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Rock On: The Healing Power of Stones and Crystals
I was feeling lost without my favourite necklace. It was a simple cubic zirconia pendant with a cheap metal attachment. It broke off in the shower, and my standard piece of jewellery was no longer part of my fashion repertoire. I had been searching all over for a suitable replacement, but nothing seemed to catch my eye. I wanted sterling silver with a pretty, neutral stone that I could wear with anything.
I was walking along Fifth Street in downtown Courtenay and I was inexplicably drawn into a store called Winds of Change. I had been in before, looking for some books about Buddhism, but I never knew that they had pendants. I walked in and was immediately stuck by the sense of energy that was flowing throughout the space. I peered through the glass display counter and picked out 4 necklaces that I thought fit the bill. The woman told me to disregard price and go for the crystal that I was immediately drawn to. She told me to take each pendant in my hands and feel its energy before choosing. Just by looks, I was immediately drawn to the turquoise, but as soon as I picked it up, I knew it was not the stone for me. I then picked up a green jasper stone, and got the same reaction. The pale green jade was giving me a slight tingle, but it was not until I picked up the translucent watermelon tourmaline that I knew I had found the right stone.
Now, I’m not usually one for metaphysical mumbo jumbo, but I was a convert as soon as she told me about the healing properties of that stone. I went through a scary bout of pre-cancer in the fall, have fought mild depression for years and also struggle fiercely with food addiction. The stone, she explained, is said to have a calming effect during emotional upheavals or when there are conflicts between people of different temperaments. It is also useful for attracting love and used to heal the heart and emotions. It is also thought to reduce nervousness and anxiety and calm addictive tendencies. Sold! How could a gemstone fit me so perfectly? How did I pick up the stone and be attracted to it without even knowing that it was a perfect match for me?
The healing power of stones has long been praised in the metaphysical community, but many of their applications have funnelled in to mainstream society. Have you ever been to the spa and received one of those stone treatments? They line the warm stones up and down your body on certain pressure points, and the warmth and energy from the stones permeates your skin and muscles. Oftentimes, the stones are steeped in aromatic oils and massaged on your body, providing a rejuvenating, therapeutic experience. This type of stone therapy has its origins in several ancient cultures including Roman, Aboriginal, Japanese and Chinese.
The Romans used cold stone therapy as part of their bath regime. After soaking for long periods of time in steaming hot tubs, the patient would then lie on cold marble slabs, which acted as a healing counterpoint for aching muscles and joints. Aboriginal people in North America would use hot stones warmed by the fire to alleviate the lower back and abdominal cramps associated with women’s lunar cycles. Today, many women use hot water bottles or microwavable heating pads to achieve the same results. In ancient Japan, men and women would place hot stones on and around their abdomen after meals to aid in digestion and bowel mobility, and in China, the stones would be used for healing massages to relieve stress and muscular pain.
Hot stones are not the only way to benefit from the power of rocks. Crystals and gemstones have long been praised for their healing properties, and their beauty helps to ease people into their power. Several ancient civilizations relied on the mystical and therapeutic powers of crystals. The fabled lost city of Atlantis, for instance, allegedly had a pyramid-shaped crystal at the centre of its civilization. According to Crystal Theorist Edgar Cayce, “The Great Crystal was housed in a special building oval in shape, with a dome that could be rolled back, exposing the Crystal to the light of the sun, moon and stars at the most favourable time. The Crystal itself, the Tuaoi Stone, or Firestone, was huge in size, cylindrical in length, and prismatic in shape, cut with six sides. Atop the crystal was a moveable capstone, used to both concentrate incoming rays of energy, and to direct currents to various parts of the Atlantean countryside. It appears that the Crystal gathered solar, lunar, stellar, atmospheric and Earth energies as well as unknown elemental forces and concentrated these at a specific point, located between the top of the Crystal and the bottom of the capstone.”
The power of the crystal and its multi-faceted shape were potent enough to provide an additional energy source to an entire city. But the powers of crystals aren’t limited to uses on such an immense scale. On a more individual basis, it is widely thought that the curative power of crystals and gems comes from their inert interaction with the body’s main chakra points. The seven points rotate at different speeds and release different types of energy, imbuing the body with its various life forces. The arteries or channels within one’s body can become clogged from stress, anxiety, poor health or sickness. Using the crystals and gemstones in addition to your own personal meditation or exercise is thought to help realign these energy points, and promote health, happiness and well-being.
After a few weeks of wearing my tourmaline stone, I’ve noticed that I am significantly happier, am less stressed and have been one of the few people in my office who did not succumb to the annual bouts of colds and flus. Whether or not this is coincidence or merely a placebo affect is yet to be seen, but either way, it had shown nothing but positive results.
Although the benefits outweigh any foreseeable risks, it’s important to understand that crystal therapy should not replace traditional western medicine for severe ailments. They are used more to achieve overall health and well being, positivity and clarity. If you’re interested in learning about the different healing properties of crystals, there are many gemstone encyclopaedias found online. One of the most important pieces of advice I was told when picking out my stone is to let the stone pick you. Once you’ve found your stone, you’ll know it; and if you allow its energy to impact you, it could well be a life changing experience.
