Top 5 Crystals for Beginners

New to the world of crystals and not sure where to start? Never fear — we’ve got you covered! Here are our top 5 crystals for beginners along with details on their metaphysical properties and how you can take advantage of them!

Black Tourmaline

Black Tourmaline is the #1 grounding and protection stone. It readily absorbs negative energy from its environment including any directed at the wearer, preventing it from sticking around and causing trouble. Because it sucks up negativity so readily, Black Tourmaline does require frequent maintenance in the form of cleansing to release that energy. This is easily accomplished through smoke cleansing or leaving it near a piece of Selenite for a while. If your stone feels particularly heavy or strange, that’s your sign to give it a cleanse!

Also serving as a top-notch crystal for grounding, Black Tourmaline helps pull your energy down toward your root chakra, bringing you out of your head and back into your body. This can prove extremely helpful during stressful or busy times. Taking even a couple of moments to hold a piece, breathe deeply and intentionally, and feel your energy flowing down toward the earth can make a big difference in your day.

Selenite

Selenite makes a perfect companion for a new crystal collector! Also commonly known as Satin Spar (though there are slight differences), this soft and chatoyant mineral is the premier cleansing and charging tool for a range of metaphysical practices. This crystal is such an effective energetic cleanser that it does not need to be cleansed itself! It pairs wonderfully with stones like Black Tourmaline that are prone to absorbing lots of energy, and it acts to charge other stones as well. Used on its own, Selenite possesses a calming and purifying effect that makes it perfect to work with in times of harsh or heavy emotion. Just make sure to treat this stone gently — it’s a softer mineral and one that readily breaks down in water, so make sure you keep it high and dry.

Rose Quartz

The ever-popular Rose Quartz is a readily available pink Quartz variety typically found in polished and carved form due to its growth formation. This gentle heart-centered crystal is all about love in its many forms! Rose Quartz is often employed by those seeking to manifest romantic love and placing a piece by your bed is said to do exactly that. What’s often overlooked, however, is the difference this beautiful stone can make when it comes to self-love! Its warm energy shines through brilliantly when meditating on the ways you feel lacking, less-than, or otherwise not enough. Rose Quartz lights up those dark spots of the heart with calm understanding and unconditional acceptance of the self. It even aids in getting restful sleep and inspires a greater love for the arts!

Amethyst

When people think of gems and crystals, Amethyst is often one of the first that comes to mind, and it’s no surprise why. Aside from being easy to find and possessing a striking purple hue, this versatile stone also offers a wide variety of benefits and has a reputation for being easy to work with! Sometimes referred to as the stone of sobriety, Amethyst wonderfully serves those struggling with addictions of any kind — not just drugs or alcohol. It’s also often employed for dream recall, mental clarity, enhancing gratitude, amplifying energy, and relieving stress. This gemstone is even great for opening the third eye chakra and tapping into your psychic awareness!

Clear Quartz

If you’re just getting started working with crystals, you might be tempted to overlook Clear Quartz in favor of other flashier Quartz varieties. Don’t be mistaken — just because this gem is colorless doesn’t make it any less helpful or powerful! Clear Quartz readily amplifies the energy around it, which makes it a great companion stone for intensifying the effects of your other crystals. This quality also makes it highly programmable; this means that when you set a specific intention for how you’re going to use it, that intention sticks more readily. As a result, Clear Quartz can rapidly elevate the effectiveness of ritual work such as manifestation practices. Working with this stone also serves to align the chakras, cleanse the aura, and help you clarify those all-important intentions.