Crystal therapy: properties, applications, and evidence

Crystal Therapy

Crystal healing and crystal therapy has a long history and has been used in various periods and cultures for healing and meditation.

In essence crystal healing is a "... non-invasive therapy which can be used in conjunction with other complementary therapies and with orthodox medicine." (Inside track: Crystal healing - Clear way to relax.) Crystal therapy encompasses the view that self-healing can be achieved through methods that allow the body to heal itself - as opposed to more invasive allopathic medical techniques and methods. It is also closely aligned with the view evident in other forms of alternative therapy that healing should adopt a holistic approach and that the conventional division between the body and mind and between the body and spiritual aspects in allopathic medicine is invalid.

Crystal healing is one form of the recent resurgence of alternative medicine and healing techniques in the Western world. However, crystal therapy has a long history and many indigenous peoples in the world, such as the Australian Aborigines, have used crystals as a healing method and for their spiritual practices since time immemorial. (Vantol L. And Tarling R.) the origins of crystal healing and the fact that they have been used with apparent effectives for centuries, attest to the positive aspects of this form of therapy and healing. In many developed Western counties crystal healing has become a symbol of health management though alternative medicine and techniques.

This paper will attempt to present an overview of the meaning, history and development of this form of therapy; as well as ascertain the degree of acceptance of this technique in the modern West and the future outcomes of this therapy.

Overview of Crystals therapy

Crystal therapy is also known as crystal healing or gem therapy. The cardinal aspect of this form of therapy is that it uses crystals that are "...selected for specific characteristics or wavelength, to treat a wide range of mental and physical conditions." (Crystal Therapy, Electrocrystal Therapy) in theory the process of crystal therapy is intended to cure any imbalances between the physical, emotional and spiritual components of the human being. It is based on the view that the body has specific energy fields which can be positively influenced and even manipulated by the appropriate placement of crystals on various body parts. In brief, crystal healers believe that the body has a vibrational energy system which can be changed and "corrected" by the use of crystals. This involves a complex analysis of various crystals and their colors, chemical composition and atomic structure. Crystal therapy is also is intended to have a positive influence on the immune system and therefore help to fight disease.

Crystal healing is closely connected in a theoretical as well as a practical sense with the concept of "chakras" in the human body. Chakra is a term derived from the Sanskrit, and is described as, "...a series of circular vortices on the life force of a person, at which points energies are received, transformed and distributed." (Dictionary of the Occult 52) Furthermore, Chakras are believed to"... plays an important role in physical, mental and emotional health and in spiritual development.

Dictionary of the Occult 52)

Figure 1. The Chakras

Source: (http://www.divinerevelation.org/chakras-kshetram.jpg)

Crystal therapy relates to the chakras in that "... crystals of appropriate color and energy may be placed at specific chakra points on the body with the aim to energize and cleanse. "(Crystal Therapy, Electrocrystal Therapy) in other words, the crystal and the particular properties of the different types of crystal are intended to interact with the various chakra points and manipulate, redirect and revitalize body and mind energy.

In modern parlance crystal theory is related to Electrocrystal therapy, which is concerned with the balancing and the rebalancing and harmonizing of human energy. Electrocrystal therapy was developed by the British inventor Harry Oldfield in the 1980s. This technique involves the use of an electromagnetic generator attached to conducting tubes filled with specific types of crystals. These tubes are applied to the body, and energy is transmitted through them. It is proposed that various types of crystals in these tubes have different effects on the body. An electronic device may also be used that is said to be able to detect areas of energy imbalance of the body. These areas may then be treated with electrocrystal therapy.

Crystal Therapy, Electrocrystal Therapy)

However, as critics note of Electrocrystal therapy; "The safety and effectiveness of these techniques have not been thoroughly tested scientifically." (Crystal Therapy, Electrocrystal Therapy)

In more scientific terms it is known that crystal structures can "...collect, focus, and emit electromagnetic energy. " (Gemstone / Chakra therapy) While science realizes that crystals have specific properties," Yet science is not even close to understanding how truly powerful crystals are in the more important task of focusing life energy." (Gemstone / Chakra therapy)

Central to the concept and praxis of this form of therapy is the focus on a holistic approach to healing and various elements of holistic medicine and holistic therapies. This means that this therapy views the individual as a whole entity and does not just focus on the specific physical symptoms of an illness, as is usually the case in more conventional allopathic methods of treatment.

In many cases crystal healing is used as a complementary method rather than an alternative to conventional medicine. It is felt by many practitioners that the restoration of energy balance in the body as a result of crystal theory can be positively combined with other forms of medicine and healing. Crystal therapy is also considered to have a positive impact on the overall health of the patient in that it is known to relieve "...stress and tensions, through revitalisation, relaxation or establishing a greater amount of peace and harmony. Crystal Healing is also helpful in complementing most forms of allopathic medical practice." (Crystal Therapy.The NHS Directory of Complementary and Alternative Practitioners.)

In terms of its status as a complementary rather than an alternative form of therapy it can be used in the following circumstances.

