How Do Crystals Work?

Though using crystals is an ancient practice, crystal healing is an emergent practice based on the intuition and insights of modern practitioners. So, while this guide is intended to distill and share commonly accepted beliefs about each stones, use your own intuition when selecting and navigating how to work with crystals.

If you are new to crystals, I recommend going into a crystal store or gallery and taking the time to feel each crystal. Choose the ones which resonate with you energetically rather than because the shop person told you it has the power to empower your inner goddess. Please choose your crystals mindfully: crystal mining is an environmental and humanitarian disaster for the most part, so sourcing ethical crystals is essential.

How to use crystals for healing

In your home
Place black tourmaline in the corners of your property to protect its energy.

Use feng shui to place crystals in your home. Place wealth-bringing stones such as citrine in your North-east corner, or rose quartz or ruby in your relationship corner.

For lighting
Place an LED light base under a clear crystal to light your home with good vibrations. Selenite lamps are common for the stone’s ability to transmit light.

On your body
Many healers place crystals on the body to heal it. Often, clear quartz is used over the chakras to “tune” your energy back into harmony with life. Many healers place crystals based on the western concept of the chakras having colors: red crystals near your root chakra, citrine on your second and third chakras, and on.

For beauty
Use a jade, rose quartz or clear quart gua sha on your face and body to release fascia, smooth away tension and bloating and retain or regain your natural beauty.

For meditation
Gaze at a crystal while you meditate. Or, hold one and focus on feeling its energy.

Make a crystal grid or mandala
In Hinduism and Buddhism, a mandala represents the unity of the universe. Many crystal healers use the mandala here are many crystal healers who arrange quartz points in a circular grid to enhance their power and create a point of energetic coherence. This can be a meditative and intuitive practice.

Sexually
There are yoni eggs and crystal dildos made of all sorts of crystals. While gynecologists warn women away from using them (read why here), if you use only non-porous stones and clean them thoroughly before use, they can be a safe part of your pleasure practice.

Or, bring rose quartz and carnelian into the bedroom with the intention to enhance love and passion.

Some Quartzes and their Properties

Pure quartz, or clear quartz
A transparent or translucent crystalline silica known as the “Master Healer,” it brings clarity and amplifies energy.

Amethyst
A violet quartz, found in abundance in Brazil, Mexico, Russia, France, Namibia and Morocco. Its color correlates it to the crown chakra and helps with contemplation, divine revelation, and calming the mind.

Ametrine
A merging of amethyst and citrine found in Bolivia. It symbolizes unity and is used to harmonize energies, bringing balance and connection.

Citrine
Known to empower and attract abundance, probably due to its gold color. Be wary of your sources of citrine and choose a lightly golden citrine: unscrupulous crystal sellers will sell heated amethyst as citrine because the less expensive amethyst turns deep gold when heated.

an imitation citrine, made from heated amethyst

Rose Quartz
A popular question: How Does Rose Quartz Work ? The stone of love & the heart. It deepens love (self and relational). Because of its calming effects, bathtubs are made in rose quartz, as are yoni eggs.

Shungite
A carbon rich stone found in Russia. Carbon is the great detoxer. Shungite purifies water like a Berkey water filter. Peter the Great used to bathe in shungite for its medicinal benefits.

Black Tourmaline
A grounding stone which protects against negative energy.

Carnelian
A deep red stone, Carnelian is said to heal the root chakra, tap into desire, and make you feel grounded.

Chrysocolla
High in copper content, chrysocolla is a blue green crystal which was used in renaissance paintings as a pigment. Like any blue stone, chrysocolla is believed to enhance expression.

Lapis Lazuli
The blue stone which tiles Moroccan mosques, and was made into scarabs to protect ancient Egyptians in the afterlife. This stone is believed to aid in communication and open the throat chakra.

Obsidian
A stone of protection, this deep black stone is said to shield against negativity. Also known as the truth-seeker stone.

Jasper
There are many kinds of jasper, some said to detox, others to promote courage.

Hematite & Pyrite
These metallic crystals are thought to bring abundance, offer protection, and inspire courage.

Selenite
A natural fibre optic, this stone is said to cleanse other crystals and channel light. It protects and raises your energy, and is used in channeling.

Moonstone
A milky white stone said to enhance feminine powers such as intuition and fertility.

Cleansing or “activating” your crystals

Because crystals syntonize to frequencies, they may pick up some “bad vibes” and need to be cleansed or activated. The most popular method in cleansing your stones is taking them for a dip into the ocean. Salt water, the great cleanser works on hard stones, but be careful with softer stones which can be damaged by salt water.

Smudge your stones with your favorite holy smoke: cedar, sweetgrass, ethical sage, or sustainable palo santo.

Some people keep their stones out on nights of full moons, eclipses, or new moons.

Once cleansed, activate your stones by placing them with intentionality.