Introduction: How to Meditate With Crystals

About: Inventor and Emergency Doctor.

What Is Crystal Meditation?

Using crystals is an excellent way to boost your meditation. Clear quartz can aid focus and clarity and coloured crystals can be used for chakra cleansing and stimulation. Clear quartz can be held in the receptive left hand to absorb it's effective energy or in the expressive right hand to radiate it. It will work anywhere within your aura. You can even gain benefit from meditating on a remote crystal and tuning to it's resonant frequency.

You can hold a crystal to help you focus during your normal meditation, or meditate on the crystal itself. Crystals can be used to cleanse and open the chakras by placing the correct colour crystal on the chakra of the same colour and then breathing through the chakra. Visit you local crystal shop and choose crystals you have an affinity for. You can buy small, helpful crystal pebbles for a pound or two so you don't need to spend much to put together a useful collection.

If you are interested in reading more on holistic practises please have a look at one of my other Instructables here; https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Holistically-Improve-Your-Happiness-Health-/. There's information on a more granular approach to well-being.

When meditating it is important to create a quiet, relaxed situation where you have time and space to meditate. Turn off your phone, lock the door, draw the curtains and put in your ear plugs so you won't be disturbed. I have used ear plugs a lot over the years whilst meditating and because I do shift work; I found most ear plugs lacking in some way so set about making my my own. I invented a way of making super-comfortable, highly effective ear plugs which you can mold to your ears easily yourself. If you need some decent ear plugs to get some peace whilst you meditate you can get them from http://zenplugs.com.

Step 1: How Do Crystals Work?

Many people have found through experience that holding or being near a crystal or some other minerals can positively alter their consciousness. This effect can be directed through choice and positioning of crystals. The effect has not been measured scientifically and so has not been proven, but many people have experienced and described it.

Nobody knows how crystals do this but a good theory is based on the regular lattice structure of the crystal. Crystals, by definition have repeating, symmetrical lattice structures, like a three-dimensional grid. Different crystals have varying structures and coloured crystals have metals and other minerals mixed in with the silicon dioxide base. It is thought that the energy of our aura is channelled, focused and purified by the presence of a crystal. The aura extends several feet from the body, this is why the proximity of a crystal can be enough to improve mood, concentration and effectiveness of meditation.

It is best not to worry too much about how they work and think more about how to use them to your full advantage. Experience with crystals leads to mastery.

Step 2: Choosing Crystals

Crystals can be chosen instinctively or according to patterns others have noticed. You can simply buy the one you are most drawn to in a shop; try holding them and emptying your mind, allowing yourself to feel how it makes you feel. This can be directed by the patterns others have described.

Quartz.

It is great to have a collection of crystals so you can grab the right one when you need it. You don't need to spend much to get a good collection together. A good start is a terminated quartz point. These are clear and colourless and the best quality ones allow you to see right the way through. They are common and a small tumbled one can be bought for 50p. These can be useful to carry with you in a pocket. A quartz point has naturally formed a point at one or both ends; these are great for focus and clarity day-to-day as well as whilst meditating. Held in your left, receptive, hand they will help you draw in positive energy and in your right, expressive hand it will help you to send the positive energy to other people, future events or wherever you want to send it. The first image shows a single terminated quartz points on a light box to demonstrate the clarity of a good crystal. The second image shows a beautiful quartz cluster which can be great as a feng shui remedy or for sitting near to whilst meditating. Clusters of quartz points are great for cleansing other stones and boosting positive energy in a room.

    If you buy 6 small quartz points and you can use them to stimulate the flow of chi, cleanse your aura and stimulate flow through your chakras. Lie on the floor with a point on the floor slightly below a line drawn between your feet, pointing towards the base of your spine. Place another above your head pointing upwards. Place another two 6 inches either side of your knees, pointing in towards your navel. Place two more 6 inches either side of your shoulders, pointing away from your navel. Choose your favourite meditation you can do lying down and practice for half an hour. Have a look at my Instructables on How To Meditate for some ideas.

    A double-terminated quartz point is rarer and is seen as being a symbol of enlightenment. This is because the point has completed it's formation, as has the enlightened person. These are great for focussed, consciousness expanding meditation.

    Quartz is associated with the crown chakra which connects us to our higher spiritual selves and directs higher thoughts and ways of being.

    Step 3: ​Amethyst

    Amethyst is a purple quartz crystal which is a great meditation stone. The name comes from the belief it can counteract the effects of alcohol (methanol = alcohol). It is a highly spiritual stone that is associated with the brow chakra (third eye) and so aids development of insight into the mind, the self and the route to becoming the most liberated, happy, fulifilled person you can.

    Again, a tumbled, smooth quartz can often be picked up for less than a pound. Larger, more complete points and clusters can be more expensive. Choose one you like and are drawn to. A small, smooth stone is ideal for holding in the palm of your hand or placing directly on your brow whilst meditating. See my Instructable on Chakra Meditation for more details on the chakras and their locations.

    Step 4: ​Moldavite

    This is an unusual mineral which isn't a crystal but is a type of naturally occurring glass called a tectite. It looks like a crystal, clear and green with a rough ridged texture on the surface. It is only found in one area where a large meteorite hit the earth. The intense heat and pressure combined minerals in the meteorite with those in the earth's crust to make this uniquely powerful tectite. It is expensive and is becoming moreso as supplies are bought up.

    Many people feel tingling in their hand when they hold moldavite. It elevates the consciousness and helps expand and invigorate your mind and aura. It can be held in the hand, worn on a necklace or placed on blocked chakras. This is a great addition to a crystal collection and works well combined with clear quartz.

    Step 5: Smoky Rutilated Quartz

    This is a rare stone which is very beautiful. It is useful for overcoming conditioning and getting over emotional trauma. Meditation using this stone can be upsetting as it can bring pent up emotions from old emotional traumas to the surface, helping you release them and move on. Although this can be unpleasant it is liberating in the truest sense of the word. It can be surprising how past trauma can affect the way you think and behave.

    Divorce, relationship breakdown and feelings of abandonment are often buried deep and we feel that they are no longer a problem. Being bullied or humiliated in public are other examples.

    Sit or lie comfortably with your smoky and/or rutilated quartz in your left hand. Do a ten minute warm up meditation of your choice then picture scenes from your life where you might have been exposed to these types of trauma. Having relaxed your mind and entered a meditative state when you relax into these visions and try to allow yourself to feel happy you will feel resistance. Your mind will not let you feel happy when you are subconsciously immersed in these old scenarios. By allowing yourself to relax and fixing your attention in the situation the energy will start to flow and the emotion and negativity released.

    There are many different gemstones, far too many for me to describe here. For chakra meditation, choose stone colours which match the colour of your chakra and lie down, placing them on the relevant chakras to help open and cleanse them. This is described in detail in my Instructable on chakra meditation. Visit my profile to find this and other Instructables on meditation and mindfulness.

    Please leave comments below about your experiences using crystals to meditate.