For centuries, people have seen the value in the beautiful crystals that naturally occur below the earth’s surface. Ancient Egyptians utilized crystals for protection and prosperity, as their predecessors had, as well as the many that followed them. Now it’s our turn to appreciate the power these crystals could have on our everyday lives.
High school in the modern day is hard, but many people have found simple little ways to make it suck a bit less. Take Olivia Hampson, an 18-year-old in Portland, who told me all about the crystals that make high school and being a teenager much easier. The crystals that Hampson praised the most were carnelian, selenite, black tourmaline, amethyst and citrine. She said that carnelian and citrine both made her feel “very confident in who [she is]” and that they could potentially help people get through and face those hard days when doing the smallest of tasks feels impossible. Carnelian appears to be a reddish brown color like a beautiful and vibrant sunset. Citrine is also a warmly colored stone, with a yellow hue which can range from pale and foggy to a brilliant amber. Many people mistake dyed amethyst for citrine, because it is done very commonly in cheap crystal stores. It can be very hard to tell the difference, but it is possible. When shopping for citrine, take a closer look at your chosen crystal to ensure there are no traces of purple; if there are, it is likely a dyed amethyst.
But amethyst isn’t a half bad stone itself, either. The word “amethyst” itself comes from the Greek word “amethystos,” which translates to sober, a possible explanation for its help in reducing headaches and maintaining a clear mind. The stone is a rich purple, sometimes with bits of red in certain varieties of the stone. The gorgeous purple is usually associated with the enhancement of calmness and understanding of difficult things, which could help struggling students handle their stressful homework, and possibly help reduce anxiety. Alyssa Blum, a jewelry maker and seller on Etsy under the handle shopthelyssa, said, “Everyone should have a piece [of amethyst] in their life.” Blum also repeatedly praised selenite for its calming, cleansing qualities, along with its harmonious influence and gorgeous appearance. It is a beautiful, opaque white stone with a shard-like appearance that can appear like it’s pure white light encased within the stone. If you have selenite in your life though, be careful to avoid water or the pieces will start to splinter. It is also slightly fragile, so be careful not to drop it. I myself keep my own selenite necklace on at almost all times, and since I have gotten it, I have felt much more centered, and able to handle and cope with the harder things in my life.
And the last, but certainly not least, crystal praised by Hampson, is black tourmaline, which is also known as schorl in other circles. This one is arguably the strongest crystal mentioned in this article, and not just physically; this crystal is often referred to as “the protector” as it defends you from psychic attacks, which often allows you to be as confident as possible. It does this by sucking up all the negative energy like the black hole it resembles, completely absent of light and color. Once it absorbs all the negativity, it modifies the energy and emits a very positive result. Hampson said that this one just “makes me feel safe within myself.” Which is something I know I need more of in my life.
These crystals are not the only ones out there that can support you in specific ways that you may need. Crystals can also just be something pretty to decorate your room. And who knows, maybe you’ll unintentionally reap the benefits.
