What to do with crystals?
Let's
begin with the basics, what are crystals?
Literally and basically crystals are bits of the planet Earth, that have been there almost as long as it has been there, and which from time to time we are able to collect and use for various purposes.
If you consider that these ‘bits of the Earth’ have been formed over millions of years, and have taken the energy of the Earth probably from its deepest core. Then you can understand the benefits they can give to mankind, (who is a very temporary structure in comparison with the crystals themselves!)
Crystals are to be found everywhere!
On our local beaches in the Moray Firth we have found smoky quartz, (which we call Cairngorm) clear quartz, a great deal of Jasper and sometimes bits and pieces that are far more rare because they have simply been washed here by the sea, although they may not originate in this area.
Everywhere has its own different crystals, some of the loveliest Amethyst that I have seen has come from Brazil, but it is possible to find it in many other places. Some of it is found that arrived here by erosion and is simply lying about to us to find, these days people excavate the crystals which is sometimes a little more worrying, the thought of mining them as coal is mined and ripping them from the Earth to me is not so good, because they surely must affect the crystals themselves and what they bring to us.
They most certainly effect our Mother Earth in a less than beneficial way!
I believe that this is sometimes why when I am buying crystals for my shop, and I ‘ sense’ them with my sensing hand, that some of them feel powerful and some feel inert, of course I always pick the powerful ones! I believe the difference may be the way that they have been harvested.
I believe that crystals have been used in past civilisations for healing and for much else, in Atlantis, (if Atlantis is to be believed) and which I personally do! They were used for keeping records in a similar way to how we now keep them on a computer, and more exciting than this, that they were used to power their crafts.
If you think of the way we'd use crystals today in watches and so on you can see that maybe we will go the same way in time to come, and if like Atlantis we don’t blow ourselves up first!
So now you have an idea of where they came from, and perhaps you will be as inspired as I am to go on the beach and have a look for small crystals yourself. You may find some that you can not identify but which you feel very drawn to, let me tell you that these are as important as crystals that you can put a name to and recognized. Because, they come from the same place! They are still part of mother Earth, and still bring their unique properties to us.
So if you find one that you feel you really must have and hold, then that crystal will support you in some very important and beneficial way.
Another thing about crystals is, that they do not always stay with us!
You may obtain a crystal because you feel that its unique properties will support you at this time, let's say for example that you are going through a very difficult time where you needed to feel protected and strong, and perhaps you think that a piece of snowflake obsidian would be good for this. And then after carrying it with you for long time suddenly it disappears! You would be amazed at how often this happens to people.
There is a theory that when crystals are no longer needed for specific purpose they move on. So don't bother to look for it, if you need it again it will come back to you again! And if you have lost it, then someone else will pick it up, and if they do then they need it at that time too!
Giving away crystals is a lovely thing to do also! Even a beloved crystal that has supported you've is some time, and that now perhaps you no longer need is some reason. It is strange how often someone else will come to you that needs the support of that crystal, and then it is a lovely thing to simply put it in their hand and close their fingers over it, and say “this is for you from me together with its unique and feeling qualities”. This way we are passing around the love and support!
If I am going out somewhere in the day, or going to a meeting, I have a habit as choosing to a see pieces of crystal or tumble stones and keeping them in my pocket during the day, lovely to touch and hold and fiddle with particularly if it is a difficult meeting or I am very busy. And often during this day, I will meet it with someone who seems to be receptive and interested in crystals, and I will know just the crystal to give them from my pocket! (I sometimes suspect that I give away as many crystals as I actually sell!) This way we introduce others to the comfort and healing power that crystals undoubtedly bring to us!
Crystals are things that are of nature, and like nature they will travel in cycles and may need to move on.. so never become possessive about them, always be ready to let them go… you will find that something else takes the place of the one that you have released!
How to choose crystals, (that is if they haven't already chosen you!)
If you are choosing crystals in a store, or specialised crystal shop, then test them with your sensing hand to see how you feel about them if they are personally for you, or to give away as a gift.
