CHAPTER 20
Crystals for Wellness
Healing crystals are showing up in new products all the time as the science of crystals expands. Inventors are understanding more about the amazing properties of crystals and using them in new technology to improve our lifestyle. We now have new ways to use crystals for our health and wellness, even though ancient healing methods using crystals still exist.
We still need a connection with nature for healing to take place. We need the natural earth elements to help us heal through sacred geometry. There are many crystals that support wellness, and they are easy to obtain.
Learn How to …
- ◆ Pickle your crystals with salt.
- ◆ Use a Himalayan salt lamp to harmonize and protect your space.
- ◆ Heal your body using Epsom salts.
- ◆ Find new products made from crystals.
- ◆ Follow crystal fashion trends.
Salt Crystals
You may be wondering why there’s a section on salt crystals. Yes, salt is a healing crystal, and it has been used for thousands of years to flavor and preserve food, as medicine, and to draw out poisons. We take for granted what is in our salt shakers. There’s a lot more to salt crystals to appreciate.
Kosher and Pickling Salt
There’s an expression in cooking that all salt is the same. That is, all salt is sodium chloride. Table salt typically has iodine added. Why, you ask? Iodine is an essential element that helps prevent developmental problems, goiter, and other thyroid problems. The most common natural sources of iodine are seaweed, fish, dairy products, eggs, enriched grain products, and plant foods grown in iodine-rich soils. It’s added to salt to prevent iodine deficiencies in those who live away from the coastlines and who consume foods that are low in iodine.
Table salt contains added iodine from potassium iodate, as well as stabilizers, anticaking agents, and granulated rock salt. However, Himalayan salt and sea salts have naturally occurring iodine in smaller amounts. Kosher salt and pickling salt do not contain iodine.
For crystal cleansing, some say it doesn’t matter since the properties of sodium chloride are the same. However in my experience, there is a vibrational refinement with other minerals present in the salt and with different salt crystal shapes. Himalayan salt has trace minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, that not only provide electrolytes for hydration and balance, but the minerals also temper the crystals and add healing vibrations. As I mentioned in Chapter 8, those who are sensitive will know the difference. Many chefs know there is a difference too. Personally, I prefer sea salt or kosher salt over iodized salt. Crystals don’t need iodine.
By the time we ingest salt, it’s ground into small grains for our popcorn or our salt shakers. Did you know there are some lovely crystalline salt formations? Just like snowflakes, there’s an abundance of geometric patterns found among different salt types. My favorite salt formations are those that are square or are pyramid shaped. I like the idea of tiny pyramids adding some energy to a salt water bath. Consider using salt flakes for powering up crystals while cleansing them of unwanted energy.
Himalayan Salt Crystals
Over the past few years, Himalayan salt crystal products have become widely available for wellness and healing, as well as for use in cooking both as a flavoring and as a preservative. Be sure your salt product is authentic and has been mined from the Kalabagh or Warcha salt mines near the Himalaya Mountains in Pakistan. The Khewra mine is the oldest but does not necessarily produce the best quality salt lamps.
Himalayan salt lamps come in many sizes and colors but are usually pink. The gentle pink glow of the Himalayan salt is attributed to the inclusion of minerals. They make attractive pieces for any room and create a mindfully relaxing space. Salt lamps have a carved-out cavity where a small low-wattage light bulb is placed to warm the salt. The salt lamp should be solid and not be crumbly from impurities. The lamp assembly should use UL-certified components and rest on a quality wooden or onyx base capable of carrying the lamp’s weight stably. Salt naturally pulls water molecules from the air, and it is not unusual to see the salt lamp sweat. That is why a safety-approved lamp assembly is important. The lamp pulls water molecules from the air and literally purifies whatever air pollutants it can grab from the air. The water evaporates due to the heat of the lamp, and the unwanted particles stay in the crystal.
