Just going to repeat this: Please be kind to each other, and continue to seek the truth. 🧠🙏 Thank you for watching! I had a lot of fun making this video, I hope that it shows 🙃 Seriously: what should I try next?
For your next video you should do something about what Isolation does to a person. This could be helpfull for people who do not understand what the pandemic does to lonely isolated people.
Please, Vanessa, make a video about "Microphysiotherapy", a manual technique that might be placebo based, or not. I'm not sure yet, until your video is done. =]
Thank you! lol, I say this all the time. I mean, this is the only reason I can explain why we collect the most ridiculous stuff. It's cool to just be dumb apes or at least recognize that we are and still like dumb shiny shit, just own it and don't attribute it to some supernatural thing.
Probably that we are so desperately seeking understanding that we will suspend disbelief on a continual basis to engage in magical, hopeful thinking. It's like a teddy bear or a blanket; if you think it makes you feel better it does for a moment, but it's scientifically proven not to heal anything.
"I think it's horseshit, but I'll shut up and let you explain me your point of view, and I'll try to be as respectful as possible" is such a healthy mindset. And she didn't use crystals for that!
I find crystals relaxing. But it's nothing mystical. I just find holding them comforting and helps me relax when I'm mediating. It gives me something to focus on and keeps me from getting distracted
That's reasonable. Believing each one has different healing benefits like "removing self doubt" and other stuff...not so much lol I think everyone would love to believe there is an easy way to achieve these things just by buying something aesthetic.
@@Verotica I'm always amused when I hear opinionated people bashing things they don't believe but those same people defend their favorite athlete who has intense rituals or lucky objects. It's pretty narcissistic.
I think the whole "trigger item" idea is key here. on its own they are useless yes, but many people could use them to sort of convince their brain to focus in on something specific. Often when meditating its hard to pinpoint a specific event or feeling (at first) and I can see how assigning different rocks to different feelings could help simplify complex thoughts and emotions
This makes so much sense to me! I often struggle with meditation because I feel there are too many disperate feelings to experience simultaneously - this might really help
This actually makes so much sense, reaching mental clarity or focus during meditation is actually difficult, not to mention that associating the crystal with the process of meditation makes the crystal a symbol of the calmness you felt during the meditation, the same way a gift from a loved one holds more value because it reminds you of said person.
The thing is that the people that push these types of alternative healing methods are not thinking this, they really and truly think they have mystical or magical powers, most of them will not admit it is simply placebo.
We could argue that the tea (ie: water) is essential for your life, so the ritual of pouring water into your body in a vase that you like is good for your mental health. I dunno.
@@rubymimosa not necessarily it goes beyond placebo. It’s not placebo because your brain doesn’t believe that the mug has the ability to make you happier or calmer it just does.
Crystals as a “health” commodity is a concerning grey market for self-care. Crystals as a physical object pursuant to better living reminds me of other religions objects really.
@@Eric14492 Or nearly everything, really. My mom likes stumps because she thinks they're pretty and has a few on our garden, my sister like cactus, and so on. You could argue that living beings are different, but they're just a bunch of Carbon and water, just like rocks are...well, rocks.
I didn't know I wanted to know this, but I did. The psycology of pseudoscience is a really interesting subjet. I would like more videos on other expressions of pseudoscience. like also why people choose to ingest actually dangerous chemicals that have no scientific support in the belief that it will heal everything. i think it's called mma or sth like that...
Magical mineral solution I think. Sodium chlorite if I remember correctly. I think it's basically salt with an extra oxygen atom or something, but I just about got away with a C in GCSE science. Myles Power has a lot of videos on this dangerous craze.
I believe in science but also a lot of stuff indigenous people knew is made fun of until its proven by science. So its a bit iffy to find that balance of being a racist/colonizer/a**hole to being careful/common sense and respecting that we may not know everything
Me a geology buff having to have that awkward conversation about why I love crystals and my childhood collection: I like to look at them and think about how they formed. Crystal healing is so ubiquitous no one thinks that. On a unrelated note I need that Go Science banner!
As a palaeontology nerd, I also have a soft spot for pretty rocks. I can see one of these crystals and think "oh, cool...people actually polished these rocks to make them even prettier! I might even buy one because they're pretty" and nothing else.
I have a vast collection of geologic specimens. Been collecting since 7 years old, studied goldsmithing and gemmology post secondary. It sucks now having to explain I'm not a "witch", I am a rock nerd that loves the lore and history. 😞
It's the same way I can be scientifically minded and still use tarot cards. They're functionally a random topic generator that brings up fixed ideas for me to consider in a given situation. It's not magic, it's a psychological tool wrapped in mysticism.
I used to look at Tarot cards. I found occasions when I told people things they understood but I didnt. After a minute or 2 my mind would clear, like coming out of a fog that I had not even been aware of and could tell them no more. Nothing to do with the cards but like they were an on switch to some other level. A few times what I said would happen did. I found it almost creapy. I can only think that they enable a sort of telepathy. But I neither believe in the cards and am aware that there is no empirical evidence for telepathy though I am open minded about that having experienced what could be described as telepathy several times.
