For many years some people have believed that crystals and natural gemstones possess the ability to aid physical and emotional healing. Although there is currently no scientific evidence to support these ideas, as is also true of other alternative therapies such as homeopathy, the belief that it will work, known as the placebo effect, definitely comes into its own here. Crystals allegedly operate on different vibrational levels which allows them to bring the body's energy fields back into balance and ease problems.

Crystals can be worn in jewellery, placed on special points on around the body, eg rubbed on the forehead to alleviate a headache, or used to make gem elixirs¹

Crystal therapy is though intended as a complement to conventional medicine and should not be used in place of it. If you have, or suspect you may have, a serious condition, please consult your doctor.

Therapeutic And Other Uses of Quartz

Practioners of crystal therapy believe quartz to be the most versatile stone of all. Some say this is due to it having a unique structure. Quartz is used for many purposes. Used as an aid to healing alongside prescribed medicine, in most conditions, it is believed to have an effect on the immune system and also to stimulate memory and concentration. It is commonly used in meditation as a filter for outside distraction.
Practitioners of the Japanese healing art Reiki also use crystals including quartz among their methods.

Quartz² was considered sacred by the aboriginal peoples of Australia ,who used it in the initiation of their Shamen and healers. It was also held in high regard by the native north Americans who used it for healing, and even spread crushed quartz on fields which did not receive much sunlight as they believed it to aid crop growth. It has been found in many ancient burial grounds in the form of goblets and other such items.

Quartz is classified as crystalline, it may be coloured or colourless, clear, translucent or opaque and is available in many shapes and sizes from small clusters to large geodes. It is easily obtainable worldwide.

Other Varieties of Quartz

There are numerous other varieties of quartz available, each believed to have additional properties to plain clear quartz. The main ones and their alleged properties are listed here.

• Rose Quartz - Associated strongly with the heart, Rose quartz is pink in colour as its name would suggest. It is believed to heal emotional wounds and attract love in all forms into your life as well as encouraging the bearer to love themselves.
• Blue Quartz - Believed to comfort fears and quieten the mind.
• Snow Quartz - Used as clear quartz, but believed to be slower in effect. Snow quartz is also believed to encourage tact and co-operation in the user.
• Tourmalinated Quartz - Believed to help change negative thought patterns and alleviate self-sabotaging tendencies. Also believed to be a good grounding stone as it combines the energies of quartz and tourmaline.

Amethyst, a purple variety of quartz is usually classified in its own right by crystal therapy practitioners and has quite different properties ascribed to it, such as preventing drunkeness.