The Ultimate Guide to Crystals for Beginners

Last Updated on January 10, 2023

Crystals can be overwhelming and confusing for beginners. One of the reasons that Divine Twist was created was to help beginners get started along their crystal journey.

In this guide, Crystals for beginners, you will be walked through everything you need to know to get started with healing crystals and stones.

First, let me add that it’s important to remember that you don’t need to know everything about crystals before you begin, and you do not need to have a large collection of crystals to experience their benefits.

While this guide is straight-forward and simple, it’s also long in length. So before you go further, you might want to add this to your “favorites” to ensure you can come back to it if you don’t make it through the entire guide.

What are crystals?

At the core, crystals are a rock formation with an organized molecular structure that come in a variety of colors and different formations.

Crystals formed in the Earth and because of this, carry powerful energy that you can access.

However, Earth-formed crystals are sometimes hard to come across, so many are man-made.

What are crystals used for?

The use of crystals dates back to ancient times, where they were used to heal many different ailments.

Crystals also have many other unique uses in modern society.

Their beautiful structure makes them perfect for home decor pieces. They also have many industrial uses, including the use of diamonds for cutting, quartz for controlling time in watches and rubies for high-powered lasers.

Today, people use crystals for all of the above reasons, and while the scientific evidence on the use of crystals is mixed, there is strong evidence to support that the mind is a powerful and the practice of crystals can aid with meditation, especially for those who believe their powers.

How to choose a crystal

As a beginner, you might feel overwhelmed with trying to choose a crystal.

And I agree. Choosing a crystal can be tough for beginners. There are so many crystals to choose from, each with unique properties.

To make things easier, here are a few different ways to help you choose a crystal.

1. Choose what you’re drawn to

When looking at crystals, make note of which ones stand out to you. It doesn’t matter why you feel you are drawn to you.

You can look at our list of the 10 best crystals for beginners below and see if any of those jump out at you, or you can take a look through our list of crystals to avoid for beginners.

2. Choose a crystal based on what you need right now

Each crystal has different healing properties and benefits. If there is something you need in your life right now, consider going for that crystal.

For example, if you need to boost your creativity, carnelian is wise choice.

You can go through our crystal uses guide to help you find a crystal that is perfectly tailored to your current needs.

3. Take our crystal quiz

If you have a difficult time tuning into your inner thoughts to choose a crystal, you should take our crystal quiz, which will ask you ten simple questions and guide you to a crystal that will enhance your positive vibrations.

10 best essential crystals and their meanings

Now that you know how to pick a crystal, you can go through this list of crystals and their meanings to see which one feels like it would benefit your life the most.

And don’t think you are limited to just one crystal! You can incorporate as many or as few as you need. Just make sure to read our guide on conflicting crystals prior to pairing any crystals together.

1. Citrine

Healing Properties

• Promotes clear thinking
• Enhances mood
• Increases creativity

Colors

• Lemon yellow
• Deep sunshine yellow
• Light brown
• Pale orange

Chakras

Citrine has a natural affinity with the Solar Plexus chakra, situated just below the breastbone, and helps to bring optimism, creativity, joy and a positive attitude when used in chakra cleansing or balancing.

Citrine is a fantastic confidence-boosting crystal when you need reassurance that your decisions are the right ones for you. It helps you to trust your “gut instinct”.

The vibration of citrine also resonates with the Sacral chakra, situated below the Solar Plexus, helping you to achieve balance in matters of a sexual or sensual nature and to appreciate the pleasures of all the senses.

Citrine helps the Solar Plexus and Sacral chakras to absorb positive vibrations, to dispel negative influences and to keep the life force or universal energy flowing freely throughout the entire chakra system and etheric body.

Tips for Use

Often referred to as the “merchant’s stone” Citrine is an excellent crystal to carry in your purse or wallet because of its long association with the manifestation of wealth and prosperity.

Shop Citrine Stones Here

2. Rose Quartz

Healing Properties

• Comforts the lonely
• Alleviates anxiety
• Good for raising self-esteem and confidence

Colors

• Pale pink
• Rose pinks
• Deeper pink into reddish hues

Chakras

Rose Quartz is aligned with the Heart chakra and brings a vibration of pure, unconditional love to this area of the chakra system.

It can be used to gently open the heart of those who have suffered from abuse or mental cruelty in love and have consequently closed their heart centers to love of all kinds.

It can also bring comfort and healing to anyone who is lacking in self-love as it opens us up to Universal and Divine love.

