The Magic of Healing Crystals

Hoooo boy, y’all, I’ve been SWAMPED! In addition to working on yet ANOTHER manuscript, I’m taking grad classes, working on a certificate in Management & Leadership (totally not Pagan or witchy related, but it will help me be even better at my Day Job, which is what pays the mortgage ’round these parts). Anyway, since I may or may not have been writing about crystals lately, I thought it might be a good time to chat about how people use them for healing magic.

Many people believe each crystal emits a vibration that tunes into the body’s energies, and this is used to heal emotional or physical ailments. Keep in mind that there is no medical or scientific support for the practice of crystal healing. If you’re thinking about using it to help someone who’s sick, use common sense: if they do not appear to be improving, or they are facing a life-threatening situation, seek out medical attention immediately. Also, please, if you’re concerned you might harm yourself or others, set the crystals aside for a moment and get help from a qualified mental health professional — there is never any shame in asking for help.

All of that said, many people have had positive healing experiences with the use of crystals. While this could be chalked up as personal gnosis, enough people seem to find crystals valuable as a healing method that we should look at it more deeply. The use of crystal healing has been documented back as far as ancient Egypt, and is also found in Ayurvedic medicine, so it’s hardly some New Age fad.

In some metaphysical traditions, such as Reiki, crystals are placed on the body itself to help align the chakras. In other systems, crystal rods or wands are positioned near the body, but not touching it. The types of crystal used, and its placement, are determined by the ailment that is being addressed.

If you’re not sure which stones to use, you can often determine the type of crystal necessary based on the corresponding chakra associations.

• Root Chakra: Associated with the color red – use garnets, rubies, or red beryl for work related to anemia, chronic fatigue or other blood disorders.
• Sacral Chakra: The sacral chakra is connected to the color orange, and associated with sexuality, including impotence, infertility and other reproductive issues. Try using moonstone, carnelian, orange zincite or tiger’s eye for this area.
• Solar Plexus Chakra: This chakra is related to matters of the digestive system – irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, ulcers, and even diabetes. It’s associated with the color yellow, so use stones like citrine, amber, topaz, or yellow agate.
• Heart Chakra: On an emotional level, the heart chakra is tied to matters of love and heartbreak. Likewise, on a physical level, it relates to diseases or disorders of the chest area, such as the heart and lungs. Cardiac or pulmonary issues, and even breast cancer, all tie in to the heart chakra. It’s connected to green stones, oddly enough, and is connected to crystals like moldavite, tourmaline, and bloodstone. Interestingly, although the rose quartz is not green but in fact pink, it is still often associated with the heart chakra and its related emotions.
• Throat Chakra: When it comes to health issues, the throat chakra is connected to problems with the mouth and neck, in addition to thyroid disorders and hyperactivity. Associated with the color blue, you’ll want to find stones such as turquoise, aquamarine, apatite or topaz for work relating to the throat chakra.
• Brow Chakra: When problems with the brow chakra manifest themselves as physical symptoms, it’s easy to think we’ve got the flu. Crystals and stones in the indigo, or dark blue, range come in handy for these problems. Sapphire, lapis lazuli, azurite and spinel all can be used for brow chakra issues.
• Crown Chakra: Ever have a migraine come up out of nowhere? It could be related to the crown chakra. In addition to headaches, mental health disorders and visual impairments can be connected to the crown chakra, which is associated with the color purple or violet. Use stones like amethyst or tanzanite. Many people believe the crown chakra has no color at all, or is associated with the color white, so you can also use selenite, clear quartz, or even diamonds for work with the crown chakra.

Finally — and I can’t believe I even have to say this but people have gotten really weird the last couple of years — please, do not insert crystals into your vagina or other parts of your body. Honestly, it’s a terrible idea so please just don’t.