The Forbes Health editorial team is independent and objective. To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive compensation from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Health site. This compensation comes from two main sources. First, we provide paid placements to advertisers to present their offers. The compensation we receive for those placements affects how and where advertisers’ offers appear on the site. This site does not include all companies or products available within the market. Second, we also include links to advertisers’ offers in some of our articles; these “affiliate links” may generate income for our site when you click on them.

The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impact any of the editorial content on Forbes Health. While we work hard to provide accurate and up-to-date information that we think you will find relevant, Forbes Health does not and cannot guarantee that any information provided is complete and makes no representations or warranties in connection thereto, nor to the accuracy or applicability thereof.

The popularity of New Age beliefs, yoga, mindfulness and alternative medicine over recent years has fueled a resurgence of interest in crystal healing. From crystal-infused water bottles and perfumes to gemstone healing necklaces, facials and massages, there’s no shortage of crystal applications.

Though crystal healing is still considered a pseudoscience, some sources estimate it existed as far back as 6,000 years ago with the ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia. The amount of information available to the public on alternative medicines like crystal healing continues to grow, too. However, there aren’t any peer-reviewed studies that prove the efficacy of crystal healing. There isn’t any evidence to suggest that crystals do harm, either, so long as traditional treatments aren’t neglected. (For instance, crystals aren’t a replacement for prescription medications, cancer treatments or mental health therapy.)

Here’s what we know about healing crystals, how they may work, how to use them and more.

Calm Relaxation, Meditation, and Sleep App

Crystals are stones with physical characteristics, such as a specific formation or ordering of atoms, that affect light refraction, electrical charge and more. Crystal healing emphasizes these qualities and how they might affect the human body’s vibration, electrical charge and functionality. “These vibrations and frequencies can also be understood as qi, or vital energy that makes up any living entity,” explains Jenelle Kim, a doctor of Chinese medicine and founder and formulator of JBK Wellness Labs.

Crystal healing is believed to affect an individual in two possible ways: through vibration and through mindset.

In the 1970s, IBM researcher Marcel Vogel coined the term “vibrational medicine,” referring to the belief that crystal healing alters the vibration of the body’s molecules to match the vibrational energy of whatever crystal is being used. “Crystals have a similar wavelength to the human body, which means they vibrate at the same tone as humans and can enhance the body’s natural healing [process],” says Dr. Kim.

Los Angeles-based holistic chiropractor Alexandra Trevisan further explains, “As humans, we have the ability to operate within this energy scale, either ascending or descending. Think love and enthusiasm at the top, and fear and hate at the bottom of the scale. Healing crystals typically hold one or more of the frequencies at the high end of the energetic scale (love, clarity and/or hope) or repel energy from the low end of the energetic scale (anger, jealousy and/or despair).”

Crystal healing can also harness the power of the mind in a way that’s perhaps even more potent than vibrational energy improvements. Throughout history, poets and religious leaders viewed crystals as symbols of purity, pleasure, faith and perfection. They used crystals as a source of inspiration, devotion and creativity.

Stanford researchers agree that mindset plays a significant role in health and healing. Practitioners believe the intention-based mindset of crystal healing—like what’s cultivated in mindfulness meditation—can help with immunity, focus, emotional processing, stress reduction and nervous system regulation.

There are multiple ways to use healing crystals, from meditation to decoration and beyond.

Holding or gazing at a crystal that represents a mantra, emotion or intention is a simple and effective way to return to your meditation practice when the mind wanders. “On a more practical level, they serve as a grounding tool,” says Trevisan.

Many crystal healers recommend wearing crystals on your skin or in your clothes to benefit most from the vibrational medicine theory. Trevisan, for example, places crystals on her client’s body—“on a chakra, or energy center”—while she works with them.

Shanise Spruill, a certified holistic practitioner and founder of JOHARI and LOU Artisan Soul Stones, suggests adding crystals to your home decor to “maintain healthy feng shui within your home.”

Many holistic health practitioners use crystals in facials, massages and even chiropractic adjustments.

Is there data to suggest crystals offer any healing or restorative properties? Look a bit deeper, and skeptics might find a surprise or two.

The placebo effect is the most effective and identifiable result of crystal healing. Often unappreciated due to its ability to blur research results, this effect is a powerful tool when working in the medical and wellness fields. Closely related to mindset, there are countless benefits to believing that you’re healing, whether physically or emotionally.

