Crystals for the Heart Chakra

"Know the flame within the heart. Its purifying fire transforms the Self. Its clear light unites us with the Source." ~ Daya Sarai Chocron from Healing the Heart...

Crystal enthusiasts use stones for healing all manner of ailments from headaches to gout (see disclaimer below) as well as for emotional, mental and spiritual issues. But issues of the heart are some of the most compelling reasons for crystal use. It could be a painful breakup or resurfacing of old memories or even grief over the death of a loved one that leads a person to seek crystal therapy for the heart.

Some of the most popular stones are clear, white, green and pink in color. Reasons for the use of each of these colored stones are given below as well as examples of techniques to open, clear and heal the heart center.

Chakras are a concept from Eastern traditions that has been integrated into Western and New-Age spirituality. Each chakra is a ball of energy that exists beyond the physical plane that correspond to certain functions of our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bodies.

The heart chakra is in the fourth position located near the heart between the ribs in the middle of the breastbone.

The two colors mostly associated with the heart chakra are green and pink, though other colored stones are used for healing here. All matters related to the heart including physical and emotional are governed by this chakra.

White and clear stones are known for bringing clarity and a sense of being nurtured to the heart. Clear quartz, Herkimer diamond and moonstone can be used for this.

Clear quartz brings balance to the emotional heart center. This allows for a sense of clarity of the issues involved that are causing problems and helps the user transcend them in order to feel a sense of higher spiritual love.

Moonstone has a calming effect on the heart. It's known for bringing a feminine energy to the user. This stone allows for a balancing of the often times overbearing masculine energy used to survive. Using moonstone will allow the user to feel suppressed emotions in order to move through them more quickly.

Herkimer is another balancing stone. It's an incredibly brilliant variety of quartz and is known for being extremely clear. Because of this, it's believed to have the ability to bring higher clarity to any situation. It also helps in integrating the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of the heart.

These five stones are either completely pink or are mixed with other colors. Most of them are used to attract love but also in opening the heart to give and receive love.

Rose quartz is the stone of love whether it be related to loving the self, family, friends or romantic partners. It's a gentle, soothing stone that is sometimes combined with its energetic counterpart aventurine.

It's a healing stone chosen to help those betrayed by people they trust, especially those in positions of power such as parents.

Rose quartz can bring a sense of loving mothering arms wrapping around you producing a sort of spiritual 'kiss and make it better' feeling.

Rhodochrosite calms a high emotional state related to heart matters. Since it balances the yin and yang energies, it's powerful used in conjunction with moonstone.

Strawberry quartz opens the heart chakra by stimulating it to receive an overall sense of love. It helps the user to experience closure of past hurtful relationships instead of obsessing over them.

Because of rhodonite's black bands interspersed with the pink color, it helps to draw out negativity from the heart center. It helps one to understand the meaning of unconditional love and experience love from higher planes.

Pink tourmaline helps the user to open to their own loving self. It helps with clearing heart chakra blockages preventing one from experiencing love.

Green is the color most seen in depictions of the heart chakra. The following stones range from pale green to a deep forest green interwoven with black bands.

This harmonious stone creates a bridge between the physical and spiritual planes to promote peaceful integration of heart chakra lessons learned.

It helps those who are struggling with staying faithful to their partner and true to their own higher principles of living.

Aventurine acts a shield for the heart against negativity, especially people tho the user feels may be exerting psychic or emotional pressure.

Even with this protective property, it has an incredibly gentle energy and blends well with any of the pink stones, especially rose quartz.

Like rhodonite, malachite has black bands interspersed with its rich green color. This helps to draw out and release pain and negative feelings from the heart center.

It also shows users their own thoughts that may be continuing the cycle of negativity related to the heart.

One of the easiest techniques in working with heart crystals is to place one or more of them directly on the heart or the area of the heart chakra and meditate with them. You can visualize a light the color of the crystal entering your heart center and enveloping it completely until you feel the heart has been saturated. Repeat this process as necessary.

Carrying a crystal in your pocket or wearing heart stone jewelry such as pendants that lay just on the heart chakra area is a direct way to carry this energy with you.

Grids made with rose quartz help to bring balance and harmony to a room, house or environment. This can be done by placing stones in the corners of a room or burying them around the perimeters of the house or edges of the property.

Gem elixirs made with heart stones are used internally to create subtle changes in the spiritual body that will affect the other planes.

Remember to clear and program your stone before use. And above all, trust your own intuition and guidance when it comes to healing the heart with crystal allies.

This article contains experimental information and isn't meant to replace the advice of your health professional. Heart conditions need the attention of your medical health provider.

Sources consulted:

• Chocron, Daya Sarai. Healing the Heart: Opening and Healing the Heart with Crystals and Gemstones. Samuel Weiser, Inc., 1989.
• Dolfyn. Crystal Wisdom: Spiritual Properties of Crystals and Gemstones. Earth Spirit, Inc. 1989.
• Melody. Love is in the Earth: A Kaleidoscope of Crystals. Earth-Love Publishing House, 1995.