What do Spencer Pratt, Breaking Bad, and English Royalty have in common?
Crystal healing has been around for hundreds of years. In the crowns of kings and queens placed in power by “divine right,” it is said that gems and crystals were used in order to facilitate communication with the spiritual realms. Even lately in pop culture, crystals have seen a small resurgence in television shows like Breaking Bad. Struggling with his injuries after a near-fatal shoot out, DEA Agent Hank Schrader begins to preoccupy himself with purchasing and cataloging crystals and alienates his wife Marie in the process. Spencer Pratt of reality show The Hills fame and recent crystal healing follower has also admitted to being “addicted” to crystals.
Needless to say, the legitimacy of crystal healing has always been a divisive issue.  Criticized by various scientific and religious institutions (as in 2003’s A Christian reflection on the New Age), there is still no empirical evidence that indicates that crystals have healing properties. However, in The Book of Stones: Who They Are & What They Teach, authors Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian explain how certain crystals can act as resonators and transducers of electromagnetic energy and how the human body and/or human consciousness can potentially detect energies that are otherwise currently undetectable by scientific instruments as well.
When in touch with the appropriate crystal, many have attested its metaphysical properties. There are many ways in which you can tap into what the world of minerals has to offer:
- Create a crystalline environment: Select stones you have a certain affinity with and place around your home or work area. Amethyst clusters are popular and often used to purify energies in a home or office environment.
- Take them to go: Many crystal lovers keep a selection of “pocket stones” from which they can select from according to what they need each day. Pick up a stone and observe any changes in your temperament.
- Wear as jewelry: An extension of carrying stones is to wear them in jewelry or in medicine pouches.
- Meditate with stones: The best way to learn how to “feel” crystals is to do some during meditation, in order to allow new influences to penetrate consciousness.
- Body layouts: An ancient practice, body layouts typically involve one person laying on a massage table or bed while a friend or practitioner places stones on the body, often at chakra points.
Pseudoscience or not, crystal healing as an alternative medicine continues to divide people even today. What’s your take?
Image by John-Morgan on Flickr Courtesy of Creative Commons Licensing
I’m the fence about crystal healing, but I am a believer in the idea that a transfer of energy can have healing properties, so I guess by that reasoning, the energies that are naturally present in different crystals and stones could certainly cause shifts in our own energy fields. My mom has become more and more of a believer (or at least an “I’ll try anything that’s non-invasive” type) in crystal healing recently. She actually sent me a little care package/late Christmas present recently with a variety of “healing” stones.
And honestly, who wouldn’t want to surround and adorn themselves with beautiful stones? That alone would make me happy, hahaha.
I certainly wouldn’t choose crystal healing as my only form of treatment if I was unwell, but I don’t see the harm of using it as a complementary healing method
And I agree, they are very beautiful!