Crystals have an undeniable influence on science and technology, but what about them has attracted humans for a lifetime? Without 100% support from the science community, crystals are still considered healing, regenerative, and energizing.

If you’re new to healing crystals, it doesn’t take long to notice there is much information available about how to use them, what they mean, and their purpose. And those these are divinity tools and are at the discretion of your beliefs. Here are a few misconceptions about crystals that don’t do them the justice they deserve.

Magic surrounds us; we’ve just become accustomed to it. So to say it doesn’t exist is silly. Humans are natural creators, and the things we’ve done are not short of magic. Crystals are a tool used to draw magic out of you–to help remove the emotional, physical, and spiritual trauma blocking your magic. YOU are the magic, not the crystals. They are the wand.

Energetically and physically cleaning and clearing your crystals is essential. And while some crystals like Selenite will slowly erode when completely submerged into water, many crystals are water safe and can even be used for a beautifully charged bath.

Mohs Hardness Scale is a great way to understand how compatible your crystal is with water. Some may lose their luster if misused. Any crystal with a hardness of 6 or greater can safely be cleaned with water, while anything below 6 tolerates water in small amounts. Just consider a few things, like how porous it is and its iron content.

In general, here are some water-safe crystals:

• Clear/Rose/Smokey Quartz
• Agate
• Amethyst
• Citrine
• Tiger’s Eye
• Obsidian
• Jasper
• Carnelian
• Moonstone

In general, the crystals are not water compatible:

• Selenite
• Fluorite
• Opal
• Azurite
• Malachite
• Turquoise

Crystals are for everyone, and anyone can create a practice for and with themselves. The experience with crystals is incredibly personal and driven by intentions. However, be cautious when trusting someone else with your healing process. There are “crystal practitioners” who can prey on those who aren’t yet synchronized to their own energy and can’t perceive when an energy healer isn’t apt to help them. 

The wrong experience with a crystal healer could lead you away from a potential life-altering relationship with crystals. It is also wise to know which crystals do what before using them on your own. When used inappropriately or in a wrong crystal combination, crystals have been known to disturb sleep, appetite, energy, mood and can even evoke nightmares and skin irritation.

Polished crystals are a joy to collect and are most often used on display. But this doesn’t mean they are any more or less energetically charged and powerful. Raw crystals can have just as great an impact on the emotional and spiritual body. Processing and shaping crystals don’t diminish their capabilities.

Some large crystals are jaw-dropping. Stand in front of a massive Amethyst Geode or Rose Quartz Tub, and you’ll understand. But the power here is mostly visual. The relationship with a tiny, tumbled stone can have a more profound influence on the life of its owner than a large geode put on a desk for display. In this case, size does not matter.

Crystals can’t cure disease. There isn’t enough scientific data to back such a statement. So if someone tells you that, walk in the other direction. Crystals can be used as emotional support for those undergoing treatment for an illness and can at times evoke physical energy.

Crystal energy fields interact with each other just as they interact with everything else in their environment. Some crystals cannot be paired with each other, or they can negate the other’s energy or amplify undesirable effects. Similarly, some crystals are meant to be in a communal area, some in a quiet space, and some absolutely nowhere near your bedroom.

Carnelian + Amethyst should not be paired. Carnelian is energizing, and Amethyst is soothing. Carnelian is appropriate for the desk or work area, while Amethyst works best under or near your pillow.

Enough time spent with your crystals, what feels right or wrong will become instinctual.

Like any happy, healing relationship, the one with your crystals takes time. You have to align and synch to their energy and they to you. You can’t really be sure of how to work with and benefit from a crystal until you’ve spent some time with it.

There is so much positivity and power to discover with crystals, so don’t be bothered by these misconceptions.