When the Heart chakra is healthy and in balance we are able to both give and receive love on an unconditional footing, making our relationships with others effortless and joyful.

The pure, free-flowing energy of the Heart connects with both the upper and lower chakras bringing a sense of true harmony and completeness.

Tips for Use

Place crystal of rose quartz in the South West corner of your home to encourage love to enter in abundance. Place pairs of crystals, or rose quartz hearts in the bedroom to manifest a new relationship or to breathe new life into an existing one. 

Shop Rose Quartz Stones Here

3. Amethyst

Healing Properties

• Reduces anxiety
• Soothes and calms an overactive mind
• Provides you with balance

Colors

• Deep purple
• Indigo
• Lilac
• Pale violet

Chakras

Amethyst is the crystal most associated with the upper chakras of the Third Eye and Crown. It carries a strong vibration of reassurance and confidence, even power, although it should not be used too frequently on the Third Eye in people who are only just awakening to their psychic abilities.

It is a very cleansing crystal and can be used to cleanse negative vibrations from our physical and etheric bodies. Used on the Crown it can bring intellectual acuity and mental clarity.

It also serves to anchor the light from the Higher realms down through the Crown and into the physical body.  

Tips for Use

Use an amethyst geode or cluster to naturally cleanse all of the stones in your collection. It is also a good stone for psychic protection.

Shop Amethyst Stones Here

4. Clear Quartz

Healing Properties

• Promotes a sense of clarity when indecisive
• Clears chakra blockages
• Aids psychic ability

Colors

• Clear
• Slightly opaque
• White

Chakras

Clear Quartz is the most versatile crystal when it comes to the chakras because it is able to clear, cleanse and rebalance all of the seven main chakras of the body.

It can be used to open the Third Eye in gradual stages so that a person is not overwhelmed by their own psychic experiences. It can also be used to join the energies of the lower chakras and Mother Earth to the energies of the higher realms as they meet within the Heart center.

Clear quartz is very useful for clearing energetic blockages in any of the chakras, especially when these are suspected of impeding physical recovery or healing.

Tips for Use 

Clear Quartz can be used to keep your tarot cards or crystals free from negative energies and vibrations. Simply keep a piece next to your possessions to keep them attuned to your own vibration.

Shop Clear Quartz Stones Here

5. Carnelian

Healing Properties

• Boosts a listless attitude
• Balances body energy levels
• Stimulates appetite
• Alleviates a jealous temperament

Colors

• Pale pinkish orange
• Deep autumn gold
• Rusty brown
• Brilliant orange
• Red-orange

Chakras

The vibration of carnelian is aligned with the Sacral chakra primarily although it can also be usefully used to balance the chakra below, the Base or Root chakra.

The Sacral center is responsible for the reproductive systems and for the emotions associated with sexual love. In order to have healthy relationships it is important to bring this chakra into balance and to ensure that the life force energies are flowing smoothly and strongly through it, with no energetic blockages.

Carnelian is a strong protection stone for those who have difficulty setting and maintaining boundaries in relationships of all types but is especially useful if there is a strong power imbalance involved.

Tips for Use

Place carnelian into your bathwater to benefit from the boost it gives to your energy levels. You can also wear carnelian jewelry whilst you work on setting clear boundaries in all areas of your life.

Shop Carnelian Stones Here

6. Jade

Healing Properties

• Bring harmony
• Heals feelings of guilt

Colors

• Most commonly recognized as shades of green
• Also occurs in shades of blue, lilac, purple
• Red
• Black

Chakras

Depending on the color used jade is a useful tool for all kinds of chakra work.

Green jade has a strong affinity with the Heart chakra and emanates a gentle yet powerful vibration for clearing the Heart center of energetic or emotional blockages.

When the heart chakra is out of balance you may feel either controlled or controlling in a relationship.

Using jade to gently bring this chakra into harmony helps you to strike the right balance in relationships, including those between parents and children, work colleagues and family members.

Jade is also a good ally for those who wish to improve the effectiveness of their communication skills by working on their Throat chakra  It is best to choose shades of green-blue or blue jade for this purpose

Tips for Use

Universally believed to be talisman of good luck and good fortune you can easily find all shades of jade carved into statuettes and other artifacts.

Place a jade frog by your front door to keep the good luck flowing into your house.

