by Cole Exley
Witches are no strangers to the power of color. We wrap ourselves in black for protection, light pink candles to attract romance, and construct altars of red and orange when we celebrate our fire festivals. One of the easiest ways we can practice color magick is through the use of precious gems and stones. Crystal properties aren’t based entirely on their hue, of course, but color is always a good indication of what kind of energy they emit. For example, you can bet a blue crystal will help you communicate effectively, as this color corresponds with the Throat chakra. Building your understanding of color magick makes choosing crystals a thousand times easier, giving you a foundation of knowledge to lean on whether you know anything about a specific stone or not. It’s an incredibly useful bit of knowledge in many areas of witchcraft, from reading Tarot cards to performing glamor magick. While these articles will primarily focus on applying color theory to crystal magick, feel free to use them as a reference for any part of your practice.
Yellow: Gemini's Power Color
Gemini season's energy is as lively as it is overstimulating. After the slow steadiness of Taurus season, Gemini kicks things into gear and we suddenly find ourselves busy and our plates full. It’s that time of year when you want to get out there and do as much as you can before the sun sets - multitasking is a must. There’s a certain sense of restlessness every year, a rush to get into the summer groove. What color perfectly captures this juxtaposition of joyful excitement and unease? Yellow does, and it just so happens to be the color associated with this flighty air sign.
Yellow, like Gemini, is multifaceted. It isn’t as simple to sum up as some of the other colors we see. While it’s officially the color of this Mercurial sign, its associated planet is the Sun, linking it to fiery Leo as well. After the Moon has her moment and Cancer season runs its course, the collective’s energy will start to synchronize well with yellow themes again at the end of July.
Yellow gives us a buzz!
Yellow is a bright and joyful color that reminds us of summer and sunshine, yet it also triggers our nervous system. This is why you’ll see yellow used for things like caution signs and school buses - it tells us to pay attention, and be careful! Certain hues can even cause us anxiety or stress, so it’s interesting that it is also seen as the most positive color.
A benefit to being so stimulated by yellow is that we can use it to stay focused and productive. If you struggle to stay on task or complete more tedious chores, yellow can give you the boost you need. It’s a color that helps you access all of your potential. It sees your power and insists you not only see it too, but utilize it inventively. This makes it a powerful friend when it comes to manifestation and creative ritual work. Of course, this is also due to yellow’s relevance to gold, one of the most common archetypes of wealth. Not many of us have a lot of gold lying around though, so yellow candles and pyrite make more sense for the modern witch.
Read on to find out about some of our favorite yellow and gold crystals, and find a whole collection that you can have for yourself here!
Solar Power
Throughout cultures across the world, the Sun is revered as a powerful paternal entity, a bringer of life and breaker of darkness. Using yellow in color magick is very similar to Sun worship, looking to a constant brightness to bestow some of that light onto our lives. This can look like confidence when you’re feeling low, joy in a period of grief, or inspiration disrupting stagnancy. Whatever illumination or relief you’re seeking, you can feel secure asking for it, knowing that light is limitless, an unending source that’s existed longer than time itself. Working with yellow makes you face the fact that you are not a burden. Asking for help, wanting more, and dreaming without limits are part of the human experience. We are meant to seek the light in this world, take it inside ourselves, and let it guide us to the bigger and better.
Turn to yellow crystals when you’re feeling burnt out, depleted, uninspired. They revitalize and uplift you, filling you with hope and leaving no room for doubt or insecurity. Lying on your back and placing your stone just below the navel will allow you to take in this energy to the fullest extent - this is where yellow’s corresponding chakra is located, the solar plexus. The Solar Plexus or Navel Chakra is the home of our ego, fueling our willpower and ambition. I like to think of this chakra as a mini Sun inside yourself, keeping your drive burning hot and your confidence radiant. Just as the Sun represents your identity as a whole in astrology, the Solar Plexus Chakra reminds you who you are when activated.
Golden Amethyst
The vibes of this crystal are as sweet as its name; bright yellow and full of rainbows, golden amethyst is your personal joy portal. Turn to this stone when you’re feeling broken down, when your inner light is dim, when you feel lost in a sea of gray. It is a gentle and loving healer, slowly mending your aura with radiant love. If you feel empty or like you’re missing a piece of yourself, place a piece on your Solar Plexus to fill those gaps with light. We all deserve moments of feeling whole - golden amethyst wants to help you get there.
