The New Year looms upon us, bringing about a season of fresh pickings, new beginnings, and opportunities to cultivate growth in our lives—whatever this may look like for you. In January, we proudly celebrate the releases of Sarah Lampkin’s To Dream Is to Die (January 8th), and Amber R. Duell’s Dream Keeper (January 29th). Both spellbinding tales center around a hauntingly similar topic, and it's for this reason that The Parliament House is celebrating with a New Year, and New Dreams theme.
All over the world, dreams are perceived differently. For some they are simple anomalies that occur in sleep. For others, dreams are far more than folly—a crystal ball into the human psyche.
Although we cannot control precisely what goes on in our nighttime ventures between the realms of consciousness and naught, there are ways we can protect ourselves from unwanted nightmares—and perhaps otherworldly beings that go bump in the night.
Today, crystals and stones are trendy and absolutely gorgeous to display, but we musn’t forget the powerful healing properties they wield. There are a handful to be used for dealing with sleep, but here, I’ll share the crystals I like to keep at my bedside for protection. A crisp Winter's eve with even the slightest bit of moonlight to amplify everything, is the perfect time for crystals to work their earthly magic.
I like to use stones that not only protect my dreams, but ones that simultaneously aid in healing as well. Depending on what I have on hand, I try to steer clear of stones with sharp or too-rough edges for the bedside table. Although beautiful to look at, wands and other pillared, pointed stones are of better use when one isn't sleeping, as they tend to vibrate at a higher frequency. Any rotund, oval, or tumbled version of the stones do well to project the softer energies ideal for slumber.
Rose Quartz
Rose Quartz is a stone I carry in my back pocket daily, but I have a larger sphere for my bedroom shelf. Often overlooked for its widely known relation to the heart chakra and uses in romance, we often forget that it also strongly promotes self-love.
Hematite
Hematite is a beautifully reflective metallic stone that connects our physical bodies to the ethereal world. In dreams where one inadvertently wanders, it can act as a great grounding stone. It also helps transform our metaphorical dreams and aspirations into reality, so a hematite ring or bracelet (relatively inexpensive and found in any metaphysical shop) wouldn’t hurt in the daytime, too!
Red Jasper
If you hold no interest in dabbling in lucid dreaming or astral projection and want to remain sound in bed, this stone is for you. Red Jasper helps keep our energy safely contained as we sleep, stabilizing our aura and protecting boundaries.
Black Tourmaline
This was my first true love in the realm of crystal magic. After a tough season in my life, I ambled into a wellness studio called Saffron & Sage hoping to get a reiki (energy work) massage. They could immediately tell I held emotional tension in my upper back and jaw, so they asked me what they could help with. Sleep, I told them first and foremost. My insomnia. I didn’t say much else before a stone was placed in my hand, mysteriously ridged and black as pitch. It certainly helped me sleep like I hadn't been able to in months, and I was more easily able to focus on maintaining my posture and managing my emotions.
Like any other medium of energy, the vibrations that crystals possess can be depleted when used up. This is because once the crystals are removed from the earth, they lose their ability to recharge themselves. When this happens, beware going too long without cleansing or charging them—stagnant and harmful energies could replace the positive charge. You may revitalize them for a couple hours under sunlight or moonlight... whichever of the two strike your fancy.
Adding the enchantment of crystals to your nightly regimen can help with goals of improving sleep quality and encourage pleasant or adventurous dreams. It can smooth out rough, toxic areas of life, clarifying priorities and relationships in the messages delivered through our dreams. Earth magic, after all, surrounds us—waiting to be harnessed for good.
Bedtime Crystal Ritual
I know it's difficult, but ideally we should be off our phones (or any electronic device) 30 minutes to one hour before bed. Put on some soft music or a guided meditation you enjoy instead! I like to put on traditional/ folk Celtic music, as it's very grounding to me.
Rub your favorite essential oil on the soles of your feet, making sure to cover your big toe especially. Any excess can go on the back of your neck. My favorite oils for this are Frankincense or Vetiver.
Lie down comfortably on your mattress. Although I'm a water sign, I personally find water more energizing—on the other hand, fire is extremely soothing to me. I like to light a single candle. Just remember to extinguish the flame before falling asleep.
Place a piece of rose quartz over your heart or on your chest to quiet your heart and mind.
Place a piece of clear quartz over your third eye to neutralize all bodily energies.
Close your eyes, let the music relax your muscles and let the crystals work their magic for a minimum of ten minutes, ensuring you are back in your body when you get up to place your crystals back aside—and blow out that candle—before you go to sleep.
Thank you for reading, and sweetest dreams.
Don't forget to look out for Sarah Lampkin's newest release, To Dream Is to Die, out January 8th, and Amber Duell's Dream Keeper, out January 29th!