Crystal Healing Therapist or Self-Treatment. By Shirley O’Donoghue

When you first work with crystals, it is a good idea to visit a professional crystal healing therapist who can explain every step of the treatment, as well as support your responses to it, and provide insight and encouragement.

In fact, even experienced crystal healers (crystal healing therapists) often prefer to be treated by another crystal healer (crystal healing therapist) rather than treat themselves.   When a practitioner is giving a treatment, you can relax fully in the knowledge that they are monitoring your energy field and moving or changing crystals as necessary.  The crystal healing treatment is also more powerful because the therapist’s energy boosts the energy of the crystals.

Always make sure that your crystal healing therapist has been properly trained and is fully insured.  In the UK, the Affiliation of Crystal Healing Organizations (ACHO) have a list of all crystal therapists who have been trained in accordance with the ACHO curriculum and who are appropriately insured.  Similar lists are available in the USA from the Association of Melody Crystal Healing Instructions and the Crystal Academy of Advanced Crystal Healing Arts, which train and accredit therapists.

Of course, self-treatment has its own benefits, too.  These include being able to enjoy crystal healing therapy on an ad hoc basis – whenever you feel you need it most, in the comfort of your own home and at a time of day that is convenient.  You also don’t need to pay yourself.

When opting for self-treatment, it is best to wear loose, comfortable, clothes.  Keep the room warm and the light subdued – candle light is a good choice.  You could also burn incense to keep the energy in the room pure or burn calming essential oils, such as frankincense or jasmine.  Soothing background music can help you to relax, but make sure that it lasts as long as the treatment – if the music stops suddenly, it is likely to disturb you.

To give yourself a treatment, sit fully clothed on a chair or lie on the floor with your crystals, around your chair or lie on the floor with your crystals around you or in your hand.  You could keep a blanket to hand as body temperature usually drops during therapy.  A blanket also provides a feeling of protection, which aids the effectiveness of the treatment.

How to choose crystals.

By Shirley O’Donoghue buy her book all about crystals

 Choosing crystals is an intuitive process and the best way to do it is simply to allow your eye to be drawn to a particular stone.

Choosing crystals is an intuitive process and the best way to do it is simply to allow your eye to be drawn to a particular stone.  Some people use a pendulum to dowse crystals, some “scan” with their hands to feel the crystals’ energies, and others like to handle them.  Whatever method you employ, it’s best not to spend too much time on the process.  Making a quick choice allows you to listen to the right, intuitive side of your brain before the left, logical side of your brain starts to interfere with rational thoughts, such as “But I don’t like blue!” or “Why do I want that one?” . 

Colour plays an important part in choosing crystals, not only because it can cause you to be visually attracted to a particular stone, but also because colour conveys vital information about the crystal’s energetic qualities to you on a subconscious level. 

When choosing crystals it is also a good idea to focus on your intended purpose for them – for example, whether you want to use them to attract love or the release stress.  The core crystal directory will help you with this.  If you are choosing crystals for someone else, try visualizing the person during the selection process.  Always trust your instinct and choose the crystals to which you are drawn.

However, if you discover that you really dislike a certain crystal, it is worth finding out more about this crystal and its qualities and potentially working with it.   This is because an aversion to a certain crystal can be an indication that your energy flow in the certain area related to that specific colour or crystal is impaired and needs rebalancing or healing.

HOW CRYSTALS WORK

By now, we know that crystals transmit and are able to absorb and transmute electromagnetic energy.  Their colour and vibration affects us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually by rebalancing our body’s vital energy flow or chi, thus restoring us to our natural state of well-being.

In this chapter, we look more closely at how this comes about.  We start by learning how to recognize our own chi, and go on to explore the subtle energy system in greater depth, discovering more about the chakras – the spinning wheels of energy that connects the physical body to the subtle body.  Next, we learn how to assess which chakra we need to focus on, and which crystals and chakras work best together.  By gauging whether our chakras have deficient, excess or balanced energy, or by picking crystals of a certain colour.

We then go on to consider how to make crystals work more effectively, such as through approaching them with a positive intent, harnessing deep breathing and employing visualizations.  And finally, we look at some of the more advanced techniques of working with crystals, such as using placements and making gem essences

 Crystal healing can be a very powerful healing tool.

