Camille is the jewelry and lifestyle editor of the Joué.…
Do you feel as if there’s something missing in your life? Or maybe you just have a general sense of being off-balance. When you feel like the equilibrium of your life has been disrupted in any way, you may want to look into crystal healing.
Different healing crystals react with energy fields in different ways, and the unique metaphysical nature of crystal healing has the potential to restore your sense of peace.
In this article, we will take a look at healing crystals and their meanings, benefits, and uses. You can also purchase the comprehensive crystal guide.
History of crystal healing
In many ancient cultures, gemstones are considered to contain magical energy and there is a long history of people using them to heal both physical and mental illnesses.
It is believed that gemstones, as healing stones with healing powers, can influence one’s energy, reduce discomfort and negativity, and bring balance to both our body and mind.
For example, the ancient Egyptians would bind gemstones to their bodies to heal a particular disease; the ancient Greeks believed that birthstones would replenish our body’s energy; the Indians would apply herbal oils infused with minerals to heal injuries.
In China, too, the jade stone was used in medicine to stimulate blood and lymphatic circulation.
If you want to start healing with gemstones, make sure to choose the right gem and use the right method, since different gems have different energies and healing powers.
Some of them help to improve immunity and strengthen our body, some reduce discomfort and negativity, and some improve concentration and memory. Therefore, choose your healing gemstone according to the energy you need.
What is crystal healing?
Crystal healing is primarily based on vibrational energy. That means that the crystals will interact with the electromagnetic field and very slight vibrations — both in the human body and the wider environment.
When placed within these magnetic fields, crystals will help bring the body back to equilibrium. Depending on the exact method used, crystals may absorb or deflect energy, giving you a sense of peace.
What goes on in a crystal healing session?
So what’s involved in a healing session? The most basic, straightforward session involves laying crystals on the chakras in order to restore balance. But in some cases, your healing practitioner may arrange crystals in more complex geometrical patterns. This type of session is usually used to target specific diseases or dispel specific types of negative energy.
Typically, before you undergo a healing session, your practitioner will want to take a detailed history. Crystal healing is designed to be holistic, so your healer will want to know about any health problems, mental health issues, and social or lifestyle factors that can influence your sense of mental and spiritual balance.
How does crystal healing work?
Nearly everyone has heard about healing crystals, but not everyone knows exactly how they work:
1. Healing crystals shape your energy
Currently, crystal enthusiasts believe that crystals work with energy and vibrations. Crystals emit certain vibrational frequencies. Everyone has its own energetic and vibrational field surrounding it. When the crystal’s vibrations interact with your own, your energy is reshaped. This reshaping almost always restores balance and positivity to your vibrations and energy.
Often, we can sense what we need to improve our own energies. If you are looking for a crystal, make sure to get in touch with your intuition. If you find yourself gravitating toward a specific crystal, chances are good that that is the one you need.
2. How do colors work in crystal healing?
In many cases, the color of a healing crystal represents its key powers. Many of these representations make a lot of sense. For instance, rose quartz is very connected to love, and pink is a color that has historically connected to love as well. Here are some of the key colors and their meanings:
Red healing crystals
Red is the color most associated with courage, power, confidence, and motivation. It is deeply connected to the root chakra. Some common red crystals include ruby, red jasper, garnet, red coral, carnelian, and red tiger’s eye.
Orange healing crystals
The bright, cheerful orange color found on some crystals is associated with both friendship and joy. It also helps inspire a spirit of unity. It is connected to the sacral chakra and is especially helpful for kidney issues and eating disorders. Some common orange crystals include orange agate, orange calcite, and some individual carnelian crystals.
Yellow crystal meanings
Since yellow reminds us of the powerful light coming from the sun, it is the color of enlightenment. If you are searching for knowledge, yellow crystals can help you reach it. Yellow crystals are connected to the sacral chakra, and they can help with eating disorders and skin issues. Some common yellow crystals include citrine, pyrite, and yellow calcite.
Green healing crystals
In nature, green is the color of new life. So it makes sense that green crystals symbolize both creation and renewal. They also help support productivity and help you achieve stability. They are also connected to the heart chakra. Some common green crystals include peridot, green calcite, green jasper, and green aventurine.
Blue crystals and their meanings
Blue is the color of calm and harmony. Blue crystals can help you relax and become more thoughtful and tender. They also can help with fevers and headaches. They are connected to both the throat chakra and the Third Eye chakra. Some common blue crystals include lapis lazuli, fluorite, blue lace agate, and azurite.
What does the purple crystal mean?
