One very common way to use crystals for healing treatments is to place crystals on or around someone in patterns.
This segment will focus on laying crystals on or near the recipient. This method can be done quite well on a massage table, couch or bed or the floor, provided this is not too uncomfortable for participants (a futon , pad or yoga mat can help). If you use a couch it is a good idea to spread a blanket on it first so stones cannot get lost between cushions.

We might explore some more elaborate layout patterns that are placed around the recipient in a later segment. Many people do not have the crystals to do very elaborate floor consuming layouts. I have not yet been convinced that they have more effective value than more modest layouts and patterns.

When doing laying on of stones your respectful attention and intention is very important.  You might wish to do a centering process or a spiritual preliminary practice of your choice  prior to beginning the treatment.

When someone is just beginning to work with crystals the complete stone pattern is generally left on for only 5 or ten minutes. Sometimes the layouts are done for quite a bit longer up to an hour or more. It is really important to set the intention before you begin placing stones that your work do no harm, That any stones you place will do good. Intend that they remain inactive unless they will do good.

Moderately small stones with at least one fairly flat side work best in terms of staying on, not getting lost and not being too heavy. Stones between  the size of a dime or a quarter work well in most placements.
  When stones roll off it is often because they are not needed in a particular location or because they can roll to a better placement.  Some of these placements can be done in self treatment but many do require that someone else do the placements. carved tone cabochons are popular and effective for crystal healing treatments  because they do not roll off.   Small Puffy stone hearts also can be used  these are often less expensive and more readily available than cabochon stones.

Many people like to scan before they begin a layout to get a sense of where blocks overcharges and or depleted areas might lie.  Either by using their hands to scan for blocks and hot and cold spots or by using a pendulum to determine the condition of the chakras and possible other energy centers or physical organs .
You can cup a tumbled quartz stone or a crystal sphere in your left hand (if right handed) or hold a quartz point between your middle fingers to amplify the reception of energy information as you scan if you wish .

Some crystal practitioners like to have people wear a white or black cotton gown or robe during treatment or a white or black cotton tee shirt and shorts or swim trunks. Some prefer that clients wear as little clothing as possible.  Nudity or near nudity however, is usually not wise or practical in most circumstances. Issues of modesty,  potential ethical  issues, room temperature and the tendency of stones to roll and slide around make clothing  or at least sheeting, strongly advisable.

Some people have the client cover or wrap up in a sheet and do the treatment over the sheet. I have a strange reaction to this, possibly a past life memory of preparing deceased people for burial or cremation so I never have people wrap up completely.  Most feel that as long as the clothing is relatively neutral in color it will be fine.

 The effect of intense color in the clothing of a treatment recipient will have a definite impact on the treatment and can be difficult to compensate for. It would be quite a challenge to balance the energies of someone who comes to you clad entirely in orange or red while complaining of excess anger or anxiety for example.

We have made a graphic  that can be used  to help plan and keep arecord of your laying on of stones work.

 Template for planning and recording crystal healing lay outs

Basic Chakra Layout

Probably among the more common layouts is to simply place one stone on each chakra either of clear quartz or one of the color or kind associated with each particular chakra. Some people prefer to begin a chakra layout at the feet or root chakra and move up rather than from the top down.

More elaborate patterns using several stones on or near each chakra are also common. I suggest moderation as to the number and size of stones used. Stones can be quite heavy. The intention should always be set that the treatment do no harm and that any unneeded stone remain inert.

Sensitive people can become slightly dizzy or disoriented particularly when they or the practitioner try to amplify the healing effect with personal willpowe .  (The amplify and / or personalize function of the crystal empowerment system will reduce power if needed). I do recommend that less is often best.

It is possible to overwhelm a person by using too many stones.  I went to a healing circle session once where the main crystal practitioner laid on so many stones that it started to feel like death by pressing, and another where a practitioner ended an elaborate treatment by spreading several pounds of green and rose quartz all over me. This might have been fine by itself but on top of an already complex  and heavy duty layout seemed like just too much.

I appreciate the artistic beauty of many of the very elaborate crystal healing layout patterns but feel that aesthetic sensibility and decorative composition are not  important during crystal healing treatment compared to using the crystals intuitively to meet the needs of the treatment recipient.
Sometimes people who have gotten very fancy whole body treatments from crystal healing practitioners have told me that they really felt blasted open or headachy after the treatment which I really don't think is good. Listen to your intuition and keep in mind that you want to assist the recipient with personal healing and happiness. I don't often use more than about 3
to 5 stones on one single area at a time.  The crystal deva will not allow the treatment to harm you but some people  will not acccept a treatment as useful unless it whacks them out in which case the crystal Deva may indeed grant that wish.

