Melbourne-based crystal specialist and founder of Stoned Crystals talks about the life changing power of crystals.
Crystals can add a magical ambience into any space, with their aesthetic appeal as home décor items, their undeniable sparkle and shine is both charming and pretty.
Crystals are a special kind of solid material where the molecules fit together in a repeating pattern. This pattern causes the material to form all sorts of unique shapes.
According to experts, crystals act as a power hold for healing as they allow positive, fruitful energy to flow into the body and do away with the negative, toxic energy. Like other forms of alternative therapy, crystals work by channelizing your energy levels, thereby, focus on healing your body from the inside.
And for many centuries, crystals have been used as energy conductors, often found in small computer devices and other electronic devices, as they easily conduct electricity without any harmful side effects to humans or animals, or any other living thing.
It is this reason, why many believe crystals can be beneficial to controlling energies in the home. But there are some important factors to consider when choosing the right crystal for you and your home.
Crystals are on trend right now. They are experiencing a major moment in the spotlight in the realmS of interior design and home stying, as well for use in conjunction with spiritual practices, such as yoga and meditation.
Founder of Stoned Crystals, Ashley Bellino says this major shift in crystal popularity shows people are becoming more aware of alternative therapies.
“Our connection to the earth as well as its effect on the mind, body and soul has lead many people around the world seeking alternative ways to create positive energy flow around us and our loved ones. We are craving raw and organic things not only in our diets but also in what we wear and adorn our spaces with.”
Ashley’s business creates beautiful crystal features for homes.
“For a long time, Crystals have been associated with ‘hippies’ or ‘witchcraft’ and the jargon that surrounds them has made them difficult to understand and therefore undervalued by the mainstream.
At Stoned Crystals we are breaking the mould of the conventional use and understanding of crystals by making them more accessible and more fashionable.
I believe our brand has been instrumental in creating this shift and making Crystals on-trend, by sharing tips and concepts via Instagram and in our Blog on how to integrate Crystals into people’s lives and style them in their homes, whilst at the same time keeping the integrity of their energy and tradition alive.
Raw Crystals and Crystals that have a practical use such as a crystal light or platter seem to be very popular right now. They add an obvious flair to the home that act as an alternative to art or furniture item”, Ashley explains.
Of course, if you are new to crystals and have no idea what to look for when choosing the right for you and your space, it can be a little overwhelming.
Here are Ashley’s top four tips on how to chose the right crystal:
- The Crystal’s Properties. Each crystal has different energetic properties which explain what type of crystal it is and the symbolism behind them.
- Crystal Formation. Crystals all form differently. They can be purchased either polished or raw. Polished stones are generally more sturdy and likely to be able to be exposed to water. Raw Crystals are usually more delicate and often are more at risk of erosion. Always Google a crystal and whether it is okay to be exposed to either sunlight or water before putting it somewhere amongst the elements.
- Chakra Point. Each Crystal also resonates with a Chakra point. According to Yogic philosophy, the body contains a number of different energy centres called Chakras. Each Chakra develops and is associated with a different human need or stage of life development.
- Crystal Placement. Decide where you want to put your crystals. This will help to determine what properties you might be looking for or which chakra points are most relevant. If they are to carry on you, small tumble stones are a great choice! Pick stones that symbolize qualities you would like to manifest within yourself and your life. If they are for a particular room in the house, for example the entrance, perhaps a protection stone would be good. Crystals for calm are also great for the bedroom or living area.
When it comes to styling your home with crystals, whether that be for a coffee table, dresser or console, Ashley’s simply three step no fail formula will help guide you on where to place them in the house to reap the full benefits of the crystal.
Step 1: Choose one horizontal item or base for your display. This may be a tray or dish – my go-to is a stack of books.
Step 2: Choose one vertical item for height. A vase with some flowers never fails! Ensure the height of the vase is not too tall or else you’ll find the focus will be taken away from the last and most important item in Step 3 (your Crystal!)
Step 3: Add a Crystal. The Crystal acts as the bridging object between the ‘base’ and ‘height’ objects chosen in steps 1 and 2. This should be the most interesting item in the arrangement and will be your feature. This is the piece that will add character to a space and often guide the focus of attention within the room. Crystals are the perfect object for this, to bring a story and energy that will intuitively guide the style choice of your room.
Ashley’s Stoned Crystal business has been incredibly successful since launching her store in Melbourne (related story: enter story title and link here from previous interview), and despite 2020 starting out with so much uncertainty, she has a lot of future plans for the brand.
“In 2020 we are focusing a huge amount of our time on building the Stoned Crystals App. We took our first customers on Test Flight with the ‘Shōjō’ software which was built by my partner Jeremy LeBard.
We are also looking to remodel our physical store to re-create the future of retail. A place that is not just a shop but an experience and one that can be shared live so it doesn’t matter where you are in the world, you can still delve into the magical world of Stoned Crystals.
This new retail space would include rooms for natural and holistic therapies, sound healing, yoga and more. As well as building space for more crystals of all types as well as expanding on crystal infused experiences such as custom mala bead bracelets, crystal art and mindfulness and meditation for kids.
Throughout everything we would love to expand on and further develop our ethical sourcing model by traveling directly to the source of the crystals and developing industry standards and procurement guides in an industry that doesn’t traditionally have any. We are excited to see what the future holds”, Ashley says.
