In recent years the use of crystals has become more mainstream, even if the information and education around crystals has remained obscure – if not downright esoteric. Crystals, however, are so much more than beautiful decorative pieces for your mantle. In a highly tumultuous, strange and stressful year, crystals are an excellent tool for healing and self-care.
You don’t have to know about chakras and astrology to tune into how you feel when you look at or hold a particular crystal. Maybe that will help you understand better why you respond to one crystal over another. It’s all about building awareness to your emotional state and bringing balance and healing when you’re hurting.
How to Choose a Crystal
If you’ve been intimidated by astrology, numerology, or tarot for their complexity, you may think the same applies to the realm of crystals. However, crystals are all about your intuition. Trust the energy you feel when you hold a particular crystal or are in its presence. You’ll instinctively know if it’s the crystal for you. Even if it feels in the moment as if you’re responding to the physical beauty of a particular crystal, there’s likely a subconscious, energetic reason you find that crystal so attractive.
There are many crystals to choose from, all with wonderful, deeply nurturing qualities. However, whether you’re new to working with crystals or a long-time collector, here are a few of the best crystals for healing.
Crystals for Healing
Lapis Lazuli
This vividly cobalt gemstone is known as a lightning rod for deep truths, celestial energy and enlightenment. This stone also has some fascinating historical significance, employed by pharaohs in ancient Egypt, Buddhist monks, and Catherine the Great alike, for its mystical qualities. But you don’t have to be a queen to enjoy the benefits of Lapis Lazuli.
Lapis Lazuli is amazingly healing and could prove to be doubly so right now. When you work with this stone, you’ll notice that it heightens self-awareness, and even brings suppressed emotions to the light. One of the beautiful things about Lapis Lazuli, however, is that it has a way of bringing awareness to feelings we’d otherwise prefer not to deal with, while promoting a sense of peace. This makes figuring out the painful and difficult emotions bearable.
Selenite
Selenite is the perfect crystal for healing the negative energy hanging over your head. When you’re feeling weighed down, seek selenite. Like its gleaming white appearance, selenite works by breaking apart that gloominess in a bright beam of cleansing positivity.
In 2020 no one’s a stranger to stress and the mood swings that are a result of this unprecedented time. We can pick up more and more emotional residue without even leaving the house. Selenite is such a powerful crystal for disrupting anything remotely negative. Many also use selenite to cleanse and rejuvenate their other crystals.
Rose Quartz
Rose quartz is best known for healing matters of the heart, especially where romance is concerned. It’s also one of the most recognizable crystals, with its soft pink hue and translucence. However, rose quartz has a lot more to offer.
The reason rose quartz is one of the best crystals for healing because its tender, loving energy soothes wounds from heartbreak – heartbreak from all kinds of relationships, including the relationship we have with ourselves. Rose quartz quiets down the fear and resentment and opens you up to receive love and have compassion for yourself and others.
Cleansing and Activating Your Crystal
Once you’ve found the right crystal for you, it’s important to first cleanse the energy of your crystal before you use it. You can cleanse your crystal in several different ways. A common method is leaving your crystal in sunlight or full moonlight for at least four hours, or bathing your crystal in sage or frankincense smoke. This helps clear any lingering energy that might be clinging to the crystal before you.
After cleansing, your next step is to set your intention for your crystal. You can follow the simple method Energy Muse lays out: hold the crystal in both hands, and take three deep breaths. As you breathe, ask the unwanted energies to dispel. To then set your intention, repeat your intention like a mantra three times, and thank the crystal and the larger Universe with each repetition.
Self-Care Ritual
Crystals have a long and rich history of supporting emotional healing. While everything else in the current moment is unpredictable and chaotic, using crystals as a healing modality can provide you with some peace of mind and help you connect with your soul. Next time you need to clear your head, try working with crystals as part of your self-care ritual and see how they benefit you.
