Crystal Healing

Crystal energies

Crystal healing. What's it supposed to involve? The energies of crystals, of course. On what level does it work, if it works at all? The physical? Or an energetic level? A crystal healing session may have a therapeutic effect, just like a Reiki treatment. But does it cure physical ailments? 

How do they work? 

The practice of Reflexology works on acupuncture points, of which there are said to be 365 in total. Likewise, crystal energies are supposed to work on an energetic level, but instead of working with acupuncture points, they work with the chakras of the body and the 'subtle bodies' that comprise the human aura. 

    

DIY: A meditation

Give this meditation a go yourself. First, find yourself a crystal, such as an amethyst. Then sit down into a comfortable position (e.g. on a chair, on the floor with legs crossed, or lie down on the sofa if you wish) and relax. Relax all your muscles one by one, starting from your feet, legs, stomach, chest, shoulders, then your head. Tense them for two seconds, then release that tension and relax those muscles once more.

    Now get your crystal and hold in either or both of your hands. Relax again, close your eyes and ensure that your feet are both flat on the floor. You might find it easier to hold the crystal on the palm of your hand. Breathe in slowly but deeply, expanding your lungs. Then breathe out just as slowly and deeply. Do this for three or four times. You should feel nice and relaxed.

   Clear your mind. Release any mundane thoughts you might have, regarding children, work, or anything that you might be thinking about right now. Acknowledge them, then let all the thoughts go - you could picture them all as individual butterflies or some winged creatures flying away from you. This is not forever, because they will probably come back and haunt you later, if you give them the chance. 

   Breathe. Relax. Notice your breathing. Is it steady? Is it deep? Does it sound relaxed?  Notice the feel of your body. What do you feel? Warm? Hot? Cold? Or do you feel 'just right'? Do you feel like you're the normal temperature you usually are? What do your hands feel like? Warm? Hot? Cold? Normal? Notice the sensation in them. How do you feel now? Relaxed? Meditative? Do you feel like you're going to enter a trance? Do you feel content, or happy, or both? Notice. If any random thoughts or images come to mind, notice them and make a note of them. Don't try to produce them. If they present themselves to you, that's great. If not, that's great!

What was the point of that?

In a crystal meditation session, any perceived  'changes' in the mood or the feel of the body whilst holding the crystal are attributed to the crystal being held at the time. If before the meditation you felt warm, or didn't notice at all what temperature you felt to be, then during the meditation you felt warm or hotter, typically the person who believes in the power of crystals would believe that they crystal had made them feel warmth or heat, even though they may have felt that before. There is a likelihood that you might feel 'hotter' during the meditation than before, but it's explainable, because during the meditation you paid your body and how it felt more attention than you might in every day life. The crystal energy believer may forget that they had previously felt warm, before the meditation, but they forget this key detail due to selective memory. Their mind may re-order the events and sensations and convince them that the crystal definitely made them feel warmer than before the meditation - this is an example of reconstructive memory. The problem with crystal meditations is that the feelings or impressions that come to one's mind whilst holding a crystal are attributed to the crystal and not the person's own mind. Whether crystals have an actual affect on our physical bodies and mood is purely down to opinion. Crystal meditations are subjective. 

Psychological processes

Besides the New Age belief of how crystal healing works, the psychological processes that are probably involved must be discussed. Think about suggestion, classical conditioning, belief, cognitive dissonance, coincidence and placebo effect. Currently under construction - stay tuned!

If it was energy...

Now, consider the idea that crystal healing is all about different energies or vibrations. How would they work? Considering that crystal healing has no physical basis - it does not involve anything beyond just placing crystals in certain places or layouts around the client's body and letting them 'work their magic'. 

   If it was energy, is it possible that it would only work psychologically? But if this is the case, isn't that how it works these days - and undoubtedly, always has done? Some people believe that psi exists and others don't. All therapies that involve 'energy' or 'psi', no matter how different the technique, all appear to work - or function - psychologically. Just because it functions on a psychological basis doesn't necessarily mean that it isn't energy, but if that is the case, it makes it quite a difficult issue. The mind has a major influence of the immune system, so is it possible that through induced relaxation at the very least, these therapies might be of some value? Stress, anger, fear, hatred, all seem to have a negative effect on the immune system. There is a saying that 'stress makes your hair go grey' - does this have literal meaning, or is it just an old wives' tale? Fear increases blood pressure, and it stimulates the fight-or-flight mode and the release of adrenaline, so obviously too much fear can't be a good thing.    

Crystal healing

Crystal therapists believe that different crystals have different energies. Crystals are used according to their colour and perceived properties. Purple crystals, such as amethyst and purple fluorite, are used to stimulate the crown chakra and brow chakra.