Quartz Formations

Quartz Crystal Characteristics Explained

➤ By Liz Oakes

The quartz formations are valuable characteristics that have a strong bearing on the properties of a particular crystal.

Quartz Crystals Explained With Real Crystal Images: the crystal configurations and structure are a very important part of how quartz crystals may work to aid your healing.

These formations, also thought of as crystal shapes, may be helpful for you to know when you are weighing up which specific crystal to buy.

The quartz variety, in other words the various colored quartz types, also has a real relationship to how they can help you. The characteristics and metaphysical properties of quartz are mostly related to the crystal type.

But in addition the way that the stone is configured and its habits, also called its shape, will have a strong bearing on how its properties benefit you.

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The Various Quartz Formations

There are a large number of different quartz formations, and these are covered over three articles, the first below as well as two others. 

The quartz formations or shapes are explained simply with an image of a real crystal to illustrate each of the configurations or structures.

Many of them may be known by more than one name as various authors have given these configurations their own specific names, when they discuss their metaphysical attributes and healing properties.

Where possible I have tried to detail the most common names that are used, when I discuss them in the in-depth section about each of the quartz formations.

So you may find that various quartz formations or crystal shapes have an alternative name that relates to common characteristics. 

If you are seeking information on a specific name you may find it discussed in one of the sections under another name as it may have more than one name.

More and more of these crystals are being discovered and brought out of the earth, and by people who love the earth and bring them out with care.

Once you discover their very special characteristics you can use them to aid your healing.

Quartz Formations List: Part One

As were too many quartz configurations on this list, so I divided them into three sections. The stones in the first list below are covered in detail on this page.

Quartz Formations List Part One:

Activation Quartz also called Time Link Portal, Barnacle Crystal, Beta Quartz, Bridge, Burr, Candle or Celestial Quartz, Cathedral also known as Lightbrary, Channelling or Initiation Crystals, Crater Crystals, Cross Quartz, Crystal Balls or Spheres, Devic, Dolphin Crystals, Double Terminated and Elestial Quartz.

Quartz Formations List: Parts Two & Three

There are also another two lists as the rest of the formations were split into two sections making three in total. This means that there are now three articles listing separate meanings of the individual quartz structures and formations.

List Part two Quartz Structure:

Empathic Warrior, Enhydro, Etched Quartz, Extra Terminations or ET's, Faden Quartz, Fairy Crystals, Fenster, Generators, Geodes, Grounding Quartz Crystals, Growth Interference Quartz, Isis, Japan Law Twin, Key Quartz, Laser Wands and Lemurian Seed Crystals.

List Part Three: Quartz Configurations

Manifestation Quartz, Overcoat Crystal, Phantom, Quartz Clusters, Rainbow Quartz, Record Keeper, Sceptre, Seer Stone, Self Healed Quartz, Singing Quartz, Tabular, Temple Heart Dow aka Trans-Channeling, Transmitter aka Integration Crystals, Trigger Crystals, Trigonic, Twin Crystals and Window Quartz.

Quartz Formations: Individual Meanings

The specific meanings and characteristics of the individual quartz formations is in the article below. I am using the meanings as described by some of the more well known crystal writers, but the use of crystals is an evolving situation.

The more that quartz crystals are used the more interesting pieces of stone are brought out of the earth.

Many alternative names may be used to describe a particular quartz configuration and the major features that they are known for.

Be aware that you may discover new metaphysical attributes about one of the crystal shapes or formations once you begin using it.

New Ways Of Classifying Quartz May Be Added Later

New ways of classifying them may be added if and when I feel it is necessary.

Not all quartz formations are listed here, and this article does not cover the types of different crystals.

Check out the article on various types of quartz crystals for a list of quartz types, to see if the one you are looking for, has had an in-depth article written about it.

Note: Some of the pictures shown below are of specific types of crystals, and clicking on the image may take you to the specific article about that type of stone.

For example Clear Quartz, Citrine, Lithium Quartz, Lepidolite in Quartz or Golden Rutilated Quartz which are some of the stones in these pages.

Quartz Formations: Specific Configurations

Activation Quartz

Activation Quartz are also known as Time Link Quartz or Portal Quartz and they can be inclined. See the meaning below of the right or left inclined types.

