Crystal Healing for Beginners

Introduction to Crystal Healing for Beginners

Welcome to this feature on Crystal Healing for Beginners. Here we look at what crystal healing is, how it works, how to start and where to ethically source your crystals. Crystals are semi-precious stones which come in a variety of colours and forms making them a perfect item to incorporate into wellbeing practices. Crystals help us feel grounded and given the stress, anxiety and uncertainty the world has experienced over the last few years, it’s little surprise crystals continue to grow in popularity. Two ethical stores are feature here and the items shown are a mixture of purchased and gifted. As ever, recommendations are genuine; having had a great purchase experience I approached these brands to arrange this collaboration.

What is Crystal Healing?

Crystal healing centres around the idea that different crystals have different vibrations and those vibrations have specific healing properties. It’s scientifically proven that different crystals have different vibrations. Testing their vibrations (through x-ray diffraction for example) is one way to determine what minerals make up the crystal.

The idea that these vibrations have healing properties is more spiritual than scientific, which is why this feature appears in the ‘balance’ section. That said, never underestimate the power of the placebo effect, or the proven fact that people who nurture a positive outlook often experience a more positive outcome. Additionally, using crystals can help to strengthen healthy habits such as meditation.

How Crystal Healing Works

There are a number of ways you can incorporate crystals and their powers into your life. Many people enjoy displaying them in their homes and/or wearing them. They are popular in meditation, in manifestation or wiccan rituals, as a fidget piece, in feng shui, in baths, or to carry in a pocket. This is not an exhaustive list, many people develop their own personal rituals and uses for crystals.

There are different types of semi-precious stone crystals associated with different powers. Different crystals are also associated with specific parts of the body. If you’ve heard of chakras you might know these are 7 energy centres in the body. Each chakra is associated with a different colour. You can use a stone of the corresponding colour to harness the energy of that chakra and get it flowing. Individual crystals also have unique properties and associations. For example, rose quartz is associated with love, clear quartz with healing and spiritual growth, moss agate encourages a sense of tranquillity and emotional balance.

Crystals also have different forms; raw or polished into a particular shape. The shapes often also have specific meanings. When you’re getting started, you don’t need to worry too much about whether you have a tumblestone, obelisk or raw crystal. The mineral itself is more important.

How to Start

A few different crystals in different forms is a great place to start. Try wearing them, carrying smaller ones in your pocket, relaxing whilst looking at their patterns and forms, and incorporating them into your existing wellbeing practices. Over time you will find which practices work best for you and which crystals you intuitively need.

Selenite

Selenite is a great beginners crystal because it has strong cleansing powers. It is silky and fibrous in it’s unpolished form. You can use it to cleanse yourself (rub gently over your torso and limbs) and to cleanse your home or space (e.g. place it on top of the door frame). This gets rid of stagnant energy and negative vibrations. Selenite can also be used to cleanse and recharge other crystals. It’s important to periodically recharge crystals, this can be done in sunlight, moon light (full moon), or with selenite. Put your crystals on top of, or touching the selenite.

Amethyst

Amethyst is a strongly balancing crystal making it a popular choice for anxiety and stress relief. It can also enhance energy for creativity, dreams and intuition. It corresponds to the third eye chakra; our body’s spiritual gateway. It’s attractiveness makes it popular for jewelry and a variety of crystal forms.

Rose Quartz

Rose Quartz is another very popular crystal for both jewellery and to have as individual pieces. It has a pretty pink colour, hence its name and its use dates back to ancient Egypt. Rose Quartz purifies and opens the heart at all levels to promote love, self-love, friendship, deep inner healing and feelings of peace. It works with the heart chakra, restoring trust and harmony in relationships.

Quartz

Quartz is typically clear (it looks glassy) but can contain inclusions. It is a very powerful crystal with properties including strength, durability, chemical inertness (meaning it doesn’t react) and piezoelectricity (electric charge). These properties mean it’s used in manufacturing everything from watches, radios and computer chips, to glass and ceramics. Spiritually, quartz is great for amplifying energy, clarity and enlightenment. It corresponds to the crown chakra and supports you to open your mind to a higher understanding of yourself. It’s a great crystal to tap into your inner wisdom and gain clarity.

Where to buy healing crystals

It’s important to buy crystals from a reputable seller, because often there are fakes on the market. One example is turquoise v howlite. Turquoise is more expensive than howlite, so some people dye howlite (which is naturally white or grey) blue to make it look like turquoise. It can be hard to spot the difference by eye (turquoise quite a bit harder than howlite, so if it scratches easily it’s likely howlite). Also, not all semi-precious stones are ethically mined, or sourced and this is an important consideration. Stones mined by oppressed people will not be infused with good karma. As regular readers know, ethics are a major driver for where I shop.

I buy my crystals from Rock and Realm, an ethical independent female-owned crystal business based in Norwich, Norfolk UK. R+R have a lovely selection of different crystals in a range of forms. They plant a tree for every product sold, and we know it’s not greenwashing because it’s done through Eden Reforestation. I particularly like that you can purchase 3 extra trees at checkout for £1. R+R also uses recyclable and biodegradable packaging and sources its products from traceable family run or community enterprises.

I love crystal jewellery from Xander Kostroma, there’s a great variety of crystals both polished and raw, for men and women. Xander Kostroma Fashion Ltd is an ethical, independent business and has been a member of the Living Wage Foundation since the business started in 2018. All direct employees and contracted staff in the UK, China and Portugal are paid a living wage. Each piece is handmade and every item can be traced directly back to the source of reputable suppliers. From the factory to the photo studio, accredited suppliers follow strict AMFORI guidelines which relate to how they conduct their businesses and treat their employees.

Both stores send their items beautifully wrapped.