QUARTZ

Wire wrapped crystal by Manitu Okahas.

Quartz is my preferred birthstone for April, and I consider it to be my birthstone.  While it doesn't have quite the fire and prestige of diamond, it has many fine qualities and without the drawbacks of diamond.  Quartz is the hexagonal crystal form of silicon dioxide.  It has a Mohs scale hardness of 7 and is closely related to agate, chalcodney, jasper, obsidian, and glass.  Quartz forms out of silica rich water, most commonly around hydrothermal vents, in much the same way that rock candy forms out of hot sugar syrup.

Wire wrapped quartz by Manitu Okahas

Quartz is a piezoecletric mineral, meaning that it converts mechanical pressure or heat to electric charge.  It also stores, magnifies, and regulates the energy to which it is exposed.  This property makes it highly valued for watches, cell phones, computers, and a large number of other electronic devices.  In its clear form, it can focus light, or scatter light, change the direction that light travels, or split light into a rainbow.  And these are just the effects that we can measure easily.

Quartz also has a great amount of symbolism associated with it.  Clear quartz signifies mental clarity and focus, purity, perseverance, patience, spiritual growth, and simplicity.  If you want to see the future, you might find it in the quartz.  If you want information from the past, quartz is believed to hold the ancient earth records.  Native American spirituality teaches that quartz crystals are living entities with stories to tell.  In Meso-America, quartz is carved into skulls for rituals, raised consciousness, and as residence of the deities.

Metaphysical practitioners have found a large number of uses for this versatile gem.  On a basic level, quartz tunes into the vibrational energy to which it is exposed, collects that energy, amplifies it, and re-emits it.  It is frequently used to magnify the energy of other stones or to blend the energies of a mixed collection.  This gem is often used in healing practices and clearing rituals.  It is considered to be programmable for a specific use or to hold memory or information.

In short, there are so many uses and forms of this crystal, that books could be written on quartz alone.  In this article, I've barely scratched the surface.  I am planning to come back to this in the future, but until then, here are a few keys to get you started.
According to The Book of Stones:
Arkansas Quartz - This quartz is considered by most practitioners to be highly programmable, with a neutral, clear and pristine energy.
​Brazilian Quartz - is a stone of heart and healing.  It holds ancient and divine energy.
Madagascar Quartz - has an ancient feel and holds ancient knowledge and wisdom.
Tibetan Quartz - holds sacred and spiritual energy.
Herkimer Quartz - is the hardest of the quartz family and holds spiritual light energy.
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