Stone shapes: their meaning and use

The definition of a crystal is a group of atoms that repeats itself continually, constituting a crystal structure of various formations . This regular rhythm is synchronous with the healing vibrations of the Earth, which can help balance and realign our energy centers .

Nature's amazing jewel box, the mineral kingdom, includes hundreds of different types of healing stones , from raw rocks to delicate specimens with polished luster.

We are all aware of the variety of shapes that crystals and stones can take, and while they are all beautiful and aesthetic in their own way, there is much more to each shape when it comes to their meaning, their production of energy and their use. I will cover the majority of all shapes on the market in hopes of understanding them better and helping you decide which shape is best for you and your needs.

Keep in mind that much of the content in this post is my personal opinion and experience, what you may feel in one form may be different from what I feel. Personally, I go through different phases of what appeals to me - sometimes I only want to buy tips and sometimes I only want to buy pebbles. After reading this, I suggest you tune in to your intuition to see what draws you in when trying to decide which shape you should choose.

Stones in their natural state

RAW CRYSTALS

Raw crystals, like amethyst and rose quartz, are intact pieces of rock that come from Earth. When left in their natural state , we can connect with them on a deeper level . Soft, diffuse energy can have a subtle effect on a room or emotional state.

According to some healers, the more natural or unworked a stone is, the more energy it produces. In this case, the raw stone offers many benefits, including harnessing the energy within you and healing your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual state. This type of crystal is best for producing positive energy and removing toxicity from your body and environment. It is also used in therapies because it calms your nerves and soothes them. It is also beneficial for your homes because it brings calm, especially when you are resting. You can usually connect with this stone on a much deeper level in its natural state, which can have a subtle effect on a room or emotional state.

As beautiful as it sounds, raw crystals provide varieties of uses in different ways. The most common way to use raw crystals is for decoration. Whether or not you are fully aware of the benefits of using crystals for energy healing, crystals in general look lovely when used as ornaments because of their unusual shape and design. This type of crystal will surely fit in any type of location, especially your bedside table and office table, to brighten up your space. Additionally, raw crystals are also used as grounding, as they realign your energies and reconnect them with the earth. Using the raw crystal as grounding, you can imagine yourself being connected with the earth and attracting all negative energies towards you and doing your meditation effectively.

Raw crystals can also be used as dream catchers. These crystals are such beautiful works of art that you would never guess that their primary function is to keep harmful or evil energies at bay. By placing it in your bedroom, you can benefit from restful sleep and keep negative energies away from you.

Another notable use of raw crystals is in love altars and stone grills. Raw crystals are specifically attuned to the heart chakra and relationships, which is why they are best suited to be placed in love altars.

CLUSTERS AND GEODES

With a hollow formation filled with crystals, clusters and geodes are beautiful to look at and also have powerful frequencies . Even a small or medium-sized geode can have a calming and purifying effect on a room .

They are, as you might expect, a cluster of crystal points in their natural form (and they are oh so pretty to look at thanks to their sparkle and mystical vibrations). A cluster is ideal for bringing unity to a space. Place a cluster on the family dining table, living room table, or other common areas of the home. It is also ideal to place in office conference rooms or places where people gather. It helps create a space for open dialogue and community.

Crystal clusters and geodes possess strong vibrational energies because many points are combined together. Geodes, unlike clusters, have all their endings located internally. They are usually rounded and show no signs of crystals on the outside unless they are broken in half. Sometimes geodes are cut at the base so they can be displayed upright. Each small dot inside a geode emits its own energy, making the interior of the geode very powerful and perfect for charging or cleaning crushed stones or small crystals.

Clusters have points of all different shapes and sizes that usually end in different directions. Each cluster is special and unique in its own way, no two clusters are ever the same.

As we saw earlier in this article, crystal points are powerful energy amplifiers, and clusters are particularly powerful in their energy production. Points in a group vibrate together harmoniously to bring positive energy and transmute negativity into whatever space they are found. They can also help us feel more mentally and physically energetic, and help us make decisions.

Larger clusters have the capacity to clean larger areas, for example, an entire 2nd floor, a classroom/healing center, or a master bedroom and bathroom.

USES:

• Clean your space.
• Place on your altar or in your sacred space to bring in positive vibrational energies and transmute negative energies. Clusters can also be used for protection with any magick or divination work like tarot, scrying or channeling.
• Meditate in front of a cluster to raise vibrations and reach higher states of consciousness.
• Some clusters work great as jewelry holders - place rings on the dots, drape bracelets or necklaces over the cluster. Not only is it a beautiful way to display your jewelry, but it will clean and charge it if it is crystal jewelry.
• Place other crystals inside or on top of your cluster. Sometimes clusters may well contain spheres or other small crystals.