Whether you point the quartz points inward or outward can depend on if your goal is to bring in energy for healing and vitality or if you want the crystal to draw away and break up blocks and stagnant energy. Pointing inward is the basic placement Some practitioners work either from top to bottom (Sky to Earth ) or bottom to top ( earth to sky) with all points facing in the same direction either up or down .

Other practitioners will place one point in crystal to the left of each center point and a  point out crystal to the right. You can put two small points one point in and one point out on either side of each center stone . Some recipients
may feel a pulsing as the energy shifts from inward to outward with this layout.
Small  quartz crystal points about an inch or two long can be bought by weight to be used for this and as
connectors between areas .

Some People who are treating several chakra areas or the whole body will use a quartz double terminated point between each separate area to create a continuous connection for balancing and harmonizing the whole energy body Two single points , one in each direction can be substituted for this function as well. This is optional in most layout systems but can
help balance and unify the entire energy body with ease .

Another way of using single points is to use them all points down or outwards as you move from crown to foot then after a pause to allow the crystals to clear excess energies and blockages during which you can use a quartz point or wand, Kyanite blade or Selinite wand to charge and activate each section in turn and sweep blockages downwards and out for transport into the earth. You reverse the crystals to bring in healing energies upwards from the Earth.

Many people find great healing effect by seating themselves inside a circle, square or star pattern made of crystals . This is often done to enhance meditation . You can also place these patterns around the outside of the person receiving a crystal healing treatment.  You need only use enough crystals to give a general outline of the pattern .
People often use small versions of these layouts around the center crystals placed on the persons body over the chakras.

Numbers are here only as a tool if you have questions about a particular layout.

1. Personal star /Seal of Solomon

A very common pattern both on and off body using single point quartz crystals.  Place a six pointed star around the body with six stones. The stones are placed evenly around the body.  One above the head. One beside each arm around the level of the armpit.

One on each side about midway between the hip and the knee and one at the feet.This form  of a six pointed star made from two interlocked triangles symbolizes the interaction of the four elements and the uniting of Sky/ Spirit and Earth / matter. This by itself is calming, relaxing and refreshing and relieves stress. with the points out this will release any excess energy. Points in toward the body will have an energizing and charging effect. This is often used in addition to a full body or partial on body layout.

This is also very comnonly used on the body  in a smaller pattern directly  over a chakra using  appropiate stones of course. Sometimes an additional stone is placed in the center.  A rose quartz or aventurine   surounded by clear quartz points over the heart for example . This is also used as a grid formation .

2. Four directions layout
The recipients head is facing north and feet facing south to align with the polarities of the Earth. Place one crystal point in at each of the four compass directions  north, south , east and one west . This balances and charges your elemental energies.
 This layout is also often used to charge objects and water .
Similar patterns are the four corners layout which is simply to place a crystal either on or off the body near each shoulder and each hip . awaking and balancing your senses of initiative ,action , contemplation and appreciation.
and the energize pattern which is to place one crystal at head , foot and each wrist or hip.   Smoky quartz can be used at the foot and amethyst at the crown.

3. Quite often a Quartz point or an Amethyst is placed at the crown and another clear or smoky quartz point is placed below the feet The recipient may also hold a quartz point in each hand as an addition to most layouts

Chakra Layouts

These suggestions are just that. Follow your intuition and inner guidance  or use cards or another divination method
to help you become aware  the best crystal for the recipiant. Most of these suggestions are traditional and based on color healing with crystals. There are many other stones and crystals which may choose to work with you in these layouts.

4. A common chakra layout is to place a large quartz crystal at the head, below the feet and in each hand and a indigo blue or violet stone at the brow  ,a sky blue stone at the throat and a green stone at the heart .Some people place rose quartz near the heart chakra to enhance the ability to give and receive love.  Pink and green bi color or watermelon tourmaline is also excellent on or near the heart chakra.
Citrine or other yellow or golden stone might be placed at the solar plexus or navel . A carnelian or other orange stone can be placed at the sacral chakra a quartz or red brown or black stone might be placed either near the pubic bone between the legs. 
I usually have the client put any stone between their legs themselves even though that may mean placing that stone out of order if I am moving from the top down .

Rather than doing an entire body layout you may prefer to work only with from one to three centers at a time .