The release of negative air ions help rid the air of dust, smoke, and other pollutants that can cause respiratory problems. Some spas have salt rooms, sometimes called salt caves, that are lined with bricks of Himalayan salt. After 30 to 45 minutes of exposure in a salt room, you will feel like you do after a hike in the woods (also called forest bathing) where there are natural ions everywhere. The salt rooms provide increased meditative absorption in a negative ion space, as well as providing respiratory health benefits. There are handheld dry salt inhalers that have similar health benefits to salt rooms and provide relief from sinus issues, allergies, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Studies show that negative ions can increase serotonin in the brain and can contribute to stress reduction. A Columbia University study found a 58 percent improvement in seasonal affective disorder (SAD) sufferers when they were exposed to negative ion treatment. There are also sleep and rejuvenation benefits from locating a salt lamp in your bedroom. (Plus, it also doubles as a night light.) Himalayan salt lamps can neutralize harmful electromagnetic frequency (EMF) emissions from home electronic equipment and balance positive and negative ions, creating a calming environment. You might want to place your salt lamp near electronics or computer monitors. I have a small one that plugs into a USB port on my laptop.
Himalayan salt is the cleanest mineral known. The salt, known as sodium chloride, comes from the oldest sea salt formations on our planet that are 250 million years old! It contains 84 trace elements, such as magnesium, potassium, copper, and iron. Table salt is deficient in these minerals due to commercial processing such as bleaching. If you’re soaking your crystals or yourself in a salt bath, it’s best to use something nature provided. Your crystals will love to be cleansed in a Himalayan salt bath.
Remember that crystals can absorb and retain color as an energy vibration. Putting your crystals around the base of a salt lamp will keep them purified, and the soft glow of the lamp provides gentle, purifying, healing energy that blends in with the crystals’ matrices. Place your hands on the lamp to warm your hands in winter or to ground your energies as needed. The salt lamp balances positive and negative ions; therefore, it helps reduce electromagnetic radiation. I have a round salt lamp that also functions for feng shui in the corner of a room. It not only reduces the EMFs from a nearby television, cables, and cable box, but it also functions to cleanse energy and circulate it away from the corner. It is also near to the bed for my dog—Tara, my Lhasa Apso—and I’m sure she benefits from the salt lamp as well.
There are many other forms of Himalayan salt:
- ◆ Salt slabs—Look for Himalayan salt blocks. Slabs can be heated and used for cooking or serving food. The salt enhances the flavors, and the heat keeps the food warm. Put your feet on warmed slabs for 15 minutes to detoxify and purge impurities from your body. Use a cold salt block and place your healing crystals on it overnight to remove unwanted energies. Remember, some crystals and jewelry may corrode or pit if they are in touch with salt over time.
- ◆ Crushed salts——To make dry bath salts, add aromatherapy oils and gem essences to a 1⁄2-cup of crushed salt in a lidded container and then shake to distribute the oils. Add the salts to a bath to enjoy their deeply penetrating qualities. You will feel so relaxed—what a perfect spa experience. Why not bottle your blended bath salts for a friend? Drop a crystal inside and add a customized label as a gift. Try geranium aromatherapy oil with a carnelian crystal or ylang aromatherapy oil with a garnet crystal for a special night in. What’s your favorite combination?
- ◆ Carved salt lamps—Salt lamps come in many shapes—some oval ones are left in a rough natural state while others are carved and polished into pyramids, squares, and globes. You may have seen the “fire-bowl” salt lamps and wondered what they were all about. Who doesn’t like to stare into the warm glowing embers of a fire pit? A lamp is placed under the salt bowl. Chunks of salt, usually in 1-2 inch cubes sit in the bowl and absorb the heat. They can be removed and used to treat a headache or be placed on areas of the body to soothe pain or at joints to improve mobility.
