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What Does a Carnelian Crystal Do? Plus 9 Ways to Use It!

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Carnelian crystals are best-known for helping with courage, motivation, and protection.

They’ve been used throughout history as warrior stones, used in battle for protection and the courage to conquer enemies.

They are also associated with physical energy, health, and stamina, giving you the bold energy to go after everything you want in life!

Let’s go through all of the things carnelian crystals do and how to use them!

what does a carnelian crystal do - picture of a carnelian palm stone and smudge stick

What Does A Carnelian Crystal Do?

What does a carnelian crystal do?

Carnelian crystals are associated with: courage, good health, protection and grounding, physical strength and stamina, creativity, health and vitality, and strong sexual energy (kundalini.)

Depending on the level of iron oxide, carnelian ranges in color from dark, deep brown to light pale orange.

The darker range of colors, the more grounding and protective the stone is.

The lighter, bright red and orange hues are more associated with the activating and bold energy of the fire element.

Ancient Egyptians referred to it as the “sunset stone” because of its range of colors that reflected the setting sun.

various carnelian stones in browns, reds, and bright orange colors

Carnelian Healing Properties: Mind & Emotional Healing Properties

Carnelian is associated with stabilizing emotional and mental well-being.

Carnelian gemstones can be used for mental clarity, concentration, and protection from negative energy and psychic attacks.

It helps with the courage to be yourself and stand strong in times of stress and turbulence.

As a stabilizing stone, carnelian can help you move past negative thoughts, abuse of any kind (especially self-abuse!) and can help you find your love for life again.

It can help with logical thinking and decision making, but it can also increase quick thinking and creativity.

It is an activating stone, giving you more energy, endurance, and confidence!

Carnelian helps with self-esteem, happiness, and living your best life!

Carnelian Healing Properties: Physical Body

Carnelian is associated with physical strength and healing.

It helps balance the digestive system, reproductive system, and can strengthen blood circulation.

It is associated with the lower chakras and kundalini and life-force energy.

It clears blocks from the root chakra, solar plexus chakra, and sacral chakra, awakening inner strength and stability, while helping health and vitality flow throughout the entire body.

Carnelian is known as a stone of fertility, helping balance and unblock the energy flow of the lower body.

It’s also thought to help with menopausal symptoms, small intestine issues, and lower back problems!

(Please note: These are the healing crystal properties of carnelian, but they are not medical advice. Always seek advice from medical professionals to use along-side crystal healing!)

How to Use Carnelian:

Carnelian can be used in various ways to enhance and improve your life.

Because carnelian is a stone of motivation, it can help you make decisions and positive life choices, give you the willpower to make changes, and also give you the strength and stamina to see them through to fruition!

various polished carnelian crystals

Here are 9 different ways to use carnelian stones:

Wear it.

Wearing carnelian can increase the health and vitality of your physical body, but it can also give you mental clarity and awareness.

You can wear carnelian jewelry, like a bracelet or necklace, or even keep a small piece of carnelian in your pocket.

Program it and use it as a touchstone to help you through difficult situations and help align your energy with your highest self.

It is also helpful for job interviews, starting new projects, and harnessing creative energy!

It is also a great crystal to wear for job interviews, when starting new projects, and for harnessing creative energy!

Keep it on your desk.

Keeping carnelian on your desk while you work can help you make decisions, give you more energy, increase focus and creativity, and can help you with work stress.

Carnelian is also helpful if need more courage for public speaking or help standing up for yourself at work.

Keeping carnelian on your desk’s feng shui fame and reputation area can help you get a promotion or raise, and can help you receive more positive attention at work!

For more info about using crystals in your career, check out this post: the best crystals for the workplace

Meditate with it.

Meditating with carnelian can increase wellbeing and confidence.

It can help you unite your mind and body, and also gain insight into areas where you might be holding yourself back.

Hold carnelian in your left hand to receive answers from the Universe, or you can also place carnelian on your sacral chakra while meditating to increase your personal power and strength.

Use Carnelian While Goal Setting.

Having carnelian near you while you’re setting goals can help you have the willpower and strength to complete them.

Because carnelian has strong fire energy, it can help you move more quickly towards what you want and activate your goals for the highest good.

Once you’ve written out your goals, set the carnelian on top of them to activate them and help you achieve them!

orange carnelian crystal on wood platter

Place Carnelian in Your Home’s Fame Area:

Placing carnelian in your home’s fame and reputation area can activate it to the benefit of everyone in your household!

Your home’s fame and reputation area is responsible for how other see you, your reputation in all areas of your life, achieving goals, accomplishments and accolades, and receiving credit for your work.

Keeping carnelian in your home’s fame area boosts these things for yourself but it also boosts them for everyone in your household!

Place Carnelian in Your Home’s Health Area:

If someone in your household is struggling with physical health and vitality, you can also place a piece of carnelian in your home’s feng shui health area.

Your home’s health area is associated with the health and wellbeing of your entire family and household (including pets!)

Placing carnelian in this area can help everyone grow stronger and healthier!