How to find your sensing hand?
First of all take a crystal that you know and love, or if you are new to crystals take the first crystal that you are drawn to in a shop, and with your eyes closed put it in your left hand, relax and balance yourself and see how that feels…. now transfer it to the right-hand and do the same…. then back to the left hand again and so on.
You will feel a difference between the two hands, one hand will feel as if it reacts far more strongly to having the crystal placed in it than the other, and this is your ‘sensing hand’ and should always be used to ‘sense’ whether you are holding a crystal that is supportive for you. If you get no reaction at all, then it is likely that you do not need that crystal at this particular time, not that it is not good you, but that it is not necessary at this particular moment in your life
So test all the crystals like this before you buy them, perhaps the most beautiful one won't feel at all supportive to you, then that is not the one to you, but it may be the one for someone else!... if you are looking at tumble stones and they are all laid out in little compartments in front of you in the shop, then take your sensing hand and run it over the crystals just about 2 inches above them very slowly, and you will come to certain tumble stones that will react with the very centre of the palm of your hand, (it will feel I could little wriggly sensation in the very palm of your hand) look to see you which crystal it is that is causing this, you may need to take a few of the crystals of that group out and test them separately to do so, but generally speaking, people who sell crystals know exactly what you are doing because they will have some knowledge of this themselves and won't mind a bit! ….. and then explore what the healing properties of that crystal are…. and you will probably see why your body wants you to choose it.
Most shops that specialise in crystals will have someone there who understands them and who will be able to explain this to you, (just a note here… if they do not, and you are newly into crystals and need some help, then you had better walking out again and finding a shop who has their own crystal person on hand to help you)
So let's say now that you have bought your crystals and you need to cleanse them when you get them home.
Here are the do’s and dont’s of cleansing your crystals
Never! Soak crystals in water that is salty, I have no idea why this is sometimes given as advice because there are certain crystals that will begin to melt and erode if they are stored in water that has salt in it for too long, and some of these will disintegrate very quickly!
Take no notice of extravagant advice they gives you strange rituals for cleansing crystals and make it a terrible chore!
Do cleanse your crystals regularly, it only takes seconds and it will keep them and you happy!
Keep a’ self cleansing’ crystal amongst your tumble stones and other crystals as it will mean that you never really need to cleanse them. I would recommend a small piece of either selenite or kyanite for this.
So here are some ideas on how to cleanse your crystals.
First of all I will give you the easiest and most trouble-free way of doing it, and this is the way that we at Silvermoon use all the time.
Like everything else, crystals react to sound vibrations, so one of the easiest ways to actually cleanse away anything that is negative, is to make a clear bell like sound near to them. (we use Ting Sha)
This will cleanse them possibly better than any other method, although I do approve of simply rinsing them under cold running water, or standing them on a windowsill in the moonlight or sunlight which are also lovely methods of cleansing, and which some crystals react to more than others, (for example the very best way of cleansing moonstones are standing them in moonlight, and the very best way of cleansing Tiger eye is to stand it in the sunshine for little while).
Nevertheless for ease and thoroughness, this is what we'd do…
When I had a shop which was full of crystals, and which would take ages to go over every shelf to cleanse them, I simply took a singing bowl and stand in the middle of the shop, activate the bowl and allow the vibrations to spread throughout the shop… continue with this for some minutes to allow the whole room to be filled with the vibration and that is your room of crystals cleansed!
If I am selling crystals somewhere else, then I take a set of Tibeten chimbs, (sometimes known as ‘ting-sha’) and use them directly over the crystals, and if you do not know what these are they are like two little rather flat metal bells fastened together by a piece of leather or string which went knocked together make a beautiful bell like clear sound.
A little funny comment here…. for years we have been attending various events on the Moray Firth where we Live, and at craft fairs or mind body spirit events. Once I have set out all my crystals I then go over the whole stall with the ‘ting-sha’ to cleanse everything,
It has been said by others stall holders that until they hear 'my chimes' they are not ready to start the day's work!!!
