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!

Ohh yes, I forgot any criticism of anything a women does ever is automatically 'misognystic'. especially when its western women with more money than sense. Forget about the often pregnant women forced to mine this stuff for nothing, or those women who are effected most by the contamination and environmental ruin it brings.

The whole woo industry is geared towards exploiting vulnerable women. I'm not going to go along with something that is factually incorrect (i.e 'crystal energy') and exploitative so as not to harm delicate sensibilities.

Nope, just the crap you spout.

A whole crap load of western women on here saying crystals are bullshit but you're banging on about it anyway. Because it suits your agenda; that women are vapid, stupid, selfish and silly.

Ah came on here to post that link to the article about crystals being unethically sourced but Patroclus beat me to it!

Crystals are pretty but they're really not another thing we need and we need to be mindful of the damage mining them causes. Why not find beautiful shells, pebbles etc locally to use in your meditations? Then they'll have local, Celtic energy (if you believe in that - got to say I really, really don't) rather than imported crystals with the 'bad energy' of suffering attached to them.

Collecting shells and pebbles from beaches is harmful to the environment so perhaps not the best option either.

Just meditate on the beach then?? I'm totally anti woo so was just trying to give an alternative to unethically sourced crystals!

But you really don't need anything to meditate with, you're feeling good because of meditating, not because of some mad energy force emanating from a rock.

A stick from the wood? A stone from your shoe?? A discarded feather from a happy pigeon? Loads of alternatives!

You're right though. Watching the waves and walking on the sand is likely to be much more beneficial than crystals.

I have some crystals that I've been given over the years but have never thought about the healing side. Those of you who don't buy them due to ethical reasons, do you buy/eat chocolate? There is a horrendous history of child trafficking and slavery in the cacao industry which continues to this day.

I buy fairtrade chocolate and wine and other luxuries. Also buy second hand clothes or make my own as don't like the origins of cheap clothes either.

Tu quoque - it's irrelevant anyway.

The article Patroclus posted wasn't saying necessarily never have crystals, just be aware of where you're sourcing them from.

I’m in a number of autism Facebook groups and crystals are very popular in those.

Mainly because they have interesting sensory properties - small ones can be surprisingly heavy, some can feel cold to touch, etc etc.

I myself had a rock as a child that I found in my local park. I adored it, carried it everywhere, and (long before I officially knew what meditation is) I meditated with it.

I think sometimes people don’t really appreciate / put value on how affected they can be by certain sensory inputs, it’s almost as though it’s more palatable to construct a ‘woo’ explanation than to just say yep, this is my rock, it feels nice to hold.

*I think sometimes people don’t really appreciate / put value on how affected they can be by certain sensory inputs...,

I completely agree.
...it’s almost as though it’s more palatable to construct a ‘woo’ explanation than to just say yep, this is my rock, it feels nice to hold.

There is nothing wrong with constructing a narrative around much appreciated things. We all do it. Be it to seed pod, crystal, cheese, snail, shell, stone, stick, jewellery, pants, whatever.

I am fairly open minded about crystals if it makes you feel better in some way, (assuming you have acquired it ethically) then surely that is healing in itself. I don’t understand why it’s fine to believe in praying to God to heal people (with no proof) but not OK to believe in the universe having some sort of healing energy you can harness (again with no proof).

I do feel like they're working when I meditate with them.

It'll be the meditation which is working, not the crystals.

There is no scientific evidence that crystal healing has any effect whatsoever.

Rather than focusing on the supposed energy of these crystals, you might want to look into the established research of fractals and the effect on mental health.

Crystals, like a lot of other things in nature are made of fractals which have been proven to have a calming and soothing effect on mental health.

“don’t understand why it’s fine to believe in praying to God to heal people (with no proof) but not OK to believe in the universe having some sort of healing energy you can harness (again with no proof).”

You can believe in anything you want. But the two examples you give are equally ineffective.

The examples are not ineffective. If people believe in something and it has a positive effect on their health and well-being then it is effective. I don’t think people would tell someone their religion is a load of rubbish but it seems like people are happy to tell someone their less mainstream belief like crystal healing is.

Have to agree with halfacup there.

If people want to “heal” themselves with crystals or prayer then they should fill their boots. And the placebo effect is powerful. It’s when they start telling other people that they can cure them by crystals or prayer that it becomes unacceptable.

BertandRussell I take your point there but that isn't what's going on in this discussion so maybe not something you need to worry about here.

Crystals are pretty. Looking at lovely things can make you feel good. But healing? Load of woo bollocks.

Shame though, I’d love to know if a curry Pot Noodle has good energy. Or Quavers.

To anybody interested, I have been in contact with the website regarding their ethics and have had this response:

" We will only work with suppliers and mines that are completely ethical and do not use child labour so you can be confident in our sourcing. I hope this helps "

Who knows how true this is but I'm not sure they'd be able to lie about that? Maybe they can't be too sure themselves about where it comes from but their response does put my mind at ease regarding the ethics even if it's just slightly!

You can cleanse your crystals of bad energy by putting them into a ceramic bowl, covering them with water and adding sea salt then placing them outside overnight when there's a full moon.

Apparently 😁

I jut shove mine out in the rain. Unless they're water soluble - watch out for those (selenite, kyanite etc)

The UK has rain in abundance. I'm also a pluviophile so running out into the rain is therapeutic for me anyway.

What the heck is a pluviophile?!