Session One

From the Crystalvaults.com site:

Amethyst is a wonderful talisman for use in the creative arts, especially in darker shades. It assists endeavors where new, original results need to be created using tools and methods of the past. It is often used as the Artist’s Stone, the Composer’s Stone, the Inventor’s, Poet’s and Painter’s Stones. Keep an Amethyst crystal or cluster in the area to focus and amplify the creative elements of the Universal Life Force.

Called the “All-healer,” Amethyst is one of the most effective crystals for healing people, plants and animals. Natural unpolished Amethysts or geodes are particularly helpful placed where plants will not grow or animals refuse to sit. It also counteracts negative earth energies beneath buildings or anywhere that feels hostile. [Eason, 212][Hall, 54]

Amethyst protects against psychic attack, paranormal harm or ill-wishing, and returns the energy back to the universe after being transformed into positive, loving energy. To increase this power and attract good luck, draw an image of the sun and the crescent moon over an Amethyst in lavender incense smoke. [Melody, 110][Eason, 212]

Referred to as “nature’s tranquilizer,” Amethyst calms and soothes, assisting the transmission of neural signals through the brain. It relieves obsessive compulsive disorder and hyperactivity in children and animals. Place under the pillow or mattress, or rub the center of the forehead counter-clockwise to cure insomnia and stimulate pleasant dreams. It is especially effective for children’s recurring nightmares and fears of the dark, and may help alleviate homesickness. [Eason, 212][Hall, 54][Megemont, 25]

Amethyst is an excellent stone for diplomats, negotiators and business people. It calms angry temperaments and gives a distinct advantage in situations where debating is required. Wear or hold Amethyst to bring in spiritual insights coupled with intellectual reasoning. [Megemont, 26][Melody, 111] As a luck and prosperity crystal, Amethyst is good for reducing the tendency to overspend, gambling addictions or unwise investments. [Eason, 44]

Amethyst is connected to the Temperance card in the tarot, representing balance. It is a stone dedicated to curbing overindulgence and bad habits, and is an excellent aid to quitting smoking, drinking and drug use, as well as unhealthy physical passion. It also provides the strength needed to obtain freedom from addictive personalities, one’s own or another’s. Placing an Amethyst on the navel is believed to protect a person from intoxication, and in conjunction with other treatments such as counseling, helps cure addictions. A naval piercing makes it possible to always keep an Amethyst in this spot. [Megemont, 25][Simmons, 28][Melody, 110]

Amethyst is the stone of St. Valentine and of faithful lovers because St. Valentine was thought to have worn an Amethyst ring engraved with the image of Cupid. It is also referred to as the “couple’s stone” and gives meaning to relationships that over time, transcends the carnal union and gives way to deeper connection and a more soulful communion. Wear as an engagement or eternity ring for fidelity, or as a locket to call back lost love. [Eason, 212][Megemont, 25]

Amethyst Physical Healing Energy

Amethyst boosts the production of hormones, and stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and endocrine glands to optimum performance. It supports oxygenation in the blood, and aids in treatments of the digestive tract, heart, stomach, and skin. Amethyst also strengthens the immune system and reduces bruising, pain and swellings. It has been used with excellent results as an elixir in the treatment of arthritis. [Melody, 111][Hall, 55][Gienger, 13]

Amethyst is thought to relieve the symptoms of tinnitus and other hearing disorders, and is highly beneficial in treating insomnia, especially when caused by an overactive mind. It is calming and soothing to the neural impulses in the brain. Its energy ameliorates the pain of headaches and migraines, and reduces stress and nervous tension. It may be used to treat psychic disturbances and to stabilize brain imbalances, but should not be used in cases of paranoia or schizophrenia. [Hall, 54-55][Melody, 111][Megemont, 25][Ahsian, 30]

Amethyst Emotional Healing Energy

Amethyst is especially supportive of the emotional body, bringing those who are overworked, overstressed, or overwhelmed back to center. It eases the mental anxieties that lead to physical tension and headaches, and is a great crystal to calm those who tend to be hot-headed and easily angered. [Raphaell, 80][Gienger, 13]

