Crystals. These aesthetically pleasing, colorful, shiny, geometric, mysterious and quite expensive pieces of material are everywhere these days! In recent years, I'm sure we've all come across at least a dozen posts on social media that promote the use of crystals, especially healing crystals. They claim to have miraculous healing properties that can purify an individual spiritually. But, do they really do that? What are they really? Why are people so obsessed with them these days? And what is crystal culture?
There are so many more questions one can ask about the practice of healing with crystals. This post will try to answer some of them. Keep reading to see if your question has been answered.
What is Healing Crystals?
Crystals are naturally occurring solid materials that form over a period of time. What makes them special is their molecular arrangement. Their structure forms a geometric pattern, which makes it stable.
In the domain of crystal healing, in addition to real crystals, precious stones and semi-precious stones can also fall under the spectrum of crystals. Some of the most popular types of crystals used for healing are fluorite, quartz, amethyst, malecite, citrine, rhodonite and opal.
Depending on the type of crystal, they are believed to improve memory, stimulate immunity, promote healthy sleep; provide protection against negative energy, aid in digestion; increase self-confidence and much more. The claims are, in fact, endless.
Crystal healing is a type of alternative medicine or pseudoscience that aims to heal the individual by using and engaging with crystals. Crystal healers, practitioners and crystal enthusiasts believe that crystals contain healing energy that can be used to treat various psychological, spiritual and physiological ailments.
According to them, energy in all matter vibrates constantly. This energy frequency is sensitive to any change in the environment, causing imbalances at times. Due to the structure of crystals, they apparently have a stable energy frequency despite the vibrations. The energy frequencies of the crystals are determined by their color, size and type.
The interaction between these materials with the energy centers or chakras in the human body creates positive energy, and thus corrects the imbalance. When corrected, they can experience good mood, calm and happiness.
The crystals are selected based on intuition or on the recommendation of a crystal expert. The experts suggest rocks based on the disease and associated chakra. For example, darker colored crystals are recommended for those suffering from anxiety and depression when dealing with the chakra that is responsible for them.
How do they work?
So far, there has been no scientific or medical evidence to prove the above claims. There is also no evidence to prove their effect.
What is confirmed by many is that the use of crystals gives them all a feeling of relaxation and rejuvenation. It also helped to better manage depression for some.
So, how do they work?
This is called the placebo effect. A tactic often used by medical professionals to treat patients.
Critics, scientists and other researchers have stated that crystals can not affect a person's mood or psychology, based solely on their chemical composition and molecular structure. However, they believe that crystals are just placebo.
People practice crystal healing and expect the crystals to miraculously cure their problems. Even if the user is skeptical, they will still focus on the crystal. The more a person thinks about the crystal, the more it helps to amplify their thoughts.
Experts believe that visualizing or thinking about a problem immediately channels all the energy to focus on the problem. In doing so, the brain thinks about the possible outcomes of the problem. Visualizing the outcome lights up parts of the brain, especially those involved in problem solving.
During the dedicated 'healing' time, the brain then thinks of a solution and makes the person feel more hopeful, calm and relaxed.
Normally, many people in this fast-paced time cannot take the time to reflect on their problems. Even if they do, it is extremely easy to avoid thinking about them. Holding or placing crystals on parts of the body will constantly, but involuntarily, remind the person of their problems.
This is because the person holding the crystal has a problem in mind. So every time they are aware of the crystal, they will be taken back to their problem. After that, the mind will finally find a solution to the problem.
Alas, reduce stress, anxiety, make the person feel calm and confident.
There is still scientific data that needs to be collected and processed in this field. Nevertheless, the good news is that it is not seen as a substitute for medicine. Physical and mental ailments are still treated by healthcare professionals. It is used only for the afflictions of the soul and the spirit. The kind of pain that modern science does not yet have a cure for. Practitioners turn to a crystal expert or healer to be healed from within.
In some countries, crystal experts and healers train their clients not to expect their problems to be solved immediately.
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Crystals throughout history
Humans have been attracted to them because of their physical characteristics and the way they are different from other rocks and stones. They have been fascinated by the colors, their ability to refract light and their mysterious appearance. These are the reasons why they were always believed to have some powerful miraculous properties. As a result, they have been associated with magic, spirituality and rituals across cultures around the world.
The earliest evidence of crystals dates back to 6,000 years ago, from Mesopotamian civilization. They would use them as protectors of evil, talismans and amulets.
Crystals have been a part of ancient medicine through different cultures in the world. In the past, people would paint these precious stones and crystals and take them as a form of medical treatment. Due to the association with medicine, people now associate the objects with healing.
The earliest literature that existed on crystals comes from the Romans. The historian Pliny the Elder documented the stone's sources and physical properties. At that time, the Romans wanted to use amulets and talismans made of crystals to attract prosperity, luck during war and health.
The stones also had a strong connection with ancient Greece as the word itself is derived from the Greek word 'krystallos', which translates to ice.
Crystals were associated with many of the Olympic gods. Dionysus was one of them. According to legend, Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, feasts and fertility, became drunk and became angry with the virgin amethyst.
She sought protection from him and approached the goddess Diana. To help, she turned Amethyst into a stone, on which Dionysus felt guilty and wept, in his wine container. Moments later, the cup fell and the liquid flowed over the stone, making it the amethyst crystal we know today.
In Christian literature in the Western world, crystals were recorded that had been used to adorn religious articles, symbolizing the entrance to heaven, faith, purity, and perfection.
In the Middle Ages, people believed that these crystals could evoke positive spiritual beings. It was also at this time that people wanted to keep tokens or objects with the same meaning as the churches. Crystals therefore became their object of choice.
Traditional Chinese medicine used healing crystals, even for things like acupuncture where the needle tips would be made of crystal. The positive energies into the body are transferred to the body.
