Pictures of good-enough-to-eat crystals pop up all over the place nowadays. They’re posed with plants, scattered around books, lined up on sunny windowsills, captured in their sparkling glory on altars, and of course, regularly paired with tarot. My first introduction to crystals came about through a tarot reader who gave me a piece of rose quartz at the end of my reading. She told me the pretty pink stone would help to heal my bruised heart and ease the upset I felt at the time. ‘It’ll what now?’ I thought to myself. ‘This piece of stone?’ I’d heard of crystals, of course, but had them filed in the woo-woo section as baubles for New Age folk, and certainly not something of which I had any knowledge. But I was grateful for the gift and took it home.
I like to see proof before committing to a belief, so curious about the rose quartz and its claims, I did a bit of research and all these years later (eight, I think) I’m now very much surrounded by the woo-woo baubles. They’re tucked into various nooks around my home, inside and out, and work their magic by providing harmony, protection, peace, and love. Most of the time, I don’t think about them. They occasionally get plucked up for a recharge under the Moon, but for the majority of the time, they go about their work unnoticed. The crystals I keep with my tarot decks are different. These friends I interact with all the time, and without them, my tarot practice just wouldn’t feel the same.
For those new to crystals, or just a wee bit sceptical, here’s a quick science-y bit. Everything around us vibrates. You, the chair you might be sitting on right now, the phone or tablet in your hand, the clothes on your body, the shoes on your feet. Every single thing has a unique vibrational frequency, and what makes that frequency unique is the speed of its vibrations. You perceive your chair as static because it’s a solid object, but it still vibrates, even though it’s at an incredibly low speed. Human bodies, on the other hand, vibrate at an extremely high rate. Our thoughts vibrate too, and depending on the kind of thought carry a different frequency. Happy, excited, joyful thoughts vibrate faster than those which are sad, angry or hateful. If you’re interested in reading more, there’s a great article from The Wisdom Post here about the Law of Vibration.
The Law of Resonance comes into play next. You know the saying ‘Like attracts like’? This is a simple way to explain resonance. Think about the people in your life—your work environment for example. Is there a person, or group of people, who drag the mood down? They tend to be the victim, thrive on drama and gossip, and never seem to have anything positive to say. The mood changes when they’re around, and you may find yourself trying to avoid them while others are drawn in like a magnet. For the majority of people, we naturally gravitate towards positive, higher vibes because they make us feel good. Think of the people and/or places in your life that you enjoy being around. You’ll find it’s always a positive experience, and you come away feeling happy. This is the Law of Resonance.
So what does this have to do with crystals? Like everything else, these pretty stones vibrate too, but at predetermined frequencies. There’s a reason rose quartz is the stone of unconditional love, because it vibrates at a frequency that aids this part of our being, so works in harmony to heal or boost this area. Crystals support a multitude of aspects; love, focus, learning, balance, protection, and courage, to name just a few. When it comes to modalities such as tarot, crystals aid psychic ability, communication, intuition, connection to Spirit, and even supports and strengthens functions such as clairaudience and clairvoyance. In summary, the resonance of every crystal supports specific aspects of the human body and its environment, and by working with the relevant crystal, we can improve on that aspect and therefore vibrate at a frequency that brings in more abundance.
Okay, so that’s the science bit. If you’re still with me, and keen to know how crystals can enhance your tarot practice, then here it comes.
Pairing crystals and decks
Every deck I own has its own crystal, in some cases two. When I get a new deck, once it’s been cleansed and dedicated, I select a crystal to go with it. I generally choose a crystal that promotes protection and psychic connection. The crystal then stays with that deck, tucked inside the pouch, (along with a few juniper berries for added security!). Sometimes a deck calls for a specific crystal. For example, my Shadowscapes deck has a very gentle, soothing vibe, and as soon as I saw the Banded Agate in my collection, I knew they belonged together. My Heaven & Earth tarot asked for something stronger, so has a piece of grounding and protective Hematite paired with it. Over the years, I’ve come to love two crystals for my decks above all others, and they are Dumortierite and Moonstone. The majority of my decks have a piece of each in the bag, and if not Moonstone, Amethyst is paired with the Dumortierite.