Shop Jade Stones Here

7. Tiger’s eye

Healing Properties

• Increases vitality and strength
• Good for balancing brain function between right and left hemispheres
• Aids in good decision making

Colors

• Layers and swirls of shades of gold and black
• Patterns of oranges, browns, yellow and brown

Chakras

Tiger’s Eye is a strong grounding stone and helps to ground the energy of the Solar Plexus, the Sacral and the Base chakras down into the earth.

The energy flows both ways when it is used in this way, bringing a strong sense of groundedness and strength to the participant.

When the Base chakra is healthy and supported we feel safe and secure in our material reality. The earthing properties of Tiger’s Eye can be very useful for treating shock or trauma in the early stages.

Tiger’s eye is also credited with being “all knowing” and can be used in conjunction with purple crystals of all kinds to help develop a spiritual connection to the Higher realms through the Third Eye.

Tips for Use

This crystal is strong protective stone and guards against malicious influences. It is also a good luck talisman, bringing wealth and an abundance of opportunities to those who use it in their homes or on their person.

Shop Tiger’s Eye Stones Here

8. Jasper

Healing Properties

• Jasper is a variety of Quartz and is, therefore, an almost universal healing stone
• Brings one back to “center” and to the power of the energies of Mother Earth.

Colors

• White
• Red
• Speckled brown and yellow
• Green
• Swirls and patterns of all of the colors found in nature

Chakras

Because jaspers occur in so many colors it is possible to use them on any chakra and they are especially useful in body layouts for aura cleansing and working on the etheric body.

Placed on the Base chakra jasper will stabilize and energize the physical body. Jasper boosts the energy of all chakras and helps to ensure a healthy flow of chi, or life force energy throughout the whole system.

It is a very good stone to use for aligning the energies of the physical, spiritual and etheric bodies and is also effective when used to bring yin and yang energies into balance.

Tips for Use

Jasper is known as the “Supreme Nurturer” and serves to remind us that we are not here on this physical plane solely for our own pleasures and purposes.

Carrying a piece of jasper helps to remind us that we are here to bring joy and love to others too.

Shop Jasper Stones Here

9. Turquoise

Healing Properties

• Helps ease anxiety
• Alleviates exhaustion
• Provides an inner-calm
• Increases creative-thinking

Colors

• Green–blue
• Sometimes veined with cream or brown
• The name “turquoise” is given to anything of this blue/green shade.

Chakras

The Throat chakra benefits from the application of turquoise as its vibration is attuned to the organs of verbal communication.

Placed on the throat during chakra work, or worn around the neck as a necklace, turquoise encourages the opening of the Throat chakra so that you can speak your truth fearlessly.

It is especially useful for people who feel marginalized or ignored as it helps them to find their “voice” and to be heard.

It can also be useful for establishing a stronger connection and communication with the spiritual realms.

Tips for Use

Turquoise is strong protective talisman and was revered in ancient times for its ability to keep a person from harm when riding. Carry turquoise or wear it as jewelry when travelling for extra protection. 

Shop Turquoise Stones Here

10. Moonstone

Healing Properties

• Attunes natural rhythms of the biological forces of the body
• Good for conditioning skin, hair and nails
• Enhances intuition

Colors

• Translucent, clear
• Pale blue
• Grey
• Yellow
• Peach
• Rainbow

Chakras

The white crystal energy of all shades of moonstone have an association with the Crown chakra and our spiritual growth. Moonstone enhances our personal identification with the Infinite, with the Divine, especially the Divine Feminine, peace and wisdom.

The Crown chakra, located at the top of the head governs our connection to the expanded universe and the energy of all-that-is. It shapes how we respond to the world around us and also affects the amount of intellectual energy we apply to all situations.

When it is in balance we feel secure enough to trust our instincts, without the need to over analyze or over think emotional issues. Moonstone helps to open the Crown so that it can form a gateway to Higher wisdoms and to our Higher selves.

Moonstone also cleanse all of the chakras and dispels negativity from the chakra system in a gentle, nurturing way, leaving us feeling cocooned in love and secure of our place in the world.

Tips for Use

Believed to be a protective talisman for travelers, a piece of Moonstone placed in the glove compartment of your vehicle brings a feeling of safety and confidence, especially if you travel a lot at night.

Shop Moonstones Here

How to get your crystals ready to use

Once you have your crystals, it’s time you prepare them for use. Before you start incorporating the crystals into your life, you will want to know how to cleanse your crystals and activate/program them.

It’s very simple, so let’s learn how to do get them ready for use.

