A carefully placed crystal can magically transform its surroundings.

Wearing gems used to be a royal or priestly prerogative. The high priest of Judaism wore a breastplate set with precious stones. It was much more than a badge of office; it conveyed power to the wearer. As far back as the Stone Age, men and women wore crystal jewellery and talismans. They had a protective as well as decorative function, guarding their wearer against harm.

Crystals today carry the same power and jewellery is often selected not just on the basis of its outward attraction. It is said that wearing crystals, or simply having one in close proximity can have a remarkable effect. Carefully positioned, crystals are deemed to possess mystical powers that can change your life.

Here is a brief glimpse to help you unlock the mysteries associated with the rocks, crystals and natural stones offered in our collections.

Can vary in colour from a deep purple through to pale lavender. It can have transparent pointed crystals, may be a geode, cluster or a single point. It comes in a variety of sizes.

One of the most popular crystals it originates from the United States, Britain, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, East Africa, Siberia and India.

It is attributed to be an extremely powerful and protective stone with a high spiritual vibration. A natural tranquilliser, Amethyst blocks negative environment energies, its serenity enhances higher states of consciousness and meditation. It is extremely beneficial to the mind being calming and stimulating as appropriate. It enhances memory and aids motivation.

Healing properties attributed to Amethyst includes the ability to relieve emotional or psychological stress, it eases headaches and releases tension and can relieve insomnia bringing restful sleep. The stone is said to reduce bruising, swelling and can help with hearing disorders.

Amethyst can be worn as jewellery or geodes and clusters placed appropriately will bring light and love into the environment. Amethyst points can be used in healing. Its colour can fade in direct sunlight.

Can be found clear or milky white, grey, blue, green, pink, brown, and rocks can be artificially coloured. It can be waxy and soft, usually banded and sometimes translucent with small crystals.

It is often sold in slices, which have been dyed to enhance their colours.

Formed from microscopic crystals of quartz, this popular stone is common to the United States, India, Morocco, Czech Republic, Brazil and Africa.

Agates are very stable crystals and are considered to be grounding stones. Bringing about an emotional, physical, and intellectual balance, they aid in centering and stabilizing physical energy.

Agate has the power to harmonize yin and yang, the positive and negative forces which hold the universe in place. It aids with the acceptance of one's self, this builds self-confidence. It helps to bring your attention to any uneasiness, which may be interfering with your well-being.

Emotionally, this crystal is said to overcome negativity and bitterness of the heart. It heals inner anger, fostering love and the courage to start again. It is useful for any kind of emotional trauma by dissolving internal tension to create as sense of safety and security.

Can be blue, yellow, red or white. The pyramidal crystals can appear as a medium to large cluster, geode, or platelike piece.

Sourced in Britain, Egypt, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Libya and Madagascar. It is a very popular crystal and usually quite expensive.

Celestite has a high vibration and permeates divine energies. It takes you to the infinite peace of the spiritual and contacts the angelic realms. It is claimed to be useful for stimulating clairvoyant communication, dream recall and journeys out of the body. This beautiful crystal promotes purity of the heart and attracts good fortune. It heals the aura and reveals truth.

It is a stone that brings balance and alignment. The deep peace that it holds helps resolve conflict and brings harmony in times of stress.

It's soothing influence relaxes muscle tension and helps calm the mind. It can be helpful in eliminating toxins and is said to ease disorders of the eyes and ears. A large piece placed in any room it will heighten the vibrations. Don't put it in direct sunlight as the colour will fade.

The colour can vary from yellow to yellowish brown or smoky grey-brown. It can be found in Brazil, Russia, France, Madagascar, Britain and the United States as transparent crystals, in all sizes, often as a geode, point or cluster.

It is a powerful cleanser and regenerator. Carrying the power of the sun, this is an exceedingly beneficial stone as it is warming, energising and highly creative. This crystal never needs cleansing, it absorbs, dissipates, and grounds negative energy therefore is deemed protective for the environment.

Citrine is one of the stones of abundance. This dynamic stone is said to teach how to manifest and attract wealth, prosperity and success. It helps raise self esteem and improves confidence levels by promoting a positive attitude and encouraging optimism.

It is an excellent stone for energising and recharging.

Place it in the 'wealth corner' of your home or business, this being the farthest left back point from the front door or the door into an individual room. Citrine fades in sunlight.

Pink and usually translucent but may be transparent; Rose Quartz comes in all sizes. It is a very popular crystal and comes from South Africa, United States, Brazil, Japan, India and Madagascar.

It is the most important crystal for affairs of the heart, it purifies and opens the heart at all levels and teaches the true essence of love.

If you want to attract love, look no further than romantic Rose Quartz. Placed by your bed or in the relationship corner of your home (farthest right corner from the front door) it is said to be extremely effective. It draws off negative energy and replaces it with loving vibes.

Holding Rose Quartz enhances positive affirmations and promotes receptivity to beauty of all kinds. Emotionally it is said to be the finest healer, it encourages self-forgiveness and acceptance, and evokes self-trust and self-worth.

Pink or red in colour and can appear mottled, often flecked with black. Often small and tumbled which is ideal for jewellery. Rhodonite balances the emotions, it nurtures love and encourages the brotherhood of humanity.

This stone is said to stimulate, clear and activate the emotions of the heart. It grounds energy, balances yin-yang, and aids in achieving one's highest potential. It clears away emotional wounds from the past and has strong resonance with forgiveness. This stone assists reconciliation and is said to promote unselfish self-love.