So here you have the basics of choosing and cleansing your crystals, now I would like to go on to …..
What to do with them when you actually have them?
This may sound like a strange statement, but I have had people come into the shop or to our stall and say “ okay I have been told which crystals I need, and I have chosen some today which I really feel drawn to, so now what I do with them?”
Well, it depends really on the sort of person that you are. Some people get so involved with crystals that they like to keep a sort of crystal alter in their home, where they collect various crystals and arrange them in various ways. Sometimes they will spend quite a bit of money on beautiful pyramids or crystal balls, and have a mixture of these with tumble stones and perhaps some of what we would call ‘ raw crystals’ also. These crystals have not been tumbled or polished in any way, but are just as they have been found. I will speak about these later as they are very important.
Other people (particularly men it seems) like to keep the crystals that they need at any particular time in a pouch in their pocket or around their neck if they are very small crystals,
Some people have a combination of both! They may have a lovely collection of all sorts of crystals and tumble stones at home, and at certain times when they feel that they need the energy of certain crystals, they will carry that particular crystal or a particular selection of crystals with them so the day, either loose in a pocket, or in a little pouch.
A good way of organising this is to choose the crystals for each day in a purely an intuitive way, and you can be sure that whatever energies you need will be with you in that crystal.
It is lovely to carry a little pouch of crystals with you, particularly if you put with them something that softens the effect for example, we make little pouches of crystals for various things like depression, fear, all sorts of situations, and we sell them in little pouches of rose petals and lavender.
The influence of the rose petals and lavender actually enhance the healing qualities we believe, but those two things of themselves are very uplifting and healing, so like many other things the combination of the two are greater than the sum of their parts.
We have also used aromatherapy oils to anoint crystals for people before they are put in their pouches, and again commonly these are the flower essences like lavender oil geranium oil and so one, again they enhance the beneficial processes.. but you need to be careful that you are not using oils that may have a negative effect, when in doubt stick to lavender!
I have also often advise people to keep crystals in certain parts of the house where there have been disturbances, because of past negativity in the house, or because the house is built on a piece of land that has some association with strong emotions or ritual from very far back in the past. This surprisingly enough accounts for a lot of house disturbance. A 'generator crystal', which is a large piece of clear quartz that is faceted on all sides will be of great benefit here if it is kept fairly central in the house.
Rose quartz in a childs bedroom is wonderful! It keeps them balanced and helps with hyperactive children, it is also good in your room where there is a pregnancy going on.
There are lots of reasons for keeping crystals in your home in various places, and indeed in your garden too! My garden is littered with Amethyst and Rose quartz under certain plants, and sickly plants are always surrounded by crystals until they begin to get better…. causes no end of amusement amongst the neighbours!
Crystal pendulums have many uses too, Choose your crystal pendulum on the same basis as you choose any crystal, it is a thing to be bonded with and becomes a close and loving friend…. again this can have its amusing side, dowsing with a crystal pendulum over vegetables in Tesco to see which have been artificially produced and which have not…. can cause merriment amongst other customers and can get you a reputation for being a little eccentric!
But just think? If we all did it often enough, perhaps Tesco could be persuaded to sell only naturally produced and organic fruit and vegetables!
But back to crystals in their raw state…
It is my belief that a crystals that is in its natural state, and by this I mean they have not been shaped cut or tumbled in any way, appear to have a far stronger and more positive energy, which is quite understandable if you think about it.
When we are using crystals especially in the healing capacity, it is a good thing to use these crystals whenever possible rather than the more generally available tumble stones.
This itself can have difficulties because they are not always available, but we do try to keep a good range of rough crystals as well as the more polished variety, (see our online shop at www.madeinmoray.co.uk )but I believe myself it is because they are far cheaper to buy, but they are often not stocked by shops. Obviously they are going to stock the merchandise that makes the most money for them, but we believe that you should have a choice, and so we try very hard to give you that choice.
