Crystal Healing Nets
By Cathie Welchman

All crystals have healing power when utilised in the correct manner. Their molecular components and the effect of temperature on them determines their shape, density and colour. Each type of crystal has a particular healing effect when placed on or around the body, or when in used in combination with others in a layout and grid.

Like crystal layouts, a crystal healing net will re-harmonise some aspect of your mental, emotional or physical body, but the crystals in a net are used in a different and unique way. I first learnt about this way of using crystals for healing from my Crystal Therapy teachers in 1995, and subsequently completed a thesis on Crystal Nets, creating and researching my own crystal nets.

Some crystals, particularly the quartz family, such as smoky, clear and rose quartz, citrine, amethyst, and tourmaline have an unique additional property. They are described as being piezoelectric. They are able to gather and hold electrical energy by expanding their molecular structure. When maximum expansion is reached they then release the energy, which surges along through the linear crystalline structure and out of the crystal through the point.

In watches the energy flowing from the battery into the crystal is continual, but the absorption of energy by the crystal, followed by its sudden release, creates a pulse like flow of energy, making the watch keep regular, perfect time.

These types of crystals in an ordinary healing layout are particularly useful for gathering and clearing away stuck energy or inflammation in the human body or in its energetic fields. In crystal healing nets these piezoelectric crystals can be used to isolate and attract particular energy waves from the atmosphere. Our human bodies are localised patterns of complex energies, living in an ocean of external energies that permeate and affect our personal energy fields. Some are good, some are harmful. They emanate from the sun, the moon, deep space, other dimensions, the planets and from the earth. There are also radio waves, sound waves, light waves, mobile phone mast waves, microwaves and ultra low frequency waves etc.

When a group of piezoelectric crystals are placed in a circular formation, energy is gathered from the external edge of the circle and released in pulse like wave formations through the points into the centre of the circle. Whatever is placed in the centre of the circle will be affected by the energy waves, which modify, replace, negate or emphasise the patterns of energy that emanate from and permeate your body's energy field. The addition of a large coloured cloth or sheet completes what is known as a crystal net. So to help isolate and draw in a particular energy, and avoid immediate dissipation of the energies, the crystals are placed on an energetically complementary coloured cloth that will hold on to those energies.

Our bodies are quickly affected by changes in external energy in our environment. For example some people get headaches when particular seasonal winds blow or thunderstorms are due, to barometric pressure changes. Some cancers are said to be caused by living near to overhead power lines or electricity sub stations. Animals, plants, flower essences, food and water can also gain benefit from isolating, increasing or decreasing certain energy waves through the use of crystal nets.

One day, when I was setting out one of the simplest healing nets, my cat quickly curled up in the circle before I had a chance to get into it. So after that I often laid it out for him whenever he looked a bit under the weather. He would always curl up in it and go to sleep, usually with a paw over one of the amethysts. It requires a yellow cloth and eight amethyst crystals, with the points facing inwards, to be arranged in a circle round the object to be healed.

Pick a quiet place where you will not be disturbed by the phone or by other people. All crystal nets should be laid out on the floor with the head end facing north. Exclude pets from the room in case they decide to join in and jump on you! Place one amethyst above your head and another below your feet. All the other crystals are placed at regular intervals in a circle around the outside of your body, one at each shoulder, each hip and each knee. As it takes a while for the energy to build up, you need to remain in the circle for around ten to fifteen minutes to get the optimum benefit.

However, if you are not used to crystal healing, it is better to spend five to ten minutes regularly in the net to start with and build up the time spent in it, rather than taking ten to fifteen minutes in the net very occasionally. This is a deeply relaxing, calming and de-stressing net. After leaving the net you should sit quietly for a few minutes and sip mineral water, to ground and centre yourself once more. Unlike other crystal healing layouts, several people may use the same healing net without cleansing or changing the crystals.

After the final use of the day however, remember to cleanse the crystals by either running them under cold water, or through sound, such as a Tibetan or crystal bowl. Other nets stimulate different feelings. For example, the Moon net feels nurturing and comforting and is especially good for PMT, the Sun net stimulates feelings of confidence, and is good for depression and S.A.D., and the Mars net feels energising for those suffering with low vitality. Planetary energy fields have a constant effect on our well-being. If you wish to alleviate adverse planetary alignments that are affecting your thinking skills, emotions or luck you can place your astrological birth chart in the centre of a mini crystal net. Crystal toning bowls, tuning forks, flower essences and essential oils can all be added to increase the effect of the energy drawn in by the net.

The Amethyst Crystal healing net is a simple net that gives general all over healing to the body, or whatever is placed within the circle. However, if you wish to draw the energy in to have an effect on a particular area of the body you can put crystals on the body on problem areas, meridians, acupuncture points or chakras to guide the energy in to the specific point that they are needed. Crystal nets can not only fine tune the healing effect, but clearer messages from guides, ascended masters, elementals, beings from other star systems and angels can also be enjoyed, by linking minds through the crystals.

Here are two examples of nets that illustrate drawing energy in to specific parts of the body: -

The Earth Net is for re-attuning to her magnetic energy. It is helpful if you are feeling out of sorts, or after moving house, especially to a different part of the world. It is useful for alleviating jet lag and for depression due to weather conditions. You can also use it to link with gnomes, the elementals of the mineral kingdom, for help with the healing uses of crystals. You need eight smoky quartz points, two magnetites and one topaz. Place a large green cloth on the floor.

Put one point above the head, one at the feet, one either side of the shoulders, one each side of the hips at hand level, and one either side of the knees. All the points should face inwards. Place a topaz on the solar plexus above the belly button with one end facing the head and the other end facing the feet. Then put a piece of magnetite on the third eye and another on the middle of the breast bone. For healing purposes spend around ten to fifteen minutes in the net daily for optimum benefit, for around three to seven days.

The Personal Boundary net is designed to help maintain your personal boundaries. It is particularly useful for those who are ultra sensitive to their external environment, easily affected by other peoples' negativity, or for someone in convalescence. It is also helpful where your energy fields are being affected by negative planetary alignments. Black tourmaline is very grounding and the net has a beneficial strengthening effect on the body's electromagnetic energies.

Place a large pink cloth on the floor. Place six black tourmalines around the body, one above the head, one below the feet, one to each side of the shoulders, and one to each side of the hips at hand level. Place one black tourmaline on the base chakra and tape another to where the spine meets the back of the skull at the occiput.

Place a pink or green tourmaline on the heart chakra, and a blue tourmaline on the third eye, in the middle of the forehead. The tourmalines placed on the body should be placed with one end facing the top of the head, and the other end facing the feet. The tourmalines placed round the body should have one end facing the body part nearest to where they have been placed.

Cathie offers one hour crystal therapy and crystal net treatments at her Rainbow Therapy centres in Tiverton and Barnstaple, Devon. Cathie does not sell crystals but she does make gem essences, for which a brochure is available. Please send an s.a.e. to Gaia Essences, 28 Glebelands Rd., Tiverton, EX16 4EB. It is regretted that it is not possible to offer free advice on particular crystal nets or crystal jewellery for an individual's personal problems. You can also email Cathie at