Crystals are wonderful tools for balancing energy in our bodies, our minds, our emotions, and our environment. Their unique properties make them invaluable in a therapeutic context across a broad spectrum of ailments.
Crystal Healing is the use of crystals on or around the body to effect beneficial changes and address energy imbalances. They boost low energy, screen out damaging energy, release stagnant or blocked energy, and transform destructive patterns.
This approach to health is based on the view that all life is made up of energy — our planet and universe exists in a perpetual dance of balancing forces. The air we breathe, the heat and light of the sun, water, and food, are all energies on which we depend for life. As human beings we are finely balanced to take in, store, transform, and transmit energy. So if something in our personal energy system or in the balance of our environment breaks down, the balance of life-supporting functions is impaired and we can spiral into ill health and disease.
Our thoughts affect energy — often building complex patterns that profoundly influence who we are and how we experience life. And since everybody has an energy field, we can affect our health by changing our thoughts. Everyone has experienced the influence of sadness, anger, sorrow, or joy on their well-being. Repeated exposure to negative thoughts, whether our own or another's, can lead to depression and physical disease; while experience of loving kindness and beauty can sooth, inspire, and heal. Consequently, we can create good or ill health by the nature of our thoughts and feelings and our conscious response to life.
Health is also affected by changes in the energy field that surrounds our bodies. We are influenced from outside by what is happening in our environment and the energy states of the people in it. It is both the ‘chicken and the egg’ — thought influences energy; and energy influences thought. But we have the power to choose how we respond. This, in turn, influences our health.
Skin contact with the appropriate crystal enhances the healing process. You can accomplish this by wearing the appropriate crystal in the form of jewelry. Many people use a tumbled stone as a hand ‘comforter’. Tumbled stones can be worn in gemstone coils, or placed directly on the body to help that specific area.
Crystals and minerals can be used to induce deep relaxation, release stress and pain, and promote energy balance within the physical and subtle bodies. In general, warm-colored stones (orange and yellow) stimulate energy flow and cool-colored stones (blue, green, and purple) calm over-activity. There are a number of ways in which you can use crystals to promote well-being, including:
Environmental Placements In addition to being extremely beautiful to look at and appreciate, we suggest the strategic placement of crystals throughout your home and office. For example, rose quartz in the bedrooms, amethyst in your healing area and bedrooms, clear quartz in your living room and bathrooms, and citrine in your kitchen and dining area. In your office or television viewing area, you may want to use smoky quartz and/or rainbow fluorite as they can reduce the effects of electromagnetic fields that emanate from the television and computer (and adversely affect our personal energies).
We encourage students to keep a chunk of citrine by them when they study and keep a piece of amber in their pocket. Yellow is known to stimulate the logical functions of the mind and to assist in memory recall.
Meditation We recommend holding smoky quartz in the left hand and clear quartz in the right hand. Then sit quietly, with eyes closed. This has a wonderful effect of quieting the mind, and sometimes assists with problem solving. In our meditation room we also have a large amethyst cathedral; this keeps the energies fresh and positive.
Laying on of Stones When you know what effect each type of crystal has according to its color, shape, and mineral content you can make use of them to initiate a specific effect. In general, if you place the points of crystals facing away from the problem area, they will move the energy from that area. Crystals placed with the points facing inward recharge the area with subtle energies. There are many healing layouts to choose from depending on the situation. An energy worker will either work intuitively or dowse with a pendulum to determine the right layout.
The physical ailment manifested oftentimes is not the root of the disease. One of the reasons crystals can be so helpful is that they rebalance energy fields, assisting the person's own body-mind-spirit healing process. Different people with the same condition may require a different approach and may respond differently to the same crystals, depending on constitution, temperament, and environment. Additionally, crystals respond to other crystals in a wide variety of ways. The healer's energy, the patient's energy, and the crystal's energy all interact. These factors need to be considered with sensitivity and care in using crystals for healing. Following are some examples of layouts used for specific situations.
Generally speaking, the crystals should remain on and/or around a person for approximately 30-minutes. Remember to cleanse and recharge your stones between each use.
