Been having trouble writing papers lately? Midterms getting you down? Maybe that freshman year relationship's got you down in the dumps? Instead of gathering transfer applications or dropping out of school, consider taking a look into Zea Moore's crystal balls.

Her what?

Crystal balls. It's all part of her weekly Consciousness class, a workshop which the Cambridge resident claims "will transform your life."

And, while Moore does say that her crystals can be used for scrying--or predicting upcoming events, in occult lingo--she argues that crystals serve a more important function "by drawing energy from the unmanifest to the manifest [and] getting in touch with the deep stuff within you."

Moore's crystals, which include clear quartz, amethyst, and rose quartz pieces and balls "are continually vibrating, so they achieve a high frequency. By holding a crystal and by concentrating on its energy, you climb to its frequency, and in doing so, have more power to tap your inner self."

Her Crystal Consciousness and Transformation workshop centers on this method of self-realization. At last week's session at Moore's Central Square residence, a group of six paid between $55 and $75 for a six hour session with the Amarillo, Texas native.

Initially each person discussed his experience with crystals, which ranged from daily use of the rocks to no experience at all, and each person related his reason for wanting to explore the realm of transformation. Some attended Moore's classes "to rechannel the energy of grief" in their lives, and others came because they recognized Moore as one of the experts in crystal use.

After the introductions, Moore urges each participant to choose the crystal that calls them from a gold tray laden with shining rocks, a burning candle and a figure of an angel.

She tells each person to get to know the crystal's personality and to describe it to the group. Some describe their crystals as "little girls who want to dance, skip and play," and others see theirs as "Amazons who are strong and independent."

Moore says getting to know one's crystal is important, as it accompanies the participant on a subconscious journey of guided imagery and transformation.

The image travel begins after a prayer of guidance, during which participants hold hands in a circle. Then, urging each member to take his crystal, to close his eyes and to relax, Moore turns on a tape of soft, classical music and starts her story.

"Imagine yourself on a beach, with the water slowly touching you...leave your body and float among the clouds, higher...into space. Then, take your crystal, expand it, step inside it and see the world in different shapes and patterns," begins Moore's image of affirmation.

Affirmation, according to Moore, is a series of "positively stated things to reprogram the senses away from a feeling of guilt or negativity." Her stories focus on seeing the self as a clear and pure whole, she says.

"Guided imagery is a way to get the body relaxed and in the alpha state," says Moore, who has taught classes for six years. "There you have direct contact with the subconscious, and you can reprogram self-esteem and make positive choices. It is a way to communicate and to learn how to think about yourself. It's also appropriate to change things in the subconscious mind, since those images stay and affect conscious decisions."

Following the guided imagery session, group members report experiences from falling asleep to seeing bizarre and recurring dream-like visions. Others relate feeling refreshed and cleared of their grief.

Moore explains this phenomenon saying, "the crystals balance the energy field surrounding the body. They take the negative energy out of the body and rechannel it into pure and positive feeling." She sees her crystals as gifts "to help me and for me to help other people."

In addition to offering classes in transformation, Moore offers a variety of other crystal services. She works with two patients who are victims of AIDS Related Complex, "helping them get in touch with their own power to heal themselves."

Moore also offers other classes, both on transformation and on crystal technique. In December, she will offer a workshop on "The Goddess Among Us," a class that will focus on "helping women to discover the force within them. It will help them see God as a female force."