I was pretty skeptical about crystals, I love them but never thought they did anything. That is, until I was vacationing in New Orleans and we were in this store that had crystals and whatnot. My friend just said, “hold this,” and nothing else. It was a rainbow quartz. I felt the energy of that thing, okay. I actually felt it grounding me before I really knew what grounding was. and outside of that a lot of new age stores have fake crystals that are lab created and not from the ground so they don’t have the same energy as genuine crystals, though technically their makeup is the same. do I think crystals can cure cancer? Not necessarily, however I think there is something special about them and our ancestors did too but they were more in tune with the earth than we are now to understand. I definitely believe in science but then again there are things science can’t explain either so it’s a hit or miss🤷🏽♀️
If you understood science better you wouldn't need to believe in it. And if you think crystals generate "energy," or channel it through you, or whatever non-disprovable and esoteric misuse of scientific terminology you prefer, you don't "believe" in science either. There also can't be "fake" crystals, not in the sense you mean here. The belief otherwise is essentialism, (the man-made crystal lacks some essential crystalness only found naturally) which has only ever been shown to be false. The structure is the thing, whether man-made or geologically-made; if the structure is the same, it is the same. Appealing to ancient wisdom on a scientific topic is also nonsensical; we used to think psychological disorders and disease were caused by demons or imbalanced humors. Not understanding a natural phenomenon and fabricating a satisfying or ego-fortifying explanation is not wisdom, and it is the antithesis of science. The most important question that cannot be answered on these topics is always, what is the proposed mechanism of action? How did it work? And if your answer contradicts our incontrovertible knowledge of physics and chemistry, why do you think you've tapped into secret knowledge that science "ignores"? I'm also curious what you think "science can't explain." Most people with magical beliefs either refer to things science DOES explain and they refuse to accept or don't understand, or things science is actively searching answers to (E.g., The Big Bang). If you think science can't explain life-after-death, for example, you're wrong in that from a strictly scientific perspective it must be regarded as nonexistent due to a total absence of supporting evidence. Same with psychics, or astrology, or homeopathy, or reiki, and etc.
Hearing the crystal healer speak it dawned on me, that the benefit probably comes from being able to meet your feelings. An object like crystal helps you to concentrate and confront what lies deep within you. And the more you use it the easier it gets. The bed sound as fake as it gets, because then it's not about you, it's about the bed.
It actually worked for me. I felt it dramatically and it did work to help me get over a traumatic experience within 10 minutes. For real. I was a skeptic and I was shocked. I had no intention of healing anything.
Crystals are great for keeping track of time in the form of quartz crystal oscillators. You'll find them in any computing device and anything else with a processor, since they need a clock to tell when to do the next step of running an instruction. Such devices are all over modern hospitals. It turns out crystals are used for healing after all, but for running electronic tools.
Crystals seem to have an effect. After watching the video i went out on the street and asked a guy where i can buy some crystal. He sold me some (for a lot less than $10,000!) and yeah, i feel fine now :D
You cant explain away thousands of years of spiritual knowledge practice and experience in one video where your conclusion is the same one that every skeptic comes up with in about five seconds.
what happens if people sexually abuse crystals as part of paraphilias? do crystals get sick of the abuse and may zap people with some retributive energy or what?🤔
I feel the draw to crystals like I feel the draw to music. I know they're not for everyone (like some instruments aren't for everyone) but for me, I can actually feel a difference when I hold some stones and crystals. Part of it is wonder, like wow Earth really grew this gorgeous specimen, I am in awe! And another part is symbolism. I'm an artist who enjoys working with color therapy and the meaning we assign things. I agree, they are tools, not replacements for other medicines we have access to. But dangerous? Maybe if you're bludgeoning someone to death with one yea!
In my opinion, some people are more sensitive to certain things. Just like I'm sensitive to guided meditation and hypnosis. Because I have ADHD, it took me years of practice to really fully experience the deepest levels, but it's definitely made a big difference in my life.
@@maroo747 You know the great thing is I don´t have to prove it ... the merchands selling those crystals / treatments have to proove it, or they are limited to the small market of buyers.
@@DomAviationChannel yeah fair, what’s also fair is the claim that it is not factual shouldn’t exist. You can say that there’s no scientific evidence or a study that supports it but you can’t call it factually incorrect.
The problem I've found with crystals and other forms of pseudoscience is not the ideas, but the people themselves. These kind of ideas are often fine in a vacuum, placebo affect is a thing and if it helps you then, what's wrong with it, right? But I've found the type of people who belive these things can often be extremely ignorant and toxic, willing to twist or believe anything to suit their own agenda and to ignore and reject any science or logic that disagrees with them. It breeds distrust in "mainstream science" and I routinely hear these people talk about being anti vax or my housemate for example that only believes in Covid when it suits her and thinks that lockdown is wrong because she can't go to her psytrance parties. That is just my (fairly extensive, I know a lot of hippies) experience. I think it's important to acknowledge that alternative therapies can be beneficial for some people, but more needs to be done to make the facts around these things clear. Also I live with a crystal healer and I can say that emotional benefits of crystal healing are definitely superficial and can be reached by doing anything else theraputic. I think people turn to crystals for the same reason they turn to god. It's faith, it's an unknown quantity that you use as a cognitive tool to help you deal with life. I think the fact that it isn't very well researched makes it more alluring, like you have found some sort of secret life hack. All of this builds over time to make people anti science. That's my opinion based on my experience and I'll make it clear, I had no clue about all of this till I lived with a crystal healer, and I tried it with an open mind when going through bad periods with my mental health. Ultimately i decided it had 0 affect on me.
