Buying Healing Crystals is a fun activity. Part of the enjoyment comes from personally choosing crystals for your collection. There are many types of stores that sell crystals, such as dedicated crystal stores, New Age shops, bead stores, hobby shops, Wiccan stores, and metaphysical shops. You may also be able to find crystals at traveling rock, gem, and mineral shows; swap meets; fairs; and similar events.
Just like any new experience, shopping for crystals may seem a bit daunting at first. Shops that sell crystals often offer a number of other items for sale related to New Age or metaphysical practices, such as incense, candles, statues, reference books, and oracle cards. As you walk through the door, your eye will likely be drawn to many different types of crystals and products.
How a shop organizes its crystal displays varies from place to place. Some of the more expensive specimens, such as crystals cut into spheres and pyramids, large point clusters, or gemstone jewelry may be locked in glass display cases. Smaller crystals are typically displayed in open containers so you can sift through them to find the perfect fit without asking for assistance.
While in the shop, you can browse or ask questions. If you are interested in purchasing a crystal you see in a locked case, don’t hesitate to ask to hold it. Finding a vibrational affinity for the crystal you choose is an important part of the process. Many of the salespeople at these shops are well versed in the use of crystals and can help you find the perfect crystals for your needs.
Occasionally, you may wish to buy a crystal for someone else. This can be tricky, since crystal energy resonates differently with different people, but you can still give a crystal as a gift. In fact, I buy crystals for friends all the time. If I am giving a crystal for healing purposes, I base my selection on the issues the friend is currently dealing with and choose a crystal that will best fit the situation. I still perform a touch test. However, instead of thinking of myself, I set the intention of selecting a crystal for my friend, and then I visualize that friend as I hold each crystal and mentally ask if the crystal is right for that person. Feeling positive emotions, just as you’d hope to feel when considering a crystal for yourself, is a good indicator.
Crystals come in many colors, cuts, sizes, and shapes. Some are completely natural and look just like rocks, while others are cut and polished into an array of shapes. When you are shopping for crystals, you’ll likely find a wide variety of the following types.
ROUGH STONES
are uncut and unpolished, and sold in their naturally occurring forms. They may be more opaque than their cut and polished counterparts. Although some may look like the rocks you’d find anywhere in nature, they still have the properties of cut and polished crystals.
TUMBLED STONES
are small rough stones that have been placed in a rock tumbler to round out the edges, producing a smooth, shiny finish. This brings out the color and natural pattern of the crystals. These may also be called polished stones, though polishing can also be done by hand or another method.
POINTS
occur naturally on one end of some crystals, due to the crystalline structure (some are cut to a point). The points may be polished or unpolished. Using a crystal point is a good way to direct energy either away from the body or toward the body by pointing it in the desired direction.
CLUSTERS
are naturally occurring formations that consist of several crystal points projecting from a rock base. Clusters work well for directing energy into the space in which they sit.
GEODES
are rocks that contain a small cavity that is lined with crystals. Geodes are usually sliced in half to reveal the crystals inside a generally rough outer shell.
SLABS
are cross-cut disks of certain types of crystals, such as agates. Sometimes geodes are also sliced into disks.
WANDS
are smooth, oblong, polished crystals with rounded ends. They may be wider at one end than the other, or they may taper to a dull point at one end. Many people use wands for massage, because they are helpful for channeling energy.
PYRAMIDS, CUBES, SPHERES, HEARTS, AND STARS
are among the many shapes crystals can be cut and polished into. Choose a shape that you feel drawn to.
Choosing a healing crystal is unique to each individual, because crystals may vibrate differently with different people’s energy. Be sure to pay close attention to your inner voice when choosing a crystal. Making a selection that feels good to you is an intuitive process.
One of the first keys to choosing a crystal for yourself is attraction. Walk through the aisles of the crystal shop, visually scanning all of the offerings. Note colors that jump out at you. If you are drawn to a particular color of crystal, then you can look at other crystals within that shade. For instance, if red crystals attract you, take a closer look at gemstones such as garnet, red jasper, bloodstone, and sardonyx. As you examine crystals in that color range, note specific crystals that draw you to them, making you want to take a closer look or touch them.
After making your visual selection, do a touch test. This is one of the most important tests for choosing a crystal. Much to my family’s consternation, I’ve been known to spend a long time picking up and holding different stones to find those that resonate with me.
Hold the healing crystal in the palm of your receiving hand (your nondominant hand, so if you are right handed, this is your left hand, and vice versa), close your eyes, and notice how the crystal feels there. If it creates an unpleasant sensation, put it back and choose another. If it creates a pleasant or neutral sensation, continue your test.
After noting how your hand feels, expand your focus to the rest of your body. Do you notice any physical sensations? How do you feel emotionally when you hold the crystal? How do you feel mentally? Use all these questions to evaluate whether the crystal is right for you. A good match is a crystal that makes you feel balanced, grounded, clear, peaceful, happy, or other positive emotions or sensations.
