Wellbeing

Physical and mental wellbeing are much talked about at the moment and rightly so. We all want to feel well, resilient and happy. This is a huge subject and my intention here is to simply offer my personal experience and trust that this may offer you an insight into the role of crystals and minerals and the affect that they have on our mind, body and spirit. 

It is not necessary to perceive humans as having a spirit or soul for this section to be meaningful but many who use and have written about crystals for personal transformation discuss various energetic realms that surround us, reincarnation, spiritual development and this, with an awareness of our ancestors using them in ritual to affect personal or tribal transformation, led me to a personal belief that we are more than physical matter. Physics has taught us that all matter vibrates and so even on a purely physical level, we know that everything is energy.

As someone who is much more aware of my mind and body than my aura or soul, my first dip into actual crystal healing was at a market when a fellow trader offered me a citrine for the bloated and painful stomach I was experiencing. This extreme pain after several years had been given the diagnosis of IBS but nothing up until that point had done anything to help me get rid of it. I held the citrine to my stomach and needless to say, after a few minutes my pain stopped and I started the most important conversation of my life to date. 

Thinking back though, crystals had had a place in my life since I was young. My mum had several pieces in our home including of course, the iconic home maker, amethyst. Sitting with one feels quite normal to me, like a walk in the woods or a swim in the sea – moments that are good for the soul. Time spent that helps us to feel better.

I realised that stress, anxiety and anger were triggers for my pain and in the late 80’s discovered the work of Louise L. Hay and her iconic book ‘You Can Heal Your Life’ who explored the nature of affirmations as a means to change. I discovered that dis-ease is the opposite state of being at ease and I learned that over time, feelings of fear, helplessness, hatred, resentment and so on, make us ill and manifest as actual ailments. At this time, I also read an eclectic diet of books on religions, philosophy, ancient civilisations, sacred geometry, magic, music, maths. You name it I read it as I was on a quest to understand the nature of the human experience and the universe!

Crystals and minerals have been studied in many different ways, particularly in the last few centuries. Their geometry and chemistry have given rise to an understanding of the many – and some say, sacred – aspects of the universe – but to me, it is the same story that science and religion address under different guises. They are all allegories for the nature of being and the personal choice we have as to how we are and who we are. 

I now believe that crystals have come to light over the centuries to help us to be light and to shine light. To be a part of our natural world rather than alienated from it. Pick a stone up. Feel it. Notice it. Feel your response. Don’t think your response, feel it. This is hard. Breathe well (this is sometimes called centering). Crystals help us to be well. Their unique vibration affects our own matter, our own frequency, and help us sing a new tune. Some crystals have come to light more recently, others have been with us for as long as we have crafted them into tools and adornments. As new finds are made, more people discover their signature vibration and tune in, which has the added bonus of bringing us into connection with each other.

We can think about light as cosmic rays, or we can think about light as love. We can be divine in each moment and then to join these moments together, stitch by stitch, to form a longer moment, a better way of being. One day at a time. Sound familiar? With every thought and act, consider how to shine love into that experience, no matter what. To forgive yourself when you lapse is to bring love to that moment once more.

We actually manifest our reality all the time. The leap of faith is understanding that, and thinking and acting accordingly. 

You have got yourself to precisely where you are now – so what are you going to manifest next? This is a tricky concept when dealing with things that feel like they are happening to you. Things happen all the time, but we are solely responsible for how we perceive them and, consequently, how we act. Some schools of thought believe that every challenge is individually or collectively created to enable emotional and spiritual growth, insight, and transformation. With integrity, kindness, compassion, hope, and joy, we can be well. 

So, we know crystals help us but how do we think of this in practical terms? How might we draw on their ‘healing’ properties and apply them to our day-to-day experience? 

Two particularly effective ways to use crystals in our everyday lives are when we focus on our chakras and our intentions. A crystal’s presence can act as a physical prompt to remind us to tune into our intentions; they can also assist in an ‘unblocking’ of a particular chakra, and a release of our energy flow.

Read on to discover how you can use your crystal’s properties to enhance your wellbeing.