When considering pairing a crystal with a deck, feel your way into it. Lay out the crystals with the deck, and try to intuit the crystal that vibes best with your cards. If you’re overwhelmed by all the shiny crystals out there, and are too bamboozled to wade through endless descriptions, then you can’t go wrong with Clear Quartz. In fact, if you were only to work with one crystal, I’d recommend Clear Quartz, so if this is all new to you and you’re not sure where to begin, this is the perfect starter stone. It’s inexpensive and easily found, so your local metaphysical store will have it in stock.
Dumortierite is a great stone for meditation and supporting a connection with Spirit. It helps to pick up on divine intervention and promotes objective observation which is important in tarot reading. Blue crystals promote communication and psychic ability, and for me, Dumortierite brings it in buckets. I love the vibe from this stone, and always feel very grounded while using it. Labradorite is another stone with similar properties, but it personally makes me feel a little spaced out and disconnected, so I’ve learned to stick with Dumortierite.
Moonstone is a powerful stone for psychic awareness and intuition. Like Dumortierite, it promotes a connection to Spirit, but also assists in helping to trust the process, so the reader won’t second guess what they’re intuiting. Moonstone supports the clairs too, and as I work mostly with clairsentience and claircongnizance when reading, I find this stone helps a lot in that respect. I generally just love the vibe from Moonstone, and when I first decided to pair it with a deck, wondered why I hadn’t done it before because it suddenly made perfect sense!
I also mentioned Amethyst as one of my tarot crystals. Again, it stimulates psychic ability, but it also helps to keep thought focused and centred. If you’re prone to scattered thinking, Amethyst will assist with keeping things in order. As Amethyst is connected to the third eye, it’s an ideal crystal for tarot.
Everyone vibes with different stones, and it can take a while to find your crystal buddies. Some you might even shy away from. I don’t particularly like pale Green Aventurine. The only way I can describe it, is that I feel stagnant and stuffy around it. I’m sure if I did a little research the aversion would flag something in my psyche that needs attention, but I’ll leave that for another day. As you spend time with crystals, you too may find you connect better with some than others. A lot of the time, crystals choose us, and not the other way around. You might notice this when you walk into a store where crystals are on display. Although you had in mind one certain crystal, you may suddenly find yourself drawn to another. Pay attention if this does happen, and even if you’re not in a position to buy the crystal, do a little research as you may find the crystal holds properties that would benefit or support something you’re going through at that time.
Pairing crystals with tarot is a great way to keep your deck protected, cleansed, and charged. If you’re reading on the fly and don’t have access to sage for a cleanse between readings, the crystals have you covered. To cleanse and charge the crystals themselves, they can be left out under a Full Moon, held under running water (ensure your stone is not a soluble one such as Selenite first!), or held in sage/incense smoke.
Meditation
A second practice for tarot and crystals is meditating before a reading. My go-to meditating stone is a Clear Quartz. When I meditate in the mornings, this is the stone I hold. Clear quartz is a natural amplifier, so whatever intent you hold, it amplifies. I also meditate before I read tarot. Once I’m at my desk, candles and incense are lit and I’m in the zone, I grab the Clear Quartz again, but also the crystals that pair with the deck I’ll be using. With all crystals sitting on top of the deck, I lay both hands on top and tune into Spirit. It’s a way of saying, ‘Hi, I’m here, hang out with me for a bit and keep me under your watchful eye as I read.’ I have a short recital that I say, and as I do, I send the intent into the crystals and the deck.
This is a simple and quick practice. Even if you’re reading on the fly, I’d recommend taking a moment to petition Spirit for guidance and protection. Not only will it keep you and your deck in a positive space, but your client too. With the crystals in your hands as you petition, you’re also charging them with the intent, and that intent will linger even after you’ve completed the reading.
Tarot with a Side-Order of Crystals
While there’s no minimum or maximum when it comes to crystals paired with tarot, (but honestly, can we ever have enough crystals or tarot decks??) some readers like to have extra crystals on the side while they’re reading. You can choose stones for protection, clear communication, grounding, and insight, or you may want an extra boost for a connection to Spirit. Either way, there’s a crystal for your need, and adding it to the space where you’re reading will amplify that intent.
I have a stunning Smoky Quartz geode on my desk. It’s the most I’ve spent on a crystal (about €27) and I absolutely love it. Smoky Quartz is a grounding stone, and I’ve learned to keep it to hand when reading as, much like when I write, I slip into the in-between, and can find it quite jarring to come back to reality. Without my smoky quartz, if it’s a long reading, or a heavy topic, by the time I’m done, my goose is cooked. This crystal acts as an anchor for me, and sometimes, if I need it, even placing my hand over it for a moment or two tugs me back down to earth.
