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Crystals and Reiki

Most of the Reiki practitioners and Masters I know are strongly attracted to crystals. Many found their first experience of energy and vibrations through living with crystals, and discovered Reiki as they continued their exploration of energy work.

If working with crystals is a new idea for you I invite you to visit the Crystal area of Beyond the Rainbow. There you'll find many articles about crystals.

You may also want to subscribe to the monthly email newsletter, Living with Crystals. Subscription information is available on the main page of the Crystals area.

Crystals and Self-Treatment:
Crystal/Reiki Meditation

You can add energy and focus to your Reiki self-treatments by placing crystals on the parts of the body you use for hand positions.

In general, Reiki hand positions correspond to the chakras. The principal difference (for the hand positions I use) is that the first and second chakras are merged in the pelvic hand position, and the third chakra is divided into two areas: abdominal and solar plexus.

You can adjust to this difference by putting two dark stones at the base of your feet (which is very good for grounding). Though you will not be touching your feet while meditating you can focus Reiki on your feet and legs.

Pelvic area: black tourmaline, hematite, smoky quartz, tiger's eye, obsidian, onyx, ruby, carnelian, garnet, bloodstone. Colors: black/brown/gray/red

Abdominal area: citrine, tiger's eye, amber, rutilated quartz. Color: gold

Solar plexus: peridot, malachite, moonstone, rhodochrosite. Colors: chartreuse, coral

Heart area: rose quartz, pink tourmaline, watermelon tourmaline, rhodonite, aventurine, green tourmaline. Colors: green, pink

Throat area: amazonite, aquamarine, blue lace agate, chrysocolla, turquoise, fluorite (any color). Colors, blue-green, light blue.

Forehead: amethyst, sodalite, labradorite/spectrolite, sugilite, moss agate, kyanite, moldavite. Colors: purple, dark blue

Crown: Clear quartz. Color: clear, white

I don't recommend lying on crystals; their energy, however, will travel to the back hand positions.

In giving yourself Reiki you may also want to focus on the color of the crystal you've chosen for each chakra and imagine that color radiating through you. If there's an area to which you're giving extra attention you may also want to create an affirmation for balance in that area.

For more information on crystals see Gems and Their Gifts to Us

For more information on the chakras see The Chakras.

You can also learn more about the chakras by taking our email course. There's a sample lesson on the web site.

The Purple Ray

My friend, Marley, combined Reiki, crystals, and chakra balancing in the following story. (Note: a Maxized quartz point is a crystal which has been charged by the energy of a crystal skull named Max.)

This morning I checked my chakras by standing and holding a pendulum in front of each chakra and watching the direction the pendulum spun. I did this because I woke up dizzy and fuzzy headed - I was out of town and spent the night at a third rate hotel. I found that my crown chakra was blocked. I lay on the bed and I put an amethyst on my forehead. Then I held my Maxized healing quartz point on top of the amethyst stone and beamed Reiki into that chakra while I visualized a purple light coming from my healing crystal through the amethyst into the chakra. When I stood up, after a few minutes, was no longer dizzy and I felt energized.

Marley Adelman

More Reiki/Crystal Blendings

You can clear and charge your crystals with Reiki energy. If you're Reiki Level I hold the crystal in your hand and simply Reiki it.

If you're Reiki II you can draw the symbols over your crystals. You may then want to use the charged crystal as part of a distant healing ceremony. You can also program the intention of a distant healing ceremony into your crystal. There are more details on how to do this in the section on Crystal Grids.

Crystals, Reiki, and Treatment of Others

Treatments

As Reiki practitioners and masters we've found that crystals can work in many ways to enhance our treatments.

We and our clients enjoy having crystals in the treatment room as both visual and energetic enhancements. In general, any beautiful crystal adds much to the atmosphere. In particular, amethyst clusters help to create an atmosphere of peace and relaxation; while quartz clusters balance the energy.

The Star of David Pattern

We place quartz crystal points under our massage table in a pattern called the Star of David layout. For this, place crystals on the points of an imaginary Star of David: one each below the head and foot, one each below the shoulders and hips.

