WHAT ARE CRYSTALS?

Yes, I know...you are thinking.."uuh..ohh!".."Crank!"..."Hippy dude!"..or just "PLAIN CRAZY!!" They were MY first thoughts too when I first read about crystals and their healing powers.  "How can a tiny coloured "stone" help me to get well?"...but I was so desperate to get rid of the pain and other symptoms which I was experiencing with my Mercury Poisoning that I was willing to try anything. I read a short bit about what different crystals were supposed to do, how each crystal has a "job" of it's own and I went in search of a shop which sold crystals. I found one just a few streets away and came back with a small bagful of crystals and a book from my local library about Crystal Healing. I didn't know there were so many crystals, all kinds of  colours, shapes and sizes, some smooth, some rough, but none looked particularly "healing" in it's look. Positive thoughts give positive results! I knew that I had to be positive about the crystals. I cleansed them and the next morning put a few of them in my pockets. During the day I felt calm and less stressed than I usually was. Having Mercury Poisoning is VERY stressful! Over the next week I noticed a difference in the way I felt. My general day to day health was improving. I didn't know whether it was coincidence or just psychological but I DID feel better. My thoughts were that if I was going down down the "Hey Man..hippy dude" road....then so what? I lot of people, including myself before I bought my crystals, have thought that it is all a load of nonsense and can't see how a little bit of coloured crystal can make a difference to one's health, but even if it WAS psychological, IT WAS WORKING!!! The mind is a powerful thing. If my mind was telling me that those crystals were helping me then I didn't care. I knew I was feeling better, whether it was the crystals themselves or my mind telling me they were working I was definitely seeing an improvement in my health.  One morning I forgot to put my crystals in my pocket and I went out. Whilst I was out I felt ill.  A lot of my symptoms were emerging at once. They hadn't done that for a while. It wasn't until I got home that I found my crystals on the coffee table! I put them in my pocket and within a couple of hours I felt fine again. It may be "all in the mind", I don't know. But I tried going out without them on purpose on other days. Whenever I didn't have them close to me in my pocket I didn't feel too good. I had heard many times over the years that crystals had powerful healing properties, but didn't really think about looking into it. It wasn't something which interested me and I had no real reason to find out about them. I did think that it was only for the "hippy dude" people, new age travellers and the like....people who were "into" odd things, or what I would call "odd". But when you are very ill and cannot find any relief in conventional medicine you are willing to try anything..and I WAS!! And I'm glad I bought my crystals. I would never be without them now. I never go anywhere without my amethyst, tiger's eye and hematite crystals. If you look around you will see that there is a lot of jewellery made from crystals.  Mostly the crystals are set into gold or silver, but you can get some rings which are not just set with the crystals but ARE crystals.  I have a ring, just a plain band, which is pure hematite. I've seen them made from agate and jade but not any other crystal...so far!  Wearing jewellery which is set with crystals is helpful, but usually the crystals are very small, but just the same, they do help.  You must rememeber to cleanse your jewellery thought just as you would your chunks of crystal. WHAT DID I LEARN FROM THE BOOK? I sat down to read my book to find out exactly what a crystal is. I found it quite boring, to be honest, and skipped most of it. I just wanted to use the right crystals and hope that I would see an improvement in my health.  I learnt that Atoms are tiny particles which make up all matter. Atoms of a particular kind form elements. The entire universe is made up of 103 elements, which exist by themselves or combine with other elements to form compounds. Almost all the Earth's crust is made up of only 8 elements. Minerals are non-living compounds of elements that are only found in nature. They are the building-blocks of rocks and they can form crystals. Rocks are solid mixtures of one or more minerals. They make up the inorganic solid portion of the planet Earth. Crystals are solid substances with atoms arranged in an orderly pattern which usually form smooth flat surfaces called faces. All crystals can be divided into 1 of 7 crystal systems, based on the way they are shaped. The earth is constantly changing because of heat and pressure from the inside and from weather on the