Both acute and chronic conditions

Stress related conditions

States of anxiety

Pre-operative care

Post-operative healing

Care of the terminally ill

Activate and support the natural self-healing processes within the individual client support the recovery of existing symptoms.

Crystal Therapy. The NHS Directory of Complementary and Alternative Practitioners.)

Practitioners of crystal healing are, in terms of the tenets of formal medical usage, not permitted or trained to directly diagnose physical ailments. (Crystal Therapy.The NHS Directory of Complementary and Alternative Practitioners.) However they are sometime used to determine the conditions of the patient's "bio-magnetic field" and in helping to harmonize and balance the appropriate human energy fields and chakras. As will referred to in the section on statistics, there is at present no general acceptance or formal acceptance of this method of therapy in the larger medical community. This situation, some suggest, is due rather to a lack of knowledge and understanding of the efficacy of this type of therapy.

It is also important to understand the relationship between crystal healing and the study of the human "auras." This refers to a description of the human energy fields, which are seen as a deciding factor in understanding and dealing with illness. These energy fields or "auras" have gradually begun to receive acceptance in the modern scientific world. "It is only fairly recently that science has proven that it must exist around every physical body and organism, thereby helping, amongst other, to validate crystal healing. " (Crystal Therapy.The NHS Directory of Complementary and Alternative Practitioners.)

Crystal therapy can only be correctly understood if there is acceptance of its wider meaning and context and in terms of the fundamental tenets of "New Age" alternative medicine and healing. The fundamentals of the alternative therapy movement are based on metaphysical and spiritual assumptions and beliefs - all of which strongly influence the practice of crystal healing.

One of these beliefs is the view that "...pure white light continuously emanates throughout the universe, infusing a vital force into each of the many dimensions or planes of existence-mineral, vegetable, animal, human or mental, and astral." (Fuller 242) This light is a vital force that infiltrate and influences the health and being of all living things. It enters into and is incorporated in the various energy points or chakras in the body. This relates is turn to the natural health and vitality of the body and the total human being. Therefore, in terms of New Age philosophy: "When white light flows harmoniously [from the astral body] into the interior centers (the chakras), our condition becomes healthy and more harmonious. When there is some obstruction in the chakra, blocks are formed, and these blocks prevent energy from flowing freely, and the body is unable to heal itself." (Fuller 242)

Therefore an understanding of this metaphysical system is necessary to see how crystal therapy relates to health issues. In this sense, the light that enters the world is directed to the chakras which "...receives one of the seven color rays and in turn transmits this vital force throughout the body. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet thus correspond to the seven chakras located along the spinal column." (Fuller 242) Crystal therapy is therefore based on the control and manipulation of these energies so that there is the "correct" or appropriate and balanced amount of this energy in each of the chakras.

The most touted of New Age healing techniques has been the use of crystals. Enthusiasts claim that because rock crystal is almost entirely devoid of color, it is an almost perfect capacitor of divine white light. Explanations of exactly how crystals wield their healing powers vary from practitioner to practitioner. Some maintain that the unique properties of crystals make them excellent receptors of metaphysical energies.

Fuller 242/3)

Brief history of crystal therapy

As has already been mentioned, the history of this form of therapy is to be found in many historical documents and in myths, stories and records from the distant past.

Some of these earlier records of crystal healing come for ancient Egypt and India. For example, "Primitive paintings dating back to 25,000 BC show that the ancient Egyptians used crystals for therapeutic purposes. " (What is crystal healing) There are many references to India and crystal healing in the East. " India's Ayurvedic records and traditional Chinese medicine also claim healing with the use of crystals, dating back to 5000 years ago." (Crystal Healing: Medindia. Com) There are also references to the use of crystals in ancient Shamanic cultures, such as the Inuit of Canada.

In a more modern context, crystal as an alternative therapy emerged in Los Angeles in the 1980's as part of the alternative medicine movement. "New Age and holistic health magazines, such as Van Nuys-based Meditation Age, began to include stories on crystals. " (Flores) Crystal healing gathered momentum and popularity in the more "fringe" section of modern alternative and complementary therapies and practices.

There was of course a reaction from the scientifically orientated allopathic medical community. Crystal therapy and the way that crystals affect the body are not easily accessible to scientific investigation. As one medical practitioner states: "There is no medical evidence of an imbalance of energy in the body...." (Flores)

The future of the history of crystal therapy is marked by a difficult battle for medical acceptance "Complementary therapists should face tougher regulation and more rigorous tests to prove the treatments they offer are effective." (Crackdown on alternative therapy)

4. Demographics and statistics

At present there is a relative paucity in terms of a comprehensive quantitative overview of the demographics and statistical parameters of crystal healing, in terms of its breakdown by gender, age, number of practitioners and other variables. It can be assumed from various reports that the consensus is that this therapy is most popular and used more extensively among younger people who have more tolerance for and more acceptance of alternative therapies than older people. This is due to the fact that older people have become used to the more formal and allopathic forms of healthcare and this fact is borne out to certain extent in the following discussion.

