Crystals are remarkable and glorious gifts from Mother Earth. They are often chosen for their beauty, color, clarity and brilliance while also being chosen for their healing properties or to augment our own energy in various ways. Many prefer their crystals to be all natural, as they were found in Mother Nature. Others may be drawn to the beauty of crystals that have been enhanced in some way but may be unaware that they have been artificially altered. Perhaps the crystals have been heat treated, irradiated, tumbled, cut, polished or even heat treated in a lab. 

Until recently, I never gave lab enhanced or heated crystals too much thought. I saw it as common place and I suppose I assumed most knew of the process. I was very wrong about that as I learned recently. A YouTube video was created recently specifically about lab heated citrine. Apparently many people were unaware of this process. As a result, I received many questions on the topic as it seemed to create a mini-panic among many who thought most of their citrine was useless.

Lab enhanced or heated crystals and stones can be very effective for transmitting healing energy by entraining one into the stones’ base resonant frequencies. As long as a crystal’s molecular structure has not been changed, I feel that the crystal will still have the same base resonant frequency. Heat treating or enhancing a crystal can reduce this frequency, but it does not abolish or completely alter its potential healing effects. So, no need to replace your citrine at all.

I feel that the metaphysical properties of stones are based first on the energies I get from them while meditating or from a strong intuition.  Next, I check their molecular make up, checking what elements they are made of, to see if what I felt makes scientific sense.  Finally, I consult good reference texts written by well respected authors to see if I am on the right track. Following this process, I am most often “spot on”. If I’m totally off, I still respect and usually go with my first intuition. Let’s take citrine as an example. Mother Earth creates citrine with natural heat within the mantle using quartz (SiO₂) at its molecular core. Lab heated citrine is most often created by heating amethyst or smoky quartz to over 900__MCE_ITEM__°F. Mother Earth can also produce citrine by heating amethyst or smoky quartz (both also SiO₂). The Earth can even produce a deep brown citrine, aka Madeira citrine. This is rarer than the more usual lighter honey or white wine colored natural citrine. Whether citrine is heated artificially or naturally, it’s still classified as citrine. This artificial or natural heating is not enough to change the molecular structure of the crystal. It’s still SiO₂. In my humble opinion as well as that of other respected crystal healers and authors, the healing properties are still those of citrine, but on a lighter scale. To me, lab heated citrine's properties are not similar to amethyst's or smoky quartz’ at all. Citrine’s properties align perfectly to my solar plexus chakra; its energetically stimulating, it helps with financial issues (I have had many opportunities to test this out) and it helps me to be more confident. Now if you are looking for a piece that is very powerful and packs a real punch in these precise areas, then it is advised that you seek out  a natural citrine, as its energies will be much more powerful. Tanzanite is another example of an often lab heated crystal. In its natural state, tanzanite is usually a brown tone; a combination of blue, purple, and green. Lab heating this piece brings out the stunning blue you see in the gemstone. Even so, tanzanite is considered to be a much sought after high ascension crystal, one of which I can personally attest to its powerful influence!

Vibrationaly, it makes complete sense that lab heated citrine resonates well with my solar plexus chakra. Due to the color vibrational frequencies, lab heated or not, citrine is emitting the correct photons of light allowing for light color healing, also known as chromotherapy. To elaborate a bit on how this works, we can determine base resonant frequencies of most crystals and stones by matching up their color with their corresponding chakra colors. Ensuring you use crystals or stones whose colors correspond with the chakra colors allows harmonizing photons of light to generate light color healing. This type of healing is achieved by introducing light of specific frequencies (colors) into someone’s electromagnetic field (aura) which will in turn entrain their emotional and biochemical state. Many ancient cultures knew and practiced this therapy and science has only recently begun to catch up. Let’s use lepidolite as an example to explain this. Lepidolite is a lavender, light purple or pinkish stone. It is often used for either the heart or third eye chakra. I would determine which chakra I used it for by looking at the specific color of the stone; if more pinkish, I would use it for the heart chakra and more purple, would be used on the third eye chakra. The heart chakra involves emotional issues and the third eye deals with releasing one’s ego and acceptance of the soul so it only makes sense that lepidolite resonates with either the purple or pink frequency, since this stone is known to help in balancing emotional extremes and to teach the mind to live in the “now”. You may also choose to infuse a specific color into a person’s entire electromagnetic field and not just focus on one chakra. Chromotherapy also works by permeating a particular light frequency (in the case of lepidolite, let’s say pink light, fabric and surrounding one with pink colored lepidolite stones) into one’s auric field and surrounding environment. By doing this, you can change one’s emotional and biochemical state in a powerful way.

Now, I don't want to remove the romanticism of stones and crystals but it may be time for a dose of reality here. After stones are removed from Mother Earth, they are usually given an oxalic acid wash to clean them to make them more visually pleasing.  Then, as I already mentioned, they may be further altered through cutting, tumbling or polishing. Many crystals may then go through the lab heating process. This is often done with amethyst to deepen their color. Still others may be dyed. Some crystals are even artificially irradiated, a completely different process that does indeed altar and change them molecularly. Some darker blue topaz and dark, almost black yet reasonably priced smoky quartz are common examples of this. I feel crystals that have been altered in this way have no connection with their original base resonant frequency and therefore, their ability to heal has been destroyed.

Let me end by saying again that your intuition should always be your first guide. If a stone or crystal works for you then do not let anyone or anything that you read or hear change that for you. Just as it is in quantum physics, there is no observer of events, but only participators. The scientist doing the observing actually influences the properties of the subatomic objects being observed. Hence, if you believe it to be true, it simply is, on a subatomic level. Why should it be any different on a super atomic level? For certain people, certain stones may work very well while not work for others no matter what is said or written about them. Let the ones that you know work for you continue to do so…if you believe it to be true, it simply is. These are just guidelines with some science infused into it, as I always like to do. Continue to enjoy your crystals and stones, lab enhanced or not.

© 2010 by Hibiscus Moon. All rights reserved. All material on this page is protected by US and international copyright law and may not be quoted or reproduced without the express written permission of the author. All authorized reproductions, quotes or copies, in whole or in part, must reference the author's name and the authors websites at: http://www.hibiscusmooncrystals.com and http://www.youtube.com/phanie12

Posted with Permission from the author. © 2010 Crystal Wind™