Healing and Detoxing with Epsom Salts
Magnesium sulfate, commonly known as Epsom salts, is a mineral compound used by the body to maintain a number of systems, including the cardiovascular system, the digestive system, and the skeletal system. When you’re under stress, your magnesium level can become depleted, leaving you with symptoms including fatigue, muscular and cardiopulmonary issues, irregular sleep, and breathing problems. If you’re not eating properly or avoiding taking a supplement, try a nice soak in Epsom salts. Add some crystals to rebalance your subtle system. Here are some other lovely ways to soak up this essential mineral salt:
- ◆ Magnesium footbath—Put 1⁄2 cup of Epsom salts into a bucket that you can place both feet into and add about 4 quarts of warm water. The water should at least cover the tops of your feet and your ankles. Soak your feet for 30 minutes up to twice a week. The magnesium is absorbed through your skin, relaxing your legs and body, and makes you feel comfy and relaxed. Feel free to add any of the following crystals to the bath:
- ◆ To uplift: use amber, clear quartz, amethyst, carnelian, citrine, aventurine, lepidolite, rhodochrosite, rose quartz, or sodalite.
- ◆ To ground nervous tension and stress: use dark colored crystals such as bloodstone, hematite, onyx, basalt, smoky quartz, jasper, or tiger eye.
- ◆ Aromatherapy foot soak—After filling a foot bathtub, add ¼ cup of Epsom salts, ¼ cup of Himalayan salt crystals, and a few drops of a favorite aromatherapy oil to the water. Add some tea tree oil to the bath water to help reduce any bacteria. As you add the salt crystals, let your toes wiggle and play with them. If you have a crystal ball about the size of a golf ball, tuck it under your foot and roll the sphere around under your arch to loosen tight tendons and relieve plantar fasciitis pain.
- ◆ A full detox bath—Add 2 cups (16 oz.) Epsom salts, 1 cup (8 oz.) baking soda, and 1 cup (8 oz.) sea salt to your bath water. Add a few drops of aromatherapy oil, such as sandalwood for mental relaxation, bergamot for stress reduction, or geranium for spiritual upliftment. Add some gem water or crystals to your bath to ground your stress. Soak for 20 to 30 minutes and then pat yourself dry or air dry to maximize the benefits.
- ◆ Dry pillow—I treated a lame horse named Ellie using an Epson salts pillow. Her foreleg was swollen just above the knee joint, and she was walking slowly. To create the dry pillow, I poured about a pound of dry Epsom salts into a doubled-up nylon pantyhose stocking and tied the ends. Then I wrapped the elongated pillow around her ankle and left it there for about 15 minutes. She seemed comfortable with the extra attention and stayed still. After unwrapping her leg, it was clearly visible that the swelling had lessened and was almost completely gone. You can make a pillow of Epsom salts for your personal use. Follow the instructions above and add a few crystals—such as hematite, tourmaline, and amazonite or jade and rose quartz—to help reduce pain and swelling. Lay the packet on tender joints.
Crystals Can Enhance Your Beauty Routine
The shelves at many stores are stockpiled with cosmetics and tools to aid you in upping your beauty routine. Did you know that crystals can be a part of that routine, too?
Cosmetics Infused with Crystals
How incredible to now have the most luscious beauty secrets available in cosmetics. Minerals have been part of cosmetics for years. I remember my grandmother’s fluffy facial powder puff and the box of powder that clearly had ground pearl in it. There were even a few pearls set into the lid. How elegant and luxurious to grind up expensive jewels and put a mysterious glow on your skin. Imagine rubies, sapphires, tourmalines, diamonds, and amethyst infused into your skin. You would feel like a queen!
You can restore natural vitality to your skin using these crystals today. I often note after a crystal therapy session how a client’s face looks relaxed with a radiant glow. Even sagging skin and wrinkles seem to lessen. Your energy is purified by the crystals and their marvelous sacred geometry provides youthful cellular rejuvenation.
Wouldn’t you like to make an improvement to your facial and hand creams and toners? Adding crushed gemstones to creams has been used for centuries to beautify a woman’s complexion. However, new methods use biotechnology to micronize the gemstones. Some cosmetic manufacturers have added micro-powdered jade, pearls, rubies, sapphires, quartz, amethyst, amber, and even diamonds or gold to creams. Shungite is known for its electromagnetic protection and is added to acne creams. These microparticles cleanse and detoxify the skin, increase circulation, speed cellular healing and repair, tone and relax muscular substructures, improve your skin’s complexion and texture, and leave a crystalline finish. Skin looks and feels energized. In other words, crystals will make you look beautiful!
