Holistic Healing for Addiction

Crystal Healing Pt. Two

Judy Hall's method of crystal dowsing is a simple way to see if a crystal's energy will work well with yours. Introducing the method in The Encyclopedia of Crystals, the process is described in the figure below:

When I first encountered the finger dowsing method of crystal selection, I was skeptical. Surely I could easily break the circle of my fingers any time I wanted during the exercise. I thought finger dowsing would hold little value to my experiences with crystal healing. I was wrong. Crystals destined to work with you will not allow the circle of your fingers to break, whereas those crystals which are not suitable for use during dowsing will easily break apart the careful circle your fingers construct again and again. It is fascinating. It was not until several dozen crystals glided through my hands that I was able to experience my fingers pull apart almost instantly form a specimen that was not intended for my use.

To crystal dowse, simply hold your intertwined fingers above the crystal in question, and pull.

for Use

Cleansing crystals is a critical part of practicing effective stone therapy. Crystals are recorders of information- it is quartz crystal which allows our computers to store data. In The Hidden Messages in Water by Masaru Emoto, Japanese scientists prove water, much like crystals, is able to store and retain information of thoughts, feelings, and emotions:

"The realization that water has the ability to copy information has changed my life . . . doctors would not even consider the possibility that water by itself had healing capabilities."

"In 1988, the French scientist Jacques Benveniste undertook an experiment to test the basic principles of homeopathy. He diluted a medicine with water to the point where the medicine was no longer detectable by clinical means, and then he discovered that this dilution had the same effect on patients as the undiluted medicine."

When you handle a crystal, your emotions, impressions, and otherwise self-contained energetic smog- whether benevolent or not- remains. That is more than the physicality of the fingerprint you leave behind. Crystals and healing stones absorb energy every time anyone handles them. When you come into possession of a crystal, whether it is gifted, purchased, or found, the energetic residues of whoever has handled them will remain. Before you begin working with your crystals, and after you are finished working with them during each session, it is imperative to cleanse your crystal.

Many crystal healers simply smudge their gemstones with white sage. Sage is known universally as an herb which dispels negativity and bad energy. Native Americans are sometimes credited with introducing the metaphysical properties of sage to our Westernized world. (Did you know some people will not even leave the house if they have not smudged themselves?) A 2006 review in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology researchers found "ambient smoke," the type produced by smudging, "is air purifying and that smoke-based remedies are highly effective in that they offer rapid delivery to the brain, and more efficient absorption by the body." Moreover, smudging kills bacteria in the air, up to 94% when coupled with wood and "medicinal herbs" in a closed-room environment, when allowed to smoke for a 24 hour period, as reported in a 2007 study in the Journal of Enthopharmacology.

To smudge a crystal simply take a smoldering bundle of sage (also called a smudging stick) and bathe the stone in the smoke emanating from the plant. The smoke will cleanse the crystal and prepare the stone for metaphysical work. Smudging is the most common form of cleansing crystals, but it is not the only way cleansing is achieved.

Placing your stones on a bed of Citrine will cleanse them from negative energies.Placing your stones on a bed of Citrine will cleanse them from negative energies.

Copper is for wonderful conducting energy, and will empower the energy of the crystals used in your pendants.

Salt is well known to have banishing and cleansing properties. You may cleanse your crystals by placing them in a salt dish overnight. This method appeals to those who are drawn to the element of Earth. (Or maybe you have more salt than you do sage.) You may also purify your crystals in the light of the moon, by running them under water, or charging them in the sun. Be careful about submerging certain crystals into water, as this may dissolve them; conversely, it is not advisable to place vibrant crystals in the sun for any length of time, as this may dull their luster.