How to cleanse crystals

Crystals require regular cleaning starting from the moment you first hold them in your hand and thereafter depending on how they are used.

For stones that have been received as gifts with specific energies already programmed, the initial cleansing might not be necessary.

Why is crystal cleansing important?

Depending on the purpose for which it is used, a crystal will absorb and release positive or negative energy.

If you plan to use your crystals specifically for healing, they need to be cleansed often, such as each month. If you are using your crystals during a particularly difficult time in your life (when there may be an abundance of negative energy) you may want to cleanse them weekly.

Crystals may start to feel heavy in your hands as they begin to collect negative energy, so one way to tell if it needs to be cleansed is to meditate with it and try to see if it feels heavy or “bogged” down.

But if a crystal is brand new, do we still need to cleanse it?

Yes! Crystals travel long distances before they arrive to us. Some crystals may be gifted and previously used, others may be purchased from a shop where they have been held by different customers over time. With every transition, there is the possibility that a stone might have been misaligned with unwanted energy vibrations.

Cleansing crystals restores them back to their natural state, so that they are ready to help you and provide you with the positive vibrations you require.

The following are some simple ways of how to cleanse crystals.

1. Clear running water

Pure water found in nature is ideal for this method, however, you may live in a place where the water that comes from your tap is already exceptionally clean and clear.

If that is the case, you can safely use your tap water to cleanse your crystals.

The idea is to have the crystal completely submerged for at least 1 minute then patted dry after. This method is suitable for hard crystals like certain types of quartz.

Stones with a hardness of 5 or less, on the Mohs Hardness scale, should not be used in water.

You should also not cleanse these crystals in water:

• Hemetite (it can rust)
• Pyrite (it can produce sulfuric acid when mixed with water)
• Tangerine quartz (it can dull or turn into clear quartz)

It’s best to be completely sure that your crystals are water safe.

2. Salt water

Fresh, sea water can be an excellent cleansing method for crystals.

But if you don’t live near the sea, a tablespoon of salt (sea salt or cooking salt) mixed with tap water can also be substituted. The crystal should the be completely submerged in a glass bowl and left to soak for up to 24 hours before rinsing then patting to dry.

This method is recommended for cleansing hard crystal types like quartz.

Some popular crystals that cannot be cleansed with salt water include ones that are low on the Mohs Hardness scale and have a rating of 5 or less.

And the same crystals that we mentioned in the section above, should never be put into water of any type, and stones that contain metal should never be placed in salt.

3. Salt

You can also cleanse your crystals by burying them into dry salt. You should leave your crystals for a few hours, but you can also leave them for several days if you feel they may contain lots of negative energy.

Remember that stones with metal should not be cleansed with salt.

4. The sun

Brightly colored crystals that are red, orange or yellow (think of crystals that are colored as the sun) love to bathe in the suns rays.

To cleanse your crystals in the sun, allow them to sit outside for no more than a few hours.

Be careful, however, as the sun can fade certain crystals. A safer, and more gentler light bathing alternative is the moon.

5. The moon

While a full moon is the most powerful lunar phase to cleanse your crystals, you can still successfully cleanse them during any other phase in the moon’s cycle.

For the best results, you will want to set your crystals on the Earth overnight, although if you live in an apartment building or don’t have access to a safe and secured area, that is not a problem.

Set the stone directly on the earth before dusk and letting it stay outside until morning.

If you want to get some extra benefits from the sun, you may keep your crystals out for a few extra hours in the morning so they can soak up the sun’s rays.

6. Brown rice

A cleansing method suitable for all crystal types, brown rice will draw any negative energy out from your crystals.

To cleanse your crystal, pour your brown rice in a bowl that is large enough for the crystals to be submerged in. Allow the rice to sit there for up to 24 hours then discard the rice.

7. Smoke Cleansing

This cleansing method is quite popular and involves holding crystals in the path of smoke produced from burning incense or other herbs that contains elements that remove negative energy build-up from crystals.

Using a feather to fan the smoke ensures that it engulfs the stone from all angles.

If you plan to use this method, please read on the cultural appropriation of smudging to ensure you are smoke cleansing in a way that is mindful and appreciative of Indigenous people.

8. Meditation

If you are familiar with meditation, visualization is an easy way to cleanse your crystals.

First, find somewhere quiet to sit and take a few deep breaths to calm and quiet your mind. This will help you center yourself.