Amethyst helps in identifying the root causes behind one’s negative behaviors, habits and emotional patterns that create imbalance and disease. It also helps one understand the reality of cause and effect in behavior, and assists in better decision making. Amethyst is a marvelous aid in overcoming addictions by counteracting the effects of drugs and alcohol on brain function, while imparting its own peaceful sustaining energy. [Ahsian, 29][Hall, 54]

Because Amethyst initiates wisdom and greater understanding, it is a comforting crystal for those grieving the loss of a loved one. Its presence communicates that there is no death, only transitioning and changing of forms. It encourages the release of sorrow, and rejoicing in a loved one’s spirit being freed from the confinement of the physical body. Called “the soul stone,” Amethyst assists in understanding and connecting to the eternal existence of the soul and initiates one’s own deep soul experiences. It is an ideal crystal to hold or meditate upon during the death experience, of another or oneself, allowing the release of the temporal physical body with more ease, assuredness and peace. It is a perfect stone to gift to those with terminal illnesses or to use in preparation for a conscious death experience. [Raphaell, 80][Gienger, 13]

Session Two

From the Crystalvaults.com site:

Introduction to the Meaning and Uses of Lapis Lazuli

Lapis Lazuli is one of the most sought after stones in use since man's history began. Its deep, celestial blue remains the symbol of royalty and honor, gods and power, spirit and vision. It is a universal symbol of wisdom and truth.

In ancient times Lapis Lazuli was most highly regarded because of its beautiful color and the valuable ultramarine dye derived from it. Its name comes from the Latin lapis, "stone," and the Persian lazhuward, "blue." It is rock formed by multiple minerals, mostly Lazurite, Sodalite, Calcite and Pyrite, and is a rich medium to royal blue with gold flecks (pyrites). Lower-grade Lapis is lighter blue with more white than gold flecks, and is sometimes called denim Lapis.

Lapis Lazuli was among the most highly prized tribute paid to Egypt, obtained from the oldest mines in the world, worked from around 4000 B.C. and still in use today. Referenced in the Old Testament as sapphire (unknown in that part of the ancient world), Lapis Lazuli is most likely the fifth stone in the original breastplate of the High Priest, as well as those of later times. [Kunz, 293-294]

The golden sarcophagus of King Tutankhamen was richly inlaid with Lapis, as were other burial ornaments of Egyptian kings and queens. It was used extensively in scarabs, pendants and other jewelry, and ground into powder for dyes, eye shadow and medicinal elixirs. [Simmons, 227] In the dry, barren land of the Egyptians, this deep cobalt blue color was a spiritual contrast to their arid desert hues. The gold flecks were like stars in their night-time sky and by meditating on these colors they felt supernatural forces would transform their lives. The garments of priests and royalty were dyed with Lapis to indicate their status as gods themselves. [Raphaell, 141]

In ancient Persia and pre-Columbian America, Lapis Lazuli was a symbol of the starry night, and a favorite stone of the Islamic Orient for protection from the evil eye. [Megemont, 110] Lapis was much used in Greek and Roman times as an ornamental stone, and in medieval Europe, Lapis Lazuli, resembling the blue of the heavens, was believed to counteract the wiles of the spirits of darkness and procure the aid and favor of the spirits of light and wisdom. [Kunz, 370] Ground and processed into powder, it produced the intense, but expensive, ultramarine color favored by the painter, Michelangelo. [Megemont, 111] Buddhists recommended Lapis as a stone to bring inner peace and freedom from negative thought, and during the Renaissance, Catherine the Great adorned an entire room in her palace with Lapis Lazuli walls, fireplaces, doors and mirror frames. [Simmons, 227]

Lapis Lazuli Uses and Purposes - Overview

Lapis is an excellent stone for executives, journalists, and psychologists, stimulating wisdom and good judgment in the practical world. It aids intellectual analysis in archeologists and historians, problem solving for lawyers, and creates new ideas for inventors and writers. [Mella, 129-133]

Lapis Lazuli is a powerful crystal for activating the higher mind and enhancing intellectual ability. It stimulates the desire for knowledge, truth and understanding, and aids the process of learning. It is excellent for enhancing memory. [Simmons, 227][Ahsian, 228]

A stone of truth, Lapis encourages honesty of the spirit, and in the spoken and written word. Wear it for all forms of deep communication. It is also a stone of friendship and brings harmony in relationships. A Lapis grid brings calm and loving communication for a home with temperamental teenagers, or children with Asperger's syndrome, autism, or attention-deficit disorder. [Eason, 40, 223]