Can be green, orange, brown, blue, cream, lavender, red or white. It is translucent or creamy in appearance and can have a 'soapy' feel. It comes in all sizes and is found in the United States, China, Italy, Myanmar, Russia and the Middle East.

Jade is the symbol of purity and serenity. Much prized in the East, it signifies wisdom gathered in tranquillity. Being associated with affairs of the heart it increases love and nurturing. It is a protective stone and is believed to keep the wearer from harm by bringing harmony. It is also said to attract good luck and friendship.

Jade soothes the mind by dispelling negative thoughts, stimulates ideas and makes tasks seem less complex so they can be acted upon.

Spiritually, Jade encourages you to become who you really are, it assists in recognising yourself as a spiritual being on a human journey and awakens hidden knowledge.

Green Jade is a very popular colour; it calms the nervous system and channels passion in constructive ways. It is also said to help harmonise dysfunctional relationships.

Comes in Red, pink, green, orange, yellow, brown and black and is readily available worldwide. Garnet inspires love and devotion. It helps to alleviate emotional disharmony.

Garnet is said to be a powerfully energising stone, it revitalises, purifies and balances energy, bringing serenity and passion as appropriate. It is said to be able to warn of approaching danger and was long ago carried as a protective talisman.

It is also a useful stone to have in a crisis and is particularly helpful in situations were life seems traumatic. It fortifies and strengthens the survival instinct bringing courage and hope to seemingly hopeless situations.

Crisis can often be turned into challenge under the influence of Garnet.

Can be Olive green, yellowish green, honey, red, or brownish colour. Increasingly popular this gemstone comes from the United States, Brazil, Egypt, Ireland, Russia, Sri Lanka and the Canary Islands.

In ancient times, Peridot was believed to keep away evil spirits. It is a powerful cleanser, releasing and neutralising toxins on a number of levels. It opens and cleanses the heart of 'old baggage' and burdens can be cleared away.

Peridot helps show you the way to detach yourself from outside influences and to look to your own higher energies for guidance. It can sharpen the mind and opens it to new levels of awareness. The influence of Peridot can often improve difficult relationships.

You may have seen several conflicting pieces about Birthstones. This is usually because they have different origins in different cultures. Here is a selection of popular stones attributed to common astrological signs.

Benefits to the experienced Yoga practitioner.

• Stretches the entire front of the body, ankles, thighs and groin, abdomen and chest, and throat, and deep hip flexors (psoas).
• Strengthens the back muscles.
• Improves posture.
• Stimulates the organs of the abdomen and neck.

Benefits to the experienced Yoga practitioner.

• Stretches the shoulders and chest.
• Stretches the thighs, groin, and abdomen.
• Strengthens the legs and ankles.
• Improves balance.

Benefits to the experienced Yoga practitioner.

• Strengthens thighs, calves, ankles, and spine.
• Stretches the groin and inner thighs, chest and shoulders.
• Improves sense of balance.
• Relieves sciatica and reduces flat feet.

Benefits to the experienced Yoga practitioner.

• Calms the brain.
• Stimulates the pelvis, spine, abdomen, and bladder.
• Improves sense of balance.
• Eases menstrual discomfort and sciatica.
• Consistent practice of this pose until late into pregnancy is said to help ease childbirth.
• Traditional texts say that Padmasana destroys all disease and awakens kundalini.

With its threefold nature, special shape and unique sound, Om lends itself to a variety of detailed symbolic interpretations.

The symbol of AUM consists of three curves (curves 1, 2, and 3), one semicircle (curve 4), and a dot. The large lower curve 1 symbolizes the waking state (jagrat), in this state the consciousness is turned outwards through the gates of the senses. The larger size signifies that this is the most common ('majority') state of the human consciousness.

The upper curve 2 denotes the state of deep sleep (sushupti) or the unconscious state. This is a state where the sleeper desires nothing nor beholds any dream.

The middle curve 3 (which lies between deep sleep and the waking state) signifies the dream state (swapna). In this state the consciousness of the individual is turned inwards, and the dreaming self beholds an enthralling view of the world behind the lids of the eyes.

These are the three states of an individual's consciousness, and since Indian mystic thought believes the entire manifested reality to spring from this consciousness, these three curves therefore represent the entire physical phenomenon.

The dot signifies the fourth state of consciousness, known in Sanskrit as turiya. In this state the consciousness looks neither outwards nor inwards, nor the two together. It signifies the coming to rest of all differentiated, relative existence This utterly quiet, peaceful and blissful state is the ultimate aim of all spiritual activity. This Absolute (non-relative) state illuminates the other three states.

Finally, the semi circle symbolizes maya and separates the dot from the other three curves. Thus it is the illusion of maya that prevents us from the realization of this highest state of bliss.

The four leaf clover is a universally accepted symbol of good luck. It's origin is ages old and according to legend, Eve carried a four leaf clover from the Garden of Eden. Druids held the 4 leaf clover in high esteem and also considered them a sign of luck.

In 1620, Sir John Melton wrote; if a man walking in the fields find any four-leafed grass, he shall in a small while after find some good thing.

According to Irish folklore, finding a stem of clover with 4 leaves will bring you good luck, especially if found by accident, but finding a stem with more than 4 leaves will not bring you even more luck, some with as many as twenty leaves have been known.

The mystique of the four-leaf clover continues today, since finding a real four leaf clover is still a rare occurrence (10,000 to 1) and an omen of good luck. The leaves symbolise hope, faith, love and the fourth is for luck.