The chakra system describes seven centres along the body, each traditionally associated with a colour — and, over time, with stones of that colour. You do not need to believe anything in particular to enjoy the idea: it is a tidy map of feelings, from safety to clarity.

The seven rungs

• Root — red. Safety and stability. Red jasper, red agate, garnet.
• Sacral — orange. Creativity and warmth. Carnelian, orange calcite.
• Solar plexus — yellow. Confidence and will. Citrine, tiger eye.
• Heart — green. Compassion and balance. Green aventurine, rose quartz, prehnite.
• Throat — blue. Honest speech. Aquamarine, blue kyanite.
• Third eye — indigo. Intuition. Lapis lazuli, sodalite.
• Crown — violet. Clarity and quiet. Amethyst, clear quartz.

How people wear them

Some wear a full seven-stone string as a daily reminder of the whole ladder. Others pick the single rung they are working on this season. Both are correct; the tradition is a language, not a rulebook.

Our five-element and multi-crystal bracelets, such as the Birthstone Zodiac Bracelet, mix several rungs on one string.