I’ve been collecting crystals for many years now. They’ve fascinated me ever since my mother gave me my first orange calcite as a gift for doing well on my SAT exams. I had never really been drawn to the healing side of them, though – being very sceptical about this alleged vibrational power. To my mind, they were all just rocks; very pretty rocks, but rocks none the less. Historically, I’d always found myself more drawn to the look and the feel of them; however, over the past few years I’ve actually started to re-assess my standing on this point. I’ve stumbled across more and more evidence that leads me to believe that at least some of the claims that are made about the healing benefits of certain crystals, may actually be true.

One source of this change in thinking has come from my increased awareness of the many uses of crystals in everyday products. For example, quartz is used in watches, phones, TV’s, radios, and even computers. In fact, most modern electronic devices use quartz in some way or another. It is an inert mineral when in contact with most substances, it has great durability, electrical and heat resistant properties and, most importantly, has an excellent ability to resonate consistently at precise frequencies – hence its use in most timekeeping items. 

Mica is used in many beauty products for its lustre, copper has been used for centuries in bracelets to help with joint complaints and arthritis, and even rubies are used in technology for the intense light that is produced when shone through them. This all made me start to wonder, if crystals each have different resonant capacities, maybe there is something to the claims of their ability to have an effect on the body with prolonged exposure. After all, our brain controls our body, and it primarily functions via a complex series of signals and impulses – which is why sound therapy has been proven to be so beneficial.

Something else that made me second guess my prior skepticism, was when I touched Moldavite for the first time. Moldavite is a crystal supposedly formed during a meteorite impact, although I was unaware of this fact when I first picked it up in a shop called the Crystal Heart, in Bakewell. As I said before, I have been collecting crystals for many years now and love finding new and exciting specimens to add to my collection – which was what drew me to this particular crystal. Upon picking it up, I could immediately feel my skin warming significantly where it came in contact with my fingers – as if the crystal had been heated up prior to being put on the shelf and was transferring that heat to my hand. As I stood there, feeling the strange heat building and spreading through my fingers in waves, I was a little shocked and unsettled. I put the crystal back in the cabinet and let the sensation dissipate. Once it had gone, my curiosity was piqued. I picked the crystal back up, and the same exact feeling, once again, washed over my fingers. 

As a sceptic of the ‘healing’ properties of crystals (my view was very much, “you’d have to ingest it for it to be of any use.”) I was totally thrown by what had happened. I was tempted to buy the piece, had it not cost £40, and only been about 3-4 cm in length. I decided, instead, to remember to look up this mineral and see if this was a normal phenomenon or if there was, perhaps, a scientific explanation for this. After looking through a few posts online, I discovered that this crystal was well known for its physical effects on the body. People claimed to have experienced a variety of sensations when coming into contact with this type of crystal, everything from heat to an odd vibrating sensation and, in some severe cases, sweating, laughing or even crying involuntarily. 

Needless to say, this struck me as weird. I had always thought of crystals simply as pretty ornaments, yet I had now experienced the same reaction that many others had described. This set me on the path to thinking of crystals in a different light. I decided to pay more attention to my reactions to certain crystals and then research into the associated meaning behind them. 

Going forward, I paid attention to which crystals I was most drawn to – both in my current collection and in shops when purchasing new pieces. I soon noticed a very uncanny match between my current prevailing emotions, and which particular crystals I was drawn to. I also found that my favourites in my collection would shift and alter. Upon looking into their alleged benefits, I discovered that this, once again, seemed to align with what I needed most in my life at any particular given time. This was especially weird, as I am usually very definitive with what my favourite of anything is. 

I’ve also always been a great believer in listening to my body when it comes to food cravings. Over the years, especially when I am first coming down with an illness, my body seems to crave or be put off from certain foods that I either don’t normally eat or usually have no issue with. The only exception would be when it comes to chocolate, I diligently ignore any shifts, as chocolate is most definitely my kryptonite! A couple of reoccurring examples, though, are; orange juice, meat (as I am not a big meat eater), and cooked cheese – all of these have shifted position in my taste pallet on numerous occasions. 

I’ve come to the conclusion, that maybe there is something of value to be found in the arena of crystal healing after all. I don’t in any way believe that it is a miracle cure, or an instant effect kind of deal – as, in my opinion, that would be absurd. However, I have come to believe that, just as our bodies crave certain foods when they are not in balance, maybe they are also subconsciously drawn to certain mineral compositions, as a way to lead us towards restoring the natural balance. 

I think there is a great deal that we don’t yet know about the human body. It is hard to see the benefits of something as subtle as this, but I find myself willing to give it a go and keep an open mind – especially as there is no potential harm involved, and a whole host of possible benefits to be achieved. 

[Please note that when I talk about there being no potential harm, that is with the understanding that individuals fully research what they are doing before starting down the healing path with any crystals. Some crystals are actually poisonous, as they are lead-based or contain other toxic minerals – please make sure that if you add crystals to your health regimen, you have checked all of this out beforehand to ensure that they don’t contain any toxic minerals – e.g. Cinnabar, Sulphur, etc).] 

[If you enjoyed this and would like to see more, you can read more of the authors work at www.mikeflynnauthor.com]