Like many others, the pandemic made me feel both anxious and distressed. I turned to many things for comfort like watching koreanovelas, cooking and eating comfort food, and even nurturing plants. Lately, as a result of the second-wave of our strict stay-at-home orders, I have been clinging on to my crystals for that much-needed calm.
I have been sleeping with my selenite under my pillow. The translucent white stone is known for combating insomnia, a battle I’ve had for years. Lately, I found out that my heart-shaped wonder is also good for my blood flow during menstruation.
At work, especially during meetings, I hold my lapis lazuli, blue kyanite or blue lace agate. Blue stones help with communication and self-expression, which is helpful for a public relations professional like me. Blue is also the color associated with the throat chakra.
I also have my prosperity stones—citrine, the merchant stone, pyrite, also known as fool’s gold, and tiger’s eye. These crystals help clear the mental blocks that prevent money and wealth from coming into our lives.
I have actually found a crystal for most of what I need to cope with during these times— the worries for my health and wellbeing, the loneliness of being isolated and all the bad jujus around.
However, I am not someone who practises reiki or crystal healing, although those are among my frequent searches now and YouTube watches.
It’s not just the healing properties, uplifting powers, and manifestation aids for me. It is also about aesthetics. It is like acquiring artworks, only it’s a lot better because crystals are God’s masterpieces.
I am drawn to crystals that have beach and mountain-colored shades—blues, greens, and yellows. It is to satisfy the part of me that misses the outdoors so much. If it was not for the pandemic, I would be out there right now where there is no signal, instead of here at home writing this article.
I dream of a vast collection of Caribbean calcite, blue onxy and ocean jasper spheres. Aside from their beautiful hues and lines and swirls that remind me of the sea, they also have deeply soothing and calming energies.
Another one of my favorite colors is pink so I keep a collection of rose quartz and have been looking at pink jades and rhodonites. The big bonus is that they also attract love.
I’ve been reading that the demand for crystals surged during this pandemic
I actually join many others in making crystals a part of their pandemic survival kit. I’ve been reading that the demand for crystals surged during this pandemic. Google searches on the topic have also surged during this time. Online communities have grown in numbers and memberships.
But the love for crystals is nothing new. Ancient cultures have used crystals. They have been present in pop culture for many years. Celebrities have been seen wearing crystals and have talked about them.
Even if there is no scientific evidence of a crystal’s mystic powers and there are issues and questions on how they are mined, mostly in poor countries, crystals have been finding their way into many homes.
In my own home and in my office, I have a brand new crystal “altars” and it has been my mini-refuge and one of my favorite spots. My future “woman cave” will definitely have a crystal altar aside from bookshelves and beds for my fur babies.
My affection for crystals goes way back, though.
In 2014, I had a mountain climbing accident, and I felt I needed a reversal of luck and lots of protection. While scrolling on Facebook, I happened to come upon this Feng Shui expert who customized crystals based on your Chinese horoscope. After a brief interview, she made me a bracelet which I wore every day. For a couple of years after, I sent her back the bracelets before Chinese New Year for updating.
A few years later, my younger sister started collecting crystal bracelets, and I got going on my own.
Whenever I travel, I try to look for crystal sellers. In Ladakh, India, I made sure the Refugee Market in Leh was part of my itinerary so I could get new bracelets. I did the same when I went to Taiwan. I kept my eyes peeled for crystals at night markets. Here in Manila, I watch out for crystal bracelets in tiangge.
When the lockdown happened in March, though, my crystal bracelets stayed in storage with my work clothes, makeup and other accessories.
It was only early this year when friends started talking about evil eye, an amulet for protection, when my obsession with these “near gemstones” was resurrected.
On Facebook, I found communities of passionate crystal lovers from all over the world.
On Instagram, I followed local sellers, and I made sure to watch their stories and live. I adopted my first few crystals from them including my favorite clear quartz tower, Ocean Jasper flame, and raw Aquamarine stone. There was even one seller, everythingcrystals.ph, who paved the way to get my crystals from a small miner in Bulacan affected by the pandemic.
The author takes virtual tour of crystal market in China—one way she copes with self-isolation in this pandemic.
I watch live sellers from China daily. They take me to the crystal market and crystal mall
On Shopee, I watch live sellers from China daily. They take me to the crystal market and crystal mall. They help me find the best quality crystals, and they help me look for the crystals I want.
I was awed by the relationship developed between these Chinese sellers and Filipino buyers. I have actually become fond of the sellers, including Kiki, TT, Jeo, Annie, Amy, Aring, Stella, Jim, Rui, and Uncles Wang and Lu, and they call me bibi, honey and my dear. They have become my distant friends who tour me on some local spots (despite the friction between our countries, China is one of my favorite destinations), bring me with them whenever they pick up their kids in school, and also show me the local street food.
I am equally fond of my “sis”, or fellow collectors. When I can’t decide between two options they help me. They congratulate me every time I adopt a new crystal, and they help me explain to the sellers what I want.
Lately, I have been spending as much time on Shopee and Instagram as I do on Netflix and on Facebook and Twitter. In between work, when relaxing after office, and during weekends, my second phone is just tuned in to Instagram or Shopee Live. While writing this article on my laptop, one of my phones is on Shopee live.
Watching them has been very entertaining and relaxing for me. The only thing is that I couldn’t help but type mine + price or claim and SSD (screenshot). What I look forward to these days and gets me excited are the arrival of my packages and unboxing them.
Of course, nothing beats personally shopping for crystals, but these do for now.