These are quartz formations that have a rectangular window which may also look like a little triangle in some crystals, often quite small, between two of the other faces.

The rectangle/triangle is usually inclined and will be left or right inclined, when you are looking at the main face with the point upwards, and these have separate meanings.

The left activation quartz is inclined left from the main or primary face of the piece of crystal that it is on.

This is a useful crystal to stimulate left brain thought, so it may stimulate logical, objective and analytical thinking, and it may help to remove energy blockages within the opposite or right side of the body.

The right activation quartz is inclined towards the right of the main or primary face of the crystal, and it may help to remove energy blockages within the opposite or left side of the body.

This vibration may assist right brain thinking, including creativity, creative writing, musical abilities and the ability to express your emotions more clearly.

Barnacle Crystals

Barnacle Crystals are larger crystals that are covered with smaller crystals, usually not all over, but may be just covering part of the bigger crystal.

These big crystals are often old soul crystals, that attract the smaller crystals at some time during their growth cycle.

The image above is of the same large crystal cluster shown further down the page, as it has many tiny crystals on the bottom side of it.

The metaphysical attributes of barnacle crystals relate to their relationship to the idea of family, community or to being of service.

They can be helpful to aid family issues and to assist those who work in a service capacity, so healers may like to have one in their healing room.

People who may particularly benefit from the energy of quartz formations like these, may be those who work as doctors, nurses, teachers or healers, or anyone who has strong feelings about the giving of service to others.

Beta Quartz

Beta Quartz is a type of quartz that is named for its specific form, as it occurs as hexagonal or trapezohedral-hemihedral crystals.

Their crystal properties pertain to their use to interpret the meaning of dreams and visions from spirit.

This will help to ensure you receive a clear channel of information from the Divine source or from your higher self. These quartz formations are also helpful to have on you when divining or dowsing.

They will help you to clearly decipher directional information, and be able to deduce the answers to all questions asked as you go.

Bridge Crystals

Bridge Crystals are also sometimes called inner child crystals.

These crystals can be distinguished by the way that part of one crystal is partially penetrating another crystal, and may regularly be found in crystal clusters.

This is one of the quartz formations that may be an asset for spiritual work, as they may form a bridge between this world and the spiritual realm.

They are known to be useful to help anyone who is teaching others, and particularly teachers of subjects of a spiritual nature.

The crystal shown here is a piece of Satyaloka Quartz, and it therefore makes sense to me that it would show this configuration as it is a highly spiritual quartz variety.

Burr Crystals

Burr Crystals radiate from the center, but in no particular structure as they do not actually have a center matrix.

These beautiful clusters have a delicate and quite lovely form.

Some authors also call these starburst crystals, but Burr is my preferred name, as starburst can be confusing as that also refers to another quartz type.

This is a stunning crystal configuration, as energy from the many points flows out in all directions.

This is one of the more unusual quartz formations, as the crystals grow in their own way with no particular restrictions on their growth.

This is an analogy for the way this energy works in your life, as these beautiful crystals motivate you to live your life without a need for limits, allowing a flow of energy within your life.

Candle Quartz or Celestial Quartz

Candle Quartz is also known as Celestial Quartz and they are quite unique quartz formations.

This formation always has a central crystal, that is surrounded by many tiny terminations all over the body of the crystal.

This resembles the way that wax drips from a candle, hence the name Candle Quartz.

They often occur as a group of crystals, like the one shown here, with other smaller central crystals below the major point, see smaller points at bottom left.

Each of the smaller crystals have the same type of terminations on their sides.

The metaphysical attributes of this quartz configuration, relate to a number of diverse aspects.

They are known to be an aid to bestow abundance in your life, and are helpful in any room where business is carried on, as they are known to stimulate the prosperity of the business.

They are also wonderful stones to use for meditation, as they help you to make a stronger connection with the Divine mind, and may help to  strengthen your intuition.

They are powerful to support travel in the higher realms, and may help you to discover past life information from the Akashic records.

Cathedral Quartz

Cathedral Quartz has a quite obvious configuration, and quite a few of these pieces are quite large stunning crystals.

