The Crystal Healing Challenge

Everything vibrates! When you look at anything through a microscope on an atomic level the atoms vibrate and give off a certain frequency. Our bodies and minds are very complex structures and can pick up on the smallest energies around us. Crystals are full of positive energy, so it is a good idea to keep this positive energy close!

Ancient civilizations held crystals in high regard and many believed them to be magical, giving special powers to their owners. Many people today believe that crystals really do have the power to heal. The science behind this is that they vibrate to a certain frequency that can harmonize to the frequency of our bodies helping us to feel happy, open, clear or even enlightened.

They come in all different shapes and sizes and can be worn on jewelry such as rings or bangles but most commonly on a necklace. Keeping a crystal with you, either in your pocket or worn, means that it's energy will blend with your own and thus influence your thought patterns and in turn your mood and perception.

The subject of crystals and their use in healing is a broad and very detailed topic. There are hundreds of different types of crystals with so many different uses and meanings so to begin it is better to just keep things simple.

Healing can come in many different ways. The most common form known to everyone is Physical healing, such as putting a dressing on a wound. There is also mental, emotional and spiritual healing and these three are the most complex. They are so intimately connected that it can be hard to distinguish and they can have an effect on each other.

A form of mental healing could be therapy to help cope with stress, Emotional healing could be as simple as a hug from a loved one or the touch of a hand. One example of spiritual healing is the use of mediumship to bring a message from a loved one, which can and does help to deal with grief and coming to terms with someone passing away, particularly in tragic circumstances.

The cool thing about crystals is that they can cover all forms of healing, from helping boost your immune system to calming your mind.

If you are in any way skeptical about the idea of crystal healing then I challenge you to try this:

• Choose a crystal with the healing qualities personal to you and keep it with you for one week.
• You can keep it in your pocket, around your neck or even beside your bed to help you sleep (Amethyst is good for sleeping).
• At the end of the week assess whether or not the crystal has affected you in any way. You will be surprised at the results!

There is an abundance of information about crystals all over the internet and in books. If you feel this challenge is for you then why not call in to your local holistic shop and have a look around at some crystals that may help you. If this challenge works for you then I have at least achieved the goal of opening your mind to something new and exciting. There's no harm in giving it a go!

If you decide to have a go then please feel free to share your experience by commenting.

Without going in to too much detail, it is believed that sometimes crystals can hold on to unwanted energies and need to be cleansed or recharged. There are many ways to clear your crystals and here are just a few that are commonly used:

• Leave them in the light of the full moon overnight. It is believed that the crystals can absorb the power from the moonlight thus charging their energy.
• Run your crystals under water. Water is the element of cleansing.
• Breathing on your crystal is said to power it with your own energy and intentions.

When clearing it is a good idea to keep in mind what you would like from your crystals and focus on what is personal to you.

Many people are skeptical of holistic therapies and whether or not they actually work. One thing you can not argue with is the power of the human mind. It has been proven that the placebo effect can help to heal a person. So if you doubt their power, think of them as a placebo.

It would not do any harm to keep a crystal close for a week and at the very worst take comfort in their beauty.