The biggest question I encounter from clients after getting their first crystal is: “So now what?” They’ve got this rock, have been to their local crystal store, read all about the metaphysical properties . . . but now they’re sitting in front of it with no real idea of how to use it.
Just yesterday I had a client describe this lack of direction, and it reminded me of myself at the beginning of this journey.
How to Get to Know Your Rock
This practice, or some variation on it, is what all crystal authors do when they discover a crystal they haven’t worked with before. In fact, the less you know about this rock, the better. Please do not go to your reference book and remind yourself before you attempt this exercise.
So grab that rock and be quiet for a minute. Hold it in your left hand, then your right. Is there a hand it feels better in? If you’re not sure, switch it up a few more times, and try closing your eyes. There’s likely a hand that will feel better holding that rock.
Traditionally, we are taught that our left hands are our receptive hands, and our right hands are our receiving hands. If you’ve studied Wicca or Reiki, you may have come across that bit of knowledge.
You may find that your left hand likes the feel of the rock just a little better. Or, you may find that both hands like it, or that your right prefers it. My right hand, in fact, is both a receiving and a sending hand. That was deeply confusing to me at first, but in time I learned to just trust it and accept it. Your beautiful body will show you the way it wants to do things, and part of this process is learning to trust the body.
Have you found the hand you want to use? Awesome!
You’ve now been able to unlock a very important piece of magic, which is that our bodies have wisdom and they have a way of doing things that is innately correct.
Holding the rock in whichever hand (or both maybe) feels best to you, close your eyes and focus in on that rock. Really focus in. What do you feel with it? It’s emitting a vibration, I promise. Just like all natural things on this earth, that rock has an energy field emitted by the atomic structure of it. See if you can feel into it. Is there a sense of calm when you hold it, or an energizing quality perhaps? Some crystals make parts of our bodies buzz or tingle, while others make us feel a heaviness, a groundedness. Open your mind and find that part of you that is curious about this rock.
Once you’ve formed some sense of the energy of this rock, I want you to think for a moment, maybe grab a journal.
Why do you have this rock?
Can you remember?
How did it get to you?
And if it was given to you, why did you keep it?
Did you find it somewhere on the ground?
Did you buy it?
Is there some connection to the energy you just felt and something that is happening in your life. For example, if you tuned into this rock and it felt calming, would that calming energy be helpful right now? Are you stressed and juggling a lot? If its energizing, are you feeling a little low and unmotivated?
I have found that, for most of us, the rocks we tend to keep around are being kept around for a purpose, and unlocking that purpose may give you a good sense of what you’re needing in your life right now, and a good sense of how crystals can help you.
For the next week, make it a point to get to know your rock. Carry it in your pocket or bra (if you wear one), and take note of how you’re feeling as the week goes on. You may slip it into your pillow case at night - though if you are noticing a strong aversion to that, trust that sense, and leave it away from your bed at night. Be curious, be playful, and don’t be afraid to journal your experiences.
And congratulations! You’re now “using” a crystal. In the next blog post, we’ll talk about a few more ways a beginner can use their growing crystal collection ✨