How To Choose A Crystal

Choosing a crystal for the first time can be daunting. How do you know which crystal is right for you? Which crystal should you start with? Read on to find out!

Table Of Contents

• INTRODUCTION
• INTUITION
• CHOOSING A CRYSTAL ONLINE
• CHOOSING A CRYSTAL FOR SOMEONE ELSE
• CHOOSING CRYSTALS FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE
• SUMMARY

1. Which Crystal Should I Choose?

This is lesson 4 in our FREE beginners crystal course, Crystal Basics.

In all the years of running my physical crystals & esoteric shop, before we moved out to the country and switched to online-only, the question I encountered most was “Which crystal should I choose?”. Whether it was for a specific purpose, or someone new to crystals wondering which stone they should choose first. 

I always gave the same answer, and it still applies:

“CHOOSE THE CRYSTAL YOU ARE MOST DRAWN TO.” Let’s explore this, and other methods to choosing the right stone for the right circumstance.

2. Pay Attention To Your Gut

Rather than give the customer an answer or point to any crystals, I’d always encourage them to first have a look at the different stones. I’d ask them to take note of what catches their eye. Not the prettiest stones – but rather the ones that seem to draw their attention. 

Nine times out of ten, after a good long browse they’d return to the very first crystal they’d picked up.

We’d then discuss the properties of the stone and what it does. And almost without fail, the properties of that stone were perfect for what the person needed.

When we are new to something, or still learning, our habit is to look for advice – and wisely so! But when it comes to choosing a crystal, no amount of expertise will ever beat your own gut feel for what YOU need. By doing this, you are able to grow to trust your own intuition. To have confidence that you CAN connect with crystals, and let them share their wisdom with you.

Read our article 12 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR INTUITION to help you strengthen your inner voice.

3. Choosing A Crystal Online

This is the same advice I’ll give to you, dear reader. The same principle applies when looking to purchase crystals online! Browse the pages and notice when you start to feel that tug towards something. Write down the name/s of the crystal/s as you browse, then revisit them to see what they specialise in. You can even start a little journal to record which crystals pop up when.

The crystal you get drawn to first is almost always the one you should be working with. It might not be the prettiest, or the one you were thinking of, but if you let yourself be guided by the crystal energy, the right stone will come to you.

You don’t need to be an expert on crystals or do a crystal course to start working with crystals (though crystal courses are a wonderful way to learn more). Crystals are here to work with us. They want to fulfil their purpose. And you are born with your own intuition, as well as the ability to connect with them.

NOTES ON BUYING CRYSTALS ONLINE

Sometimes, crystals are in a group listing and you can’t select one specific stone yourself.

On our shop, this generally applies to TUMBLED STONES and ROUGH PIECES. While I can’t speak for other online shops, I can tell you about our process.

When you are ordering a crystal on our shop from a group listing (e.g. a tumbled stone or rough piece), we do the choosing of the specific piece for you. With as much care as if we were choosing for ourselves.

We focus on you, and choose every single crystal in the order with intention. After thousands of orders, I think it’s fair to say we’re pretty good at it! It’s one of the ways we love to delight our customers.

Secondly: If you are new to crystals, then buying online can feel a bit nerve wracking. You might be wondering if the stones are real, genuine crystals or not. This is where it’s really important to know who you are buying from. We discuss this and more in our FAKE CRYSTALS series. Give it a read for some solid tips.

Not sure if what you’re buying is legit? Read our handy guide ‘IS THIS CRYSTAL REAL OR FAKE‘ to help you buy with confidence.

4. Choosing A Crystal For Someone Else

So what if you want to get someone else a crystal?

Just use the same method as above, while thinking about the person the crystal is for. It’s best to do this when you have time, so as not to feel too rushed, and in a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed. 

You will likely find that several different crystals pop up for the person, and sometimes there’s one or two there that you’re thinking of for yourself! Don’t worry, that’s totally normal. Once you have your shortlist, it’s much easier to narrow it down.

Here are some good methods you can use:

1. PENDULUM (DOWSING)

Have your shortlist of crystal names written down in front of you.

Pick up your PENDULUM, focus on the person’s name, and hold the pendulum over the first crystal on the list.

Note whether the answer is “Yes”, “No” or “Maybe” – and how strong the reaction was. Keep going until you’ve done them all, and choose the one with the biggest “Yes”.

2. RESEARCH

Or, you can go the academic way. Read up on the properties of each of the crystals on your shortlist. Choose the one you think would be of most benefit to the person.

3. ASTROLOGICAL

Another alternative is to choose a crystal based on the person’s star sign. Use the “Star Sign” filter on the shop’s sidebar.

4. OTHER

You can also make use of a crystal book or our online crystal SHAPES and COLOURS to look for a theme or meaning that resonates with the person you are buying for..

5. Choosing Crystals For A Specific Purpose

While letting your instincts guide you is a surefire way to choose the crystal that wants to work with you, sometimes you might have a very specific purpose in mind. Or maybe you don’t have the time to browse, and just want to look at options for your specific purpose.

This is where shopping online REALLY outshines visiting a physical shop. First of all, you can set the “Price” filter on the shop’s sidebar to whatever range you’re comfortable with. Now you’ll only see crystals in your budget! Next, use any of the methods below:

1. KEYWORDS

Use our search function to search for specific properties you’re looking for. Enter property keywords into the search bar, and you’ll have an immediate shortlist to choose from. You can even try combining search words e.g. confidence, communication. 

2. COLOURS

One of the easiest ways to choose a crystal for a specific purpose is by looking at colour. Crystals of different colour groups share certain abilities. Read about crystal COLOUR GROUPS. 

Another approach to colours, is to think of the properties of each chakra (if you’re familiar with them). For example, communication relates to the throat chakra. The throat chakra is blue. So you can look at different blue crystals to find the right one for you. 

On our online shop, you can use either our handy filters, “Chakra” or “Colour Group” in the sidebar. Select a chakra to see all the crystals that are associated with that chakra, or choose a colour group to bring up all the crystals in that group.

3. SHAPES

Lastly, you can look at the energetic properties of different crystal shapes to help you choose a crystal for a specific purpose. Different shapes (both man made and natural) can affect the way the crystal works with the energy around it.

For example, a crystal point focuses energy into a tight beam, while a crystal ball diffuses energy equally in all directions. 

You can visit our page Crystal Shapes as linked above to read up on the main shapes and their energetic properties to help you choose a crystal.

6. In Summary

If you are new to the world of crystals and not sure where to start, trust your instincts! Let yourself be guided to the crystal that wants to work with you. Keep this practice up to build confidence and skill in tuning into your intuition. You can also look up keywords, colour properties, chakra properties or star signs to help you find the crystal. And if you have a shortlist that you’re battling to narrow down, try using a pendulum.

…UP NEXT

In our next lesson, we’re going to discuss cleansing crystals. We will look at when and how often crystals need to be cleansed (if at all), and 8 different methods to try.

CRYSTAL BASICS Crystal Course For Beginners Lesson 5:

HOW TO CLEANSE YOUR CRYSTALS (8 WAYS)