Does Crystal Healing Work?

An Encounter with Shungite

I first encountered shungite while buying rocks and minerals in South Africa in 2010.  When a small display of elite shungite caught my eye, I was immediately interested in what it was.

After doing some research, I learned that shungite is a non-crystalline solid formed mostly from carbon.  That alone makes it highly sought after for its healing properties.

Having chosen a few pieces without paying much attention to the price, I was surprised at how expensive it was.

Once back home, I took photographs and listed each piece on the Stone Mania website. They all sold quickly, so when we returned to South Africa a few months later bought more.

When those pieces proved just as popular, I decided to find a supplier in Russia.  After receiving two parcels of low-grade shungite despite being told on both occasions it was elite-grade, I eventually received some really nice stones at a fair price.

With shungite being non-crystalline it's not classed as a mineral, it's correctly known as a mineraloid.  This word describes the group of mineral-like substances that include jet (similar to coal), moldavite, pearl and obsidian.

'Amorphous' is another word for mineraloid or a naturally occurring non-crystalline solid.  Non-crystalline means it has no significant crystal structure, which means it's not made up of crystals.

When used for its healing properties, shungite is believed to clear old emotional and physical behaviours, replacing them with new positive patterns.

It boosts physical well-being, strengthens the immune system and restores emotional balance.

Shungite has in the past been called 'the miracle stone' or 'stone of life'.  The late Judy Hall, author of the Crystal Bible series, claims it may even have been instrumental in creating life on Earth.

It's important to keep an open mind when using shungite or any crystal for its healing properties.  While there may be anecdotal evidence and personal experiences to support a stone's healing ability, limited scientific evidence exists to back it up. 

A small shungite study was carried out on rats in 2003. Results showed that shielding with shungite could reduce the severity of skin damage from exposure to electromagnetic irradiation.

During another study in 2017, a significant improvement was seen in the skin of hairless mice when exposed to radiation.  Shungite was found to have effective antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties compared to other screening control treatments.

The response is believed to be caused by the presence of fullerene.  Shungite was used because processing pure fullerene is difficult and expensive.

Shungite is an interesting material found predominantly in northwest Russia.  It's relatively rare, virtually unknown and the finest grade is called Elite or Noble shungite.

It's surprisingly lightweight, naturally lustrous and has a black residue that comes from particles of carbon.

With the world's original and largest deposit being in Karelia, northwest Russia, it can be expensive.

The Attraction of Crystal Healing

Although conventional medicine can be traced back 5,300 years, the use of crystals for their healing properties can be traced back at least 6,000 years.

While there is much scepticism surrounding the practice of healing with crystals, many people, including myself, are open-minded.

Although scientific evidence to support their healing ability is limited, crystals are without doubt an integral part of many people's lives.

Scientific testing that has been carried out suggests the ability of crystals to heal comes from a phenomenon known as the placebo effect.  A placebo is a substance or treatment that's believed to be genuine but contains no active medicinal ingredient.

Trials have shown that a placebo can stimulate a genuine physiological response.  This can range from a change in heart rate or blood pressure to a chemical activity in the brain.

In cases involving pain, depression, anxiety, fatigue and even some symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, a significant improvement has been achieved. 

Rocks and minerals have played a crucial role in creating and shaping our planet.  With that in mind, who can say for certain they don't have some healing ability that we're yet to fully understand?

I have been working with rocks and minerals for more than twenty years.  Although I don't use them for their healing properties, I am drawn to them in a way I can't fully explain.  When working with them I feel a sense of calmness, and they often lift my mood.

It’s widely documented that shungite is at least two billion years old.  Although that sounds impressive, the oldest rocks on the planet date back around four billion years.  That makes shungite seem quite young in comparison.

My interest in rocks and minerals is not only geological, I'm also interested in how they've been used and studied throughout history.

I'm fascinated by their colours and characteristics and by the fact that I'm handling something whose formation began millions or, in some cases, even billions of years ago.

People often forget how old rocks and minerals are and what they've been through to become what they are today. 

Using crystals for their healing properties is not for everyone, but these curious and fascinating objects have so much to offer.

For many years, I worked in markets and retail shows and was always fascinated by the reactions of people who had little awareness of rocks and minerals.

They were captivated by their shapes, colours and textures, and some would seem puzzled by what they were looking at.  

When I explained some of these minerals were millions or even billions of years old, they'd look at me with scepticism.

I remember one customer scratching a piece of orange calcite with his fingernail.  When I asked what he was doing, he said he wanted to see if it was real.

Many minerals are very soft and can be easily scratched by a fingernail. 

One question I was asked time and time again, was what do you do with them?  It was a question I always found difficult to answer.

My Personal Experience with Crystals

I have three very nice pieces of Elite shungite in my own collection.

Opinion regarding using shungite or any crystal for its healing properties varies widely.

I work with rocks and minerals because I enjoy being around them.  Each one interests and fascinates me for a different reason.  I can't say what impact shungite or any stone will have on my life.  What I can say however, is that I believe it's worth keeping an open mind.

I once went to a psychic who had been highly recommended to me.  I've always been sceptical about people who claim to have psychic abilities.

After I walked in and before I'd even sat down, she blurted things out that she could not possibly have known. I hadn't given her my real name, and she knew nothing about me.

Although she subsequently didn't tell me much, what she did say was very personal.  She kept seeing the letter J and wasn't getting much else.  She said she didn't understand why or what it meant.  It was the first initial of my partner's name who was sitting on a bench at the end of the road.  

Could crystals be similar to psychic ability in that only some people can tune into them? Maybe for everyone else, they're nothing more than rocks and minerals.

For many years, I’ve read extensively about the healing properties of crystals and heard countless stories. Some I take with a pinch of salt, but you can't dismiss everything.

I've also had a few experiences that cannot be logically explained.  One involved obsidian which is believed to be exceptionally powerful.

Black obsidian is said to bring issues to the surface and can be very confrontational. Crystal healers say you must be ready for a full onslaught before using it.

In the years before I became involved with rocks and minerals, a piece of black obsidian came into my possession.  It wasn't something I chose and I had no idea what to do with it.  I put it in my bedside drawer and forgot about it.

In the months that followed, a monumental change took place that changed my life.  It came out of the blue and wasn't something I expected.  To say it was a full onslaught was an understatement.  Was that just coincidental?

Further experiences have shown me that if crystals are destined to be part of your life, they'll make an appearance when the time is right.