Like magnets and magnotherapy, crystal healing is often forgotten in any talk about natural healing, yet this has come from ancient times where it was part of the early traditions for many tribes. It is gaining in popularity today and more crystal stores are opening. These stones can be a decorative and fascinating addition to any home, while delivering other benefits at the same time.
There are many various types of alternative medicine, but among the most common and widely used ones are, Herbal Therapy, Aromatherapy, Crystal Therapy, Magnotherapy and Reiki.
There are many various types of alternative medicine, but among the most common and widely used ones are, Herbal Therapy, Aromatherapy, Crystal Therapy, Magnotherapy and Reiki.
Meaning of the Word Crystal
The ancient Greeks held crystals to be important for all types of well being, and quartz was thought to be water that had “frozen hard”, and therefore would remain in that state. The name crystal means “ice”, as that is what they thought it was.Likewise, many names of the different crystals comes from the Greek, and one example is Amethyst - meaning something similar to “not drunk”, and this was used to prevent the person getting drunk in bygone Greece.
History of Crystal Use
Crystals were used for both spiritual and physical healing in olden times.
Some people say crystals were widely used in Atlantis, and there is even a rumour that an “over use” of the power of crystals was their downfall. As speculation is still rife about what happened to this lost city, there is no way to tell if this is true or not.
Crystals have been found in many of the ancient tombs archaeologists have discovered, and again this shows how much they were valued. It was only the most prized items, and things that could help them in the next life, that were buried with the owners.
There are written records of crystals used for healing purposes that date back over 5,000 years from Egypt, India and China.
Many countries believed turquoise to be important for all sorts of well being, and used it in jewellery so it could be carried around with them. Once upon a time jewellery was used, not for beauty, but rather for the power the stones held, and putting a crystal on a cord round their neck was the easiest way for ancient tribes to carry these precious items.
Amber beads dating from the end of the ice age, about 10,000 years ago, were found in Britain. The interesting thing about this find is that it shows how important amber was, (it was believed to hold magical properties). Travel was difficult, dangerous and long, so getting the beads to a far away island was no mean feat all those years ago.
Some people say crystals were widely used in Atlantis, and there is even a rumour that an “over use” of the power of crystals was their downfall. As speculation is still rife about what happened to this lost city, there is no way to tell if this is true or not.
Crystals have been found in many of the ancient tombs archaeologists have discovered, and again this shows how much they were valued. It was only the most prized items, and things that could help them in the next life, that were buried with the owners.
There are written records of crystals used for healing purposes that date back over 5,000 years from Egypt, India and China.
Many countries believed turquoise to be important for all sorts of well being, and used it in jewellery so it could be carried around with them. Once upon a time jewellery was used, not for beauty, but rather for the power the stones held, and putting a crystal on a cord round their neck was the easiest way for ancient tribes to carry these precious items.
Amber beads dating from the end of the ice age, about 10,000 years ago, were found in Britain. The interesting thing about this find is that it shows how important amber was, (it was believed to hold magical properties). Travel was difficult, dangerous and long, so getting the beads to a far away island was no mean feat all those years ago.
Early Uses of Crystals
One of the most common uses of crystals was to protect the wearer from evil spirits. Another example of “crystal jewellery" can be seen in the crowns the leaders used. Crowns have many stones, as it was believed certain crystals gave rulers more power and wisdom while protecting them at the same time. The same rule applied to warriors and they had precious stones set into their swords.
During this period crystals were also thought to have healing properties and were either worn as jewellery or carried in a pouch to cure most illnesses and disorders. This included sleeping better, having more willpower, having better eyesight, to stop bleeding and infection and to have children.
Crystals were also ground down into powder and either rubbed onto the skin or taken orally to heal. Nowadays this usage has died out as archaic and not beneficial, but wearing or having crystals near you is still used and is becoming more popular as people look for an alternative to chemical cures.
The change in colour of a crystal from dark to light, and vice versa, was believed to indicate either good things when it was light or bright or bad things when it became dark or dull. This could represent anything from indication of good or bad health to infidelity. There are still pieces of crystal jewellery such as rings that are called “mood stones” as they change colour “depending on your mood”. The theory behind these is that your body temperature changes according to your state of mind and this rise or fall caused the change in colour – much like a lie detector test reflects your body’s change based on your mental status.
Today minerals have been recognized as having great healing properties – copper is used to reduce inflammation, calcium to strengthen bones and so on. If minerals can do this, why not crystals?
Crystals are used in many medical machines like ultrasound, as well as everyday items like clocks.
During this period crystals were also thought to have healing properties and were either worn as jewellery or carried in a pouch to cure most illnesses and disorders. This included sleeping better, having more willpower, having better eyesight, to stop bleeding and infection and to have children.
Crystals were also ground down into powder and either rubbed onto the skin or taken orally to heal. Nowadays this usage has died out as archaic and not beneficial, but wearing or having crystals near you is still used and is becoming more popular as people look for an alternative to chemical cures.
The change in colour of a crystal from dark to light, and vice versa, was believed to indicate either good things when it was light or bright or bad things when it became dark or dull. This could represent anything from indication of good or bad health to infidelity. There are still pieces of crystal jewellery such as rings that are called “mood stones” as they change colour “depending on your mood”. The theory behind these is that your body temperature changes according to your state of mind and this rise or fall caused the change in colour – much like a lie detector test reflects your body’s change based on your mental status.
Today minerals have been recognized as having great healing properties – copper is used to reduce inflammation, calcium to strengthen bones and so on. If minerals can do this, why not crystals?
