Yesterday, I went shopping for some new crystals. I first went to one of my local New Age shops that I honestly don't care for the vibe of, but still frequent because the selection of books and minerals makes the few moments of discomfort worth it. The second shop I stopped at was more of a serious mineral shop in which cards explaining metaphysical uses don't accompany the thousands of minerals it sells. Upon arriving home, I submerged my new crystals into a bowl of spring water with some Himalayan pink salt for an over-night cleansing (only after first ensuring the Moh's hardness of each was above 4, of course.) This morning, the satisfaction of pulling my cleansed crystals out of the water one-by-one and drying them off was something all crystal lovers are familiar with. But yesterday's excursion had me thinking about the act of shopping for crystals, which, in itself, is an interesting topic to explore - and the one I want to discuss with you today.
This topic is a little difficult to discuss because it's pretty dependent on whether or not you are a more experienced crystal worker and have been navigating crystal shops for years or have never set foot in one. Even if the former describes you, continue reading and see if your experiences have been similar. Below are a few things to watch out for when shopping for crystals that I have learned over the years, and wish someone had told me, too.
1.) More often than you would think, crystal and New Age shops seem to have an intense - even negative - vibe. This is not nearly as mystical as it sounds. I'm not picking up on anything that you don't pick up on, too. You know how sometimes you walk into a room and feel stress, pressure, icky, or like you just plain want to do your business quickly so you can get out of there? More often than you would think, this can sometimes accurately describe your feelings when you enter some new age shops. My best explanation as to why this is? The light always attracts some darkness. Whether the shopkeeper is snobby and rolling her eyes at all your questions, or the crystal shop just seems to always attracts odd people and situations, your fur will definitely go up when you don't like the vibe of a shop you've entered (or, for that matter, any given place.) I say this because one of the shops near me with the best selection always seems to have kind of a yucky energy, and it amazes me how many people have brought this to my attention independent of any suggestion from me. The shopkeeper is never friendly, the clientele is always peculiar, and the energy leaves me wanting to scoop up my purchases as quickly as possible and be on my way. However, sometimes, it is simply worth it - as long as the shop doesn't seem to be SERIOUSLY weird or sketchy (to the point where you feel unsafe, or something - always trust your intuition.) It is okay to purchase crystals from a place that you note has some uncomfortably intense energy, but just make sure you give them a particularly thorough cleanse afterwards, and if it's an option, find another place to shop. If not, make your trips quick and carry or wear black tourmaline to keep you grounded and energetically protected.
2.) More often than you would think, crystal and New Age shops exhibit unethical behavior. I have shared with you before my experience at one such New Age shop where they were attempting to sell Goldstone - artificially manufactured glass with inclusions of copper - as sunstone. This is unlikely a mere oversight, as the two look nothing alike. If the mislabeling WAS accidental, this reveals such questionable knowledge of crystals that I would still suggest fleeing. I have had other experiences with unethical practices, too - I once bought a specimen under the pretense that it was Charoite only to later realize that it was a variety of Chinese fluorite often sold as Charoite to deceive the naïve, as it is far more common. To avoid making this mistake yourself, realize that Charoite has very little white - if a tumbled stone is being sold as charoite and it has thick, distinct white bands, it's fluorite. While I can sometimes look past a store for having strange or off-putting vibes, I cannot forgive pure deceit and dishonesty - the minute you realize a shop is selling fakes or trying to pass Goldstone as Sunstone or Fluorite as Charoite, head for the door - you now know that you have no idea what you're buying.
3.) Don't go into a New Age Shop acting like you know everything. Even if you do. It is understandably perceived as disrespectful to someone who runs a New Age shop and prides themselves in knowing their stuff when you loudly start telling everyone how fine-tuned your crysal knowledge is, and how each crystal in your vicinity works. My favorite New Age shop in my area is owned by a lovely Shaman who - while very pleasant - responds negatively when people appear to be showing off or attempting to strip her of her authority in her own place, as she enjoys answering questions. It may sound silly, but just be respectful of the shopkeeper, and let them do their thing - it likely means a lot to them to be able to address questions.
4.) That being said, don't ask silly questions. More often than not, shopkeepers have arranged it so that with each stone is a clear description of its energy signature and some of its most useful and commonly known properties, usually on a card or piece of paper. Many also have reference books placed near their crystal selection. When I say a "silly question" I mean holding a stone up to your shopkeepers face and saying "What does this do?" or "I'm a Leo, what crystal do I need?" If you are a frequent reader of my blog, you know these overly general questions are the bane of my existence. People want to think that each crystal has one distinct function - it either attracts love, attracts money, or offers protection. A certain crystal is for an Aries, while the other is for Librans. But the frustrating truth is that it's not that simple, and while your shopkeeper will likely be excited to address good questions, don't be afraid to take it upon yourself to go off of your intuition, your own pre-existing crystal knowledge, and any references offered by the shopkeeper before flagging them down to get a verbal description. After all, crystal shopping is a personal thing, and it's not about them - it's about you. Don't over-rely on them.
5.) Combine intuition with practical knowledge. While it's great to consult your crystal books to figure out what you need, as is taking advantage of the cards the shopkeeper may have typed up and left out for you, shopping for crystals based on intuition is really rewarding and never fails to lead you to exactly what you need. One really fun exercise to try is to take your favorite crystal book and ask your spirit guide to open you up to the page that contains the crystal you most need right now. Then, open up to a random page. I tried this once, and opened up to Cavansite - a fairly rare crystal that I had never even seen in person, and one that most New Age shops don't carry. However, upon entering the shop moments later, I was amazed to find a lovely selection of Cavansite and quickly adopted one. Of course, a good combination of intuition and learned knowledge is ideal, but make sure you do utilize your inner sight when crystal hunting.
Some of these tips may sound silly, but it's definitely important to demonstrate etiquette when shopping for crystals and meeting the crystal authority figures in your area - if you can build a relationship with them, they can help you further your knowledge and introduce you to even more contacts. I have befriended many shopkeepers by simply being kind, respectful, and a frequent visitor of their shops, and it has helped me greatly to have such forces on my side. So, thanks for reading, and hopefully you find these helpful the next time you step into a crystal shop. Namaste.
No comments:
Post a Comment