Beginner's Guide to Working with Crystals

Beginner's Guide to Working with Crystals

By Stephanie Arnold

Part 1:

 The Basics – How to Select Your Crystals and How to Care For Them

Congratulations on beginning your crystal journey! I hope you enjoy working with crystals and experiencing how they can enhance and improve your life. Crystals have been used by people for thousands of years. There are over 200 references in the Bible about crystals and they were an integral part of biblical life, including the twelve stones on the breastplate of the High Priest Aaron. Ancient Egyptians used Carnelian, Lapis Lazuli, Peridot and other crystals in their jewelry and other adornments.  Roman soldiers even carried Tiger Eye to encourage bravery in battle.

When looking at the vast rainbow of different crystals, it can be difficult to decide which crystals you should take home. The best way to choose crystals is by allowing your intuition to guide you. Look at the photos of crystals online or peruse a crystal store and see which crystals attract your attention. Sometimes it may be that you can’t take your eyes off of one or once you touch one, you can’t put it down. Maybe you keep looking at the same type of crystals every time you browse. If you are having trouble deciding, some good starter crystals are Clear Quartz, Amethyst, Rose Quartz, and/or Green Aventurine. You will also find that the stones you are drawn to will change over time as you evolve. Get out there and have fun trying out all of the different crystals!

There is no right or wrong combination of crystals to carry as long as it works for you. Each person is at a different place in their spiritual journey and has a unique combination of crystals that they are drawn to. Enjoy experimenting and see what feels the best for you. I choose a different combination of crystals to carry every day! Please be aware that some crystals give off a lot of energy and some are very helpful at detoxing the body. When toxins are released into the body, they can have an adverse effect on us as our body is cleaning itself. Occasionally, crystals can make you feel uncomfortable, anxious, lightheaded or even nauseous. If this occurs, you should try using the crystal for only small intervals of time while you adjust to the energy, or remove it all together and try it again at a later date. You may also consider a more gentle crystal of similar energy.

Over time, crystals can become tired (having a weaker overall energy) and pick up negative energies from the environment around them. Because of this, you will need to periodically clear the energy of the crystals. There are many ways to do this including smudging (passing crystals through smoke of burning incense, like Sage, Sweetgrass or Palo Santo), burying them overnight in sea salt or brown rice, holding them under running water, and using sound (like a tuning fork or certain music).  Be careful not to use water or abrasive methods on softer, more fragile crystals, like Calcite. Most importantly, when clearing your crystals hold the intention that you are removing negativity and restoring the crystal’s energy.

Even if you clear the energy regularly, crystals will need to be recharged periodically to restore their full energetic potential. Some common ways to recharge your crystals are by burying them in a garden, placing them on top of a crystal cluster, or by placing them in the sunlight/moonlight. I find that most crystals have a way that works best for them. Carnelian, Sunstone and Citrine love to spend time in the sunlight; Rhodonite and Rose Quartz love to be among the greenery and flowers in the garden or buried in the ground. Moonlight will restore Moonstone and Amethyst. Be careful because softer or fragile crystals shouldn’t be buried and some crystals, like Amethyst, can fade in the Sun. If your crystals become physically dirty on the outside, you can clean most crystals with lukewarm water and a mild soap, using a soft toothbrush for any crevices. Again, be careful with fragile and soft crystals to avoid damage! If a crystal becomes exhausted or has completed its task, sometimes they will break or can even disappear for a while, so it’s important to give your crystals a rest occasionally. Once your crystals are recharged and happy, you can enjoy their company again.  :-)

I hope you enjoy selecting and working with your new crystals. Love, Light and Crystal Blessings to you!

Part 2: 

 So I Have My Crystals, Now How Do I Use Them?

Yea! You have selected your new crystals and they are cleaned, charged and ready to go. Now, what do you do with them? How can they be used for healing? There is a variety of ways to use crystals to improve and heal your life.

The easiest way to use crystals is to have them near you and just bask in their energy. Place them around your environment, workspace and home, wear them as crystal jewelry, or carry them in your pockets. Any crystals near you will have some impact on you. Some crystals work better when placed directly on the skin, which enables their minerals to be absorbed through the skin. Some crystals that work best this way are Lithium Quartz, Lepidolite and Moss Agate.  You can use any combination of crystals and as many as you want at one time, as long as you are comfortable with them. The best way to work with the crystals is to let your intuition guide you. As you continue on your crystal healing journey, you will find it helpful to pick up a couple of books to reference when you have questions. Two of my favorite books for beginners are The Crystal Bible by Judy Hall and The Illustrated Directory of Healing Crystals by Cassandra Eason. 

Another way to use crystals is in combination with the Chakras. Each person has seven major Chakras:  Base, Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye and Crown. A great way to align the Chakras is by placing particular crystals over the location of each Chakra. Each Chakra is associated with a specific color and basically any crystal in those colors will resonate with that Chakra. The colors are:  Base - Red/Brown/ Black; Sacral - Orange; Solar Plexus -Yellow; Heart - Green/ Pink; Throat - Blue; Third Eye - Indigo; and Crown - Purple/Clear. While there are many crystal combinations that will work for this, a basic set could include Red Jasper, Carnelian, Citrine, Green Aventurine, Sodalite, Lapis Lazuli and Amethyst. There are also pendants, necklaces and bracelets available that incorporate seven Chakra crystals that you can wear all day long to keep balanced and centered. 

