A Story of Crystals

People love crystals, and ---- if the meditative encounters that myself and thousands of others have experienced mean what they appear to mean --- the feeling is mutual.

Personally, I am like a kid in a candy store when it comes to crystals. Some people collect shoes, some purses, some art, … I have an affinity for healing crystals.

I am a firm believer in the effect that healing crystals can have on our lives through the power of inspiration, intention and vibration. As a Sound Healer, I work with the magic of crystals and crystal alchemy every day. Aside from having my own meaningful experiences with healing crystals, I am continually hearing stories of the powerful effects that crystals have had on other people’s lives. I’ve heard many remarkable tales of breakthroughs in careers, health, romances, and nearly every aspect of life.

Crystals are magical beings that are very much alive. There is a reason that humans have used them for their healing properties since the dawn of time, and they can help you live a more aligned and vibrant life when used properly with intent and with deep respect.

Crystals capture our attention with their beauty and sparkle. While they are pretty to look at they are also extremely powerful. These colorful stones have recently entered mainstream consciousness in a big way.

Part of their appeal is aesthetic, crystals are intensely beautiful. They come in a rainbow of colors and surprising hues; bright, vibrant reds and deep purples that catch the light in just the right way. They offer a special glimpse into Mother Earth and her many gifts she bestows upon us.

“You know the world is a magical place

when Mother Earth grows

her own jewelry.”

For many though, the allure of crystals extend beyond the material. Crystals are pieces of the earth and are thought to hold the ancient wisdom of the millions of years within them. Though there is not much science to back crystal healing there is something undoubtedly medicinal about the idea that you can hold this little piece of ancient earth in your hand. The energy is relatable.

It’s all about letting your crystals remind you of a certain intention.

For example, let’s say you pick up a rose quartz (thought to attract love) and you place it on your desk at work so that every time you see it, you remember this intention. This stone then becomes a continual reminder of your desire and intent, holding you true to your intention. When approached with this perspective and train of thought, it isn’t crazy to consider the crystals presence can usher in more love. Change comes when you put in the work and a splash of energetic, earthly energy can help.

The crystal culture has blown up in the past decade and it is ever more important to shop intentionally from suppliers who source crystals sustainably and with conscious intention to not overly harvest these precious gifts from Mother Earth.

You can find healing crystals everywhere these days from Target and Free People to Amazon, but I highly encourage you to shop smart and shop small. Ask where the crystals originated from and how they were mined. They carry the energy of the entire process from extraction to your hands, so it matters.

Make it matter to you too, please.

Keep your vibe high, Tribe!

The lore of the spiritual qualities of crystals, gems and minerals goes back far beyond our written history. Moldavite amulets were discovered in the 25,000 year old archeological dig that uncovered the Venus of Willendorf, the oldest Goddess statue. Fifteen centuries ago, Hindus believed that diamonds provided their owners protection from evil spirits, fire, poison, snakes and illness. In ancient Rome, Emerald was viewed as a symbol of fertility. Christian legends speak of Emerald as the stone of resurrection. Ancient legend in Burma held that inserting a Ruby into ones flesh would make one invulnerable. The Christian Mystic, Hildegard of Bingen, wrote an entire volume on gemstone cures for all sorts of illnesses. A Book of Stones was written by an Arabian Alchemist , Abu Musa Jabir ibn Hayyyan, over 1000 years ago! Our ancestors across cultures used these little pieces of earth for healing of all sorts. The Egyptians buried their dead with a quartz to protect their journey to the afterlife; those in India used amber as a medicinal tool to bring balance back into the body; and ancient Greeks described the stones as “a sure remedy against every earthly woe” in an etching that dates back more than 1500 years.

The more you understand about crystals, the more effective they are. Dedicating and programming your crystals helps them to work more efficiently. It is part of the ritual of working with crystals. As crystals are powerful beings in their own right, they need to be treated and approached with respect. Just like us, crystals need cleansing, energy resetting and recharging. Taking time to cleanse your crystals is very important. Crystals are efficient absorbers and transmitters of energy. One of their functions is to cleanse and transmute negative energies. If you leave your crystals to do this without regular cleansing, most become saturated and unable to do their work. Though a few are self-cleaning.

Ways to Cleanse Crystals

Cleansing with water (only for non-water soluble crystals)

· Use a very mild detergent with lukewarm water in a bowl and then rinse with clear running water.

· Hold crystals under cold running water for 2-3 minutes while holding intention in mind or put crystals in a bowl and run water over crystals in sink. If a crystal has been working hard then more time may be needed. Use intuition to know when cleansed. Let dry naturally.

Cleansing with smoke – incense and smudge sticks

· Use incense, cones, resins, herbs or smudge sticks that make sufficient smoke will cleanse and clear crystals.

· Sandalwood, juniper, frankincense, copal and sage have strong purifying properties and are popular with energy workers.

· Light incense, resin or smudge sticks and carefully hold stone through smoke or place incense near stones for constant access to smoke.

Cleansing with the sun

· Place in sun with clear intention or after cleansing the crystal with water you can leave the crystal in the sun to dry and recharge with solar energy.

· Be mindful doing this with quartz as it can focus the sun’s rays and be a fire risk.

Cleansing with the moon

· Hold your crystals with a clear intention and leave crystals in the direct light of a full or new moon

· Hold your crystals with an intention or small prayer before leaving overnight.

Citrine, Kyanite, and Azeztulite are crystals that are self-cleansing and never need cleaning. Clear Quartz and Carnelian cleanse other crystals (good for cleansing fragile and water-soluble crystals) but do require cleaning themselves after. Keep a carnelian stone in a bag of stones and you will never need to cleanse your crystals.

