Crystals

Spirituality on the rise

Internet revives popularity of traditional practices

Emi Citoler citolemi000@hsestudents.org Emma Tomlinson tomliemm000@hsestudents.org

New age spirituality recently experienced a spike in pop culture. People are nding the practice on social media sites like TikTok or Instagram, but spirituality is not a new practice – it has been practiced for centuries across multiple cultures. Many practices that are spiritual, such as chakras and meditation, are adapted from East Asian religions. The spirituality practiced today is called “new age spirituality”, which refers to spiritual beliefs that have rapidly grown in the West in the 20th and 21st centuries. There are many ways to practice spirituality, which is an umbrella term for practices such as tarot, manifestation and crystals. Any person who practices some part of spirituality has a different interpretation of what it is. The general idea of spirituality is being connected to something bigger than one’s self. Unlike many religions, there are no rules for someone who is spiritual. Those who identify as spiritual can pick and choose different practices. For example, one may practice tarot but not use crystals.

TAROT

In the 16th and 17th centuries, tarot was a card game, but today people use it for a di erent purpose: predicting the future. A tarot deck has 78 cards in it, each card with its own meaning. The interpretation of the cards is le up to the reader of the deck. Those who practice tarot rst ask the deck a question. These questions can cover a multitude of topics ranging anywhere from relationships to personal growth. Then, the user shu es the cards around until a certain number, depending on the user’s choice, slips out and then the user will read or interpret the spread. “I usually describe tarot to people as connecting with your own energy to bring a message out based on your own intuition and energy,” junior Zooey Russell said. Intuition is listening to an inner voice, similar to trusting a gut feeling. For those who are spiritual, tarot is a common way to exercise their intuition as well as become connected to one’s higher self. Higher self is what many spiritualists refer to as the state of consciousness that is larger than one’s self. “[Practicing tarot] truly keeps me happy and I’ve always wanted to be spiritual,” sophomore Cory Wilcher said. “It also really calms me.”

MANIFESTATION

People who practice manifestation believe that it is possible to put something into physical reality through a rmations, feelings and beliefs. The law of attraction, which is the basis for manifestation, is the idea that one will attract what they put out into the universe, usually through their thoughts. There are a variety of methods and ways to manifest. Some choose to practice it through meditation, visualization or writing the manifestations down in a journal. People who practice usually nd a method that resonates with them and do that on a daily basis. “I like both writing and daily a rmations,” junior Kassi Whalen said. “I know that daily a rmations are really popular because they are quicker and easier to do than other methods like writing.” Daily a rmations include repeating a phrase, usually a want of some type. Those who manifest can choose whether to do this aloud or in a journal. The a rmations are said in the present tense, including phrases like “I am” or “I have.” Those who manifest can also meditate in order to completely focus on their manifestation. Daily a rmations can be as simple as “I am con dent” or as complex as the person decides.

CRYSTALS

Like manifestation and tarot, crystals are dependent on the user’s energy. Holding or placing crystals on one’s body are popular methods of use. It is thought to create emotional, physical and spiritual healing. Each type of crystal can have a di erent intention or purpose. Crystals are popular within the spiritual community, as a way to start out practicing spirituality. “I feel like there are de nitely di erent situations where I would feel attracted to di erent [crystals],” junior Izzy Slick said. “I would say I am attracted to ones that t with my situation at that moment. How I pick which one is de nitely depending on the intuitive feelings.” It is recommended to cleanse and charge crystals a er buying them. Cleansing is creating a clean slate with the crystal’s energy. Many do this by using incense, salt water, natural light or sage. Charging crystals is believed to restore the crystal’s natural energy. Some do this by holding it, using selenite – a self-charging crystal – or placing it near moonlight or sunlight. “The energy the crystal is giving o is going to attract the energy that you are seeking,” Whalen said. “My favorite crystals are rose quartz and malachite.”

MEDITATION

Meditation, practiced by many religions, is the act of clearing one’s mind and focusing on their breathing. This practice allows those who meditate to anchor themselves to the present. Infographic by Emma Tomlinson “I de nitely do it most at the end of the day because I like to unwind and relax. It helps me forget about whatever stressed me out that day and let go of reality for a bit,” junior Zooey Russell said. There are many forms of meditation. Like other practices in spirituality, meditations can be unique to anyone who practices it. A beginner’s way to meditate is to nd a space where one is comfortable, take a seat, and begin to feel one’s breath. Some people count their breaths or note when they are inhaling or exhaling. Russell believes that meditation can be di cult when a person is just starting out, and she advises to concentrate simply on breathing in order to keep one’s mind from wandering. Many beliefs practiced within spirituality come from East Asian religions like Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. With the recent rise in practicing spirituality, many concerns have arisen about the lack of respectfulness of where the practices come from. “I wanted to practice these things but I don’t practice any of these Eastern religions. I didn’t want to whitewash anything or appropriate any sort of culture, so what I try to do is keep myself educated,” Whalen said. “Educating yourself on the actual principles and what they talk about and teach in these religions, making sure that it si not the Westernized verson.”