For fame in a creative or public performance-related area, wear or carry Lapis Lazuli to auditions. In the workplace, it attracts promotion, success and lasting recognition in your field. [Eason, 41,223]

Lapis Lazuli Physical Healing Energy

Lapis Lazuli is beneficial to the throat, larynx, and vocal chords, and helps regulate the endocrine and thyroid glands. [Gienger, 54] It overcomes hearing loss and other problems with ear and nasal passages. [Hall, 173][Eason, 223]

Lapis Lazuli enhances circulation and improves cardiac rhythm. [Megemont, 112] It reduces vertigo and lowers blood pressure, and is thought to alleviate insomnia. [Hall, 173]

Relieve oozing or septic sties, and other eye infections, by rubbing the area with a piece of Lapis heated in warm water. Once cooled, the water can then be used for an eye bath. A Lapis heated in sunlight, reduces bruising and is good for skin problems and insect bites. [Megemont, 112]

Lapis is beneficial for women suffering from menstrual irregularities, and relieves cramps, stiffness and lumbago. [Megemont, 112] Lapis Lazuli relieves general pain and inflammations, and is especially effective against migraine headaches. It aids the nervous system and brain disorders, and is believed to help with attention-deficit, autism and Asperger's syndrome. [Gienger, 54][Hall, 173][Eason, 223]

Lapis Lazuli Emotional Healing Energy

Lapis Lazuli is a crystal of truth in all aspects. It reveals inner truth, and promotes self-awareness and the acceptance of that knowledge. It provides for the relief of things that may have been suppressed and allows for them to surface, helping to diminish dis-ease or repressed anger, and allows for self-expression without holding back or compromising. [Hall, 173][Melody, 370]

Lapis encourages dignity in friendship and social ability. [Gienger, 54] It encourages the qualities of honesty, compassion and uprightness when dealing with others. [Hall, 173] It provides an awareness of one's motivations and beliefs, and gives a clearer perspective of one's whole life. It reveals not only one's limitations, but the opportunities for growth and to utilize one's gifts and abilities.

Lapis Lazuli Chakra Healing and Balancing Energy

Lapis Lazuli activates the psychic centers at the Third Eye, and balances the energies of the Throat Chakra.

The Brow Chakra, also called the Third Eye, is the center of our perception and command. It directs our sight and everyday awareness of the world. Our consciousness is located here, and we relate to ourselves through this chakra.

It balances the important and the unimportant, sorting meaning from data and impressions. It commands the energy flow within the body. When the brow chakra is in balance we see clearly and understand what we see. We can interpret visual cues and our perception is high. Our thoughts and internal communications within ourselves are healthy and vibrant. We are open to new ideas, dreams, and visions. We can be quietly observant, and reflective. We can control the flow of energy within all the chakras.Lapis Lazuli

The Throat Chakra is the voice of the body, a pressure valve that allows the energy from the other chakras to be expressed. If it is blocked or out of balance, it can affect the health of the other chakras. In balance, it allows for the expression of what we think and what we feel. We can communicate our ideas, beliefs, and emotions. When the throat chakra is in balance and open, we can bring our personal truth out into the world. We have an easy flow of energy within the body and spirit. The energy that springs upward from the lower chakras can continue its path enabling free expression and natural release. Blue crystal energy will unblock and balance the throat chakra. The darker shades of blue carry the power of truth.

Lapis Lazuli Spiritual Energy

Lapis is one of the oldest spiritual stones known to man, used by healers, priests and royalty, for power, wisdom and to stimulate psychic abilities and inner vision. It represents universal truth. [Mella, 89-90]

Lapis quickly releases stress, allowing for peace and serenity. Placed over the third eye, Lapis expands awareness and conscious attunement to the intuitive self, stimulating enlightenment and enhancing dream work. It permits spiritual journeying, and tapping into personal and spiritual power. Lapis provides a connection with dream forces that are working to both guide and counsel during altered states. [Melody, 370][Hall, 172]

As a protection stone, Lapis Lazuli recognizes psychic attack and blocks it, returning the energy back to its source. [Hall, 172]

