A beginner’s guide to all things spiritual
Image Courtesy: Unsplash
When I was younger, I always had a fascination with rocks. Sounds pretty dumb, but I seriously did. I remember one Christmas where my mom bought me a whole kit with different types of rocks and minerals in it, and I kept it in my bookshelf for years because I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Every time I would go on a trip with my family to the mountains, I would want to go panning for gemstones to see what different crystals I could find to add to my collection.
After first learning that crystals had a deeper, spiritual meaning to some, I’ll be honest, I thought it was a bunch of B.S. There was just no way any of it was true.
Over time, my beliefs began to change, and I formed ideas around spirituality that made more sense to me and my life. I met more people who shared similar interests and beliefs, especially my best friend Brooke. Although I was already into various aspects of spirituality when I met her, we’ve both been able to dive deeper and explore what it truly means to us.
Personally, the big three in spirituality are crystals, tarot and candles. Although they all intertwine, here is a little background on each, and my recommendations on how to get into them.
Crystals
There are various types of crystals. In the realm of spirituality, crystals are thought to carry certain energies that aid in healing. Although different cultures have varying beliefs on what each crystal aids with, there are some general universal concepts pinned to each. Personally, I like to use crystals as a way to focus on meditation, and provide me with a clearer picture of what I want to change in my life. I wouldn’t say I particularly have any favorite crystals, but there are a few common ones you may have already heard of:
Rose Quartz: love, compassion and emotional healing
Selenite: cleaning, purification and mental clarity
Tiger’s Eye: courage, confidence and self-worth
Amethyst: wisdom, grounding and inner peace
If you look online, there’s probably a crystal store near you. I’ve found that the employees at crystal stores are super knowledgeable, and can often help you find crystals relating to whatever specific need you’re searching to heal at the time.
Tarot
One thing I love about tarot is that it can be interpreted in so many different ways and in so many different situations. I only just got my first tarot deck recently. For a while, I was pretty intimidated when it came to learning how to do tarot readings myself. There are a ton of different spreads, but the two most common are with either a single or three cards (three cards often representing the past, present, and future).
Both spreads can be approached the same way. You begin by formulating a question you’d like to be answered in your mind, but make sure it’s open-ended and not simply a yes or no question. Then, when shuffling the deck, think about the intention you have. Use your intuition to determine which of the cards you pull. When reading, you can start by using a guidebook, but over time, tarot readers learn to use their intuition more and more.
Candles
Brooke and I’s apartment is filled with candles. Between the scents of the oils and herbs used in them, and their spiritual connotations, we love to light a good candle. Candles can be used similarly to crystals; they can help provide intention and boost your atmosphere spiritually. In the most basic of candles, different colors have varying meanings.
Red: love, passion
Yellow: intellect, knowledge
Green: material growth, good luck
Pink: healing, romance
White: peace, protection
So, if you ever get intrigued when passing by a place filled with incense, crystals, and more, maybe now you won’t be so afraid to stop in.
Strike Out,
Meghan Bosman
Editor: Cira Thigpen