Should we stop using crystals?

[Sad_Dragonfruit7077]

For most witches respecting and taking care of the Earth is very important in our practices, so why do we buy crystals if they are a non-renewable resource, harvesting processes violate human rights, and cause extreme environmental harm? if you work with crystals, how/why do you justify this? is there really a way for crystals to be sustainably harvested?

this post is not meant to offend anyone, but it is meant to spark a discussion on how we can be more environmentally friendly in our practices

Discussion

[williaminaa]

Once I found out about the terrible conditions in crystal mining I stopped buying new and will buy second hand (this isn’t often though) – I will say I do love having a look in crystal shops/expos; it’s my guilty pleasure.

[WishThinker]

I think the number one thing to remember is that if the poorest 90% of the world disappeared the rich 10% would still tank the planet without us. be mindful, be respectful, but be a person. humans have been eyeballin shiny rocks since eyeballs, and the earth rejoices to be carried with us and to help us build our faint transient lives. Through all the ‘there is no ethical consumption under capitalism’ there’s the planet’s sincere desire and joy to nourish you, no matter how dingy a route it takes.

let guilt for getting a crystal that fits in your hand turn into rage against the machine lol. get them stones.

[sensualist]

I no longer buy crystals, but since I travel a lot and enjoy nature I’ve made a practice of researching common gems and minerals wherever I go and searching for them! I’ve gotten better at finding them, am saving money, and generally remember where/when I found them. In my opinion it makes them/my connection to them stronger. I just went to London and Brighton and I’m coming home with chalcedony (agate and jasper) and a lot of pieces with druzy quartz!

[sambutha]

The thing is, buying a crystal from amazon is definitely wrong. But most metaphysical shops are small, locally-owned business. Obviously there’s still the issue of whether or not the crystal itself was ethically sourced, but supporting small local businesses is definitely a good thing and we should be doing it more, not less. Especially businesses owned by witches.

[harpiboo]

i’ve stopped buying crystals unless i know i can trust the brand (haven’t actually found any yet because i haven’t been actively searching, i haven’t bought crystals in a while) and i’m rather happy with my collection because it’s mostly all from when i was very young and was out together for scientific purposes to learn about them, and were bought not by me and before i was a sentient human with opinions) and mostly focus on herbs, anything made of glass like jars or small statues, and i adore incense. i also tend to carry around some of the crystals i have and just don’t really buy more. i have them already so i just keep them and don’t really want more either, i’ve never really been into crystals spiritually. i also love symbolism, bells, working with fire and burning things, and jewelry so i have a metal pendulum with a pentagram on it because pentacles are too recognizable and i don’t feel like being screamed at for “worshipping satan” and a bunch of rings. now that i can see the harm humans do by taking crystals i’ve stopped buying them because i don’t want to add to that market and i just practice in other ways and use the ones i have (sorry i repeat so much, im struggling to gather my thoughts)

[BiilateralLady]

I buy from a shop that says they are ethically sourced. Only have a few and they are definitely more ‘common’ but I don’t need anything very fancy for my work.

I agree with the person who likened it to fast fashion- we can do a little research and buy from a source who is transparent about where they came from.

[Moniqu_A]

I can’t trust ” ethical sourcing”. We gotta stop being naive… ethical sourced cost a hand and leg. I will not buy anymore and I am actually planning to sell some lot at really low prices…I got carried away and I think the industry is too big now.

You don’t need special crystal to be spiritual…..

[necriavite]

I still buy crystals, but I ask where they came from and how they are sourced. Anything even slightly sus i wont buy. I do the same with the herbs I buy. I’ve also bought lab grown stones of many kinds and I love my giant lab grown sapphires and diamonds! I only buy what I need and reuse whatever I can over and over. Charge, use, release, reuse.

I’m lucky that there is an amazing book shop/ magical supply store in my city that has awesome people who own and staff it. The owner/manager grows about 70% of all the dried herbs they sell by the pound, and presses and sells the essential oils from thoes plants herself. Whatever she buys in she buys from women owned farms local to the area the plants grow, like french lavender and blue vervain. She has locally made cedar smudge sticks made by a mother and daughter team just outside the city. Her Palo Santo wood is sourced from a farm in Peru where they only collect the dropped branches and leafs and let the trees keep growing. They never harvest the live wood. She has sage bundles that were all grown and bundled here in the city by other practitioners.

All we can do is our best to try and not contribute to the suffering of others in our buying habits. I think its possible to buy crystals that are ethically sourced, we just have to do our best to make sure we ask and find sellers we trust.

[Melluelitisti]

I found some of mine from a thrift store where somebody sold raw pieces they had found or mined themselves! And when I order them online I tend to look for crystals that have been mined/found in my country (Finland) because I trust they are more ethically sourced than if I order crystals that are from somewhere else.

I’ve been thinking that I could start collecting rocks myself and use those as a substitute for crystals and just enchant them to have the properties I need.

[Seabastial]

I think buying the occasional crystals from small shops who ethically source their crystals and are transparent about it are fine, but overbuying crystals and buying them just willy nilly from large companies should be a big no no. I only have two Etsy shops I go to when looking at crystals, and they’re very transparent about their crystals

[kalizoid313]

Witches, Pagans, and Alternative Energy folks probably ought to consider the numbers and varieties of crystals and other talismanic items they collect and use. More does not always mean more energetic in terms of magical accomplishment. Besides, numbers of folks collecting crystals has a cumulative effect. When hundreds collect them, small effects, perhaps. But when millions collect them, much greater effects.

[Jensivfjourney]

Oh god I never thought of this. They’ve become my latest adhd obsession. Definitely something to ponder.

[Ok-Bed-Good]

I only need to use crystals and natural stones as a medium to transfer energy. [I’ve](https://I.ve) tried to use tree barks and leathers but I guess I don’t have the right affinity towards them.

But in the last 3 years, I’ve bought them only twice and the volume is not more that half a cup. And some of my clients brings back the crystals/stones to be charged.

I think I will continue to use crystals/stones but will recycle more. 

[throwaway3094544]

I thought crystals were just a byproduct of mining for precious materials and rare earth minerals. Kind of like how leather is a byproduct of the meat industry. Are people really spending all the time and energy mining amethyst chunks that can be sold for $3? Or do they just sell amethyst that they happen to find while mining for rare earth minerals?

[Lil-Diddle]

Just rockhound your own.