Root Chakra (base of spine)
Smoky Quartz
Represented by the colour red, this chakra pertains to physical survival and stability. Blockages include feelings of not belonging and not being home (no roots); not being able to make a living, not being able to materialize goals. One’s core identity is developed here. Panic is a root chakra emotion. Smoky Quartz is a gentle grounding stone. It will draw out and absorb negative energies, replacing them with positive ones.
Sacral (Belly) Chakra (between pubic bone and navel)
Carnelian
Represented by the colour orange, this chakra pertains to creativity, feelings, sexual drive and pleasure. The unhealed inner child lives here. Blockages include the need to control; the need to hold on; the need to mother others and to be mothered; relationship issues, deep resentments over being manipulated or manipulating other people. Stress and trauma tend to become lodged at the sacral chakra. The Carnelian will balance all three lower chakras (base, sacral and solar plexus), encouraging confidence, practicality and the ability to feel at home in the world.
Solar Plexus Chakra (level of lowest ribs)
Citrine
Represented by the colour yellow, this chakra pertains to self confidence, empowerment, will power and the ability to be materially successful. Blockages include fear of one’s free will being violated; inability to free oneself from coercive situations; inability to accept responsibility; fear of criticism or of being ignored, fear of failure. Citrine helps overcome depression, freeing oneself from oppressive influences. This stone helps to restore one’s joie de vivre.
Heart Chakra (located between the breasts)
Green Aventurine and Rose Quartz
Represented by the colour green, this chakra connects body and mind with spirit and directs one’s ability to love oneself and others, to give and to receive. The healed inner child lives here. Blockages include pain from having been abused; pain from having abused other people/animals; feeling unloved; feeling unable to love; rejection, jealousy, grief, loneliness, difficulties in relationships of all types. Green Aventurine is perhaps the best balancing stone for the heart chakra. The stone encourages calmness and positivity, helping to release emotional pain in a gentle and effective way. Rose Quartz restores calmness, balance and clarity to emotions, helping to attract positive and gentle energy into one’s life. Placed close to the heart, large pieces can release stress and trauma rapidly. This may cause discomfort, so care should be taken to balance the release with more calming and stabilizing stones; hence, Green Aventurine and Rose Quartz can work together.
Throat Chakra (in the V of the collarbone)
Aquamarine
Represented by the colour blue, this chakra focusses on communication, expression and manifesting creativity. Blockages include being unable to speak for oneself; lack of accountability; being unable to express feelings; the inability to listen to others; outbursts of rage, anger, crying or abuse; exaggeration/lying, and the inability to cope or take charge of one’s own life. Aquamarine will calm and soothe, bringing tranquility and love. Aids in improving one’s mood, thereby increasing hopefulness, optimism and inspiration. Carried as a good luck charm during examinations and/or job interview situations (to encourage communication skills).
Third Eye Chakra (center of forehead above eyes)
Sodalite and Moonstone
Represented by the colour indigo, this chakra deals with thinking and reasoning skills, intellectual concepts, ethical values, applying judgment to daily life, creating one’s own reality and understanding the meaning of life’s processes and events. Blockages include denial of truth or reality; paranoia and other mental disorders; refusal or fear of introspection; casting blame; negative thinking, refusal to learn from life’s experiences and past mistakes. Sodalite encourages idealism and the drive for truth, helping us to remain true to ourselves. Moonstone is one of the best stones for bringing emotional calm and stability. This stone accentuates receptive (feminine) qualities and promotes sensitivity, intuition and clairvoyance. If feeling overwhelmed by emotions, this stone will help to create balance through the harmonizing of feelings with the higher self. For those out of touch with their feelings, it brings them into awareness.
Crown Chakra (behind top of skull)
Amethyst
Represented by the colour violet, this chakra revolves around attitudes and ethics, character, serving others, courage, wisdom and spiritual challenges. Blockages include spiritual crises; karmic attachments; inability to understand and trust life as a holistic process; refusal of change/transformation; fear of aging and death, and fear of one’s psychic abilities. Amethyst has a high vibration and is a good stone to use during meditation as it calms the mind, thereby raising one’s attunement to spiritual and healing forces.
Earth Chakra (below the feet)
Hematite
Represented by the colour black, this chakra pertains to one’s connection to the Earth. Hematite is an excellent grounding stone. Keep Hematite with you during intense meditation and stressful situations so that you may continue to be grounded in the present. Place one at the base of each foot.
Transpersonal Chakra (above the head)
Clear Quartz
Represented by the colour white, this chakra pertains to one’s connection with the Divine (spiritual inflow). Due to its unique ability to be programmed and to transmit and receive energy, clear Quartz is the preferred stone for use at this chakra.
