Rock On: The Crystal Healing Handbook for Spiritual Rebels

By Kate Mantello

ROCK ON is the crystal healing book for spiritual seekers who love to bend the mainstream rules and walk their own path.Whether you are an energy healer, a crystal lover, or simply a spiritual rebel with an open mind and an open heart, ROCK ON will teach you how to easily overcome life's everyday hurdles and heal yourself and those around you, using the power of crystals.Covering all aspects of crystal healing, from the scientific to the esoteric, and featuring 40 detailed crystal body layouts, ROCK ON is the definitive reference guide for those wanting to learn more about the hands-on side of crystal healing from a Master Crystal Healer with a fresh and unique perspective.If you are interested in all the hype about sparkly rocks but aren't sure about spiritual woo-woo, read ROCK ON's introduction and you won't be able to put the book down!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Independent Publishers Group
• Release date: Sep 3, 2021
• ISBN: 9781922579973

Book preview

The foundations of

crystal healing

Crystal healing 101 – an introduction

Crystal healing (also known as crystal therapy or gemstone healing) is the practice of using crystals, minerals and precious metals on people or animals to bring about healing and to enhance wellness in the physical and energetic body. While this all sounds impossibly ‘New Age’, the complete opposite is true: crystal healing is one of the oldest natural healing modalities known to humanity. Almost all the great and ancient civilisations (including the Hebrews, Mayans, Egyptians and Aztecs) incorporated sacred stones into their religious, philosophical and healing practices. Crystals have been discovered inside Egyptian burial chambers and precious stones found in ancient tribal jewellery, amulets, garments and records of sacred ceremonies.

In modern culture, we continue to perpetuate the idea that crystals hold supernatural powers through films such as The Dark Crystal (Amethyst), Moana (Jade/Greenstone), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Quartz), Superman (Kryptonite) and Game of Thrones (Obsidian/Dragon’s Glass), and books like The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling, both of which feature magical stones as their focal point.

In terms of practical and therapeutic application, crystal healing has massively increased in popularity in recent years and is now a professionally recognised healing modality in most parts of the developed world. Unlike many other healing modalities, crystal therapy involves no body manipulation, no application of oils or creams and no ingestion of medications or supplements (or other potentially harmful substances), and carries almost zero risk of side-effects or injury. It is an extremely subtle and enjoyable healing modality that can be used just as effectively to help someone through emotional or mental imbalance (such as a marriage break-up or anxiety), as to support someone through a physical injury or illness.

Most people would be surprised to learn that crystal healing is already deeply infused into our daily life. For example, most water filters contain a combination of specific minerals to cleanse and purify water. Baltic Amber necklaces have become popular for young children because they can help to relieve teething pain. Microchip and LCD technologies would not be possible without harnessing the energetic properties of Clear Quartz crystals (more on this later; see here).

This book is your one-stop guide to crystal healing. Not only will you learn about the scientific and metaphysical aspects of crystal healing, but you will learn the art of applied crystal healing: how to use crystals with intention and skill on the physical body to promote healing and wellness for life’s most common health situations and challenges.

The energy of each person is completely unique, as is the energy of each individual crystal. The art of applied crystal healing is the practice of intentionally uniting these two energies (human and crystal) to create a vibrational shift throughout the entire body – bringing alignment, cleansing, balance, release and healing to all levels of being.

You do not need a degree or professional training to benefit from the healing energies of crystals. While there is a lot of technique and knowledge involved in applied crystal healing (which we will cover in Parts 2 and 3 of this book), all you really need to get started are a couple of healing crystals and an open mind.

Are you ready?

Not all rocks are created equal –

crystal types and their uses

There are hundreds of different crystals and stones used in crystal healing. Many are cheap and readily available. Some, like diamonds, are expensive and rare.

Some are sparkly and gorgeous. Others have curious, mystical names like Aura Quartz, Lemurian Seed and Isis Crystal. And some crystals are so impossibly colourful that you might be easily dazzled into thinking they are other-worldly.

A word of advice.

In the world of crystals and minerals, pretty does not equal powerful. A fancy name does not guarantee performance. And if the crystal’s shade of fluorescent pink and purple matches a 1980s aerobics sweatband, then you can be sure it has been dyed (that’s not to say it won’t make an eye-catching piece of crystal bling, though!). When choosing crystals for healing purposes, it is best to select natural stones that have not been heat-treated or artificially dyed.

Shape is not really of any consequence, as both natural and shaped stones have their different uses. What is vitally important, however, is that you truly resonate with the stones you work with.

There are three important things to consider when selecting and purchasing crystals for healing:

Type – Does the crystal have appropriate healing properties for its chosen purpose?

