I have chosen to talk about these two crystals as they are associated with the months of July and August but also because of their healing properties.

This stunningly beautiful deep red stone is generally imbued with the ability to inspire better health overall. The ruby historically used to be rubbed against the skin to promote youth and vitality. It has been used for centuries to alleviate pain in the body and promote better circulation. It helps improve energy in the body and energy flow in general, as it is associated with the blood due to its deep red colour. Ruby is also said to improve concentration and creativity and inspires loyalty, honor and compassion. Often given as a token of love, and therefore associated with the heart, I believe that due to its darker colour it is more relatable to the base chakra. Ruby is also said to protect the wearer from psychic attack and can be used as an overall protection stone.

As with all stones the way to get the best from your crystal is to ensure that it is cleansed and charged. As a relatively hard stone of the Moh’s scale of hardness, Ruby can be cleansed easily in water and won’t scratch easily so can be rubbed with a cloth under the water. Being associated with the sun, I would leave it out on a warm sunny day to allow it to soak up the powerful rays to charge it back to its full intensity.

This is one of my favourite stones. My son brought me back a piece of volcanic rock from Iceland many years ago which had little peridot crystals embedded in the basalt rock. It was truly beautiful. Like Ruby, Peridot is believed to deliver good health to the wearer but also aids restful sleep and brings peace to relationships by balancing both the mind and emotions. It is a really feel good crystal and lifts ones mood almost instantaneously, automatically reducing stress. This is probably due to it being associated with the heart chakra due to its beautiful green colour. Peridots ability to balance gives us the ability to be our true self within our environment. It is also a great cleanser and in times of old Peridot was believed to repel evil spirits. It is the perfect stone to use to aid you in breaking bad habits and setting positive new ones.

Peridot can also be cleansed in water. Rather than rubbing this stone with a cloth I would allow it to sit in running water for a while and then allow to dry naturally. This stone would be best charged in the sun, smudge it with sage or bury it in the earth for a short time but avoid large temperature changes as it is not as hardy as other gem stones.