One of the quantitative studies that have been done on crystal healing indicates that there is conclusive proof that there has been a "substantial increase in the popularity of alternative medicine for a variety of illnesses and symptoms, as well as for preventive health practices and general self-care." (Blanchard) an indication of the increasing acceptance of crystal therapy is that it is included in many formal assessments and definitions of CAM or Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Therefore the demographics and acceptance of crystal therapy can also be ascertained from the more extensive data on alternative therapies in general. In this light one study reported, "...widespread use of CAM using nationally representative random household phone surveys. In 1991, 33.8% of American adults had used at least 1 in 16 CAM therapies, and a follow-up study in 1998 found that number had increased substantially to 42.1%." (Blanchard)

In a survey of U.S. university students, measuring the percentage use of various alternative Medicine (AM) practices over a twelve month period, it was found that while crystal therapy was featured it was at the lower end of the table.

Percentage Use of Different Alternative

Medicine (AM) Practices in Past 12 Months

I am practice

Massage therapy

Yoga

Relaxation

Aromatherapy

Megavitamins

Chiropractic

Lifestyle diet

Folk remedies

Spiritual healing

Homeopathy

Bodywork

Light therapy

Magnets

Energy healing

Reflexology

Crystal therapy

Acupuncture

Ayurvedic medicine

Reiki

Qigong

Iridology

Note. N = 506.

Blanchard)

The above table illustrates the fact also seen in other report and statistics, that crystal therapy is not as popular or as well accepted as many other better-known alternative health therapies.

On the other hand it has also been found that in certain areas and regions there has been an increase in the number of practitioners and acceptance of crystal therapy. For example one study shows that that while there have been a measured decline in conventional religious practices in Britain, there has been a concomitant increase in views and practice associated with alternative philosophies of healing and crystal therapy in particular. "According to recent figures, fewer than 3% of Londoners are now regular churchgoers. At the same time, non-Christian practices such as Kabbalah, Buddhism, Hinduism and crystal healing are flourishing..." ("The Return of Paganism")

At present it is estimated that there are in excess of 2000 Electro-Crystal Therapists throughout the world (Huxley M.A.) an interesting statistic is that in studies of alternative therapy is has been found that one of the areas that has shown a greater increase in usage is crystal therapy. In a 2000 survey by Mills and Budd it was found that while some therapies such as aromatherapy has shown lower levels of growth, "....less well-established therapies such as Ayurveda (+100 per cent) and crystal healing (+109 per cent)..." shows the highest level of growth. (Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the UK and German)

As stated, the demographics on crystal therapy are not comprehensive and one often encounters contradictory figures and statistics. For example, some reports state that more obscure alternatives like crystal theory are not particularly popular among Western users. "The more unusual therapies are still relatively unpopular - an ICM poll.... showed 1% of people were using crystal therapy, auricular therapy, treatment with magnets and Qi Gong. http://news.bbc.co.uk/furniture/nothing.gif very peculiar practice)

This seems to contradict other reports in the same general region and time frame which show an increase of interest in crystal therapy. "Crystal therapy has gained some recent credibility..." (Bachelor). Differences in country and culture may also be variables that influence these results, as well as various perceptions and preconceptions that may exist.

Part of the problem that exists in understanding and collating a consistent demographic profile on this subject is that many of the alternative therapies are unknown or unfamiliar to counselors and practitioners. In a survey of the rehabilitation profession, it was shown that many counselors were unaware of alternative and Native American healing practices. More than eighty percent of those surveyed were unfamiliar with crystal therapy.

Conclusion: An assessment of crystal therapy

There are indications that crystal therapy and healing as a movement is becoming more structured and cohesive. For example, this is particularly evident in the United Kingdom.

The Crystal & Healing Federation (CHF) and the Affiliation of Crystal Healing Organisations (ACHO), who are the two main umbrella bodies for crystal healing schools and colleges, have joined forces in order to ensure that professional and adequate standards in Crystal Healing are set and maintained. The result is the British Crystal Healers (BCH), which is now the lead body representing Crystal Healing Standards in the UK.

Huxley)

One of the problems with the acceptance and growth of this form of therapy is the relative mystery that surrounds its functioning. However the long history of crystal therapy and the numerous personal accounts of its success in treatment indicate that this is a therapy that should receive more research and recognition. For example, crystal therapy has been found to be effective in cases of depression. "Crystal therapy documentation indicates that clients, having suffered from miscellaneous kinds of depression have been successfully treated by Crystal therapists." (Vantol and Tarling)

At present crystal therapy is still in the beginning stages of its development in the Western world. Some critics compare it to the way that Aromatherapy was perceived fifteen years ago. (Vantol and Tarling) However there is an increasing awareness of the benefits of crystal therapy in both an alternative and complementary sense.

Bibliography www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=102478367

Albanese, Catherine L. "Chapter 6 the Magical Staff: Quantum Healing in the New Age." Perspectives on the New Age / . Ed. James R. Lewis and J. Gordon Melton. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1992. 68-84. Questia. 11 Mar. 2007 http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=102478457.