Earth's surface. These changes cause rocks to form. there are 3 categories of rocks: IGNEOUS rocks are formed when magma or molten rock from deep inside teh Earth cools. Sometimes magma is forced to the surface of the Earth by pressure inside. the pressure causes volcanos to erupt which produces lava. SEDIMENTARY rocks are formed near the surface of teh Earth by wind, water and weather. Erosion causes little bits of sand or soil, or pieces or rocks and shells to move over the Earth. they finally settle together and harden in layers. METAMORPHIC rocks are formed when extreme heat, pressure and major shifting of the earth cause changes in igneous or sedimentary rocks. They often look like they have been folded or squeezed. RESIN: One form of crystal "Amber" is a resin. It forms from the sap of trees millions of years old. The sap runs out and it solidifies, becoming "resin". Sometimes in an Amber stone you can see little raindrops or even tiny insects trapped inside. CRYSTALS AND THEIR PROPERTIES is a type of quartz with hidden or microscopic crystals. Light and dark bands of colour usually cross the stone or form a circular pattern. There are different colour agate crystals with different properties. Agate is a good overall healing stone that brings balance to all parts of the body. It can aid in lifting depression by opening the door to understanding. The lymphatic system, pancreas and circulatory system all benefit from this mineral. fossilised tree resin which is found mainly in the Baltic regions. It is considered a "mystic" resin. Worn around the neck it helps to control asthma, bronchial disorders, catarrh, hay fever and convulsions. It is also good for bladder problems, rheumatism and intestinal ailments. is a Quartz crystal with pale lavender to deep purple colours. The colours are caused by traces of iron in the quartz and will be lost if heated. The deep purple specimens are valued as gemstones. Amethyst strengthens the immune system and aids both the pituitary and pineal glands, it is therefore a very good blood cleanser and an all round healer. This brownish-yellow quartz with crystals is sometimes referred to as false topaz and burnt amethyst. Colours in quartz are usually caused by some sort of impurity. Sometimes you can look through the glassy surface and see air bubbles or traces of other minerals trapped within the crystals. Citrine is a mineral that does not hold negative energy. This crystal aids digestion and stomach disorders. It eliminates destructive tendencies by raising the self-esteem. is a mineral with crystals found in cavities of sedimentary rocks. The natural cleavage of fluorite is the 8-sided shape (octahedron). Larger chunks of fluorite look like square shapes grouped together. It is brittle and transparent, with a glassy lustre, often fluorescent. Fluorite promotes relaxation and peace of mind. It is a natural healer. A smooth piece of Fluorite stroked across the skin in the direction of the heart relieves pain. It is also particularly good with rheumatism and arthritis. It also aids the healing of skin tissue. It is thought to fend off colds. is among the most common minerals. They are hard translucent to transparent, and have a glassy lustre. One type of garnet is crimson red and is found embedded in a matrix of igneous or metamorphic rock. another type of garnet forms a solid mass, with a pale green colour. Garnet helps to purify the blood. It is strongly associated with the balancing of sex drive and emotional disharmony. It can bring love, compassion and an enhanced imagination. Hematite is the most important iron ore. It is a dense mineral with a metallic lustre and steel-grey colour. The word hema is the Greek word for blood. Hematite leaves a reddish-brown mark in the streak test commonly used to identify minerals. It is used as a pigment and as a polishing powder. It works extremely well in restoring, strengthening and regulating the blood flow. Hands crippled from bad circulation respond to holding a piece of Hematite. Sufferers of cramp and spasms notice an improvement in their health just by having it touch their skin. Hematite grounds negative energies that manifest as stress. It releases us from compulsive habits like drinking, smoking and over-eating - nervous obsessive behaviour. Keep a couple of pieces in your pocket and tumble them like worry beads. The almost turquoise blue howlite is used in the teachings of patience and aids memory expansion. It can eliminate rage and calm violent, uncontrolled negative energies. It is also good for the teeth and bones. is a common sedimentary rock and a type of fine-grained quartz. It is an opaque stone round in earthy reds, yellows, browns and greens caused by the presence of iron and/or other impurities. Jasper is good for soothing the nerves and