So here we will list some typical stones or layout patterns for each area which you can use as rough guides it would be quite rare for two people to need exactly  the same layout so your intuitive reception is valuable. The intent is that each element of the treatment do good or do nothing is important.  Allow the crystals to do the work in harmony with the
universe . You cannot force a healing.

This listing is top down but many times you may choose to work from bottom up depending on the reason for the treatment and your intuition.

Crown area
Usually there is only room for one stone to be placed at above or touching the crown Typical stones placed at the crown are clear quartz , amethyst , moonstone , sugulite Selinite, Lapis, gem Silica or clear or golden Fluorite, Kyanite

Brow area
Typical stones are Lapis , sodalite , purple or blue fluorite ,sugulite, amethyst, clear quartz , azurite.
You might place one stone over the third eye possibly another at the bridge of the nose and or the hair line.

Some times the center stone is flanked by two crystal points or pieces of kyanite or tourmaline or other blue or violet stone . Some people put blue lace agate on the temples . If the person seems to have an over active third eye with excessive sensitivity to psychic input you may wish to include amatrine or one small piece of coral or citrine near the third
eye or on each temple. The brow area is often the most sensitive and some people may get headaches from any complex work done here so you may want to start with just one stone at the brow and be prepared to remove it if the recipient reports any discomfort at all. small Desert roses (gypsum flowers) or calcite pieces are sometimes used when you
want to stimulate intellect rather than intuition.
(When doing the brow in partial treatment you may want to  place at least one yellow stone at the naval and a
red or black stone at the groin to help balance energies ).

Back of Head
I personally like to have a flat piece of eliat stone (azurite, malachite, chryscolla)  I have a piece that has a tiny bit of gem silica too or celestite blade at the back of the head where the neck joins the skull. Jade is also used here in some traditions.

Throat
  Typical stones Sodalite, Azurite ,Lapis , Turquoise , Gem silica ,Amazonite, celestite, blue lace agate.  Not a lot of room here and many people dislike having weight at the throat. Locations are the mid throat, bottom of throat and at the collar bones
some systems prefer to use oval stones or pattern here .

Shoulders and collar bones
sometimes you'll want to put something here perhaps calcite , lodestone or tourmaline or quartz use intuition and leave clear unless you really feel a call.

Thymus gland.
sometimes you may want to put a aqua ,light blue green or light blue stone over the Thymus gland (etheric heart ) midway between the throat and heart chakra aquamarine, eliat stone , turquoise celestite ,either a single stone or grouping with clear
quartz .

Heart
Green stones are the first choice here though this is often supplemented with pink  stones.Jade, Emerald , Rose quartz, green aventurine , green or pink or watermelon or bicolor green/pink tourmaline ,Kunzite ,malachite ,pink ruby, pink stilbite.  Control the charge, many people carry great emotional pain in this area.  Stimulation may cause emotional
release during the clearing phase of the treatment .  Some like to keep the green stones on top and pink toward the bottom of any pattern The six pointed star formation is sometimes
used here.

Solar Plexus
 Citrine, Tigers eye , malachite , clear quartz , golden topaz ,amber Fire agate ,opal sometimes a triangle pattern with the point down is used here this is a wide area if you feel the person has excessive energy here you may want to
include ametrine or another violet or purple stone.

Diaphragm
 Some people place peridot, apatite or other yellow green stones here

Naval Area, Dan Tien , Hara , Na'au
The transpersonal center located in this area can be assisted with many different colors of stones but is usually included in the Solar Plexus or sacral chakra treatment in the west. Putting a citrine piece in the belly button can sometimes effect a great release of repressed energy. Freeing the person to act in their own highest good.  Sunstone from either India or Oregon  is  often a good choice here.

Sacral,
Sunstone , red orange and golden stones are common here. Carnelian ,Fire opal , Tiger eye , Sunstone , bright amber often stones are laid out here in a rough crescent form or triangle point down between the naval area and the
groin , jasper and other golden or orange brown stones maybe used If the recipiant  seem to have lost contact with their aliveness and vitality. A red stone placed about four to six inches below the belly button perhaps flanked by two small black stones such as obsidian or iron can really jump start the vitality .

Root
red ,black and brown stones Garnet ,Obsidian, smoky quartz ,black tourmaline. some feel that ruby is too refined for this area but blood ruby or blood carnelian can be used . Often the layout is continued down onto the upper legs with dark stones .

Sometimes stones are placed under the knees and at the elbows and ankles the choice of stones is tan and deep green stones for the knees and some like pink or fossils at the elbows but this varies.  I use green calcite for pain relief in joints.

