Healing crystals for wellness?

Introduction

Some people believe that healing crystals are magical. That is a subjective matter- personally, I do believe that they do have a powerful energy that can help you heal your mind and body although this isn’t backed by science. Formerly the preserve of new age alternative medicine, they are said to possess inherent spiritual properties that connect their user to the earth and promote wellness. These stones are said to spiritually cleanse the user and different stones assist in different areas of your life. I myself matter have purchased several crystals since my teenage years and have noticed their prevalence of late. However, if you'd like to use crystals as part of your healing journey, it's important to know how they're sourced so that you can choose ethically-produced stones when possible.

As the popularity of healing crystals increases, so does its toll on miners, who are subjected to horrific conditions

The increasing popularity of healing crystals has come at a cost. While companies selling them often claim to be sourcing their stones ethically, the reality is that many of these products are made by miners in conditions that are anything but ethical.

According to Amnesty International, there are two main problems with this industry: child labour and poor safety standards. The problem of child labour persists despite efforts by governments around the world to outlaw it—and it's not confined to Africa either. A 2009 report by Human Rights Watch found children working in Latin America's mining sector as well as several other countries around Europe and Asia. In general, most miners work for paltry wages under dangerous conditions with little pay or benefits; some don't even have access to clean water or fresh food while they're on site.

What's more, there is no transparency when it comes to supply chains within this industry—we don't know what percentage of healers' gems actually come from ethical sources versus those where workers have little choice but sell themselves into slavery-like conditions.

Mined stones often trail back to companies with violent, oppressive histories

The stone you hold in your hand is the result of a long and complicated supply chain, which means that the way it got there might be too. If you’re thinking about purchasing a crystal to aid you in healing or meditation, it can be helpful to know where it came from. There are several companies known for having violent histories or oppressive ones—companies that have been accused of human rights violations, environmental violations, and labour violations along with other forms of exploitation. Crystal miners often work long hours under dangerous conditions for little pay – some companies have even been accused of employing children as young as five years old.

Clearly, the origin of the crystals is kept quiet either because its unknown or because retailers can’t disclose their sourcing without risking business. How can consumers know that their healing crystals didn’t contribute to human trauma or environmental destruction? How can they ensure that the energy the stone purportedly contains has not been compromised by bad ethical vibes?

You can take steps to ensure you are buying ethically sourced healing stones

• Buy from a reputable dealer. If you can't find one, then buy from a non-profit organisation that supports miners.

• Look for companies that support fair trade principles and have rigorous standards in place to ensure they are not buying minerals from unethical sources.

• Do your research on the company you're buying from before purchasing any stones or mineral products—especially if you're thinking about supporting a small business or an artisanal site where there may be little information available about where the materials come from and how they're sourced

Conclusion

The healing crystal industry is a lucrative one, and it’s difficult to avoid being part of the problem. But by making a few small changes in your life — like choosing preloved stones over new crystals or buying ethically sourced stones — you can help ensure that your healing crystals are coming from mines that treat their workers well.

The healing crystal industry is loosely regulated and difficult to track

When it comes to the healing crystal industry, there's a lot that's unclear. Crystal retailers don’t want to talk about where their crystals come from. Goop, actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle company, didn’t respond to requests for comment about the eight small healing crystals in its $85 “medicine bag” or its $84 water bottle containing “an obelisk-like amethyst crystal to infuse water with positive energy.”

There is no official regulatory body for the healing crystal industry, which means there is virtually no oversight for where these gems come from or how they are mined. This lack of regulation makes it difficult if not impossible for consumers to know whether their stones were sourced ethically. Gem traders may not be transparent about where they get their goods from—or what they do with them once they have them in hand.

Many mines are unregulated and unsafe for workers

Many of the mines are unregulated and unsafe for workers. Miners are often paid low wages, work long hours in dangerous conditions, and have limited job security. A recent report by Oxfam found that many miners produce raw materials for jewellery or luxury products like electronics—products we all own and appreciate every day. The report says that many miners "work in illegal, informal pits for little pay or none at all."

Child labour is common in mines all over the world

It's not uncommon for children to be exploited in mines across the world.

There are many reasons why this happens. For one thing, children are vulnerable to exploitation and violence because they're not protected by law in many countries. They also don't have much information about their rights or where to go for help when they need it—such as when an adult is abusing them or their family. And if there's no one around who can help them out of the situation, what can you expect?

As a result of these factors, child labour is common in mines all over the world: In Africa alone (where some countries don't have laws against child labour), 70 million children work underground in gold mines alone. And while some organisations try hard to get rid of this problem by providing education programs and other opportunities for kids who might otherwise end up working in dangerous conditions underground...it seems like there's still so much more that needs to be done before we see any real progress on this issue.

Most of these mines don’t exist for the purpose of excavating crystals; usually, they’re gold or copper or cobalt mines. But alongside the gold, miners often find seams of jewellery-grade crystals as they excavate huge swaths of land: profitable mining “by-products.”

Publicly-traded mining companies don’t routinely disclose all of their by-products, nor to whom they sell these by-products. Annual reports for shareholders tend to list only the cumulative profits from by-products. It’s therefore difficult to assess what percentage of the healing crystal market is sourced from industrial mining operations.

Mining crystals serve a purpose, but the huge demand for them has led to violent exploitation of miners

Crystals are used for healing, but their mining and production can be brutal. Many crystals are mined in Africa, and the process is often violent. The stones are also used in jewellery, electronics, cosmetics and technology. I only use glass beads in my jewellery as I find these to be both a safe and sustainable alternative to crystals.