Crystal healing which is also known as crystal therapy involves the application of crystals and gemstones on various parts of the body that require the crystal healing.

The properties of the crystal stones generates a specific frequency tone that connects with the specific part of the body that require the healing and as the specific part of the body synchronies with the crystal it starts to heal. The truth is there is no gemstone, crystal or body as they are really both energy field at their fundamental structure.

 It is the vibrating energy field of the crystal that resonates and changes the frequency of the body’s energy field in the same way one tuning fork can change the frequency of the another tuning fork when it  is placed next to it. As the body energy field raises its vibration it starts to remove the blockades within the body’s energy field.

Since the body is just a manifestation of the energy field the body takes on the new manifestation of the new vibrating energy field, thus a more health and vibrant body is manifested.

Energy from a healer’s hands can also be applied to each crystal during the crystal healing session. The energy healer energy amplifies the properties of the crystals that are applied to the body and this accelerates the healing process.

The healer who is facilitating the energy from their higher self use his or hers imagination to connect to their higher self and focus that energy through the crystal body of the person who is to be healed.

The healer can imagine white light or golden light passing through his or hers hands and enter the body viva the crystal’s that is placed on the body of the person to be healed.

 Imagining golden or white light passing through one’s hand is a very powerful method and can be used without crystals in a crystal healing session.

When we direct energy to our crystal healing pendants while in a deep mediation we feel like our whole body is on fire and vibrating at a very high level. We find after our mediation we feel extremely relax, but fully energized and totally aware of all our surrounding.

Our 5 sense are at a higher sense of awareness and are extremely sensitive to our surroundings.  Most healers who participate in a crystal healing session feel the same sensation as we do when we direct the Oneness energy to the crystal healing pendants. Therefore crystal healing is not only beneficial to the person receiving the crystal healing it is also extremely beneficial to the person who is applying the crystal healing.

 I am sure in time to come crystals and crystal healing will be accepted in the medical system as tool that can be combined with the normal medical applications.

Throughout history, many civilizations have used crystals, whether as symbols of power, evidence of status and wealth, symbols of love and affection, amulets for protection, or as tools for initiation, crystal therapy and crystal healing. 

For example, crystals have historical associations with many religions.  In the Bible, Aaron, the first priest of the Israelites, is described as having carnelians in his breastplate, and angels gave King Solomon a ring of crystals representing the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water.  Islam has the Black Stone of Mecca, which is touched by all pilgrims and which Muslims consider to be the right hand of God on Earth.

The first recorded evidence of “healing” crystals is in an Egyptian papyrus dating form around 1600BCE, which gives instructions for using crystals therapeutically.  The Egyptians make necklaces of lapis lazuli, malachite and red jasper for sick people to wear, believing that the stones would help to banish their illnesses.  They also ground down lapis lazuli, and even used it in a surgical procedure known as “trepanning” – implanting the crystals in the forehead at the brow chakra, to encourage the person to develop psychic skills.

The ancient Greeks, too, recognized the holistic healing properties of crystals, as did many other civilizations over the centuries, including the Mayans, the Celts, the Native North Americans and the Aborigines.  During the 16^th century, wealthy Europeans even took ground crystal powders as curative medicine.

When in 1746 the English apothecary and author Sir John Hill wrote that is was the minerals in the crystals hat accounted for their healing properties, he was echoing the more scientific approach that was becoming more prevalent in medicine at that time.  Soon, doctors just treated the symptoms of illness rather than treating the person as a whole, as they had done previously.

It was not until the 1980’s that Marcel Vogel, an American research scientist, carried out pioneering work that suggested it was the perfect structure of the crystals that could heal through their ability to store, amplify, convert, and repair subtle energy.

COMMON CRYSTAL FORMS

While the basic atomical structure of crystals is always the same, the stones come in many different shapes and forms – some natural and some man-made.  The most useful forms for crystal therapy and crystal healing are listed below;

Chunks – This form looks just like a lump of rock.  Exuding a soft, diffuse energy, it is good for absorbing electromagnetic stress from computers and other office equipment.  Chunks are relatively inexpensive to buy from crystal retailers.  Rose quartz is particularly common in this form.