SLICES

Gemstone slices are finely cut and polished pieces of rock that reveal the inner beauty of the crystals and their unique marbled band structure. You can display these amazing pieces as decoration, which will also add a peaceful and calming energy to a room.

POINTS

Often used as a healing tool, the shape of the points and wands make them excellent energy transmitters. Single or double terminated quartz adds to its cleansing and purifying properties.

As the name suggests, a crystal tip keeps you sharp and precise. It's your best ally when you need to stay focused on something.

Crystal healer Mariah K. Lyons advises using these powerful points for manifestation purposes. “Write a mantra, affirmation, or desire on a piece of paper,” she says. "Fold the paper and place the crystal point on top, pointing upward. This acts like a pyramid, directing all the energy of intention on the paper upward, into the cosmos, and radiating out into the environment that surrounds it."

The energy of a spike is directed upward and outward. Wherever they are placed, they emit a very focused and directional energy that affects the area around them as well as any other crystals that are nearby.

USES:

• Crystal points are excellent to use in the center of a grid to focus one's intention and energy.
• Feng Sui a room, an example of this would be placing a spike in each corner of a room to create a vortex of energy.
• One of my favorite shapes to grab when I need to calm down and focus is a spike . Meditating while holding a tip will allow any blocked or stagnant energy to flow again and help you reset and feel more energized. You can do this by focusing on the energy you feel in the tip – which direction is it flowing? Where do you feel it in your body? Does it cleanse and release energy or bring new energy, or both? You can try to visualize energy leaving or entering your body, passing through and cleansing each of the chakras from head to toe.
• I like to think that the fluorite dots on my desk provide me with direct, precise energy that helps me focus on what I'm working on.
• Another way I like to use the tips is to bring them into the shower with me. I know it may seem silly, and even risky (you definitely have to be careful!) but I love that the energy of a spike comes with me in the shower. Clear Quartz, Fluorite, and Amethyst are my favorites for this, it all depends on whether you are trying to wake up, reset and cleanse, and/or relax and calm down. In addition to the shower, I also like to create grills around my bathtub using spikes and other shapes.

CHOPSTICKS

Crystal wands come in many varieties of shapes, sizes and types. Some wands are double ended (DT) with a point on each end, others are pointed on one end and rounded on the other, and some wands are rounded on both ends, these are usually called massage wands. They can be faceted with 6 sides or fully rounded and smooth. You can even use a natural crystal point, quartz, smoky quartz, citrine or amethyst roots can also be used as wands since they also have points and can even be double terminated. Each shape and type of crystal wand will have a different effect on our energy field.

Wands allow energy to flow and be directed, their elongated shape allows energy to travel up and down as well as in and out. They can be helpful in releasing negative energy or bringing healing energy.

Wands are traditionally healing tools. You can use a crystal wand to scan the body to intuitively spot and locate energy blockages, then circulate the energy through the auras and chakras.

It is helpful to take the time to get to know your crystal wand, familiarizing yourself with its energy and vibrations in order to strengthen any healing work you may do with it.

USES

• Load other crystals
• Used for spells, rituals or to move/direct energy.
• Use a chopstick as a writing tool to draw words of affirmation or manifestations. You can also write them down physically and visualize the movement of tracing the words.
• As mentioned above, wands can be used for healing and moving energy. One of my favorite ways to use chopsticks is during meditation. Hold your wand in your right hand (the hand that sends energy outward) and tune into the energy of the crystal to allow what you are trying to release to flow into the wand and out through the end.
• My favorite types of crystals for this are those that have the ability to transmute negative energy, such as kyanite, citrine, black tourmaline, or carnelian. Not only are you able to release what no longer serves you, but you are also revitalized with cleansed and refreshed energy returning to your being.

The carved stones

Tumbled stones

Think of tumbled stones as stepping stones to the wonderful world of crystals. Some call them basic, but I call them practical. Small, smooth crystals tend to be inexpensive and easy to find online or at your local crystal store.

But don't let their size fool you: these easy-to-carry stones really pack a punch. What's particularly great about them is their mobility. You can easily carry them in your pocket or purse, or even slip them into your bra to help you connect to energy throughout the day. Having one so close to you, or even touching it directly, can serve as a reminder of your intention.

They will have very random shapes and variable sizes. While it is easy to confuse them with the different types of pebbles, the following section should help you tell the difference.

Don't worry, you can make a mistake and call your stone whatever you want. We have classified them mainly to differentiate their uses!

Pebble & Cabochon

Pebble is a more general term. There are many types of pebbles:

• the stone
• the cabochon
• relaxation stone (thumb stones & worry stones)
• palm stone
• Touchstone

If the cabochon is a gemstone that has only been polished, but never cut.

