Selenite is a luminous, elevating stone that I like to call the flashlight of the angels. It resonates with some of the highest, purest, most refined energies available. Selenite is an essential for your crystal healing collection due to its variety of uses. Its energetic transmission clears negativity, calms the emotions, activates the higher chakras, awakens spiritual gifts, and raises your vibration.

Lately I have seen some discussion and controversy online about the difference between Selenite and Satin Spar that I would like to clear up. They are both the same mineral, which is a form of gypsum. It’s the crystalline formation that creates a difference in appearance.

Satin Spar is the most common form, which has a striated, wand-like appearance and a milky white color. It has parallel grooves recessed down the length of the stone. Selenite is the rarer form, which appears as flat, transparent crystals. Both are commonly labeled and sold as Selenite by most retailers. For the sake of this article, I am using the term Selenite to refer to both varieties--Satin Spar and Selenite.

You can never have too much Selenite in your life. In fact, I have dozens of Selenite stones in different sizes and forms. If you are wondering how to work with Selenite to unleash its beneficial properties, here are my top suggestions:

Activate the crown, soul star, and etheric chakras:

Due to its refined and high spiritual vibration, Selenite is a top stone for activating the crown chakra and the etheric chakras above your head. According to my crystal instructor, Katrina Raphaell, Selenite is the best stone for activating the soul star chakra. Located about six inches above the head, the soul star is the gateway that channels infinite source energy into the bio-system. It is part of the mechanism for activating the light body and anchoring it into the physical.

When the higher chakras are activated, your psychic senses and capacity to receive a higher signal are enhanced. It becomes much easier to connect and interface with higher dimensional realms, beings, and energy.

Here is how to safely activate these higher energy centers:

• Lie down comfortably and call in your higher self, Divine Source, and any spirit helpers you like to work with. Hold this intention (or speak it aloud): In a way that is safe and aligned with my highest good, I activate my crown, soul star, and any other etheric chakras that are ready to awaken.

• Place Selenite above your head. If you have a Satin Spar or striated variety, place it vertically so that the striations are running up and down. This creates a pathway for light to channel into the body via the crown chakra.

• Place a Hematite stone a few inches below your feet. It will ground the incoming energy, while simultaneously activating the Earth star chakra.

• Leave these stone in place for a minimum of fifteen minutes, while relaxing and meditating.

Bonus tip: Selenite amplifies the energy of other stones that are placed on top of it. You could place other high vibration stones on top of the Selenite, so that they are delivered into the body on wave of high and soft Selenite energy. Some good options: Amethyst, Labradorite, Charoite, Sugilite, Moldavite, Pietersite, Celestite, Angelite, Danburite, or Moonstone.

Clear negative energy and blockages from your chakras:

Selenite purifies and clears many forms of negative energy that might create blockages in your chakras and energy system--such as entities, attachments, blockages, psychic attack, and EMFs. It brings in pure white light that can transform any lower vibrational energy you might be carrying.

Simply place a Selenite over any chakra or area of the body that needs clearing and leave it in place for a minimum of fifteen minutes. Sometimes the trick is knowing which chakra(s) are affected.

Trust your instincts. You might feel tightness or constriction in the area of the affected chakra. You may notice which areas of your life seem blocked and then determine which chakra corresponds to that issue. (For example, if you are experiencing a slump in your personal relationships or an inability to access your emotions, you may have a heart chakra blockage.)

Alternatively, you could use a pendulum to detect energy blockages in your chakras. Hold the pendulum about six inches above the chakra you are checking and ask the pendulum to reflect how the energy is moving there. If the chakra is open, the pendulum will start to move in a circle. If the pendulum does not move at all, or if it moves back and forth, there is a blockage present.

If you are still not sure if a chakra is blocked, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to go ahead and treat it by placing Selenite there for at least fifteen minutes.

Clear and seal your aura:

It is not uncommon to get rips, holes, tears, and fissures in your aura. This can happen due to stress, exposure to negative energy, not taking care of yourself, or even influxes of high frequency light. When this occurs, it is important to clear your aura of any negative energy that might have infiltrated it, and to seal your aura to prevent energy leakage.

Work with a long Selenite wand, holding it horizontally. Hold the intention that it is removing negative energy, while sealing any holes or fissures. Start above your head and work down to your feet, running it through your aura on all sides and all around you. Use your intuition to guide your motions. If you feel a knot or a sense of resistance in any area, go over that spot a few times until it feels lighter or smoother.

Cleanse and charge other stones and jewelry:

Selenite will amplify and clear the energy of any stone you place on top of it. A beautiful idea is to obtain a larger Selenite log and dedicate it as a clearing platform for your smaller gemstone treasures.

Simply place any jewelry or other stones on top of the Selenite and leave them there for a minimum of thirty minutes to clear them. At the end of the day, I like to place any jewelry I wore on top of my Selenite. In the morning, they are clear, charged, and ready to go.

Raise the vibration of your living space:

Selenite is one of the best stones for clearing and uplifting your home environment or any space where it is placed. It transmutes any lower vibrational energy into pure white light, while making your home feel like a holy temple. Selenite lamps or towers work wonderfully and add a touch of beauty. You could place one in each room, or wherever it might be needed.

Another beautiful idea is to incorporate Selenite into a crystal grid. They make wonderful centerpieces in grids, and the striated Satin Spar variety lends itself well to being connectors. You could place them in between different stones in your grid to promote energy flow.

Here are some basic steps for building a crystal grid to raise the vibration of your space.

• Select and gather a group of crystals that have a high vibration--such as Selenite, Amethyst, Apophyllite, Celestite, Angelite, Kunzite, Danburite, Herkimer Diamond, Elestial Quartz, Lemurian Quartz, or Labradorite. Cleanse them.

• Use your intuition to place them into a geometric pattern or a shape. Some examples: circle, square, triangle, star, spiral. You could use smaller, Satin Spars as connectors between larger stones.

• Work with a Selenite wand to activate your grid. State an intention aloud, such as: I activate this grid to keep the energy of my living space high, clear, and beautiful. Use the Selenite wand to trace the pattern of your grid three times.

Calm your emotions:

Selenite brings in the peace and calm of the higher realms, where all is well. Grab it when you are experiencing anxiety, stress, panic, overwhelm, anger, grief or any intense emotional state. The Satin Spar variety also has a pronounced centering effect. Stroke the striations and breathe deeply to bring yourself back into a calm and centered space.

Selenite has so many beautiful qualities and applications that it’s like the swiss army knife of the mineral kingdom. Work with it to light up every facet of your life.