After covid 19 hitting our business so hard, I start meditation and using crystals and meteorite stone for healing. Now I feel more calm when facing problems, firm than before if I need to make decisions. Many positive impact for me after using crystal and meditation.
Something I saw the other day was a meme that was Scientist: you know it’s not real right. It’s just the placebo effect! Witch: believing in something so much that it has actual physical effects? Sounds pretty magical to me
Also, when they talk about placebo effect, when it came to my Moldavite, I didn’t even know it was going to happen to me. I just knew that it was a really powerful tektite and that it was supposed to help with making your life goals happen faster that problem was the sickness. I had no idea it was gonna happen. I didn’t even Google it first or check into it. I just knew what it was supposed to. Do you know like one of those little descriptions But I didn’t realize how powerful it was until I had it on the first week headaches heaviness in my chest I felt warm. I mean everything that you could imagine. I saw stars when I would take it off. It is very powerful and just recently I heard of someone getting the sweats from wearing it, you have to get used to Moldivite because it is the one tektite/Crystal as people might call it that you will feel something and if you don’t somethings wrong meaning your Moldavite is not real
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait... So you're telling me I could built something out of a few shiny stones plus a few LEDs and an Arduino that people would buy for over 10.000 bucks!? Interesting...
This is why I think pseudoscience and other scams exists, so fool pay more than a premium for some smoke and mirrors, in this case LED+arduino and some nice rocks.
As someone who likes this shit, its just like my god why would someone do that. It feels like a scam. I use crystals to focus on myself, they aren't necessary and they dont do much but i like them. I feel like an 10000 charge is stupid for something that takes about twenty minutes and is absolutely free if you live in the right place (which i do)
Yes TMZwom, this is a thing, and you can do it exactly as you said. Those are all the component parts that you need. I want that 'bed' up by next Friday! (no sleeping on the job)
Yeah, i don't mind people using crystals as a tool to relax. Just like a stress ball. She seems to be giving this message and that's ok as long as people understand that the crystal helps them relax because it's a habit.
I am a skeptic but A therapist asked me to hold my phone to my stomach then tested the strength of my arm. He then asked me to hold the phone AND a quartz crystal wrapped in copper wire. My strength was then much greater. That to me seems like an empirical test, and it was positive. And as a skeptic expecting things like this not to work, I wouldn't have thought I'd be vulnerable to the placebo effect in this case. So maybe there's some science there that we just have no way of measuring. I don't attach any spiritual belief whatsoever to crystals, and neither did the therapist, who was quite transparent about admitting that he had no idea how it worked.
Definetly more research needs to be done on Placebo and Nocebo effect. One of the things I find most outstanding is that even when patients are told that they are being given a placebo, they still experience a positive effect that its high enough (outside) of the margin of error. that's mind blowing!
I could see the chakra energy when we hold a crystal when doing aura photograph. That itself is proof. The energy flowing through crystal. The whole world use electricity and it is created from magnetic field. So is crystal.
I was using my Tiger Eye and Amethyst worry stones while I watched this and I couldn't help relate it to someone who smokes for the tactile sensation of it. For me, the physical action focuses my brain. Not everyone has the same connection to crystals. I don't choose crystals for what they are said to do, I choose them based on the energy they feed me. When my hand tingles, I know the energy is right and I'll buy it if I'm looking for one. It's not just crystals. I'm also sensitive to other people's energy. Sometimes to the border of being empathic (no, I don't really want to relive the way someone's husband beat them last night). Not everyone is. People have gifts. I do astrology, tarot, Reiki, work with crystals, love crystal singing bowls but I don't do them as a profession. It's a friends and family thing and only when they ask. We all have different tools we use for everyday things in life. I've seen documentaries of people getting their brain activity mapped when they use their psychic gifts. Somethings happening there, it shows. What it is we don't yet know. I don't go to gem shows any more due to financial constraints, but even if I did I doubt there's a machine that can scientifically register what I'm feeling from a crystal. Especially since I will take a crystal out of a box of crystals and be able to tell the energy difference between them. The same way you didn't feel anything from the crystal bed, it's quite likely I wouldn't either if it wasn't for me to do. There is no blanket generalization when it comes to such things. I don't need to know why anything does anything. It's nice when science can explain it and I search such proof out, but it's not going to change my mind about the tools I use in my life. My experiences change my mind. I knew my son didn't have the same gifts I did so I didn't share my use of crystals or tarot or Reiki with him. He's a scientist. He loves proving things. He graduated with an EP degree and it suits him well. As a parent it was my responsibility to help him realize his gifts and find a way to use them as a career. Bottom line, just because one thing didn't work for one person, doesn't mean it doesn't work at all just because others can't feel it. If I could wish for science to prove something it would be that. Why do some people notice the energy of things that exist and others do not and why do those things make their energy noticeable to begin with? I suspect there's something we may find about the nature of spirituality (not religion, spirituality) when we evolve in the future. After all, we called Star Trek communicators props until we made cell phones. Now everyone has them. =)
"We tolerate too much pseudo science" is such a good point to make. A reflective mind is such a huge skill but should not be in reality. Why is it so hard for so many people to be scientific but still believe?