Relaxation stones are smaller and sometimes have a recess on one side to place the thumb (hence the English name thumb stone).

The pebble was cut and polished. Pebbles are larger in size, they are generally more circular and larger because they remain true to the nature of the material when it was found and are less cut .

Palm stones are equal in size and proportion. They can be circular or oval in shape and are small enough to fit in an average-sized hand.

Originally, the touchstone is a fragment of black jasper used to discern gold from a metal by touchau. Today, it is an expression that represents a test to verify or measure the value of something.

Today, touchstones are extra large palm stones, sometimes almost free-form.

USES:

• The pebbles are perfect to hold during meditation due to their size. Personally, this is one of my favorite forms of crystal to purchase due to their accessibility and affordability.
• Anti-stress device. Pebbles give you something to occupy your hands or help you focus and stay grounded.
• Keep one in your pocket or bag. I like to choose a different relaxation or palm stone each day that appeals to me and take it with me wherever I go. This is another reason why I love relaxation stones, they are small enough to throw in your bag or pocket and go (although I have to admit that I sometimes like to carry small clusters or spheres with me ) !
• Finally, another way I like to use relaxation stones is to sleep with them. If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, relaxation stones are incredibly comforting to hold while you fall asleep. You can also place a relaxation stone under your pillow if you don't want to hold it. Specific types of stones can help us sleep, lucid dream, and remember dreams.

Pyramid

Crystal pyramids are said to be powerful in manifesting your desires. Their solid foundation acts as an anchor for your intention. The top of the pyramid sends intention out into the universe. Whether it's a selfish pile of cash you want to manifest or sending love to the collective, pyramid crystals will take you to that next level.

The shape of the pyramid is found throughout history in several civilizations and has many different spiritual meanings. The pyramid is called a tetrahedron in sacred geometry, and its primary function is to aid in manifestation.

What's cool about this shape is the contrasting yet harmonious production of energy that is at work in this shape. The base of the solid structure, much like a cube, has a very grounded and stabilized energy, while allowing energy to flow directly out of the tip. The pyramids connect the energy of the crown chakra to the root chakra, allowing us to feel in tune with higher dimensional thinking and our higher self, while remaining grounded to Earth.

USES:

• Pyramids are excellent to use in the center of a grid, especially if you want the energy to be grounded.
• You can also use the pyramids for the Feng Sui of your home. It is helpful to set a particular intention that correlates to the type of crystal or stone you have. For example, a lepidolite pyramid in your bedroom for restful sleep. Or perhaps a rose quartz pyramid in your bathroom or bedroom for self-love, a fluorite pyramid on your desk, or shungite or green aventurine near a television for protection against the waves.
• Another way the pyramid can be used in Feng Sui is to help bring in one of the five elements: fire.
• The pyramids can be used to cleanse and balance the chakras, this can be done by placing them on each chakra point, or by meditating and visualizing each chakra while holding the pyramid in your hand.
• Holding a pyramid allows life energy to come into the tip of the pyramid and then anchor within you and stabilize you. You can also try meditating focusing on the tip of the pyramid to strengthen the manifestations.

Sphere

"The crystal sphere reminds you that you are part of a greater whole connected to all the energies in your environment. You can imagine that you hold the world in the palm of your hand."

The Zen vibe these magical crystal balls give off also makes them excellent meditation companions. By adding a small ball to your crystal collection that fits comfortably in your hand while you meditate, you can also use a mini massage ball to relax tense muscles.

The spheres emit their energy from all sides, spreading evenly across an entire room. Their energy is imbued with childlike innocence and they bring a playful and whimsical element to our lives.

The spheres give us a general feeling of stability, harmony and unity, because their energy is very balancing. The circle resembles the circle of life, and brings life force energy and wholeness.

USES:

• Program your sphere with a specific intention to release energy where it is placed or to help you meditate on a particular issue or heal a certain emotion.
• Place a sphere in the center of a grid to emit energy/intention gently and evenly. Connecting the vital energy within us to the energy of the grid makes it even more personal.
• Use your sphere for scrying. Crystal gazing is a type of scrying performed with a crystal sphere. Put yourself in a meditative state and gaze into the crystal to receive divine downloads or future insights... The sphere acts as a window to important energies or messages intended for you.
• Massage therapy: Try rolling a sphere to where you have pain or tension in your body. The spheres are excellent for releasing accumulated and stuck energy in the body.
• Use a cleansing sphere like clear quartz, carnelian, or selenite to cleanse other crystals or different areas of your home.
• Hold a sphere in each hand during meditation for harmony and connection to life energy.