Let’s go over a few popular crystals and what they are used for:

• Crystal Quartz: Spirit stone, brings clarity and power, enhances immune system, cleanses

• Rose Quartz: evokes love. Invites unconditional love to self and to others

• Turquoise: symbolizes protection, strength, and health

• Amethyst: manifestation stone, promotes love, spiritual growth and enhances intuition

• Carnelian: overcomes blocks and makes way for creative inspiration

• Citrine: brings happiness, joy and peace

• Emerald: signals love and lasting success

• Tigers Eye: brings good luck, focus and mental clarity

• Selenite: The Master. A conduit to higher levels of consciousness

• Moonstone: Stabilizer, creates harmony, strengthens intuition, manages the ego

• Aventurine: stone of opportunity, amplifies luck, prosperity and abundance

• Agate: stone of inner stability, stabilizes the aura, transforms negative energy

• Tourmaline: grounding stone, wards off negative energy, raises your vibration

• Fluorite: stone of positivity, auric protection, calms chaotic mind

• Lapis Lazuli: the stone of truth, assists with wisdom and good judgement

• Jade: the dream stone, assists in accessing shamanic realms in dream state

• Kyanite: the stone of emotion, extremely soothing and supportive to nerves

• Obsidian: the mirror stone for shadow work, allowing sight into the soul itself

• Blue Topaz: the stone of creativity, expands mind, opens soul, connectivity to angels and ancestors

• Opal: inspires optimism, appreciation, happiness and well-being

• Amazonite: the stone of courage, expresses inner truth and courage

• Garnet: stone of health and creativity

How To Use Crystals:

Hold them while meditating.

Once you program your crystal with a specific intention, you can hold it in your hand during a meditation or a visualization and picture bringing that intention to life.

Use them on an altar.

Adding crystals to your altar (an inspiring space, display, collection that tells your story) is a really beautiful way to infuse the sacred space with an earthly, grounded energy.

Give them as gifts.

Crystals are my favorite gifts to give and receive! Crystals make for unique, personal gifts. Choose a stone with inherent properties you think a friend or loved one could use. Be sure to cleanse it too, imparting it with your own energy and stamp of positivity before passing it on.

Carry them around with you.

Small crystals can travel in your purse, pocket, under your pillow, in your car or on a able or desk, as constant reminders of your connection to spirit and the earth.

Make a crystal grid.

A crystal grid is a geometric pattern of energetically aligned stones charged by intention, set in a sacred space for the purpose of manifesting a particular objective. A crystal grid incorporates the use of crystals and stones because of their precise vibratory frequency. Each stone has its own specific energy vibration which we can use for manifesting our intentions.. A healing or energy grid builds an energetic map that can create real change in our lives. Grids stabilize and cleanse energies, they synthesize powerful crystal vibrations and sacred geometric energies. The possibilities for a grid are endless. Grids can be large or small, they can be indoors or outdoors or on your body. The energetic net spreads way beyond the grid itself, so size is not an issue. They can create abundance, safeguard space, and neutralize toxic dross. They can attract love into your life, or send forgiveness and healing intent. They can be set up for world peace, or to heal a devastated forest and the after-effects of a natural disaster. It all begins with the intention and your intuition while designing the placement for the crystals. Anyone can build an energetic healing grid.

Charge your water.

Crystals can charge your water. Use intent and put your crystals into a pitcher of fresh water. Add edible flowers and herbs or just use plain. The crystals will charge the water with crystal energy. (see last post on the blog for more info on charging water).

You should avoid any crystal that contains lead or copper, such as malachite, azurite, chalcopyrite, galena, Amazonite, mohawkite, or turquoise – just to name a few.

Aluminum is also found in some gemstones and should be avoided.

These include aquamarine, garnet, labradorite, ruby, sapphire, and any other stone in the “Beryl Group”: bixbite, heliodor, goshenite, emerald, and morganite.

HERE ARE CRYSTALS THAT ARE SAFE TO PUT INTO YOUR WATER:

amethyst, obsidian, lapis luzuli, rose quartz, red jasper, clear quartz, citrine, carnelian, smoky quartz,

(((((Crystal Vibrations)))))

All matter on Earth has a vibrational frequency. Even though we are all made of the same stuff, PURE ENERGY --- we manage to maintain the illusion of separateness because we vibrate at different frequencies. Vibration is important to who we are, the energy we emit and the way we relate to one another.

We even use a slang term for someone with whom we feel an instant affinity, saying we (((vibe))) with that person. This is a much truer statement than many people realize.

As creatures of energy, we tend to attract people, situations, and objects that vibrate at a frequency similar to our own. However, our vibration varies from day to day and situation to situation depending on a number of factors such as our mood or emotions, what we put into our bodies, how we care for ourselves, how much time we spend in spiritual pursuits, and the careers and activities we choose.

Unlike humans, crystals maintain a consistent vibration. Because of their crystalline structure, most vibrate at high levels, with certain crystals having extreme high vibrations. When we work with crystals, we can use them to tune our own vibrations to a higher level.

“If you want to find the secrets

of the universe, think in terms of energy,

frequency, and vibration.”

-Nikola Tesla

Energy is where the secrets of crystal healing lie.

Joey McCune, a free spirited Seattle Realtor turned Energy Practitioner, has traveled the world in her studies of deeply rooted spiritual traditions and rituals in many forms. She is a Sound Healer/Weaver, Gong Master, a Master Reiki Practitioner, works with Shamanic Energy, and now lives and practices in Tulum, MX.

Her work with clients focuses on achieving a sense of balance, wellness and soul fulfillment and utilizes a combination of crystals, color theory, chakra systems, sacred geometry and Sound Healing, Reiki and Shamanic principles.

The views expressed in this article intend to highlight alternative studies and induce conversation. They are the views of the author and are for informational purposes only. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice.