Using crystals to support your yoga practice can help you get more out of your time spent on the mat.
Yoga is a practice of uniting mind and body. It brings us back to the present and allows us to tend to our physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. Yoga, and the practice of using healing crystals, are both powerful mindfulness practices that can be harnessed to improve many areas of our lives.
Natural gemstones love to support you with their positive, grounding, protective, and joyful energies. If you have specific goals in mind, choosing your crystals carefully will help you get the best results using healing energies that come from the Earth.
The wide variety of crystals that are out there and ways to incorporate them into your practice make this an exciting journey to dive into. In addition to this guide, it is best to trust your intuition when working with crystals and do what feels right for you.
In this article learn about:
- Choosing Healing Crystals to Support Your Yoga Practice
- 6+ Different Ways to Incorporate Crystals into Your Yoga Practice
- In Summary…
Choosing Healing Crystals to Support Your Yoga Practice
Aside from intuition, a good starting point for choosing which crystals to use before, during, or after yoga is asking yourself, “What is my intention? Why am I practicing yoga, or what do I want to get out of this specific practice?”
Many of us turn to our mats for physical exercise, which is great. Other times, we come to the mat to work through difficult emotions like anger, fear, and anxiety. Moving the body is an excellent tool for processing and regulating emotions. In fact, yoga is often referred to as a “moving meditation”; the physical work that helps you prepare to sit still for meditation.
Once you have narrowed down your intention, an understanding of the chakras can help you decide which crystals you should use during your practice. The chakras are an ancient energy system that originated in India. They were first described in the Vedas, spiritual texts dating back between 1,500 BC – 1,000 BC.
According to Healthline, “Chakra (cakra in Sanskrit) means “wheel” and refers to energy points in your body. They are thought to be spinning disks of energy that should stay “open” and aligned, as they correspond to bundles of nerves, major organs, and areas of our energetic body that affect our emotional and physical well-being.”
Choosing crystals that correspond with chakra(s) you are working on opening or strengthening can be a great way to get and stay in alignment.
While some believe there could be as many as 114 chakra points, here are seven main chakras, or energy focal points in the body that are located along the spine:
1.Root
Located at the base of your spine, the Muladhara or Root chakra, is all about grounding. When in alignment it is your source of strength and feeling of security knowing that your basic needs for things like safety and shelter are met.
Color: Red
Poses: Yogi Squat, Child’s Pose, Mountain Pose, Forward Fold, Tree Pose
Crystals: hematite, smoky quartz, obsidian, red jasper, clear quartz
2.Sacral
Located under the belly button, the Svadhisthana or Sacral chakra, is the centre of our creative and sexual energies. It also plays a role in our emotions.
Color: Orange
Poses: Low Lunge, Goddess Pose, Warrior II, Frog Pose, Reclined Butterfly
Crystals: citrine, orange calcite, tiger’s eye, sunstone, amber
3.Solar Plexus
Located near the stomach, the Manipura or Solar Plexus chakra is responsible for our confidence, self-esteem, and feeling of being in control of our lives.
Color: Yellow
Poses: Downward Facing Dog, Cobra, Bow Pose, Boat Pose, Camel Pose
Crystals: jade, pyrite, moonstone, honey calcite, malachite
4.Heart
Located along the spine close to the heart is the Anahata or Heart chakra. The Heart chakra is our centre for love and compassion.
Color: Green
Poses: Standing Backbend, Dancers Pose, Wheel Pose, Cat/Cow, Warrior I
Crystals: rose quartz, green aventurine, pink tourmaline, amazonite, rhodonite
5.Throat
Located in the throat, the Vishuddha or Throat chakra, is focused on verbal communication. When your throat chakra is aligned you are assertive and speak your truth.
Color: Blue
Poses: Lion pose, Plow Pose, Bridge Pose, Shoulder Stand, Fish Pose
Crystals: aquamarine, lapis lazuli, sodalite, blue lace agate, chrysocolla
6.Third Eye
Located between your eyes, the Ajna or third eye chakra, is the energy centre responsible for gut instinct, intuition, and imagination.
