Crystals have always been a huge passion for me. I grew up around them and have always been drawn to them. When I was a little girl I remember my mom having a bowl full of the most beautiful crystals in her office and every time I was there I would immediately gravitate toward them and play with them. I’ve always loved wearing crystal jewelry and keeping crystals all over my house.
Once I started to understand the power of crystals I began using them more intentionally rather than just as decoration or something pretty to look at and collect. They have helped me deal with everyday situations to some of the most intense moments of my life. They ground me and keep me calm and at peace. Crystals are magical and are a part of everyday life for me.
So what exactly are crystals?
Crystals are minerals from the earth that are made up of highly arranged atoms that create repeating patterns. They are energy in the purest form and they vibrate at different levels. They come in all different shapes and sizes and colors and variations, some are rough or raw meaning in their natural state, some come as clusters, some come tumbled which gives them a smooth polished surface. For the purpose of this article however I will be focusing on the more metaphysical uses of crystals rather than the geological properties.
Crystals have healing properties and can be used to help with your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. They can help with anything from bringing in more peace and harmony to your life, alleviating pain from medical issues, helping focus on tasks, attracting wealth, enhancing intuition, protection, and the list goes on!
Where to get crystals
When starting to work with crystals it can be overwhelming as there are so many to choose from and how do you know which crystals are right for you. So my advice is to start simple and you can expand from there. You can purchase crystals from local new age or gem stores, I’ve actually started seeing them in more mainstream stores as they have become “trendy” in the home decor arena. You can also purchase them online, Ebay and Etsy both have great options especially for jewelry (you can even check out my Etsy shop here where I make crystal jewelry). Gem shows also are popular places to get them when they come around your area, check your local state fairground events because the selection is huge with vendors from all over.
What kind of crystals to get
If you aren’t sure where to begin I would suggest getting a clear quartz crystal. I recommend a clear quartz as a great beginner crystal because it is such a powerful energetic stone. It amplifies and transforms energy at a high vibrational rate. It’s kind of like an all-purpose stone, its uses are endless and it’s known as the master healing stone. However if you come across a crystal that catches your eye then start there! There’s a reason for you being drawn to it. For me it’s amethyst, it’s also my birthstone so I automatically see amethyst crystals above all others and am drawn to them the most.
Cleansing and dedicating your crystals
It’s always a good idea to cleanse and dedicate your crystals before you start working with them. This can be done a number of ways. You can run them under water, soak them in salt water, place them under the moonlight on a new or full moon, use the smoke from incense or sage, bury them in the earth overnight, or use a candle. The basic idea is to concentrate on the crystal and ask to remove any negative energy that it has absorbed (you never know what kind of energy they have absorbed from other people who have handled them), then you can ask for only positive loving energy to be allowed. You will want to dedicate each crystal to whatever it is you are working on. For example, with the clear quartz you could dedicate the crystal to helping you clear your mind of negativity and give clarity to your thoughts. It is a good idea to cleanse your crystals from time to time, some people do this after every session of working with them but I find it more suitable to me to do so every couple of months, usually under the moonlight is my preferred method. If you feel the energy of the crystal is not there then cleanse it to recharge it. Most crystals absorb tons of energy so they need to be recharged from time to time in order to work at their optimal level.
How to incorporate them into your life
You can place the crystals around your home, somewhere where you can see it everyday and it will help you keep focused on your intentions. You can wear the crystal by making it into a pendant or just by keeping it in your pocket or bra throughout the day. Wearing crystal jewelry is one of the best ways to connect with the crystals energy and reap the benefits. If you meditate or pray then you can place the crystal in your hands while doing so or on top of your altar. Crystal grids are also a great way to direct energy towards what you are wanting, this entails creating an intentional geometric design with different crystals and setting it up where you can see it and focus on the energy you are trying to bring forth. Placing crystals in your plants gives them energy and the plants thrive and grow more. The more you surround yourself with crystals the better they will be programmed to you and be able to help you.
Crystals at a glance
Here are some of my favorite crystals to work with that are really common and can be easily found, each has its own properties and many are multi use. Really these are general guidelines for how the crystals work best but again, you may choose any crystal and dedicate it to any intention you are feeling called on but it helps to know how the crystals energy works most effectively.
Clear quartz- master healing stone, amplifies and raises energy to its highest level, harmonizes all the chakras, dissolves karmic seeds, excellent for unblocking stagnant energy, it filters distractions and helps with concentration.
Rose quartz- stone of unconditional love and infinite peace, attracts love, heart chakra stone, teaches the true essence of love and heals emotional pain, good to use for trauma or crisis, it draws off negative energy and replaces it with loving vibes. Good to place near your bed or wear to attract love, also good to place under crib to help baby sleep.
Amethyst- healing stone for all levels of the body, mind, and spirit, extremely powerful and protective stone with a high spiritual vibration, it guards against psychic attack and enhances meditative state and intuition, helps you feel more focused. You can wear this to help overcome addictions and blockages. It helps ease headaches and releases tension, also good for insomnia-place under pillow or near bed.
Flourite- stones of discernment, creates order out of chaos, helps with concentration and clarity. Good stone to wear to cleanse and protect your aura and dispel negative energy from others, it draws away stress, it helps you absorb new information, good to wear to block electromagnetic stress from electronics and very helpful if placed near computer.
Selenite- promotes mental clarity by opening the third eye and crown chakras, instills deep peace and is excellent for spiritual work, it assists judgement and insight and helps clear confusion. Helpful for seizures and promotes flexibility. Using 4 pieces in each corner of your house forms a protective grid that creates a safe space and peaceful atmosphere. Selenite wands are used to help cleanse the aura and helps prevent anything external from influencing the mind.
Citrine- stone of wealth, opens the solar plexus, enhances creativity and endurance, it energizes every level of life, protective for the environment, helps with manifesting wealth, prosperity, success, and all good things, joyful stone to help with family discord. It raises self-esteem and self-confidence. Place a piece of citrine in the wealth corner of your house (farthest back left corner from your front door) or anywhere you keep money. Citrine is one stone that never needs cleansing.
Jasper- stone of nurturing, protection, and grounding, helps balance emotions, supports during times of stress, facilitates shamanic journeys and dream recall, it gives you the courage to get to grips with problems assertively and encourages honesty with yourself. This stone comes in a multitude of different colors and variations. Place a large piece of brown jasper in a room to absorb negative energy.
Moonstone- stone of new beginnings, strongly connected to the moon and intuition, helps calm emotions and feminine energy, improves emotional intelligence, provides deep emotional healing. Excellent to wear if you are overly aggressive. This is a great stone for fertility, pregnancy, and childbirth.
Kyanite- instantly aligns all chakras with unlimited energy, excellent for attunement and meditation, helps spiritual energy manifest in thought, connects to spirit guides and instills compassion, facilitates dream recall. Helps you speak your truth and opens the throat chakra. This stone never requires cleaning because it does not hold negativity. It is a natural pain reliever and helps lower blood pressure and heals infections.
This is just a quick list of some of the magical properties of each crystal, there are hundreds of crystals out there that are so beautiful and beneficial to your well-being. Take some time to go crystal shopping and see which ones call to you. You can get crystal books at your local bookstore or library to help you learn and identify different ones with in-depth descriptions and properties. I recommend the following books as a great start, just click on the picture to follow the link to learn more about them through Amazon:
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