Crystals in Card Readings

[Myperception]

Will crystals or any stones helps or enhance during our card readings?

I am not very expose to crystals and stones, not sure what or how it can helps in our readings, as i can see many people use it while performing readings. I am very curious the appearance of it.

Anyone of you can share any information or personal experience here?

[BlueStar]

I am a believer that crystals contain energy, which can be used beneficially. I don't think it's a faddy new age thing, and that's from my personal experience with them. But having said that I don't find the need to use them with Tarot myself. I don't think it's essential. Plenty of readers don't use them. I think for video readings you see on YouTube for example I would hazard a guess that some readers have them laid out to give a more 'spritual' or esoteric look to the video ( a bit like setting up a scene for a photo shoot).

If you know which crystals affect you in which way you might find them useful, but it requires a bit of research and experimentation. And you would probably gain more psychically by wearing one that enhances your engergies, rather than just having it lying around. Crystals can affect your auric field. But I think you have to learn first how they personally affect you. They can equally make you feel really off if you wear the wrong one for you (I've done that!).

If having them around when you read the cards makes you feel calmer, more relaxed or some other way that helps you get into the mindset/mood you feel you need to read then I'd say go for it. But I wouldn't get stuck on them so they become a crutch, and feel like you can't read without them. Just my thoughts:)

There are a ton of books out there on crystals. My personal favourite is 'Cyrstal Power, Crystal Healing' by Michael Gienger who seems to have done a lot of research on them. (There are some great chapters in the beginning which look at the crystalline structures and mineral classes, chemical formulas if you are interested lol, you don't need to read all that, I found it interesting. But the rest of the book covers the various crystals and how they can be beneficial. I find it very thorough.

[Charlie Brown]

Overall great comment, Bluestar. I appreciate the balanced perspective. And, yes, Sam, I'm almost certain that most of those crystals you see on YouTube are 'stage dressing.'

[stronglove]

Nice question! I have used crystals in readings but i use them intuitively. might be a good idea to get them out again and experiment some more....
I like crystals and have collected quite a few, but not based on any ‘research’ i have done. I just bought a couple that i was drawn to, got some in a tarot deck trade, bought some books on the subject that mentioned certain stones that interested me, bought some more stones, bought some crystal oracle decks, etc etc
i used to pick out stones that ‘matched’ the feeling i got from the tarotcards in my readings, and then put the stones on the cards in what i felt was the right place. I would then look up the stones in an online crystal database to find out more about their energy and their specific powers and would integrate that into the message i got from the cards. It added a lot more depth to my readings.
Nowadays i use my crystal decks to do my (sidereal) new moon readings, i usually draw 4 or 5 cards and then get the stones mentioned out of my crystal ‘vault’ and put them in a bowl on my altar or wear them around my neck.
Michael gienger’s book is a real treasure of information but i really like robert simmons more spiritual ‘stones of the new consciousness’ too, and both of michael eastwood’s ‘crystal oversoul attunements’ for the guided meditations
Recently i have begun collecting crystal skulls, i never liked them but they started calling to me and now i have five.
I think crystals can be anything you want them to be, depending on how ‘open’ you are to receiving their energy. But if crystals don’t attract or inspire or intrigue you i wouldn’t bother trying to work with them.

[katrinka]

Yes, they're stage dressing in the videos I've seen. It's the same on instagram - virtually all the photos of cards have crystals, candles, and/or tiny statues in them. That's definitely a fad - older photos of people reading cards didn't have all that. There might be a crystal ball - made of glass, though - but no crystal points, little tumbled rocks, etc. And in time, something else will come into vogue.

We live in a time where everything gets photographed and put online. That's changed the way people design interiors, exteriors, homes and businesses. They're thinking in terms of what looks good on digital. I've been seeing a lot of articles like this one: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... a-designed

So when someone takes a photo or video to upload, they might think it "needs" something, and add a few stones. Maybe some of them believe it "does something", but most are probably doing it for aesthetic reasons, or because everybody else is doing it and they think it's expected.

As for myself, I don't use crystals in readings, other than doing occasional lithomancy. (You can get a wonderful little book about that here http://www.luckymojo.com/lithomancy.html) I don't really believe the claims, I've been unable to even cure a simple headache with stones. Some of the lore about rocks is traditional and might even have some merit, but a lot of it was cooked up by people who want to sell $2 tumbled stones for $20.

