Crystal Grids
There are different kinds of crystal structures that are called grids. There are so many kinds and forms that we not going to be able to explore very many of them at this time and will just begin with a general introduction and few simple forms . I usually work with very simple grids rather than the more elaborate and esoteric forms and do not find them any less effective than more elaborate grids or those made with a lot of formal ritual . Your experience may differ.

Some grids are large structures placed on the ground which connects with the ley lines of the Earth which are the planetary equivalent of the meridian channels and other energy channels in people . All the crystal within the Earth can be thought of as being elements
of a huge grid . There are groups of people who go around placing crystals in the ground to restore the Earths' crystal grid where they feel that it is broken or disrupted and other groups who feel that this creates disharmony in the the Earth grid. ( I don't know if they follow the first group around taking crystals out or not.) Stone structures at centers of spiritual energy Such as Stonehenge and medicine wheels are also sometimes called
stone grids.Some people call the layouts of crystals which are sat within or placed around and over the body, grids.

The star of Solomon Grid
  This is made withSix crystals around a center is among the most common forms for layouts large and small and for grids for almost every purpose.

Placements of crystals in your home such as one in each corner can also be considered a kind of grid. Some people include crystal grids as part of a devotional altar. This use is not limited to one religion or spiritual path. You may also see some photo manipulated images of crystals and/or crystal charged artwork referred to as crystal grids. These may or may
not be energy -linked with physical crystal grids we will discuss this form in the mandala lesson. There are some examples of these mandala  here.

The Crystal Grids we will focus on are arrangements of charged crystals dedicated to a particular purpose such as sending healing energy or focusing a manifestation or For Earth healing or to bring in or broadcast specific frequencies of energy into a certain area. They are a way of creating a continuous flow of energy for a specific purpose on a larger scale than by just programming a single crystal. They are often used to send remote healing to others , as part of rituals for Earth healing or peace, for manifestation procedures and broadcasting affirmations and personal goals.

They are often used to magnify, focus and or prolong a treatment using energy work such as Reiki . The quartz and crystal healing shakti from the crystal empowerments can also be focused using a crystal grid or used to charge one.
Some grids are made so that you can place food or clothes inside or on or near them to clear and charge them. You can put a grid under your bed or massage table. You might put a small prosperity grid in your cash drawer at work or put a grid in your flower garden.

Some grids are simple circles others are based on traditions of sacred geometry and/or forms like the tree of Life , Mercaba , Aunk or even the peace symbol. Some grids are simply a number of stones placed in parallel rows.

Grids could sometimes be considered a kind of mandala although mandalas can be far more complex than most grids . Mandalas are often used for personal meditation. The placement of the stones is usually done in focused meditation for both grids and mandala . Mandala are usually gazed at and meditated with, grids are often created with intention and then left
to continue the work of transmitting energy for a particular purpose.

    There are many ways to create crystal grids and individuals often have strong preferences as to specific layouts. I am not even going to try to cover all the different ways of doing grids here.

    Some people place grids directly on the ground or on a table, most are placed on a plate, in an Abalone shell or gourd or on a tile or wooden slab or possibly an altar cloth. Clay, glass, lead crystal and stone or crystal slabs or disks are among the most favored containers or bases for the grid. Some people place the crystals directly on the base surface others use sand ,earth, small pebbles or peat moss in the container . I have seen grids in which the stones were glued or otherwise fixed to the base so that they could be hung on the wall and and grids can even be made as jewelry or sculpture .

    There is even a form where a real grid is made of copper wire and crystals are placed on this , some of these are made large enough for a person to lay comfortably inside. These are sometimes made as a floor for a large copper pyramid.
You may also place the crystals on a paper marked with a diagram of the layout for the grid or with a traditional sacred form such as the star of Solomon, The Sephiroth or tree of life , the infinity symbol or on or around an image of a symbol such as the antakarana or a Goddess or an emblem of your spiritual path.

A piece of paper with the purpose and/or elements of the purpose for which the
grid is being created and activated written on it is also common . Some people place a small note under the central crystal. For a remote healing grid People may place the name of a person who has requested healing energy or prayers under a stone in the grid. They may dedicate each of the secondary stones in the grid to a specific individual or aspect of the
intended purpose .

People choose the crystals used in the grids intuitively as well as by the traditional use of a stone .Grids are often made with clear quartz crystals alone . Other grids use a combination of quartz and other stones and crystals and some may not use clear quartz at all. Some use
quartz and only one other kind of stone and others may use a variety of different stones, some will be entirely of one kind of stone and some may use dozens of different stones. Intuition ,need and purpose as well as what stones are available to you will determine what you use in a grid.
The most common are square or circular with a center stone. They may or may not have linking crystals. Linking crystals are usually small clear quartz points placed between the other stones in the grid to connect the stones and direct the flow of energy . They may be used pointing either inward or outward from the center and are also often placed between stones in the outer "wheel" or or other form of the grid .

Stones are always cleared before being used in a grid and charged and dedicated as placed and after placement. Intention is always used to set the purpose and activate the grid. After the grid is created it is activated and the individual crystals are linked energetically . This
is often done with a crystal wand, generator point or laser wand crystal or can be done with another kind of wand . many people follow a carefully laid out order for activating the crystals in a grid with a wand . You may wish to choose a specific "master crystal" or wand for each of your grids and and keep it with the grid or you may use the same crystal or wand to charge many grids . the wand or master crystal is meditated with and charged before being used to activate the grid.

