They’re sculpted into jewelry, incorporated into living room decor, and even infused into wellness products—healing stones continue to establish their place in alternative medicine through their versatile adornments and historic healing capabilities.
With deep roots in ancient cultures, healing crystals of varying shapes and color tones have been tapped into for increased emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing. As a common additive to Reiki sessions—best described as non-invasive techniques to restore the body’s natural healing abilities—many individuals feel wholly supported by integrating crystal energy into their everyday lives.
“Healing stones operate similarly to magnets, where they have the ability to transform what is happening energetically in your body at the cellular level,” says Danielle Marie, Jersey City-based Reiki Master who practices with crystals through her business entity, Danielle Marie Reiki. “When crystals are placed over certain parts of the body, the signature of the crystal causes shifts and changes in vibration within the body’s energetic fields or chakra system.”
Danielle has been working with crystals as a healing modality for over six years, even before she began her Reiki training through Reiki Traveler. She’s incorporated crystals into her own life to feel their effects, using simple practices such as clenching stones to fall asleep at night, keeping them under pillows and tucking them into clothing.
Understanding Healing Stones
Understanding these effects is very specific to each stone, and since there are almost an infinite amount of outcomes including strengthened intuition, induced calmness and serenity, creativity, and manifestation, it may lead to a difficult decision in determining which stone is right to personally practice with.
“For people just beginning to work with stones, there’s an old saying that ‘you don’t choose your crystals, your crystals choose you,’” Danielle advises. She suggests when you find yourself looking at an array of crystals, take a moment to see what catches the eye, interact with the various stones and decide which ones feel best from there. “The fact that you are attracted to how a particular crystal looks or feels is a good indication that you’ll probably benefit from it in some way.”
So, what exactly can healing stones bring to your lifestyle? From clearing a clouded mind to combating feelings of anxiousness, we’ve highlighted a few crystals to consider (and what they focus on healing) for your journey towards growth and enlightenment.
Amethyst
Amethyst is considered one of the most protective stones. Well-recognized as February’s birthstone, amethyst keeps bad energy away from the body to allow for the spirit to expand during meditation. The stone reconnects the inner self with the powers of creativity and thinking, refining both qualities to be used as tools for reaching a higher energy level.
Best Uses
Amethyst is known to promote relaxation and heal digestive imbalances. The stone also has historical roots of encouraging a sober mind in terms of both addiction and thoughts, placing emphasis on the importance of having a clear mind to make better decisions.
Clear Quartz
This traditionally six-sided crystal is a master healer that stands on pillars of clarity, activation and all forms of energy escalation. Because clear quartz supercharges intentions, it’s often used to remain focused when it comes to achieving personal manifestations. Clear quartz is acknowledged as one of the most versatile healing stones for meditation given that it can amplify the abilities of other stones.
Best Uses
Clear quartz’s personal healing capabilities make it a popular crystal to wear as jewelry for a consistent reminder of the greater intentions one possesses. It’s also a remedy for physical imbalances including vertigo, nausea and exhaustion.
Carnelian
Carnelian’s glossy orange shade inspires motivation and taking action in life. It’s a stone used in meditation to stimulate concentration when faced with a new challenge and increase the determination needed to accomplish projects. Carnelian improves direction and aids its users in trusting their own instincts.
Best Uses
Carnelian is the right stone to incorporate into a daily routine if physical activity is something often neglected, as it revitalizes energy in a positive direction. It also helps with blood flow to various organs throughout the body, so keeping this stone within the personal aura as jewelry will best exhibit its true power.
Rose Quartz
Rose quartz is one of the most identifiable and highly sought-after crystals by way of its pink shade. As a stone that represents love in all forms, it’s used during meditation to enhance relationships with significant others, friends and the self. When holding rose quartz, a sense of calmness is invited in to support emotional healing and battle grief.
Best Uses
Rose quartz is a great stone for those beginning their journey with crystal healing because of how intertwined it’s become with physical wellbeing, specifically skincare. Its properties have allowed it to be transformed into beneficial tools such as face rollers and hydration products which help calm and rejuvenate the skin.
Malachite
Malachite has a deep connection to nature and traveling. Those who find themselves attracted to this stone are reminded that it may be time for a change of direction in life. In tune with this, malachite fosters new growth while protecting against negative energies that threaten a clear thought process and balanced emotions.
Best Uses
Malachite is a stone that not only guides emotional travels but physical ones as well. It’s a crystal that eases stress related to long flights or car trips, so it’s worth it to consider packing this stone for physical journeys.
Black Tourmaline
Black tourmaline is an all-around energy cleanser, absorbing personal, internal struggles and transmuting them into positive energy. Referred to as a soul disinfectant, black tourmaline’s dark color can be read as a metaphor for the personal growth that sits on the other side of confronting fears.
Best Uses
Black tourmaline is used to help increase concentration, awake the mind and settle panic attacks, making it a noteworthy stone to keep in stressful environments or even near a work desk. It’s also used in healing practices for muscle aches and soreness, and to treat motion sickness.
Citrine
Citrine is an encouraging and joyful stone, commonly used to treat anxiety and depression. Representing abundance, citrine healing stones speak to prosperity not only concerning money, but also in offering generosity to others. It’s said to be an ideal crystal to keep close to piggy banks, or even place in wallets to attract wealth in all its positive forms.
Best Uses
Similar to amethyst, citrine is helpful in alleviating digestive problems. It’s turned to for speeding up metabolism, regulating blood flow and supporting life changes relating to diabetes.
Moonstone
Moonstone’s shimmery and glowing tone strongly resembles the moon, nodding to its healing associations with guidance, self-reflection and acknowledging the cycle of life. Moonstone brings about intense relations with femininity, often being used to balance menstrual cycles and male-female energies—specifically for males that may want to gain a more feminine perspective.
Best Uses
Moonstone guides users in finding serene energy and clarity, placing a divide between needs and wants. It also has a soothing effect that results in better sleep patterns, making the crystal a useful addition to bedsides for both adults and children.