The Egyptians used them for rituals such as when they buried the dead, and believed that the energies would reach the person in the afterlife. They would also use them to balance spiritual energies. In addition, Cleopatra would use makeup made from powder lapis lazuli. She used it on her eyes as eye shadow, symbolizing awareness and accurate judgment.
In Egypt, rubies were worn by dancers. The red stone was a symbol of beauty and sexuality, and is therefore ideal for talented dancers.
The Japanese wanted to use the crystals to communicate with the inner spirit, as the way Indians do yoga. The Japanese also wanted to use crystal balls to predict the future. The balls made of quartz were seen as a symbol of the dragon's heart, which was synonymous with power and wisdom.
India is known for using gems, gems and crystals to heal imbalances in a person's life based on the positions of the planets. A person is usually born with these astrological standards and only the properties of crystals and semi-precious stones can counteract these imbalances. The stones are worn as amulets, rings, arm or waist ornaments. Among Hindus, the advice of an astrologer is part of a mandatory ritual on special occasions such as birth and marriage and to set favorable dates.
The use of crystals, their properties and properties are recorded even in the Vedas which are a collection of ancient Indian texts.
Popularization of crystals
Today's popularity of using crystals for healing can be traced back to 19 th and 20 th centuries.
After a resurgence of scientific discoveries in the Renaissance, the Western world wanted to change the way we see the world. They would only believe in what they wanted to see, and thus only believe in the reality of the material world. As a result, there was a decline in belief in the metaphysical and the spiritual. Religion still existed in Europe and North America, but its essence no longer appealed to humans. Over time, people would begin to feel empty. And although belief in the material world was more rational, evidence-based, and accurate, it did not satisfy the interior of the soul.
Eventually, people could no longer tolerate this emptiness and within 19 th century, people began to look for things that would help them fill the void. It was then that they discovered and explored Eastern philosophies, religions, ways of life and objects. They found that many of these religious systems focused at least on the material world. They learned about spirituality, healing, liberation, harmony, etc.
It is also from here that people began to focus on developing and taking care of themselves. It was then that they realized that they could help themselves, improve themselves. This was also when they realized that prioritizing oneself would be more fruitful than just accepting the notion of God. They learned that they both go hand in hand. God is the perfect entity, and humans have now begun to seek this perfection in themselves and evolve to reach this level of perfection.
It was as if they had finally found what they wanted.
This discovery was strongly encouraged by the Western world. Even academics would accept these newly discovered theories and even support some of them. It even led to anthropological research on spirituality, spiritual belief in civilizations and societies and the effect of spirituality on societies.
In the 1970s and 1980s, at the time of the New Age movement in America, the exchange of belief systems was at its peak. It was during this time that people began to adopt spiritual practices based on Eastern religions and philosophies, such as Hinduism, Taoism, Buddhism, tarot card reading, paganism, etc. Crystal healing was part of this package. In fact, when these concepts reached the west, the people there adopted whatever system helped them fill the void. In time, some of these new age beliefs became part of the Western way of life.
Crystal culture and its global influence
Crystal culture is an expression of interest, practice, promotion and study of healing crystals. It also includes organizing and attending related events.
To get involved and learn about healing crystals, people usually consult a crystal expert, and based on the conversation, the crystal is chosen. Alternatively, people buy the crystal they are most attracted to because they believe that the body is attracted to the object that can help them.
There is also crystal therapy and treatments. During an average treatment, the healer prepares the place to be relaxing, with music, decorations, temperature and light control. Then they talk calmly and guide the client through the process. This means that they ask their customers to visualize certain scenarios. Then they use techniques to balance the chakras and purify the aura to restore the spirit to its original form. This is done by placing different crystals on specific parts of the body.
The demand for crystals today has not only intensified since the Middle Ages, but has also become a billion-dollar industry. The following reasons explain why:
a) People are still going through the new age movement
b) There is a greater interest in Eastern philosophies
People are more interested in learning about foreign, more specifically Eastern philosophies. They show more interest in visiting places in the East and in engaging in their culture, by practicing religion, philosophy, food, attire, language and more.
c) The emergence and gradual destigmatization of mental health problems and substance abuse
People want to approach mental health in a more holistic way. As the stigma surrounding mental health slowly but definitely subsides, more people are trying to find ways to heal in a way that focuses on body, mind and spirit as opposed to just the mind. Apparently, 13% of the world suffers from mental health problems and drug use, and the percentage is only increasing
d) The cost of the products
The cost of crystals varies greatly. Although cheaper options are available, they are not always well developed. A more expensive crystal attracts only specific demographics; privileged, prosperous and influential women.
Especially the last two points are reasons why so many celebrities also support these placebos to the general public, setting the trend and encouraging mania for them. Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry, Meghan Fox, Gwyneth Paltrow are just some of the many advocates for healing crystals.
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Supply vs. Demand
There can be many potentially dangerous problems that arise when using crystals. The first is to use healing crystals as a substitute for medical treatment. Although responsible healing centers and healers try their best to educate their clients, some still approach these healers as their primary source of treatment.
The second is the extraction of the crystals. Basic crystals can form in a few days, but to achieve a complex, solid and aesthetically pleasing structure, the crystals require years if not decades to develop. This restricts the availability of authentic crystals given that they sell as hotcakes.
Due to this limited supply and their high value, miners, especially in third world countries, obtain the material unethically and sometimes even illegally. In addition, some of these countries are becoming victims of exploitation as industrial giants get the job done by abusing workers in less developed countries.
Finally, there is the question of efficiency. Many argue that these pseudo-practices are a joke as so much importance and attention is drawn to catfish to cure ailments, based on no concrete evidence. The other side opposes by asking, "What's the harm in doing so if there is an opportunity to feel better?"
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