Crystal nets, or crystal grids, are layouts of crystals around a person, which can be simple or complex. They are excellent to use for self-healing as you can place yourself in a net, lie back, relax and let the crystals do the healing.

Crystal nets work through a combination of the crystal energies, colour therapy and sacred geometry. Sue and Simon Lilly's book, Crystal Doorways is highly recommended if you enjoy working with nets and wish to extend your repertoire and understanding of them.

Guidelines for use
Although simple to look at, crystal nets can be very powerful, therefore please follow these guidelines.

1. Allow plenty of space and time.
2. Make sure you won't be disturbed while you are in the net and resting afterwards (unplug phones). A helper who knows what you are doing and keeps an eye on the time for you can be reassuring presence- providing they are prepared to be very quiet! Otherwise set a timer with a not too strident beep.
3. Don’t use nets if very tired- you’ll probably just fall asleep!
4. As with other crystal healing techniques drink some water beforehand and have some more afterwards, also make sure your crystals are properly cleansed before and after use.
5. Lay the net out according to instructions. If you don’t have the right colour cloth to lie on use a white one. For maximum benefit your head should be aligned with magnetic north as this places your energy field in line with the flow of the Earth’s energy field.
6. Don’t stay in any one net over 20 minutes. Sue and Simon have noticed that the experience deepens every five minutes. Best times to finish therefore are 5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes, as you tend to ‘float up’ a little in consciousness before sinking down to another deeper level.
7. If you feel anxious or have discomfort in the net quietly come out of it and relax for a while, before choosing whether to re-enter it or end the session.
8. Take plenty of time to integrate the experience when you end it. Ideally take twice as long relaxing afterwards as you spent in the net. If you feel restless or impatient sit with the feelings and let them pass before you go back to daily life. Use calming and/or grounding stones depending on how you feel when you come out of the net.
9. Note your feelings/ impressions straight away in a diary as the images and sensations can melt away soon after the experience.

Here’s a couple of simple nets from Crystal Doorways for you to try out:

Pink- Lady Nada
Key properties: improves perception of self-worth, improves self-confidence, self- acceptance. All issues to do with unconditional love, including nurturing, compassion and forgiveness.

Requirements: Twelve rose quartz- tumbles are fine, a mid or dark pink cloth

Placements:
One each at head and feet, the rest evenly spaced around the body.

The Amethyst Healing Net
Key properties:
Deep healing, calming to the mind, psychic perception. Also use to learn to differentiate between crystals- a helper places different stones on the forehead at intervals over the session, finishing with a tourmaline or smoky quartz to ground.

Requirements: Eight amethysts, preferably points, a yellow or violet cloth

Placements:
If amethyst points all should face inwards. One above the head, one below the feet, the rest evenly spaced around the body.
Caution: this net can take you very deep- use with someone else present. To bring you fully back black tourmaline on the forehead at the end of the session.

Here's a net of my own from Touchstones Manual for the Crystal Therapist:

The Moon Net
Key properties:
Relaxation, increases intuitive perception, being receptive to the bounty of the universe.

Requirements: 5 moonstones, deep blue cloth

Placements:
Lie in a relaxed and open posture, legs parted and arms slightly apart from the body. Place one moonstone above the head, one below each foot and one by each hand.

For more ways to work with crystals check out my Touchstones: Manual for the Crystal Therapist