After you feel grounded, you can pick up your stone and begin the cleansing process. It’s up to you how you wish you envision your crystal being cleansed, but most people tend to imagine a white light bathing the stone and removing and negative energy.

Regardless of the type of crystal you are holding, the light in your visualization should grow bigger and brighter as the impurities flush out.

One minute of meditation with your stone is sufficient to cleanse it, but feel free to do more. When you meditate with your stones, everyone and everything will end up with higher vibrations and an increase in positive energy.

9. Walking Meditation

Walking meditation is similar to sitting meditation, however, you’ll need to find a quiet place to go for a walk. You can walk with your crystals as you walk intentionally with a clear mind.

It’s best to walk somewhere where you can be surrounded by the natural, healing vibrations of nature, where your stones will be able to pick up those vibrations along with the vibrations of your calm state.

10. Sound

A tuning fork, a bell, singing bowls or chanting are popular sound sources to cleanse your crystals. A single pitch sound wave will envelop the stones, cleansing them within several minutes.

If you have many stones you wish to cleanse at once and would like them cleansed quickly, sound can be much more efficient than meditation or cleansing with water.

11. Other stones

If you already have stones, they can be used to cleanse your crystals.

Selenite is a powerful cleansing crystal that is easy to obtain and inexpensive. As a beginner, a selenite wand is a must if you plan to use your crystals often (and will need to cleanse them often as well).

Larger crystals such as geodes, carnelian or quartz clusters are also excellent crystals for cleansing negative energies out of your new crystals. To cleanse using large crystals, place your stones on top or inside the geodes and let rest for several hours.

You can also use smaller stones and place them in a bag together or surround the new stones with the other stones to draw the negative energy out.

12. Your breath

Breathing onto a stone is another method you can use to cleanse crystals. It’s an ideal method for beginners who need a simple way to cleanse their crystals.

To start, hold your stone in your writing hand. As you will be holding the stone for this cleansing process, it works best with smaller stones. Next, close your eyes and clear your mind. Take a deep inhalation and focus on the task at hand: cleansing the stones.

As the energy of the breaths fall on the stone, it vibrates to release negative energy.

This method is not only easy and doable for everyone, but it’s also incredibly quick. If you are feeling overly stressed, you might want to avoid this method as it does require a clear mind.

How to activate your crystals

Once you have cleansed your crystals, it’s time to activate (or program) them.

This step is easy but does require time as you should program each crystal with your intended use.

However, it’s very calming and you’ll feel the benefits immediately!

First, hold your crystal in your receiving hand. Your left hand is your receiving hand and your right hand is your giving hand.

Next close your eyes and take some deep breaths. Imagine what it is you’d like your crystal to do for you.

Do you want more money? Think in your head, or speak outloud and say “I wish this crystal to bring me money and prosperity.”

You can ask your crystals for anything, as long as it falls in line with what they are capable of providing you.

For example, Rose Quartz is suitable for those looking for love. You can search around our website to find information on the different crystals suitable for your needs.

What to do after programming your crystals

Ok, so you’ve chosen, cleansed and programmed your crystal.

Now what?

After programming your crystal, you can simply let the stone work for you.

Every stone can be used in different ways. With the list of crystals above, I have provided you with tips for use so that your first crystal experience is effortless and fulfilling.

If you are drawn to a crystal that isn’t on this list, you may use the search function on our website to search for the crystal and see if we have any tips for use.

Otherwise, you may place the crystal around your home or meditate with it in your left hand to reap its benefits.

How to care for your crystals

After selecting, cleansing and programming your crystal, you’ll want to ensure you are properly caring for them.

Frequent cleansing should be done to make sure your crystal doesn’t become full of unwanted negative energy or when you wish to program them with new intentions.

It’s best to keep your crystals out of the sun (unless charging them) as they can become faded over time.

I store my crystals in a nice box, where they each have the room they need. You can also choose to store them in a dresser, a drawstring bag or anywhere where they will be out of harms way. We’ve put together an entire post on storing your crystals—have a read!

Conclusion

Once you go through the above list of crystals and have chosen your crystal, your next step is to cleanse your crystals.

There are several ways to cleanse a crystal and rid if of negative energy, so be sure to pick the one that will be easiest for you.

After cleansing your crystal, you should activate/program your crystal with your specific intention. Make sure you store your crystals out of harms way and out of harsh elements.

I hope my guide to crystals for beginners was helpful as you embark your new journey with healing stones.

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