Purple crystals are deeply connected to dreams and intuition. They also support inspiration and good luck. They are great for migrations, sleeping, and pleasant dreams. Unsurprisingly, they are associated with the crown chakra and the Third Eye chakra. Some common purple crystals include amethyst, halite, lepidolite, and sugilite.
Pink healing crystals
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Because pink is essentially a dilute form of red, pink crystals tend to be a bit less powerful than red ones. However, they are connected to love and caring and are also connected to the root chakra. Some common pink crystals include rose quartz, morganite, and pink sapphire.
What does a white crystal mean?
White crystals are connected to the moon and the natural cycles of life. They are generally associated with both inspiration and intuition. And as their color suggests, they are tied to teeth and bones. They are also connected to the crown, sacral, and Third Eye chakras. Quartz, moonstone, calcite, and selenite are some of the more common white crystals.
Black healing crystals
Black crystals connect to the root chakra, and they are known for their ability to absorb negative energy. As a result, most black crystals have protective qualities. Some of the more common black crystals include obsidian, onyx, smoky quartz, and jet.
3. Different healing crystals, different meanings, and healing properties
If you’re like most people, you’re probably in search of a stone for a specific purpose. Luckily, there are plenty of healing crystals whose vibrations inspire love, protection, creativity, etc. Here are several healing crystals grouped by power:
- Love: Rose quartz, Ruby, Garnet, Emerald
- Protection: Black Tourmaline, Smoky Quartz, Jet, Angelite
- Knowledge: Yellow quartz, Serpentine, Fluorite, Tiger’s eye
- Happiness: Citrine, Peridot, Rainforest jasper, Green Tourmaline
- Insight and Intuition: Lapis lazuli, Blue kyanite, Iolite, Celestite
- Peace and Calm: Clear quartz, Angelite, Moonstone, Selenite
- Courage: Carnelian, Aquamarine, Bloodstone, Ruby
- Creativity: Opal, Yellow fluorite, Diamond, Carnelian
- Better Sleep: Amethyst, Lepidolite, Onyx, Rose quartz
- Wealth: Citrine, Pyrite, Green jade, Green aventurine
- Focus and Clarity: Blue apatite, Tiger’s eye, Fluorite, Clear Quartz
Crystals and their meanings: Best crystals for healing
There is a seemingly endless type of healing crystals, and there’s one for almost every ailment. But even if you aren’t ill, chances are good that there’s a crystal that can help you clarify your mind.
Here we have selected 12 of the best crystals for healing. You can also take a look at the complete list of crystal meanings in the article linked below.
1. Quartz
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What is the strongest healing crystal? Well, quartz is widely considered to be the one. This is largely because it is so abundant. But it also comes in a very wide range of colors and varieties.
Many people believe that clear quartz offers healing in a wide range of areas. It can support creativity, encourage harmony between people and protect against negative energies, support spiritual growth, and improve immune system functioning.
Smokey quartz is more focused on dispelling negative energy. It can protect against depression and suicidal ideation, discourage nightmares, calm nerves, and work against headaches and cramps.
Rose quartz is deeply connected to love. It can inspire both self-love and harmony between lovers. It also can help foster inner peace.
2. Carnelian
This intense red crystal is known to inspire courage, especially in those working to escape abusive situations. It can also help you to sharpen your mind and get rid of negative or harmful thoughts and behavior.
Interestingly enough, carnelian is also a symbol of a 17th anniversary. That makes it a great gift for those celebrating the 17th anniversary of marriage (or even another significant event).
3. Opal
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Opal is one of the most beautiful gemstones in the world. It has a glittering rainbow sheen that looks truly brilliant in the sunlight. Since it is connected to the eyes, it also is deeply connected to the Third Eye Chakra.
If you find that your sense of general well-being has decreased, opal is an ideal stone to choose for a healing session. This stone is known to support optimism and general happiness. And of course, it’s also a good protector of eye health.
4. Obsidian
This deep, intense black igneous rock might look like it would inspire a spirit of darkness. However, it does just the opposite. Obsidian is known for its ability to form a powerful shield against any kind of negativity.
If you’ve ever seen obsidian, you know that it has a mirror-like sheen. For that reason, it is also known as the “mirror stone” and can help you see into yourself, noticing weaknesses that you can work on. This effect also helps you more accurately see the world.
5. Selenite
As one of the “master minerals,” selenite has more intense powers than many of the crystals on the list. You may already know that most crystals need to be charged before use. This can be done by placing the crystal in sunlight or moonlight.
However, some crystals can be used to charge other crystals, and selenite is one of those crystals. Selenite is both powerful and versatile. It is especially connected to your highest level of consciousness. If you’re looking to connect with the spirit of the universe, selenite is a wise and effective choice.