Clusters – Are formed by groups of small crystals that join together.  They are particularly good at radiating energizing, calming or cleansing energy into any room or environment, depending on the type of crystal you use.  Crystals that commonly grow as clusters are amethyst and clear quartz.

Tumble stones – Are created by tumbling small crystals in a special machine with an abrasive until they become smooth and shiny.  Most crystals are available in this form, which makes them both inexpensive and convenient to carry around.  You can place a stone in your pocket to keep its energy with you wherever you go, or to act as a useful reminder of something important every time you touch it.

Shaped and faceted crystals – Crystals are sometimes cut and polished into shapes, such as spheres, pyramids, obelisks, and hearts, which make them very attractive as ornaments.  If stones are cut well, their energy is amplified by their shape.  For example, a sphere has a protective quality, while a heart shape projects love.

Crystal Therapy or Crystal Healing is a holistic treatment that works by activating the body’s own healing mechanisms to bring us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually back into balance. 

But how can crystals do this?

Scientists discovered long ago that crystals have a stable internal structure of perfectly repeating patterns.  Many crystals also emit a piezoelectrical charge – this means that they vibrate and generate energy.  One theory as how crystal therapy or crystal healing works is that, because of the perfect structure of crystals, their vibrations increase harmony in their immediate environment by restoring the energy levels of any people present to their optimal states.  Crystal Therapists harness these vibrations and the therapeutic properties on the stones’ colours to re-tune and rebalance the body’s energy systems to their individual blueprint for perfect health.

A crystal therapy or crystal healing normally starts with a conversation between the therapist and the client, during which they discuss the latter’s medical history and why the person has come for therapy or healing. 

 All information about the client is kept completely confidential.  Then, the client lies on a couch or sits in a chair fully clothed, and the therapist reads their subtle energy system by holding a crystal pendulum or his or her hands about two inches above the client’s body.

Our subtle energy system is made up of the aura (a sheath of energy surrounding the body), the meridians (channels that distribute subtle energy around the body) and the chakras (spinning vortices of the spine and the crown of the head).  Other common terms for subtle energy are chi, prana and life force.

During the treatment, the therapist chooses and places crystals around, and occasionally on, the client’s body to correct the energy imbalances they preserve, keeping the stones in place for 10 to 30 minutes. 

After the treatment, the therapist makes sure that the client feels grounded (firmly anchored in the physical world) again.  Most recipients report a deep sense of peace and relaxation during and after a crystal therapy or crystal healing.

HOW CRYSTALS FORM

Most of the crystals used in crystal therapy or crystal healing have taken millions of years to form.  But how? Movement in the Earth’s crust forces molten rock, hot liquids and gases from the mantle below to rise closer to the surface, where they cool and harden to make “igneous” rock.

Crystals form in this rock when the pressure, temperature, and minerals provide ideal conditions for the rock to crystallize.  The type and colour of the crystals are determined largely by the chemical composition of the minerals present in the rock and the amount of space they have available in which to grow.

When igneous rock and crystals are exposed at the Earth’s surface, they are eroded to dust by the elements.  This dust is washed down rivers to the sea and deposited as silt.  Over millions of years the silt compresses reform as “sedimentary” rock and crystals.  If igneous or sedimentary rocks and crystals undergo further changes from pressure and heat, their particles may re-combine into “metamorphic” rock and new crystals.

Crystal therapy By Shirley O’Donoghue

The shape of a crystal may exert a significant influence on its mode of action. 

 Some of the shapes of crystals are natural, and some are man-made.  In each one of its configurations, the basic natural energy of the particular crystals is preserved. 

The uniqueness of the shape lies in the fact that by means of the particular shape, it is possible to program the crystal to receive or transmit energy in various ways, and to dedicate it to various roles. 

When you wish to use a particular crystal of a specific purpose – one of those that will be discussed later – you can choose the configuration or the structure that suits the crystal.  Quartz crystals have their own unique configurations that will be described separately when we discuss the properties of quartz crystals.