Another reason that they may not be popular to stock is that they are often not seen as ‘ pretty’ like some of their more well-dressed relatives! But actually looking at rough crystals they have a basic and genuine beauty and sometimes, the colours are more intense and more amazing, looking at a big chunk of raw emerald calcite with its stripes and striations, it is one of the most beautiful things that we can pick up that is totally natural! And really good quality Rose quartz in the raw is amazingly beautiful! This goes to many others of course… if you can't get a good variety of raw crystals in small enough sizes, then if you are putting together or having put together for you collections of crystals for a particular reason, try to make sure that at least one important crystal is raw for example Clear quartz, Rose quartz or Amethyst… add these to the your tumble stones and they will empower them!
And speaking of these three crystals, Clear quartz, Rose quartz, and Amethyst we call these the healing three! They work well together, all come from the same group, and the quintessential and classic crystals for healing of any sort! If you then add tumble stones to these three to enhance them or add different energies for example, if to these healing three crystals you also wanted to add something that would help you for say arthritis or some other bone problem then you would add a little bit off calcite… and so on.
The combinations are endless, but these three main healing crystals can form the basis of whatever you need.
Well I believe that this has given you a good start to knowing about and using crystals, The rest is up to you!
Go slowly take your time, read all that you can and buy a good book that gives you a basic properties about as many crystals as you can, we produce a small one ourselves in our online shop, but it is very basic and only covers the crystals that we ourselves stock. It is also useful to have a ‘ Crystal Bible’ of some sort and the books by ‘ melody’ are ideal for this, these are the books that we keep in the shop so that customers can refer to them… very good reference book's with all sorts of information.
Try not to learn too much at once, and try not to use too many crystals at once! It is better to start with a favoured few and work on slowly from there.
Think of it as a new experience, an adventure into the world of crystals! You will have fun and there will be many many benefits.
Now I would like to lead you into a short crystal meditation to end with
This is a protective and cleansing meditation & visualization….which is drawing the energy of crystal around you to protect you in all situations in your life.
First of all you need to find somewhere that is quiet where you won't be disturbed for a few minutes, where the phone will not ring (take it off the hook or switch it off) and where nobody needs you right now.
Sit back in a chair and relax, take a few minutes to relax thoroughly….
Feel yourself sinking back into the chair and your shoulders ….and neck relaxing….
Lightly close your eyes….. take a deep breath and hold it for a count of three….
As you let it out imagine that you are sinking further down into the chair…. relaxed and comfortable.
Now imagine a beautiful white crystal light coming down over the top of your head, trickling down like beautiful white sparky liquid energy…..
Allow it to trickle down so that it is flowing both inside and outside your body….
Feel that it is slightly cool but feels wonderful as it cleanses away all the negativity surrounding you….
It comes from just above your head and trickles down right down to your feet and beyond to the floor and…. as this continues…., it strips away anything negative…. anything that is worrying you…. any little aches and pains that are present.
Just relax and allow this process to continue a few minutes…….relax….. and enjoy!
Now allow a the healing crystalline energy flow to gradually sink down and fade away to the ground taking the last of anything that you do not need in your body right now, and spend a few moments feeling the benefits of this cleansing shower of crystal energy…..
you should feel quite differently now, relaxed and very clean and perhaps slightly cool and tingly!.... and the crystalline energy will have left enough of itself to protect you from negativity for the rest of the day.
When you are ready, bring your attention fully back to the chair that you are in,…. to the room,…. and to your everyday life.
Gently open your eyes….. and smile!
Use this little meditation whenever you need to, it is really good to use if you have just had a difficult time or someone or something has slightly upset you, it takes away all the bad feelings and leaves you feeling renewed and empowered to carry on.
I wish you all that is good for the future, and
thank you for bringing me into your home and into your life today!
With many bright blessings and love….
Crystal.
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