Deep in the dark Earth, sparkling crystals in fascinating colors have grown over millions of years. Magical powers have been attributed to them since time immemorial. What’s the deal with those powers? How can you use them to support your body and mind, and how do you find the crystal that suits you best?
Maybe you’re a crystal fan already, with some rose quartz on your bedside table or some amethyst in your meditation corner. Or maybe you’re not so sure what all the fuss is about when people claim that crystals have special powers.
Try to take an unprejudiced look at these shiny, colorful children of Mother Earth. For that is what they are: Crystals originate from her belly, deep down in the Earth’s crust. An open mind may allow you to see that each crystal has its own character, much like each living creature. Some are cheeky and self-willed or original, others are introverted and timid, but just as present. It’s this energy that some people are sensitive to.
The language of crystals is a visual one first and foremost: A language of shapes and colors, angles and curves, sharp points, and blunt edges. Crystals send a message without words. The beauty we see when looking at crystals is caused by the light. When it touches the surface, it changes. Some crystals are as transparent and clear as glass and let a lot of the light through. Rose quartz, for example, lets most of the light through, barring a small part of the red spectrum. That gives it its pink color. Other crystals have denser structures and absorb the light, like tiger’s eye for instance. You can’t see through it, and that adds something mysterious to the stone.
What crystals do with the light is caused by their microstructure: The arrangement of atoms of which it consists. The atomic ‘bricks” in countless tiny layers form the structure that will eventually turn into a crystal or gemstone. We see the same principle in salt and sugar, but the difference is that in ‘precious’ crystals they are many times harder and will not dissolve in water.
Even if you don’t believe in the power of crystals, you probably feel something when you look at one. Maybe you feel the color is beautiful or attractive. Some people like red, others like blue. Blue has a calming effect on most people, as does green. Red and orange activate us. Maybe you feel this suits your personality, or indeed that it tells you something about what you need.
You might also like to read this: How to choose the crystal that suits you
Some people feel the urge to hold the crystal or look at it for a long time. That means the energy emanating from the stone touches them or subtly puts them in a certain mood. That can be wholesome, it can bring them wonderment or a peaceful feeling, but it can also irritate them. If that’s the case, that crystal is not a good fit.
No matter how motionless crystals seem, under the surface, they’re very active. The atoms and electrons are constantly turning and vibrating. Each crystal has its own unique frequency to which it is sensitive. Once it catches that, all the parts it’s made of get so fired up that they vibrate along. This can cause such a powerful wave of energy that the crystal explodes spontaneously. It’s a bit like those rare times when an opera singer hits the high note and shatters a crystal glass. That beautiful structure suddenly breaks up. The effect of crystals on your mood or wellbeing can be explained if you’re willing to assume that we too have a frequency that we can ‘catch’, a vibration we feel attracted to. Somehow the crystal emanates an energy that resonates with you at some given moment.
You can find a nice spot for them in your home or on your desk, or you can wear them as jewelry, or carry them loose in your pocket or your bag. That way crystals can help you be mindful in your everyday life, says Dutch crystal coach Hanneke Peeters. “Instead of checking your cellphone all the time, you can look at your crystal. It can help you be more in the present moment and has the effect of a mini-retreat. Also, by holding a crystal you can literally move your focus from your head to your body.”
Another important thing is to attach an intention or an affirmation to the crystal of your choice. “A chunk of rose quartz in your bedroom will do absolutely nothing for your love life unless you link it to a message, for example ‘I am open to love, I receive love’, that kind of thing. Crystals are not a quick fix, they are tools with which you can work on yourself. They keep reminding you of the issue you want to work on, like a visual affirmation.” Peeters has her doubts about the idea of taking this stone for headaches and that one for insomnia. “People have this inherent tendency to solve problems. We avoid feeling things like pain because they’re uncomfortable. But if you keep suppressing pain or discomfort, you’ll also lose your ability to feel the things that do suit you.”
This article is part of our issue 5, 2019 ‘Living lighthearted’
Text: Hanny Roskamp
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