for focusing your own will.  I agree that crystals that are
sold as "charged" are terribly sad.  Too many unsuspecting
folk will pay exorbitant prices.  I get most of my rocks at
mineral shops.  Tell me about your lucky jewelry
Kami....I am an amber fanatic!!!

i saw her necklace.  it was real cool.  i don't know about charged, i can't
tell that kind of thing yet.

I don't get much "feeling" from crystals...  Metals, on the other
hand, I adore, especially silver and iron/steel.  (Who, me, a
techno-pagan?)

Robh...try putting your hands *on* the stones 
and *off* the keyboard! <giggle>  I will try to remember 
to bring some of my stones tomorrow.  Too many 
people expect that the *feeling* you get from stones/crystals
is like an electric shock...some are some aren't....
Everyone is different and gets different reactions and responses
to various things.  There is no one way.!

I have played with crystals before, dear.  I don't spend my
entire life on Grex, only about a third of it.  >8)

what? only a third?  :)  sorry, i won't clutter up anyones item.

Arwen, the sick friend scenario I can at least begin to accept. My
knock was on people who claim to be "just too powerful" for a stone
As well, if it happened...it happened! That's the first credible story
I've heard.
And Robh...why am I not at all surprised...
Acctually Robh, have you seen the metal crystals?? Really, it's metal
put under extreme pressure and it starts to sort of crystalize. At least
I *think* that's what it's about. I have one and couldn't find a home

for it. I think you may be just the guy!

Thank you Phaedrus, for at least be open.  Too many of my "friends"
get this glazed over look.  I should come out of the closet and say
"I am a stone witch...that is stone and not stoned!"  I use rocks
that have fancy-schmancy names and I use river pebbles.  This is
one area where I am able to say I am pretty good. (If you knew
about my old problems with self esteem....)

I believe in some pretty weird stuff too, so I'll not be casting the stone herr
!!

Phaedrus, I have a low tolerance for "true believers", too, but I KNOW I'm
hell on watches and various stones.  I'm not proud of it, it's a mark of
poor discipline- uneven or uncontrolled release of energy, etc.  I used to
fry computers on a regular basis, so at least I'm getting better about this.
Rob, I guess everyone's magic is different.  I do ok with silver, better with
copper, but find most other metals deadening to downright uncomfortable. ON
the other hand, I do ok with hematite, which is an iron ore, most of the time.
A friend of mine finds it physically painful to deal with.
Arwen, the story of the wand is really cool.  I like flourite, but it's one
of the stones that doesn't seem to last long around me.  For that matter, I've
had some amber start fragmenting after a bit.  I can usually tell by "feel" if
it's going to do that.  Also, my own jewelry will sometimes feel awkward, like
it needs a "rest".
Do you use stones mostly for healing, dowsing/information, or what?
Do you tend to use general categories (rose quartz for this and carnelian for
that) or hand-picked stones or a combination?
Do you prefer points, tumbled stones, or raw?
Do you like combinations or one thing at a time?

i always thought i could think more clearly when palming
my 3" diameter amethist ball... a focus... mental or
otherwise, i have no idea.

that works.  have you tried it with any other stone ball? glass? metal? It
might make an interesting experiment.

would someone help me?  i'm eager and ready to learn, but i know nothing!

hey, arwen, what's your favorite book on crystals?  I don't really have one.

eeyore, lot's of people will help you.  just go ahead and read until you
have a specific question- a general holler for help is a bit confusing.

I will go home and get books and post them tonight maybe?!
Kami...about the Hematite...is your friend that can't use it by any
chance low blood pressure?  Make that has low etc.  I have low blood 
pressure and cannot use the hematite.  One of its *known* physical
properties is to lower blood pressure.  High blood pressure sufferers
take note....later

Interesting, that may explain why I like hematite so much...
I have a little one here on my desk.

I think so.  I'll ask.  Neat.
Wonder why it works.

Hematite, for those of you who don't know it by sight, is a stone
that looks like metal.  If you open it, the inside is brownish-red...
much like dried blood.  It is associated with the root chakra.
Books I would recommend are...
          Scott Cunningham _The Encyclopedia of Minerals,Stones
                           and Gems

          Diane Stein _The Woman's Book of HEaling_

I really like Stein's book but males will feel really unloved.  She is
extremely unfriendly towards men and gets more so in her other books.
I happen to know Diane personally and think she is a great spreader
of knowledge.  Her books do not hold much original thought.  A pity
since she is a neat woman.  Guys...skip directly to the chapter on
stones and if you read alot of her stuff be sure  you put your
BS filters on high!

I am going to be gone for a week...Michigan Women's Music
Festival...have fun...

Have fun at the MWMF.  I attended one in Indiana about eight
years ago.  (I was closely supervised and kept on a leash.)
It was quite an experience so see my gender from an entirely
different perspective.  Also, Starhawk and Margot Adler were
there.  Definitely a memorable experience.

What does Tiger's Eye do?

re:#24
enjoy!  We'll miss you.  Fliers went home with Brighn, by the way.  Hugs!

re:#25- Starhawk AND Margot Adler, wow!  I'd LOVE to meet Ms. Adler.

I've heard about people frying computers, but never acctually talked
to anyone. Sounds like a pain in the rear...
Hi Eeyore. Stick around, there's lots of weirdos here...:)
I mean that in the best way!!

It was.  Occasionally still happens.  Also, I'm hell on watches; they run
faster and faster and eventually get lost or break.  The only one I've had
any luck with, believe it or not, is a cheap timex.  I love that thing. I can
make one last about 3 years if I take it off before I begin any kind of energy
work.

Hey all.....I am back and you were not discussing stones. For shame
Someone asked about tiger's eye but I forgot to see who it was.
I was on cruise mode....
Tiger's eye is according to color...The brown/gold variety which is
correctly called tiger or cat's eye is commonly believeed to be
beneficial in trance work.  This is due to the striatified(?) lines
that are seen as dimensional planes by some.  I do not have my BoS
with me so that is as good as I can do for now.
Hey Brett....I was at that festival in Indiana.  I met Margot Adler
and Z Budapest.  Great fun

I missed Z Budapest, otherwise I think I would have met a
good number of the most visible people in femnist Wicca.
I suppose I'll have to settle for Starhawk and Margot Adler.
Two out of three isn't bad!

grrrr..... "separatist" not "feminist", at least in Zsuzsana's case.

Um...yep, Zsusanna is definitely a sep although she likes her
(I think) grandson.  Starhawk and Margot are *just* feminist.
I also disagree with Z
oops...damn enter key.....I also disagree with Z's hexing policies.
Her account of hexing a rapist while probably justified is nonetheless
very harsh.  

What does anyone know about beryl?

I do but I will have to get back to you.
A quick note is that beryl is a name for several types
of stones...Aquamarine is a beryl for example.

Hi Arwen, sorry I missed the correct item!
Had to say hi somewhere.

thank you for responding to my questions.  I will wait
for the rest of your answer.

hows about amythest and malachite?  i have always veered twords them, plus with
a slightly less veer twords sodalite.

I've seen aquamarine and citrine as a charm for marrital fidelity.  not
sure why.

In the middle ages, amythest was thought to prevent drunkenness or poisoning
when placed in a cup.  I use it for emotional healing and for love. Don't
know the uses of malachite, although I like it.  It was used by medieval
illuminators to make green pigment.
I don't much care for sodalite, it's just a substitute for Lapis.  Lapis was
very popular in Egypt.  Nice Solar stone, warm and solid.  Good with Turquise
sort of like a male/female (that's tenuous) or sky/earth balance.

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