6. Citrine
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Looking for financial wealth, spiritual wealth, or both? If so, the golden-hued citrine is a perfect choice. Citrine supports a spirit of joy and helps encourage mindfulness.
Of course, this lovely stone will also help increase your odds of gaining both material wealth and stability. Of course, it isn’t an absolute guarantee, but it will probably help!
Citrine also helps to both increase metabolism and encourage sharper brain function. It is also connected to creativity. Essentially, if you’re looking for a good all-around stone when it comes to increasing your quality of life, citrine is a great one to look into!
7. Amethyst
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Technically, the beautiful, purple amethyst is a variety of quartz. However, many people tend to view it as a separate stone, at least when it comes to powers and healing properties.
Amethyst is an ideal crystal for improving mental health. It can help to regulate moods, protect against panic attacks, and relieve anxiety. It can chase away fear and sadness, and it also supports sobriety.
Meditating over amethyst is an especially effective way to use this stone. Try meditating over it while focusing on the power of your mind and its ability to heal.
8. Jasper
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Every jasper crystal looks a little different. Many of these crystals have marbling of various colors. If you want to add some real color to your collection, this is a great stone to choose from.
But jasper isn’t just beautiful; it’s a powerful crystal that’s known for its ability to nurture. It can relax you and dissolve negative energy.
Additionally, jasper is a crystal that connects deeply with all the chakras, making it incredibly versatile. This crystal will help you gather the energy to assert yourself — a good thing for just about everyone.
9. Lapis Lazuli
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One of the most beautiful crystals on the list, lapis lazuli has long been associated with royalty. Like turquoise, another blue stone, lapis lazuli is connected to the throat chakra.
This connection helps support general throat health, but it also relates to speaking. It will help you speak truthfully and communicate effectively. Its benefits don’t end there; lapis lazuli is connected to the brain, and plenty of people believe that it has the ability to heal ADHD.
10. Agate
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Agate is another beautiful, uniquely swirled stone. You can often find it in flat “slices.” The slices almost look like the insides of geodes. Interestingly enough, it is technically a quartz variety. Agate is a form of chalcedony, which in turn is a form of quartz with a different crystalline structure.
Agate can relieve tension and anger. It also will help purify your aura and restore a holistic sense of balance. And when it comes to physical healing abilities, agate has a healing and protective impact on the stomach, uterus, and eyes.
11. Moonstone
If you’re making some major changes in your life and are experiencing stress as a result, moonstone can help. This beautiful white stone with a soft yet colorful luster is often found in jewelry.
Moonstone is a fantastic crystal for improving your intuition and relieving stress. It can help you be open to connections in this world and other worlds. It is also very useful when it comes to physical healing. It can help regulate hormonal conditions and support healthy digestion.
12. Tourmaline
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This crystal comes in an impressive range of colors, but it’s black tourmaline that seems to have the most healing powers. It is especially good for absorbing negative energies. Tourmaline will help you turn toward the light, making it an especially helpful stone to turn to in dark times.
Tourmaline is also a great crystal for full-body healing. It can help with spinal alignment, reduce joint pains, and support the immune system and heart function.
How to choose a crystal? Which healing crystal do I need?
With the huge variety of healing crystals out there, it can be tough to know which ones you need. Of course, talking to an experienced healer can help. There are also many online quizzes to help guide you to the right crystals.
But if you’re trying to pick some crystals to start out with, many of the ones listed above are very beginner-friendly and are great choices for general health and well-being. Clear quartz, known as the “master healer,” is an excellent first crystal, as it has a positive impact on a whole range of challenges and afflictions.
If you have something specific you’d like to work on, doing a bit of research on crystals can go a long way. For instance, if you want to work on communication skills, lapis lazuli is an excellent choice.
How to use crystals?
We briefly discussed how a crystal healing session works. However, there are plenty of ways you can use crystals in your day-to-day life:
1. Use healing crystals during meditation
You may already use meditation as a way to focus and center yourself. But did you know that meditating with crystals can help you fully reap their benefits?
If you’re focusing on using stones for chakra healing, make sure you use a chakra layout (discussed below). But for general meditation, there is generally no wrong way to do it — you can even just hold the stone in your hand.
That said, many people like to meditate with mala beads. Mala beads are necklaces made from your chosen crystal or crystals. These necklaces usually have 108 beads, as 108 is thought to be a number that represents spiritual completion.
If you don’t have a specific meditation you already like to do, focus on visualizing yourself after you’ve received a given crystal’s healing benefits!
2. Chakra placement: one of the most prevalent uses
Chakra healing is one of the most prevalent uses of healing crystals. One of the simplest and most effective ways to use them this way is to place stones in a line down your body in line with each chakra.
