an A-Z of alternative therapies

From the Inuit of the Arctic to the Indians of the Amazon, shamanistic cultures throughout the world have valued precious and semiprecious gems for the magical and therapeutic qualities attributed to them.

Crystal Healing is a healing modality that works directly with the light, colour, beauty and perfect geometric forms that the mineral kingdom provides to assist us in balancing all aspects of our being.

It is not exactly that the stones themselves hold magical qualities or special powers, but that they mirror, magnify or amplify the healing vibrations provided by the therapist, by oneself or from earth energy sources.

In the case of a healer, they will receive, often unbeknown to themselves, healing vibration either from their ability to attune to earth energy sources, or from spiritual source. This will then be transformed by the stones into the correct energy for the condition and magnified and amplified. In the case of self healing, it is the same principle, but the original energy is accessed by oneself, instead of a third party.

It is an advanced healing art that has the capacity to influence the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bodies.

With the proper Crystal Healing Therapeutics applied, deep personal sources of healing energy can be accessed, as understanding and knowledge about oneself surfaces from inner sanctums of knowing.

From this foundation of personal empowerment mental awareness is elevated, the emotional body becomes hypersensitive, and the memory veils are lifted. The corresponding mental, emotional and spiritual causes of physical disease can be discovered and attended to.

While a proportion of practitioners work only with crystals, they are also used in conjunction with many other forms of alternative therapy, in particular, chakra therapies, colour therapies, auras, acupoints and spiritual healing.

Practitioners often work by holding a crystal in one hand and resting the other on the part of your body that requires healing.

Alternatively crystals may be placed on the part of your body that needs healing, on acupoint sites, on the chakra controlling the specific body part, or around the body to work with the aura, or a combination of all of these.

Specific stones are used in the treatment of specific conditions and are used in one of several healing methods as described in the previous column.

As the chakras are activated and the aura (or electro-magnetic force field surrounding the body) is infused with the light reflecting off of the stones it becomes possible to access much more subtle levels of consciousness and being.

In this way the power of the crystals and stones can be harnessed and their energies used to create healing, balance and upliftment.

You may also be asked to visualise the healing energy from the crystals.

You may be given a crystal to carry, wear around your neck, place in your work space or bedroom, or to put into a jug of water for a period before the water is drunk.

If the treatment includes one of the latter methods, you may be instructed how to "cleanse" the crystal of negative vibrations so that it continues to aid healing.

Patients usually feel very relaxed after a session and may want to sleep.

Session times vary, but may be approximately 1 hour long.

Number of sessions may vary, but may be weekly for several weeks, depending on the condition.

• Safe for every age group.
• Safe for every level of health.
• You should make the therapist aware of any existing medical condition.