to think that crystals really do heal the mind?!

[woodentop123]

This is intended as a fun/interesting discussion!

I have a friend who is very spiritual and loves crystals. I've always been open minded (to most things!) and thought I'd have a look at purchasing some myself.

I think crystals are incredibly beautiful so I'm naturally drawn to them and I do feel like they're working when I meditate with them. Does anybody else use crystals... if so may I ask which ones and what for? Or has anybody had negative experiences?!

Would love to hear your stories and especially your suggestions!

If you don't believe in healing crystals I completely understand! If we were all the same we'd be boring! Please still feel free to comment but without hate or prejudice!

Meditation may have some health benefits.

I don't meditate, but if it's true that crystals as a prop help people meditate, they may have some value in that respect. However, they have no magical powers and there doesn't appear to be any reason whatsoever for crystals to be the go-to prop (other than that they're trendy or have a woo mythos around them).

The ethical concerns about the industry are entirely valid. It is not good for the planet or its people.

Can't you just use some other pretty object?

I’ve always been into that kind of thing.

I bought 3 crystal necklaces to help anxiety and wore them all the time.

Bizarrely I really did expect to feel better with them on but actually I felt no different at all.
Very pretty but so far as healing goes no.

Although that said, my DH had Baltic Amber bracelets and he did feel less pain with them on and I have a copper anklet that works wonders on my arthritis.

I believe that those crystal skulls were crafted by the ancient inhabitants of Atlantis and that they're powerful centres of healing.
And I believe the experts who have examined them and concluded they were made in Europe in the 19th century or later. It is a tough call though...

A few years back I decided to look into this crystal thing. I was a world-weary nurse (theatre) and decided to find something the opposite end of cutting people open to fix them.

Being me and there being no half measures I signed up for a 2 year diploma in crystal healing as you do. The first day on the course I sat there thinking 'what the hell am I doing here?'

But you know what. They're pretty, they're fun to have, sitting quietly and meditating with them IS relaxing might be the sitting quietly anyway, Having a piece of sodalite DOES make me feel better able to handle twats even if it might be because I've self-fulfilled my prophecy. Having a brick sized piece of rose quartz is calming as I say, if I hit someone over the head with it enough times it would bring me peace... JK

Dowsing is a lot of fun. I have sold them online, and will again when I have time to put them on ebay. Not to make a fortune because I'm really not, but because I like sending them out into the world to other people who will enjoy them. I occasionally do a treatment, but for friends and family, not profit.

And even if it's placebo, who cares. Placebo is an interesting concept in itself - I did a study on it as part of a course for my nursing degree. They've stabbed holes in people's knees to give them the illusion of surgery and it seemed to have similar results to the 'actually had something done to their knee during surgery group'. At least Crystal healers aren't stabbing you with scalpels to get their results.

No- but they are supporting a vile industry, depleting the world’s resources and charging people money for something that doesn’t work........

Crystals are lovely things, I like quartz in all it forms. As it says in mindat here, with probably more info than you ever wanted to know,
www.mindat.org/min-3337.html
"Quartz is one of the most common minerals found in the Earth's crust. If pure, quartz forms colorless, transparent and very hard crystals with a glass-like luster. A significant component of many igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks, this natural form of silicon dioxide is found in an impressive range of varieties and colours."

It's not just crystals that can capture the imagination, quartz was used a lot in ancient times, mostly we don't know why, but it appears to have been very significant to many cultures.
Quartz was incorporated into a lot of ancient structures, for example in Ireland, the ancient passage-mound of Newgrange was either faced with white quartz, or it had a white quartz forecourt, archaeologists aren't sure which although the facing has been placed on its reconstructed outer wall. It was also constructed so that the rising sun illuminated the entrance passageway on the Winter Solstice 21 Dec.
It was built about 3,200 BC during the Neolithic period, which makes it older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids.

Speaking of Stonehenge, thousands of years ago, our ancestors transported some special stones known as bluestones which are spotted dolerites from the Preseli Mountains area of Wales to Stonehenge.
Some bluestones and other stones "ring" like a bell when struck.
See Paul Devereux and Dr. Aaron Watson's book 'Stone Age Soundtracks' and here's a link to some of the archaeoacoustic research that's ongoing. www.aaronwatson.co.uk/acoustics-intro/

As for crystals and healing, aside from the new age revival, there's a lot of folklore about some of the ancient places all over the world, this site in Sardinia has a map showing where the zones of healing are www.megalithic.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=a312&file=index&do=showpic&pid=69172
Built around 1600-1200BC, there is a very broad stripe of quartz on the stone at the front.

