Hey, love quartz, find me a soulmate

I have been sleeping with a lilac grey mass under my pillow for a couple of weeks now Itrsquos lepidolite or a mica mineral thatrsquos believed to reduce stress and help battle depression Itrsquos one of the many attempts I have made through the pandemic and lockdown after lockdown to improve my state of mind and hang onto hope To make sense of the incomprehensible while some people have taken to seeking higher knowledge others are turning to the workings of the inner self I for one have also sought solace in yoga meditation and selfhelp booksCrystal healing is a pseudo scientific alternative practice that uses semiprecious stones and crystals that some say have healing powers According to spiritual healers crystals are supposed to boost low energy prevent bad energy and clear out blockages And the challenges of the pandemic have pushed some people closer to crystal healing Wikipedia calls crystal healing a ldquopseudo sciencerdquo fashion website Neteporter proclaimed in May that crystal jewellery was the seasonrsquos ldquomost magical style trendrdquo It said that Victoria Beckham used them to calm her nerves before a show and Lady Gaga is using them to explore the connection between mind and body Back home Instagram is now home to intuitive and young tarot card readers and crystal healers who are helping young minds anxious and confused find some peace Zohra Shaktirsquos Instagram page Woodstock_crystals has information regarding each crystalZohra Shakti who is a tarot and intuitive medium and crystal healer says crediting iconic fashion portals for turning the spotlight on crystals would be naive She does think however that ldquoNetePorter acknowledged the power of crystals and that was bigrdquoShakti 30 who has an Instagram page dedicated to crystals woodstock_crystals had been thinking of dabbling in this stream of healing for two years but wanted to educate herself before she started Several of her clients who also come to her for tarot readings are crystal newbies ldquoThey come with a specific intentionmdashthey want love hope to clear old wounds they want better selfworth I guide them about which crystal would suit them and their needs best Many incorporate them into their lives in the form of pendants since itrsquos more like a personal talismanrdquoAarti Kalro says that the rising interest in crystals comes from the need to find a solution to stress and anxietyAsk her what crystal is the most in demand and she laughs ldquoRose quartzrdquo Also known as love stone itrsquos believed to help find new love or heal an existing relationship Aarti Kalro of Arura Crystals agrees but has also seen a big following for the lavenderhued amethyst which stands for peace ldquoIn the past year people could not escape their circumstances They couldnrsquot exercise their freedom go on vacation or for a round of drinks and dinner They needed to find something in a closed place to make them reconnect with themselves My business went through the roof after the pandemic hit People have turned tocrystals in a big way to find inner peacerdquo she saysPeddar Road resident Gauri Savla Shah bought her first crystal five years ago It was a moon stone which is known to balance emotions and induce calm ldquoI used to buy them crystals because they were beautiful to look at not because I believed they helped mehellip Until I bought the rainbow fluorite which is supposed to transform negative energy into positive I used to keep it next to my bed and it suddenly went missing I had read that crystals go missing or break when they have served their purpose Interestingly by then I had reached a resolution with some things in my life and sorted them out So maybe it had done its work My father had a black tourmaline which is a protective stone He has anxiety issues and that tourmaline collapsed into powder in a few daysrdquo says the Ayurvedic healer ldquoI think right now everyone is selfreflecting We want to figure ourselves out and itrsquos a great time to embrace spirituality and all that comes with itrdquoTerry Manchanda is trying to educate people about the science connected with crystalsFor those who call crystal healing mumbo jumbo Mumbaibased Terry Manchanda is holding what she calls Crystal Synthesis workshops to scientifically explain how crystals work ldquoA lot of experiments have been done worldwide to prove this If you say lsquospiritualrsquo some people think it wonrsquot work If you say science they may listenrdquo says Manchanda who also reiterates that she has seen a greater number of younger clients seek her out of late ldquoThey have reached a point where they are not finding the answers they are looking for So they are here and I tell them to think positive and not go down the negative roadrdquo says Manchanda who has worked with crystals for close to 30 yearsLike with all things concerning faith experts say the effectiveness of crystals too depends on how much you believe in them But at the very least they have become a part of the selfcare rituals many of us have set up for ourselves during the pandemic Some have found respite in lighting candles others by soaking in a bath putting on a soothing face mask or holding a crystal close as we meditate Beauty editor Latha Sunadh puts it well when she says ldquoCrystals have now broken into selfcare Instagram has given them a hip makeover making them the answer to a mix of the Western philosophy of good vibes and our traditional beliefs chakras promote life energy that connects physical and supernatural elements of the body Itrsquos spiritual and itrsquos Instagramfriendly which makes it greatrdquoHow a crystal worksCrystals are fossilised minerals that are naturally extracted which means they harness the energies of the sun moon and water allnatural healing energies to improve our state of being and mind say its proponents They believe that when you place or hold a crystal over the body it interacts with the bodyrsquos chakras to promote well being Crystals are believed to have the ability to absorb redirect and diffuse energy while interacting with the electromagnetic forces and vibrations within the human or environmental energy field Healing refers to bringing the body mind soul and environment to harmonyDo goodersClear quartz Known as the ldquomaster healerrdquo it amplifies energy and aids concentration and memoryCitrine Reduces depression and helps lessen negative thoughtsJasper Brings tranquillity Itrsquos known as the ldquosupreme nurturerrdquoObsidian It blocks negative influences and protects you