Finally, it’s okay to ask yourself silently, “Is this the crystal for me?” I do this with every crystal I am considering. I ask myself the question, and then I stand with my eyes closed and wait for the answer. Typically, the answer I’m seeking is the first thought that pops into my mind. Listen to your inner voice in this manner as you interact with the crystal to make your decision.
When evaluating any purchase, cost usually plays a role. Crystals range in price from a few dollars to three figures (or more for extremely large or rare specimens). If you find a crystal that feels really good but it’s not in your budget, you can look for smaller versions of that crystal, which may be less expensive. Generally, if you’re on a budget, it’s best to choose among crystals that cost under $20. Tumbled stones are a good, relatively inexpensive option if you plan to buy several different stones. Feel free to pay more if a specific crystal is rare or large and truly feels like it belongs with you.
Larger pieces of crystals tend to generate more energy and, as a result, a more profound power. However, even the smallest crystal can be extremely effective, so small crystals will work well for most people’s needs. If you are considering the same crystal in two different sizes, don’t let size alone determine which you purchase. If you connect more immediately with the sensation of the smaller stone, that is likely the one that will work more effectively for you.
Natural gemstones in jewelry still carry the same healing potential as crystals sold individually. When you purchase a piece of jewelry with one or more gemstones in it, you have beautiful, wearable art that also imparts healing properties; whether the jewelry was marketed as a healing crystal or not, it has the same vibrational energy. This only works with natural gemstones, however, and not with synthetic or altered stones.
When you purchase a piece of gemstone jewelry, cleanse it in a manner similar to a regular crystal cleansing (see here), taking precautions to protect the nongemstone elements of the piece. Then feel free to wear it for healing purposes. By cleansing the gemstones once a week, you can maintain the healing properties of the jewelry.
If you are just getting started with crystal healing, you may wish to buy multiple crystals to work with a variety of issues. Multiple crystals enable you to capitalize on the synergy between the energy of crystals (see Chapter 4 for remedies involving more than one crystal used to address a particular problem or goal) or balance your chakras. Multiple crystals make it possible for you to put together crystal grids or simply enable you to get started with a few different (and beautiful) options.
Crystal healing starter kits are available from various vendors. These kits may contain anywhere from a few common stones to as many as 30. Smaller starter kits may cost $15 to $20, while larger starter kits may cost $100 or more. Some starter kits are specific to the chakras and may contain one to three crystals for use with each chakra.
If you purchase a starter kit, you don’t have to spend your time selecting individual crystals. However, because you don’t have the luxury of feeling how each crystal interacts with your energy field, this can be a disadvantage. I’m not a huge fan of starter kits for this reason, but if you’re looking for a quick way to get your collection started, a starter kit may be the way you choose to go.
You can make your own starter kit containing the essential crystals that everyone should have in their collection for crystal healing work. You can keep the kit affordable by selecting smaller stones. Five crystals to have on hand include:
• Clear quartz
• Amethyst
• Citrine
• Rose quartz
• Smoky quartz
To put together a chakra starter kit, consider these stones:
• First chakra (root or base): Red jasper
• Second chakra (sacral): Carnelian
• Third chakra (solar plexus): Citrine
• Fourth chakra (heart): Green aventurine
• Fifth chakra (throat): Sodalite
• Sixth chakra (third eye or brow): Amethyst
• Seventh chakra (crown): Clear quartz
When you’re shopping, you’ll want to avoid some common pitfalls associated with buying crystals. Keep the following in mind before you make your purchase.
SOME CRYSTALS ARE SYNTHETIC OR MAN-MADE.
If a crystal seems to be too perfect or flawless, it may be manufactured. Talk with the salesperson and ask about the source of the crystal. You can still purchase the piece if you’d like, but it is important to know what you are buying and how useful it will be for your purposes.
NOT ALL CITRINE IS NATURAL.
Much of what may look like citrine is actually amethyst that has been heated until it turns yellow. This changes the properties of the crystal somewhat, so be sure to ask if a specific crystal is natural citrine, if that is the stone you want.
BEWARE OF TRADEMARK-NAMED STONES WITH A HIGHER PRICE TAG.
Stones with a name that has been trademarked are just other stones that have been given marketing-friendly names, which may make them more expensive but not more powerful. This doesn’t mean trademarked stones are bad or ineffective, just that they may be more expensive than their non-trademarked counterparts. Trademarked stones include Infinite Stones, Boji Stones, Azeztulite, and many others.
SOME CRYSTALS HAVE BEEN ALTERED FROM THEIR NATURAL STATE.
Be sure to ask the salesperson if the crystal has had any treatments, such as dyeing, heat treating, or coating. These may alter the properties of the crystals. For example, howlite can be dyed to look like turquoise, but these stones have different properties. If you are in the market for turquoise (or any stone, for that matter), it is important to ask if it is a naturally occurring crystal in its unaltered form.
