Hey, love quartz, find me a soulmate

Amid the pandemic and the emotional mess it has spawned, millennials are searching for peace, love and career advancement in the colourful world of crystals

I have been sleeping with a lilac grey mass under my pillow for a couple of weeks now. It’s lepidolite or a mica mineral that’s believed to reduce stress and help battle depression. It’s one of the many attempts I have made through the pandemic, and lockdown after lockdown, to improve my state of mind, and hang onto hope. To make sense of the incomprehensible, while some people have taken to seeking higher knowledge, others are turning to the workings of the inner self. I, for one, have also sought solace in yoga, meditation and self-help books. 

Crystal healing is a pseudo scientific alternative practice that uses semiprecious stones and crystals, that some say have healing powers. According to spiritual healers, crystals are supposed to boost low energy, prevent bad energy, and clear out blockages. And the challenges of the pandemic have pushed some people closer to crystal healing. Wikipedia calls crystal healing a “pseudo science”; fashion website Net-e-porter proclaimed in May that crystal jewellery was the season’s “most magical style trend”. It said that Victoria Beckham used them to calm her nerves before a show and Lady Gaga is using them to explore the connection between mind and body. Back home, Instagram is now home to intuitive and young tarot card readers, and crystal healers, who are helping young minds, anxious and confused, find some peace.  

Zohra Shakti’s Instagram page, Woodstock_crystals, has information regarding each crystal

Zohra Shakti, who is a tarot and intuitive medium and crystal healer, says crediting iconic fashion portals for turning the spotlight on crystals would be naive. She does think, however, that “Net-e-Porter acknowledged the power of crystals, and that was big.” 

Shakti, 30, who has an Instagram page dedicated to crystals, @woodstock_crystals, had been thinking of dabbling in this stream of healing for two years, but wanted to educate herself before she started. Several of her clients, who also come to her for tarot readings, are crystal newbies. “They come with a specific intention—they want love, hope to clear old wounds, they want better self-worth. I guide them about which crystal would suit them and their needs best . Many incorporate them into their lives in the form of pendants, since it’s more like a personal talisman.” 

Aarti Kalro says that the rising interest in crystals comes from the need to find a solution to stress and anxiety 

Ask her what crystal is the most in demand, and she laughs: “Rose quartz!” Also known as love stone, it’s believed to help find new love, or heal an existing relationship. Aarti Kalro of Arura Crystals agrees, but has also seen a big following for the lavender-hued amethyst, which stands for peace. “In the past year, people could not escape their circumstances. They couldn’t exercise their freedom, go on vacation or for a round of drinks and dinner. They needed to find something in a closed place to make them reconnect with themselves. My business went through the roof after the pandemic hit. People have turned to 
crystals in a big way to find inner peace,” she says. 

Peddar Road resident Gauri Savla Shah bought her first crystal five years ago. It was a moon stone, which is known to balance emotions and induce calm. “I used to buy them [crystals] because they were beautiful to look at, not because I believed they helped me… Until I bought the rainbow fluorite, which is supposed to transform negative energy into positive. I used to keep it next to my bed, and it suddenly went missing. I had read that crystals go missing or break when they have served their purpose. Interestingly, by then I had reached a resolution with some things in my life, and sorted them out. So maybe it had done its work. My father had a black tourmaline, which is a protective stone. He has anxiety issues and that tourmaline collapsed into powder in a few days,” says the Ayurvedic healer, “I think right now, everyone is self-reflecting. We want to figure ourselves out, and it’s a great time to embrace spirituality and all that comes with it.”

Terry Manchanda is trying to educate people about the science connected with crystals

For those who call crystal healing mumbo jumbo, Mumbai-based Terry Manchanda is holding what she calls Crystal Synthesis workshops to scientifically explain how crystals work. “A lot of experiments have been done worldwide to prove this. If you say ‘spiritual’, some people think it won’t work. If you say science, they may listen,” says Manchanda, who also reiterates that she has seen a greater number of younger clients seek her out of late. “They have reached a point where they are not finding the answers they are looking for. So they are here, and I tell them to think positive, and not go down the negative road,” says Manchanda, who has worked with crystals for close to 30 years.

Like with all things concerning faith, experts say the effectiveness of crystals too depends on how much you believe in them. But at the very least, they have become a part of the self-care rituals many of us have set up for ourselves during the pandemic. Some have found respite in lighting candles, others by soaking in a bath, putting on a soothing face mask, or holding a crystal close as we meditate. Beauty editor Latha Sunadh puts it well, when she says, “Crystals have now broken into self-care. Instagram has given them a hip makeover, making them the answer to a mix of the Western philosophy of good vibes and our traditional beliefs [chakras promote life energy that connects physical and supernatural elements of the body]. It’s spiritual and it’s Instagram-friendly, which makes it great!”

How a crystal works 

Crystals are fossilised minerals that are naturally extracted, which means they harness the energies of the sun, moon, and water (all-natural healing energies) to improve our state of being and mind, say its proponents. They believe that when you place or hold a crystal over the body, it interacts with the body’s chakras to promote well being. Crystals are believed to have the ability to absorb, redirect, and diffuse energy while interacting with the electromagnetic forces and vibrations within the human or environmental energy field. Healing refers to bringing the body, mind, soul and environment to harmony.

Do gooders

Clear quartz Known as the “master healer”, it amplifies energy and aids concentration and memory.

Citrine Reduces depression and helps lessen negative thoughts.

Jasper Brings tranquillity. It’s known as the “supreme nurturer”.

Obsidian It blocks negative influences and protects you.

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