Summon Your Inner Strength and Confidence With These Powerful Crystals for Protection

First, let's get on the same page about what “protection” really means when we're talking about crystals. According to Sadie Kadlec, crystal expert and intuitive healer at Maha Rose Center for Healing, the common notion of protection as a barrier between you and external forces (like other people or negative energy) is flawed. “Instead, protection is really about finding strength, stability, and support within yourself in order to be vulnerable and trusting of the world around you,” she says. “It’s not about putting up a protective shield.” And, as a result, crystals aren’t going to serve as a protective armor that'll keep all of life’s woes from potentially harming you.

“The true idea of protection is about finding strength, stability, and support within yourself in order to be vulnerable and trusting of the world around you.” —Sadie Kadlec, crystal expert

By contrast, using different types of crystals for protection is about tapping their powers to elevate the strength you intrinsically possess. That means learning to practice self-compassion and build your sense of confidence first, and then using crystals to enhance the good vibes. According to Kadlec, the best ways to use crystals for protection are to meditate with them and to carry them with you as a reminder of your intention and personal power.

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As for which crystals to use? Everyone responds to the energy of different crystals in different ways, so it’s worth considering whether you’re naturally drawn to a certain crystal(s), or, if you’re shopping in-person, holding a few in your hand to sense which ones seem to resonate. From there, you could just choose one or, to take things a step further, a few different crystals that you can use together with the practice of crystal gridding, says Breana Fernandez, crystal expert at Los Angeles-based metaphysical retailer House of Intuition. This involves “placing chosen crystals into a formation that focuses the intention—such as energetic protection, in this case,” she says.

If you’re not sure where to start, read on for a few crystals that tend to embody the above themes of protection and strength, according to crystal experts.

The Best Crystals for Protection To Utilize for a Spiritual Boost of Strength

1. Fluorite

“[Protection] is about opening the heart and finding strength of self through that process,” says Kadlec. She recommends fluorite for its ability to create clarity and openness by helping to reinforce positive boundary-setting. Known as the "psychic vacuum," this crystal can also help you remove unwanted mind clutter and regain focus as a result, says Fernandez. To use it, place it on your third eye (where, in particular, it can help clear confusion and break down self-doubtful thought cycles), or wear it on a necklace to stay grounded, especially during Mercury retrograde periods, adds Fernandez.

2. Kyanite

Compassionate communication fosters security and safety in your relationships—both of which are paramount to protection. Because kyanite is associated with the throat chakra, it can offer support for just that kind of communication and self-expression, says Kadlec: “Kyanite allows our inner truth to surface and be heard, and also puts us in a place to receive and hear from other people.” Separately, there's also a strong balancing energy to this stone, says Fernandez, which can help you make decisions with confidence and assuredness.

3. Black tourmaline

Known for its grounding energy, black tourmaline is also a protection power-player. In particular, this stone is associated with the solar plexus chakra, which is often unbalanced or out-of-whack whenever you feel unsafe or insecure. "Black tourmaline can absorb threatening energy and transmute it into something non-threatening," says Kadlec, adding that this crystal can help you separate a difficult situation from negative patterns within yourself or others, and figure out how to respond more compassionately. Because black tourmaline can act like a spiritual sponge for these negative energies and soak them up, it's also wise to clean the stone on a weekly basis, says Fernandez.

4., 5. Pyrite and citrine

While these stones aren’t traditionally associated with protection, pyrite and citrine are adept at helping us find structure. “They’re about the clarity of our intention—who we are, where we want to go, and how we can make that happen for ourselves,” says Kadlec. As a result, using these stones in combination can be a powerful part of a manifestation or intention-setting practice. "They're considered a dynamic duo for abundance," says Fernandez.

The energy of these two crystals can help support you in situations where you're aiming to forge your own path—rather than follow the trail that other people in your life have blazed before. "Keeping both of these crystals near or in your creative space can supply you with the additional boost of confidence you may need to work toward your goals," says Fernandez.

6. Carnelian

Speaking of confidence...cue: carnelian, which is known as the "stone of confidence," says Kadlec. "Carnelian connects us to our courage," she says, "helping to guide us toward doing what's right for ourselves so we don’t silently accept what doesn’t work for us." Living courageously gives us confidence and drive to make decisions that serve us instead of reeling back in fear of those dreaded “what ifs.”

In a similar realm, this crystal can inspire creativity when it comes to confronting or handling adversity, says Fernandez. "If a particular problem is leaving you feeling stagnant or stuck, the passionate energies of carnelian will deliver a boost of self-assurance so that you can find an optimistic side of the situation," she says. And being able to do just that is an essential part of feeling both strong and protected.

7. Malachite

Heart-chakra stones like malachite can help open your heart and target fear, helping you feel more secure in whatever choices you make. "Malachite can guide you toward your higher self and toward your purpose in this lifetime," says Fernandez.

Specifically, there's a certain kind of fated, "right-time-right-place" energy to malachite that can provide clarity in otherwise unclear times—like eclipse season, for instance, says Fernandez. In other words? When things feel off-kilter, malachite can help you better understand why you are where you are and the journey that may lie ahead. As a result, Fernandez adds, this crystal can make you more aware of the power of diving timing and the comfort that can come with surrendering some of your control to the universal forces at work.