People : crystals dont work Technology and computers : crystals are needed or well diiiieeeeeeee Biology : crystals are in your eyes bones and platlets
People are strange. They don’t believe the use of crystals and it’s “magic” abilities yet big companies have been using it for years in our mobile phone devices to help. That’s just one example. I think the author should’ve delved deeper to learn more of crystal use. So on that note, as the author here suggests “Remember to seek the truth”
Wow, I came in thinking how insane this whole thing is but interested in the people who believe, but hearing Shannon talk about it, I think there might be something here. Not physically, but as a therapy technique. When I was little, a therapist gave me a magic rock to help me feel strong through tough things. And it worked! It was just a painted rock but it made me feel better. I think this whole “use this pretty, significant-feeling object as a stand in for emotions and other abstract things in your life” might be really effective in some circumstances :) Thank you for making this video and helping me be less judgmental towards others
I am prone to being skeptical about all this hocus pocus, but I swear, every time I grab my quartz crystal, I feel a surge of energy running from it and up my arm. It’s the craziest thing and never fails. It’s mostly with quartz though. There’s so much we don’t know yet.
Exactly. The key for humanity is to stop thinking we know everything. Even science improves upon itself as more information is learned. I can't even wear my tiger's eye pendant because the energy is too much, it creates almost an anxious feeling for me. I didn't even know what tiger's eye did so, therefore, I didn't mentally attribute anything to it. There's no ignoring that.
@@FreeSpirit1111 Umm, we don't think we know everything? That is the point and drive of science. "Even science improves itself" is a nonsense statement; you don't actually understand what science is or what it means. Literally all of science is the process of improving knowledge through rigorous experimentation and observation, that is just the scientific process full-stop. There are "superseded theories" dating back centuries, like geocentrism, the humoral model of disease, or Newtonian Physics. If we knew everything, we could stop doing science. If anything, it is the spiritual who think they know everything (or that there must exist unknowable things because it feels to you like there should be) and that science searching for actionable explanations for phenomena is "crass materialism." Your Tiger's Eye anecdote is also just an anecdote. For making broad claims it is literally meaningless. There's nothing to ignore, personal subjective perceptual experiences (qualia) are so monumentally prone to error they typically can't be considered evidence in a court of law, let alone in science.
People don't believe they have the power to change or improve. So placing this power on something else is how the brain gets around of it. Crystals are not at all the only objects used for it.
Interesting topic and I thought it was fun that the sponsor was for a music video. Then I was thinking how interesting it was that music is able to effect us and influence our operating emotional state. And then I was thinking how weird it was some abstract construct such as music had such power over people. And then I realized that it didn't seem so weird people would let a physical object have that kind of impact on their feelings and beliefs.
For many people, stones and crystals hold as much value as wearing a tiny cross. As a Christian if wearing a cross helps them and they will all say yes. Why? It's just small piece of metal, how can that help? It's all about the symbolism, what the rocks stand for. They are imbued with power just like religious items are. People who don't fully support a religion but still want to believe in something bigger than themselves. My approach is, if it works, use it.
I absolutely, positively felt a dranatic emotional healing for myself within 10 minutes on one of these beds in Deland, Florida about 8 years ago. I went back and the woman's store had closed. :(
This video is phenomenal! 🙌🏼 it’s basically a whole thesis in science communication. I have a little hypothesis: I’m currently doing some mindfulness-based meditation and one of the early lessons has been naming the feeling so we can acknowledge it and let it go rather than let our amygdala run with it on overdrive... made me think that perhaps the act of figuring out which crystal you “need” is a way to guide identifying the feelings so that you can then meditate on it and move on. I’ve always thought of astrology as a similar tool: it’s a starting point for reflection, so even if the astrology isn’t evidence-based, the importance of that reflection that follows is! Super neat to see you take us through that so beautifully - at the end of the day crystals are so pretty so I’m in 😂
(Also interesting preliminary findings! Might’ve even expected the crystal group to report more anxiety because they’d perhaps be more aware of feelings, and that maybe crystal practise reduces positive illusory bias?).... ok I’m done now I just really enjoyed this video and thinking about science that isn’t about Covid for once 😭 thank you for this gift !
I like your hypothesis, Sam! It's how I feel about things like astrology and tarot. I don't necessarily believe in the spiritual aspects (although I have heard of evidence-based benefits to spirituality even if the beliefs themselves aren't evidence-based!), but I do think they can be useful tools that guide self-reflection! One thing that the video doesn't mention however is that there is a lot of human/environmental exploitation in crystal mining, so that's one reason I personally go for tools that have less impact. (PS I came to this video from your story on IG, thanks for sharing!)
Came here straight from Tom Scott's channel and I love it! Also, as a psych majors who has a professor stating crystal therapist on their LinkedIn, very interesting video!!
