Crystal energy is powerful but it’s not something the Western world yet truly knows how to define or describe. And yet they have been uses for centuries in many traditions and rituals. We’ve gotten so disconnected from nature and its healing abilities —from crystals to essential oils and herbs.

The beginning of my journey into crystals is a bit of a blur since at the time I was in the middle of what I call my great “wake up” and I was actively seeking a variety of holistic modalities. The first time I ventured into a crystal shop I was with a group of girlfriends following an amazing hike in the mountains. I was curious and unsure when I entered the store, but I remember very clearly feeling this draw to the rich dark orange of carnelian. I purchased a round carnelian stone ring and it remains one of my favorite pieces even after all these years. Carnelian is a beautiful stone perfect for creativity, boosts courage and self confidence, inspires actions and is an excellent stone for circulation, back problems, rheumatism, arthritis, neuralgia and depression. It accelerates healing in bones and ligaments and improves vitamin and mineral absorption and ensures good blood supply to organs and tissues.

Over the years I have collected many many crystals. I’ve also given away a lot of the crystals I’ve collected – to family members, friends and and students. I’ve also lost a few crystals along the way. They are funny like that – when their energy is no longer needed they will carry themselves back to the earth or find their way to someone who needs them. I’ve learned to not be disappointed but instead know that I got what I needed and now someone else will.

Today I keep crystals on my window sill, on the ledge of my bathtub, under my bed, in my pockets, in my wallet and the rest in a beautiful dishes around my home. It is not uncommon to see me grab one or two while I am chatting, journaling, or reading. I have my favorites and from time to time they change. My current favorite though is the large fluorite I hold in my hand while I am doing my early morning reading. It is so balancing.

When I look at my collection I am often able to link a certain crystal to a focus in my life – the pinks when I was needing to find unconditional love and acceptance, reds and browns when I was working on learning to stay grounded and steady, quartz, amethyst and selenite when I developed a deeper understanding of Oneness. I was drawn to green stones when I was learning joy and the connection to unconditional love. Yellows and oranges when I was working with ideas to manifest and remember all the abundance. Blues when I was strengthening my inner wisdom and learning to speak my truth.

For years I didn’t really talk about crystals or how I have come to use them. I just know they worked and I felt their power but I couldn’t describe their power or prove their abilities – and in the West, that unfortunately makes me naive and what I believe in and experience ‘not real’. Thankfully my heart persisted and crystals have become a prominent part of my life and now I love sharing with others.