Crystals 101

Last week I took a field trip to Ruby Room here in Chicago to shop for crystals!

I received my first stone from my friend on the morning of my wedding.  It was a blue aventurine stone which promotes a sense of peace and calm. As you know I am prone to anxiety and surprisingly my wedding day was one of the most peaceful of my life.  Ever since that day I’ve been increasingly intrigued by the world of crystals.

Crystals are powerful force as they have the ability to effect energy and mood. They have healing properties when it comes to love, mindfulness, anxiety and better sleep to name a few.

Before you start rolling your eyes…hear me out! Just like sound meditation and cupping, there is also a science behind the woo woo!  So let’s chat both the facts AND the mystical elements of crystals.

 

What are crystals?

Crystals are tangible, physical forms of the Earth’s energy. Millions of years old, crystals carry the natural life force of the earth.

Stones, crystals, and minerals have been used around the world and throughout the ages for their energetic properties.  In present day, crystals are commonly used in computers, TVs and cell phones. Their ability to emit specific frequencies and store tremendous amounts of information makes crystals essential to modern technologies.

At the same time,  we can harness this same ability to store, transmit, and transform energy with regard to our health & wellness routines.

How to shop for crystals?

The short answer: it’s very intuitive.  Crystal experts often say that the crystal chooses you instead of the other way around.

Walk around the store, gaze out over the crystal bar and pick up the crystals that catch your eye. We’re often drawn to the energy and vibes of a certain stone.  If there is something I’m lacking or wish to promote in my life, I will set an intention and surprisingly I tend to gravitate toward those sorts of healing stones.

Every crystal has a different purpose. Most shops will often have little info cards by each crystal, so you can read up on the ones you’ve chosen and Energy Muse is my favorite online resource to take a deep dive.

How do you use crystals?

To harness the power of crystals, it’s as simple as carrying them, wearing them or placing them around your home.  I like to keep a few on my nightstand personally. I also carry the blue aventurine stone while flying or at an important meeting, to promote a sense of calm.

Crystals are now even being used in skincare for their healing properties. Both Crystal infused beauty products and crystal facials are now totally totally a thing!

How do you care for crystals?

You want to give your crystals a good energetic cleaning once you bring them home.  Crystals carry energy and you don’t want any messing with yours. When you first get a crystal it’s encouraged to “bath” it and you should clean crystals once at least once month.  Here are a few ways to clean your crystals:

• Place your crystal outside under the sun or full moon for at least 4 hours. Doing this during a full moon is best as that’s when moon’s light is brightest and energetically strongest.
• Burn a sage or Palo Santo stick and let the smoke run over the stones to purify.
• Bathe them in the ocean (if that’s not an option a salt bath at home will work)

Favorite Crystals?

So far my crystal collection consists of:

• Rose Quartz- opens the heart, raises self-esteem, restores confidence & balances emotions.
• Blue Aventurine- promotes peace, calm, optimism and self-confidence.
• Blue Lace Agate- brings a sense of tranquility, alleviates anger and nervous tension. Boosts your ability to communicate, especially the thoughts and feelings that you receive from your higher self.

Do any of you use crystals? What are some of your favorites & what do they do?