The Essential Guide to Crystals: All the Crystals You Will Ever Need for Health, Healing, and Happiness

by Simon Lilly, Sue Lilly

This new edition of the authoritative illustrated guide to crystals reveals the full power and mystery of these gems, which can heal our spirits and enhance our lives. More than 100 crystals are grouped by color and then presented individually through color photography and in-depth discussions of appearance, followed by descriptions of individual healing properties and other practical uses, and the myths and legends surrounding each. There's advice on building and maintaining a collection, as well as expert guidance on crystal healing and meditation, using amulets and birthstones, and working with crystals aligned to our auras, chakras or reflexology points.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Witchcraft, Spirituality, Magick, Health

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

This looks like a 4-5 star book, but has some odd choices for certain pictures and often reads like a rushed school project. Some entries lack important info and some are misinformed. It's nice to have a book organized by color, even if you're flipping through the blue section and see a not-so-blue picture of Celestite or go to white and see an orange-ish Heulandite under Zeolite. Examples like those can be disputed because those minerals come in different colors, but why show a color that is different from that particular color section? I usually rate books high, but this book is unfortunately mid. I think it's a decent beginner guide. Don't stop here on your search for crystal knowledge.

[Kristina Forsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing and full of so many beautiful crystals. I had no idea there were so many kinds of different quartz crystals. Here are the crystals they talk about in the order they are listed. Black tourmaline, Obsidian, Onyx, Magnetite and lodestone, Jet, Meteorite, Flint, Haematite, Silver, Smoky quartz, Tektite, Tiger's eye, Vesuvianite, Halite, Bronzite, Staurolite, Limonite, Petrified wood, Garnet, Ruby, Zincite, Iron quartz, Jasper, Spinel, Carnelian, Sunstone, Aragonite, Copper, Citrine quartz, Amber, Pyrite, Gold, Rutilated quartz, Topaz, Calcite, Mookaite, Heliodor, Sulphur, Peridot, Chrysoprase, Prase (actinolite quartz), Prehnite, Aventurine, Emerald, Bloodstone, Chlorite (including seraphinite), Dioptase, Diopside, Epidote, Jade, Sphene, Serpentine, Malachite, Moldavite, Moss agate, Turquoise, Aquamarine, Amazonite, Chrysocolla, Larimar, Smithsonite, Blue lace agate, Celestite, Blue quartz, Angelite, Apatite, Tanzanite, Sodalite, Sapphire, Lapis Lazuli, Azurite, Dumortierite, Kyanite, Preseli bluestone, Amethyst, Fluorite, Sugilite, Charoite, Iolite, Purpurite, Rose quartz, Kunzite, Lepidolite, Morganite, Rhodonite, Rhodocrosite, Thulite, Moonstone, Zeolite, Milky quartz, Selenite, Tourmaline quartz, Clear quartz, Apophyllite, Danburite, Diamond, Ulexite, Zircon, Labradorite, Chalcopyrite, Opal, Tourmaline, Coral, Pearl, Pietersite, Unakite, Fossils, Rocks and pebbles, Natural forms of quartz, Specially cut quartz, Artificial quartz, Enhanced quartz.

[Sarah Brousseau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 65/55: Essential Guide to Crystals by Simon & Sue Lilly. Full of amazing information! From the form, to what it can do on a magical level and a healing level right down to its origins. A quick guide that helped me on my path to self-love. As you can see, it is full of post it notes, marking the ones I do have and the ones I need. Following this read, I've been able to recommend some stones to friends and show qualities of the crystals that may not have been known. Very informative and straight-forward.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another favorite crystal book I found recently. It's small, but packed with information and great photos. Of the 15 or so crystal books I've read recently this is the first one I knew I wanted for my home library immediately.

[Steven Foley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely not the best book on crystals. I prefer Scott Cunningham’s book instead. This one is clearly a self published piece and it shows. But basic concepts of crystals for elementary level learning.

[Sarina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love seeing all the different crystals. they're all so pretty!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple and it gives me overall information about the stone. Perfect for me.

[The Lexington Bookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking to learn more about crystals and their properties, this small sized but thick (288 pages) is the simplest way to find and identify the crystals that spark your interest.

The Essential Guide to Crystals is a fantastic photo-identification guide of commonly used crystals, with short references to their usages, history, look-a-likes, and properties. Each crystal has two pages dedicated to information, and the guide is organized by color of the rock, which gives the reader a place to start if you don’t know the name of your crystals.

As someone who has always been fascinated by rocks (I used to collect them!), crystals have always had a special place in my home. As I’ve learned more about what they represent and what energies they carry, I was eager to restart my previous affair with them. However, I’m still very much a beginner, which is why I snagged this guide on my latest book haul.

I did fault it a star because I wish that there was more detail for the crystals that come in multiple colors (like jasper) or that have variations that aren’t necessarily natural (like man-made rainbow moonstone). I admit, I sometimes buy the crystals and stones because they’re pretty, not because I know what they do or represent, so it would be nice to be able to identify those as well, and this mostly keeps to the natural crystals.

[Rosemary Orme · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful and informative but rather OTT.