Grid activation can also be done with intention or with shakti. Some grid "systems" place strong emphasis on the order that you place the stones and the order you charge them, others do not . Some people set the intention that the energy of the grid into the center so that the outside crystals set the purpose of the grid and the center crystal projects the energy / program outward This form usually uses a clear quartz center crystal usually in a generator or transmitter formation if one is available .Links with the center will usually point inward for this form. double terminated stones can also be used as links when you want a two way flow of energy or an inward and outward pulse of energy flow.

    Another way the intention can be set is that the center stone provides either the connection to the source of power or is chosen to set the main purpose of the grid and the energy is projected from the center out through the outer stones. Links with the center for this form usually are placed point outward. 

    When You point the stones inward  it can also be for the purpose of unifying the varied aspects of a complex situation.  This style may use a different stone or a cluster of crystals for the center . Most people do seem to feel that single clear points usually create a more focused, possibly stronger energy field when used in the grid center than a sphere or cluster or stones other than clear quartz.

Grids may be left permanently or until their purpose is fulfilled and are usually recharged and dedicated fairly often .A specific schedule for this recharging is impossible to set as it will vary from grid to grid.

You will want to place your grid in a location where it is not easily disturbed yet is accessible for recharging Your grid may hold its charge longer without recharging if it is placed in a location where it gets some sunlight.

    One thing that has become apparent as I did research for this file is that almost every one has their own way of creating and empowering crystal grids. Some people call on angels and ascended masters to charge them. Some people chant or recite poetry others just put the stones down and use intention. Some people feel strongly that one form of grid is superior to some other form.

    Once again I cannot give you a definitive way to create crystal grids. All the methods work and what works best for you will depend on your individual personality and preferences. Do meditate and seek the permission and intuitive sense of which crystals and forms are best each time you create a grid.

Some common grid layouts 

The square or pyramid grid     A flat representation of a pyramid and uses five main stones one in each corner and one in the center It may be aligned with the four directions and linked on the outer wall with a crystal between each of the corner crystals these have been placed and charged counterclockwise in the diagrams I have seen, although I learned to use a clockwise placement . You can also place either double terminated crystals or two single terminated crystals one pointing in and one pointing out between the center stone and the outer corner stones.
I have a household protection grid in this form in which a stone representing each element
( fire red jasper, water- turquoise, air- white quartz and earth- iron) is also placed in the spaces between the links to the center (spirit). The four sided crystal grid pattern creates a field of energy which projects a lovely field over a wide area Anything placed within this field will absorb and store or use this energy so you can make a large grid or put the grid on a box in which you keep things you want kept clear and charged. This is a very stable grid and enhances programs or intentions that concern long term plans, healing, relationships, Earth healing and environmental work among other uses . There are five stones in the basic grid and I found six different descriptions of the "only correct " way to place and activate the grid, use your intuition which is what I do and the way I make the
grid does change .
When you use a wand or activation crystal you will normally start at the center stone and move out to the stone you consider the number one stone and back to the center looping around the stone clockwise and then from the center to the stone you consider the second stone and back until done you will also probably circle the outer perimeter of your grid with the activation wand as well. Many people prefer to activate opposite pairs of stones  top and bottom, North and South and so on.
 I often  just cup my hands over the grid and activate it with channeled energy and intention.

six sided grid or Star of Solomon grid
This is among the most popular grids. A grid with a center stone and six outer crystals or stones in a circle around it can be used with or without linking crystals. The links from or to the center creates a Star of Solomon,  Star of David  pattern within the outer circle of stones. This is the form often used for Reiki grids and in world peace healing grids as well as for many other programs this is possibly the most common basic all purpose grid . It is used to create and hold programs ,affirmations, the thought forms for manifestation  procedures, to enhance communion with spiritual teachers, Divine will or love and for more mundane intentions as well . It is used for absent healing. It is another stable grid field and connects you to the natural forces of Earth and source .

You can use all quartz or one quartz and another stone for the outer wheel you can use a different stone at each point in the outer circle if you wish to have each represent a different aspect or quality or person involved in the purpose of the grid .
If you were creating a grid to help you find a new job for example one stone might represent the job itself, another the location, another the money ,one for the coworkers and so on.
When using a wand or master crystal These are usually activated from center to the stone at one o'clock and back and then to the next one in clock order.

I like eight spoke grids that are linked 
these are just like the six sided grids except they have eight sides
These are among the first I used ,I was taught eight sided grids by a Buddhist monk. and use them as healing grids , meditation grids and for
most other grid work.  These are also symbolic of the Seasonal Wheel of the year and might be used for grids related to  long term projects. Some people use 12 sided grids for purposes where either a year or where zodiac elements will be of significant help.

relationship grid
A grid pattern used to help resolve relationship issues can be made of two
groups of three stones set in triangles with the points toward the center, a center stone may be placed between the two triangles to act as an energy transmitter or to represent a particular issue or aspect of the situation being worked on. Or one stone may be used as the center for both triangles.

While grid forms based on theories of sacred geometry are the most common
it is also possible to create a grid using a less structured pattern for the crystal elements placing the crystals in any relationship to each other that seems intuitively right and doing the charging and activation in the usual way.

Usually You will leave a grid in the form you have arranged until it has completed its work but with healing grids for requests which may be changed daily you can create a grid in which the center stone remains constant but other stones can be added and removed as needed using mental intention to release and add stones as need arises.

This is by no means a comprehensive introduction to crystal grids I hope it is not too confusing and contains enough to help you get started exploring grids I tried to keep this as simple as I could