Activate Your Vision Board.

If you have a vision board, you can use carnelian stones to activate it!

Carnelian is strongly associated with achieving goals and creating a vision for your life, which makes it perfect for helping your vision board come true.

Place carnelian near it (or on top of it, if it’s a smaller vision board) to activate it and bring good fortune to all of your endeavors.

Activate Your Manifestation Journal.

If you’re using a manifestation journal to attract the things you want in life, using carnelian can help activate it and attract your dreams.

Keep carnelian nearby while you journal to increase the energy and hold your intentions.

Then place the carnelian crystal on top of it to help the energy move more quickly and attract what you want!

Create a Crystal Grid with Carnelian.

Creating a crystal grid with carnelian can help concentrate its frequencies and direct them towards your intentions.

Write your intention on a slip of paper and keep it underneath the crystal grid to direct its energy towards bringing you what you want!

You can create a carnelian crystal grid to help you make changes in your life, have better self-esteem or courage, or even help you get a promotion or job.

Some crystals that go well with carnelian are garnet, citrine, lapis lazuli, sodalite, and clear quartz.

close up of a polished piece of carnelian

How to Activate Carnelian and Program it with Your Intentions:

Activating and using carnelian for your specific intentions is a very simple process:

  1. Cleanse it.
  2. Program it.
  3. Use it for your desired outcome.

How to Cleanse a Carnelian Crystal:

Cleansing your carnelian crystal is important because it resets its energy and returns it to its original vibration.

You can cleanse carnelian with smoke cleansing, sound, or any of the other various crystal cleansing methods.

This post has more info: how to cleanse your crystals and reset their energy.

How to program carnelian stones:

Once you’ve cleansed your carnelian gemstone, it’s time to program it.

Hold or touch the carnelian crystal.

Repeat your intention to yourself, being as specific as possible.

Feel the feelings of having what you want — if what you wanted came to you right this moment, how would it feel?

Feel those feelings for a few moments, setting the intention that the carnelian will hold them for you.

It is done! Your carnelian crystal is now programmed with your intention.

Use your carnelian crystal:

Once you’ve programmed the carnelian crystal, you can use it for your intention.

Use it in one of the methods above or come up with your own ritual!

Carnelian agate gemstone

How to Charge Carnelian:

Charge a carnelian crystal by setting it out under the full moon.

This will reset its energy but also give it more power!

You can set it outside under the moonlight, or set it on your windowsill.

Leave it overnight or for just a few hours and it will be cleansed and recharged.

What Does a Carnelian Crystal Do: Q & A

Is Carnelian Good for Love?

Carnelian is good for love because it awakens kundalini energy, which is the energy of sexual power and attraction.

Carnelian also unblocks and heals the sacral chakra, which is where physical and sexual energy originates.

It will activate your sexual attraction and passion, as well as be more open to giving and receiving love.

Because it is also the stone of courage and confidence, carnelian can give you the courage to act on your desires and be more confident in pursuing a new partner.

Carnelian is associated with the fire element and also more masculine energy, which means it is a stone of taking action and going after what you want.

It can make you very attractive to potential partners and keep the flame of your relationship ignited.

If you want to increase the energy of love and romance even more, pair carnelian with rose quartz (the stone of unconditional love!) Check out this post about rose quartz: how to use rose quartz for love

group of gemstones with carnelian crystals on a wood table

Can You Wear Carnelian Every Day?

Yes, you can wear carnelian every day!

If you feel like the energy of your carnelian has diminished over time, be sure to cleanse it and recharge it every few months to keep its energy activated.

While carnelian is a grounding stone, it can sometimes be too activating and cause insomnia and restless sleep.

If that’s the case for you, keeping your carnelian stone in a different room while you sleep can help!

Which zodiac signs benefit most from Carnelian?

As a fire energy stone, carnelian is best for Aries, the most fiery and energetic sign of the zodiac.

All fire signs can benefit from the stabilizing and grounding properties of carnelian.

Earth signs can also benefit from carnelian, as the fire element increases energy and motivation!

What stones pair well with Carnelian?

Stones that pair well with carnelian are the ones that amplify and balance its energy.

These are the crystals that work best:

Clear quartz – the master healer, to amplify and expand energy
Garnet – for protection, manifestation, and increasing self-worth and love
Lapis Lazuli – for spiritual connection, inspiration, and developing intuition
Sodalite – for increasing self-awareness and speaking your truth
Citrine – for joy and happiness while pursuing goals
Green Aventurine – for good luck, abundance, and taking advantage of new opportunities
Rose Quartz – to amplify love, romance, and the courage to give and receive love

Now that you know what a carnelian crystal does and how to use it, you might also want to know:

Crystals for Manifesting Anything You Want (The Ultimate Guide!)
How to Use Citrine to Attract Money (14 Easy Methods)
25 Crystals for Positivity That Will Make Your Day Better
19 Crystals for Work: These are the Best Crystals for the Workplace

what does a carnelian crystal do?