We have found that this layout creates a very stable and relaxing energy pattern which seals in the Reiki energy. We also recommend it for meditation.

Hands On

Often clients enjoy holding a crystal in one or both hands during the treatment. You can either let them choose the one(s) to which they are attracted, or make suggestions, such as:

For grounding issues: hematite, tiger's eye, black tourmaline, red jasper, smoky quartz

Anxiety/nervousness: amethyst, rhodochrosite, aquamarine

Love issues: rose quartz (for relationship issues); emerald, for feeling cut off from divine love or one's spirituality

Opening up spirituality: clear quartz, chrysocolla, amethyst

Crystals and Attunements

We encourage our students to bring their favorite crystals to place beneath their chairs during attunements. If they don't have any we put a quartz crystal or cluster beneath each chair.

Crystal Grids and Reiki

A very simple and basic grid is the Star of David pattern, described in the article on Crystals and Reiki.

There are many possible variations to this pattern. Amethyst or citrine may be used instead of quartz, and the points may be alternated with stones of another kind (rose quartz for a love grid, aventurine for healing, aquamarine for creativity, hematite for psychic protection). Gems and Their Special Gifts can give you more ideas.

You can also arrange crystals around a cluster, crystal ball, statue of Buddha, Kwan Yin, or another symbolic image. Use your imagination.

In one of my grids I have a crystal ball in the center, with four quartz points (for the four directions), points facing out. This formation is surrounded by a circle of crystals and tumbled stones which I chose intuitively. The outermost area has quartz points at each corner (points again facing out) and a feather (raven and turkey) beside each.

I Reiki each crystal, either for an individual who has requested healing, or for a personal intention. There are specific instructions about how to do this below.

I would be delighted to add to this page. If you have your own ways of combining crystals and Reiki please let me know.

Zoe's Way

Thanks to my friend Zoe for this method.

For my grid I use stones which I purchased specifically for the grid. They happen to be phantom amethyst raw chunks from Africa. I have this great shallow bowl which I have filled with sand which I reikied, and then I program each crystal to sit *proxy* for a person or a situation. I then arrange them in any formation I wish.

Often, I will put a crystal in my grid representing a spiritual teacher - Sai Baba, the Dalai Lama, Sri Ganapathi - others who I consider avatars or great teachers who I feel are able to also focus grace into my grid. For our circle, I begin by washing all the crystals I have at my disposal. It is quite a ritual for me since I just enjoy that sort of thing. I often prepare myself by taking a sea salt and soda bath.

I invite my reiki guides and any other beings who have the permission of my higher self to come and assist me. I then *ask* the pile of clean crystal *beings* who would like to sit proxy for so-and-so. Invariably, one of them speaks up or I perceive a light from them. I then program that crystal just as one might program a piece of paper for distancing reiki. I state the name and the request and I place it in the grid and move on to the next one.

I then program the entire grid itself stating that by the law of correspondence, whenever I reiki the grid that the people the crystals are sitting proxy for will receive a complete reiki treatment. During our circle I spend much more time and individually connect with each crystal since I put them in an order and know who is who. But in between circles, I reiki my grid as a whole. I find it also easy to add crystals as the need arises...more requests in between etc.

For me, it is sort of a mini-medicine circle or my personal stonehenge! It is also like walking a labyrinth in a way since I work my way with the energy step by step.

I top off my grid with a gold-plated pyramid which surrounds the grid and creates a standing columnar wave...I find it very powerful to reiki right over the apex and I am also able to perceive that the sacred geometry shape has an effect as well being over them. I am also into pyramid energy so have thrown that into the mix because it works for me!

Laura's Way

The following method comes from my friend, Laura Gifford.

The first thing to do is develop clear intent of the purpose of your grid. It is best to start with a grid to help you with your distant healing, then if you want you can move on to grids for specific projects or situations.

Do a prayer of intent that you wish to the perfect grid to assist you in your distant healing work, and be guided to select the right crystals for it.