Lapis Lazuli in Ancient Lore and Legend

Lapis Lazuli was considered a cure for melancholy and for "quartern fever," an intermittent fever returning each third day, or fourth day counting in the previous attack. [Kunz, 93] It was also said to cure apoplexies, epilepsies, diseases of the spleen, and dementia. It was worn around the neck as an amulet to drive away frights from children, strengthened sight, prevented fainting and abortion if taken near the time of delivery. [Fernie, 330]

Lapis Lazuli was used extensively in ancient Egypt and Assyria for amulets carved with various symbols, scarab seals, signets and cylinder seals. It was the material for the image of Truth (Ma), which the Egyptian chief-justice and High Priest wore around his neck suspended with a gold chain. [Kunz, 92-93, 119]

The earliest recorded instances of semi-precious stones used for religious purposes comes from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, a ritual ceremony for safe passage and protection from evil for their deceased. Lapis Lazuli, named chesbet by the Egyptians, was used in many amulets to be placed on the body, including the tet, a mason's table symbol placed on the neck for protection, and the ab, heart, regarded as the seat of life and placed in its own receptacle. It could only be reunited with the body after being weighed in the balance of the underworld. Two special chapters were engraved on Lapis Lazuli, the 26th chapter referencing the heart, and the 140th chapter on the symbolic eye, made from Lapis and ornamented in gold. It was an amulet of great power, and an offering was to be made to this symbol to the supreme god Ra. [Kunz, 227, 229]

In Assyrian texts, the uknu, Lapis Lazuli, was one of the seven gemstones placed in an ornament to be worn on the breast of the king as an amulet. Its power was so great it was believed to constitute an ornament for the gods as well. In the Gilgamesh epic of the Babylonians, legends tell of trees which grow precious stones, and Lapis Lazuli grows from its crown. Lapis Lazuli ornamented the yellow girdles worn by Chinese emperors of the Manchu dynasty for the services in the Temple of Heaven. [Kunz, 230, 232, 245]

In Summerian mythology, the goddess Inanna (a forerunner of Aphrodite and Venus) journeyed into the underworld carrying Lapis Lazuli rods and measured time and the length of a person's life. It was believed crystals were the flesh of the gods and that the gods were crystal beings. [Hall 2, 14]

One legend holds that King Solomon was given a special Lapis ring by an angel of the Lord that allowed him to control legions of demons which he used to build his temple. [Melody, 370]

Ancient Egyptians believed the soul existed in the mind and was housed in the brain, and Lapis blue was a mental healer and soul purifier. Lapis was used to purge the soul of demonic possession by pulverizing the stone, mixing it with gold, making it into a poultice and placing it on the crown of the head. As it dried it would draw out the demons. In extreme cases, a small hole was drilled in the skull and the mixture was poured into the head. [Raphaell, 141]

Session Three

From the Crystalvaults.com site:

Introduction to the Meaning and Uses of Turquoise

Turquoise is perhaps the oldest stone in man’s history, the talisman of kings, shamans, and warriors. It is a stone of protection, strong and opaque, yet soothing to the touch, healing to the eye, as if carved from an azure heaven and slipped to earth. Its unique shade of blue, often blue-green, lends it name, Turquoise, to all things of this tranquil hue. The delicate veining or mottled webbing in cream or brown is inherent to the stone and serves to enhance its character.

The name Turquoise is derived from the French, pierre turquoise, meaning “Turkish stone,” because the trade routes that brought Turquoise to Europe from the mines in central Asia went through Turkey, and Venetian merchants often purchased the stone in Turkish bazaars. [Simmons, 419]

For thousands of years, Turquoise has spanned all cultures, prized as a symbol of wisdom, nobility and the power of immortality. [Eason, 239] Among the Ancient Egyptians, Persians and Chinese, Aztecs and Incas of South America, and Native North Americans, Turquoise was sacred in its adornment and for power, luck, and protection.

