[ButterflyPsyche]

Now, I'm sure you've all heard of the metaphysical hullabaloo about crystals. People like to wear those magnetic bracelets that I hear joked about all the time. And then there's the mystical guru that likes to wear a long pendulum of rose quartz around his neck to serve as a talisman (and I'm sure much of the scientific community giggles about this too).

But does anyone here actually have any proof as to whether or not crystals from the Earth have any effect on humans? Any at all?

I collect crystals - I have carnelian, blue lace agate, pyrite, and a friend gave me selenite. I used to think they were just pretty, and any effect they would have on me would be the same that some sort of "lucky charm" had - that is, any power would be due to it all being in my head. Because they had metaphorical meanings ascribed to them, they were symbols to me more than anything, and I adore abstract symbolism.

But then I had a very scientific friend - who I estimate is an ENTJ - tell me not to rule out crystals so fast because they came from the Earth, and we evolved on this earth.

I later read somewhere that we have crystalline structures within our brains and scientists haven't found the meaning for them yet. Perhaps it's all just unexplained at this point. Also, we naturally need minerals for our bodies to function, so why wouldn't be impacted by the essence of something that our body craves to continue its own existence? And why would so many different types of faith, such as Judaism and Wicca, attribute them to having meanings?

I really don't have any clue either way anymore as to which would be the "right" opinion on this. My thoughts are quite nebulous now, despite that I very resolutely once was a non-believer about crystals' properties. All I'm asking is for direct, hard evidence to sway me in the considerably correct direction of understanding.

NOTA BENE: I'm not suggesting that crystals should be used instead of medicine or whatever like the gurus say. I just want to know why some people seem to instinctively find the stones calming when they walk into a shop that sells crystals despite their "faith" on this topic. It seems like they do affect people, if not to a ridiculous scale, just a tiny bit.

[illustral]

I suspect any psychological effect they have is just that— psychological. Humans see shiny things and they start attributing all kinds of qualities to them that don't actually exist.

[Phaze228]

	Originally Posted by ButterflyPsyche To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Now, I'm sure you've all heard of the metaphysical hullabaloo about crystals. People like to wear those magnetic bracelets that I hear joked about all the time. And then there's the mystical guru that likes to wear a long pendulum of rose quartz around his neck to serve as a talisman (and I'm sure much of the scientific community giggles about this too).

To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

	But does anyone here actually have any proof as to whether or not crystals from the Earth have any effect on humans? Any at all?

They're quite bad for you if ingested.

I collect crystals - I have carnelian, blue lace agate, pyrite, and a friend gave me selenite. I used to think they were just pretty, and any effect they would have on me would be the same that some sort of "lucky charm" had - that is, any power would be due to it all being in my head. Because they had metaphorical meanings ascribed to them, they were symbols to me more than anything, and I adore abstract symbolism.

Sounds cool, and I bet they look amazing.

	But then I had a very scientific friend - who I estimate is an ENTJ - tell me not to rule out crystals so fast because they came from the Earth, and we evolved on this earth.

Don't rule out volcanoes, because they came from the Earth, and we evolved from this Earth.
Or any other thing really...just because we evolved on Earth, doesn't mean the giant rock was conducive to our well-being. (Other than being our perfect little rocky home)

I later read somewhere that we have crystalline structures within our brains and scientists haven't found the meaning for them yet. Perhaps it's all just unexplained at this point. Also, we naturally need minerals for our bodies to function, so why wouldn't be impacted by the essence of something that our body craves to continue its own existence? And why would so many different types of faith, such as Judaism and Wicca, attribute them to having meanings?

I believe they may mean certain receptors or proteins which look crystalline.
As for the faiths...we're stupid animals, we attribute meaning to too many things, including those.

I really don't have any clue either way anymore as to which would be the "right" opinion on this. My thoughts are quite nebulous now, despite that I very resolutely once was a non-believer about crystals' properties. All I'm asking is for direct, hard evidence to sway me in the considerably correct direction of understanding. NOTA BENE: I'm not suggesting that crystals should be used instead of medicine or whatever like the gurus say. I just want to know why some people seem to instinctively find the stones calming when they walk into a shop that sells crystals despite their "faith" on this topic. It seems like they do affect people, if not to a ridiculous scale, just a tiny bit.

People may be calmed by crystals because they're purported to make you feel better and they look awesome.

[ButterflyPsyche]

I see what you mean! Like the placebo effect.

[Phaze228]

Yes, just like that.

[bawb]

I've heard they can make you fall under the influence of butterflies and cats
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Very addicting!

I thought they go together with those magnetic vortices like here.

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It would be kind of interesting to collect them as a hobby, and that could be a calming influence itself. But sometimes just the people pushing these ideas makes me leery.

[Daoist]

Crystals give humans kidney stones.

[Dancingqueen]

	Originally Posted by Daoist To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Crystals give humans kidney stones.

but only if ingested.

[Photolysis]

	Originally Posted by ButterflyPsyche To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Now, I'm sure you've all heard of the metaphysical hullabaloo about crystals.

Sadly I'm aware of many forms of bullshit. It's not really that amusing for those with scientific backgrounds because they have to spend time correcting this shit, and deal with ignorant fools undermining legitimate science.

