What Are Healing Crystals?

Healing crystals are traditionally used to promote wellness through harnessing the energy of the Earth, Sun, and moon.

According to certified shamanic energy medicine practitioner Colleen McCann:

“Scientifically, crystals are the most orderly structure that exists in nature, meaning they have the lowest amount of entropy (a measurement of disorder). Crystals are structured in such a way that they respond to the inputs of all different energies around them, so they oscillate, emitting specific vibratory frequencies. The way they are balanced, the frequencies they emit, and their ability to store a tremendous amount of information makes crystals essential to modern technologies. This is why there are crystals in computers, TVs, cell phones, satellites, and so on.

People have been attracted to crystals since the dawn of time for burial rites, divination practices, healing rituals, spiritual advancement, and even simply as decoration to connote power. Our ancestors intuitively knew that when worn, the energies of the stones would interact with the human electromagnetic field to bring about energetic changes.”

Healing crystals have been a significant part of many cultures around the world including the Hopi Native American tribe, Pacific Islanders in Hawaii, Chinese and Indian traditions.

Healing Crystals And Chakras

There are 7 focal points throughout your body that are associated with different types of energy. They are:

Root Chakra (Muladhara): Located at the base of your spine. This chakra is the foundation of your spirit and represents you being grounded. Your emotions and issues relating to money and food live here. Most commonly represented by Hematite in crystal work.

Sacral Chakra (Swadhisthana): Located below your belly button. This chakra relates to your relationships with others. Your sexual energy and passion for life and experiences live here. Most commonly represented by Carnelian in crystal work.

Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura): Located between your sternum and your belly button. This chakra relates to your confidence. Your confidence and feelings of self-worth live here. Most commonly represented by Citrine in crystal work.

Heart Chakra (Anahata): Located in the center of your chest. This chakra relates to love and your ability to feel loved in return. This chakra affects romantic relationships. Most commonly represented by Rose Quartz in crystal work.

Throat Chakra (Vishuddha): Located in the center of your throat. This chakra relates to how you communicate. Creativity, self-expression, and communication skills live here. Most commonly represented by Sodalite in crystal work.

Third Eye Chakra (Ajna): Located in the center of your forehead. This chakra relates to your mind. Your ability to think, process, and focus live here. Most commonly represented by Amethyst in crystal work.

Crown Chakra (Sahasrara): Located at the top of your head. This chakra relates to your spirituality. Your capacity for spirituality and complete happiness live here. Most commonly represented by Clear Quartz in crystal work.

The idea behind using healing crystals for each chakra in your body is that the energy from the crystal can heal that chakra/part of your body. When you use a healing crystal aimed at a particular chakra, you send more energy there, bringing it into balance with the rest of your body.

You can see the individual crystal descriptions below to see which crystals are associated with specific chakras.

Healing Crystals And Reiki

Reiki is a traditional Japanese alternative medicine. Reiki practitioners frequently use crystals to help harness their healing energy as they work to heal different areas of your body. You can take a course in Reiki and receive an “attunement” to universal energy that will help you use crystals in your own energy healing.

How To Use Healing Crystals

Think of an intention you want to manifest in your life. Choose a healing crystal (see the sections below) based on what your intention is and your intuition. What area of your life do you want to focus on? Setting a specific intention that holds a lot of emotional weight and incites passion in your mind is the most important part of using healing crystals.

Cleanse and charge your crystal. Burn sage around your crystal and make sure the smoke hits all corners of it. Set it in the sunlight or moonlight (or bury it in the dirt to get energy from the Earth) for a day or a night. In a pinch, you can also wash your crystal in salt water. Crystals should be cleansed and charged immediately when you get them and then once per month (or once per week for crystal jewelry you are wearing every day).

Program your crystal. Hold your crystal in your palm, close your eyes, and repeat your intention to yourself three times, breathing deeply each time. Tell yourself that each time you look at or hold your crystal, you will remember your intention and resolve to see it manifested in your life.

Basic Healing Crystals

These are the most popular healing crystals and what they are used for:

Agate

A multi-colored stone that has a calming effect. It’s commonly used by people in high-stress professions.

Also known as: The Warrior Stone

Zodiac: Gemini.

Use it for: Courage, stability, strength, Letting go.

Average price: $10-$20 on Amazon.