Crystals are used in many medical machines like ultrasound, as well as everyday items like clocks.
What Crystals Do
It is hard to know where ancient wisdom and modern day scientific methods meet, and there are many discrepancies between these two trains of thought. This makes it difficult to know what each type of stone really does and therefore a good rule of thumb is to buy a small one for the general problem you have and see if it makes any difference.
For example if you have “lower back ache” buy a relaxing stone, "pain free" stone or similar until you find one that helps, then buy a bigger one or more of the same.
Many people believe the right crystal will “call out to you”, so you can also choose the one you are most drawn to and see if this is the appropriate one for you .
There are some scientific facts regarding crystals, but most information is simply ancient or modern beliefs. The healing is mainly based on the emotive state, feeling good, sad, depressed and so on, although there are crystals that help physical problems too.
There are too many to list all the crystals, but here are a few examples and what they purportedly do:
An ancient Egyptian document from 1550BC, (called “The Ebers Papyrus”), mentions the use of Lapis Lazuli as an astringent, while topaz was used to get rid of evil spirits.
For example if you have “lower back ache” buy a relaxing stone, "pain free" stone or similar until you find one that helps, then buy a bigger one or more of the same.
Many people believe the right crystal will “call out to you”, so you can also choose the one you are most drawn to and see if this is the appropriate one for you .
There are some scientific facts regarding crystals, but most information is simply ancient or modern beliefs. The healing is mainly based on the emotive state, feeling good, sad, depressed and so on, although there are crystals that help physical problems too.
There are too many to list all the crystals, but here are a few examples and what they purportedly do:
- Quartz – amplifies, conducts and stores energy, and in one form or another, is the most commonly used. It can be used alone, but is often used to amplify the effects of another crystal
- Amazonite - a green colour, strengthens all the energy in the body and this includes the brain.
- Amethyst- a purple colour, this regulates the metabolism, and helps hearing
- Aventurine- light green, this helps metabolism, especially cholesterol, is anti-inflammatory and aids healing.
- Blue Goldstone – a very dark blue, this is said to help migraines
- Citrine quartz- a light brown/peach colour, it helps the liver, kidneys and good fortune.
- Emerald – is a great general healer, but also is believed to aid problems related to breathing
- Hematite – blue/gray, boosts self-esteem and aids willpower.
- Lapis Lazuli – blue, this is believed to help blood pressure and remove toxins.
- Malachite- green with darker stripes, this is a natural bacteriostatic, that means it stops bacteria reproducing. Also it is believed to lessen arthritis, asthma, cramps and epilepsy.
- Opal- (quartz family), white and is used to improve eye trouble.
- Prehnite – a pink colour, this is recommend for gout and joint problems.
- Rose quartz – a pink colour, this helps you overcome past experiences that were negative and promotes weight loss.
- Smithsonite – a green/light turquoise colour, this benefits the immune system and sinus and digestive problems.
- Sunstone – pink/peach colour, this helps the nervous system, gives vitality and helps overcome depression
An ancient Egyptian document from 1550BC, (called “The Ebers Papyrus”), mentions the use of Lapis Lazuli as an astringent, while topaz was used to get rid of evil spirits.
Use and Cleansing
Crystals can be worn as jewellery, carried in a pocket, put under a pillow, cushion or mattress, put in the bath or placed around the home. Where you put them depends on what you need them for, in the home will create a relaxing environment while a short necklace will benefit the throat area, and so on.
When worn in jewellery, they need to be in a pure metal like gold or silver as other substances can effect the healing properties.
Some crystals work quickly and should be worn for short periods, while others are slow workers. This may mean you feel uncomfortable after wearing a crystal for a time, and you should remove it at this point.
For any crystal to be effective it needs to be regularly cleansed. This is not to be confused with cleaning, but is removing the negative energy the stone has absorbed.
The most popular way to cleanse is to place the crystals outside when there is a full moon and leave it there until the new moon comes.
Another way is to bury it, either in earth in the garden or in a vase, (putting a marker so you can find it again, or in dry herbs – sage, sandalwood or rose petals. Leave it for a day or so.
A “quick cleanse” can be done by holding it under a running cold tap for ten minutes, but this will not cleanse as deeply as the above methods
When worn in jewellery, they need to be in a pure metal like gold or silver as other substances can effect the healing properties.
Some crystals work quickly and should be worn for short periods, while others are slow workers. This may mean you feel uncomfortable after wearing a crystal for a time, and you should remove it at this point.
For any crystal to be effective it needs to be regularly cleansed. This is not to be confused with cleaning, but is removing the negative energy the stone has absorbed.
The most popular way to cleanse is to place the crystals outside when there is a full moon and leave it there until the new moon comes.
Another way is to bury it, either in earth in the garden or in a vase, (putting a marker so you can find it again, or in dry herbs – sage, sandalwood or rose petals. Leave it for a day or so.
A “quick cleanse” can be done by holding it under a running cold tap for ten minutes, but this will not cleanse as deeply as the above methods
Conclusion
The conclusion is that there is no conclusion. Some say crystals do not heal while others believe strongly in the powers contained in these stones.There are some problems with healing crystals; there are so many crystals, and most appear to do more than one thing, so it is difficult to find the right one. Also there are many conflicting opinions about what each type of stone does it is difficult to separate reality from fiction. Lastly keeping the crystals in good working order is not always easy, and you need patience. There is a crystal for that too!
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