Crystals remind us of the structures upon which our universe is built. Understanding crystals gives us a valuable toolset to energise, heal and add harmony to mind, body and environment.
All matter, everything that is physical and solid, owes its existence to the organizing properties of crystals. In all parts of the world, and from the dawn of history, crystals have been regarded as belonging to the heavens, as gifts from the spirit worlds. Their colour and brilliance have set them apart from everything else on earth.
Today we know that the story of the crystals is indeed the story on to the creation of the universe. Astronomers believe that after the initial expansion of the universe from its original point, clouds of hydrogen, the simplest form of the matter, began to cluster together. In time, within these are vast balls of hydrogen, the pressures became so great that atoms began to fuse together, releasing a huge amount of energy. These glowing spheres became the first stars. Within these stars hydrogen continued to fuse to become helium and, as the burning continued, increasingly heavy elements were formed, such as nitrogen, oxygen, carbon, iron, lead and gold.
As the first stars eventually died, some exploded sending these new elements careering throughout space, where gravity created new stars and planets from them. Our own solar system and the Milky Way formed in this way. Light gas clouds, the remains of countless stars, were drawn towards the young sun, while the heavier elements settled into orbits further away, gradually coalescing to become the planets.
The earth formed at a distance from the Sun that allowed both light and heavy elements to combine. The larger atoms sank downwards to create the planets core of iron and nickel. The earth’s crust warmed from super-heated rocks such as granite and basalt that welled up through cracks in the surface layers to spread out in vast domes called basoliths, or as volcanic eruptions.
Rocks formed in this way are called igneous, meaning formed by fire. Millennia of erosion by wind and water wore these igneous rocks to dust. Carried downstream, their composition is altered. The change they undergo gives them the name metamorphic rocks.
They can be found in all types of rocks where conditions for their formation are right. As superheated gases and liquids rise to the surface, they begin to cool in the cracks and crevices of the surrounding rock, crystallising into sparkling and coloured minerals. Harder minerals, such as diamonds and rubies, form at higher temperatures in the areas of volcanic activity. The crystals that form in sedimentary rock are usually much softer like gypsum and halite (common salt).
The same chemical elements appear throughout the whole of the universe. Given the right conditions, atoms of these different elements can come together to form new substances.
Minerals are combinations of different elements that form the building blocks of all physical matter. All minerals, for example halite (sodium chloride-rock salt), and quartz (silicon dioxide-rock crystal), are composed of the same sorts of atoms in the same proportions. All minerals will form crystals, though the condition for their growth varies from mineral to mineral. Crystals begin to grow when the right amount of their constituent atoms are present, usually in the form of a liquid or gas, but sometimes as a solid, in conditions that allow the atoms to move into those patterns where they are in the best possible state of equilibrium with each other. Heat and pressure ensure that the atoms have the maximum movement and energy to locate these positions before conditions change.
Magical properties
The beauty of crystals makes them a natural choice in personal adornment. Their uniqueness and beauty are so attractive, but each type has a unique crystalline structure that imbues them with subtle (but far reaching) energetic power: the power to protect and enhance, to strengthen and to uplift. They have been used as amulets to ward off harm, as talismans to encourage the virtues, as magical guardians to heal, and as tools to interpret messages from the spirit world.
The attraction they hold transcends time and place. Many people are keen to own their own birth stone, and to discover which stone would encourage love or wealth. With a much larger range of crystals from all around the world available today, everyone has a favourite, and is drawn to crystals for their particular qualities of and warmth subtlety or sparkle.
Large crystal clusters are increasingly found in homes and offices. Their visual complexity and their wonderful colours make them ideal to gaze upon; in doing so the mind relaxes a little. The beneficial energy that they may bring to the observer or the room they are in use and added bonus.
Crystals can be placed in the home according to feng shui, the traditional Chinese art of arranging objects for the enhancement of the positive energies in a given space and for the dispersal of negative ones.
How do I choose the right crystal for me?
This is a question I have been asked time and time again, and my answer is nearly always the same.
In most of the shops I have visited there are trays of tumbled crystals laid out. Just let your hand hover over the trays until you feel either a slight tingling in your hand or you have the sensation of feeling ‘yes this feels right’. This is letting the crystal choose you.
Crystals and gemstones
Wearing a crystal against the skin or holding one in my hand is, I feel, of great benefit to the wellbeing. It can lift a bad mood, even dispel a mild depression.
To pick a stone to wear, I use a mixture of colour, clarity (if I need it) and intuition. Let me explain!
Stones seem to resonate with different energies, even gems of the same type, therefore they need picking carefully. I never pick one because it is of a certain type, it must jump off the shelf and be a stone I cannot leave the shop without.
Clear stones like clear quartz or topaz are good for helping clear internal fog. They seem to bring clarity to the being.
Colour is picked to match how I feel, or more accurately how I wish to feel.
Rose Quartz gives me a lovely cuddle. Tourmalinated Clear Quartz adds power to the clarity that Clear Quartz brings.
One of my circle members have offered this advice on her experiences with crystals. I hope you find it helpful.
I have a very dark green Tourmaline that I feel helps me be more patient with myself, and I have a quantity of very dark gem pendants, some almost black but each has a different sheen that gives it a subtle difference, which means that I pick the gem I wish to wear mainly by intuition.
I may wish to wear my Amethyst for a week or two, generally day and night, then decide I feel in need of my Larimar, so change. At the moment I have a lovely dark Amber which is helping me feel quite content and in control.
I freely admit to having an awful memory remembering what each gem is supposed to do but I feel it really doesn’t matter. I trust my intuition and the only mistake I’ve made so far was buying an Aquamarine that depressed me whenever I wore it. It suits my spirit sister Margaret though so she now has it.
Picking a stone to carry and caress when the need arises is total intuition, going purely with the stone I am most attracted to. Two of my favourites at the moment are:
A Rose Quartz seer stone. With my unfocused gaze I seem to have a direct line to my Guides and Guardians, instant calm and reassurance.
A beautiful calm green Prehnite which is so reassuring to hold and is supposed to heal the healer, which is a nice thought.
Next time you pass a crystal gem shop pop in and see if your intuition works, look around until a gem jumps off the shelf at you. I hope you enjoy your journey with crystals and gems.
Linda Smith