Color: Indigo
Poses: Child’s Pose, Eagle Pose, Dolphin Pose, Lotus Pose, Puppy Pose
Crystals: amethyst, fluorite, labradorite, celestite, iolite
7.Crown
Located at the top of your head, the Sahasrara or Third Eye chakra, is where our spirituality and life’s purpose are centered.
Color: Violet
Poses: Headstand, Corpse Pose, Forearm Stand, Rabbit Pose, Cow Face Pose
Crystals: clear quartz, angel aura quartz, selenite, howlite, rainbow moonstone
6+ Different Ways to Incorporate Crystals into Your Yoga Practice
There is no right or wrong way to incorporate crystals into your yoga practice. Ultimately, you should follow your intuition and do what feels best.
However, if you are looking for ideas or guidance on where to get started, we have you covered. Here are a couple of guiding questions to get you started, followed by a few different suggestions to try until you find what works best for you.
Guiding Questions:
1.Do you want to use crystals before, during, or after your practice?
2.Are you looking for fast or slower crystal yoga?
3.Are you new to using crystals, or do you know a lot about them already?
After asking yourself these guiding questions, consider these ways of incorporating crystals into your practice. They go from easy to more complex, so you have different options to try whether you have a short amount of time on your hands or want to go deeper.
Wearing crystal jewelry
Crystal jewelry is a simple and quick way to include crystals in your day-to-day life and yoga practice. Crystal bracelets are made using different varieties of natural gemstones for their unique healing properties.
Piownn is your trusted source of handmade natural gemstone jewelry with a wide variety of single bracelets and sets to choose from, including jewelry that corresponds to different chakras and zodiac signs.
Once you choose the right crystal jewelry for you, you can wear it and allow the crystal energy to enhance your practice without much effort or preparation. (Just remember to cleanse and recharge your crystals/jewelry periodically during a full moon or using selenite!)
Place Healing Crystals Around Your Mat
Crystals can be placed like a grid around your mat, surrounding you with their positive and healing energies as you practice. This method takes a little more time and knowledge to set up but can be a great way to enhance your space before practicing.
Like tarot card spreads, you can choose to use only a few crystals or more, and you can place them all at the head of your mat or in a circle around it – it is up to you.
You can get creative with this but try not to go overboard! Using too many different crystals without being intentional can take the focus away from what you are trying to achieve.
Meditation with crystals
There are several different ways to meditate with crystals. Meditation usually takes place after your Asana, or physical yoga practice. You can choose to sit in a comfortable seat with your spine straight to meditate or meditate laying on your mat in corpse pose.
If you prefer to stay seated during meditation, you can place crystals around you, wear them, or place them in your hands with your palms faced upwards. If laying down, you can wear crystal jewelry or place crystals along your body to work on opening specific chakras.
Focus on the areas that you would like to improve or receive clarity on and breathe slowly and fully in and out.
In Summary…
Yoga, the chakra system, and the use of healing crystals mined from the earth are all ancient spiritual practices that can be used to guide, ground, empower, and help you tap into your intuition. If you are looking to add depth to your yoga practice and make it more than just a physical exercise, healing crystals are an excellent way to get started.
Different types of crystals can be used to support your yoga practice, including crystal jewelry, tumbled stones, and crystals that come in other shapes and sizes. When browsing in person or online for crystals, read the descriptions carefully. Look at the images on online listings or if you can, take a crystal in your hand to see how it feels to you. If you are drawn to a specific crystal, there is usually a reason.
Piownn has 40 years of experience in jewelry. We are passionate about the power and beauty of healing crystals that are ethically sourced and carefully designed. If there is something you want but do not see in our shop, please don’t hesitate to reach out and place a custom order. Together we can promote healing through natural practices such as yoga, meditation, and the use of crystal energy.
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