How to Use Crystals in Your Yoga Practice

Whether you're a crystal fanatic or a skeptic newbie, it can be really fun incorporating them into your yoga practice. There are many different benefits of using crystals, such as healing, raising your vibration, empowerment and divine connection. Depending on the crystal you use and the intention you set, the impact on your practice will vary. 

Benefits

There are so many proven benefits of practicing yoga, ranging from improving digestion, mobility and mental health, to increasing self-confidence and body-image. The implementation of crystals is likely to increase the benefits you already get from your yoga practice. They may also help you to target specific properties and aspects of yoga that serve you. 

Although there is no scientific evidence of any benefits of crystals, so many people report incredible healing through the use of crystals and more and more people are finding this to be true. We recommend trying it out for yourself and finding what is true for you, they might be wonderful or you might not notice any difference. One thing is for certaun though, your mindset makes a huge difference. When you open yourself up to healing, you begin to heal, crystals or no crystals. When you open yourself up to your own empowerment, you begin to become it, the crystals may be the opening and encouragement you need, they may even hold true power, but your openness is vital.  

How to Incorporate Crystals Into Your Practice

There are many different ways you can incorporate crystals into your yoga practice. Try them all out to see what works for you, you may wish you use multiple different options, just do what feels right! Every practice is different and your needs may change with each day. Play around with how you use your crystals, there is no right or wrong way!

• Meditate on a crystal at the beginning or end of your practice - Attuning yourself to the power of the crystal can be incredibly wonderful for raising your vibration and connecting more deeply with yourself. Sit with a crystal of your choice for a few minutes at the start or end of your practice and feel into the energy of the crystal. Notice how it feels in your hands, notice the emotions that it brings up within you. Bring it's energy into your body so that you can bring it into your practice and into the world. 
• Place crystals around your mat - You may wish to place one in each corner of the mat or depending on the size of your crystal collection, you may want to place them all around your mat. Depending on the intention of your practice, you may wish to pick crystals that will be of service to your practice goals. 
• Create a crystal grid - Similar to the previous point, crystals are amplified when placed in a grid with other crystals. Before your practice you could choose a grid and the perfect crystals for what you need that day and create your grid in front of your mat as a way of tuning in and preparing for your practice. For more information on crystal grids, click here. 
• Chakra healing and balancing - If you like to work on your chakras during your yoga practice, crystals can be a wonderful addition. Placing a crystal on it's associated chakra will amplify, balance and heal that energy centre. This is ideal for when you are laying down in Savasana at the end of the practice (see below for crystals for chakra work). 
• Hold them during asanas - Granted this won't work in many poses but it is a great tool to use when you can. For example, when you are looking for strength and empowerment, holding amethyst or bloodstone in each hand can be very powerful. 
• Wearing Jewellery - One powerful way of bringing crystals into your practice is by wearing them in the form of jewellery. Necklaces, bracelets and rings bring the power of the crystal to your body and onto your mat. Plus, who doesn't love cute accessories?

The Best Crystals For Yoga

Ultimately, the best crystals will be the ones you are most drawn to, so don't take our word for it! We've compiled a list of the different crystals you may want to use to bring a particular energy into your practice, to take all the hard work away for you!

• Balance - Hermatite
• Peace - Black Tourmaline 
• Love - Rose Quartz
• Resilience - Red Jasper
• Strength - Bloodstone
• Compassion - Lapiz Lazuli
• Focus - Flourite
• Spiritual growth - Amethyst
• Grounding - Onyx
• Healing - Clear Quartz

Chakra Crystals 

The crystals associated with each chakra are due to their colour alignment so there are multiple options for each chakra. Here are some of our favourites!

• Root Chakra - Red Jasper
• Naval Chakra - Aventurine
• Solar Plexus Chakra - Citrine
• Heart Chakra - Malachite
• Throat Chakra - Blue Topaz
• Third Eye Chakra - Sapphire
• Crown Chakra - Selenite

There are so many ways of incorporating crystals into your practice and there is no right or wrong way to do so, you can get as creative as you want and really find a practice unique to you!

Will you start using crystals in your yoga practice? Let us know how in the comments!

By: Katrina Scales