I LOVE this video! It's a great exploration into the human psyche in relation to crystals. I've collected mineral specimens since I was 4 years old. In my teens, I found the "metaphysical" side of minerals. As an adult, I've melded the "woo woo" stuff with the science. I use the metaphysical representations of the minerals as physical reminders of my personal goals in relation to whatever they represent. For instance, I have a snowflake Obsidian keychain as a reminder to drive safely ans stay alert because it's a stone for safe travels. It's been a fun way to incorporate my collection into my daily life by using it to be more mindful.
That was really good. Thanks. As a Micrsocopist, I look at rocks all the time. Quartz is everywhere. There is rarely a sample I get from nature that does not have quartz in it. So if quartz does have a healing property then why disease and mental problems still exist? The answer is quartz doesn't have power on its own. We can make radios, lasers, and time crystals because we put energy into them but not by just thinking about it. What people are experiencing is just the positive reinforcement of meditation and good for them.
Well I found a 40 lb cluster of quartz and brought it home, left it by the rocks on the side of the house. The next day there were animals coming to it. I saw toads hide under it, a rabbit sat next to it and later saw a robin sitting on top of it. Not only that, but if you point a terminated quartz at your body, you can feel a tingling sensation. Well the cluster I picked up was a druzy quartz
2:02 history 5:54 power of suggestion 6:06 placebo? 7:09 THEE questionarre... 11:30 -ish little bit of magical thinking can make you anti-science 11:48 -ish should never replace medical care 14:46 magical thinking aside... shoutout to BrainCraft's first Patron (sp?) Patrick Olsen (sp?)
It actually worked for me. I felt it dramatically and it did work to help me get over a traumatic experience within 10 minutes. For real. I was a skeptic and I was shocked. I had no intention of healing anything.
To me it only becomes concerning when it comes to, as you said, leaning away from science. But also can be concerning when individuals spend an outrageous amount of money on this stuff when they can't afford it.
The latter half is most of the people using this stuff, many of them are being taken advantage of and are actually sick people with no current definitive diagnosis or maybe very few treatment options or the medical options are too expensive. You'll find far more woo woo practitioners in the US for this reason, as a comparison to population. The issue I have is that they are selling "nothing", as you could buy most of these crystals for pretty much the same price as gravel rock if this didn't exist, they simply inflate the value of normal worthless crystal rocks by adding the "mystical power" to them. Wouldn't be surprised if you could trace this back to some guy who owned a mine full of worthless crystals for any other purpose.
@@Tockrellman I think the PRIMARY reason for almost all pseudoscience is money making. Fake viral marketing to convince people they were cured by X product or people being paid to lie end up brainwashing normal people and they buy the product and then suffer from sunken cost fallacies and will not admit they were duped, so they get sucked even further into conspiracy and pseudoscience.
As a practicing witch I use crystals, candles, and other objects as focusing tools. I've come to the conclusion, as I am a total science nerd too, that the power to heal or change things isn't in the object at all but in the mind. We know that the placebo effect is real and can effect real measurable changes in the body. Like everything else I use in my practice it's a tool, but as a screwdriver doesn't do the work for you but helps you focus the energy of your muscles to turn a screw so do crystals help one focus other types of energy to perform a task. However I am infuriated by those who attempt to mislead others in this type of practice for profit. Yes pretty crystals are easier for us to focus on and thus through, but any object can be used just as easily. There's absolutely no reason to pay a ton of money for something you only need a bit of knowledge to do.
I think its dope that the placebo effect can help people so much .. Although , how much $$$ that goes into buying all these crystals and sessions to know how to use them , ETC Pretty damn shady
I don’t have any crystals but I think I get it. I have like stuffed animals or clothing items or a smooth shell I found on the beach that touching or holding or wearing or smelling can make me feel more calm or safe or confident or focused. Crystals seem like a reasonable object to use for this type of thing. They’re “natural” and pretty and solid and they can be small and smooth and easy to hold.
Actual horseshit might have the same effects as the crystals. If you convince yourself that it does. And you cannot reason anyone out of a position they fooled themselves into.
Loved this video, very well balanced presentation. It's important to remember we can be open to magical thinking (I am) and still know science is a bedrock to build on.
I happen to know a little bit about this stuff. The foundation is: pretty rock = special. After that it's mostly confirmation bias and placebo effect but what I want to draw attention to is that, while they're all just rocks the boring looking ones are somehow never magic, they have to be pretty to be magical. I am curious to know how they figured out which rocks have which effect.
After I was meditating with crystals I went to the my church and I wasn't expecting anything but I saw a ghost/ person in spirit who brushed past me then disappeared. This was a real surprise. I had never had this experience before. It just seemed really funny that it happened after I had been deep in meditation with quartz crystals.
Me too. When i was younger i 100% believed they would help and they seriously did, but now that I've gotten older I've started thinking more skeptically and... Now things like this don't work as powerfully anymore :(
I love this kind of content from you! The trope would be "investigator gets involved", and you are very genuine while doing it. Let's compare two of my favorite Engineering YT channels (I'm an engineer too): Real Engineering (RE) and Tech Ingredients (TI). RE does exhaustive research, elaborate visuals, and careful script development. TI describes a thing, makes or does the thing, then reviews the thing, where the "thing" is a stunning engineering or science project. TI projects are thoroughly prepared, though the presentation is mentally organized, but otherwise seems improvised. I doubt TI does too many retakes. Many of your videos have been RE-like, and enormously informative and engaging. This video is more like TI, where you not just say, but also do. A very welcome addition to your channel!
