‘Vaginas: An Owner’s Manual,’ rests several feet from ‘Angels and Demons,’ which sits above ‘Gem Magic.’ More titles-of hundreds more glossy paperbacks relating to karma, duct tape Halloween costumes, minerals, the Wiccan calendar and reflexology, and more-equally mystify, bewilder and fascinate. They line the wooden shelves that stretch from floor to ceiling around more than half of Westcott Street’s Seven Rays Bookstore.

But not all customers visit the new-age store, which opened 27 years ago, for its books or selection of incense, jewelry, tarot cards and candles. The store also hosts several weekly classes, including yesterday afternoon’s crystal healing class, where participants could learn the healing power of different stones, and select their own personal stone.

‘It’s underground education-stuff that’s useful in life,’ said Cheryl Bruni, 26, manager of the store, who nurtures a budding interest in stone healing. ‘If I didn’t have to work, I’d love to participate. Some classes are really good to sit in on.’

Yesterday, crystal healer Susan Weiner sat cross-legged on a red pillow on the floor in the middle of a simple square room far to the back of the store, its gray walls adorned with Buddhist writings and images, pictures of mythical creatures. It’s where most of the store’s classes are held. Dozens of colored glass candleholders and large amethyst rocks and carvings crowded a fold up table set up along the wall, and several small Persian and Oriental rocks rested haphazardly on the floor.

Weiner anticipated cynical eye-rolling from students about her line of work, explaining before beginning her session that she herself was once a skeptic. Nearly 20 years ago she had just attended a meeting and was feeling exhausted when a friend gave her a stone and told her to relax with it. Incredulous, Weiner rested on a couch, put the stone on her forehead and became a believer.

‘This energy went pouring through my body,’ Weiner said. ‘I thought, ‘I have to look into this.”

Weiner, who lives near Ithaca, began visiting nearby rock shops and learned the many kinds and how they affected her. The former chef knew little about geology or physics, but taught herself about the science behind the stones.

Like all matter, stones vibrate on an atomic level, and humans can pick up on these vibrations, Weiner said. Crystals, whose atoms form a perfect structure, help to amplify frequency.

‘I’m not making this up,’ Weiner adds, raising her brow knowingly.

Humans, as matter, also vibrate, and they can pick up on each other vibrations, like if ‘there’s bad vibes in the room,’ Weiner said. But different stones rebalance any vibe.

A person who has a problem with anything from exhaustion to insomnia to focus to motivation, can find a different stone to address those needs. Some stones assist in meditation, relaxation or easing tension. But to find out which stone does what, a person needs to spend time holding each of them, and sometimes the effects can be quite powerful.

‘You can get stoned from playing with stones,’ Weiner said.

Many clients attend Weiner’s workshops hoping she will tell them what stones to carry to cure all their ills, but those people are missing the point of her program, Weiner said.

‘I’m trying to empower people to pick their own stones,’ Weiner said, pushing her long silver-streaked brown hair from her shoulders. ‘That’s what they’re there for.’

Some books on the subject seem to offer conflicting advice from others but this is mainly because different stones affect each person differently.

‘You have to take everything with a grain of salt,’ Weiner said.

In all of her sessions, after Weiner explains the science behind the stones she and the participants get to work. She gives them each a different stone, and leads them through ‘attunement.’ The participants hold the stones, close their eyes and breathe deeply while Weiner instructs them to ask their stone a question, which she can provide if they wish. Questions such as ‘what message will the stone give me?’ or ‘what can this stone do for me?’ will help each participant know if the rock can help him or her.

Several minutes of deep breathing later, Weiner asks her participants what they experienced, and if they learned the answer to their questions. People have very different reactions to similar stores, attesting that each person does in fact respond uniquely, Weiner said.

Once a person has discovered how a certain stone can work, he or she can carry that stone or place it where he or she needs it most, such as on a desk or bed. But people who have had success in finding their right stone have told her that they now have faith in the power of stones.

‘People have to be far along to near the end of their rope before they say, ‘hey, let’s try this,” Weiner said. ‘But then (the stones) respond.’

Weiner charged $20 for all registered applicants of her class, and most of Seven Rays’ classes about topics such as Reiki, reflexology, channeling, astrology and more cost $20 or less, Bruni said. The cost creates a greater incentive for students to sign up.

‘As long as they have an open mind, they’re going to learn something,’ said Jenn Potts, 23, an employee of Seven Rays for three years. ‘No matter what your walk of life, you can come in here.’

Published on September 26, 2004 at 12:00 pm