Working With Crystals

Introduction

With this guide I
hope to introduce you to some of the basic points to consider when
purchasing, and then working with healing crystals and stones.

History

The use of stones and crystals to aid health, good fortune and
protection goes back towards the dawning of life and not just
civilisation. One can very easily imagine an early human finding
a beautifully polished stone in a riverbed, and picking it up to keep -
not because it has a meaning or higher purpose, but because of it's
inherent beauty. Over time humankind began to realise what
different stones could do, and so the knowledge was passed on down the
generations. The use of certain "precious" stones is well
recorded in many religions around the world from the biblical Jewish
High Priest, to the Shiva Linghams of Hinduism today.

First Impressions

Firstly, don't take for granted what you read in books or on a
website or even in an auction about the properties attached to a
particluar crystal or stone. They are just a basic guide as to
what they can do, and not JUST what they are capable of. You will
find lots of different interpretations attached to each crystal and
will sometimes think, "So which is the right one?", and the answer is
usually ALL of them. Metaphysical properties have been passed
down through the centuries, and also by sensitive people in the near
past who work closely with these healing stones, so you will find a lot
of different meanings and will have to sift through them
yourself. This is where the fun begins!

Choosing

The best crystal to start you off is just the bog standard clear
quartz crystal, and it doesn't haven't to be anything fancy!
Either go to a shop that sells them or mooch around websites to find
them, and then buy one. Some people will tell you that when your
crystal is ready to be found it will suddenly appear or make it's
presence known, but don't feel that this means you can't buy on
impulse. A lot of the crystals that I currently own have been
bought because I thought they looked lush and beautiful, and that I
just had to have it! If you like the look of something then get
it, even if it's yet another cluster and you already own a dozen of
them! So start off with the universal clear quartz crystal as it
is probably the most abundant crystal you will find, and also the
easiest to work with.