This configuration relates to a stone with one point that is above the rest like a peak.

It is surrounded by many points surrounding the central one, parallel to but not quite as tall as the central point, and all of the points have a common central base.

This is one of the more useful quartz formations to use for group work, and even smaller pieces with this configuration are excellent to use to bring people together.

It is an excellent crystal to make a connection with the Divine mind, and it will help you to raise the thoughts of the group to a higher vibration, so is useful to have present during a group meditation.

Also Called Lightbrary Quartz

These crystals are also known as Lightbrary (or light libraries) as they are useful to aid you to make a connection to the Akashic records.

At this time you may gain access to information about past lives, and help you to understand your reasons for incarnating at this time.

This configuration makes a good healing crystal as well. If the crystal is small enough, it can be used by placing it directly over the area requiring healing.

While the clear quartz Lightbrary crystals are common, it is also found in Smokey Quartz and commonly as Citrine Kundalini Quartz, and occasionally in other formations, like Lepidolite Quartz shown above.

Channeling Quartz

Channeling Quartz Crystals can be recognized by their specific 7-3 configuration.

They have a seven sided face as the main face on the crystal, and this is known as a channeller face.

On the opposite or back side, they also have a triangular face. There are three different types of quartz formations that are known as channeling crystals.

This relates to how many of the 7-3 combinations occur on the crystal. They may occur with one, two or three pairs of faces, each seven and three sided.

The picture shown here is the main or largest crystal in a clear quartz crystal cluster, and it has only one each of the 7 sided and 3 sided faces.

Those with one pair are known as Initiation crystals, with two pairs Integration or Transmitter crystals.

Those with three pairs of faces, each with seven and three sides, are known as Temple Heart Dow or trans-channelling crystals.

All of these quartz formations are excellent used in meditation, and they are all powerful crystals to stimulate spiritual growth.

They have strong action to aid you to elevate your spirituality and to make major changes in your life.

Crater Quartz

Crater Quartz are where two pieces of quartz have been growing together and then during their life cycle they separate.

Where the base of the other crystal was located it can leave a large four to six sided impression in the other crystal.

Crater crystals are one of the quartz formations that are helpful to help you to deal with grief, loss or separation.

While these are personal crystals that you use to aid your own healing, they can be used during a crystal healing and might be placed  on or around the heart chakra, to help you to release grief and heart ache.

Cross Quartz

Cross Quartz Crystal is a quartz crystal that forms in the shape of a cross. You can see an example of this configuration in this gorgeous high vibration Himalayan Crystal shown here.

The vibration of the cross crystal is an excellent energy to use at all or any chakras, and it will quickly clear and activate the chakra.

This is one of the quartz formations that may be helpful if you are studying spiritual subjects, the arts or humanities.

It is helpful to enhance your creativity and these crystals are known to help to remove implants too.

Used at the crown chakra, these crystal stones will amplify the energy there. A wonderfully spiritual stone!

Crystal Balls or Spheres

Crystal Balls are also known as Spheres, and have been traditionally fashioned from either clear quartz or clear calcite.

If you wish to use quartz, while any type of quartz can be used, clear quartz is customary. 

When I say clear quartz, this also includes quartz with inclusions like the sphere shown here.

Of course they can also be made out of other types of quartz, such as  Strawberry Quartz (shown below).

Quartz crystal spheres have an advantage over and above other types of crystal, because they have wonderful amplification properties, and because they can be programmed to aid you to use them.

The sphere or orb shape is commonly used as a tool for scrying, meaning that they can be used to look at past, future or present events. 

They may aid you to gain understanding of what has happened, or what will happen.

Strong Amplification Properties

Due to their amplification properties they can also be used as a healing tool. 

They are one of the most potent healing tools to use for sending distance healing, as they may boost the energy sent simply by placing your hands on the sphere while sending.

Balls made of other types of quartz are also powerful. Balls can be made of other types of quartz, like the Strawberry Quartz sphere.

Quartz crystal balls may be made from Rose Quartz or Amethyst Crystal which are wonderful used in your home or in a healing room.

They resonate wonderful healing energy into their surroundings, as the energy resonates from all over the ball.

