Crystal Healing with Rashia Bell

How did your love of crystals begin?

I have been drawn to crystals for as long as I can remember. I have always been drawn to working with crystals and gemstones whether it was when I was working in fine jewelry product development, consulting for jewelry designers or working in high-end design. I didn’t realize the innate attraction to crystals overall until I started diving deeper into my own personal wellness practice, and found that holding a crystal was the best way for me to quiet my mind so I could meditate.

What is crystal healing?

Crystal healing is a mix of many modalities, and frankly unique to each individual practitioner’s training, but essentially it is the act of using crystal stones to harmonize energy in the body. My personal one-on-one sessions combine intuitive readings, reiki and La-Ho-chi modalities, sound healing along with the use of crystals being placed on and around the body.  It also customized for each client, so no two sessions are exactly the same.  We have a blog post that dives deeper into the process if you want to read more here.

For those that don’t know, can you please give a brief explanation of what chakras are?

Chakras are an intricate web of energy systems within the body. They connect to nerves, organs, all of the systems in the body. When these are out of balance or alignment, it can affect our health, mood, and energy levels just to name a few.

What are some benefits of turning to crystals for healing?

Crystals have a variety of supportive qualities.  They can be used for everything from cleansing and harmonizing energy to stabilizing and strengthening. How we feel within our body affects how we move throughout our day and experience people and things around us. They can be a useful tool for helping us connect to the needs of our inner-selves.

You have a background in interior design. What are some ways you approach design differently with your knowledge of crystals?

Ultimately for me, good design is about the energy cultivated within a space.  A successful space has nothing to do with the amount of money spent on it or prized artwork. We all know what it is like to have experienced spaces that don’t feel right to us.   Aesthetics invoke feelings in us that affect how we feel in spaces.  My approach is about the energy in everything within a room, and that includes the objects, colors etc equally as much as the people that inhabit the spaces.  If you don’t understand what is going on energetically with an individual, then it is difficult to create a space that they will be comfortable in and evolves with them. We address both the spaces and the individuals that live in them both literally and figuratively from the inside out. Crystals are then used decoratively, functionally, and energetically to create a harmonious environment that both looks beautiful and feels good.

What does an energetic interior design consultation look like?

At The Cristalline, Energetic Design is the holistic approach to creating spaces that make one feel their best. We also have a blog post explaining this further here.

But our consultations start with a crystal healing session, which I doubt you will encounter with another designer. This allows me to intuitively connect with the client and understand their personal needs, both present, and future and placing that in equal value to the project needs.

Why do you think that so many people today are seeking holistic healing? Have you noticed a shift in attitude from when you first founded The Cristalline?

When we launched nearly seven years ago it was a unique time as it felt like it was the early stages of people exploring a multitude of healing modalities. People may not have understood it, but they were definitely intrigued. As time has gone on people have cultivated deeper personal mindfulness practices, and so our work has been understood as a natural extension of it.

The world is crazy right now, there are feelings of a lack of personal control, and this pandemic has shone a new light on how our spaces aren’t serving us.  Whether from a functional perspective of not having a desk to work on, to the realization that spending so much time indoors has made many realize they don’t even want to be in their own space.  It also has created time for people to perhaps come back to mindfulness practices that they have abandoned, or that there is actually the time to explore new things. I have also seen a remarkable shift during this time of more men seeking out healing experiences with an emphasis on inner-work. Our work has grown and expanded as a direct result of the increasingly hectic and over-stimulated nature of the technological world that we experience each day. It has forced people to strip things down and be willing to go within to find some balance and level of understanding.

What would you say is the biggest misconception about crystals?

I think the biggest misconception around crystals is that they don’t matter or affect us or that they are just some woo-woo, new-age or post-hippie-era thing.

These are scientific objects with extremely complex properties and compositions, that are literally created by the earth. They represent history and a true alignment with nature, which we are craving more and more of these days.

For those that are entirely unfamiliar with this space, how would you advise they first enter it?

Crystals are a great way to start to connect with your intuition because of the minerals that each stone is created by. They allow you to form a tactile connection. Crystals are about, touching the stones, feeling and experiencing them and listening to your inner guidance as to which stones feel right.  Do this before you read any meanings or descriptions. Even in a virtual world, explore what colors and textures you are drawn to.  Ask lots of questions, go-to sources you trust that allow you to do so, and know that there is no right or wrong.  Each individual is unique just like each stone is unique so what you feel drawn or need will naturally change and evolve.

What is your favorite crystal?