BertrandRussell We're never going to agree on this so I won't argue. BUT looking around my house at all the other resource-depleting crap we have, I'm not worrying about the crystals. My travertine floors are as much of a disaster I'm sure.

Fucking helium balloon are my bugbear. They mine helium and there's only so much. There are so many applications for it and people make pretty floating balloons - and then sometimes send them off into the air. Littering fines should follow IMO.

I believe that those crystal skulls were crafted by the ancient inhabitants of Atlantis and that they're powerful centres of healing

Gif fail!

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Doh.

Gif works for me

What’s the difference between crystals and rocks? Energy wise?.... Rocks such as granite have cooled quickly, like most crystals. But I’d have thought the rocks that cooled slowly such as rhyolite would have more energy?

not a geologist

Crystals are rocks (with some exceptions) and pretty much all rock will have some form of crystalline structure. Granite contains feldspar, mica and quartz as well as others. Each individual type will have its own chemical make-up and crystal structure, but overall granite is a mix of crystals.

Obsidian is a woo-crystal, but is volcanic glass and considered a mineraloid as it doesn't have a crystalline structure. It's still 'rock' I suppose.

Amber is a resin - not a rock, but still considered a woo-crystal.

My point elfy Is can I go and pick up a bit of Rhyolite in Snowdonia and receive the same as all these people with their crystals?

Granite’s a mixture because it has cooled at different temperatures.

Yes. Absolutely. I've got red jasper I've found and it's the same crystal as the ones I buy. Finding them in nature is considered a lovely thing but us weird-woo people.

Patroclus

Can I ask, and I mean politely, why are you here if your view on them is so anti? I think your comment comes off (maybe unintended) as rude.

I’m 23 years old (so not having a mid life crisis) and live a great life with good friends, family and a loving boyfriend. I read, I draw (albeit on peoples face - make up artistry), I play guitar, I listen to all kinds of music.

Sometimes people come across points in their life where they feel they need something to help guide them to an answer or give them extra strength. I’m fortunate enough to be surrounded by very encouraging and supporting people but sometimes I want to be able to make these decisions naturally from within, but find myself stuck. What’s wrong with giving something a go?! If it turns out to be a load of crap then hey ho! But if you never try things in life, even if they seem outrageous, you’ll never learn or grow.

I’m glad that as far as you are concerned, you do not need this in your life! But to make out others to be villains because they experiment with spirituality is just ridiculous!

Was I naive in not knowing the ethics behind crystals? Probably! But unless you’ve got a completely clean slate and can say that you’ve never bought a product/service NOT KNOWING of the possible unethical background behind it, you really shouldn’t judge others.

Also, going by other comments on this thread, I think “boring” is the last thing people would call somebody who uses crystals!

Thanks for your comment, but it you read the OP I said “fun/interesting”, don’t waste your time if it’s not your thing, I’m sure there’s other posts on MN you will enjoy more

By us*

But rhyolite’s not a crystal, will it have the same healing properties?

I can understamd slate, and limestone as they’re not volcanic.

(maybe unintended)

It was fully intended to be mean and misogynistic.

MrsTerryPratcett

I figured so!

ScafellPoke Some stones used in crystal healing are composite and made up of more than one type. If you google rhyolite and sorry- healing it will come up with polished examples and what it's for from a healing point of view. Also unpolished ones - which look like garden rock are for sale. You may roll you eyes, or plan to go buy a bag of rock from B&Q and set up online to sell each one individually--

If I had access to your rhyolite I'd go for a walk and pick up a couple of pieces. But it's cold, and you're hundreds of miles north of me

Sorry, strike-through cancel fail. Had an OU assignment in yesterday and my fingers are fatigued.

Thanks elfy the more I’ve read this thread the more I’m interested. I know a little bit about geology, but not loads! So it’ll be interesting to research this side a bit more. But as a rock climber I feel that I need to do the ‘ugly’ rocks a service... esp as I have had some frightening experiences whilst clinging on to rocks 😂