Sure, they’re beautiful. And some say they hold healing qualities. Wondering how to heal yourself with crystals? Read on!
By Emily Baldwin
True story: my younger brother was born deaf. The doctors told my parents that he’d have problems communicating throughout his life and would need years of speech and language therapy.
After several hearing tests during his first year and many seemingly useless appointments with consultants, my parents decided to take him to a holistic healer, hoping alternative medicine could help him improve. Following the consultation, my parents were instructed to place amethyst close to my brother’s bed over the next few months. Amethyst is often used by healers as a method of detoxifying the body and mind. It is said to eliminate distractions that obstruct healing and healthy growth.
Six weeks later, my parents took my brother to another doctor’s appointment – and stunned the medic with my brother’s improvement. The doctor exclaimed that he had never seen such an extreme change in such a short time. He asked what we had done. My brother had gone from being almost totally deaf, to being able to hear whispers as low as 15 decibels. No further doctor’s visits were needed.
The History of Crystals
It was difficult to ignore the sudden improvement in my brother’s condition following his appointment with the homeopathic healer. Many people believe that cases like this are purely coincidental and other factors must have led to the cure. Others however, regularly use crystals as a method of healing and curing both mental and physical complications and believe firmly in their power. So how and why are healing crystals used around the world?
For thousands of years, civilizations have associated healing powers with crystals and also sought to use them to regain energy, to protect and to realign the human body physically and emotionally. Crystals have long been thought to be imbued with particular powers. For example agate, one of the oldest healing stones, was used on the breastplates of armour. It was thought to bring victory to warriors and protect them in battle. Abalone shell was thought to be sacred and was used in ancient cultures to carry messages to Heaven. Mayans used azurite as a tool for sacred and mystical communication. The Ancient Egyptians buried their dead with carnelian, as it was thought to be calming on the journey into the afterlife and rebirth.
Choosing Your Stones
When beginning the process of attempting to heal yourself with crystals, it’s important that you choose the right stone. And be sure it has been ethically mined, too! No one wants the bad vibes of child labour and environmental destruction in their stone.
Select the crystal that you are most attracted to, regardless of whether this is purely for aesthetic reasons. If you feel drawn to a specific stone, it’s likely that this will be the one to help you. Each crystal offers different healing properties. Familiarising yourself with the energies of some of those that are most commonly used will be beneficial when wanting to target a specific area of your life.
Also, certain crystals are linked to a specific chakras (more on this below) and zodiac signs. It’s said that particular stones correspond to the temperaments of people with that zodiac sign more effectively. But you shouldn’t choose your crystal based on that connection alone. Not sure which stone corresponds to your zodiac sign? Here’s a list, below.
Rose Quartz: Libra and Taurus
This crystal is linked to feelings of love, for others and yourself. Its use is recommended if you have been feeling down about yourself and need a boost in self-confidence and self-worth. Known as the ‘love stone’, this delicate pink crystal would be a thoughtful gift to a friend or loved one.
Black Tourmaline: Sagittarius
The primary use of black tourmaline is to reduce feelings of negativity. People often use it when they are feeling down or unhappy as a method of increasing positive thoughts and energy.
Malachite: Scorpio
Malachite is used to protect against the chaos of the modern world. Its primary function is to reduce mental pollutions and provide calm and relaxing feelings for the user.
Citrine: Gemini, Aries, Libra and Leo
People who are seeking new beginnings and who are planning on developing positive opportunities for themselves, often use Citrine. Its primary function is to provide motivation, energy and optimism towards achieving your future goals.
Amethyst: Pisces, Virgo, Aquarius and Capricorn
As previously stated, this deep purple stone is used to detoxify the body and mind. It is acquired in order to eliminate any distractions that may be hindering healthy healing and growth, both physically and mentally.
Emerald: Taurus, Aries
This pale green crystal is described as the stone of ‘successful love’. It is used in order to eliminate negative energy and promote loyalty and sensitivity towards others.
Celestine: Gemini
It has been said that Celestine can help people to remember their dreams and cause them to feel calm and balanced. With its cool pale blue colour, many use it in order to increase feelings of peace and contentment.
Iron Pyrite: Leo
Ever heard of ‘fool’s gold?’ Bright, sparkling and golden, this beautiful crystal wards off negative energy and physical danger. In addition to the protective powers of this stone, it is also said to improve intellect and memory.
How To Heal Yourself With Crystals
Once you’ve chosen your stones, it’s important to learn how to harness their power, and how incorporate their energy into your everyday life. You may find that one particular process works better for you than others. Also be sure to take proper care of your crystals, and never share them with others!
1. Meditation
This is one of the simplest techniques to use when wanting to connect to your crystal. This approach can leave you feeling relaxed and grounded, but may also take time, so be patient. Simply hold your crystal in both hands, breathe in a steady and controlled manner, and focus on your connection to the earth.
2. Crystal Grids
Another technique is to create a crystal grid. Select the stones that you believe will result in the desired intention then place them into a geometric pattern on the floor. Due to the symmetrical structure of the grid, the energy from the crystals travels quickly and their overall effect is far more powerful.
