Hipster Crystal Guide: The Revelators

Hey there, fearless kids and cadets! Today we're going to talk about the next set of crystals, the ones that seem a bit more active in their abilities (shielding, deflection, and warding, which are al terms that assume "attacks" in the first place) than the last set, which were mostly passive (healing, communication, and purification). But before we get to that, let me delve into some more general background.

One could very easily ask, why would one use crystals when dealing with paranormal activity over other methods (assuming all had the same efficacy rate)? While everyone else's mileage may vary on it, my personal response would be this: most talismans, amulets, charms, and what-have-you that claim the ability to ward off the dead or spirits from beyond require a pre-requisite faith in whatever religion created/condones them to allow them to be effective. Regardless of what you may see in the movies, if you throw up a couple of sticks in the shape of a cross and you're a Muslim, then the religious power that imbues the object is lacking, and the protective capabilities of the object fall away, leaving you to get eaten by a more-than-likely Nosferatu-looking vampire (because you should be so lucky to get eaten by a hot one). So, if most wards and talismans need faith, does that make crystals any different? Well, not really. But being that I'm relatively heavy on my agnosticism (as of right now, anyways), I find it easier to carry around a couple of passive stones in my pocket than to pledge my faith in a deity. So that's why crystals.

That said, the contestants this evening are...

Aquamarine-Funnily enough, this happens to be my birthstone. Favoritism notwithstanding, this crystal is said to bring courage and calm to the wielder. A known harmonizer, this stone also brings light in times of darkness, in addition to being pretty good at shielding auras against attack. Lastly, it's said to improve focus in stressful situations.

Labradorite (Spectrolite)-Kinda unusual that one of the stones that made my "best of" list was named after a dog, huh? (That was sarcasm, I know it was named after the region of Labrador) This stone is recognized for being quite mystical, protecting it's owners through deflection of attacks on their aura. It is a stone that also brings light, but more in the spirit of enlightenment through initiation, improving the imagination, intuition, and psychic abilities of it's user.

Chiastolite (Andalusite)-Also known as the Cross Stone, this hot rock is a stone of protection through the warding of auras, preventing attacks from even being launched in the first place. It specializes in situations involving a life/death transition, and is also considered pretty awesome at dissolving illusions and preserving sanity. That said, it's also a natural analytical and creative-thinking strengthener.