Crystals are fascinating. Just think how the natural facetting is a direct reflection of the arrangement of atoms in the lattice. As to the healing properties...yeah, whatever makes your placebo.
1:45 it's called animism and it's likely to be the oldest form of religion/spirituality that humans ever developed. Definitely not a new concept, and it's always been a cornerstone of most spiritual philosophies so it's not really a modern resurgence either
So Shannon's idea of using a crystal as a focus for meditation is a perfectly fine concept. People have been using mantras, icons, crucifixes, and other similar items for the same reason for thousands of years. But the idea that crystals have some kind of physical effect due to their nature is not scientific. Thanks for the video.
I love my crystals. I want to start there. I believe Critical Thinking and Logic are SO important. I believe if everyone was required to be fluent in Critical Thinking, Logic, and basic Human Psychology, the world would be a MUCH better place. I also believe "Magical Thinking" is just as important. I feel it is the other side of the same coin (the human brain). I feel like so many scientific leaps started with "what if... " magical thinking. I love this quote from The Hogfather by Terry Pratchett. Death is talking to his adopted granddaughter, Susan. Death: "No, humans need fantasy to be human. To be the place where the falling angel meets the rising ape. Susan: "With Tooth Fairies, Hogfathers... D: "Yes, as practice, you need to start out believing the little lies, S: "so we can believe the big ones. D: "Yes, Justice, Mercy, Duty, that sort of thing. S: "They're not the same at all. D: "You think so? Then take the universe and grind it down to the finest powder and sieve it through the finest sieve and show me one atom of justice one molecule of mercy. And yet, you try to act as if there is some ideal order in the world as if there is some rightness in the universe by which it may be judged... ... you need to believe in things that are not true. How else can they become. This also reinforces the idea of thought forms... creation through belief, will power, or mind over matter (how ever you want to label it). Maybe the Placebo Effect is the correct scientific term for this. I'm not sure. Again... Critical Thinking is SO important, but so is the belief in something more. Just my 2¢. YMMV
I prefer my crystals inside my PC... where God intended them to be. ;) Also, "Hi, Vanessa from Phoenix. Sorry you're stuck in Sedona. It's pretty, but.... yeah."
I have watched this vid through a liquid-crystal display, orchestrated by a dance of electrons on intricate metal-and-insulator paintings made on ultra-pure silicon crystals, and backlit by gallium-nitride crystals buried in photoluminescent ooze, over wireless connection to the cloud.
When it comes to crystals, I feel as though it works for some people, and it doesn’t work for others. But they should rarely be used for physical healing. Crystals are more of a mental tool to help you find yourself and your peace. And people who don’t believe in it or dislike the practice, that’s perfectly fine. But there’s no need to hold so much negativity and anger towards those who use crystals. Just because it doesn’t mean anything to you, doesn’t mean you have to take out your anger on people that value crystals.
Having never used a crystal I'm using pure guesswork, I would assume its is a form of meditation using the crystal as a grounding object. Having a natural object that has no real links to whatever is going on in life so that you don't find your thought straying back to what is causing anxiety may be helpful for some people. And as you said it only becomes a problem if they then reject scientific medical rather than combining.
My main concern about crystal healing is that it could increase unethically sourced minerals/rocks. In the same vein of crystals, I've seen articles about how Native Americans are concerned about commercial harvesting of white sage.
I started out believing that crystals were magical and that everyone should be using them. I now believe that it's all about the power we give them. They represent what we seek so they remind us of what we need. Does that make sense? Also, very interesting video. I appreciate the fact that you never make fun of others and try to understand without much bias.
Great topic, and I'm a complete skeptic for crystal power, and I love crystals! They make me feel OK. I collect them, I'm an avid rock hound. The science is solid, cyrstals have power... in clocks, radios, oscillators,... yeah but there is no magic. The placebo effect is powerful and sometimes better than an actual drug. Hey, if people want to delude themselves and play with $15K beds of whatever more power to them. But you are right about the dangers, crystals won't stop your brain aneurism... nor will religion, chickenhearts... etc... THANKS FOR LUCIDITY
As for the questionnaire, I think that any of the people who use crystals to "calm themselves" are never going to answer a question by saying that they're not calm at the moment. Because then they'd be suggesting that the crystals don't work. And this would mean they're wasting their time. So even if they're not outright lying, they might be convincing themselves that they're calmer than they actually are. A hippy friend of mine game me a crystal to put under my pillow a few years ago, and I did it just to be nice. But of course it didn't make a bit of difference to anything, and it broke after a day or two. I must have some bad mumbo-jumbo going on!
