The Complete Guide to Healing Crystals and Their Uses

Healing crystals are stones and minerals that people keep, wear and meditate with as a focus for intention, calm and ritual. There is no scientific evidence that crystals do anything to the body or mind, so this guide presents them as meaningful objects and keepsakes. It covers their history, what researchers have found, how to choose a crystal by colour and intuition, how to use one, and how to cleanse and charge it. To see the range, browse tumbled stones and chakra stones.

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 as amulets for 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 (prized by the Greeks) 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, lapidaries (books about stones) described the supposed virtues of crystals and gems.

What Does the Science Say About Crystals?

Scientific studies have found no evidence that crystals have any effect beyond the expectations of the person holding them, which is why many scientists consider the idea a pseudoscience.

Healing Crystals and the Placebo Effect

A placebo is an inactive substance, such as a sugar pill, that can still produce a real response because of what a person expects.

In 2001, Christopher French (head of the anomalistic psychology research unit at the University of London) conducted a study on whether crystals have any effect. 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.

Where the Physics Ideas Come From

Online, crystals are often linked with vibration, piezoelectricity and quantum physics. These are real physics terms. Quartz really does convert pressure into an electric charge, which is why it keeps watches and clocks accurate. But they describe how quartz behaves in electronics, and they do not show that crystals affect people. Many people simply find a stone a meaningful object, and we cannot measure meaning any more than we can measure a feeling of spiritual growth.

Why Do People Use Crystals?

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 timekeeping electronics (watches and clocks).

That long history in so many civilizations is part of why crystals feel meaningful. Many people use healing crystals as a daily reminder to quiet the noise in their mind and reconnect with the Earth. Crystals also symbolise patience: every piece took eons to look like it does now.

What Can You Expect From Crystals?

In crystal tradition, people talk about three ways of working with a stone: balancing, energizing and clearing. These are symbolic practices and personal rituals, and they are rituals only. Some people also use crystals alongside meditation and chakra practices (the Root, Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye and Crown chakras).

Balancing. Look at the leaves on a tree and you will notice how symmetrical our world is. In crystal lore, every stone has its own associations, and people choose one as a symbol of balance for an area of life that feels out of step.

Energizing. Some people choose a stone as a symbol of energy and motivation, and keep it nearby as a reminder to raise their own energy level.

Clearing. In crystal lore, certain stones are said to absorb negative energy, while others are said to block other people's negative energy and protect you, such as Black Tourmaline or Amethyst.

What Is an Intention?

Setting an intention means choosing a clear purpose, and many people use a crystal as a physical reminder of it. A clear purpose helps us live in the present and gives us insight into our dreams, aspirations, and values. Creating an intention begins by setting goals that align with that purpose and those 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. Seeing it written down makes it easier to keep in mind.

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, many people say they feel drawn to certain stones for reasons they cannot put into words.

Finding the right crystal takes patience. Hold it in your hand, quiet the mind, and think of your intentions. Notice how it feels: its weight, its temperature, its colour. Many people take a feeling of calm or curiosity as a sign that the stone is the right one for them.

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. Many people carry a crystal as a daily reminder of an intention. You can put it in your pocket or wear a pendant around your neck.
• Keep one in view. Place a crystal or stone where you can see it, such as your desk or bedside, as a focus for your intention.
• Meditate with them. We've been using crystals for millennia. Many people hold a crystal in the hand while meditating to focus the mind. For example, holding palm stones is one of the easiest ways to start.
• Keep one near your bed. Some people place a crystal beside the bed or under the pillow as part of a bedtime ritual.
• Place them in your home or car. You can put a protective stone in your car or in each room of your home as a symbol of your intention to stay safe and keep a calm space.
• Create a crystal grid. Crystal grids arrange stones in a geometric pattern as a visual focus for your intention.

How to Cleanse, Charge, and Align Your Crystals?

Many people cleanse their crystals regularly as a ritual, to reset them before setting a new intention. In crystal lore, stones are said to attract, repel and absorb energy, so cleansing, charging and aligning them is a way to start fresh each time.

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 being part of your ritual. That way, you will align the crystals with your energy. Also, remember to clean the crystals you wear every day after each use.

There is no scientific evidence that crystals affect the body, so think of them as meaningful objects and personal rituals. Many people simply enjoy their beauty and the habit of setting an intention.

Many people give a crystal a purpose by setting an intention, and then use it as a reminder of their aspirations, dreams, and potential. Stonebridge Imports is a Canadian wholesaler of tumbled stones and chakra stones, with no minimum order.