Crystal clear

As a general rule, the capabilities of each crystal often correspond to its colour. Here’s Lisa Boswell’s quick guide to choosing the right crystals for you…

✢ COOLER-COLOURED CRYSTALS (such as the purple amethyst or sky blue larimar) can enhance intuition and lead to better decisions.

✢ WARMER-COLOURED CRYSTALS (such as blood-red jasper or orange citrine) increase motivation and bring success.

✢ BLACK CRYSTALS like black tourmaline dispel negativity.

✢ CLEAR AND WHITE CRYSTALS such as selenite and clear quartz, amplify energy. >>

Rediscover your sparkle

Don’t be too quick to judge. More and more people are dabbling into the crystal craze with searches for ‘crystal healing’ up by a whopping 40% in recent years. But harnessing the properties of these eye-popping gems is nothing new, in fact, crystal healing has been around for millions of years. From Chinese medicine to the ancient Egyptians, crystals have been used in wellness rituals throughout the ages.

Fast forward to 2022 and you can improve your wellness while sipping from rose quartz-infused water bottles, light citrine-encrusted candles to create a zen haven at home, or slow down the hands of time by rolling jade over fine lines on your skin. Crystal enthusiasts also believe these sparkly gems can also help to propel your career forward. So, whatever your goal, we reveal how to use their properties to empower you in the workplace.

Scatter gemstones on your desk

Whether you’re still working from home or have made it back into the office, you can’t go wrong with a little sparkle to help balance your concentration and confidence levels.

‘Citrine is the go-to “prosperity” crystal, and keeping a citrine cluster on your desk will help you to manifest new career opportunities,’ believes Lisa.

Placing crystals on your desk could also help to shield against the harmful radiation emitted from screens. Black tourmaline is thought to help absorb negative energy so pop this protector beside your keyboard. And, of course, there’s the added bonus that a scattering of stones will make your desk look that little bit prettier.

Upgrade your jewellery box

Wearing your favourite semi-precious stones is a good way of keeping them close to you so that you feel more grounded whatever your day throws at you. ‘An extraordinarily easy but effective way to have crystals close by you all day is to wear them as jewellery,’ maintains Lisa.

Glancing down at your rose quartz bracelet while tapping away on your keyboard or holding a tiger’s-eye pendant in your hand to give you a boost before a stressful deadline can feel exhilarating. ‘And if you’re worried about negativity from people in the office or online, a malachite ring will help to guard your energy,’ adds Lisa.

Hold a crystal in your hand

When you’re feeling anxious about a looming work event or meeting, having a crystal you can clutch in the palm of your hand can help to soothe any workplace worries by shifting your focus so that you are naturally more mindful. Advocates believe that having close contact with the skin amplifies the energetic benefits. ‘Small “tumbled” crystals are easily transportable. If you’re about to have a difficult conversation with a client, you can keep a piece of rose quartz in your pocket during the meeting. Rose quartz is associated with warm feelings and good intentions – it will make your client more receptive to your point of view,’ maintains Lisa.

Create a crystal business altar

Mind maps are one of the most effective ways to keep track of our workplace goals. Jotting down words and adding in pictures and colour can help to capture the thoughts circulating in your head, but if you want to feel more clear-minded, creating a crystal business altar could be just as useful a tool.

An altar is simply a special place where you can invite spiritual energies into your space. There are no rules, so do what feels right for you. You could set up your shrine so that it embodies a certain theme – like career progression or confidence in the workplace, decorating it with things that are important to you.

‘Altars will give you somewhere to focus your energy and set your intentions. Your personal beliefs around business will impact the crystals you place on your altar. For example, if you feel that good intuition is a key trait of strong business leaders, you should include a piece of amethyst on your

altar. If you desire business growth, I recommend either citrine or green aventurine. Try to keep a clear quartz cluster on your business altar as it will reinforce the positive attributes of the other crystals,’ says Lisa.

As well as crystals, you can place pictures of people whose personalities you find inspiring – it might be a historical figure or even a family member along with positive affirmation notes to keep the positive vibes flowing. ‘I also suggest that you keep something living, such as a pot plant, on your business altar as this is symbolic of consistent growth. The Pachira aquatica, known commercially as “Money Trees”, are a fabulous choice. East Asian businesses often keep them within their premises as they are believed to attract abundance,’ explains Lisa.