Crystals are captivating, personal, lovely objects that come in countless forms — and, above all, they exist to lend us a hand.
As small children, most of us were spellbound by them: the vivid hues, the way they catch the sun or moon, that overall sense of something enchanted. Growing up tends to dull that wonder, particularly once the pressures of adult life and the "real world" start piling on.
Yet there was a reason those stones held such a grip on our childhood imaginations — a stage of life when intuition, innocence and creativity are at their peak. Crystals carry an enchantment that is distinctly their own, and it works best in tandem with intuition: the more deeply you can reach into your instinctive side, the more readily a crystal can connect with you.
Stepping into the world of crystals can feel daunting. Where should you start? How do you use intuition to identify the right stone? With so many varieties out there, what if none of them does anything for you?
The reality is that every crystal exerts some effect; whether that effect takes hold depends on the individual being open enough to allow it. That is precisely why intuition plays such a central role in selecting and working with crystals. Keep reading to learn how to draw on your intuition and locate the crystal that will serve you best.
Begin With a Clear Intention
When you set out to use intuition, starting with intention may be the single most valuable step. For some people, tapping into intuition comes naturally; for others — myself included, many times over — the starting point is a mystery. Intention is a helpful way to smooth that path.
Start by identifying what you need assistance with. Here are a few examples:
- I need help choosing the right career
- I need help in my relationship
- I want to be happier
- I want to be healed
- I want to be brave
- I just want a crystal to help me, no matter what happens!
Whatever your intention may be, shut your eyes and concentrate on it. Give this around ten to fifteen minutes, breathing slowly and deeply. You may find that a particular crystal name surfaces in your mind, or a color, or a specific gemstone — that is your intuition signaling which crystal you need right now.
Should nothing appear — no flashes, no images — that is perfectly fine. Once your intention is set, a useful next step is to write it on a sheet of paper, fold the paper, tuck it into your pocket, and then…
Head to the Crystal Shop
As you wander through the shop, keep your mind receptive and set aside doubt or judgment. Keep in mind that belief matters just as much as intent. If you believe the right crystal will turn up, it will.
If it helps, pull the folded paper from your pocket and read it over once more. Look through the stones while holding your intention in focus. Trust your intuition and let your rational mind rest for a while — it will wake up again soon enough.
Your browsing may take only a moment or it may stretch on; either way, here are some signs that intuition is at work:
- A single crystal simply catches your eye and you feel pulled toward it. There may be no clear explanation; it might not be the shiniest, brightest or most glittering stone, yet you feel compelled to look more closely.
- The crystal tingles in your hands when you pick it up.
- Once you have picked the crystal up, you do not want to set it down again.
- An odd smile creeps up on your face as you hold it, or a memory flashes into your mind, or you feel a little short of breath. These are physical signs that the crystal has connected with you.
- You feel a series of (or just one) particular emotions race through you as you hold the crystal.
- A sense of empowerment engulfs you.
Any of these signals indicates that you have found the right crystal and that your intuition has done its job.
Bear in mind that the stone you end up with may be nothing like the one you anticipated.
You might even have researched crystals before your visit and arrived intending to buy a specific one — I once did exactly that while hunting for a stone to bolster my self-confidence at a public event. After reading up, I settled on a sodalite pendant because of its reputation for raising self-esteem. While browsing with my intuition engaged, I wound up buying an orange carnelian pendant instead — and the orange carnelian turned out to be precisely what I needed. Trust your intuition and you cannot go wrong.
If reaching a crystal store is not an option, the same intuitive approach works for online shopping as well.
Closing Thoughts
Crystals are marvelous, handy little objects that can support us in virtually any area of life you can name. They will not magically dissolve all our problems, but they can certainly assist and guide us, and they can help us grow as people. Learning to harness intuition when selecting a crystal is a genuinely useful skill.
Next time you go looking for a crystal, try these techniques and let your intuition take the lead.