Cube

If you need some grounding vibes in your life (don't we all?), a cube-shaped crystal might be the perfect companion for you. Meditating with cubic crystals in your hands can help you connect to the energy of the Earth. You can also place them in each corner of a room to protect the space.

Hearts

Heart-shaped crystals are not naturally occurring; they have been cut and polished into this shape, but they nevertheless give off a strong energy of love. Mariah K. Lyons advises meditating with a heart-shaped crystal to activate your heart chakra. “Focus your energy and attention on your heart and imagine that you are filling your heart with pure, loving light,” she says. “Imagine light filling your heart and weaving in and out cleansing all the old wounds and trauma and bringing healing and peace into the heart and body.”

Hearts are very similar to palm stones, they are simply shaped to look like a heart. Hearts can be of different sizes and styles. They connect to the energy of the heart chakra and emit their energy in a very loving and gentle way while giving us a feeling of peace and harmony. Hearts can be good for those who are very sensitive to the energies of crystals because the energy emitted is gentler.

USES:

Crystal hearts are wonderful for aiding in heart chakra healing. They can be programmed with specific intentions if desired. Green or pink hearts, such as rhodonite, rose quartz, green aventurine or green opal will be even closer to the heart chakra. Additionally, all of the uses mentioned for palm stones work just as well with heart sculptures.

Egg

Similar to a sphere, crystal eggs emit their energy from all sides but with a focal point at the top. The egg evokes fertility and life. It is excellent for personal transformation, new beginnings, new projects or brainstorming. The egg promotes new beginnings and transformations.

Eggs have a beautiful feminine energy and can be very empowering to anyone holding them. Fun Fact: Crystal Eggs are a common tool useful for reproductive health and in this case, they are called Yoni Eggs.

Crystal eggs are said to have the ability to unblock unconscious energy – they help us become aware of energetic imbalances or pent-up emotions while helping us heal them. Eggs can also allow us to receive divine downloads from our higher selves or spirit guides.

It may be helpful to think about what material you want your crystal egg to be made of, perhaps something that reflects the symbolism of the egg. I always thought a malachite egg would be perfect for new beginnings or travel, as it directly correlates to the shape of the egg.

USES:

• Program your crystal egg to help you begin a new journey, whether it's a move, a new job, personal transformation, breaking a habit, or creating new ones habits. Set an intention for what you want the egg to support you with.
• Use the programmed egg to aid in meditation, manifestation, or in the center of a grid.
• Try a chakra balancing meditation or general body scanning meditation with a crystal egg to help you become aware of energetic imbalances.
• The smaller end of an egg is useful for physical pain and reflexology.

STONE OF DIVINATION or STONE OF Psychic

A divination stone is a round piece of material that has been polished on one side. The polished area looks like a window inside the stone due to its optical effect. This type of sculpture is generally made from rose quartz, labradorite, clear quartz, angelite or smoky quartz. Some clairvoyance stones are formed from stones that have been naturally polished by running water, such as a river or groundwater. This gives the stone a matte, rounded appearance, makers will then cut a piece of the crystal and polish the surface so that the inside of the stone can be seen, much like a window. Clairvoyance stones are also known as window quartz.

USES:

• The predominant use of divination stones is crystal gazing. As mentioned above, crystal gazing is a kind of scrying and can help us connect to higher knowledge, spirit guides and angels.
• Carry it with you so it can absorb your energy and help you observe crystals better.
• Sleep with a clairvoyance stone under your pillow to help you lucid dream or remember your dreams.
• If you don't want to try looking at crystals or scrying, simply looking inside a serous stone can be calming in itself and help slow thoughts or distract from anxious feelings.

FREE FORMS AND FLAMES

A freeform is a piece of material that is carved usually into an irregular rounded shape. Sometimes if a stone grows in a particular way or requires a specific type of cutting/polishing it will appear flatter, like labradorite for example. Freeforms come in all sizes and each is unique and highlights the natural beauty of any stone.

A flame is similar to a free form, but it tapers at the top and resembles the organic movement of a flame, it reminds me a bit of ice cream cones! Flames can also have a more simplistic and geometric style.

Freeforms don't have any specific meaning or special energy production like the other shapes I've talked about so far, but that doesn't mean they don't fill a room with good vibrations and beauty.

USES:

• Exceptional pieces to decorate your home.
• Meditate in front of a free form or place it on your altar or in your sacred space. Labradorite would be particularly useful in these spaces to activate the third eye and strengthen intuition.
• Depending on the material, use a free form to look at the crystals.
• Some people like to place their hands on the freeforms to reset, charge, or purify their energy.

Use them as paperweights or bookends.