"They're so pretty... what do I do with them?"

It’s a fair question considering lots of people are just now hearing of crystals.

I like to think of them like my friends – wait, hear me out before you write me off.

Most everyone has a group of friends, and often times you’ll find that you’re closer to one or the other for certain periods of time. Right? There’s no bad blood between you and the others, you’re just not currently connected. This is generally because you’re in different places in your lives, or the opposite -- with those that you’re close to in that moment, you likely are in similar places or circumstances.

The same can be said for crystals, in a way.

You’ll probably notice that you’re initially “drawn” towards a few different types of crystals. If you dive deeper and look at the properties of the ones that you’re drawn to, there’s generally a pretty solid chance that you were drawn to them because you resonate with, or need, something that they have to offer. Just like with friends, the crystals that you’re pulled towards will likely change to align with wherever you’re at in your life, whatever you may need more of, or possibly even something you need help with.

Everything in this world is made up of energy… literally, everything. Not only is everything made up of energy, but it all vibrates at different frequencies as well. When we apply this knowledge to crystals and their chemical makeup, it’s easy to see why they’re useful. Each one designed and created miraculously by the Earth and all of its elements, they carry within them so many variations of energy for us to harness and use.

So now, back to the original question at hand: what do I do with them?

It’s actually pretty simple, and of course there isn’t only ONE right way to use them. This is just MY way.

When I get a new crystal, the first thing I do is look at the properties. From here I can decide what intention I want the crystal to hold for me. Let’s say, for example, I’ve gotten a rose quartz tumbled stone. Rose quartz is amazing for enhancing self-love, as well as unconditional love for others. So, I decide that I want this rose quartz to help me become more loving, understanding, and forgiving in all of my relationships. I will now hold the tumbled stone in my hand and meditate for 3-5 minutes thinking only of the feeling of love, this is just a transfer of energy. Now my rose quartz is charged and holding my intentions of unconditional love for myself and others.

After you’ve set your intentions, you’re just going to simply do with it whatever aligns with its meaning. For my rose quartz, I may want to keep it on me at all times -- or I may want to put it in a place in my home so that it can amplify the vibrations of love throughout. (If it were a crystal for sleep, you’d put it beside your bed. A crystal for abundance, you could put it in your wallet. You get the gist.)

Crystals are just another tool given to us by Mother Earth to nurture us and helps us navigate through the obstacles and triumphs in our lives.