If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency, and vibration. - Nikola Tesla

All matter in the universe is comprised of energy, from living beings to objects, including crystals, gems, and rocks. Each one of them is made up of tiny crystals with very specific modular structures that are always in motion. It is that motion that causes each crystal to emit a unique vibration that can interact with our own energetic vibration.

Throughout history, crystals have been used for healing because people believed them to be sources of unexplainable healing power. Many ancient cultures across the globe used these sacred stones to transform, clear, and align their physical health, energy, and spirit. Sumerians, Mayans, Egyptians, the Chinese, ancient Greeks, and many others knew about the metaphysical power of crystals and used them to adorn their buildings, jewelry, and bodies.

Crystal healing includes the use of crystals and other stones in protecting against disease and curing ailments. Proponents of this alternative medical technique believed that crystals work as conduits for healing, allowing negative energy to flow out and powerful healing energy to flow into the body.

Unlike ancient cultures that understood the healing properties of crystals and gemstones, modern cultures have forgotten about ancient healing techniques for the most part. From the scientific viewpoint, there is no evidence of crystals' healing properties. Regardless, crystals are a powerful focal point because many people believe they work to help us hold our intention, remind us of our connection to the Earth, and guide us on our spiritual journey.

In this beginner's guide to healing crystals, we explore whether science can explain crystal healing and why it is considered a pseudoscience by many. Also, we talk about the history of their use, why and how they work, and the importance of intention. We also offer tips on how to choose and use crystals for healing, and how to cleanse and charge them.

When Did We Begin to Use Healing Crystals?

Gemstones and crystals have played a part in all religions and mentioned throughout the Bible, the Koran, and other religious texts. It seems we have had an affinity for stones and crystals for as long as our species have existed. The human use of amulets and talismans dates back to prehistoric times, and we cannot know with certainty how the earliest of these objects were used or viewed.

In Sungir, Russia, researchers have excavated beads carved of mammoth ivory that date back 60,000 years. The first references related to the use of crystals were found with Ancient Sumerians, who included crystals in their magic formulas. Ancient Egyptians used crystals and gems in jewelry and primarily for health and protection.

Many of the crystal names we use today are of Greek origin because the ancient Greeks attributed specific properties to crystals and stones. The word crystal comes from the Greek word for ice (krýstallos) because they believed that clear quartz (considered a master healer) was water that had frozen deeply and will always remain solid. Greek sailors wore different amulets to keep them safe at sea, while Greek soldiers would reportedly rub hematite before battle to make themselves invulnerable.

From the 11^th century and throughout the Renaissance, many medical treatises praised the virtues of crystals and stones in the treatment of certain illnesses.

Is There Scientific Proof that Crystal Healing Works?

Is there scientific evidence that has proven whether crystal healing has any effect? The answer is no, and because of that, crystal healing is considered a pseudoscience. There's no evidence that crystals are effective in curing diseases because modern medicine never proved that diseases are the result of the energy flow in the body.

Healing Crystals and the Placebo Effect

A placebo is a substance without known medical effects, such as saline solution, sterile water, or a sugar pill. It is an inactive substance (fake treatment) that can produce a real response due to the placebo effect.

In 2001, Christopher French (head of the anomalistic psychology research unit at the University of London) conducted a study on the efficacy of crystal healing. Eighty participants were asked to meditate for 5 minutes while holding a crystal (either a fake crystal they believed was real or a real quartz crystal). Before meditating, about half of the participants were primed to notice whether the crystals they were holding might have any effects. The effects reported by those who held real crystals were no different than the effects reported by participants who held fake crystals. In other words, those who believed in the power of crystals felt it.

The Research of Marcel Vogel

Marcel Vogel, an IBM scientist, brought us one of the first pieces of scientific evidence on the power of crystals. While watching crystals grow under a microscope, he noticed that they took the shape of whatever he was thinking about. Vogel hypothesized that the vibrations came as a result of the continuous assembling/disassembling of bonds between crystal molecules. After retiring from IBM, Vogel started PRI (Psychic Research Inc.), where he researched the structuring of water as an information medium, and advanced crystal technologies.

Healing Crystals and Bioscalar Waves

A bioscalar wave is an energy field that is created when two fields interact and counteract each other, so the field reverts to a static state of potentiality. According to Dr. Valerie V. Hunt, research scientist and Professor Emeritus of Physiological Science at UCLA, bioscalar waves assist our cell membranes in switching off detrimental patterns encoded within our DNA and switching on the most beneficial genetic functions. They can release ingrained thoughts and stored emotions from our body's cellular structure, which is what is claimed for crystal healing.

