I first fell in love with pretty stones when I was a child. Mother had an allotment, a space rented from the local council to give city dwellers the chance to grow their own food. It was conveniently located at the end of our garden. I was expected to help out – not that I minded. Picking raspberries and strawberries (slipping some into my mouth before they made it to the kitchen), watering young plants in dry weather, and the never ending weeding were all my tasks.
When digging up potatoes, I spotted smooth round stones in the dark soil. Some were plain, some were patterned with straight lines. Lessons at school taught me how rocks were formed – sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic. I spent time trying to work out what sort of stones they were. Where some were broken, I could see shiny edges inside. The prettiest ones, I cleaned up and stored on the window ledge in my bedroom.
In my teenage years, with the New Age culture that flourished, I flirted with crystals, mainly for their looks, with little understanding of what they could be used for. The interest withered but lay dormant. Quite a few years later, my interest came back to life. I read about crystals and their healing applications. I decided to find out more so in 2005 I took an introductory course in crystal therapy at a local college. I went on to complete a diploma in crystal healing in 2007.
The theory underlying the concept of crystal healing is that crystals have anergy, and vibrate at their own unique frequency. Is this possible? Albert Einstein sat that ‘everything is energy; that’s all there is to it. Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. It is physics.’
Chakra balancing was an eye opener. When I first heard of this, I have to admit I was quite sceptical. How could laying crystals on a person improve their well-being? However, as I understood more about the concept, it started to make sense. Chakras are energy centres that regulate all parts of your body systems. Keeping them in balance helps them work effectively which in turn supports your body.
There are seven chakras which are aligned with colours starting with red at the root – the base of the spine – and ending with purple at the crown – just above the head. Selecting crystals of corresponding colours will help return the chakras to their natural balance.
There are other ways of utilising crystals. You can simply carry a crystal with you throughout your day. I think the closer to your skin the better, and have been known to wear a crystal inside my bra, of course making sure that it’s a smooth variety. I have a roller ball bottle filled with lapis lazuli chips which I have topped up with essential oils in a carrier oil, to rub on my wrists when feeling stressed. Some people place them under their pillow or inside the pillowcase.
Individual crystals have their own properties that work with different areas in your life. This is not a new discovery. The Ancient Sumerians used crystals in magic formulas and Egyptians used crystals in jewellery and grave amulets. The word for crystal comes from the Greek word for ice, as they thought quartz was ice frozen so deeply it would not thaw. So we have a long wealth of knowledge to draw from when choosing which crystal will work for us.
Crystals can be selected for the health benefits they bring, and also for psychological benefits. For example Blue Lace Agate is strongly connected to the throat chakra with its pale blue waves of colour. It helps with communication by encouraging expression of feelings. By releasing blocked self-expression, it can ease tension in the neck and shoulders, and is thought to strengthen the skeletal system.
There is so much to explore about crystals. I hope to return to this topic at a later date.
Written by Portland Jones, PF Disabilities Liaison for the Midlands
Sources:
https://www.sharonmckinleydesigns.co.uk/crystal-history
The Crystal Bible Judy Hall