Skeptic’s Guide To Healing Crystals

Standing in the middle of what seemed like utopia of gems, I read every description of each crystal, trying to decipher which would best fit my needs. 

There are dozens of crystals said to heal or help with a variety of afflictions. You want to do better on an exam? An Amethyst in your pocket while you study should help. Want more luck in love? You can put a couple of clean rose quartz in a pitcher of water to invite love into your life. Yet the questions that we are left with remains unanswered. Do they work?

I went into this question armed with knowledge of healing crystals I had collected through a friend who is a firm believer. 

1. You must let yourself feel. Wander about the store and choose the one you feel most connected to. If you find yourself constantly going back to one, your best bet is that it’s meant for you. 
2. Understand your intentions. Whether you are looking for peace, love, or prosperity, go in thinking of whatever it is you want. 
3. It’s not an exact science. Yes, there is science as to how crystals are formed but there’s no exact science to their actual “healing properties”. You can’t expect to get the same energy read from each crystal. 

So with that in mind I just waited till I found myself drawn to a few. 

Green adventurine: known as the stone of opportunity. It promotes prosperity and creativity. 

Rose quartz: opens the heart to love and raises self-esteem and confidence.

Clear quartz: amplifies energy and thoughts, said to increase spiritual wisdom.

Amethyst: it is said that it brings stability, peace, and inspiration.

Citrine:  brings happiness and abundance, and is said to help achieve your goals. 

Black tourmaline: protects you against negative energy and cleanse energy within your home.

Green calcite: brings claiming energies and removed stagnant energy.

Next I ran them all under cold water and thought of my intentions for them. This is what is called “cleansing the crystals”. This is to make sure they get the best possible chance to do some good, as crystals are said to pick up the energy around them it is imperative to remove any residual energy and provide a clean slate for your personal use. There are many ways to cleanse crystals such as sage smudging, burying them in salt, sand, or dirt, or leaving them submerged in water. 

After cleansing came the time to charge the crystals. Charging is when you set the intentions and energy of the crystal. The best way to do this is to leave them under the light of a full moon, the sun, or imagining a white light around the crystal you are charging. I left them out in the sun for a full day. 

Lastly I let them do their work by placing them in spots around my room where I thought they would fit best. I let them do their “healing.” I did not feel a difference in energy within my room immediately, it mostly felt the same, as days went on I began to feel a bit more positive than my usual cynical self. 

The consensus is, it’s most likely a placebo effect. In short: my belief that the crystals change my energy, changes my energy by making me more positive. Hence they work because I believe they do. So as long as you believe they work, they will work. 

• crystal healing