I was walking along Fifth Street in downtown Courtenay and I was inexplicably drawn into a store called Winds of Change. I had been in before, looking for some books about Buddhism, but I never knew that they had pendants. I walked in and was immediately stuck by the sense of energy that was flowing throughout the space. I peered through the glass display counter and picked out 4 necklaces that I thought fit the bill. The woman told me to disregard price and go for the crystal that I was immediately drawn to. She told me to take each pendant in my hands and feel its energy before choosing. Just by looks, I was immediately drawn to the turquoise, but as soon as I picked it up, I knew it was not the stone for me. I then picked up a green jasper stone, and got the same reaction. The pale green jade was giving me a slight tingle, but it was not until I picked up the translucent watermelon tourmaline that I knew I had found the right stone.
Now, I’m not usually one for metaphysical mumbo jumbo, but I was a convert as soon as she told me about the healing properties of that stone. I went through a scary bout of pre-cancer in the fall, have fought mild depression for years and also struggle fiercely with food addiction. The stone, she explained, is said to have a calming effect during emotional upheavals or when there are conflicts between people of different temperaments. It is also useful for attracting love and used to heal the heart and emotions. It is also thought to reduce nervousness and anxiety and calm addictive tendencies. Sold! How could a gemstone fit me so perfectly? How did I pick up the stone and be attracted to it without even knowing that it was a perfect match for me?
The healing power of stones has long been praised in the metaphysical community, but many of their applications have funnelled in to mainstream society. Have you ever been to the spa and received one of those stone treatments? They line the warm stones up and down your body on certain pressure points, and the warmth and energy from the stones permeates your skin and muscles. Oftentimes, the stones are steeped in aromatic oils and massaged on your body, providing a rejuvenating, therapeutic experience. This type of stone therapy has its origins in several ancient cultures including Roman, Aboriginal, Japanese and Chinese.
The Romans used cold stone therapy as part of their bath regime. After soaking for long periods of time in steaming hot tubs, the patient would then lie on cold marble slabs, which acted as a healing counterpoint for aching muscles and joints. Aboriginal people in North America would use hot stones warmed by the fire to alleviate the lower back and abdominal cramps associated with women’s lunar cycles. Today, many women use hot water bottles or microwavable heating pads to achieve the same results. In ancient Japan, men and women would place hot stones on and around their abdomen after meals to aid in digestion and bowel mobility, and in China, the stones would be used for healing massages to relieve stress and muscular pain.
Hot stones are not the only way to benefit from the power of rocks. Crystals and gemstones have long been praised for their healing properties, and their beauty helps to ease people into their power. Several ancient civilizations relied on the mystical and therapeutic powers of crystals. The fabled lost city of Atlantis, for instance, allegedly had a pyramid-shaped crystal at the centre of its civilization. According to Crystal Theorist Edgar Cayce, “The Great Crystal was housed in a special building oval in shape, with a dome that could be rolled back, exposing the Crystal to the light of the sun, moon and stars at the most favourable time. The Crystal itself, the Tuaoi Stone, or Firestone, was huge in size, cylindrical in length, and prismatic in shape, cut with six sides. Atop the crystal was a moveable capstone, used to both concentrate incoming rays of energy, and to direct currents to various parts of the Atlantean countryside. It appears that the Crystal gathered solar, lunar, stellar, atmospheric and Earth energies as well as unknown elemental forces and concentrated these at a specific point, located between the top of the Crystal and the bottom of the capstone.”
The power of the crystal and its multi-faceted shape were potent enough to provide an additional energy source to an entire city. But the powers of crystals aren’t limited to uses on such an immense scale. On a more individual basis, it is widely thought that the curative power of crystals and gems comes from their inert interaction with the body’s main chakra points. The seven points rotate at different speeds and release different types of energy, imbuing the body with its various life forces. The arteries or channels within one’s body can become clogged from stress, anxiety, poor health or sickness. Using the crystals and gemstones in addition to your own personal meditation or exercise is thought to help realign these energy points, and promote health, happiness and well-being.
After a few weeks of wearing my tourmaline stone, I’ve noticed that I am significantly happier, am less stressed and have been one of the few people in my office who did not succumb to the annual bouts of colds and flus. Whether or not this is coincidence or merely a placebo affect is yet to be seen, but either way, it had shown nothing but positive results.
Although the benefits outweigh any foreseeable risks, it’s important to understand that crystal therapy should not replace traditional western medicine for severe ailments. They are used more to achieve overall health and well being, positivity and clarity. If you’re interested in learning about the different healing properties of crystals, there are many gemstone encyclopaedias found online. One of the most important pieces of advice I was told when picking out my stone is to let the stone pick you. Once you’ve found your stone, you’ll know it; and if you allow its energy to impact you, it could well be a life changing experience.
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