Many tarot readers use a crystal for anchoring purposes, whether it be amplifying intuition, speaking clearly, or connecting to their clairs. If you come up against confusion during the reading, holding the anchor crystal can help. It may take time to find your anchor crystal, or you may find you can read perfectly fine without one; like everything, it’s very much a personal thing, but definitely one worth considering.
So, with these three practices hopefully giving you a little inspiration, here are a few suggested crystals to get you started. As I said, if you’re already bamboozled, then go for Clear Quartz. If you’re thirsty for more crystal information and properties, I can recommend Judy Hall’s Crystal Bible series. Volume 1 is an ideal starter book, while Volume 2 and Volume 3 contain a lot of the more uncommon and recently discovered crystals.
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Google is another option—and free! Simply type in ‘metaphysical properties of (your chosen crystal)’, and you’ll find a wealth of info.
Clear Quartz: Works on a multidimensional levels of being. A powerful healer and amplifier. It absorbs, stores, and releases energy, and can be specifically tuned to the needs of the wearer by setting intent. Dispels negativity and promotes metaphysical abilities.
Amethyst: Encourages spiritual wisdom, facilitates meditation and scrying. Protects against psychic attack and negative energies. A calming stone that promotes clear thinking.
Hematite: A harmonising stone between body, mind, and spirit, while also separating the wearer’s energy from those around them. In right handed people it shuts down metaphysical energy if held in the right hand, but leaves it open when held in the left. Boosts self-esteem and willpower.
Black Tourmaline: One of the most powerful stones for blocking negative energy. A grounding stone that encourages objective thinking and positivity. It assists with the smooth flow of energy when receiving and giving information.
Rose Quartz: For all heart healing. Restores trust and harmony. Strengthens empathy. A stone brimming with pure love. Reduces tension and induces love.
Labradorite: Highly mystical and protective. Raises consciousness while protecting the aura. Balances rational thinking and analysis with inner sight. A highly transformational stone.
Blue Lace Agate: Opens the path to Higher energies, and assists in clear communication. A soothing stone that instils peace of mind. Works with the throat chakra to facilitate expression of thought and feelings.
Sodalite: Opens spiritual perception and harmonises with the third eye. Deepens meditation and clears confusion, so a great stone for communication. It also brings harmony of purpose and promotes trust.
Smoky Quartz: Deeply grounding and cleansing. Brings in positive vibrations. Clears the base chakra to stimulate natural passion. Assists in shedding that which no longer serves.
Angelite: Assists contact with the angelic realm. A powerful stone for healers as it deepens attunement and heightens perception. It encourages the wearer to speak the truth by aiding clear communication.
Selenite: Angelic energy that promotes clear thinking and scrying. Highly protective with a pure vibration that prevents negative influence. Assists with insight and neutral judgement.
Before I go, here’s a fun thing to try. Grab a crystal; one with a point sometimes works best. Rub your palms together and shake them out, then holding the crystal in your left hand, hover it half an inch away from the palm of your right hand. Circle it slowly over the area of your palm, and see if you can feel the tingle of the crystal’s energy. You might like to close your eyes while you do it for better focus.
Another exercise is to hold the crystal up against a pale background in natural light. Focus on the edges of the crystal, and you might see the hazy light of the crystal’s energy forming an aura around the crystal. Bring one finger close to the edge, and see if you can discern the two energies meeting. It may appear as a wavering, silvery, hazy string. The more you practice this, the less discerning you’ll need to be with the background and lighting. I have an amethyst geode by my bed that I often use for this exercise. I’ll know when the crystal is in need of a charge, because I’ll struggle to see the aura or form a ‘string’ between it and my hand, but once the crystal is cleansed and charged it’s unmissable.
Are you new to crystals, or like me, have you woo-woo baubles all around your home? Drop me a line and let me know! You can reach me at julie@creativesoultarot.com Did you know I have a weekly newsletter? It contains a three-card tarot reading for the week ahead, crystal buddies to go with the reading, and a single draw oracle card reading. Special rates for tarot readings are included in it too! To sign up, visit Creative Soul Tarot.
If there’s a topic you’d like to see featured in the blog, or have a subject you’d like to chat about as a guest blogger, let me know at julie@creativesoultarot.com
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