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By Ashley Bellino
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Raised in the inner city suburbs of Melbourne and coming from a modern family and home I had never been exposed to crystal energy or healing. As a child I absolutely loved anything that sparkled. My Italian parents had a Sicilian slang term they called the things I liked, ‘Nicha-Nachitti ’- a silly little thing. I would visit all of the spiritual and fairy shops and my favourite toys were anything that sparkled. In my mid 20s I began on a spiritual path, taking up both Yoga and meditation. I rediscovered this magic again as a young adult, as a way to reconnect with my inner child. I found myself feeling most present when I used Crystals as tools during my Yoga and meditation practice. Crystals absolutely captured my full attention and imagination and I found myself gravitating towards them as a natural progression in my life.
After living abroad for two years I spent a lot of time living close to one of China’s ‘Gem Cities.’ Under the direction of a spiritual mentor to me, I visited the crystal city and learnt to feel crystal energy for the first time. I found that there were very few websites clearly explaining what crystals are, how they work and how we can incorporate them into the modern day lifestyle. It was here that my obsession and experimentation with crystals began!
My keen interest in interiors was growing as I started to decorate my new apartment. I also began to adorn areas of the home with crystals to make beautiful sacred spaces based on their properties and rules of Feng Shui.
Crystals are not easily found in common homewares stores. So many decor items and objects have been made out of every other natural material but crystals have somehow been swept under the rug. I decided that crystal homewares was something that had been massively overlooked and I relished the opportunity to rise to the challenge of changing the way people look at crystals and building products never seen before! Fast-forward to today, and I consider Stoned Crystals to be Australia’s first natural crystal decor line for the home & workspace.
The role of crystals in modern mindful living
Our homes and workspaces are becoming increasingly overcome by computers, devices and technology. Crystals not only look beautiful when styled but also offer us a natural and tactile distraction to negate stress and encourage balance and mindfulness in our lives.
For thousands of years crystals have been used for their healing properties. They allow us to disconnect from the digital world and reconnect with our spiritual self. By using crystals as an aid during meditation and through mindfulness, we are able to ease the chatter of the mind and also help clear negative thought patterns. We all know that setting your mindset with a positive outlook can return positive life experiences. In much the same way, setting crystals with positive intentions is the best way to manifest the things you wish to attract into your life.
I’d say people are more aware and open to ‘alternative’ therapies, and crystals provide a tangible way to connect to the earth and its effect on the mind, body and soul.
How busy professionals can use crystals to be more mindful and set intentions
In the search for answers to help stay grounded within the fast-paced world we live in, crystals are the natural extension of our connection to Mother Earth. If for nothing other than their tactile benefits, rolling these shapes around in your hands releases your mind from the automatic reactions and high-intensity nature of life and allows the mind to be still for a moment.
To help those new to crystals, I thought it’d be nice and easy to share a few ways I incorporate crystals into my everyday life.
I place different crystals around my home, in different living areas that inspire me to live mindfully and welcome peace and calm. In my bedroom for example, I have an Onyx Lamp that provides a warm and gentle glow to help me relax at night. And, by placing them around my home, they act as reminders to keep my thoughts and actions in line with my intentions.
Allowing myself 10 minutes each day to practice mindfulness. I try to do this first thing in the morning but with my newborn son and a constantly busy work schedule, I give myself permission to fit it somewhere into my day that works for me! Crystals are a way of being able to create a focal point for practising mindfulness, so I grab the crystal I’m feeling the most connected to at the time and tune into its energetic properties to help me gain clarity and focus.
When I also call on particular crystals and also my own designed intention card deck to help me set my intentions for that day and what I choose to manifest into this world. Intention is a big part of how crystals help ‘heal’. They don’t provide a cure by any means, but they’re a tangible and physical object that reminds us of our own strength and worth.
The benefits of bringing Mother Nature’s natural sculptures into your space
Not only are crystals aesthetically beautiful natural wonders, but they also provide a wellness and lifestyle element to our lives. My aim with Stoned Crystals has always been to make crystals and natural decor items more accessible, and show how they make such a stylish interior statement for our homes and workspaces. Even if you don’t necessarily subscribe to the notion that crystals can bring particular energy to your world, we aim to help showcase the obvious benefits of decorating our spaces just as we do with plants and nature.
Renovation TV shows like ‘The Block’ and ‘House Rules’ have introduced interior design as something very achievable by everyday households. They’ve provided a lot of inspiration around the search for different ideas and unique pieces of art to create a more stylised and curated finish to home interiors. Consumers are gravitating towards raw and organic solutions, not only in our diets but also in the things we wear and surround ourselves with. Which is why crystals are also establishing themselves a popular and fashionable addition to home decor and design. What I love most about crystals-as-decor is that they’re only aesthetically pleasing but they also bring in an unmistakable energy and aura akin to placing plants or other natural things in the home.
About the author: Ashley Bellino (pictured above) is the founder of Stoned Crystals. This is an opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of this publication.
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