I use a night cream that contains amethyst. As soon as I apply the cream, I can tell it is different than other facial products. My skin feels more hydrated, less stressed, and more relaxed. As a DIY project, use your crystals to fortify your creams. Here’s how:
- ◆ Drop a carnelian into your toner or day cream for smooth revitalized skin.
- ◆ Add amethyst for tissue repairs and to impart a healthy glow.
- ◆ To calm the eruptions and inflammation of acne, add amber, carnelian, or snowflake obsidian.
- ◆ Add moonstone or snow quartz to night creams for relaxing myofascial and for cellular purification.
- ◆ For facial relaxation, add rose quartz to toners and wrinkle removers.
Wrinkle Rollers
As part of a self-care routine before bedtime, take 5 minutes to relax the tension from your face. There are crystal facial rollers made from rose quartz, jade, or other smooth crystals, or you can simply use a massage roller made from a crystal ball.
Massage and facial rollers help compress fat tissues, firm muscles, and reduce puffiness by increasing lymphatic drainage which flushes out toxins and reduces water retention. The crystal roller can be kept in the fridge and used cold to firm tissues, or it can be heated in warm water then used for opening pores and working with serums or oil products to increase their absorption. For lymphatic drainage, glide the facial roller down the sides of your neck in the direction of your heart. For a facial treatment, always roll upwards lightly to prevent sagging skin and pay special attention to those frown lines. Use the roller gently around your eyes as the tissues in that area are thin and only a light touch is needed. For the forehead, roll upward, paying special attention to the area between the brow. Remember that your third eye chakra is located in your forehead, so you may like to slow down when using a crystal rolling tool to prevent additional stress to that chakra.
Using a rounded massage tool is another way to massage and relax facial muscles. Roll lightly over oiled skin so you won’t stretch the skin. I like to use the tip of the massage tool and gently press acupuncture points around the eyes to reduce wrinkles and to relieve sinus headaches. Vogue reports there is growing popularity of an ancient healing facial using a flat rose quartz or jade called a gua sha. This smooth tool is gently drawn across the skin following meridian lines to increase lymphatic drainage, tone the skin, and stimulate blood flow.
Diffusers
You can use your crystals both inside and outside of a diffuser. The same crystals you use for making gem water can be added to diffuser water. Place the water for the diffuser in a clear glass container with crystals for a few hours in sunlight before adding the gem water to the diffuser. The water will be saturated with your crystal’s energy and fill the room with energizing droplets of crystalline mist. Who knew there were so many uses for a diffuser!
I put my crystals right inside the diffuser. The water chamber in your diffuser should be wide enough to set a small crystal into it. Remember, the crystal will displace some of the water, so add the water after you have placed the crystal. It’s best to use the same types of crystals that were used to make gem water. Try tumbled stones such as rose quartz, amethyst, clear quartz, moonstone, amber, agates, or sodalite in your diffuser. As a tip, use distilled water so that your diffuser doesn’t get lime deposits.
To fortify the water and the mist from the diffuser externally, place crystals all around the outside of the diffuser following a grid pattern. As the droplets of mist fall around the diffuser and onto these crystals, the water on the crystals will evaporate into the air and provide a subtle healing effect.
Chakra Oils
One of the nicest ways to treat yourself is to use essential oils with crystals. The resonance of the crystals amplifies the energy of the essential oil. Use the following table to find complementary scents to crystals that help activate the chakras. You can combine several scents. An aromatherapy diffuser works best to bring the scent into the room.