It is best to use single terminated quartz or quartz-like for the 6 outer crystals (unless you receive strong guidance to use something else). They can be any color of quartz or quartz-like i.e. clear, rose, amethyst points, citrine, etc.

For the central crystal select something "special" i.e. a cluster, a sphere, a pyramid or just something particularly meaningful to you.

Then you need a crystal that feels powerful and strong to you for your master crystal. I feel that a crystal that is a blend of masculine and feminine energies is most powerful for me. i.e. it is very clear in areas and cloudy and filled with inclusions in other areas. It will probably be slightly larger than the 6 outer crystals.

Allow a couple hours to create this tool the first time. It deserves a sacred space in your life and is very worth the time. After it is created it only takes a few minutes each day to maintain the energy

Preparing the Crystal Grid

Cleanse the crystals
Hold them one at a time and put all the Reiki symbols in them, intending to charge them and asking them to serve as channels for the Reiki energy. This can take anywhere from 5-15 minutes per crystal depending on your guidance
Place them in formation. (Laura basically uses the Star of David Pattern described on the previous page, with a cluster or other special crystal in the center.)
Then take your master crystal in your hands and pray to have the full power of the Reiki energy flow through you as you empower your grid to heal with love and light. Create an affirmation to do this something like:
"I empower this grid to heal, to heal, to heal, with love, with love, with love, with light, with light, with light". repeat this three times as you connect the grid lines moving counterclockwise around the grid.
To connect the grid lines start by pointing the master crystal toward the central crystal holding it a few inches above the grid . . . when you feel the energy flow move the master crystal up to the crystal at the top of the grid drawing a line of energy, then move diagonally to the crystal on the left, then back to the center, then retrace the line you just drew, then move to the next crystal on the left. Go back to center and then retrace that line you just drew, then continue around the grid as you say your affirmation.
It actually looks kind of like you are cutting a pie, except you are retracing each line from the center back out. When you feel that you are finished come back to the top crystal and then move to the central crystal . . . let the final burst of Reiki flow into the central crystal. You can then draw a power symbol over it if you want, intending that you are increasing the power of the grid. (connecting the lines and affirming the healing power is done daily to keep the grid active 24 hours a day)
Next you just need to link the names of the people you want to send Reiki to or the situations. I have my grid on a table that has a drawer. The grid is on top and the names are in the drawer. You can also can put a bowl under a table or simply keep a bowl or basket with pieces of paper with the people's names on it near the grid and intend that it is linked to the grid.

Amazonite (blue-green): Calms mental and emotional chaos by helping one to blend facts with intuitive wisdom. Assists in courage of personal expression.

amber amber Amber: The "Happy" stone. Relieves depression. Rough stone unpolished.

Amethyst: Opens intuitive and psychic abilities. For overstress, overwork, overwhelm; helpful for addictions and nightmares; calms the mind, enabling us to know the peace which lies beyond constant mental activity; helps one accept the passage of death.

Ametrine (yellow-purple) This stone is a mixture of amethyst and citrine, and helps us to combine our personal will with a deeper spirituality.

Angelite: (medium blue) Helps us to communicate with angels, spirit animals, and in distant communication. This stone also helps to heal anger.

Aqua Aura: Assists in self-expression through service to others (jewelry only).

Aquamarine: (light blue-green) Meaning sea water, this stone allows us to safely navigate the sea of infinite wisdom, and to land safely and communicate what we've learned.

Aragonite (honey): Helps to stabilize the emotions, especially good when one feels overwhelmed by responsibilities. Also helpful in calming the mind for meditation.

Aventurine (green): Considered by many to be the best all-purpose healing stone, it is especially good for soothing the heart and emotions and for creating a feeling of balance and well-being.

Azurite (dark blue): Helps us let go of old beliefs which cause physical and mental pain. Brings our subconscious thoughts into conscious awareness so that we can examine and, if necessary, change these thought patterns.

Bloodstone (green and red): Calms the mind in tense or threatening situations. Physically, is believed to detoxify the blood.

Blue Lace Agate (light blue with white streaks): Helps us to express our views in a peaceful, loving manner.

