5 Crystals For Emotional and Spiritual Support
Crystals have been used for centuries to heal, protect and inspire, but they can also bring renewed power to your meditation and yoga practice. Here are five crystals that can help you to calm your mind, feel more energized, and increase your sense of self-worth.
- Vitality from Carnelian: When difficult energy drags us down, carnelian can be a wonderful source of support. The stone comes in deep reds, oranges and browns, and fosters the life force in us all. It can also be helpful in healing menstrual and/or sexual difficulties, depression, and lower back problems. Placing carnelian at the end of your yoga mat can support your energy levels during practice. Also, in meditation, you might hold a piece of carnelian at your base chakra and imagine that it is warming your abdomen, spreading its healing warmth.
- Protection from Selenite: Selenite is said to carry a very high vibration of healing white light. Thus it is a great bringer of peace during meditation, as well as in troubled times. Selenite can be used to protect against negative energy and unwanted thoughts. In fact, selenite wands are wonderful for demarcating and protecting spiritual space. The crystal can also be used to open the crown chakra and increase our connection to the divine.
- Grounding from Petrified Wood: Petrified wood comes from a tree that once fossilized; the marks on the crystal were once part of the growing tree itself. I have received great comfort and grounding from this loving crystal, which provides a sense of warmth and companionship that growing trees can also provide. Petrified wood deepens our spiritual roots, and can thus ground us in terms of posture and emotional stability. In fearful situations, this crystal calms and nurtures. A wonderful stone for those who are working on balance in yoga or seek companionship amidst an emotional storm.
- Self-Love from Rose Quartz: This beautiful rose-colored crystal opens the heart so that we can attract and express love more freely, whilst also healing pain from the past. Commonly said to be “the stone of the heart,” you can wear it as a heart-shaped pendant during meditation and affirmations, especially if you intend to heal from grief or heartache. Also, whenever you need to be kind to yourself, carry rose quartz with you as a comforting support.
- Enlightenment from Celestite: Celestite is a wonderful stone for clearing the aura and receiving enlightenment. Said to increase our connection with the angels, this crystal can be powerful for visualization and dream recall, as well as creative problem solving. A stone of alignment and balance, it can be of great help when we need to regain clarity and poise. In fact, it can also be used to support our physical balance during yoga practice. I think of celestite—and its cousin, angelite—as a little dose of the heavens.
Enjoy!
About the Author
The Gaia Guide to Healing Crystals and Gemstones
Healing crystals used to personify New Age fringe, but in recent years they have crossed over into the mainstream. Google searches for “crystal healing” have increased by 40 percent in the last four years, fueled by celebrity endorsements from the likes of Adele, David Beckham, Katy Perry, and Miranda Kerr. You can even purchase crystal décor items at Target. Riding the public’s increasing appetite for all things wellness, the crystal fixation has infiltrated industries such as beauty and everyday home goods.
Talismans and amulets are nothing new. The ancient Egyptians wore amulets of precious stones as protection from evil spirits; ancient Chinese civilizations have associated jade with healing since the Neolithic period; and the Greek word for amethyst means “not drunk” — the stone was believed to inhibit intoxication in those who wore it.
How does crystal healing work?
Despite the growing acceptance, how crystals actually work is a little fuzzy. The basic idea behind crystal healing is that crystals carry certain energies that can positively impact our own. Similar to magnets, crystals and gems use energy to attract or repel. When you place certain stones over certain parts of your body, they interact with your individual energy fields, also known as chakras. Your energy transforms, vibrates, pulses, moves and shifts in accordance with the properties and energetic signature of the crystal.
Crystal fans claim they bring everything from peace and happiness to stress relief and headache prevention. Scientifically speaking, there’s no proof to back claims like these up. But regardless of whether crystals harness the placebo effect or have mechanisms not measurable by science, they serve as a potent focal point. If nothing else, use crystals as a tool to help you pause, tune in and realize you are connected to the earth and something bigger than yourself.
Want to get started? Here’s a brief guide to tapping into the power of healing gems and minerals.