3. Keep it Near
You could just simply carry your stone round with you as you travel. Storing your crystal in your pocket allows you to have contact with it throughout the day, allowing its energy to transfer to you easily.
Use Your Chakras To Heal With Crystals, Too
Placing healing crystals directly onto your body is another very common technique for using their energy. Knowing there to place them is important: each chakra corresponds to a different part of your body. By learning how each of these relates to you, you can become aware of any imbalances you may be experiencing. This, in turn allows you to place your crystal on the correct section of body.
- Crown Chakra: Located at the top of the head, it promotes imagination and positivity.
- Brow/Third Eye Chakra: Located above the eyebrows, it promotes intuition, psychic abilities, concentration and insight.
- Throat Chakra: This chakra links to communication and expression, increasing your connection to the world around you.
- Heart Chakra: This promotes love, forgiveness and compassion.
- Solar Plexus Chakra: Located at the base of your ribcage, this chakra promotes feelings of happiness such as laughter, humour and warmth. It is also said to help form your personality and identity.
- Sacral/Navel Chakra: Promoting feelings of power and strength, this chakra is located between the navel and pubic bones.
- Base Chakra: It’s found at the base of your spine and promotes patience and courage, along with physical survival and stability.
When wanting to use this particular technique, it’s important that you pick a stone that corresponds to a specific chakra. For example, quartz crystals are often placed above the head in order to open up the crown chakra. This can promote feelings of enlightenment and positivity.
The Science Part
Perhaps unsurprisingly, such widely and long-held beliefs in the healing power of crystals have some basis in scientific fact. For example, Danish company Enagi has developed a way of using crystals based on Albert Einstein’s theory of zero point energy from 1913. Based on this, they proceeded to build a crystal based machine that generated a strong electromagnetic field. They tested it on a variety of different liquids, which were then subsequently found to have become 10 times better at conducting electricity than other liquids.
The founders of Enagi, Jesper Bendsen and Helena Kalmose, claim that this electromagnetic field has a powerful impact on their own emotions and mental states. For them, it causes feelings of sensitivity and calm. As a result, they developed a procedure where they stored this energy in fluoride crystals, so that others could experience similar benefits.
Good Vibrations
Now named the ‘Enagi-field’, the company produces and sells purple fluorite crystals that are said to conduct positive life force energy. They claim that their crystals are unlike all other regular stones, as they have a long-term effect on the user. They’re far more powerful and pure. Enagi crystals not only target emotions, but are also eliminate negative vibrations and energies from within specific parts of the body’s organs and glands. Enagi crystals were created to stabilise energy levels in the human body when there’s an imbalance. When a person is experiencing low energy levels spiritually, emotionally, physically or mentally, the Enagi field will counterbalance these issues, in turn re-establishing healthy energy levels.
The Enagi field was tested on water molecules in a biolab in Sweden. These tests demonstrated that the crystals were able to harmonize the molecules, becoming more stable and in turn allowing them to contain more energy. With our bodies consisting of mainly water, our own molecules can be disrupted by influences in our environment and, according to Enagi, create disharmony in our cells. This method therefore, balances out these negative influences, re-establishing our low energy levels and in turn leaving us feeling both mentally and physically stronger.
Still Some Doubts
Other studies show different effects of crystals. For example, in 2001, French et al at Goldsmiths College at the University of London presented a paper at the British Psychological Society Centenary Annual Conference in Glasgow, in which they outlined their study of the efficacy of crystal healing.
For the study, 80 participants were asked to meditate for five minutes while holding either a real quartz crystal or a fake crystal that they believed was real. Before meditating, half of the participants were primed to notice any effects that the crystals might have on them, like tingling in the body or warmth in the hand holding the crystal.
After meditating, participants answered questions about whether they felt any effects from the crystal healing session. The researchers found that the effects reported by those who held fake crystals while meditating were no different than the effects reported by those who held real crystals during the study.
All In The Mind?
Many participants in both groups reported feeling a warm sensation in the hand holding the crystal or fake crystal, as well as an increased feeling of overall well being. Those who had been primed to feel these effects reported stronger effects than those who had not been primed.
However, the strength of these effects did not correlate with whether the person in question was holding a real crystal or a fake one. Those who believed in the power of crystals (as measured by a questionnaire) were twice as likely as non-believers to report feeling effects from the crystal.
“There is no evidence that crystal healing works over and above a placebo effect,” French told Live Science. “That is the appropriate standard to judge any form of treatment. But whether or not you judge crystal healing, or any other form of [complementary and alternative medicine], to be totally worthless depends upon your attitude to placebo effects.”
So…it’s all in the mind? Well, my own personal experience has shown me how healing crystals made a positive impact upon a loved one during a time of suffering. But was this merely a coincidence? Each crystal is said to carry with it a variety of different benefits. Whether you believe in their power or not, you may find that they could be influential in improving both your mental and physical well-being.
What have you got to lose?
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