Shungite Benefits: How This In-Demand Crystal Can Be A Healing Helper

If you've never heard of shungite, you might want to consider adding it to your crystal collection. It's a powerful grounding stone, among its other benefits, and its rich, black color makes it stand out among colorful crystals. From its history to its uses, here's the lowdown on this mineraloid.

Shungite is typically black but can range to a deep bronze color. It's opaque, but can have a shiny quality, making it look lustrous and metallic. The highest quality, or "elite shungite," is made up of at least 90% carbon, shiny in appearance, and recovered manually as opposed to through industrial mining. "Regular shungite" in industrially mined, matte black, and 30 to 50% carbon.

"Shungite encourages you to learn more, to do more, and to push onward toward the next spiritual breakthrough," she says. "It's also associated with great cosmic mysteries and is said to bring light during times of darkness or uncertainty."

For a simple ritual, Leavy recommends wearing a piece of shungite jewelry. "Any time you're feeling overwhelmed, bring your attention to the place where the stone is making contact with your physical body, close your eyes, and focus on your breath. Breathe in for a count of four, hold for a count of four, and then exhale for a count of four. This deep, rhythmic breathing will bring you back to your center and will help create stillness in your mind."

Frazier suggests using shungite for grounding by sitting in a chair and holding a piece of shungite in your lap, feet firmly planted on the ground. "As you feel the weight of the shungite in your hands, visualize roots extending from the shungite into your root chakra, and then extending downward through the soles of your feet and deep into the earth," she says.

And lastly, to connect with the ancient wisdom of shungite, Leavy says you can place some dried lemon verbena leaves and your shungite in a small pouch and tuck it into your pillowcase. "Before you go to sleep, set the intention to experience and remember a meaningful dream that will provide you with guidance about something that needs to be healed in your life," she notes. "It's said that shungite holds ancient energy, wisdom, and information, so it's the perfect stone to help you uncover the cosmic messages that come through for you from the Akashas."

If you're in need of some grounding or want to tap into your spiritual wisdom, shungite could be a great option to help you do that. While "elite" shungite is more rare, regular shungite stills holds those properties and benefits, and either will make a great addition to your collection.