Despite the lack of peer-reviewed studies to support crystal healing, the practice boasts an undeniably rich historical and cultural significance. “As a ninth generation doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, my expertise is rooted in the principles of qi, the connection and wavelength of the universe, and the human mind and body,” says Dr. Kim. “This knowledge has been passed down in my lineage from generation to generation for centuries.”

The piezoelectric effect is a scientific principle used, in part, to explain vibrational medicine. The piezoelectric effect enables crystals to transform a mechanical pressure into another form of energy, such as light, electricity or sound, and then amplify it. This technology is used in many materials, such as microchips and batteries. In crystal healing, this concept is applied, magnifying the potency of the energies in a person’s body or surroundings.

There’s a wide array of crystals and stones that are said to offer a variety of benefits or contain specific properties. Here are some of the most common and popular options.

Rose quartz is known as the stone of “unconditional love.” It’s used to nurture and manifest love of all kinds—not just romantic. Clear quartz, according to Dr. Kim, is known as the “master healer” because it helps align all your chakras and energetically attune to all other crystals. It can help you access and manifest higher states of consciousness.

Explore Quartz Crystal Options On Amazon.

Amethyst is “known to help get rid of addictions and disruptive behaviors, as well as enhance your intuition,” shares Dr. Kim. “[It] calms rebellious neural signals to restore a sense of calm to your nervous system.”

Explore Amethyst Crystal Options On Amazon.

Moonstone helps process change, patterns and inner cycles. It is believed to improve intuition and help the user access their inner wisdom.

Explore Moonstone Crystal Options On Amazon.

Black obsidian acts like a shield, protecting your aura from negative energies. The reflective nature of obsidian also acts as a mirror or a screen to project lessons—or force us to see our negative tendencies.

Explore Obsidian Crystal Options On Amazon. What aspect of your health are you planning on prioritizing in 2022? My physical health My mental health My oral health View Results

Spruill recommends seeking out a credentialed holistic practitioner (online or in person) who specializes in crystal usage for spiritual and energetic healing. If you have trouble finding one, she recommends visiting a crystal shop and doing a visual meditation, then choosing a crystal to which you feel energetically connected.

“It is said that once you lose the crystal, its work with you is complete, and you are no longer in need of calibrating to that frequency,” adds Trevison.

Crystals can be found online, in a practitioner’s office or in local crystal shops. However, crystals take many years to develop or grow naturally, so sourcing may be an issue. Make sure that wherever you get your crystals from, the provider lists a source or even a sourcing process so you can buy with confidence. That due diligence can help you acquire a high-quality crystal and ensure you’re not contributing to environmental destruction.

Crystal believers suggest clearing new crystals of old energy, as well as physically cleaning them, upon purchase. Additionally, crystals may be cleansed ritually and regularly. One way to do so is under a full moon. “To help get the most out of your crystals, place them outside under the night of the full moon,” suggests Trevisan. “This will help them clear their old energy they have been picking up and revitalize them so they can work their full power.”

More practically, Spruill points out that some crystals are delicate and should be handled with care. “Not all crystals can be submerged in water, so be careful about the placement of your crystals and crystal jewelry,” she cautions.

Explore the huge library of mindfulness, sleep, and insight content to live life more mindfully. In just a few minutes each day, you can build your resilience towards stress & anxiety.

Information provided on Forbes Health is for educational purposes only. Your health and wellness is unique to you, and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment plans. For personal advice, please consult with a medical professional.

Forbes Health adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved or otherwise endorsed by our advertisers.

Teresa is a writer, yoga teacher, and writing coach located in Boulder, Colorado. She works to make whole-body wellness more accessible for everybody through science-backed health education and creative yoga sequencing. To learn more or book a session, visit www.teresaadele.com

Lenore Cangeloso is a board-certified acupuncturist and herbal medicine practitioner based in Oregon. She graduated with honors from Oregon College of Oriental Medicine in 2016 and obtained her bachelors of science from Oregon State University. She is also a registered yoga Instructor with a 200-hour certification from the Kripalu Institute in Massachusetts. Cangeloso has spent many months traveling to deepen her knowledge of the human body, studying massage in Thailand and traditional crafts in Mexico and Indonesia. She is a dedicated and skilled practitioner who strives to help her patients achieve optimal states of well-being.