	But does anyone here actually have any proof as to whether or not crystals from the Earth have any effect on humans? Any at all?

If there was, it would be part of actual medicine, not pseudoscience.

	But then I had a very scientific friend - who I estimate is an ENTJ - tell me not to rule out crystals so fast because they came from the Earth, and we evolved on this earth.

Does this person also suggest drinking cyanide perchance? That can be found on Earth too, along with countless other toxic and harmful substances.

The scientific response is to ask if it can be backed up with any evidence or reasoning before it should be taken seriously. Your friend does not sound very scientific at all. They instead sound like an idiot.

[Warrior]

Some crystals have been known to displace large amounts of paper from your hip pocket when ownership of them is taken.

[Polymath20]

The ELF radiofrequency emanating from the earth has profound impacts on the human brain (and other mamalian brains) and the only way we can prove that is by isolation from this radiofrequency. Scientists in Russia isolated mice from all radio signals (including the ELF from from Earth) and noticed extreme behavioral and memory deficits in the mice over time. This sets a profound precedent for the importance of ambient energy on the proper function of brains. Crystals are another story, but considering the piezoelectric effect, it's certainly not unreasonable or impossible to measure energy coming from crystals.

---------- Post added 08-21-2012 at 09:14 AM ----------

PS. Not enough information to draw conclusions from, but an avenue of scientific inquiry.

[ButterflyPsyche]

Originally Posted by Polymath20 To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

The ELF radiofrequency emanating from the earth has profound impacts on the human brain (and other mamalian brains) and the only way we can prove that is by isolation from this radiofrequency. Scientists in Russia isolated mice from all radio signals (including the ELF from from Earth) and noticed extreme behavioral and memory deficits in the mice over time. This sets a profound precedent for the importance of ambient energy on the proper function of brains. Crystals are another story, but considering the piezoelectric effect, it's certainly not unreasonable or impossible to measure energy coming from crystals. ---------- Post added 08-21-2012 at 09:14 AM ---------- PS. Not enough information to draw conclusions from, but an avenue of scientific inquiry.

AHA! I thought there might be something that has yet to be explored.

	Originally Posted by bawb
	It would be kind of interesting to collect them as a hobby, and that could be a calming influence itself. But sometimes just the people pushing these ideas makes me leery.

Oh, I'm definitely leery of the people that use them instead of going to the doctor. I think that's pretty iffy. I was asking if there was any impact at all, even a teeny tiny impact.

	Originally Posted by Daoist
	Crystals give humans kidney stones.

	Originally Posted by Warrior
	Some crystals have been known to displace large amounts of paper from your hip pocket when ownership of them is taken.

	Originally Posted by bawb
	I've heard they can make you fall under the influence of butterflies and cats.

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Some of these answers are really classic!

	Originally Posted by Photolysis
	The scientific response is to ask if it can be backed up with any evidence or reasoning before it should be taken seriously. Your friend does not sound very scientific at all. They instead sound like an idiot.

My friend was indeed very scientific. She got straight A's at her difficult university, and her favorite course - the one she identified most with - was Evolutionary Psychology.

I was asking for evidence this time around. She was merely telling me not to discount it entirely - obviously not to trust it entirely either - but not to discount it because it could be possible, since we evolved from this earth. There could be a chance that the earth had an effect on us too.

[silicon212]

I have lots of crystals at home, mostly quartz. I've been collecting since childhood, they look cool as hell.

Quartz is an amazing substance. Silicon dioxide. Apply the right frequency oscillation to it, it will generate a voltage. Apply a voltage, and it will generate a specific frequency oscillation. Without it, radio would not exist, computers would not exist (at least not in their known form), and life as we know it today would not be possible.

In natural form, it comes in many different styles, depending on any impurities. Yeah, it's awesome. I've been collecting since age 9, I'm now 43, so yeah I've been around it. As far as any perceived metaphysical properties - the jury on that one is out.

[SirJac]

I'm not sure why an ordered pattern of atoms would be capable of applying spooky action at a distance.

[blueback]

	Originally Posted by ButterflyPsyche To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	But does anyone here actually have any proof as to whether or not crystals from the Earth have any effect on humans? Any at all?

I've never seen any proof of an objective effect. The placebo effect is well proven, and there's no telling what can cause that.

	Originally Posted by ButterflyPsyche To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	But then I had a very scientific friend - who I estimate is an ENTJ - tell me not to rule out crystals so fast because they came from the Earth, and we evolved on this earth.

You friend might be scientific, but that statement isn't.

	Originally Posted by ButterflyPsyche To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	It seems like they do affect people, if not to a ridiculous scale, just a tiny bit.

Meh...maybe...

	Originally Posted by Polymath20 To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	Scientists in Russia isolated mice from all radio signals (including the ELF from from Earth) and noticed extreme behavioral and memory deficits in the mice over time.

Reference?

[illustral]

	Originally Posted by Polymath20 To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
	The ELF radiofrequency emanating from the earth has profound impacts on the human brain...

Sure, but crystals don't generate an EM field (aside from electrified quartz).