Blue Topaz (light blue-green): it enables us to communicate powerfully what we are feeling. It is considered to be especially valuable for artists.

Calcite

Clear Calcite: Brings spiritual understanding to problems on the earth plane.

Green Calcite Eases old, limiting beliefs (especially those based on fear) from the mind so that new ideas can flourish.

Golden Calcite Its particular role is integrate new energies and beliefs into one's physical reality, i.e., daily life, relationships, business.

Pink Calcite Combines the attributes of rose quartz and pink tourmaline, blending unconditional self-love with the ability to love others.

Carnelian (orange-red): Grounds energy and attention into the present, thus teaching us to focus and manifest personal power. Assists in decision making.

Celestite(sky-blue): Helps us to experience peace and serenity, especially in our communications.

Charoite (dark purple): Helps us to handle known fears and brings unknown fears to the surface for healing.

Chrysanthemum Stone (black and white): Named for its resemblance to a flower, this crystal encourages the flowering of spiritual growth, supporting change which occurs in a harmonious way.

Chrysocolla (blue and green pattern): Creates a feeling of peace and balance; gives comfort to the heart and mind, and self-confidence in personal expression.

On Choosing Stones

You can take the crystal questionnaire, and receive a sheet which answers all the questions.

You may want to read about the properties of your favorites or scan this list with a particular issue in mind.

Our list of crystals by category offers an easy way of choosing.

If you'd like to base your choices on the chakras see the Chakra section, which describes the chakras and notes the crystals and essential oils related to specific chakras.

An underlined name means that we have a more detailed description of the crystal online. Click on the name to access it.

Note: Where a stone may be unfamiliar we've described its color. See also the list of crystals available in jewelry and go to that section to see the stone's color.

Chrysoprase: Helps to lift the emotions, and release tension and stress. It can also help with success in new enterprises.

Citrine (yellow): Helps one to manifest personal power, strengthens will, aids us in processing life's experiences and discarding that which is only hindering progress.

Clear Quartz: Mirror of the soul, representing our uniqueness and our journey towards clarity; an excellent stone for meditation. In combination with other stones, enhances their energy. Stores, amplifies, transforms, and focuses energy. Natural crystal point.

Danburite: (clear) This crystal activates the third eye and crown chakras, and can also blend the energies of the heart chakras with those of the third eye and crown by helping to release emotional pain through the light of understanding. It is recommended for anyone who wants to deepen their spiritual appreciation and growth.

Fluorite (Green): Fluorite is a mental stone which helps to release persistent and unwanted patterns of thought. Green fluorite is particularly helpful with thought patterns which have lodged in the emotional body, such as anxiety and worry.

Garnet (red): Calms anger by teaching us to know ourselves and others. Teaches patience and perseverance in the pursuit of goals.

Hematite (silver-gray): Helps us to separate our emotions from those of others. A grounding stone which helps with self-esteem.

Herkimer Diamond: A form of clear quartz which helps to relieve emotional tension and intensifies dreams.

Jasper (red): Helps to stabilize all aspects of the being; a stress-reliever which connects us to our inner strength and flow.

Kyanite<?B> (denim blue color): A mentally and emotionally calming stone which helps to release worry. It also brings beliefs previously accepted as fact to the surface for release.

Labradorite/Spectrolite (iridescent blue-green-silver): Teaches the wise use of psychic powers.

Lapis: Penetrates through pyschic blockages to reveal inner truth.

Lepidolite (silvery lavender with flecks of mica) This stone helps cushion one against conditions which have been known to fray many nerves. If you don't live in New York, but are undergoing severe stress for any reason this is a stone to consider.

Malachite: (green with black patterns) Helps to clear repressed emotions; balances left/right brains; for creativity and change.

Malachite/Azurite: Calms the anxiety which may accompany physical disease so that healing can take place (jewelry only).

Malachite-Chrysocolla: Blends the energies of earth, sky and water. Malachite's ability to stimulate creativity harmonizes with chrysocolla's calming and peaceful energy.

Moldavite (translucent bottle green): E.T., call home. This is the crystal from outer space, which helps to release beliefs, habits, and other unneeded early luggage.

