Getting Real: Physical Healing & Pseudoscience
A week into the new year, I had a Day of Reckoning and decided I need to do something about pseudoscience in the healing crystal industry. Since then I’ve made some big changes to how I write about healing crystals and the physical body. The project is far from over. But I’d like to share an update with my progress and process.
First off – this project is FUN and IMMENSELY SATISFYING. As a business owner, I wear a lot of different hats. During the average week, I play the role of “accountant”, “tech support”, “CEO”, “janitor”, “marketer”, “customer service representative”, “project manager”, “sourcing expert” and “writer.” Somewhere in all of that, I also get to be a healer. Most of the time, I only get to be a healer when I’m doing customer service or when I’m writing about a new healing stone. But this project is allowing me to really stretch myself and develop my craft on a macro-level. I’m having a delightful time and learning so much!
It’s a good thing that I’m enjoying myself because I was wildly off-base when I estimated how long this project would take. My original guess was “a couple of months.” But once I found my stride, I checked the math. If everything goes very well, it’s a 2-year project. If other stuff comes up, it’s 3 to 4 years.
That’s the reality. I can’t do it faster, without neglecting something else. I am continuing to refine Ethical Sourcing and I also have the constant work of maintaining and growing my business. Even more important is that I continue to enjoy a vibrant personal life – because what’s the point of all this work if I’m not having a good time? These are all non-negotiable priorities that I can’t neglect even if I’m excited about a new project. I am many things, but I am NOT neglectful. I am diligent and deliberate, so if it takes 2 years or 4 years, I will complete this new project to my satisfaction.
Six months in, how’s it going?
The Physical Healing Index has been completely overhauled. It’s a fraction of the size it used to be, because I ruthlessly cut it up. Anything nonsensical got the axe. But what’s there is pretty good and it will continue to evolve over the next few years.
On the original index, I mainly listed body parts and diseases. The new index includes those, but also addresses many other issues that affect the physical body. Topics like:
- Be your own healthcare advocate
- Have courage when you’re scared and distrustful of doctors and hospitals
- Listen to and trust your body
- Make lifestyle changes
- Remember to do activities that increase dopamine
- Stop self-harming
- Taking care of yourself, when emotionally overwhelmed
- Taking care of yourself, when you’d rather avoid it.
- Tolerating what can only be endured
Likewise, I’ve started to tease out the subtle differences. For example, when a crystal is supportive for Alzheimer’s Disease – who’s getting the support? The person in the early stages of the diagnosis? The person in the later stages of the diagnosis? The family and caregivers? Those distinctions matter.
The most common word on the new index is “support.” These crystals are meant to support you on your healing journey. They are spiritual tools, but they don’t do the work for you and they certainly don’t replace doctors, medicine, healthy habits and all the rest. A healing crystal is a supportive friend who travels with you on your healthcare journey, offering encouragement and grounding.
As of writing, 65 crystals on my website have gotten a brand-new write-up for their physical healing attributes. Any crystal that is in New or Back In Stock has been updated. Since these two pages are always changing, that’s how I decide which crystal gets its update next. Sooner or later, I’ll get to all of them. Most of the time, I just update the physical healing and leave the rest alone. Occasionally, I re-write the entire healing section including spiritual, emotional and mental. I only do that for the oldest crystals in my store, like Apache Tear Obsidian, whose original write-up was written when I was still finding my voice and didn’t have my current level of confidence.
So what’s the difference between my old style of writing about physical healing and my new style? Let’s compare Red Aragonite and Pink Aragonite since they are very similar, but one has been updated and the other has not.
Here’s how I used to do it:
Red Aragonite helps us to feel more comfortable within our physical body. It is said to increase stamina and vitality, improve our immune system, and calm our nervous system. It is commonly used to treat general aches and pains, particularly ones that are felt ‘deep’ in the body. Metaphysical healers use it to heal broken bones as well as regenerate bone tissues and absorb calcium more completely. It is used by yogis to keep the spine flexible and strong. Red Aragonite is also believed to help with Reynaud’s Disease and keeping hands and feet warm.
Notice how I used to hedge my bets; “said to,” “believed to,” and “metaphysical healers use it.” The truth is writing about physical healing using to make me feel a little uncomfortable. I tiptoed around it and gave away my authority to other crystal intuitives who had stronger opinions on physical healing. It definitely has a pseudoscientific flavor which makes my skin crawl.
Compare that to the new way:
Pink Aragonite is recommended for anyone suffering from body dysmorphia or who doesn’t feel comfortable in their own body. It helps us to love our body as it is. It reminds us that our body is more than just our outward appearance. Our body is also a wonderful complexity of internal systems that work together to take good care of us. Our body loves us. Our body wants us to feel happy and healthy. Pink Aragonite asks us to love our body in return and to show that love by creating and maintaining good physical and mental habits. As a talisman, Pink Aragonite can help us to feel hopeful and be practical when we are dealing with problems associated with the immune or digestive systems. It also makes a wonderful talisman for anyone concerned about osteoporosis who wants a reminder to engage in the good habits that lead to strong bones.
First off, I clearly reclaim my own authority. I recommend these crystals for something specific to the physical body. In doing so, I put my own reputation on the line. I can comfortably discuss my choices with any doctor, scientist or psychologist. Open invitation.
Second, I now use the word talisman regularly when talking about physical healing. I chose the word talisman because it’s a magical and shamanic word. I feel it works well in this context. One of the problems I’ve noticed about the healing crystal world is the tendency to use pseudoscientific words like “programming” and “charging” which sound a lot more like computer technology and less like the spiritual language of Mother Earth. Sometime soon, I’m going to write a formal article about how crystal healing works. written in plain English. I’m also going to be addressing the fact that other crystal healers are using ridiculous terms like “dominant oscillatory rate” to describe crystal healing. That phrase may sound science-y, but it’s completely made-up. Literally, the only group of people using that phrase is crystal healers. No more of that nonsense. It’s time that this industry grows up and gets real.
I usually have time to write a couple of updates each week. You might think it would be repetitive work, but it’s absolutely not. It’s ever so thoughtful and interesting. I get to write about topics that affect real people in real life. For example:
- Angelite is good when we are getting chemo and need to trust in miracles and in modern medicine.
- Blue Lace Agate is good for any adult who feels sick and wishes someone else would take care of them.
- Blue Fluorite is good for when we hate our reflection in the mirror and overexaggerate our physical flaws.
- Blue Topaz is good when we need to develop a healthier relationship with food.
- Dravite Tourmaline is good for anyone who is addicted to self-harming.
- Hessonite Garnet is good if we want children but are spooked because of past miscarriages.
- Moonstone Tourmaline is good for women and minorities who need doctors to listen and take concerns seriously.
- Petalite is good for anyone with the double-whammy of anxiety and ADHD.
- Picasso Marble is good for anyone who claims they “don’t have time” to exercise.
- Rhodonite is good for trauma victims who have developed auto-immune disorders.
- Rose Quartz is good for parents with disabled children and for children caring for elderly parents with dementia.
- Tekite is good for anyone who needs to have surgery but is scared something will go wrong.
- Yellow Aventurine is good for anyone who has developed an addiction to pain medication
Six months in and years of work still to do. But it’s going well. I’m curious to see how it evolves and where this road takes me. But one thing I know for sure is that healing crystals CAN help us heal.
To all my readers – take good care and be well. ♥