Unified Field Theory

The term uniform field theory was coined by Albert Einstein when he was trying to find a system that would connect all the forces in the universe with fundamental particle physics. According to Einstein, everything in the universe is vibration, and our thoughts and emotions match the vibrations of things that manifest in our life. If you believe that crystals can heal, then their positive vibes will amplify those thoughts. Through entrainment and resonance, crystals help us restore our equilibrium. Each crystal has its own harmonic note or frequency, which affects specific aspects of the body.

Piezoelectricity

Piezoelectricity is a quality that certain crystals have that allows them to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy, and the other way around. If you take a piezoelectric crystal and apply mechanical pressure to it, the structure of the crystal deforms. The atoms get pushed around and, suddenly, we get a crystal that can conduct an electrical current. The first and most known piezoelectric crystal used in electronic devices in the Quartz crystal.

We are exposed to transverse EMF/ELF radiation on a daily basis. The radiation comes from all electrical devices in the house (such as TVs, mobile phones, computers, etc.) and affects the bio-electric current in the body. Exposure can cause physical and emotional stress, fuzzy thinking, mental confusion, and many other disorders. The electrical properties of piezoelectric crystals, stones, and minerals seem to help restore the proper bio-electric bodily functions by producing and emitting longitudinal EMF waves.

Healing Crystals and Quantum Physics

Quantum physics has shown us that a particle can be in one place and another at the same time (simultaneous transfer of energy) and has an instantaneous effect over vast distances. Also, quantum physics suggests that energy exists as packets of energy that behaves like particles but acts like a wave. Dr. Fred Alan Wolf, a theoretical quantum physicist who specializes in quantum physics, suggested that consciousness is like a huge oceanic wave and that everything (including human beings) is made of quantum froth. It perfectly describes how crystal energy can move from a crystal to a human body. What connects and activates them are intention and consciousness.

Perhaps we cannot measure the energetic flow of crystals stones, but we also cannot measure things like a spiritual awakening, spiritual growth, and expanding consciousness. Nevertheless, we feel and know when a spiritual shift occurs in us.

Why Do Crystals Work?

Clear Quartz has been on Earth for a long time, and even ancient cultures have used these crystals as peace offerings, protective talismans, and jewelry. It makes up about 12% of our planet's crust and is used in various types of technology, such as information storage, timekeeping electronics (watches and clocks), and others.

If crystals can communicate via computer chips, is it possible that their vibrational energy can be transformed in different ways? And since they've been on Earth since the beginning and made their mark in so many civilizations before us, it makes sense that they are universally healing.

Each day, we wake up and continue our journey through new and wonderful beginnings and challenges. We have the ability to choose and follow certain thoughts as well as to discard others. Healing crystals are there to remind us to quiet the noise in our mind and reconnect with the healing vibrations of the Earth. Crystals teach us patience “ every piece of crystal took eons to look like it does now. It needed the time to transform and evolve, so receiving the healing power of a crystal also takes time.

What Type of Healing Can You Expect from Crystals?

Crystals can be used in healing everything from anxiety to migraines. Under the right conditions, healing crystals can align your seven chakras (the Root Chakra, Sacral Chakra, Solar Plexus Chakra, Heart Chakra, Throat Chakra, Third Eye Chakra, and Crown Chakra), accelerate meditation practices, and even induce trance. There is no limit to the level or type of healing we can receive from the right crystal, and if you are looking to heal some aspect of your being (mind, body, and spirit), there are three main ways that a healing stone or crystal can resolve the imbalance within you:

Balancing. Just by looking at your body or leaves on trees, you will notice that our world is very symmetrical. The energy of the universe aligns things in a mirrored pattern, but our energy may get misaligned (or out of balance). Every healing crystal has its properties (which are basically attracting and repelling energies) and can be used to balance out areas of energetic disharmony.

Energizing. By inducing resonant frequencies, crystals for healing can direct the flow of positive energy into your mind, body, and spirit. The crystal you've bonded works to harness the power or energy from the quantum field, and then sends it into your energy field to raise your energy level. It is similar to how electricity works (conducting and transferring energy into objects). However, crystal healing energy is painless and safe.

Clearing. Just like a magnet can pick up pieces of metal shavings, crystals can absorb and remove types of energy from your body. Certain stones and crystals can absorb negative energy, while others can block other people's negative energies to protect you (such as Black Tourmaline or Amethyst).

What Is an Intention?

Our thoughts and emotions are energy, and they create vibrations throughout the universe. That makes setting intentions a potent tool for finding your way to wellbeing and happiness. Having a clear purpose helps us live in the present, and provides us insight into our dreams, aspirations, and values. Our intentions attract the things that will make our dreams come true, and creating an intention begins by setting goals that align with our purpose and values.

