Sunday’s Gem — Clear Quartz

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. ~Albert Einstein

Composed of one part silicon and two parts oxygen (silicon dioxide), Clear Quartz (from the Greek “krystallos,” or “ice”) was once thought to be made from water frozen too hard to ever melt.

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Quartz cluster, thanks to http://www.soulfulcrystals.co.uk

The most abundant mineral on Earth’s surface, Quartz is found in all varieties of rock and at all temperatures. A 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness (1-10), Quartz is used in the making of glass, as an abrasive, as foundry sand, and in hydraulic fracturing. Quartz crystals make oscillators for watches, TVs, electronic games, computers, cell phones, and GPS equipment.

Nearly every civilization, from Ancient Egyptians, Romans, Aztecs, and Scots, to African tribes and Native American Indians, has revered Quartz, using it for everything from healing and meditation to religious objects and magical enchantments.

There are many colors of Quartz — rose, smoky, blue, green, yellow, and so forth — but for our purposes here, we’ll be talking about the clear, or white, version often referred to as Rock Crystal.

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Tumbled Quartz crystals, thanks to http://www.healingcrystals.com

Just as white contains all the other colors, Quartz is called the “master healing crystal” and is used to treat nearly any condition, be it emotional or physical. From easing headaches and improving energy to speeding healing of wounds and stimulating the immune system, Quartz offers versatile help.

Take advantage of the power of Quartz by wearing jewelry made from Quartz gemstones, carrying a tumbled Quartz stone in your pocket, soaking in a bathtub with clear Quartz elixir added, or meditating while holding some Quartz.

Feng Shui practitioners believe that clear Quartz crystals should be placed in a window to disperse the sun’s energy throughout a room.

Clean your Quartz by soaking it in warm, soapy water; “program” it by leaving it awhile in natural sunlight or meditating with it.

Note: The claims here aren’t meant to take the place of medical advice. They’re based on folklore and other sources, and likely “work” best if one’s belief is strong enough!