which crystals and gemstones would you recommend to start with?

[hernam]

There is a wonderful rock store in my area. I love the calmness I feel in the store. I am a rin g wearer of gemstones but my knowledge is pretty limited. I would like to pirchase a crystal and perhaps amethyst. I suppose there are many things to consider when looking to buy them. Im not sure what to use them for aside from for protection. I am able to channel spirits and would like to strengthen this ability I have. I would also like something to help withbpeace and calmness...
What do wearing gemstone bracelets do for you? Should some not be mixed with others........hmmm perhaps Ineed to read up on it.

[moonincancer]

Clear quartz is good to start with. Lapiz lazuli and in your case I'm getting an orange crystal like carnelian for protection. However , your own intuition should be your final guide. Spend time looking at and holding different crystals. The ones you "like" are probably the ones you need at that time.
Enjoy!

[lovingkind]

Let the crystal choose you. When you are in the store feel the ones calling to you and use your intuition. You can hold them and feel the energy from each crystal. If it feels right it is for you. Good luck and enjoy!

amethyst is a lovely stone to start with, it heals any holes in your aura. chariot for self esteem, aqua aura for psychic protection. quartz is the all round master stone. but most of all select the stones you are most drawn to, rather than selecting to collect as I did yesterday.

Clear quartz is my go-to stone, so I'm a bit biased, but I also think that's one that needs to be a part of every crystal adherent's collection. As has been mentioned here, that is the master stone, and it's versatile enough to perform a lot of the same functions as some more specialized stones. So if you are operating with budgetary or space limitations, I would recommend starting out with the most versatile stones first, so you'll be able to do more with fewer stones while you're building your collection over time.

[hernam]

Thank you all. I picked up quartz, amethyst, and citrine. These are in a natural form.
I also bought some bracelets of hemitite which I get a strength feeling from. I picked up a few others in jasper, carnelian, quartz and amethyst but those have been tumbled, so not sure on the purity as some tumbled stones or cut and polished have been dyed.

I purchaed a quartz in its rock form that you break on your own. I wish they had those in other stones it is neat hitting it open to reveal its form.

[Astral Jane]

I found a website (age-of-e) that describes many types of quartz.
Have you heard of this? I'm looking for info on opaque stones (crystal?) that are white/pink/gold in tone because I have a lot of it.

anyway it was very interesting what it said about candle as well as elestial quartz

Candle Quartz

is a formation of Elestiated Quartz... It is a stone for luminaries of our Earth, providing for thought transmission within the physical realm and between the luminaries of other worlds. It conducts one to the interior of the being and fosters regard for the body as a "mansion for Comprehension". It produces a realization of the damage one consciously allows to to occur to the body and helps one to be more in control of the issues, recognizing the path to ameliorate and to discontinue negative self fulfilling prophesies.

Originally Posted by Astral Jane

I found a website (age-of-e) that describes many types of quartz.
Have you heard of this? I'm looking for info on opaque stones (crystal?) that are white/pink/gold in tone because I have a lot of it.

anyway it was very interesting what it said about candle as well as elestial quartz

Be on the alert when you see different SHAPES of quartz described as though they are different TYPES of quartz. While every quartz point is as unique as a fingerprint, quartz itself (silicon dioxide) is among the most common substances in the earth's crust. QUARTZ is not scarce, nor should it be priced as though it is.

I mention this because I have seen some vendors who differentiate their quartz points according to shape, who also seem to be promoting the idea that their stones are rare in some way. They aren't. What's more, these are the people who tend to PRICE their stones as if they're rare, when they are common.

If you are unsure, then before you buy anything, research prices of comparably-sized quartz stones on other sites, preferably rockhounding sites instead of new-age-oriented sites. Then you'll be able to differentiate between the people who are overcharging vs. the people who are charging fair prices for their wares.

Just a small FYI.

And while I am on my CAVEAT EMPTOR speil...

1. Beware of stones with trademarked names. They are frequently stones that are geologically common, but because the trademarked versions of the stones only come from one source, the owner of the trademark, the vendor marks up the price fantastically. These stones often have an ornate, completely unverifiable-by-third-parties metaphysical backstory to justify their huge markup in price. Let The Buyer Beware. Track down the real, geological names of those stones and decide if you'll be better served from obtaining the same type of crystal from a different source, sans trademark, at a more reasonable price. Think of the story The Emperor Has No Clothes... and remember that it can also happen that the clothes have no emperor.

2. If you encounter stones with new-agey names (ones I can think of are angelite, auralite, and merlinite), look up the geological names of THOSE stones, as well. They will have a geological name ind it's not going to be new-agey sounding. Then price the stones under their REGULAR name and see if the vendor of the new-age-named stones is charging fair prices. If they are, purchase away. If they aren't, vote with your wallet and find a vendor who prices their goods fairly.

OK, I'll step down from the soapbox now. I just don't want inexperienced purchasers going broke because they haven't yet shopped widely enough to notice the price differential between a fairly-priced shop and a shop that charges excessive prices.

[Astral Jane]

thanks L2R :)
I'm actually pretty savvy about prices, not looking to buy any crystals I'm not sure of. I think that website was pretty new-agey-made-up I guess.

I am interested in this milky quartz (very common I know) & its varieties because I live on it - as in I literally live right on top of mountains of tons of it. The kind I find in my yard & hood vary mainly from solid shiny white to pink and orangey, some gray/blue. There's other stuff but that's most of the milky quartz.
SO if crystals are powerful... what does it do to me to live surrounded by it? Today I have had this pink one nearby or in a pocket, it has a lot of the bumpy texture of the candle quartz, if that means anything. Anyway I feel like it must be very conductive because it gets warm and my chakras are buzzing more than usual. Another website described some nice properties of red & orange calcite. I think a lot of these stones are calcite.
Can calcite be quartz? Whats the difference? Gems are pretty new to me. Anyway, I could have lots of both of them in my yard, right?