• Which areas of your life do you need to upgrade? Consider how happy you are with your career, health, relationships, spirituality, and social life. Are there any ways you can improve them?
• What matters to you? If you want to find fulfillment, you must recognize what truly matters to you because your values are what drives the actions in your life.
• Be specific. If you want to achieve something, be sure about what, when, and why you want to achieve it.
• Bring intentions to life. You can do it by simply writing them down on a piece of paper. Write them down as if they are happening now and affirm only what you want. Once you're done, you will have materialized what you want to manifest.

How to Choose a Crystal?

There is a wealth of knowledge and experience regarding healing crystals that have been passed on through generations. Once you master the crystal basics and know the crystal meanings, you can choose the right healing crystal for your spiritual journey by using your intuition (which is located in the Third Eye chakra).

Crystal experts are known to say that you don't choose the crystal because it chooses you instead. Go into a crystal retail shop, walk around, and see what crystals stand out. Whether it's about the otherworldly patterns and shapes or dazzling colors that draw you in, each crystal has a unique vibrational energy that can ward off negative energy, clear blockages, and help you heal.

Finding the right crystal requires patience. Hold it in your hand, quiet the mind, and think of your intentions. Notice if you feel sensations, such as tranquility, calmness, pulsations, hot or cold. These are all signs that the crystals' energy is affecting you.

White and clear “ clearing (Selenite, Quartz, Moonstone)

• Yellow - aligning (Mookaite, Amber, Sulphur)
• Blue - communicating (Angelite, Sapphire, Sodalite)
• Green - balancing (Malachite, Jade, Emerald)
• Red - energizing (Jasper, Ruby, Garnet)
• Brown - allowing (Halite, Tiger's Eye, Petrified Wood)
• Orange - releasing (Aragonite, Copper, Sunstone)
• Pink - loving (Rhodonite, Rose Quartz, Morganite)
• Violet - uplifting (Sugilite, Amethyst, Iolite)
• Indigo - calming (Lapis Lazuli, Kyanite, Azurite)
• Black - protecting (Obsidian, Tourmaline, Apache Tears)

How to Use Healing Crystals?

• Wear your crystals. Certain healing crystals can help you balance your energy field throughout the day. You can put it in your pocket or wear a pendant around your neck.
• Place them on a specific body part.If you're looking for a specific application, place a crystal or stone on the part of your body that needs healing. For example, if you have a headache, place a Quartz crystal on the spot of your pain and sit quietly.
• Meditate with them. We've been using crystals for millennia, and they carry a lot of information about our history. Research has shown that a Quartz crystal coin can hold 360 TB of data for almost 14 billion years. Information that crystals carry doesn't degrade over time, so hold them in your hand while meditating to receive amazing insights intuitively. For example, holding palm stones is one of the easiest ways to align your energy with the energy you want to attract.
• Sleep near a crystal. While sleeping, subconscious minds take over. That is the perfect moment for learning and healing at an accelerated pace because the absence of your rational mind won't be presenting you with doubt or fear. Place them beside the table or under your pillow.
• Place them in your home or car. You can use healing crystals to empower an intention or protect you. For example, put a protective stone or crystal in your car to block negative energies from break-ins or accidents by placing that intention into it and leaving it in the car. Do the same thing in your home to set the energy of each room.
• Create a crystal grid.Crystal grids create a union of energies emitted between individual healing stones. The combination of the power of crystals placed in a geometric pattern can strengthen your intention to manifest results quicker.

How to Cleanse, Charge, and Align Your Crystals?

When you use healing crystals, their energy can be used up or drained. They attract, repel, and absorb certain types of energy, and as a result, the energies you need can be replaced by negative, harmful, stagnant, or stale energies. That is why it's essential to cleanse, charge, and align your crystals regularly. You want to get rid of the unwanted energies before you use your crystals again.

Cleanse your crystal by simply soaking it in purified water, holy water, or saltwater. Some people even let them sit out in the water overnight under the light of the full moon (moonbath). Others might charge their crystals with solar power or bury them in the ground for several hours. It all depends on your crystal and whether it works with the Earth, sun, or moon energy.

After you have cleansed your healing crystals, hold them in the palm of your hand, close your eyes, state your intention for them, and thank them for the powerful healing they will provide. That way, you will align the crystals with your energy. Also, remember to clean the crystals you wear every day after each use.

Even though there is no scientific evidence that supports our belief in the healing powers of crystals, many anecdotes prove that crystal healing works. The research focused on finding new energies that cause human-crystal interaction would require lots of money. Unfortunately, nobody will pay for an in-depth analysis of this nature. However, people are open to experimenting with the unproven, and many of them believe in spiritual energy contained in physical things, such as crystals.

To receive healing from a crystal, you need to give it a purpose by setting your intention. Whenever you vibrate at a lower frequency, your intentions get lost, and reconnecting with a programmed crystal helps you remember your aspirations, dreams, and limitless potential.