I don't completely disbelieve all the lore - I never take my jades off. But I have no desire to do readings with rocks all over the table. YMMV, of course.

[Joan Marie]

I have crystals and stones all over my home because I find them beautiful and interesting.

I keep a bunch of them on my desk and just before I cut my cards I pick one or two and put them on the deck as I try to focus my energy for a reading. That's how I use them, as part of my little ritual of preparation.

[inomminate]

Although I have lots of crystals and fossils I have never used them with tarot. My basic belief is that the cards work on their own and that they don"t need anything else.However if crystals works for you then I would use them.

[inomminate]

I am revising my opinion on crystals. I have an amethyst church and I asked the Mary El what it would do for my readings. The nine of swords was the card drawn. Unlike most decks the Mary El gives a very positive meaning to this card. Despite my doubts I am going to explore this combination. I include a picture of the church with a tarot deck included to show size.

[BlueStar]

Wow, that's some crystal!

[CharlotteK]

I have lots of stones around my cards when I'm reading. I choose from a bowl of tumble stones the ones that feel right for the deck, the question, the mood. My smokey, rutile and dentritic quartz and my amethyst are stock fixtures. I sometimes share my daily draws on Instagram and then I absolutely festoon my pictures with crystals. I just really like them, they are beautiful. I more often choose a crystal to hold whilst I'm working with a deck. I've been using the everyday enchantment and for some reason a large sodalite heart has been 'asking' to be held.

[inomminate]

My grandmothers crystal ball was, I think ,rock crystal. I still have it somewhere and wonder if anyone knows anything about use this sort of thing with tarot.

[katrinka]

In all the old material I've seen, crystal balls were strictly for gazing, or someimes transmitting, as practiced by C. Alexander. If not used for gazing, crystal balls on a card readers table were props.

You can find a lot of these titles free online, as many of them are public domain. http://www.yronwode.org/crystal-gazing- ... raphy.html

[Joan Marie]

If not used for gazing, crystal balls on a card readers table were props.

I think a lot of card readers have other tools in their toolbox and when a reading is complex or unclear they may read a palm or turn to the crystal ball for further clarification.

[Myperception]

Thanks alot for everyone that taking time to share about your thoughts and opinions. It helps me to look at things in different perspectives.

I am not a stone or crystal person, but very interested in 3 stones for quite awhile, not sure gonna buy it or not, still toying in my mind which one to go for.

I prefer them as a pillar style, on desk. Moonstone, Rose Quartz and Black Obsidian, these 3 stones, has anyone own them and can share some opinions?

Lol... agreed on some of the stones we can see online or youtube are stage dressing. Sometimes if it's display to much, it makes me feel messy and complicated. But i felt that stones will attract us if it's meant to be there.

Therefore i am still searching informations for the 3 types of stone. Something weird which I am very against pink colour, but i just dont know why felt attracted towards pink quartz. Moonstone makes me feel very mysterious and i like the feeling. Black obsidian makes me felt protected, strong, firm and solid.

[katrinka]

If not used for gazing, crystal balls on a card readers table were props.

I think a lot of card readers have other tools in their toolbox and when a reading is complex or unclear they may read a palm or turn to the crystal ball for further clarification.

That's what I meant by "gazing". If they find the cards cryptic, they can seek a vision.

Visions can be a lot more cryptic than cards, though.

See this link. (link deleted) It's the opening scene from one of my favourite films of all time, Cleo from 5 to 7.

Link isn't working.

[Joan Marie]

Link isn't working.

No it isn't. I deleted it and am trying now to fix it.

[Joan Marie]

Link isn't working.

I think I've fixed it.

This is the open sequence form one of my all time favourite films, Cleo from 5 to 7

[stronglove]

thank you charlotte, makes me want to start using my crystals again in my daily readings, instead of only with my new moon spreads...

[katrinka]

I think I've fixed it.

This is the open sequence form one of my all time favourite films, Cleo from 5 to 7

It works now. (OMG - that first deck is the Grand Jeu, and she's actually reading it decently! I need to get this movie. Just because of that.)

[Amoroso]

I usually wear only 2 or 3 and they're often specific to the deck I'm using. I think they help.