Turquoise beads dating back to 5000 B.C. have been found in Iraq, and the Egyptians were mining the stones in the Sinai in 3200 B.C. [Simmons, 419] The death mask of Tutankhamun was studded with Turquoise, as were the mosaic masks dedicated to the gods, the fabulous inlaid skulls, shields and power statues of Moctezuma, the last ruler of the Aztecs. [Eason, 239]

For nearly a thousand years, Native Americans have mined and fashioned Turquoise, using it to guard their burial sites. Their gems have been found from Argentina to New Mexico. [Simmons, 419] Indian priests wore it in ceremonies when calling upon the great spirit of the sky. Many honored Turquoise as the universal stone, believing their minds would become one with the universe when wearing it. Because of its ability to change colors, it was used in prophesy or divining. To the prehistoric Indian, Turquoise, worn on the body or used in ceremonies always signified the god of the sky alive in the earth. [Mella, 111]

Turquoise Uses and Purposes - Overview

For centuries Turquoise has been recognized as possessing the power to protect riders from injury due to falls. First used as amulets by Turkish soldiers, on their persons and attached to their bridles and trappings, it later came to be used for protection against falls of any kind. [Kunz, 109] Turquoise is also reputed to be influenced by the physical condition of the person who wears it. It is thought to grow pale when its owner is sick or sad, lose all color when the person dies, and gradually recover its color when transferred to a new healthy owner, its color deepening each day. [Fernie, 268]  

Historically, Turquoise is credited with the property of securing friendly regard, verifying the traditional saying that “he, or she, who owns a Turquoise will never want for a friend.” [Fernie, 37] In the Orient, a Turquoise ring was worn as a protector against all things evil. The proverb states: “Given by a loving hand it brings with it happiness and good fortune.” However, the ring emitted protective energy only if the stone was given by a friend. It was believed to restore clear vision to the mind when the thinking became muddled and thus ensured good fortune. [Mella, 111]

Turquoise has always been valued as an ornamental gem, often considered a symbol of male power. Anselmus de Boot, court physician of Emperor Rudolph II, wrote in 1609 that Turquoise was so highly regarded by men that no man considered his hand to be well adorned unless he wore a fine Turquoise. [Kunz, 111] Today, we know Turquoise empowers men and women equally, and worn or carried, it is a talisman of luck, success, ambition and creativity. [Eason, 239]

In the workplace, Turquoise promotes leadership, assists relocation or regular travel associated with career, and helps avoid unwise investments. It helps overcome writer’s block, and is a stone of clear communication when giving information; an especially good amulet for those who work in the law, or for local or central government. [Eason, 41, 239] Turquoise is especially recommended for accountants and computer operators for mental relaxation, for those who work in radio or television to release anxiety, and for laborers to protect from bodily harm. [Mella, 129-132]

As a crystal for travel, Turquoise protects you and your possessions against theft, loss or attack, helps prevent accidents, especially falls, and even guards your pet. [Eason, 41-42] Attached to a collar, bridle, or cage, Turquoise prevents animals from straying or being stolen, and makes horses sure-footed and obedient to their riders. [Eason, 239]

Tibetan Turquoise, or Chinese Turquoise, is green and carries a slightly different vibration than the more vivid blue.  It is especially useful for clearing the Throat Chakra, and blockages of suppressed self-expression. [Hall, 307] As jewelry it is worn by men and women alike, and considered a promise of fidelity and protectiveness to a lover or partner. It is used in sacred prayer beads, adorns musical instruments, prayer wheels and bells, and a Turquoise rosary is said to relate prayer to whatever deity is being invoked. Tibetan Turquoise is traditionally received as a gift to pass on its natural fortune-bringing powers, so if you buy your own, make it a gift to yourself. [Eason, 256]

Turquoise Healing Therapies - Overview

(Please note: Information on this web site is no substitute for consulting a health care professional. All information contained on this web site, including information relating to medical and health conditions, products and treatments, is for informational purposes only. Please see your doctor or health care professional before starting any alternative treatments, diets, supplements or exercise programs.)

Turquoise is a stone for self-forgiveness, self-acceptance and the release of useless regrets. It encourages us to honor ourselves as a creation and a tool of the Divine. [Ahsian, 420]

Turquoise Physical Healing Energy

Turquoise is a strengthening stone, good for exhaustion, depression, or panic attacks. It enhances physical and psychic immune systems, supporting the assimilation of nutrients, alleviating pollution and viral infections. It is anti-inflammatory and detoxifying, reducing excess acidity and benefiting gout, rheumatism, and the stomach. [Hall, 306][Gienger, 89]

Turquoise assists in problems of the brain, eyes, ears, neck and throat, especially cataracts, migraines and headaches, and problems with balance. [Eason, 239]

