6 Things You Need To Know When Collecting Crystals
With a variety of crystals gaining popularity on various social media apps, you must be interested in knowing, how you can start your own crystal collection for your spiritual journey. There is quite a bit of misinformation that gets spread around regarding things such as how to use crystals while some very important information related to responsibly buying crystals, is still unchecked.
Here are six things that you need to know in order to make the best decisions when creating your crystal collection.
1. Source your crystals wisely
You might be excited to start your crystal collection and want to rush to your nearest crystal shop however, you need to be careful from who and where you buy your crystals.
A lot of businesses recognize that there is a big interest in wanting to buy crystals due to the rising popularity. Therefore, the crystals that are sold in some shops might not be ethically sourced which goes against the purpose of using healing crystals.
Healing crystals are used to heal yourself either physically or spiritually, as well as being able to connect yourself to your surroundings so you can gain a higher level of awareness. This is not possible if you buy and support crystals from businesses that only care about profit.
It's important for you to care about if the crystals at your local shop are ethically sourced because chances are, other spiritual items such as sage are also sold and that can be problematic if it's not ethically sourced.
If the crystal shop you visit also sells white sage or palo santo, chances are it's not an ethical business. White sage and palo santo are items used by Indigenous people for specific practices but have been in danger due to businesses constantly selling them. With a shortage in white sage and palo santo, Indigenous people don't have the resources necessary to participate in their practices.
2. Know if you're buying your crystals from a genuine business
Crystals can absorb the energies of those who touch them as well as the environment around them. If a crystal is constantly touched by people who intend to use the crystals only for financial gain, it might be dangerous to have around before being cleansed.
In addition, some businesses raise the prices on crystals that don't normally don't cost a lot, to begin with. Selenite is a common crystal found in shops and normally doesn't cost a lot with a four-inch wand usually costing a dollar and a seven-inch wand costing around five dollars. In contrast, some shops might raise the price and sell a four-inch selenite wand for five dollars or more.
A way to tell if the business you're shopping at is genuine is by asking for information about the crystal you're interested in. Do some research about any crystal you're interested in buying and ask for more information when you're in the store. People who are knowledgeable will be able to give you an in-depth explanation as well as some tips and tricks for a specific crystal.
If the answer you are given matches up to what you've learned about in your research and doesn't sound generic, chances are the people who work at the store care a lot about crystals.
3. Not every crystal is beginner-friendly
There are a lot of crystals that are excellent for beginners because they are either more accessible, budget-friendly or have uses that are beginner-friendly. Smoky quartz and black tourmaline are great crystals to use for protecting and warding off any negative energies.
Smoky quartz is intended to make you feel calmer in your everyday life because it absorbs any anxious or unpleasant thoughts you have that can prevent you from enjoying or doing things in your life.
Black tourmaline aims to protect you from any negative energy that is in your surroundings. This stone can help quell any nightmares or uncomfortable dreams you may be having as it expels any negative energy that might enter when you are in a state of unconsciousness.
Rose quartz is excellent for aiding issues related to love. Rose quartz can raise your self-esteem by making you feel more confident and appreciative of yourself. If you are nervous about being around people especially strangers, rose quartz can influence people to be more positive and pleasant towards you.
If you are interested in attracting romantic love or improving your romantic relationships, then rose quartz is the way to go.
Contrary to popular belief, amethyst shouldn't be used by beginners unless they understand its purpose. Amethyst connects you to your third eye which in turn can make you connect to yourself and others spiritually. The problem with connecting to the spiritual realm is that sometimes you can come into contact with other spirits whether it is your guides or roaming spirits in general.
Not everyone is eager to be in the presence of spirits especially if you are a beginner. Amethyst is also used to amplify one's dreams because entities can enter more easily and influence your dreams. If you are someone who is sensitive to having intense dreams then it is not recommended to sleep in the same room as this stone.
A popular crystal that has been making rounds on TikTok is moldavite, with a lot of people promoting the stone to help you advance in your spiritual journey very quickly. A problem with that message is that spiritual journeys are not always positive. Spiritual journeys involve having you face the negative aspects of your life and which can involve having to come to accept some harsh truths.
Moldavite speeds up your spiritual journey by forcing you to tackle negative habits, mindsets, and even people in your life. People can suddenly leave your life if it turns out they had negative intentions towards you despite having a close relationship. This is due to malachite removing any rose-colored glasses you may have about people around you and even though cutting relationships that don't serve you is beneficial, it can be a lot for a beginner.
4. Crystals need to be regularly cleaned
Because crystals are constantly touched by other people before making their way to your home, they can absorb the energies which can either be negative or positive. In order to be safe, it is recommended to cleanse your crystal before you use it. Ways to cleanse can include salt bath, moonlight, sunlight, or sage.
To do a salt bath it is recommended to use pink Himalayan salt as it can draw out and purify any negative energies your crystals have absorbed. You can place your crystals in a dish filled with salt and leave them for a couple of hours.
Using the moon can be powerful for cleansing depending on what phase of the moon you place your crystals under. Putting your crystals under a full moon is good for getting rid of anything that no longer serves you. Putting your crystals under a new moon is good for inviting new fresh opportunities to things you want to manifest.
You should use crystals that are closely related to the moon such as selenite or moonstone in direct moonlight for 12 hours or before sunrise to get maximum benefits.
Like the moon, the sun is great for recharging because it is associated with masculine energy meaning that it will make any intentions you make be amplified. Place the crystals in direct sunlight for 12 hours or until the sun starts to set. Be mindful about what stones you place as amethyst and soft stones can become damaged when placed under the sun.
Due to the low amount of white sage and palo santo available, you can use other herbs like lavender instead. Lavender is a great tool for cleansing because it promotes positivity while washing away anything that might bring you fear.
Depending on how often you use your crystal determines how often it should be cleansed. If you use it almost daily or several times a week, it's best to set a day every week to charge them. If you use them casually then it is safe to charge them once every month.
5. Crystals need to be charged with intent before use
While crystals can bring some changes to your life on their own, it's suggested that you charge it with an intention in order to experience the full benefits. A way to charge your crystal is by setting aside a couple of minutes every day and meditating.
When you are meditating, you should sit or lay down in a comfortable position where you won't move around too much in a quiet area. You should have your crystal in one of your hands. If you are unable to meditate in a quiet area, then you can listen to meditating music to maintain focus.
Start taking several deep breaths to calm your body and mind and any fleeting thoughts should start slowing down. It's ok if you are unable to maintain a quiet mind for a long period if you are a beginner. If you are consistent with calming down your mind and body it'll become easier to maintain a state of quietness for a longer period.
Once your body and mind are comfortably calm and as quiet as you can get it to, start affirming something you want in your life that aligns with the stone's purpose. For example, if you are holding rose quartz you should affirm to yourself that your life is filled with love and positivity.
When you feel satisfied with the number of times you've affirmed, you can then come out of the meditation and carry on with your day.
6. Make an altar for your crystals
Creating an altar for your crystals is good because it can be a sacred space that holds and protects your intentions. An altar doesn't have to be big or fancy in order to be effective. All it needs is having a designated space to place your crystals that are charged with intentions.
Most people like to put their crystals in a glass tray in their bedrooms as that is a space where people feel safest and feel more protected having their crystals nearby. Some like to put salt on their trays and have their altar as a designated charging station for crystals that were used all day.