Many different varieties of crystal wands are now available as crystal healing becomes more popular. Crystal wands can augment acupressure, reflexology and massage therapy, helping to make them even more effective. Two books that can help you learn about using crystal wands with reflexology are Crystal Wands:  For Healing, Massage Therapy and Reflexology by Ewald Kliegel and Gemstone Reflexology by Nora Kircher. The energy from the crystal will assist in removing blockages and energizing areas of the body that are in need. With crystal wands, the wider end is used for drawing energy out and the narrow end is used for putting energy into a specific spot for healing. The type of crystal the wand is made from will affect the healing process as well. I like to use a Sodalite wand for balancing energies and a Mahogany Obsidian wand for activating.

One of my favorite ways to use crystals for healing is to make crystal water or an elixir. When crystals are placed in or near water, the water absorbs the crystal energy and becomes a valuable tool for healing. To make gem water, place washed (gentle soap, water and a soft toothbrush) and cleared crystals inside a glass pitcher or container and fill the container with spring or distilled water and leave for two to twelve hours. I also like to place my water in the sun or moonlight to give it an extra boost.  This water will stay charged for 24 hours to one week in a tightly sealed container inside the fridge, or you can add one part of alcohol, such as vodka or brandy, to ten parts crystal water to preserve it for several months. Cider Vinegar can also be used instead of alcohol. Before using crystals with water, always consult a reference to make sure the crystal is not toxic. A great reference book for making these is Gem Water by Michael Gienger and Joachim Goebel. If you would like to make gem water or an elixir with toxic crystals (or you just want to be careful with all crystals) you can place the crystals just outside the glass container or in a small glass jar before placing them in the water, and the water will still be energized. Drink the energized water at least twice daily for best results. Start with a small dose at first and increase gradually, as some gem water can have intense healing energies.

Have fun healing with your crystals – I hope you enjoy the experience. : ) Love, Light and Crystal Blessings to you!

Part 3:

Discovering More of the World of Crystals

After you have been using crystals for healing, you are now ready to explore a little further into the world of crystals. As you have probably noticed, there are many different shapes of crystals available and you may have been wondering if this makes a difference in their energy. First, there are tumbled and shaped crystals, and then there are crystals that are raw and in their natural state. If you are looking to use a crystal’s energy for any type of healing, either will work fine. You may find the tumbled stones easier to carry in a pocket or lay on a person, but a natural crystal can do the same. Natural or raw crystals are sometimes more fragile than there tumbled counterparts. Some of the different shapes can direct the energy of the crystals or modify it slightly. Heart-shaped crystals combine a loving energy with their other characteristics. In crystals with points, either natural or polished, the energy is directed out from the point. These are great for directing energy to a specific part of the body for healing and can “point” the flow of energy towards or away from an area. This also applies to crystal wands, where the wider end is used for drawing energy out and the narrow end it used for putting energy into a specific spot for healing. Similarly, a pyramid directs the energy of the crystal up through the apex. The energy from a crystal sphere emanates evenly in all directions. Crystals are also commonly available as Sacred Geometry shapes. These shapes represent the building blocks of everything in the Universe and they also represent the elements: Fire, Earth, Air, Water and Ether/Spirit. Sacred Geometry shapes are excellent for meditation and working with the elements.

Now that you have been enjoying all the benefits of crystals personally, you are probably wondering about sharing them with other living things around you. Pets and other animals can benefit greatly from using crystal energy too. Amethyst water can help with fleas and parasites, Aquamarine in the fish tank can help your aquatic friends to stay healthy, Green Aventurine can calm nervous energy, Moss Agate can help with aggressiveness, and Pyrite can help reptiles with skin problems. Some crystals, like Leopardskin Jasper and Dalmatian Jasper, look like the fur coats of the animals they are excellent at healing, dogs and cats. Animals, like children, are often naturally attracted to crystals. If sharing crystals with children or pets, please be careful to avoid any choking hazards and keep them out of reach, if necessary.

When using crystals to heal children, always start with gentle crystals and avoid high energy crystals unless the child is intuitively drawn to them.  A good selection to start with is Amethyst, Rose Quartz, Clear Quartz and Green Aventurine. Try having the child select from a group of crystals and intuitively select the crystals they need for healing, as you would yourself. Children naturally have a strong intuition when they are young. Crystal bracelets and necklaces should only be used in older children and adults to avoid any choking hazards. It is also helpful to place crystals around the house, where the whole family can benefit. You can even use crystals in the garden to help your plants. Moss Agate, Green Calcite, Tree Agate and Fluorite will all help your plants to stay healthy and grow strong.

Another awesome way to use crystals is to create a crystal grid. A crystal grid is simple to make and helpful for amplifying your intentions. To create a simple grid, choose a place that it can remain undisturbed. Clear all the crystals first, and then place a large crystal, such as a sphere or tower, in the center of the grid. You can also add a picture or other object that corresponds with your purpose. Then place several other crystals around the center crystal, directing any points outward. Trace the grid from the center crystal to each other crystal using a wand or your finger, while holding your intention to energize the grid. Periodically, you will need to retrace the grid to recharge it. Follow your intuition when deciding on the crystals and shape of your grid and let your creativity flow. Crystal grids are also beautiful to look at!

I hope you enjoy the many different crystals that the Earth has provided and your crystal journey is filled with Love, Light and Crystal Blessings!