Have a Crystal Clear New Year: The Best Crystals for Setting New Years Intentions

Whatever you're comfortable calling it, we all do it to some extent: goal setting, manifesting, intention setting. We all have goals and want to help keep ourselves on track while achieving them. But life gets busy, our goals change or we lose touch with what it was we truly wanted when we created those pesky New Year's resolutions. And there's no shame in that game - but there are plenty of ways to help ourselves stay focused. And crystals, like journaling and a day planner, can be part of our toolkit.

How can an inanimate object help you clarify your intentions, keep you focused and keep you on track? There are a few ways!

  • Buy a crystal that catches your eye and corresponds to something you need help with (more on that below). 
  • Give your crystal an "intention" and place it somewhere relevant. Every time you see that crystal you'll be reminded of the goal. Example: I keep a Tiger's Eye on my desk to remind myself not to make business decisions out of fear and only to say yes to the opportunities that feel right. If I am unsure about whether something is right I can look to my Tiger's Eye and remind myself to take a moment and listen to my intuition. 
  • Meditate on your goal every day while holding the crystal you've chosen. When you start to get lost come back to the grounding feeling of that crystal in your hand. 

Disclaimer: Of course, nobody needs any tools to achieve anything other than their own ingenuity and talents - these tools are just icing on the cake. I know everyone's process is different, but having additional "spiritual accessories" can make the process fun and less intimidating if you've been avoiding facing a goal head on or have tried and fallen off the path several times before. 

Getting Inspired: 

Carnelian, Labradorite, Amethyst and Tiger's Eye. Stones like Carnelian and Tiger's Eye help you get in touch with your drive and ambition while awakening creativity - perfect for gathering the courage to decide to make a change whether large or small. Far-out stones like Labradorite and Amethyst help you get in touch with your true path and can reveal what truly inspires you - perfect for the person who isn't quite in touch with their deepest goals yet. 

Getting Honest About What You Want:

Clear Quartz, Aquamarine, Chrysocolla, Amazonite. Stones like Aquamarine and Chrysocolla promote finding solutions to problems while Quartz and Amazonite help boost mental clarity. Perfect for doing the inner work that's involved with goal setting and manifesting. What is it that you truly want and why? What blocks stand in your way and what solutions are right under your nose?

Staying Focused: 

Malachite, Green Moss Agate, Orange Calcite, Red Jasper. These confidence-giving and energizing stones will keep you focused and on your path. They're inspiring but stabilizing, perfect for continuing forward with renewed resolve. Turn to these stones in a moment of insecurity or when you second guess your decisions.

Self Love for the Stumbles: 

Pink Danburite, Rose Quartz, Scolecite, Rhodocrosite. These heart chakra-focused crystals can help you remember self love and forgiveness when you fall off track and give you the confidence to get back on the horse. There's no shame in starting over! Note: these stones are good for relationship and love-centric goals (more on the best crystals for specific goals in the next post)!

Crystal Rookie Holiday 2017 Gift Guide: Part One

We've got the perfect crystal gift for everyone on your list (with a focus on affordable gifts). We broke it down by five types of people everyone definitely has in their lives - and needs to shop for this season! Stay tuned for more spiritual and high vibe gift guides in the next week!

For your work wife or husband:

These unique desk accessories are perfect for zen-ing your cubicle, attracting wealth and calming down in the middle of a crazy 9-to-5 moment. An amethyst eye pillow will come in handy when you need to take five, a citrine geode desk ornament attracts wealth while looking cute and a gorgeous rose quartz catch-all will gussy up the place you spend most of your waking hours. Your work bestie (or cool boss) will say your gifts are positively promotion-worthy!

For your girl gang:

These necklaces from Energy Muse come in a variety of crystals based on personality - Pink Opal for the "Moody Maven," Chrysocolla for the "Free Spirit," Peach Aventurine for "the Cosmically Confident" and more. A personalized gift that's perfect for every girl in your gang! They're also super affordable (and some variations are even on sale).

For the domestic goddess:

Know someone that just bought a house, moved into a new apartment or is always redecorating? Time to cleanse the energy! These are the perfect tools for cleansing a new home or apartment in addition to some crystals that will not only beautify the space, but are known for bringing harmonious energy to a home. 

For the spiritual skeptic:

Perfect for the crystal curious, the newbie crystal collector or even (gasp) the crystal skeptic, these gifts can help a rookie get in touch with crystal magic and learn the ropes. A collection of tumbled stones is always a great gateway drug as is a set of Selenite harmonizers that are perfect for use during meditation. Energy Muse's new comprehensive book set comes with a large array of stones that are featured in the book and a sage stick for cleansing: it's basically a master class in everything crystals. 

For the hopeless romantic:

Crystals make the perfect gift for the romantic in your life whether someone is looking for love, wanting to reconnect to self love or just bring a little more love into their day. A variety of love magnets are below: A bag of tumbled stones for attracting love, a gorgeous rose quartz (THE love stone) and jewelry and keychains for bringing in the energy of love wherever you are. 