As a Legend of Zelda fan, I like to believe that rubies hold the power of fire, and sapphires the power of water. Do I *seriously* believe that? Nah, they're just rocks. But we're also a sack of flesh and liquid, yet we still make cool things. Crystals are also pretty. I can listen to someone talking about pretty rocks, either because they believe they're magical or because they know how old they are or what kind of wacky things happened to make those rocks. As sceptical as I am, I can at least offer that starting point to comprehend crystal healing.
Just going to repeat this: Please be kind to each other, and continue to seek the truth. 🧠🙏
Thank you for watching! I had a lot of fun making this video, I hope that it shows 🙃 Seriously: what should I try next?
hello there
The effects of misinformation and conspiracies? A related topic
Thank you for this video.
For your next video you should do something about what Isolation does to a person. This could be helpfull for people who do not understand what the pandemic does to lonely isolated people.
Please, Vanessa, make a video about "Microphysiotherapy", a manual technique that might be placebo based, or not. I'm not sure yet, until your video is done. =]
"what does the crystal industry say about human nature."
That we are all apes that like shinny rock
Thank you! lol, I say this all the time. I mean, this is the only reason I can explain why we collect the most ridiculous stuff. It's cool to just be dumb apes or at least recognize that we are and still like dumb shiny shit, just own it and don't attribute it to some supernatural thing.
reject humanity
return to monke
BUUUUUUURN
Probably that we are so desperately seeking understanding that we will suspend disbelief on a continual basis to engage in magical, hopeful thinking.
It's like a teddy bear or a blanket; if you think it makes you feel better it does for a moment, but it's scientifically proven not to heal anything.
This made me laugh so hard thank you
You have such a romantic way of making science videos and saying "This stuff is such bullshit! But...". Science without ignoring the human factor.
"I think it's horseshit, but I'll shut up and let you explain me your point of view, and I'll try to be as respectful as possible" is such a healthy mindset. And she didn't use crystals for that!
@@IceSpoon I hope your being sarcastic
I find crystals relaxing. But it's nothing mystical. I just find holding them comforting and helps me relax when I'm mediating. It gives me something to focus on and keeps me from getting distracted
That's reasonable. Believing each one has different healing benefits like "removing self doubt" and other stuff...not so much lol I think everyone would love to believe there is an easy way to achieve these things just by buying something aesthetic.
All can be explained by the placebo
@@OHOE1 what "cannot" be explained is how U r so judgemental..
@@OHOE1 funny how the placebo as you use it is also just a band wagon to bash other people’s beliefs.
@@Verotica
I'm always amused when I hear opinionated people bashing things they don't believe but those same people defend their favorite athlete who has intense rituals or lucky objects. It's pretty narcissistic.
I think the whole "trigger item" idea is key here. on its own they are useless yes, but many people could use them to sort of convince their brain to focus in on something specific. Often when meditating its hard to pinpoint a specific event or feeling (at first) and I can see how assigning different rocks to different feelings could help simplify complex thoughts and emotions
This makes so much sense to me! I often struggle with meditation because I feel there are too many disperate feelings to experience simultaneously - this might really help
This actually makes so much sense, reaching mental clarity or focus during meditation is actually difficult, not to mention that associating the crystal with the process of meditation makes the crystal a symbol of the calmness you felt during the meditation, the same way a gift from a loved one holds more value because it reminds you of said person.
The thing is that the people that push these types of alternative healing methods are not thinking this, they really and truly think they have mystical or magical powers, most of them will not admit it is simply placebo.
I welcome my placebo overlords
I have a mug I like. I feel happy when I have a cup of tea in the mug because I like the mug. Does this give the mug healing powers?
We could argue that the tea (ie: water) is essential for your life, so the ritual of pouring water into your body in a vase that you like is good for your mental health. I dunno.
Yes
Actually, it does! A placebo calming effect...
@@rubymimosa not necessarily it goes beyond placebo. It’s not placebo because your brain doesn’t believe that the mug has the ability to make you happier or calmer it just does.
No
Vanessa: Gets a sponsor
Vanessa 2 seconds later: So I spent all of that money on a crystal bed
hahahaha omg this so funny
You can’t deny it tho: shiny rock look nice
Crystals as a “health” commodity is a concerning grey market for self-care.
Crystals as a physical object pursuant to better living reminds me of other religions objects really.
Like prayer beads
@@Kowzorz Crystals as pretty physical objects include nearly all semi-precious and precious gems.
@@Eric14492 Or nearly everything, really. My mom likes stumps because she thinks they're pretty and has a few on our garden, my sister like cactus, and so on. You could argue that living beings are different, but they're just a bunch of Carbon and water, just like rocks are...well, rocks.
Shiny pet rocks are pretty nice
@@harrytsang1501 yeah just don't abuse them as part of a paraphilias
I didn't know I wanted to know this, but I did. The psycology of pseudoscience is a really interesting subjet. I would like more videos on other expressions of pseudoscience. like also why people choose to ingest actually dangerous chemicals that have no scientific support in the belief that it will heal everything. i think it's called mma or sth like that...
Yes yes yes!!!
MMS, miracle something solution - AKA bleach
Magical mineral solution I think. Sodium chlorite if I remember correctly. I think it's basically salt with an extra oxygen atom or something, but I just about got away with a C in GCSE science. Myles Power has a lot of videos on this dangerous craze.
