Context:

The informant’s family was very spiritual and held belief in angels. They believe in the healing properties of crystals and nature. Her grandmother, specifically, would often gift crystals and essential oils to her.

Text:

In one of the crystal stores from the informant’s hometown, their family would put their hands on a large crystal for clearing the energy within them. The informant also notes that she has crystals in her car, home, and constantly around her.

Analysis:

This belief is a ritual belief in material culture as crystals act to influence inner emotions and balance. By placing their hands on crystals to “clear energy”, the informant and her family treat crystals as symbolic objects that produce intentional effects. This belief in the power of crystals creates meaning and a sense of comfort as seen in “Placebo Studies and Ritual Healing” by Ted Kaptchuk. The crystals themselves gain power through proximity, mirroring Frazer’s idea of contagious magic. As a belief held amongst the family, the act of buying and displaying crystals reinforces their sense of shared identity.