They may also assist you to make contact with your spirit guide. Spirit guides may make themselves known to you via an image that appears in the crystal ball. 

Using a crystal ball may also boost psychic gifts, including psychic visions, also known as clairvoyant abilities.

Devic Crystals

Devic Crystals are particular stones where you can clearly see shown, the presence of the deva of the crystal within the crystal.

While all crystals have a deva within them, sometimes the deva likes to show herself/himself to you.

Sometimes you can see a quite clear likeness in these quartz formations, such as what looks like an angel, a being of some sort, or even a rainbow.

But always it is something that makes you aware of the presence of this being within the crystal.

In this piece of double terminated Lodolite Quartz, I can see what looks like an elf with a white beard.

Once you begin looking you may be surprised how many of your crystals have an image shown within them.

These Devic beings can be fairies, angelic beings, or even extra-terrestrial beings, and many are earth beings or elementals.

Some of these crystals may be doorways or portals that can be used to access other dimensions.

If you discover one of these crystals, meditate with it to discover why it has come into your life, and what your role is as the keeper of this special crystal.

Dolphin Crystals

Dolphin Crystals are where a smaller crystal grows on the side of a larger crystal, and this is similar to the idea of a baby being carried on the back of a mother.

The babies that grow on the larger crystals have no base, and often occur on double terminated crystals but not necessarily. 

The smaller crystals may often be double terminated like the one pictured.

The metaphysical attributes of Dolphin quartz formations relate to their action to encourage you to act in a teaching and nurturing role.

Some excellent ways to utilize them is to use them in group work, as they may assist the members of the group to be responsible for each other.

Their energy aids sharing, teaching, supporting and guiding others to achieve their highest good. They are excellent crystals to help spiritual teachers to mentor members of the group.

Double Terminated Quartz

Double Terminated Quartz crystals come in many different types of stone, and are excellent quartz formations that have many beneficial properties.

These crystals may also be known as floaters, as they commonly grow individually rather than being attached to a host rock.

They commonly form while floating in a super heated clay base. This allows points on both ends of the crystal to naturally grow.

You may notice that crystal healing wands, both natural and man-made, are also double terminated crystals, as this configuration constitutes a strong crystal for healing.

As they both take in and transmit energy from each end of the crystal, this makes these powerful tools to use for a number of purposes.

In particular they have a powerful ability to heal emotional hurt. They are useful crystals to use for doing body layouts, as they will energize the chakra system.

They create movement of any stagnant energy in the body, and are known to be beneficial crystals for patience, as they encourage you to have the patience to wait for healing to occur.

Elestial Quartz

Elestial Quartz are also known as Skeletal Quartz, Alligator Quartz or Jacare Quartz Crystal, the last because Jacare means Alligator in Portuguese.

These quartz crystals have unusual terminations on their faces.

They occur in various colors and may be clear quartz, rose pink, lavender amethyst or smokey quartz, like the one pictured below.

They have an amazing energy to help you to make a connection to the higher spiritual realms, and contact beings there, and to particularly connect with angelic beings.

They help to regulate how much energy you receive, and help you to receive the right amount needed at the time you are using them.

Crystal with these quartz formations are excellent for bone related problems, especially after you have had surgery. They will help you to heal from a variety of problems.

There is an in-depth page written about this specific quartz configuration, so you can discover more about it there.

Quartz Structure & Configurations: Parts 2 & 3

Please note that there is more information about how quartz occurs with images on two other pages.

To see the other articles please click on the links below to go to the other page and read more about the other crystal configurations and structures that are not covered here.

Part Two:Quartz Structure and Part Three: Quartz Configurations

Want To Know About Crystal Books?

Are you new to crystals and would like to know about which book is best?

There are a range of different reference books on crystals, rocks and stones available, and having one of these books on hand is a benefit. 

Melody's Encyclopedia, Love Is In The Earth, is a very large book that covers more than most, and gives you a wealth of information.

Having a crystal book may aid you when buying crystals, and you can check out how they describe the different quartz formations and crystal configurations.

See some of the many excellent books below. Read reviews of what I believe are the best crystal books.  

I have chosen these specific books as they are easy to understand and also give good overall explanations. There are quite a few reviewed, take a look!

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