That would be nearly impossible to pick one because each is used for such different purposes, and it literally depends on the ay and how I feel. Right now, with all of the stay at home, zoom overload.  Electromagnetic Frequency Protection stones (EMF’s) are important  I have been using a lot of Shungite and Hematite.  Selenite for me is a must-have in a home.  Selenite is a cleansing master purification stone for clearing stagnant energy.

Which crystals do you turn to when you are feeling anxious or overwhelmed?

When I am feeling anxious or overwhelmed, it is a signal from my body calling for more grounding so I typically turn to smoky quartz, obsidian or black tourmaline.

Aside from crystals and all their wonderful properties, what other items do you rely on to create a healthy, home environment?

Essential oils, like those we carry at RE.VITYL are always a part of creating a sensory experience in a home. Good spaces tap into all of the senses from scents we smell to tactile elements like texture and cozy fabrics or the materials uses such as stone or wood.  Natural elements from the earth make for a home that feels healthy.

How can people incorporate crystals in their daily lives?

It all depends on how you choose to so.  They can be functional such as a table or lighting, or as simple as holding one in your hand. It doesn’t have to just be about meditating for 45min. You can put your jewelry in a lovely selenite dish at night to cleanse it. Ultimate for me crystals are about the rituals and experiences you create around them and that can be one that lasts 1min or 1hr.

Rose quartz and jade seem increasingly popular as face rollers or gua sha tools. How can the use of crystals benefit skin?

Using crystals tools talks to the rituals that I just mentioned above, be it a part of your nighttime or morning routine. Each stone has a different natural innate temperature. Jade for example is a stone that would be considered more “warming” as it can also be brought to a boiling point and not break. Rose quartz is more fragile with a “crystalized” internal structure so it tends to be more cooling. Different skin types can benefit from these differences. They are overall used to increase blood flow, circulation, reduce tension, help your products penetrate the skin, and create a ritual around your products.  Anyone can enjoy using them, not just adults or women!

Your company RE.VITYL harnesses the energy of natural plants and stones for sleep and wellbeing. How did your relationship with clean beauty begin?

I was a cosmetic buyer for around 5 years, so I have tried every product under the sun.  I believe like anything in life it’s about balance. I’ve always been fascinated by the healing properties of plants and herbs, loved to travel and see what products are native to certain communities, so just as my own personal mindfulness practices organically developed it permeated into my beauty as well.

How can one care for their crystals?

It depends on the type of stone, as not all crystals can be placed in water. I would say as a rule of thumb, less is more. You can clean them with a simple cloth. If they are stones you are working with more frequently and handling regularly those may require a bit more cleaning, and if it is a stone that is not porous putting it in salt water or a dish of himalayan salt.  You can also use your crystals such as clear quartz or selenite to cleanse your crystals.  The full moon happens once a month so it is a nice time to cleans your stones with the energy of nature, so you can set them on your windowsill or outside to do so naturally.

Your work focuses on creating balance for others. How have you been looking after yourself during this trying time?

This time has given me the gift of slowing down, as I would normally be on the go traveling or to multiple places within a given day. I am someone that naturally requires a lot of rest, so making that a priority has been key.  That and really trying to be gentle with the expectations that I have on myself and doing things that help replenish my energy. Literally in the span of a day, the needs may change by the hour, and to be ok with that.  One day I may be all about working out, the next I may want to work from my bed.  I’ve been more focused on acknowledging and appreciating what I have been able to do, instead of how much and the exact method that it was executed in. It’s definitely been about appreciating the baby steps, and this time has involved lots of crystal baths to clear my energy frequently!

What is the most meaningful aspect of your job?

I love getting to help people access their intuition, whether it is in a personal session or through their space, I get to help them open the portal.  And being around beautiful crystals and objects definitely doesn’t hurt!

What is next? Any sneak peek?!

We are always growing and evolving, I am not someone that stands still.  At The Cristalline, we have an 8-week virtual live course launching soon which I am excited about, as it will be a deep dive into exploring all of the facets of energy connection and helping people to explore and experience it for themselves.  We’re also creating an ongoing community experience so that people can meet like-minded people as they travel through their wellbeing journeys.  It will connect you to all of our different experiences from sessions to workshops and retreats.  Be on the lookout for an expansion of our jewelry offerings at The Cristalline.  You can’t take me too far from my jewelry roots which is where this crystal journey really started to take shape, so it will be fun to have things people can connect to wear.  For RE.VITYL, it is really about a way of life, so you can expect products to come that continue to enhance your sleep experience and help you move throughout your day harnessing the energy of nature!