useful for controlling the emotions. is an emerald green sedimentary mineral with a silky lustre. It has a distinctive pattern of dark and light green stripes. typically found in copper deposits, malachite is cut for gems, and large pieces may be used for decorative objects such as tabletops. Known to help diabetes, sufferers benefit from carrying some around the waist in a pouch. It is also useful to sufferers of epilepsy, travel sickness and vertigo. It a good immune system enhancer. It is reputed to aid shyness. has a glassy surface and often has a pearly or opalescent sheen. It is a type of albite, which is a member or the feldspar family and it is volcanic by origin. Moonstone is often colourless or whitish-blue. A "feminine" stone, inspiring flexibility, nurturing and wisdom and believed helpful in childbirth. It also aids period pains . As it has a calming affect, if placed in a glass of water for several hours before drinking, it can combat insomnia. is a type of igneous rock that is like natural glass. It comes in a variety of colours, some can look like a beautiful polished rainbow. It is formed from the rapid cooling of lava following a volcanic eruption and has no crystals or bubble. Obsidian splinters into sharp fragments. Obsidian helps to clarify the inner state of mind, relieving confusion. A piece placed on a bedside cabinet whilst you sleep will absorb mental stress and tensions. Because it absorbs so much negative energy quickly the stone should be washed under cold running water in the morning before using it again. is the mot common mineral on Earth. It has a hard glassy surface and occurs in many shapes and colours. Clear quartz is found in masses, in clusters or as points, which are pieces of clusters Quartz generates an electrical charge and has many scientific, industrial and metaphysical uses. Aids peacefulness and calm in relationships. It will also ease stress and tension and assist sleep. the pinkish colour of rose quartz is probably due to traces of manganese or titanium in the quartz. the fact that it is usually found in a solid mass rather than as crystals is a mystery to geologists. Rose Quartz is popular for meditation. sodalite is colourless with transparent or translucent properties, but the colour blue is most common. Many specimens are fluorescent in ultraviolet light. Sodalite is light and fragile and relatively rare. The crystals are found in the lava erupted from Mt. Vesuvius. Sodalite helps with phobias and calms panic attacks. It has a reassuring and calming effect. Can relieve a "heavy" heart.  Sodalite also aids the metabolism and lymphatic system. is a type of quartz with fibres of asbestos and other minerals inside. The golden brown bands of colour shimmer across the surface with a mysterious light like the eye of a tiger. Tiger's eye used a lot in jewellery making. It is the most beautiful of all crystals. Carried around in your pocket and tumbled between the fingers during time of stress, has a distinctive calming effect. It is a useful crystal when feeling complacent and also during exams or business meetings. Also aids the digestive system. CLEANSING YOUR CRYSTALS BEFORE USE After you have bought your crystals, before using them you must cleanse them. Crystals are formed deep within the Earth. Obviously, the the time you have them in your possession they have been contaminated by both negative and positive energies from many sources including the hands of other people . The cleansing is crucial. What is required from the crystal is the sacred, true and uncontaminated vibration of unconditional love that crystals radiate naturally. It must become YOURS. You do this by soaking the crystal in salt water overnight. Some crystals are not suitable for cleansing in this way. Those include Gypsum, Celestite, Lapis Selenite, malachite and Turquoise. It is a good idea to ask in the shop when you buy the crystal if your crystal can be cleansed. Just add a good handful of salt to some cold water and let your crystals soak in them overnight. In the morning rinse them under cold running water. Any vibration the crystals had absorbed before you bought them would now be gone. If anyone other than yourself touches the crystals be sure to cleanse them in the same way or the crystals will have absorbed the vibrations from that person and pass them to you. Native Americans say the only way to cleanse crystals properly is to make a pouch. This should be of natural fibres with a drawstring closure. the crystals for cleansing are then placed in the pouch and held down in a natural running freshwater stream by a large boulder securing the drawstring. They should then be left for one Full Moon cycle before use. This is not the most convenient way of cleansing, especially if one lives in the middle of London!