Erin (or anyone knowledgeable)- how do you use crystals with chakras and healing?

[Bitsy]

After reading Erin's chakra blog a week or two ago, I remembered crystals and that they had some relation to chakras. I wondered if they could be used to clear chakras and how.

Last week I dug out a book I have on crystals and healing - Crystal Power, Crystal Healing. I read about the amethyst, that it ought to help to "clarify the inner world of images and also our dream lives. If you put an amethyst under your pillow, initially, it will strongly stimulate dreaming until all undigested impressions have been clarified. After a few days, however, sleep will suddenly become calmer, deeper and more refreshing." Also, putting an amethyst under my pillow supposedly ought to help me understand my dreams better. I have been having strange dreams recently, so I thought I'd give it a try.

As instructed, I put a light-colored, clear amethyst under my pillow Thursday night and had a very different night's sleep. I woke up several times during the night from dreams I could not remember. I didn't do it again the next night, since I didn't like waking up so much. However, I had developed a headache (common for me) on Saturday. Having read that amethysts are supposed to alleviate headaches, I put the same amethyst under my pillow Saturday night and woke up without a headache . However, I did not have the same dream experience or trouble with waking up as I had the first night.

Anyway, this has sparked an interest in me to find out more about crystals and what they can do.

Does anyone know more in-depth about how to use crystals?