The Magic of Himalayan Quartz - the Ultimate Healing Crystal

Posted by Alison - Wednesday, 23 Nov 2022 11:38

Himalayan Quartz is a rare and ancient variety of Quartz that formed within the Himalayan Mountains. This mountain range covers the countries of Nepal, Bhutan, India, China and Pakistan.  

 These unique healing crystals are high vibration, high energy crystals that can form on a variety of different sizes and shapes, such as prismatic, tabular, clusters and skinny needle like points, which are extremely fragile, sometimes the matrix is brittle enough to break easily. 

Himalayan Quartz sometimes has inclusions of other minerals within, causing a colour change. The most popular is Smoky Himalayan Quartz which has been naturally irradiated within the Earth. Iron can cause the colour to change from clear to yellow or light pink. Hematite inclusions give this mineral a red shade that’s found towards the tip of every crystal. 

 Himalayan Quartz works like any other Quartz crystal, except for the energy it releases. It’s crystal healing energy an extremely high vibration and can elevate our consciousness to new heights. Some believe in the healing crystals ability to help access one’s past lives through the process of deep channeling. 

It’s the most powerful forms of Quartz and one I highly recommend. 

 The Difficulty of Mining in the High Altitude 

 The Himalayan mountain range covers 6 countries, this epic mountain range is home to 10 of the 14 tallest peaks in the world. Pakistan alone boasts 108 mountains over 7,000 metres high. Formed from the subduction of the Indian tectonic plate under the Eurasian plate, the range is still ever changing and in he case of the K2 mountain (8611 metres) is still growing and reaching new heights. While the striking beauty of the Himalayas is unmistakable, it remains a challenging and extremely dangerous place to explore.

 The translation of the word Himalaya means ‘Abode of Snow’ Climates range from dry, freezing desert to subtropical and humid along this range at different locations and times of the year. Most consider there to be a fifth season in the Himalayas between Summer and Autumn, the monsoon season. The rainfall at this time of year can reach 28 inches. 

 It is during this most hostile time that the higher altitude portion of the range is accessible to indigenous herdsman who drive their flocks upward to pasture.  From here they push on to altitudes the vast majority of the planet will never experience in a lifetime.  Here is where the permafrost meets the heavens.  This is where the extremophile organisms dwell, critically endangered species roam, and the most exquisite crystals are unearthed.

 15,000 glaciers call the Himalayan range home.  The crystals that come from these high altitude and glacial areas can only be mined in a micro window of less than three months when the snow line recedes to 5,500 meters, the highest permanent snow line in the world.  It is in this small window of time that men can gain access to glacial quartz and hydrothermal quartz that has been sealed within fissures created tectonically.

 There is no fancy mining equipment or electricity at these altitudes.  When a potential host rock is identified, a group of only 4 or 5 men with hand tools will begin the painstaking process of opening a cavity large enough to squeeze inside.  Fissures are small and locating them takes an expert eye.  Inside the fissure, crystals unlike any on earth await.

 One characteristic feature of high-altitude quartz is their marco-mosaic formations.  This is made up of miniature cathedral structures and something called "sutures" which look similar to very tiny high lustre striations covering the surface of the crystal.  Generous self-healing, hydrothermal clarity, and extraordinary shapes caused by growth interference are just a few of the other key features of alpine typical growth.  Even more limited than these are the glacial quartz specimens brought down from heights of over 6,000 meters.  Indigenous miners only gain access to these unbelievable pieces for about 8 weeks of the year.  The glacial ice and mud are melted in buckets to expose these enchanting blessings of the mountain.  There are no words that can describe their beauty and clarity.

 As the short mining season ends, the year’s findings are placed in baskets and packed down the mountain on yaks.  There are no vehicles, no blasting, no array of power tools to bring these crystals to the surface.  Only the dedication and experience of the indigenous Himalayan dwellers allow us to hold these gifts from the mountains.

 My personal experience working with Himalayan Quartz

 I’m a woman who is very drawn to Quartz crystals and has many in their collection. But my most special and prized are the ones from the Himalayas. The healing energy that they emit amplifies the energies of other crystals around them. They are the best crystals I’ve worked with to connect me to my spirit guides. 

They aren’t always the prettiest Quartz but something more powerful pulls me towards them. I’m lucky enough to have for sale some hand collected Himalayan Quartz that was discovered after a rock fall. My friend who collected it, had a hair raising journey far up into the Himalayas to collect them. Others I offer for sale have been mined high up in the Pakistan Himalayas by indigenous miners during the monsoon months. 

The rarity, the difficult conditions under which they’re found and collected, the altitude all combine to make these so special. 

I’m highly unlikely to find myself on top of one of the Himalayan mountains but by holding a piece, it brings the feelings and imagery of where they were collected to me. 

These are very special stones. 

Alison