ONDA and The Cristalline have collaborated to create a beautiful crystal starter kit focusing on self-care. We asked Rashia Bell, from The Cristalline, to share how crystals enhance your well-being.
How do I know what crystals are right for me?
I really like to take a two-fold approach to selecting crystals. The first approach is to come at it from a problem/solution perspective by examining what isn’t working, or what you are trying to create in your life. The second one, which I think is the most important is to touch and feel stones to see which ones you are drawn to; whether by color, weight, temperature or texture. I believe that instinctively the right stones will ultimately choose you, so if you allow yourself to experience them, then you will find the ones you need.
How can I apply crystals to my daily life?
Crystals can be incorporated in so many ways throughout your day. Whether it is to carry small ones in your pocket to spark creativity, to hold one before bed to promote relaxation or to help ground oneself during mediation, interactions with crystals are useful. Crystals are great tools in that even if it is a visual cue that occurs in the mind when you see a stone sitting on a table, that recognition is eliciting a response just in the brief moment of noticing its form and beauty. It’s not about how you have to use them, but rather how you choose to. Holding a stone even briefly in your hand creates a moment where you press pause, shift your attention and energy and just experience it. Every stone and every feeling is going to be different for each person.
How can I use crystals in my home or workspace in a beneficial way?
At home crystals can be used to help balance the energy in a space, and the people who co-exist in it. Crystals have properties that hold different energies, while at the same time they have the ability to enhance, protect and transmute certain energies. Your space has its own energy, and you as the individual have another. There are crystals like Black Tourmaline to help protect your environment from the electromagnetic frequencies from all the technology in our homes, or crystals like Amethyst to create calm and help one sleep. Using crystals in this way is really about figuring out how you can resonate with your space on the best possible energy level. Crystals can be useful in a workplace by having them in your line of sight. If you are a writer you want a stone like Citrine to help you focus and ignite your creative energy. If you are in finance, you will want a stone like Green Aventurine that promotes wealth and abundance. Having them at your workspace to both see and touch, can create subtle shifts within your workday that can make you more productive and successful.
How do I know that what I'm buying is the real thing?
First and foremost you want to purchase from stores and individuals that you trust, like ONDA! What is the difference between larger stones and smaller ones? It depends on the context of the stone. For individuals it is really about personal preference, some people are drawn to smaller ones and some like larger pieces. In the context of using crystals in a space, a larger stone is going to have a bigger impact on the energy, but that is not to say that you can’t get the same effect using clusters of smaller stones throughout, it ultimately depends on what works best with you and your space design.
Is there a difference in the energy that's given off by one that is raw vs. one that is polished?
This question is something that is always up for debate. Largely, I think it depends on the application of the stone and again personal preference. A raw stone is not going to necessarily feel comfortable on the body in a crystal healing or be easy to carry around so tumbled stones are often preferred. Certain metallic stones are tumbled to help protect from toxicity depending on the use so in that instance it would definitely be recommended. Some people feel the energy of rough stones is stronger and vice versa, but it depends on the individual and the strength of the energy you are looking for at that particular time. When incorporating crystals into spaces, we love to use rough stones for the home such as those that we selected for this self care set, because the look and feel of the stones have great texture and presence. Ultimately, I think it is important for you to listen to your intuition as to what type of stone finish is the best energetically for you. What you want to steer clear of, are stones that are polished to look a certain way ie: quartz that has facets that are artificially created and not natural, or stones with artificial coloring. Those alterations can affect the energy of the stones. Which is exactly why you want to purchase your stones from a reliable source of natural stones in any preferred finish.
How can I tell if they're working?
The magical thing about crystals is that there is no right or wrong, because everyone’s experience is unique. If you come across some that you like and are drawn to them, than they are working in the way that they should because you found them. I really believe that if you even simply can start by appreciating them for their aesthetics, then you are on your way to discovering how they work. Simply take two stones, close your eyes and hold one in your non-dominant hand for a few minutes. Notice the weight, the texture, does it feel hot or cold? Do you feel any sensations when you hold it in your hands? Take note. Put that stone down and repeat the same process with the other stone. What differences do you feel between the two? Crystals are a product of nature and the minerals and earth conditions that came together in different ways and have therefore formed stones comprised of different properties. If you are able to tap into your body and intuition, you will be inherently able to notice the differences amongst various stones and how those properties resonate with the own properties of your body’s energetic composition. Is there a book you would recommend to learn more or look up specific crystals? My favorite book for this is The Big Book of Stones: Who They Are & What They Teach by Robert Simmons & Naisha Ahsian. It’s basically a dictionary of all things crystals, and it was the first book I bought to start to increase my knowledge by reading about a few stones each night.
How do I care for and cleanse my crystals?
This is a question often asked and people think it has to be a laborious process that has to be done all the time. The frequency really varies based what is going on in your life and how often you are working with your crystals. There are many ways to clean crystals. The easiest and most foolproof method is to get them out into Nature. Let them sit outside/on a windowsill and soak up the energy of the sun or the same at night when the moon is bright (particularly Full or New Moons). You can also cleanse them with sage as you are cleansing your room or space. Open a window and let the smoke waft over them setting the intention to clear the energy. These methods are great for stones in the home, or larger ones that you aren’t really handling often. If they need a more in-depth cleansing because someone else has been handling the stones you work with personally, or you are sensing energy blockages in the stones, a soak overnight in salt water will do the trick. There are some stones such as selenite that are water-soluble, so you want to make sure to not do that with those or they will start to dissolve. When in doubt, you can also just sit them in small dish of salt overnight to clear out any negative energy and re-charge.
Shop for your beautiful Crystal Starter Kit for Self Care
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