Through the intense heat and pressure of natural geological processes, elements in the Earth’s crust (the outer layer of our planet), combine to form crystalline structures known as minerals. Quartz, for example, is a mineral composed of one-part silicon and two-parts oxygen atoms blended together.

Atoms and Matter

All matter and objects are made up of
particles called atoms. The closeness,
arrangement and motion of the particles in a
substance change when it changes state (when energy is gained or lost). So when atoms gain energy they move faster, e.g. water (a liquid) being heated on the stove produce steam (a gas). Atoms move in all directions in a gas. In a liquid, atoms can only move around each other. So when a water becomes ice - a solid - atoms go from only being able to move around each other to just vibrating on the spot.

In a solid, the atoms stay in fixed positions because of the strong attraction forces holding them together. This is a process known as ‘atomic bonding.’

When people talk of everything being in a ‘state of vibration’ or ‘everything is energy’ this can relate to all matter. A solid may look ‘still’ yet the atomic particles and electrons are in constant motion within the atoms that make up that solid.

Atoms in Crystals

For a mineral to be classified as a crystal, the atomic elements composing its structure need to arrange themselves in a regular and repeated three-dimensional ‘crystalline’ pattern.

At the heart of any crystal are the atomic particles which rapidly move in constant motion. The unique composition of atomic elements within each type of crystal grouping means that the molecular vibrations vary, producing a very specific frequency and giving the crystal energy. The crystalline structure can absorb, conserve, focus, and emit energy, especially on the electromagnetic waveband.

The natural structure and quantity of each mineral determines the final variety of crystal. Even a minute difference in the atomic arrangement can be enough to change the colour or crystalline structure. For example, graphite and diamond both consist of the element carbon, yet graphite is soft, dull grey and can be used in pencils, whereas diamond is colourless, sparkling, and the hardest of all minerals. The only difference is in the different arrangement of carbon atoms.

Crystals were created as the Earth formed and have continued to metamorphose as the planet has changed over billions of years. They bear the memory of the powerful forces which shaped it. Some crystals have been subjected to enormous pressure, whilst others grew in chambers deep underground, some were laid down in layers, others dripped into being. In many ways, crystal are the Earth’s DNA, a chemical imprint for its evolution and the miniature storehouses which contain the records of the development of the earth. (Judy Hall, The Crystal Bible: A Definitive Guide to Crystals. Alresford: Godsfield Press, 2003, P. 14-16)

One of the oldest crystals that Crystal Tones® works with is Anchi.

‘The geological site where Anchi crystals are found has been dated to be approximately 1,600,000,000 (one billion, six hundred million) years old. It is said these crystals carry the original footprint of life – some of the Earth’s original life-building patterns – with the capacity for influencing the organisation of life force in all living things. Anchi crystals are used all over the world to support physical healing and regeneration’ (Crystal Tones®)

Quartz

Quartz is a mineral with a relatively simple composition of silicon dioxide (SiO2). This chemical makeup makes Quartz one of the most abundant minerals in the Earth’s crust and therefore one of the most common minerals on Earth.

Due to its simple compositional make-up, Quartz is typically recognised as a hard mineral which is white or clear in colour and tetrahedral shape. There are however, many types of natural quartz crystals which combine chemical properties to the fundamental silicon-dioxide structure to create other distinctive members of the quartz family. For example, Amethyst has traces of manganese oxides, which gives it a purple hue. Other types of quartz include Citrine, Rose and Smokey.

So common and yet so special

From the earliest age of man, quartz has been recognised for its innate ability to amplify, transform, store, focus and transfer energy. In his book ‘Windows of Light’, author and practitioner Baer Randel describes quartz as being ‘from ancient times to the present day... a source of Light to mankind. Highly valued by spiritual leaders and healers as well as scientists, the unique attributes of quartz have played a key role in mankind's evolutionary development.’ (Randell Baer, Windows of Light: Using Quartz Crystals As Tools for Self-Transformation. Harper & Row, 1984, preface)

In addition to the energy generated from its regular arrangement of atoms and constantly vibrating particles, natural quartz also acts as an excellent emitter and receptor of electromagnetic waves.

Quartz is considered ‘piezoelectric’ (from the Greek ‘piezein’, which means to squeeze or press, and ‘piezo’, (meaning to “push”) meaning that if you squeeze a quartz crystal, it generates a tiny electric current and if you pass electricity through it, the vibrations occur at such a precise frequency that it shakes an exact number of times each second. In this manner quartz can transform mechanical pressure or heat into electromagnetic energy, and vice versa.

This unique capability has resulted in quartz becoming a major contributing factor in the modern technological revolution and digital age, with common use in radios, watches, mobile phones and computer chips.