The Cluster Shaped Crystal –

A cluster is a natural configuration that consists of a group of crystals.  The formation of the cluster reinforces the power of the crystal, and helps it spread its energies in a stronger and more diverse way.  The crystals in the cluster reinforce, charge, and purify one another.  It is used for purifying other crystals.  For this reason, the quartz cluster is used, in the main.  The citrine cluster is considered to attract abundance and prosperity.  The amethyst cluster is very soothing, and purifies the atmosphere and the air in a room.  Because they are groups of crystals that co-exist and cooperate in perfect harmony, clusters are superb for placing in rooms in which group activity takes place.  The energy of cooperation and unity that they transmit exerts a beneficial influence of groups that work together, on workplaces, on classrooms, and on groups that meet for meditation and spiritual development.  Because of the multiple crystals they contain, the clusters transmit powerful energy and spread harmony wherever they are placed.

The Egg Shaped Crystal –

Many crystals are industrially fashioned into an egg shape.  Using an egg shaped crystal; it is possible to cleanse the aura (by holding the crystal between the thumb and the fingers), locating holes in it and filling them.  Some crystal healing practitioners use egg shaped crystals as an aid in Shiatsu, reflexology, and acupressure treatments, because it is easy to hold (its shape fits in the palm exactly), and it can reinforce the therapeutic energies.  The pointed end of the egg can be pressed into the area being treated, or onto an acupressure or reflex spot.

Crystal Healing & Chakra

By Connie Islin (part II)

The fifth chakra – the throat chakra (Visuddha)

The throat chakra symbolizes our ability to express ourselves.  Since it links the heart chakra to the third eye charka, it represents the ability to express verbally what we think andfeel.  It is the source of communication, creativity, and belief.

The color of the throat chakra are blue, light blue, and turquoise.  Most of the crystals used to balance and stimulate the chakras, including blue lace agate, blue topaz, and blue
sapphire, are in these colors.

The sixth chakra – the third eye chakra (Ajna)
The sixth chakra symbolizes intuition, intellectual power, will power, and
knowledge.  It is responsible for the balance between the two cerebral hemispheres – the right and the left – and between intuition, emotion, and mysticism on the one hand, and logic and reason on the other.

The colors of the third eye chakra are indigo and purple.  For this reason, most of the crystals thatare used to stimulate and balance he chakras, such as sodalite, azurite, and
sugalite, are in these shades.

The seventh chakra – the crown chakra (Sasharata)
The crown chakra symbolizes enlightenment and cosmic knowledge, linking up to
the highest levels of awareness, and spiritual openness.  It is located in the middle of the head, on the crown.

The colors of the seventh chakras are purple and white.  For stimulating and opening the chakras, we use crystals in these colors, as well as channeling levels, such as selenite
and apophylite.

When we set about treating the chakras with crystals – cleansing, stimulating, balancing, and opening them – we can simply look at the color of the crystal in order to know the chakra for which it is appropriate.

Of course, it is possible to use the list of crystals that appears at the end of the description of the actions of each chakra in order to choose a suitable stone for our needs and
purposes.

However, if you feel that you are drawn intuitively to placing a particular stone (purified and cleansed, of course!) on a particular chakra, try it.

The possibilities for combinations and matches are endless.  If by chance you need a particular stone for treating one of the chakras, and you do not have it, you can use clear quartz crystal.

You will have to program it with the same properties that you wanted in the crystal that you do not have.

By Connie Islin from the book “All About Crystals”

Crystal Healing & Chakras

By Connie Islin (part I)

Since the containing and flow of energy is not identical among all the bodies, owing to the fact that some of them are finer and more delicate, and others are thicker, there are centers in the human body for the conversion of energy when it passes between the various
bodies.

The meaning of the word “chakra”is “wheel.”  The higher energies, cosmic energies, are channeled through the chakras.

This energy, which is also called life energy that flows through the
chakras, is of cardinal importance to our lives and physics, mental, and spiritual health.

When a situationarises in which the energy does not flow through the chakra in a harmoniousway, or when one of the chakras is blocked, or open too wide, an imbalance is
created that is manifested in all areas of life.  All the conscious bodies, as well as the
material body, have their own vibration frequency that responds to the
frequencies transmitted by the crystals.