Moonstone (ranges from cream to peach): For those who feel overwhelmed by their emotions, it helps to create emotional balance by harmonizing feelings with the higher self; for those out of touch with their feelings it brings them into awareness.

Moonstone Cabachons Gem quality moonstone in 3 sizes. 1/4", 3/8", 1/2"

Moss Agate (clear with green pattern): Assists in creating peace of mind so that reason and intuition can be blended.

Obsidian (black): A stern taskmaster which makes its users face responsibility, the close friend who tells us the truth we may not want to hear.

Onyx Helps in emotional stability and determination; helps to release old relationships.

Opal (white with iridescent rainbow flashes): Magnifies and clarifies emotional states; brings suppressed feelings to the surface.

Peridot (chartreuse): Heals hurt feelings and bruised egos; releases emotional tension when placed on the solar plexus. Rough stone unpolished.

Picasso Jasper (cream with gray, black, and other colors) Helps to ease one through emotional and/or blockages that may stand in the way of transformation.

Pyrite (gold): A mental stone which opens the mind to new ideas by balancing the ability to think intuitively with the ability to bring a dream to realization.

Rhodochrosite (coral-pink): Relieves anxiety; assists us in correct (diaphragmatic breathing) when placed on the solar plexus.

Rhodonite (deep pink with black pattern): For being patient and loving with those you encounter in your day-to-day life without allowing yourself to be pushed around.

Rose Quartz: Teaches us to love ourselves, thus opening us up to universal love; heals emotional wounds and gives comfort; helps us to overcome grief.

For faster reading and/or easier printing, see a text-only descriptive list.

Ruby: (pink-red/silver) Traditionally associated with passion, both sexually and emotionally; brings negative feelings to the surface; teaches us to be realistic about goals.

Ruby in Zoisite: (dark green-red) This crystal puts ruby's passionate energy into the stabilizing ground of zoisite. It helps us to manifest our dreams.

Rutilated Quartz (smoky or clear quartz with golden needles of rutile): Helps to activate the will to the highest purpose, and to release energy blockages, especially those due to low self-esteem or to the excessive use of personal power.

Selenite wands (clear): This crystal helps us to consciously understand our own deepest inner nature.

Selenite rosettes (tan): These rose-shaped crystals help us to ground the energies of truth and love.

Seraphinite: This stone is one of he most favored for healing. It is a purifier which cleanses the aura, the chakras, and the meridians. Activates the heart chakra.

Snowflake Obsidian (black-and-white snowflake pattern) Snowflake obsidian, like black obsidian, is a truth-telling stone, but transmits the truth in a more gentle manner.

Sodalite (dark blue with black and white pattern): Clears the mind of emotional confusion so that rational thinking can occur; very good for people who tend to be reactive and oversensitive.

Sugilite (magenta): Helps release anger, guilt, and resentment; puts us in touch with our inner source of strength and light.

Smoky Quartz (transparent light brown): For discouragement and depression; helps to process our negative beliefs and gives the courage and confidence to make the changes we need. When rutilated, accelerates rate of change.

Tiger's Eye (brown with gold flash): Teaches patience, focus, and concentration; helps us develop the will to materialize our dreams.

Topaz

Blue Topaz (light blue-green): it enables us to communicate powerfully what we are feeling. It is considered to be especially valuable for artists.

Golden Topaz (golden): This crystal helps us to balance our energies and also lends a quality of inspiration and confidence to our lives.

Tourmaline In general, helps to relieve stress.

Black tourmaline's particular function is to repel negative energy, whether from external or internal sources.It is a very good stone to carry when you're experiencing any kind of stress.

Green tourmaline is believed to be a healer on all level. It is also believed to be particularly helpful for creativity and abundance.

Pink tourmaline helps to transform unconditional self-love into love for others.

Turquoise: Helps to make our desires clear to us, and assists us in expressing them to others who may be able to help us materialize them.

Unakite (olive green/coral): Has a balancing and stabilizing effect. Helps us to discover the roots of illness.

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