Crystals 101: Top Crystals For Beginners and How to Use Them

Consider this your (digital) crystal starter pack - these are the top crystals that anyone should have in their collection. As somebody who owns way too many crystals to count, these are the five that stand out and are the easiest to work with as a beginner (AKA the force is strong as Yoda would say).

Crystals are used in everything from watches to satellites and more is being discovered about their utility every day. Almost every culture throughout history has used crystals in some way (hello Jade rollers), so you'll have a rich history of rituals to tap into when using your crystals. But that's a whole other story. First thing is first - choosing your first crystal (or adding another staple to your collection).

Also - being that crystals are ancient specimens from deep within the earth and all, they can get fairly expensive. I've found some well-priced starter crystals for your kit - almost everything below comes in at under $25.

Are you ready for your crash course, crystal rookies? Let's go!

Amethyst

Amethyst is a powerful one. Amethyst is probably the most popular decorative stone for good reason - a medium or large cluster of Amethyst not only brings harmonious energy to your living room but it looks gorgeous! I like using polished Amethyst points during meditation or when I'm having trouble falling asleep. In Ancient Greece it was used to treat addiction - in modern times we can simply use it to remind us of our negative thought patterns. 

This crystal is the one for you if:
You want to get far out or if you have anxiety. Amethyst has a powerful energy that calms while also inciting the imagination during meditation. It can soothe you if you're stuck in an anxious mindset but it can also serve as your launch pad if you want to get to higher planes of existence!

It's pretty. But what do I do with it? 
Put a polished stone under your pillow to fall asleep easier and have more colorful dreams. Hold a polished point in your hand to aide in working through anxiety or repetitive thought patterns. Put decorative pieces in your home to lighten up the energy - put a large cluster on your coffee table or put a candle holder in your bathroom. 

Selenite

As the crystal godmothers over at Crystal Muse say, Selenite is liquid light in your hands! This was the first crystal I ever purchased, after a meditation class. I was told to grab a crystal out of a large assortment and to meditate with it, tuning into it's energy. I was pretty immediately tuned into the gentle, dreamy vibes of Selenite - and at that point I was still a total meditation rookie, stuck in the anxiety hamster wheel of city living. That's beautiful and powerful Selenite for ya! 

This crystal is the one for you if:
You want a multi-tasking crystal with a gentle, cleansing energy. 

It's pretty. But what do I do with it? 
Meditate with a crystal rod in each hand to tune in and get to that meditative space quicker. Put a selenite slab or wand above the entry to your home or in the window sill behind your bed. Selenite self cleanses and actually charges other crystals - cop a slab or charging station and put other crystals on it so they get the energy-boosting benefits! 

Let there be light:

Rose Quartz

Ah, rose quartz. It's gorgeous and refreshing to look at - just having a pink piece of crystal around is enough to lift the spirits. Rose quartz has an ancient history tied to self-care and beauty. 

This crystal is the one for you if: 
You need help reminding yourself to love yourself and are looking for more loving energy in your life in general. 

It's pretty. But what do I do with it? 
This is a great one to wear! Wear rose quartz around your neck to open your heart chakra (or to look cute). Putting rose quartz in your home is a beautiful decorative touch that warms the space and brings in the energy of love. I have a large raw piece of rose quartz that I keep by my bedside and a few by the tub for luxurious baths. Get a rose quartz plate for your accessories or beauty products for a nice touch to your morning self-care routine. 

Let the love in:

Rose Quartz Lamp
Western Woods

Shungite

Shungite has been touted as a miracle stone and a neutralizer. 

This crystal is the one for you if:
You're looking for a serious detox or for a strong, protective stone. A lot has been said of Shungite - it's said to repel EMFs and free radicals. Found only in Russia, Shungite is often soaked in water to make elixirs that are said to not only purify the water, but purify the body. 

It's pretty. But what do I do with it? Place a shungite cube by your computer or tape a small piece to the back of your cellphone if you're worried about electromagnetic frequencies. Place small pieces of shungite in water to purify it - or even bathe with pieces of shungite! Just always rinse your piece of shungite thoroughly before using it. 

Serious Shungite specimens to add to your collection:

Carnelian

Carnelian is a fiery, colorful stone - perfect for harnessing your own inner fire (cheesy, but true). Feeling a little lost or purpose-less? Carnelian is here to unlock your inner creativity while boosting your confidence in your ideas. It's also been said Carnelian helps to balance the menstrual cycle and ease period pains - it's also just super grounding and gorgeous. Carnelian can be found in a bunch of (natural) colorful varieties, ranging from light orange to dark red. Pick your poison! 

This crystal is the one for you if:
You're looking to shake things up, tap into your creative fire and purpose or to balance your reproductive system and menstrual cycle.

It's pretty. But what do I do with it?
Tap into your feminine energy by placing a polished stone on your sacral chakra. Looking to ignite creativity? Keep a small stone in your pocket and tap into it's energy when you are lacking confidence. Place a large piece on your desk in your workplace to keep the creativity flowing. 

Colorful Carnelian stones to get you feeling creative:

Carnelian Palm Stone
The Crystal Vaults

Crystal Sets

Happy exploring, crystal rookies!