Aquamarine

A blue-green stone associated with the sign Aquarius and all things water

Also known as: Stone of Courage and Protection

Zodiac: Scorpio.

Use it for: Protection while sailing (or anything water related), throat chakra, help with communication and self-expression, healing of allergies, immune system, liver and pituitary gland.

Average price: $10-20 on Amazon.

Amethyst

An extremely popular purple crystal that cleanses negative energy and activates the Third Eye Chakra. Can intensify psychic abilities.

Also known as: The stone of sobriety

Zodiac: Pisces.

Use it for: Protection, healing, cleansing energy, stress relief.

Average price: Around $40 for a large piece, under $10 for a small piece.

Black Kyanite

A black stone used for healing and manifesting.

Zodiac: Taurus.

Use it for: Manifesting intentions, enlivening psychic gifts, healing energy, communication, relationships, Root Chakra, balancing.

Average price: Under $10 for a small piece.

Blue Kyanite

A blue multicolored stone used for clearing obstacles to communication and envisioning.

Zodiac: Taurus.

Use it for: Throat Chakra, communication, Third Eye Chakra, dreaming, astral travel, calming, meditation.

Average price: Under $10 for a small piece.

Black Obsidian

A black stone used by people who need help choosing a new spiritual path.

Also known as: The Psychic Vacuum Cleaner

Zodiac: Sagittarius.

Use it for: Anxiety, addiction, cleansing, protection, fear, anger.

Average price: Under $10.

Black Tourmaline

A shiny black stone known for powerfully protecting against negative energy.

Zodiac: Capricorn.

Use it for: Protection, cleansing, balancing all chakras, calming, worry, OCD, immune system, lungs.

Average price: $20 for a large piece.

Bloodstone

A dark, multi-colored stone known for it’s healing properties.

Also known as: The healing stone

Zodiac: Pisces.

Use it for: Healing, detoxifying, getting rid of negative energy, healing detoxifying organs (liver, kidney, gallbladder, spleen), Root and Sacral Chakra

Average price: Under $10 for a small piece.

Carnelian

A red-orange stone known for it’s effectiveness with anything related to the Sacral Chakra.

Zodiac: Leo.

Use it for: anything related to death and rebirth, Sacral Chakra, vitality, calming excessive anger, encouraging drive and focus, PMS, menstrual cramps, fertility.

Average price: Under $10 on Amazon.

Clear Quartz

An extremely versatile crystal that can be used for a wide variety of uses. It’s easy to program, wards off negativity, and can cleanse energy from your aura. A very popular crystal for beginners.

Also known as: the Master Healer

Zodiac: Capricorn.

Use it for: Cleansing, Healing.

Average price: under $10 on Amazon.

Citrine

A yellow stone known for its abundant positive energy.

Also known as: Abundance stone

Zodiac: Cancer.

Use it for: Manifesting, clearing negative energy, financial and career intentions, Solar Plexus Chakra, cleansing, weight loss, metabolism.

Average price: Under $10 for a small piece, $20-30 for a medium sized piece.

Fluorite

A multi-colored stone that has powerful cleansing properties. It can be used for almost all Chakras but is known for being beneficial to the upper Chakras.

Zodiac: Pisces.

Use it for: Protection, balance (physical coordination), the upper Chakras, absorbing negative energy, arthritis.

Average price: $20-30 for a small piece.

Garnet

A dark stone known for it’s “firey” properties that can ignite passion for a task or within a relationship.

Zodiac: Aquarius.

Use it for: Depression, willpower, procrastination, Sacral Chakral, love, loyalty, relationships.

Average price: $10-20 for a small piece.

Green Aventurine

A green stone known for it’s ability to help manifest intentions in the areas of love and money.

Zodiac: Aries.

Use it for: Attracting love, relationships, luck, abundance, success, Heart Chakra, attracting money, eyesight, general healing.

Average price: Under $10 for a small piece.

Hematite

A black stone used to promote healing in the Root Chakra.

Zodiac: Aries.

Use it for: Root Chakra, grounding, balance, detoxification, confidence, circulation, energy.

Average price: Under $10.

Jade

A green stone once associated with eternal youth.

Zodiac: Taurus, Libra.

Use it for: Wisdom, courage, purification, blessings.

Average price: Under $10.

Lapis Lazuli

A deep blue stone known for its healing properties.

