Reflections on Extraordinary Talismans for Everyday Life

From amethyst to obsidian,Basic Witchesauthor Jaya Saxena explores the multi-faceted meanings and history behind eleven popular crystals in this relatable personal essay collection.

Highly prized for their beauty, crystals can take the shape of jewelry, household objects, and an array of self-care products.But its the ideas they stand for that draw people to their raw forms.Like astrology, tarot, and modern witchcraft, crystals help practitioners understand themselves and the wider world around them.

In this collection of sharply observed essays, Jaya Saxena reflects onand challengesthe ideas associated with eleven popular stones, including unconditional love (rose quartz), happiness and success (citrine), balance (amethyst), self-care (black tourmaline), purity (pearl), imposter syndrome (pyrite), toxic positivity (carnelian), change (opals), traditional concepts of marriage (diamonds), presentation versus identity (obsidian), and death (amber).

The result is a deeply personal book with universal appeal, exploring howwe assign meaning and power to crystals in order to give meaning and power to our lives.