Select an oil and one of the complementary chakra crystals from the list to help amplify the healing effects of the oil. Place the oil on the crystal, rub it in, and set the crystal on the chakra for up to 10 minutes. A drop of rose oil on rose quartz will create a soothing loving vibration that will help open the heart chakra. However, if rose oil is dropped on lepidolite, the effects will be physically relaxing and relieve stress. Try different combinations for different healing effects.
| Chakra | Essential Oils | Gemstones |
|---|---|---|
| 1—Root | Vetiver Sandalwood Cinnamon | Smoky quartz Obsidian Garnet |
| 2—Sacral | Ylang-ylang Tangerine | Carnelian Citrine |
| 3—Solar plexus | Peppermint Rosemary Clary sage Lemon | Malachite Yellow calcite Hematite Citrine |
| 4—Heart | Rose Neroli Melissa Jasmine | Rose quartz Pink tourmaline Lepidolite Fluorite |
| 5—Throat | Geranium Frankincense | Turquoise Blue calcite |
| 6—Third Eye | Cedarwood Patchouli Amber | Lapis lazuli Blue topaz Celestite |
| 7—Crown | Myrrh | Amethyst |
Serene Selenite
I mentioned selenite in Chapter 13 in the form of crystal angels to help awareness in the dream state and to activate the pineal gland for deeper levels of consciousness and psychic awareness. Selenite assists in connecting with intuition and wisdom. There are now so many forms of this lovely crystal, it’s worthwhile to mention it again. Selenite is becoming the crystal of the now age. Let’s take a closer look and find some new uses for this crystal of liquid moonlight.
- ◆ Towers—Selenite tower formations are usually round, unpolished, and come in different heights. Each tower has a graduated tip to help channel and elevate the energy for cleansing. You will need four towers, one for each corner of a room, to add ongoing purification. Smaller ones can be added to crystal grids and layouts. Since selenite towers are round, their energy circulates and creates a shield. Add extras to a larger room to ensure complete coverage. They are great for feng shui to circulate energy.
- ◆ Spirals—Maybe these spirals remind you of a unicorn horn. Use one in the center of a grid to attract the mystical unicorn or use it as a wand with the elements to direct energy. The horn represents the feminine, the purity of heart, and is a symbol of bestowing magic and miracles.
- ◆ Hearts—This precious shape is perfect to give as a gift of love. Selenite hearts can be left next to a bedside to provide restful sleep. If they are held at the heart or in the palm of the hand, the selenite will settle your emotions and any negative thoughts. They are also like a breath of fresh air and will help alleviate tension about relationships.
- ◆ Wands—These longer flat shapes are about 7-inches long and about 1⁄2-inch thick and are used to scrub off unwanted energy. Rub the crystal like a scrub brush in your aura about 5 to 7 inches away from your body. Don’t forget to remove any unwanted energy from under your feet and from the soles of your shoes. You can also use the wand in the aura cleansing exercise outlined in Chapter 10.
- ◆ Lamps—Just like Himalayan salt lamps, selenite lamps are carved with a small opening for a light bulb. They also come as thick candle holders for tea lights. The light and energy from these lamps are so gentle; they radiate purification and clear the environment of negative energy. I sometimes change the light bulb in my lamp to red, green, or blue to change the mood.
- ◆ Charging plates—Instead of charging jewelry crystals in sunlight or moonlight, lay them on a selenite plate overnight to accomplish the same task. Leaving them in the moonlight on the plate will add a huge energy bonus. Charging plates vary in size, with the most practicable one to hold your crystals and jewelry measuring about 8-by-4-inches wide and about a 1⁄2-inch thick. The charging plate can also double as a wand for a big aura cleanse.
- ◆ Harmonizers—Highly polished, smooth drums of selenite are about 4 inches long. They are made to hold, one in each hand, and create a nice energy blast to calm your emotions, such as before a yoga session, after a tough day at the office, to remove pain, or to relax before sleep.
Shungite
As mentioned previously, crystals seem to come out of the earth when they are needed. One of the most important crystals available on the market to benefit Millennials and Baby Boomers is shungite, the “stone of life.” Shungite is a rich carbon-based material that was formed in sea beds long ago. It’s a very pure material that is transformed through volcanic heat. Although this crystal has been around for a while, it’s become popular with health fans specifically since it contains fullerenes, a type of long-lasting antioxidant. Just having shungite in your environment dampens electromagnetic radiation from electrical equipment. Some studies of natural fullerenes have shown that they stimulate tissue regeneration and possess anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties. It comes in a raw black form used for healing purposes, and an elite or noble shungite that looks like hematite and is highly shiny. Either one is good to use.
