collapse

* Recent Posts

Re: "Christ Is King" by Altair
[Today at 10:58:24 am]


Re: "Christ Is King" by SirPalomides
[Today at 08:57:21 am]


Re: "Christ Is King" by SunflowerP
[Yesterday at 11:06:51 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by SunflowerP
[Yesterday at 10:30:17 pm]


Re: "Christ Is King" by Darkhawk
[Yesterday at 08:31:19 pm]

Author Topic: Question about Crystals  (Read 2314 times)

Crystal_Ashes

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Join Date: Apr 2019
  • Location: The Forest
  • Posts: 2
  • Country: ca
  • Total likes: 0
    • View Profile
  • Religion: Wiccan
Question about Crystals
« on: April 02, 2019, 11:31:44 pm »
Forgive me if this post is in the wrong sub-forum.

For those of you who work with crystals, what do you do with your crystals when they are not in use (ie: displayed on your altar or being used in a crystal grid?). My crystal collection is expanding rapidly, and I am not sure what to do with the crystals that I am not using. Should I keep them together in a bowl? Find a nice box and put some soft fabric in there and store them that way? I am super conscious about making sure my alter does not get cluttered, as it is a sacred space, and it just does not make sense to have ALL my crystals out at once.


Uneryx

  • Journeyman
  • *****
  • Join Date: Oct 2017
  • Posts: 225
  • Country: ca
  • Total likes: 148
    • View Profile
  • Religion: it's eclectic (woogie woogie woogie)
  • Preferred Pronouns: she/her
Re: Question about Crystals
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2019, 02:26:40 am »
Forgive me if this post is in the wrong sub-forum.

For those of you who work with crystals, what do you do with your crystals when they are not in use (ie: displayed on your altar or being used in a crystal grid?). My crystal collection is expanding rapidly, and I am not sure what to do with the crystals that I am not using. Should I keep them together in a bowl? Find a nice box and put some soft fabric in there and store them that way? I am super conscious about making sure my alter does not get cluttered, as it is a sacred space, and it just does not make sense to have ALL my crystals out at once.

I keep mine in a box on a shelf below the altar. They get taken out and cleaned/charged every four-five months. I'll give them a little extra charge if they feel meh after sitting in a box all that time.

the more fragile ones are inside of small pouches, but I haven't had a problem with them all hanging out in the same box.

Dynes Hysbys

  • Master Member
  • ******
  • Join Date: Feb 2016
  • Location: Snowdonia
  • Posts: 302
  • Country: wales
  • Total likes: 81
    • View Profile
  • Religion: Cunning Craft
Re: Question about Crystals
« Reply #2 on: April 03, 2019, 06:17:34 am »
Forgive me if this post is in the wrong sub-forum.

For those of you who work with crystals, what do you do with your crystals when they are not in use

I won't buy crystals because of the huge ethical problems I have with them but I have acquired a few over the years that I've been given or have found.

Mine live in an old chocolate box. The little pockets that held the chocolates are perfect and I've labelled each one with the name of the stone that lives there ( yes I am a bit OCD).  It's a Ferrero Rocher box so the lid is clear and I can see what's in it whilst keeping the dust out.

Hariti

  • Sr. Master Member
  • *******
  • Join Date: Mar 2017
  • Location: Washington
  • *
  • Posts: 942
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 320
  • Kyrie Eleison
    • View Profile
  • Religion: Extremely Eclectic
  • Preferred Pronouns: she/they
Re: Question about Crystals
« Reply #3 on: April 04, 2019, 07:04:46 pm »
I won't buy crystals because of the huge ethical problems I have with them

Not to totally derail the threat, but what ethical problems do you have with crystals? Never heard of that before, and as somebody who strives to be ethical, I might wanna know if there are problems associated with crystals I might not be aware of.
"The worshippers of the gods go to them; to the manes go the ancestor-worshippers; to the Deities who preside over the elements go their worshippers; My devotees come to Me." ... "Whichever devotee desires to adore whatever such Deity with faith, in all such votaries I make that particular faith unshakable. Endowed with that faith, a votary performs the worship of that particular deity and obtains the fruits thereof, these being granted by Me alone." - Sri Krishna

Ashmire

  • Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: May 2017
  • Posts: 448
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 223
    • View Profile
  • Religion: Eclectic, featuring mainly East Asian and Egyptian plus pop-cultural influences
Re: Question about Crystals
« Reply #4 on: April 04, 2019, 08:11:25 pm »
Not to totally derail the threat, but what ethical problems do you have with crystals? Never heard of that before, and as somebody who strives to be ethical, I might wanna know if there are problems associated with crystals I might not be aware of.

Offhand---mining is too often not done with the greatest respect for either the environment or the workers, so at the least it's wise to learn about where your particular crystals came from.

Hariti

  • Sr. Master Member
  • *******
  • Join Date: Mar 2017
  • Location: Washington
  • *
  • Posts: 942
  • Country: us
  • Total likes: 320
  • Kyrie Eleison
    • View Profile
  • Religion: Extremely Eclectic
  • Preferred Pronouns: she/they
Re: Question about Crystals
« Reply #5 on: April 05, 2019, 02:23:43 am »
Offhand---mining is too often not done with the greatest respect for either the environment or the workers, so at the least it's wise to learn about where your particular crystals came from.