Zodiac: Sagittarius.

Use it for: Migraines, immune system, Solar Plexus Chakra.

Average price: Under $10.

Lemurian Seed Crystal

A translucent crystal used for grounding.

Zodiac: All.

Use it for: Crown Chakra, Solar Plexus Chakra, spiritual awareness, protection.

Average price: $10-20 for a small piece.

Lepidolite

A purple stone known for helping with transitions and shifting energy.

Also known as: The stone of transition.

Zodiac: Libra.

Use it for: Helping to get out of old habits and develop new ones, adjusting to life changes, calming, PTSD, ADHD, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, personal growth.

Average price: Under $10 for a small piece.

Onyx

A black stone used for cleansing and protection.

Zodiac: Leo.

Use it for: Protecting your home, cleansing, epilepsy, childbirth, breastfeeding.

Average price: Under $10 for a small piece.

Opal

An iridescent stone known as a good luck talisman.

Zodiac: Aries.

Use it for: Luck, creativity, Headaches, PMS, Sacral Chakra, protection from the evil eye.

Average price: $10-$20 for a small piece.

Pink Tourmaline

A pink stone used for healing the Heart Chakra.

Zodiac: Libra.

Use it for: Heart Chakra, improving mood, healing emotions, feeling joy, skin disorders, heart conditions.

Average price: $10-$20 on Amazon.

Pyrite

A gold lookalike stone that promotes good luck and healing from negative energy.

Also known as: Fools Gold.

Zodiac: Leo.

Use it for: Protection from negative energy, Third Eye Chakra, good luck, good health, rest.

Average price: Under $10 for a small piece.

Rose Quartz

A pink stone most well-known as a stone for healing the Heart Chakra.

Also known as: Romance Stone

Zodiac: Libra.

Use it for: Heart Chakra, manifesting love, healing relationships, healing the body of cancer.

Average price: Under $10 on Amazon.

Ruby

A red gemstone known for healing the Heart Chakra.

Zodiac: Cancer.

Use it for: Heart Chakra, healing emotions, removing barriers to love in yourself or others.

Average price: $10-$30 for a small, unpolished piece.

Selenite

A white stone known as being one of the best for unblocking energy and clearing negative energy.

Also known as: Desert Rose.

Zodiac: Taurus.

Use it for: Cleansing, protection from negative energy, balance, unblocking energy.

Average price: Under $10.

Shungite

A dark colored stone containing antioxidants.

Zodiac: Cancer.

Use it for: Protection, healing, anxiety, detoxification.

Average price: $10-$30 for a small piece.

Sodalite

A deep blue stone used for healing the Throat Chakra.

Zodiac: Sagittarius.

Use it for: Throat Chakra, communication, intuition, creative inspiration, letting go of negativity.

Average price: Under $10 on Amazon.

Tigerseye

A brown multi-colored stone typically associated with protection from negativity, spells, and curses.

Also known as: Golden Tiger’s Eye

Zodiac: Capricorn.

Use it for: Protection, travel, prosperity, abundance, Solar Plexus Chakra, creative energy, bipolar disorder, depression, endocrine system.

Average price: Under $10 on Amazon.

Topaz

A yellow stone known for balancing out mental health issues.

Zodiac: Scorpio.

Use it for: Aging, hormone imbalances, mental health.

Average price: Under $10 on Amazon.

How To Choose A Crystal

You can choose a healing crystal based on the above information about which crystals are associated with different energy/intentions. However, your own personal intuition is very important. You can find a store that sells healing crystals and hold different ones in your hand until you find one in particular that feels “right”. Some people even describe their palm feeling hot or cold when they are holding a particular crystal in their hand.

Do Healing Crystals Work?

Stones have been on the Earth since the beginning of time. They are historically significant in cultures across the world and have been used for religious, spiritual, protective, and celebratory rituals. Specifically, crystals form the foundation of our lives as they make up part of the Earth’s crust, as well as being a component of the technology infrastructure (computer chips) we are so dependent on.

One experiment shows how crystals change shape when different intentions are focused on:

Some people believe the healing people feel from using crystals is a confirmation bias or placebo effect. In this theory, healing crystals work because they are tangible objects you can use to focus your intentions on. By consistently bringing your awareness back to your intention, you are more likely to be reminded of and work toward your intended outcome.