By Ross of Aum Shanti Bookshop
Crystals are a powerful tool for promoting healing, wellness, creativity; all critical needs during this time of "stay at home" isolation. Time to pull out your crystals, spend some time with them in meditation, reflection, and inspiration.
Why are healing crystals so unique in helping to heal and balance our lives?
We think of ourselves as bodies, mass. But science tells us that we are actually more space than mass. As Buddhism reminds us, we are containers; voids more than objects. And we are vibrations, from the spinning electrons, through the neurons firing in our minds, to the echo of our heart and voice through our jowl, organs, stomach, on to the tips of our fingers. Quantum physics shows that mass is energy, integrally connected without regard to the distance between. We can feel the electromagnetic field, the energy flow, the tingle at our feet as we connect to Earth, the tingle at the tip of our head as we connect to Heaven. When I work with seniors I often can see when one has a strong life force, or a weak life force, which has little to do with their medical ailments, or age. But much to do with their outlook, their connection, the sparkle in their eyes, and the strength of their vibration. And our own vibrations are stimulated through sympathetic vibration (much as we feel in our knee the vibration of a tuning fork, or feel in our chest the vibration of a drum, which are auditory vibrations.)
Crystals are formed deep within Mother Earth, over eons, pressed, moved, elements combining. Science now thinks that complex elements can only be created through exploding, imploding stars, hurled out into space, pulled by Mother Earth’s gravity, molten at her core, combined by shifting textile plates. They are mass and energy formed from the source of time and space. And as such they vibrate with deep ancient intensity. Vibration is also color, and so it is often the beauty of the color of crystals that we first experience. But that vibration is also resonating with my own energy fields.
We can think of our energy field as encircling us (like the earth’s own massive protective, flowing fields beneath us and above us, hidden to the eyes but sometimes revealed in the Northern Lights) but most intense at our core, what the East calls our chakra points. They are not really points as much as three-dimensional focuses, rotations, vibrations. Our “wellness” comes not from “getting over illness” but from being in open, balanced flow. That impacts the immune system, stamina, and even our gate. We are natural beings who resonates with other natural beings. And crystals are a tool, and a friend who, through their own natural resonance and balance, create sympathetic vibration in our own energy.
But this explanation is a bit too clinical because it loses sight of the metaphysical, personal aspect of the source of all that is good. Wellness and balance are about more than just a body that “functions well”. The life force is more profound than that. Our root chakra connects me to you and all other life forces through Mother Earth. The crown chakra also connects me to you and the stars through the Tree of Life and spheres of Heavens. We are learning that Mother Earth is deeply impacted by how we treat the environment and resources. But the pace of life for a crystal is at a very different rate that we experience life. It has been suggested by astronomy theorist that planets and stars, and therefore crystals, may even experience time in reverse to us (they are experiencing the spin towards rather than away from the Big Bang). Heady stuff…
What does, 'let your stone choose you,' mean?
Recognizing our limited understanding, but full of curiosity, how do we begin to experience crystals? I often hear staff and guests at Aum Shanti Bookshop respond to a crystal with, “Isn’t this beautiful.” We are talking about not only a visual beauty, but that sudden excitement, resonance one feels. I will show a customer a tray of Chalcopyrite, and their eyes sparkle as they grab one piece and say, “Wow. Look at this one.” Why that one? I didn’t see anything different about that one? But it wasn’t “my one”. But I could so clearly see it in their face that it was for them. I think we often ignore our own inner wisdom, when our heart mind will immediately be telling us what crystal to choose. There is a great book called “Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking" by Malcolm Gladwell (who also wrote the “Tipping Point") that writes about how in the West we have been taught to not listen to our inner wisdom. We let our mind rule our heart mind. Its time for us to let our heart mind rule again, as we did as children.
Here is another wisdom to learn from crystals: We can let the crystal do the calling. We should approach the crystals with our expectations put on hold. But be full of curiosity and openness. And without question, lots will happen as we look and touch and hold crystals. The nice thing with a crystal shop is that we can take time to hold and feel, and enjoy the moment as we meet new vibrational friends.
What are some crystals for increasing energy?
To increase energy I would suggest beginning at the solar plexis (where I “feel it in my gut”) This energy sphere impacts my mood, my energy, and my self-knowledge. I would suggest holding Citrine (tumbled or raw) to feel the increase of energy. Citrine also increases the energy of other natural entities, including other crystals and plants and animals. Energy is mind, body and spirit, and all three are increased with Citrine.
What crystals attract abundance?
I have abundance in my root chakra when I have physical, material abundance (for which I would suggest pyrite). I have abundance in my life force when I am vigorous and my step is quick (for which I would suggest red jasper). I have abundance in my heart when I choose love over fear, my core holds the Sacred Heart (for which I would suggest Jade or Green Aventurine). I have abundance in my throat chakra and my third eye when I think with my heart, see with my inner eye before I speak and then I speak my inner truth (for which I suggest Lapsis)
I have abundance of my highest self when I say to the Source “not my will but thy will be done” for which I would suggest 10 minutes of silence, listening to the breath and holding Apophyllite.
What crystals help with grounding?
It depends... I would suggest black tourmaline to ground and to anchor. But if looking for grounding at loss or betrayal, I would suggest holding Apache Tears which can help release negative emotions, start to connect the emotions and meanings of the loss; ground and balance the emotional state.
What crystals would you suggest for attracting romance into your life?
I would suggest rose quartz, volunteer work, and dancing lessons to attract romance. But if I am anxious about having romance in my life, I might hold Atlantisite which will help me find inner peace. It will also stabilize my moods and give me a more relaxed attitude in life, so that romance can come gently, unexpectedly, rather than desperately.
What crystals are for inspiring creativity?
I find many crystals, by opening, stimulating my chakras bring greater creativity. I love Tiger Iron/Muggle stone for its clarity in creative endeavors and stimulation of all types of artistic abilities, and the stamina that a creative endeavor often needs. It opens me from my root to my solar plexus. I also love Yellow Aventurine which is a gentle but strong, Sacral energy crystal. She stimulates all areas of creativity, and imagination, as well as intellect and mental clarity.