Book Review

Gemstone & Crystal Magic

by Gerina Dunwich

Publisher: Weiser Books

231 Pages

Published: August 1, 2022

 

 

Are You A Crystal Witch?

Are you as fascinated by gemstones and crystals as I am? But you’re not sure how to use them in your magickal crafting? Then this book could be the one you’ve been looking for. If you’re more experienced with gem magick, then you might not get as much out of this as a beginner will. But I still think it’s a great addition to anyones’ gemstone and crystal magick
library of books.

The book starts with an expose of how the author fell in love with gemstones and gem magick as a teenage and how it became a life long passion. We then jump right into preparing crystals for working with them, starting with a discussion about cleansing a crystal (I wish there was a little side bar or something here to remind her readers that some crystals should never be put in water and some should never be put in the sun). Then we talk about charging the stones with the full moon or our intentions.

We get a blurb about Stone Altars and how important they are to witches, then we get a breakdown of different types of altars from Wiccan, to Triple Goddess, to Pagan. Also a quick look at Gemstones and the Four Cardinal Points. We then get a list of Magickal Intentions and the corresponding gems and crystals, this list is for those wanting to create their own spells and talismans and has things like Divination, Gambling, Healing, Protection, etc.

We then get into the Spells, Rituals, and Charms chapter, which talks about Male and Female energy stones, the Magick of Wands (with directions for making a copper and crystalwand), Talismanic Rings (based on planet/metal), Protection Against Black Magick, Garden Protection Spell, Dream Magick, Fairy Dust, etc. The chapter feels like a stream of consciousness remembering everything they wanted to put into the book. There’s lots to unpack in there, but I do wish it flowed a little better.

Next is Amulets, starting with the Planetary Amulets for Ritual Magicians. We get a Love-Drawing Amulet creation note before we dive into an alphabetical list of gemstones and what types of amulets they can create. This section is very cool because for each stone we get a dive into the back usage of that stone throughout history as well as modern usages.

We then get a chapter focused on the curative power of gemstones. I’m guessing this chapter is why there is a warning at the beginning of the book about seeing professional healthcare. It includes a list of the various ways gemstones have been used in the past, and it is not intended to be a guide to self-treatment. The list has entries like: Biliousness: jasper, pearl and ruby; Intoxication: amethyst; etc. The chapter ends with a look at Chakras and their corresponding gemstones, and two rituals; one for healing the self and one for healing others.

Our next exploration of Crystal Magick dives into Elixirs and Potions. You know, those gemstone elixirs that are basically gem charged water. This chapter as lest has a list of stones to avoid in these crystal potions, mostly because of copper and zinc and other toxic metals we don’t want to ingest.

I could keep talking about this stuff for days, but I’ve only gotten halfway through the book at this point! There’s so much more to this book, a chapter on stones of the zodiac both Western and Eastern; a chapter on Stone Oracles and how crystals have been used for divination for centuries; and what gemstones correspond to the Major Arcana of the Tarot. There’s even a chapter on what crystals mean when they show up in dreams.

It’s actually jaw dropping how much information has been crammed into this little book. Each chapter could be expanded into its own book, and sometimes even multiple books.

Final Thoughts

Though I found a couple of things I would have done a little differently, simply because I feel like the book is missing some imported things; like crystals that end in -ite should never be put in water and how the sun can actually damage some crystals. Overall this book is a treasure of gemstone and crystal knowledge and lore. I think its a great overall look at how the subject works, and has been approached throughout history. I have a feeling there’s something for every rockhound that gets this book, because it was written by a gemstone lover for gemstone lovers!

Rock On My Witches!

About the Author

Originally from the Chicago area, Gerina Dunwich is an American author, best known for her books on witchcraft and the occult. Her articles, poetry and interviews have appeared in numerous publications, including Playgirl, American Woman, Moving Words, and Llewellyn’s calendars and datebooks.

She writes fiction under the name, Gerri R. Gray, and is the author of the following books: The Amnesia Girl!; Gray Skies of Dismal Dreams; Graveyard Girls; and (soon to be published) Blood and Blasphemy. As a writer of short horror stories, her work has appeared in such publications as: Beautiful Tragedies, EconoClash Review, Deadman’s Tome, and Jitter.

A former antique dealer and B&B proprietor, she lives in Upstate New York in an historic nineteenth-century house with her husband, a bevy of spirits, and a Siamese cat named Aristede. When she isn’t busy writing, she can often be found rummaging through antique shops, exploring haunted houses, or traipsing through old cemeteries with her camera.

 

 

Gemstone & Crystal Magic on Amazon

 

 

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About the Author:

Jonathan Dailey

Jonathan has been reading Tarot for over 33+ years. He has had many teachers, and has experienced many Spiritual Truths. He even had the honor of teaching a Beginner’s Tarot Reading class!

He has swam with Manta Rays, Sea Turtles, and Whales in Hawaii; ran barefoot in the jungle with the Ticos of Costa Rica; danced the Naraya with the Shoshone; Prayed at Buddhist Temples in Thailand, China, and Japan; wandered the green hills of Ireland, studied Acupuncture in China; and has had many more adventures!

Jonathan’s love of the Tarot started when he was in Summer Camp (in New Jersey of all places) and was privileged to take a class with a Magus who taught the group not only the Tarot, but also crystals, Runes, pendulums, energy work, spell casting, Past Life Regressions, and many other “New Age” practices. That class was one of the catalysts for Jonathan’s own Spiritual Awakening to his many past lives, and his Higher Purpose.

Jonathan is an Acupuncturist who has created his own style of acupuncture aided past life regressions using gold needles. Jonathan is a Certified Health Coach. He has lost count of how many readings he’s given, and decks he’s collected, over the last 3 decades. Find more from Jonathan on YouTube.