by Ian Kesser
Crystals, as many of you know, are extremely useful for practitioners of the Magickal arts. They can be used to channel power, to store power, to heal, and many other ways. Due to space considerations, I have chosen to limit myself to the charging aspect in this article.
The first and most important part of charging a crystal is choosing the crystal itself. For most general uses, Quartz is the best one. For specific use, there are many others. I have found that Diamonds are useful in storing Good energy, and Zircons (my birthstone!) for Evil energy. If you have a specific purpose in mind, please consult one of the many fine tables of crystal affinities.
The next step, and also important, especially the first few times, is to prepare yourself for the actual channeling of energy. In my case, music helps, as well as pranayama and other forms of breath control. The first one I used is simple.
Pranayama, simply, is control of breath. Most forms amount to hyperventilation or subventilation. The one I used first, and still use, is this: take four quick inhalations, filling the lungs. This should be over the space of about one and a half seconds. Then exhale in four short bursts, again over one and a half seconds. Repeat as necessary. The first few times this is done, I recommend you desist after about one minute. Over the course of time, this can and should be increased, but until you are used to the effect this gives, a shorter time is suggested.
Now that you're in the mood, take the crystal in your right-hand (left hand for those of you who are lefties). Visualize a door within the heart of the crystal.
Until this visualization is firm and steady, wait. Then open the door. Behind it you should see a store of diffuse energy, which varies with the type of the crystal. Some crystals, usually the inferior ones, have little or nothing back here. These are generally not good to use.
Close the door, but keep it in mind. That was just to check on its energy.
Decide which energy you wish it to house. Usually only one will be needed, such as for talismans and storage of energy for later use, but in some cases, such as a divination tool, more is suggested/required. DO NOT TRY THIS ON YOUR FIRST ATTEMPT! YOU WILL FAIL! The energy you will be handling is powerful, and trying to handle more than one world at a time is strenuous. Trying to handle all three, plus personal and other energies, is straining to the limit. As with all other bodily systems, an ability used beyond its capacity will overload and break or refuse to perform, as with a man trying to lift 300lb barbells on his first try at weight lifting.
For general use, I find nature's energy is best for multipurpose storage. Those in the Church of Set would probably find differently, as would those in the Church of Christ. Use what you feel comfortable with.
Now, the fun part. For the three major energies, I find there are certain ways of drawing them tat are easiest on the practitioner. For Good energy, try it like this:
Form a cone with the base connecting to your skull in the region just between and above your eyebrows. "suck" the energy (visualize it as you will, I use a light, golden yellow) into the cone, then through a tube into your brain. The visualization on this is a bit tricky, but it can be done.
For Nature's energy, visualize a "hose" going down into the Earth from the base of your spine. This hose should ideally connect with the center of the Earth, but some people simply cannot conceive the distance involved with that, and can therefore not visualize it. Go as deep as you can, with time, you should improve. I "see" this energy as a ruddy, glowing red, as with magma. Use what works. Draw this energy up the tube, then through your spinal column into the brain.
Now, the Evil energy. This is tricky for me, but here's how I do it. Place the feet together (if they already are, so much the better! It means this isn't uncomfortable for you, as it is for me.) and visualize a siphon, with the hose connecting to a cone connecting to your feet, about two inches in diameter, one inch on either foot. Then, on the other end, a hose entering a black, inky void (or whatever color you perceive evil energy to be). One last connection: another hose running from that area of your feet to the previously mentioned area in the skull. This aligns nicely with the Chakra theory, to which I subscribe, in that a Chakral spinal-type column connects all the major power centers of ones body.
If you know this system, so much the better! Draw the energy through the siphon (sometimes visualizing the bulb on the siphon squeezing helps) into the feet, then into the skull, then into the brain.
Other objects you wish to draw energy from, use the door analogy/visualization given above (for powerful things such as the Tarot, I see it as a gate more than a door. Again, whatever works for you), and draw from your use hand. If you plan on using that object again, take only a token amount of energy, and DON'T FORGET TO CLOSE THE DOOR!
Personal energy: This varies so much with the individual! Some people draw from their auras, some from the Chakras, some from the Astral Body. Just use the method you feel most comfortable with. For those of you who have no preference, or no knowledge of such things, I use the Astral approach. I draw a bit of the substance of the Astral body, generally the feet, into the brain. After I finish all else, I "spread out" the Astral body to make up for this loss. Astral bodies DO heal.
Well, that's most of it. Draw the energy you need, then draw from the crystal.
Take it in your use hand again, open that door, and take out the energy, and bring it to the brain. Generally, I use the hose again, connecting to that spot in the skull, but this one generally runs INSIDE my body, such as along the arm bones, then up the neck bone. Mix the energy up. If it helps, visualize a cosmic Cuisinart or whatever. If it won't mix, like oil and water, you have failed.
This crystal will not hold this energy. Give up, put back the crystals power, ground yourself (later...), and try again later with another energy.
Once you've achieved the mix, refill the crystal. Sometimes, the energy won't go back in. This usually means you've put too much of the energy you're using in, and not enough of the crystal's own energy. Bring it back to the brain, and re- mix. How do you refill the crystal, you ask? Switch hands on the crystal, then visualize that handy hose again, but this time flow backwards, through the door.
There will come a point, especially early on in your practice, that the crystal is full when you have energy left over. Slam that door and ground yourself (later...), don't overfill it! Doors have their bursting point, and that's a wonderful way to destroy a good crystal.
OK, it's later. You've finished the job at hand (Applause, you've earned it!)
but have all this energy left! There are many ways of grounding energy, use the one you are comfortable with (I know I keep saying that, but it bears repeating.
Don't do anything against your Will). The one I use is simply grounding it. Take that handy-dandy all-purpose hose again, connect it to the base of the spine, and thence into the Earth. Flip the switch to reverse, and push that energy out!
Be careful not to let out yourself as well!
That's it. I hope you find this helpful to you.
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