Most of the systems I have encountered work primarily or entirely from the front but when time allows or if the intuition prompts a treatment over the back can be dramatically effective a standard layout on the back would be a line of crystals or lodestones down the spine and possibly blue green or light blue stones over the lungs and/or ,clear, yellow, light
orange or blue stones over the kidneys .  

Some people use a generator point or a wand to activate each section of the layout after the placement is done.  It is often enough to just allow the crystals to work for a while. If you use Reiki or any other healing shakti you can use this to activate and balance the energies with your hands over the crystal layout .

There are of course many other methods and patterns for layouts far too many to go into in
one post so this is simply a starting point.

Single type layouts
There are several single stone or limited stone layouts that can be useful and enjoyable.
 Rose quartz and or Phylite a green quartz with chlorite and mica is a relaxing and uplifting combination .

Calcite comes in most colors and is an all purpose stone .

If you have a lot of herkimer crystals they make a vitalizing and inspiring layout.  Most of us do not have a lot of these though and they are usually tiny. 

Katrina Raphielle suggests a pink tourmaline spiral around the heart chakra for releasing deep emotional pain .

During and after the Treatment

The act of laying-on-of-stones is a beginning of the process towards self healing. the next step, is integration and assimilation. Following a treatment a person should take some quiet time to assimilate the changes effected by the treatment.

 ANY crystal healing treatment, energy work treatment, major period of spiritual development, prolonged meditation and so forth is likely to create a need for more water in your system. This will help to facilitate release of physical and energetic toxins  and  help with the adjustment to new energies and changes.

 After placing the stones I stay in the room  and keep my attention  on /in the work even during what might be resting or meditation periods for the client .  I often  do energy work or am consciously connected with the crystals and the client. My "style" does not have a lot of empty time.  Often a crystal will want to be moved or changed after a short time rather than left on for the entire treatment.

  I always hold a focused intention that the crystals work only for good  and trust them to do so.  It is possible sometimes for the client to become overcharged or uncomfortable from the energy of a particular stone in which case it should be removed.
I often do a certain amount of crystal ""dancing " where I will be moving  crystals throughout the aura.  This is intuitive so there is not a set of fixed instructions for this kind of treatment.
  I also often feel called to tone  during treatments.  I do not usually   write notes during the treatment because that interferes with my ability to be tuned in to the clients needs.  Some people tape sessions and make an occasional verbal note then write notes after the treatment.

One kind of work I do rather than laying on of stones is  a   method where as the client and I talk I will be intuitively be guided to give them stones to hold or place on their body themselves .
I know some people just put the stones on  and wait a while then take them off but I feel that that is not usually as beneficial as a more "joined" kind of treatment.
 

Removing the layout
None of the classes I have taken or treatments I've seen or had have put much emphasis on the removal phase. Though some teachers  have elaborate and strict rules about this part of the treatment .

The treatments I've had have usually just reversed the order if placed downward they were removed upwards, Though I have also had people remove in the order placed as well. 

I advocate intuitive removal as some stones often just won't want/ need to be on as long as others. We like to do the breakdown of a layout as carefully as we place the layout.

Removing  all stones on  one side and then the other can  possibly be somewhat disconcerting energy wise to some people. Though  many enjoy  a circle or spiral layout  in which a circle /spiral formation is applied and removed in a continuing circle. That is you continue around the body sun wise first placing and then removing the stones.

Removing the stones should not disrupt the balance that has been brought to the energy field and this is not a problem I have noticed.

Treatments have always held better than that, balance attained is balance stabilized.  With the intention set to do no harm the stones simply won't disrupt the energy field when removed .  The stones simply "turn off " when done and are removed .
I do usually work inside to out on removal but I often work intuitively almost to the point of trance.  Stones will often fall off when they are done too.

Some people feel that one should not just bend over and pick up a stone "straight up". That this might be in a sense ripping through the energy field.  They teach that One should rather carefully and gently slide the stone away from the energy field a distance of 6 to 12 inches and then lift it away. I have not found this to be true either in fact during some treatments going straight up has been strongly guided .

Most of this kind of rule in crystal healing or energy work is more a reflection of the limitations we put on ourselves rather than being a true condition of universal law.

We create reality together. Though there are rules of consensus we all choose to adhere to for convenience.

Rules about not treating some condition or other are usually the result of a need to attempt to reconcile the art with known and accepted mundane "laws".  If you are more comfortable setting limits and boundaries like this for yourself then do so and they will be the "law" for you. but many have found that working "outside the box" is quite safe and effective.