How to Use Crystals

Learn how to use crystals in a variety of ways, from energy healing to protecting your aura or home.

Crystals have been used for healing and protection for centuries.

The ancients believed semi-precious stones to have healing and magical properties, and used them in a variety of ways.

Today, crystal healing is extremely popular as modern society reawakens to the powers these stones possess.

This lens highlights the types of stones to use, how to choose them, what to do with them before using them, and ways in which you can use them to your benefit.

Photo Credit: Image used under a paid license from JupiterImages Corporation

There are many beneficial ways to use crystals. The most popular method is to use them for crystal healing, but they can help in many other ways too.

• Healing

  Different crystals have different properties and are suitable for healing different physical, mental, emotional and spiritual problems. Healing generally takes place by putting the stones on the body, or carrying or wearing the stones.

• Meditation

  Crystals have numerous spiritual properties and can assist in focusing the mind for meditation

• In the Home

  Crystals can help balance the energy in your rooms, as well as protect you from harmful energy fields emitted by televisions, computers, and wireless technology.

• Protection

  Crystals can also be used for protection in a range of ways. from protecting the aura and shielding the body from harmful energy, to acting as talismans against evil.

• Magic

  Crystals are also said to have magical properties and are used by witches, druids and others in magic, spells and rituals.

• Healing Elixirs

  In a method similar to that of Bach flower remedies, crystals can be used to charge water with healing energy and act as healing elixirs.

• Chakra Balancing and Aura Healing

  Crystals can be used to help balance the chakras of the body and heal disrupted energy within the aura

Photo Credit: Image used under a paid license from JupiterImages Corporation

There is a vast array of precious and semi-precious stones in the world, and each and every one contains a different amalgamation of healing properties.

Walk into any new age or specialist crystal shop, and you will find everything from familiar names like amethyst, quartz and turquoise to the more exotic, such as labradorite, sardonyx and mookaite.

Crystals come in all shapes and sizes as well as countless varieties. You can get them rough and raw in their natural form, or you can find them as polished tumblestones. You can get palm stones and wands, spheres and points.

At first, it can all seem a bit overwhelming, but once you know the basics, you can happily work through a book of crystals and build up a collection that will work for and benefit you.

When starting out in crystal healing, look for gentle and easy-to-work with healers like amethyst or rose quartz, and the powerful master healer itself, clear quartz.

The first thing to consider when choosing a crystal is its purpose. What do you want to use it for? If you are using it for healing, for example, then you will most likely look up the stone with the appropriate properties.

The next thing to think about is shape, size and colour. A tumblestone is ideal for carrying around, while a crystal point is better for more focused healing. If you are using it on your chakras, you would need to match the colour to the chakra.

Finally, you need to use your intuition and gut feeling. Even if you know you are looking for a purple amethyst tumblestone, you will most likely be faced with a bowl of twenty or more in the shop.

Pick a few stones instinctively based on which "call" to you when you cast your eye over them. Then, feel each one in your receptive hand (in energy healing, one hand takes energy into the body - for healing yourself - and the other gives energy out - for releasing energy or healing others). This is usually your left hand.

If you experience a positive tingle or any kind of knowing sensation when holding one of the stones, this is a good indication that this is the stone for you.

You should look for a crystal with a clear, light, positive energy. Any stone which has a heavy energy or feels off kilter is not the right one for you. Also, some stones, such as onyx, have a very strong energy which many people cannot get on with. If you are new to crystal healing, such stones are best avoided until you have more experience.

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If you are serious about using stones for healing, meditation and more, then I recommend getting some good books on the subject. This beginner's guide is perfect for those new to the subject, as it outlines the basics about gemstones and how to use them.

Crystals work by absorbing the energy around them. Any stone that you buy will have absorbed the energy of its surroundings, and if it has already been used in healing, it will have absorbed the negative energy from people too.

Therefore it is essential to cleanse before use - not just when you first purchase it, but regularly between uses as well. There are many different ways to do this, which are outlined below. Always research your crystal before cleansing, as there are some methods which cannot be used with certain gemstones - for example, delicate ones will be damaged by salt cleansing, some will start to disintegrate in water, and the likes of amethyst and rose quartz will fade in sunlight.

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The methods generally used are:

* WATER * SUNLIGHT * MOONLIGHT * ENERGY HEALING * SOUND

* BURIAL IN EARTH * SALT * SMUDGE STICKS * FLAME *

AMETHYST BED * POWER OF INTENTION

Learn more about how to cleanse with these methods by following the link below:

While cleansing a gemstone rids it of any negative energy, programming or dedicating fine tunes it to the correct frequency of purpose. Most crystals have numerous properties, so it is also important to tune it to the specific property you wish to use it for.

Hold the stone in your hand and say aloud "This crystal is dedicated to resonate with the energies of healing, love and light, for the purpose of..." Visualise it being bathed in white light.

Keep this crystal separate from others, perhaps wrapping it in a silk cloth when not in use, and only use it for this purpose. If you wish to change what you use it for, you will need to cleanse and then re-program it.

Photo Credit: Image copyright of the author

Photo Credit: Image copyright of the author

Take some time to get to know your crystal. Sit quietly, holding it in your receptive hand, and feel the energy you receive from it.

This helps you to get in tune with your gemstone, allowing you to work more successfully with its energy. You might like to ask questions and see what images come into your head - for example, where did the stone originally come from?

Some people believe that crystals have spirits within them. If this is your belief, now is also the time to connect with the crystal spirit and learn what they have to teach you.

The article below outlines in more detail the ways in which to program, dedicate and attune to your gemstones.

In addition to some good books on how to use crystals, the one other essential title for your library is a dictionary of different stones. Look for one that lists the different properties for both physical and mental healing.

This book is one of my favourites, as it contains a wealth of information as well as beautiful, clear pictures of the crystals so you know what to look for when you go hunting in the shops!

The most important thing to remember when learning how to use these beautiful stones from nature, is to have fun getting to know them and enjoy the process of working with them!

Gemstones have much to teach us if we listen, as well as offering their healing and energy. Spend time looking at, and holding, different stones in gem shops and listen to your instincts about what you like and don't like. Are you attracted to colours, shapes, certain vibrations of energy?

Once you have some at home, hold them, wear them, meditate with them, carry them in your pocket - and get to know how they make you feel.

Remember to show love and gratitude for your gemstones, and enjoy the positive energy they bring into your life!

In crystal healing there are some stones which form the bedrock of most crystal collections. These have a multitude of healing properties and are ideal for those new to crystal healing to work with safely and effectively.

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