Some practitioners recommend specific, more geometric arrangements, but the single chakra line is a good place to start. When meditating this way, envision the healing effects of the stones working on you.
3. Wear jewelry made from healing crystals
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When you wear your crystals at all times, their healing energies are much more likely to work on you. Some people opt to keep a stone in their pocket. But for many, wearing your most important stones as jewelry is a lot more fun!
Many of the more popular healing stones are made into jewelry by independent jewelry companies. But if you are looking for a very specific or rare crystal, you may need to contact a jewelry shop specializing in the metaphysical.
4. Home placement & Feng Shui
Lastly, you can also place healing crystals around your home to experience their energy. Using them this way will help transform the energy of a whole room.
If you’re looking for a good first crystal to bring into your home, any of the quartz varieties will work. Their soothing presence is ideal for general living spaces. And since amethyst is excellent for inspiring creativity, try placing it in a music room or garden.
5. During a yoga session
If you use yoga as part of your meditation practice, consider adding healing crystals, too. If you only have a couple, you can place one at the head and one at the foot of your mat. If you have more you want to incorporate, arranging them all around your mat is a good idea.
Cleansing and charging healing crystals
Why should we cleanse and charge crystals?
A crystal can absorb and transform negative energy and release positive energy. However, when it absorbs too much negative energy, its own healing power will slowly diminish.
In order to maintain the healing properties of crystals and to protect us from being invaded and destroyed by negative energies, we should regularly cleanse and charge our crystals, especially the ones used for healing.
Please note that many of the methods introduced in the media can only cleanse or purify crystals. What we really need is to also charge them.
How often should we cleanse and charge crystals?
Normally we are suggested to do it once a month. But in fact, the frequency is determined by each person’s usage.
If you have a lot of negative energy, or if the crystal looks dull and feels sticky, it is time to purify and charge it immediately. Note that if the crystal is not cleansed for a long time, it will not stop working.
How to cleanse different types of healing crystals?
1. Bury or soak in salt
The standard way to cleanse and purify a stone is to use salt.
How do we do it? If you use large grains of salt, then simply put the salt on a plate or dish and then bury the stone within the salt for about 24 hours. Reminder, it can be longer than 24 hours, but not shorter.
This is very effective and can last up to 3 months with a single purification, also called 100-day purification.
If we use small grains of salt instead, we need to prepare a liquid in the ratio of 10 grams of kosher salt to 500 grams of water, put the crystal into the liquid, and soak it for 24 hours.
Since the small grains of salt are less energetic, you can carry it for about 1 month continuously for one purification.
However, this method can not be applied to certain pieces of gemstone jewelry, such as pendants wrapped with K gold or silver, because the metal will be eroded.
2. Use clear water
Crystals and their energy come from nature, so we can also use natural methods to help cleanse the stone.
Place the stone in a flowing stream or river or even tap water and rinse it with water for 20 minutes before drying it.
If this is not possible, buy a bottle of mineral water and soak the crystal in it for 24 hours. This helps to remove the negative energy.
3. Smudging
To be honest, this is one of the most commonly used methods. All that we need to do is simply put the crystal in the room and let the smoke of essential oil, sage, or sandalwood ( please remember to use natural essential oil without added chemicals) work the magic.
4. Bury in the soil
This is the most powerful method. If the crystal has been owned by a sick person, then we strongly recommend using this method. After all, the crystal comes from the earth. Letting it go back to the original place for purification is the best.
Remember though to find an unpolluted place to do so. In addition, it is recommended to bury it for more than a month.
How to charge healing crystals?
1. Place it on a crystal cluster
Charging with a crystal cluster is the easiest and most convenient method. The crystal cluster itself has very strong energy. It can not only purify the stone but also charge it. All we need to do is to place the stone on the crystal cluster overnight.
2. Under sunlight
Place your crystal under sunlight for a few hours so that the most powerful forces of nature can purify and charge your crystal.
But remember, this method does not work with colored stones such as amethyst, citrine, or rose quartz, because these crystals contain elements such as Fe (iron) and Cu (copper), whose colors will fade due to prolonged exposure to the sunshine and high temperatures.
3. In the moonlight
On the night of the full moon, place the crystals on a windowsill facing the moon. You can also place them outside if it is safe to do so. If needed, cover them with a glass jar or bowl to provide extra protection. Moonlight will charge the crystals overnight.
Final thoughts
Now that you know about some of the world’s most powerful crystals, we hope that you have an idea of which crystals may assist in your healing. And of course, if you have any doubts, a crystal healer can give you some useful recommendations. The right crystals can revolutionize your life!
Read More
The complete list of crystals and their meanings
List of blue gemstones: colors, meanings, specifications, and iconic jewelry pieces