Seven Color Chakra Layout One of the easiest ways to help balance the whole chakra system is to place a stone of the appropriate color on each area. This gives each chakra a boost of its own vibration without altering its energies or the overall harmony of the system. Begin by laying a smoky quartz between the feet to act as an anchor and to draw off negative energy. Then place a clear quartz above the head to draw in healing energy. Then place the rest of the stones (examples only) on the chakras as follows:
·Root Chakra (red, black, or metal) – Red Jasper
·Sacral Chakra (orange) – Carnelian
·Solar Plexus Chakra (yellow) – Citrine
·Hear Chakra (green or pink) – Green Aventurine
·Throat Chakra (light blue) – Blue Lace Agate
· Brow Chakra (indigo) – Lapis Lazuli
·Crown Chakra (purple, clear, or white) – Amethyst
Amethyst Healing Layout Eight same-sized Amethyst points are placed as follows with the points facing toward the person’s body: one at the head, one between the feet, one at each shoulder, one at each hip (just below the waist), and one at each knee. Because Amethyst is one of the most versatile healing stones, you can use this layout in any situation — body, mind, or spirit — where healing is required.
Most people find they can stay comfortably in this layout for up to half an hour. When finished place a grounding stone (i.e., black tourmaline, hematite) in the center of their forehead to help them return to the present.
Additionally, Amethyst can be very useful in soothing headaches. When this is the case place an Amethyst point on each side of the base of the neck, just above the collarbone, pointing up towards the person’s jawbone. Next, place a third Amethyst point (also pointing upwards) in the center of the forehead on the brow chakra. An optional fourth Amethyst can be placed at the top of the head, pointing up, and away from the head.
Pre-Menstrual Tension & Menstrual Cramps This layout is simple and effective, all you need is five pieces of moonstone. Simply place one piece of moonstone at the top of the person’s head; one on the front of each shoulder (by the armpits); and one resting over each ovary.
Relieving Aches and Pains An effective healing pattern to realign the whole body structure uses eight pieces of black tourmaline. First, place four tourmalines in a cross shape: above the head, below the feet, and midway down each side of the body. Position each of the remaining four stones in a clockwise fashion between those. This pattern initially focuses the person’s attention on the painful areas, but this soon eases away and the body relaxes and adjusts itself. You can do the same thing, with different stones to accomplish the following:
·Copper is known for its ability to reduce inflammation and swelling.
·Malachite is good at calming painful areas and drawing out imbalances.
·Smoky Quartz has long been used for its ability to draw out pain.
·Turquoise can be used whenever there is a need for calm healing energy.
·Carnelian is a powerful healer of the etheric body and encourages healing.
·Rose Quartz calms aggravated areas and reduces fears that often accompany injury and pain. Placing Rose Quartz at the Solar Plexus and Sacral chakras will calm the mind and relax the body.
Relieve Pain and/or Stress The 'Seal of Solomon' layout can also be used to relieve pain or stress. Six quartz points in a star formation can be placed around a painful spot, or around the whole body. A malachite stone can be placed in the center to accelerate the dispersal of energy.
Lack of Energy For a quick addition of energy to your whole system, while laying down hold a clear quartz crystal, point upwards (towards the ceiling) in each hand, and then place a piece of citrine or ametrine at the solar plexus. Red, orange, and yellow stones promote an increase of energy. The brighter/stronger the color, the more stimulating and dynamic. Stones of an earthy tone (i.e., tiger’s eye, brownish citrine, carnelian, and jasper) tend to focus on an increase in practical motivation.
Restoring Peaceful Sleep Different types of sleeplessness require different types of crystals to eliminate them. The crystals can be placed on the nightstand next to the bad, held in the person’s hand, placed under the pillow; or placed underneath the fitted sheet next to where they lay.
If tension and worry is the cause of sleeplessness, use amethyst or rose quartz.
If digestion is the cause, use ametrine, moonstone, or iron pyrite.
If the cause is fear or bad dreams, use black or dark green tourmaline, smoky quartz, or labradorite.
To Alleviate Anger Meditate with a ruby in the receiving hand (left) and a clear quartz crystal in the projecting hand (right). Or place ruby and clear quartz next to each other on the pelvic area and consciously allow the anger to arise. The clear quartz will accelerate the process of releasing and dissolving the anger. Caution Ruby is a ‘Stone of Passion’. Care must be taken when using this crystal, because it will bring negativity and anger to the surface. Ruby should be used with the wisdom of how to gain from the experiences it brings. Allow the anger or negativity to come to the surface, and then let it dispel, never to trouble you again. Be purified by the experience, not overwhelmed. Like opal, ruby amplifies all emotions. This can be very valuable if you feel that you need to bring long-held anger to the surface for release.