The first chakra – the base chakra (Muladhara) 
The base chakra symbolizes man’s most basic needs – those of survival.  It is located between an anus and the genitals.  The base chakra stimulates our innate, basic survival instinct.  It links spiritual, intellectual, andemotional abilities with their physical manifestation. The colors of the base chakra are black and red.  For this reason, most of the crystals used for balancing it are in these colors.

The second chakra – the sex chakra (Swadhisthana)
The sex chakra symbolizes sexuality and sensuality, emotions and
creativity.  It is located on the pelvis, between the pubic bone.  The sex chakr are presents the change and individuality that comes from the understanding of the uniqueness of the self and that of the other.

The color of the sex chakra is orange and yellow that tends to orange.  Crystals in these shades such as carnelian and fire agate, are used to balance and open the chakra.

The third chakra – the solar plexus chakra (Manipura)
The solar plexus chakra symbolizes the “I” the ego, personal power, the development of the personality, our ability to influence others, our range of emotions, and the practical expression of the intellect.  It is located beneath the diaphragm.The color of the solar plexus chakra is yellow.

For this reason, most of the crystals used for opening, stimulating, and
balancing it are yellow, such as amber, citrine, and yellow topaz.

The fourth Chakra – the heart chakra (Anahata)
The heart chakra symbolizes love, balance, giving, devotion and healing.  It links
the three lower chakras to the three upper chakras, which means that a state on
imbalance in this chakra is manifested in the other chakras.  The heart chakra is located in the centre of the chest, parallel to the heart.

The color of the heart chakra are pink and green.  Thus, mainly pink and green crystals such asrose quartz, rhodochrosite, and green tourmaline are used to balance the
chakra

Five Part YouTube Video by Gerardus on the Writings on What is Our Reality.

Using Crystals in Crystal Healing

Crystals have exerted and endless fascination with mankind and history is rich with stories about the mystical and magical power of stones. 

  Even prehistoric men used certain stones and crystals as very important tools and weapons throughout the times. 

Many ancient civilizations such as the Mayan’s, Ancient China, Egypt, Native American Indians, the Incas and many more has had lots of experimentation with crystals and they have already figured out and recorded what stones help with what needs and/or ailments.

  
I’m sure you all know by now that crystals are often used in technology such as watches, radio’s and various other electronic devices.  We have all heard or been in contact with crystal healers and know how fascinating crystals has become as healing modalities and tools.    

Crystal healing is made possible due to the different crystals. 

The crystals and stones cannot do all the work by itself, the person needing the healing needs to put their intentions towards their healing goal. I’m sure you have heard the saying that goes “Where thoughts go, energy flows” Well, the stones and crystals will allow this. If you cannot resonate with this information and think this will not work for you then that is exactly what you will get, it will not work for you.

To each individual person – you have to find the crystal that suits you the best.  A good method to find the best crystal for you is to place the specific crystal that you chose and hold it in your left hand and see if you feel a connection with it.  You will find that the stone you were attracted to in the first place is normally the one that resonates with you. 

Some people choose rough ones and some choose polished ones – I personally use both, I work with the stones that I resonate with.  Rough stones normally give you a raw energy and polished stones emits a more smooth energy. 

All rock minerals and metals have healing properties and there is no such thing as a “bad” crystal, rock or stone.  Unfortunately a crystal can be programmed negatively as well as positively.  This is why it is essential to cleanse all new crystals in your possession. 

Crystals can be cleansed in many ways such as being placed in sea or salt water, it can be laid outside at night in the moon light, it can be covered in brown rice, it can also be placed in dried herbs or it can be laid on a bed of Amethyst or Carnelian crystal.

The importanct thing is to follow your own intuition and play with it, at the same time having fun. No stone or crystal is better or stronger than the other. Some crystal healing practitioners prefer using polished egg shaped and toning crystals as it is easier to use during a healing session. 

Scientifically crystals affect our bodies due to their composition as they consist of silicon dioxide and water and as you know our bodies consists of 70 – 80% silicon and water.

Crystals do not make things happen as most people think; they bring clarity and to dream of crystals is to dream of spiritual perfection and truth. 

Unhealthy animals thrive when surrounded in crystals, also place crystals in their drinking water