Turquoise is helpful to the respiratory system and aids in healing lung disorders and allergies. Wearing a Turquoise necklace helps prevent tracheitis and other bronchial attacks. By healing the breath, this stone may cure speech disorders such as stammering. [Megemont, 187]

Turquoise Emotional Healing Energy

Turquoise is a most efficient healer, providing solace for the spirit and well-being for the body. [Hall, 305] It benefits the overall mood and emotion by balancing and inducing a sense of serenity and peace. Holding or wearing Turquoise helps restore depleted vitality and lifts sagging spirits. It relieves stress and brings focus back to the center heart. [Simmons, 420] It is empathetic and balancing, helping one to recognize the causes of happiness and unhappiness, and to master them. [Gienger, 89]

As a stone of purification, Turquoise dispels negative energy and clears electromagnetic smog from the environment. It promotes self-realization and aids in creative problem-solving, thus calming the nerves when speaking in public. It helps stabilize mood swings, and dissolves a martyred attitude of self-sabotage. [Hall, 306] It is also empowering if you feel bullied or suffer prejudice. Because it soothes the mind, Turquoise is good for jet lag and fears of flying. [Eason, 239]

Tibetan Turquoise is an excellent anti-hysteria stone, worn to calm those with a tendency to over-react to situations. It is also beneficial for narcissism, to help one look outside their own needs and to be open to other's point of view. [Eason, 256]

Turquoise Chakra Healing and Balancing Energies

Turquoise strengthens the meridians of the body and the subtle energy fields, enhancing communication between the physical and spiritual worlds. Placed on the Third Eye, it supports intuition and meditation. On the Throat Chakra, it releases old vows, inhibitions, and allows the soul to express itself once more. It explores past lives and regards fate as ongoing and dependant on one's action at any moment. [Hall, 306]

Turquoise is a stone for finding wholeness and truth, and communicating and manifesting those qualities. It stimulates and harmonizes the Throat Chakra, making it easier to articulate and bring forth one's deepest wisdom. Turquoise empowers those who are shy about sharing their understanding and aids in the knowledge that in speaking from the wholeness of our being, we each have something important to contribute to the collective. [Simmons, 420]

Turquoise Spiritual Energies

In traditional thought, Turquoise unites the earth and sky, bringing together male and female energies. [Hall, 306] Turquoise stimulates the initiation of romantic love, and promotes spontaneity in romantic issues. It is believed to change color to warn of impending danger or to indicate infidelity in thought or action. [Melody, 669]

Spiritually, Turquoise heals and cleanses both the energy centers and the physical body. It acts to induce wisdom and understanding, and to enhance trust, kindness, and the recognition of beauty. [Melody, 669] What we wish for ourselves -- happiness, love, freedom of limitation and fear -- when extended to others by letting go of our insistence of “justice” and viewing others through compassion and forgiveness, we receive those gifts back through our own heart. [Simmons, 420]

Turquoise enhances the ability to see all aspects of ourselves, good and bad, and to integrate these aspects into a cohesive whole. While it is tempting to try and rid ourselves of the traits of self that are not entirely enlightened, Turquoise, like an ancient Grandfather ally, reminds us that all experiences are valid and that mistakes are simply another experience. Wholeness can only come when we are willing to embrace all of who we are and what we have learned. [Ahsian, 420]

Turquoise Color Energy

Turquoise reflects the color of the world at the vernal equinox, as the blues of winter melt into the greens of spring. It is a fresh, welcome energy that moves us to serenity as new growth and life emerges. It brings hope, discovery and balance. Turquoise tempers excesses, restores calm after a storm, relieves stress, and neutralizes extremes. It helps us moderate aggressiveness and deal with rage. It brings us back to center. In lighter shades, Turquoise energy promotes inner harmony and peace through spiritual understanding. Darker, richer tones bring considerable power -- and flexibility. They counter intolerance and let us adapt to new ideas and environments.

Meditation with Turquoise

Turquoise is a stone of “earth-grounding” and is valuable in preventing one from losing touch with the conscious mind during deep meditations. It provides strength and protection during vision quests and astral travel, and due to its high spirituality, acts to improve meditation and to further peace of mind. [Melody, 669]

Session Four

Session Five

Session Six

Session Seven

Session Eight