Shungite relates to the first chakra. It is an outstanding grounding tool, especially as an anchor for those who do astral travel, are healing partners with Earth, or are involved in rearranging energy patterns where there has been a disturbance. Its prepared gem essence is helpful in Reiki sessions to help with transitions, insomnia, and as a revitalizer of energy. If you wear shungite, you will find it leaves some particles on your skin. They are harmless and can be washed off.
Shungite can cleanse water of bacteria. As a form of really dense carbon, shungite acts as a water purifier. Sold in small stone chips, these chips can be placed inside a small cotton bag and then added to a water container. Wash off any dust in a sieve under running water before placing the chips in the bag. For every gallon of water, use 40 grams (1.4 ounces) of shungite chips and let sit for at least 24 hours. The longer you leave the shungite in the water, the more active the water becomes.
Use shungite water to fill your pet’s water bowl. You can also add it to your bath water to detoxify. As a powder, shungite can be mixed into a paste and left on the body to heal skin issues, arthritic conditions, injuries, bruises, and sprains.
As shungite is a soft material, like selenite, it can be made into many different shapes such as pyramids, and spheres. There are thin shungite discs that can be attached to cellphones, computers, or other electronics to reduce EMFs. The shungite shape that interests me the most is a cube, which seems menacing to electromagnetic energy and energy pollution from microwaves and WIFIs. It reminds me of a warrior’s shield, and it can be used as a workhorse to ground and stabilize energy. The square shape is an emblem of the earth Platonic solid, the hexahedron, as mentioned in Chapter 2. This is one crystal that has many benefits that we could all use at this time.
Trendy Crystals by Design
Designer clothes that use crystals are not just pretty; they support the healing processes and visually send a signal that you have some awareness about healing crystals. However, it’s just fashion unless you know what you have on your clothing and why it’s there. If people ask, tell them what crystals you have and why you wear them.
Sadly, men’s fashion doesn’t incorporate much jewelry or gems. I would like to see men use crystals more. Perhaps they could be incorporated as part of a men’s wellness spa experience or sewn into the inside of a garment somewhere to add some flash, some pizzazz, and some healing. Belt buckles are great places for men to use crystals—turquoise is a favorite on Western silver belts and bolo ties. There is a new trend in men’s accessories—jeweled cufflinks. Look at historical pictures of royal men: jewels in turbans, brooches on sashes, and bejeweled capes. Now we’re talking!
What are the latest crystal fashions? The crystals that seem to be getting around a lot are tourmaline, rose quartz, selenite, and topaz. Jasper-type colors of gold, amber, brown, and orange are also popular in the home and office. They are warm earth colors that create a noncompeting space. Such colors are great for winding down stressful energy and for connecting with nature, especially if you live in a sky house (i.e., an apartment or high-rise condo). During turbulent times, we look to the earth for stability and strength. During times of optimism, we look to the skies for ideas and growth. Check out fashion and color trends as a barometer on which crystals can be used to support our lifestyle and environment.
New Products with Tourmaline
As with other gemstones, powdered tourmaline is added to cosmetics and when pressed onto your skin, generates negative ions. (Without pressure, no negative ions are released.) Tourmaline has also been added to cosmetics to alleviate eczema. You see tourmaline used in sleep aids, air purifiers, ionizers, and other negative ion–generating products including pet mats. There are bedsheets made with tourmaline that when under pressure (when you’re laying down), release negative ions. The use of tourmaline is not harmful, but it should never be ingested. There is still debate on the actual results of negative ion used in treating bronchial asthma, however. Look for more uses of gemstones in technology for health benefits.
Carnelian: I strengthen your spiritual core. I give you the resolve to move past old matters. I give you courage to use the gifts that were given to you. I give you the radiance of your inner beauty.