Negative Reactions to Magical Crystals

Many Pagans and other people in the metaphysical community use crystals and gemstones in their magical and spiritual practice. There’s practically an endless list of stones you can use, for just about any need, and many of these stones actually make us feel good. They bring about calm, tranquility, restfulness, positive energy, and so on. But is it possible for us to have a negative reaction to a crystal or gemstone?

Can Crystals Really Cause Negative Responses?

Because this question comes up occasionally, we decided to ask a few people in the metaphysical community about their experiences with gemstones and crystals. Although in general, this is a pretty uncommon and rare occurrence, a few of the individuals we asked actually had, at one point, a negative reaction to a specific stone.

Marla is a Reiki practitioner in Indiana. She says, “I use stones a lot in energy work, but for the life of me, I cannot handle hematite. I touch it and it just shatters, right there in my hand. I’ve learned to use other protective stones in its place, because I just can’t work with it.”

“Amber makes me twitchy,” says Sorcha, a Celtic Pagan in Ohio. “It’s a resin, not a stone, but I just can’t wear it or hold it. I can actually feel my skin tingling and my heart racing when it’s in my hand. I’ve never liked it and I don’t even bother trying to use it anymore.”

Kelvin is a Wiccan priest in Florida. He says, “Lithium Quartz. Any time I’m around it, I get seriously agitated. I feel almost a fight or flight response, for no reason at all. The last time I was near a piece of lithium quartz—which was on a necklace my partner was wearing—I thought I was going to either pass out or throw up or both. It was awful.”

So, how does this happen? There are a couple of different theories. One is that stones themselves do not emit negative energies or positive ones–it’s just that our body’s energy vibrations may not mesh properly with that of a specific stone at a given time. Another theory is that if stones have a positive or negative energy vibration, if a person’s energy field is the same, rather than the opposite, the two could “push each other away,” much like magnets. Like many other questions in the metaphysical community, particularly those related to energy work, there’s just no clear-cut answer at this time.

What to Do If That Stone Makes You Feel Weird

If you find that you’re having an adverse reaction to a stone or crystal, there are a couple of steps you can take. The first, and most obvious, is to simply stop carrying or using that particular stone, and use something else with similar properties.

Another option, one that requires a bit of work on your part, is to “train” your body and the crystal to work together. Handle it in small doses each day, building up a tolerance eventually. This will, in theory, allow your body and the crystal to get used to each other’s vibrations. While it may be uncomfortable at first, some people have reported success with this method.

Finally, another trick to try is to find a crystal or stone that balances out the energy of the one you’re having trouble with. If a stone is making you feel agitated and off-kilter, try combining it with one that helps to relax you or combat anxiety—angelite, Lapis Lazuli, rose quartz and amethyst are all useful in helping to reduce stress, balance the chakras, and get you back to normal.

Further Reading

• Frazier, Karen. Crystals for Healing: the Complete Reference Guide with Remedies for Mind, Heart & Soul. Althea Press, 2016.
• Hall, Judy. The Crystal Bible. Godsfield, 2013.
• Heid, Markham. “You Asked: Do Healing Crystals Actually Work?” Time, Time, 5 Oct. 2017, time.com/4969680/do-crystals-work/.
• Wigington, Patti. Wicca Practical Magic: the Guide to Get Started with Magical Herbs, Oils, and Crystals. Althea Press, 2017.