Shape – Is the crystal natural, shaped or cut and what will it feel like to work with?

Energetic vibe – How does the crystal feel energetically to you?

In this section of the book, we will look at the first two points but not the third, because that one is something only you can decide for yourself.

PURCHASING CRYSTALS

When purchasing your crystals, always be sure to source them from reputable and ethical sellers and wholesalers. I prefer to select my crystals in-person as I am very tactile and the physical contact is important for me to sense the crystal’s energy. You may not need this level of contact to choose a crystal, or you may live in a remote area, so purchasing online may be more convenient for you. That’s absolutely fine too! Either way, be sure that you trust the seller and their pieces are high quality. I found it difficult to source healing stones in my preferred size, shape and quality, which is why I opened my own online crystal store for dedicated crystal healers. (To purchase the same type of crystals that I work with, please visit evolvehealing.net/shop.)

Different crystal types

Following are the different crystals featured in this book – these are the crystals I have used the most in my crystal healing career. You may love working with crystals that are not mentioned in this book. This is perfectly fine, of course; however, if you are re-creating the crystal body layouts in Part 3, then it is best to use the correct stones wherever possible. (‘Crystal body layout’ is the term I use to describe a strategic arrangement of crystals on the body for a specific healing outcome. You might also be familiar with the phrase ‘crystal body grid’, which means the same thing.)

I’ve also included mention of which chakra the crystal relates to. The word ‘chakra’ means ‘wheel’ in Hindi and the idea that the chakras are energy centres within the human body was first linked to the Vedas, a collection of ancient Indian scriptures dated somewhere between 1700 BCE and 500 BCE. Each chakra forms a powerful centre of spinning prana, or life-force energy, which fuels the human energetic system. You’ll read more about the chakras in ‘Crystal healing and the chakras’.

If you do find yourself needing to substitute any of the crystals, then please be sure to use stones of a similar colour, shape and healing application for best results (read more about substituting crystals).

Different crystal shapes

Tumbled stones

The most commonly recognised crystal shape is probably that of the humble tumbled crystal. You have surely admired at some point the rainbow of assorted tumbled crystals available at most crystal and New Age retail stores. Tumbled crystals are a great starting point for crystal collectors. They are inexpensive, come in a great range and are usually the real deal. This makes them a popular choice for crystal healing beginners. But what you might not know is that they can be quite awkward and impractical for most serious crystal healing bodywork.

Bodies, of course, come in an infinite range of shapes, sizes and curves. Commercially popular tumbled stones may look pretty in a bowl, but they tend to misbehave as soon as they are placed on a living, breathing, rounded human body. Strategically placed tumbled crystals look fab on an Instagram model, but the reality is one cough or sneeze and suddenly it’s raining crystals! This is why I always prefer larger, flatter stones (such as palm stones or cabochons) for crystal bodywork.

Cabochons and worry stones

A cabochon is a crystal that has been cut into an oval or circle shape that is flat on one side and curved and polished on the other. Because they are cut to exact and specific sizes, cabochon crystals are popular with those who like symmetry and prefer their crystals to be uniform shapes and sizes. Worry stones are similar in that they come in uniform oval shapes; however, the back of the crystal has been hollowed out slightly to allow your thumb to comfortably sit in the dip.

Cabochons and worry stones are a preferred crystal type in crystal healing because they sit flat against the body and are usually of a better quality than tumbled crystals.

Flat stones and palm stones

Flat stones (also known as palm stones) are larger than standard tumbled stones and have been roughly polished and shaped into discs. They are not precisely cut like cabochons, so they do vary in size and are therefore usually a cheaper option. They are also a preferred crystal choice for bodywork because they do not roll around.

Rough or natural stones

A rough or natural stone is one that has not been cut, polished or shaped, but is in its natural, raw form. Sometimes a stone may be partially natural and have only one side cut and polished. Natural stones can be used as highly effective healing tools; however, there are some important factors to consider when selecting rough crystals for bodywork.

Some crystals (such as Malachite) and other metals, minerals and fossils used in crystal healing contain toxic particles that can cause skin rash and irritation. When a crystal is polished, the surface of the crystal is smoothed and sealed, becoming almost completely non-porous. This means that none of the particles can escape the crystal and it is less likely to absorb moisture or be damaged. However, rough stones are much more porous, meaning particles easily become dislodged and the stone is more susceptible to damage from moisture or friction (from sweaty hands or rubbing against other stones, for example).

For this reason, I prefer to keep my natural stones as display pieces and only work with a limited number of natural stones on the body.

Reviews for Rock On

[Mirjana Fric · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The book approaches working with crystals in a simple way. It is very useful for me.