CRYSTALS & MINERALS

Crystals & Minerals it seems are becoming more popular in everyday life than before. But of course they have been used by many cultures throughout history, for various reasons. Here are a few of those.

Collecting
Generally Crystals & Minerals are largely purchased through retail outlets for purely personal decoration of oneself or our homes. The fascination of the many colours, shapes and textures has intrigued many generations and cultures, the Egyptians used Lapis extensively in their decorations.

Many people search for Crystals and Minerals on beaches and desolate mountain sides which can make this a very rewarding hobby. There is nothing more satisfying than cracking open a rock to find a lovely Quartz Geode inside.

Healing
Crystal healing is the belief that crystals have energies and properties that are able to improve health. It is not part of standard medical theory, but it is included in a broader view of crystal power that says crystals, which are minerals with a eriodic atomic structure, possess metaphysical abilities.

Crystal healers say that it works because everything is energy and vibrates at various frequencies and that crystals work via these vibrations. Every living thing has a vibrational energy system, which includes chakras, subtle bodies and meridians. By using the appropriate crystals one can allegedly retune an energy system or rebalance a body's energies, thus improving well-being.

The earliest records of crystal healing come from ancient Egypt.
The Ebers papyrus states the medicinal uses of many different gems.
Healing with crystals is also recorded in India's Ayurvedic records and in traditional Chinese medicine from around five thousand years ago.

Some examples of healing properties include, rose quartz which is great for emotional healing, amethyst crystals for headaches, malachite for the stomach, lapis for anxiety, and jade for the heart, just to name a few, many of these being in the shape of a wand.

An in depth write-up of this important subject can be found under Crystal Healing.

Traditional
There is a belief system attached to traditional symbolism, such as placing pumpkins on your porch to invite spirits in or finding a four leaf clover to bring you luck. A similar belief system surrounds Crystals and Minerals.

It is stated, and on occasion been proved that if you place certain Crystals or Minerals on your person or in your home then it will achieve a certain result. When placed either under your pillow or beside your bed, Amethyst is said to help you sleep and keep bad dreams at bay much like a Dream Catcher. Citrine placed in the furthest corner of your home will attract
wealth, as will Peridot placed in your cash box. Orange Carnelian placed near your front door invokes protection and invites abundance into the home. Carrying Red Jasper gives you protection whilst traveling, much like the St Christopher.

Although a lot of it might be psychosomatic, if you believe enough it may work and many people have had success with using Crystals.

Paranormal/Spiritual
Crystals and Minerals have many uses in this field, with a lot inter-connected with Spiritual healing.

Some people use Crystals for protection from spirits and to aid communication. Obsidian is seen as a powerful protection stone, linked with the base charka, it provides a strong grounding to the earth to shield you from psychic attack as does Hematite which is gentler to the body. Danburite is a highly spiritual stone with a pure vibration to help you
communicate with your guides and Rutilated Quartz promotes spiritual growth.

Of course Quartz itself is seen as a powerful energy amplifier because of its unique helical spiral crystalline form. The crystal raises energy to the highest possible level enabling the best results in whatever you are undertaking.

Others use Crystals for Dowsing. Usually in the shape of a pendulum on a chain, they are used to either locate misplaced objects or to communicate with spirit. To do the later you hold the chain between thumb and forefinger so that the crystal is still (some say it is best that it is hung from an inanimate object to minimise muscle shake), then clear your mind and ask for a Yes the crystal should then move in a certain direction, reset
the crystal and ask for a No upon which the crystal should either not move or move in a different direction, you can then set forth asking spirit questions to receive yes and no answers to.

These are the main uses for Crystals and Minerals of which there are many, which also include Scrying and Chakra balancing.
The list is endless when thinking about all the different attributes each Crystal or Mineral has and if you have an interest there are many books on the subject that will allow you to discover more for yourself. But whatever your use for this fascinating by-product of mother earth, Im sure you will agree life wouldnt be the same without them.