Citrine
A stone of imagination and creativity, citrine helps us bridge the gap between dreams and reality. It tells us that not only can the beauty in our mind’s eye transfer to the outside world, but that it must, for our sake and others (which makes it the perfect ingredient for Apocalypse Potion by Dori Midnight!) Citrine is a type of quartz, bringing clearing and amplifying energy to our endeavors, alongside strength and willpower from iron inclusions. If you’re ready to put your all into a passion project, citrine will help you see it through.
Pyrite
Even though most of us grew up calling it fool’s gold, pyrite is not a crystal to overlook. When it comes to anything manifestation or money magick, this is the HausWitch coven’s go-to crystal - check out HausMagick by our Head Witch in Charge for a spell called, “Py-Write it Down!” Pyrite is a magnet for your yearnings and an amplifier of your willpower. I like to think of working with this stone as creating an energetic treasure map. It helps you tap into your heart’s desires, then sets you on a path right towards the prize. Try taking some of our Pyrite Gem Essence before your next outing or opportunity and watch the magic unfold. Who doesn’t love some, “if you want it, you got it,” energy?
Lemon Quartz
Lemon quartz is an interesting combination of quartz, amethyst, and iron, which bind under extreme heat. When you’re feeling burnt out, unfocused, or uninspired, this crystal is a great companion. Lemon quartz has big boss energy, increasing our productivity and efficiency with an extra dash of optimism. It’ll keep you on task without dragging your feet. Try putting a piece in your pocket the next time your executive functioning needs a boost, or when your next project idea just won’t come through. Keeping us open to new, unconventional ideas and offering solutions with a twist are a big part of lemon quartz’s magick.
Gold Calcite
Gold Calcite is known for hues varying from almost clear to dark gold, and hiding lots of rainbows inside. From The Pocket Book of Stones "Honey Calcite (aka Gold Calcite) assists in bringing about that unique combination of mental clarity, focused energy, and groundedness necessary to successfully complete complex tasks or long-term projects. It is one of the best stones for all types of work situations requiring full attention and persistence over the long haul."
Golden Fluorite
Golden Fluorite has a powerful effect on the Solar Plexus, stabilizing it and allowing it to flourish. This stone helps us take charge and exercise our personal power in a healthy manner. It builds our confidence and self-trust, allowing us to become better leaders and creatives. Golden Fluorite is also an ally of the mind, bringing focus and clarity when we are scattered. It has all the qualities of rainbow fluorite with a helpful addition of an abundance mindset. It’s truly multi-talented, and it will jump to remind you that you are as well.
Bumblebee Jasper
Despite its name, this stone isn’t technically a type of jasper; it’s a vibrant sedimentary rock containing a variety of material such as sulfur and calcium carbonate. This context is important because bumblebee jasper doesn’t really have a jasper vibe. Its energy is probably more similar to that of a golden retriever or a field of sunflowers. While it may not be great for grounding, it is a stone of pure joy and enthusiasm. Just taking in the bright hue is sure to give you a sense of cheer. When depression or grief are clouding your light, bumblebee jasper reminds you how it feels to turn your face up to the sunshine. Lust for life is the gift bumblebee jasper eagerly offers.
Pineapple Calcite
This is a perfect stone to work with under the stress of capitalism. If the systems we exist within have you spiraling into cynicism, anger, or hopelessness, pineapple calcite is here to support you through it. It’s an iridescent vessel for Divine Love, a reminder that our worth is not determined by how well we function in a system that wasn’t designed for our success. Working with this stone helps you redefine satisfaction and find it in unexpected, unconventional places. Pineapple calcite says, “Power AND pleasure to the people!”
Amber
As you may already know, this isn’t technically a crystal. Amber is formed by the fossilization of natural plant resins like tree sap (which also produces the amber perfume!) Some rarer pieces will even have ancient life preserved inside (usually bugs or beetles). According to The Pocket Book of Stones, amber varies from most of my other suggestions because it channels solar warmth instead of solar light. It brings a sense of purpose and wellbeing to those who work with it, nurturing the ignored parts of ourselves and building a stronger sense of stability. This is also a material associated with prosperity, especially when you’re seeking it in the form of self-transformation. Reach for amber in times of stagnancy, illness, or grief for an energetic hug- bathe in Amber's vibes with a Love Ritual Bath Salt!