Ah, I have the fortune of living in a region with a lot of natural geodes, so most people can get (certain types) of crystals pretty easily. I've found Amethyst in my own back yard before. Never though about large scale mining, though I imagine it would be pretty invasive.
"The worshippers of the gods go to them; to the manes go the ancestor-worshippers; to the Deities who preside over the elements go their worshippers; My devotees come to Me." ... "Whichever devotee desires to adore whatever such Deity with faith, in all such votaries I make that particular faith unshakable. Endowed with that faith, a votary performs the worship of that particular deity and obtains the fruits thereof, these being granted by Me alone." - Sri Krishna

Dynes Hysbys

  • Master Member
  • ******
  • Join Date: Feb 2016
  • Location: Snowdonia
  • Posts: 302
  • Country: wales
  • Total likes: 81
    • View Profile
  • Religion: Cunning Craft
Re: Question about Crystals
« Reply #6 on: April 05, 2019, 11:21:34 am »
Not to totally derail the threat, but what ethical problems do you have with crystals? Never heard of that before, and as somebody who strives to be ethical, I might wanna know if there are problems associated with crystals I might not be aware of.

The environmental devastation of this multi million dollar industry is only part of it.

Diamonds are not the only blood stone. Many others are sold to fund organised crime and terrorism.

Many are mined using forced labour and child labour in conditions that could easily be considered slavery. The pictures of small children working in the mud are heartbreaking. Health and safety regulations are often ignored or entirely non existent. Miners are only paid by what they produce and can go weeks working in dangerous conditions without earning a penny.

Those pretty carved crystals are also produced in deplorable conditions with many of the craftspeople dying early from dust induced lung disease.

Not to mention the amounts of water and electricity that are needed to tumble the millions of pretty pebbles.

There is plenty of information on this out there once you go looking for it. Most retailers have no idea of the sources of their stones. They pass through so many hands that the origin is very hard to pin down. Even if their wholesaler says they are "clean" there is no guarantee that they are.

I truly believe that the only ethical stones are the ones you can collect yourself.


PerditaPickle

  • Staff
  • *
  • Join Date: Aug 2015
  • Location: UK
  • Posts: 2104
  • Country: england
  • Total likes: 641
  • It's all metta - at least, I believe it should be
    • View Profile
    • Portrait of Perpetual Perplexity
  • Religion: Druid-ish
  • Preferred Pronouns: She/her/hers
Re: Question about Crystals
« Reply #7 on: April 06, 2019, 06:43:56 am »
The environmental devastation of this multi million dollar industry is only part of it.

Diamonds are not the only blood stone. Many others are sold to fund organised crime and terrorism.

Many are mined using forced labour and child labour in conditions that could easily be considered slavery. The pictures of small children working in the mud are heartbreaking. Health and safety regulations are often ignored or entirely non existent. Miners are only paid by what they produce and can go weeks working in dangerous conditions without earning a penny.

Those pretty carved crystals are also produced in deplorable conditions with many of the craftspeople dying early from dust induced lung disease.

Not to mention the amounts of water and electricity that are needed to tumble the millions of pretty pebbles.

There is plenty of information on this out there once you go looking for it. Most retailers have no idea of the sources of their stones. They pass through so many hands that the origin is very hard to pin down. Even if their wholesaler says they are "clean" there is no guarantee that they are.

I truly believe that the only ethical stones are the ones you can collect yourself.

Hm interesting, if distressing, to learn - it'd crossed my mind that there might be ethical issues with the mining of crystals, but you've now confirmed it.

I love crystals, but perhaps my collection ceases here, at least for a time (perhaps someday a retailer will surface who's able to guarantee fairly-traded crystals, and we can then at least resume purchasing certain un-tumbled stones once again).

As for the OP, I've a pretty shaped glass jar which lives on my bathroom windowsill (not in direct sunlight) where I usually store my crystals which are not in use, though right now there's literally just a couple in there as the rest are around the place in various locations.  The jar has also gotten pretty dusty, as the collection of stuff on the bathroom window started out as ornamental and then became more about preventing the cats from getting up there (they eat my spider plants), so the jar's kind of hidden in a corner behind lots of other things - so I may need a re-think.
“Radiate boundless love towards the entire world — above, below, and across — unhindered, without ill will, without enmity.” – The Buddha
(From the Metta Sutta)

My Portrait of Perpetual Perplexity blog

Tags:
 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
13 Replies
6153 Views
Last post July 31, 2011, 11:12:47 am
by AmberHeart
9 Replies
4937 Views
Last post February 12, 2012, 06:39:54 pm
by Smokebender
16 Replies
3703 Views
Last post February 20, 2012, 04:26:19 pm
by SatSekhem
9 Replies
6295 Views
Last post October 21, 2011, 12:13:09 am
by Livia Indica
8 Replies
3061 Views
Last post September 26, 2011, 03:48:36 am
by Dark Midnight

* Who's Online

  • Dot Guests: 242
  • Dot Hidden: 0
  • Dot Users: 2
  • Dot Users Online:

* Please Donate!

The Cauldron's server is expensive and requires monthly payments. Please become a Bronze, Silver or Gold Donor if you can. Donations are needed every month. Without member support, we can't afford the server.

* Shop & Support TC

The links below are affiliate links. When you click on one of these links you will go to the listed shopping site with The Cauldron's affiliate code. Any purchases you make during your visit will earn TC a tiny percentage of your purchase price at no extra cost to you.

* In Memoriam

Chavi (2006)
Elspeth (2010)
Marilyn (2013)

* Cauldron Staff

Host:
Sunflower

Message Board Staff
Board Coordinator:
Darkhawk

Assistant Board Coordinator:
Aster Breo

Senior Staff:
Aisling, Allaya, Jenett, Sefiru

Staff:
Ashmire, EclecticWheel, HarpingHawke, Kylara, PerditaPickle, rocquelaire

Discord Chat Staff
Chat Coordinator:
Morag

'Up All Night' Coordinator:
Altair

Cauldron Council:
Bob, Catja, Chatelaine, Emma-Eldritch, Fausta, Jubes, Kelly, LyricFox, Phouka, Sperran, Star, Steve, Tana

Site Administrator:
Randall

SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal