Three Ways to Choose Your Crystals

While I was working at a witchcraft store, one of my favourite roles was helping customers to choose crystals. I am a crystal lover and assisting people decide on the perfect crystal for them was wonderful. From my time at the witchcraft store, and from my own experiences of picking out crystals, I think that there are three main ways to approach choosing crystals.

1) Seeking a specific crystal

My Unicorn Stone sphere. It is a mesmerising combination of lepidolite, smoky quartz, pink tourmaline and clevelandite.

Do you just really want a piece of garnierite, rainbow fluorite or mookaite? Sometimes it is as easy as that! A particular crystal has caught your attention and you would love a piece of your own. You might have read about it in a crystal book or seen it online and are determined to get some.

Having a specific type of crystal in mind then allows you to choose the shape and finish the piece you decide to choose. If a store has raw chunks, tumble stones, polished eggs and giant spheres, you can pick your preferred individual piece.

When I heard about unicorn stone (a combination of lepidolite, smoky quartz, pink tourmaline and clevelandite), I was determined to find a piece. I adore lepidolite and have a not-so-secret unicorn infatuation. I had to get my hands on some!

2) Seeking a crystal for a specific purpose

Do you want a crystal that can help with creativity? Or healing? Or perhaps a crystal for protection? This kind of crystal choosing places the need or desire before the actual crystal itself. The more specific your need is, the more a crystal can be found or recommended that is perfect.

I wanted a crystal to carry in my pocket to help in situations when I felt intimidated or unsure of myself. In groups I can be shy and hesitant and I wanted to boost my confidence and courage. Tiger iron was suggested to me and it was just what I needed. Tiger iron is an Australian stone that combines golden tiger eye with red jasper and hematite. Tiger eye is a stone that lends self-confidence and is wonderful on its own. With the added red jasper for vitality and strength, plus the hematite for iron’s unyielding fortitude, tiger iron was ideal. With tiger iron, I find myself able to step into my own bravery and self assurance.

This approach can be more difficult if you are looking at crystals online, rather than in a physical store. Shops have friendly and knowledgeable staff who can make suggestions and point out possibilities, drawing on their own expertise. Some online stores do place their crystals into themes to help with this kind of buying.

3) Seeking a crystal by feel

People often call this choosing intuitively, or by the unique energy of each individual crystal. This can be as simple as closing your eyes and picking blindly, but I prefer a more nuanced approach. In a store, take your time to look at the crystals available. See if anything draws your eye, catches your attention and has you wanting to touch it. See what you are attracted to. This is my favourite way to choose crystals, and I always find that once I have chosen a crystal and learned about its properties, it is somehow just right for my current situation.

I recently came across a blue opal palm stone that I fell in love with. I hadn’t been interested in opal, and wasn’t planning on getting any crystals. That blue opal just caught my eye and I couldn’t set it aside. I had also been experiencing a bout of insomnia, made worse by whirling thoughts and an inability to relax in bed. My blue opal, held in my hand, is just what I needed. Blue opal has the most tranquil feeling. It spills over with calm serenity, helping still my mind and soothe my agitation. I wasn’t looking for a crystal to help with that specific need, and I certainly wasn’t searching for blue opal, but in seeking by energy and intuition, I found the perfect one for me.

While it is more challenging if you cannot touch the crystals, this approach can be done online. My advice is to seek out sellers who offer crystals for sale individually, so you can view the exact piece you are buying. Look for plenty of clear, detailed photographs. Many stores also have short videos, which can be brilliant for finding that one, special piece.

Do you have a favourite out of these three approaches to selecting crystals? I move between the three, depending on my mood or my needs, but number three is my personal favourite.

Do you have a completely different way that you choose crystals? Let me know in the comments below.

I’d love to hear from you!