I believe in science but also a lot of stuff indigenous people knew is made fun of until its proven by science. So its a bit iffy to find that balance of being a racist/colonizer/a**hole to being careful/common sense and respecting that we may not know everything
Its called big pharma
Crystals enhance my life everyday.
Don’t you use salt and sugar when cooking
My doctor told me to stop doing that.
Exactly
Thank 👏🏼 You 👏🏼 Crystals in our food and people don’t notice 😏
Yup, ive seen some people use sugar to season their nose too. Definitely seems to effect them
Same. I love cooking crystals.
Me a geology buff having to have that awkward conversation about why I love crystals and my childhood collection: I like to look at them and think about how they formed. Crystal healing is so ubiquitous no one thinks that.
On a unrelated note I need that Go Science banner!
Sympathize with all my mineral and crystal dice for DND, which do signify magic abilities in the game, but fake magic :D
As a palaeontology nerd, I also have a soft spot for pretty rocks. I can see one of these crystals and think "oh, cool...people actually polished these rocks to make them even prettier! I might even buy one because they're pretty" and nothing else.
Tbh, there's a lot of cool things out there that get ruined by a subset of their fans😋
I have a vast collection of geologic specimens. Been collecting since 7 years old, studied goldsmithing and gemmology post secondary. It sucks now having to explain I'm not a "witch", I am a rock nerd that loves the lore and history. 😞
It's the same way I can be scientifically minded and still use tarot cards. They're functionally a random topic generator that brings up fixed ideas for me to consider in a given situation. It's not magic, it's a psychological tool wrapped in mysticism.
Great Point
I’m the exact same way
I used to look at Tarot cards. I found occasions when I told people things they understood but I didnt. After a minute or 2 my mind would clear, like coming out of a fog that I had not even been aware of and could tell them no more. Nothing to do with the cards but like they were an on switch to some other level. A few times what I said would happen did. I found it almost creapy. I can only think that they enable a sort of telepathy. But I neither believe in the cards and am aware that there is no empirical evidence for telepathy though I am open minded about that having experienced what could be described as telepathy several times.
YES YES YES
@@helenamcginty4920 If you make statements some are bound to happen. nothing to do with telepathy it's just statistics.
I was pretty skeptical about crystals, I love them but never thought they did anything. That is, until I was vacationing in New Orleans and we were in this store that had crystals and whatnot. My friend just said, “hold this,” and nothing else. It was a rainbow quartz. I felt the energy of that thing, okay. I actually felt it grounding me before I really knew what grounding was. and outside of that a lot of new age stores have fake crystals that are lab created and not from the ground so they don’t have the same energy as genuine crystals, though technically their makeup is the same. do I think crystals can cure cancer? Not necessarily, however I think there is something special about them and our ancestors did too but they were more in tune with the earth than we are now to understand. I definitely believe in science but then again there are things science can’t explain either so it’s a hit or miss🤷🏽♀️
Utter nonsense.
If you understood science better you wouldn't need to believe in it. And if you think crystals generate "energy," or channel it through you, or whatever non-disprovable and esoteric misuse of scientific terminology you prefer, you don't "believe" in science either.
There also can't be "fake" crystals, not in the sense you mean here. The belief otherwise is essentialism, (the man-made crystal lacks some essential crystalness only found naturally) which has only ever been shown to be false. The structure is the thing, whether man-made or geologically-made; if the structure is the same, it is the same. Appealing to ancient wisdom on a scientific topic is also nonsensical; we used to think psychological disorders and disease were caused by demons or imbalanced humors. Not understanding a natural phenomenon and fabricating a satisfying or ego-fortifying explanation is not wisdom, and it is the antithesis of science.
The most important question that cannot be answered on these topics is always, what is the proposed mechanism of action? How did it work? And if your answer contradicts our incontrovertible knowledge of physics and chemistry, why do you think you've tapped into secret knowledge that science "ignores"?
I'm also curious what you think "science can't explain." Most people with magical beliefs either refer to things science DOES explain and they refuse to accept or don't understand, or things science is actively searching answers to (E.g., The Big Bang). If you think science can't explain life-after-death, for example, you're wrong in that from a strictly scientific perspective it must be regarded as nonexistent due to a total absence of supporting evidence. Same with psychics, or astrology, or homeopathy, or reiki, and etc.
This is really neat! Love to see more series like this :)
Hiiii :D
Yeah! So cool seeing big channels watching / supporting other channels, big or small!! I love it!
Hey psych2goers😊😊😊
Lol you know when P comments something like this it means that they are trustable!
Wasn't expecting u to show up :D
Hearing the crystal healer speak it dawned on me, that the benefit probably comes from being able to meet your feelings. An object like crystal helps you to concentrate and confront what lies deep within you. And the more you use it the easier it gets. The bed sound as fake as it gets, because then it's not about you, it's about the bed.
It actually worked for me. I felt it dramatically and it did work to help me get over a traumatic experience within 10 minutes. For real. I was a skeptic and I was shocked. I had no intention of healing anything.
Crystals are great for keeping track of time in the form of quartz crystal oscillators. You'll find them in any computing device and anything else with a processor, since they need a clock to tell when to do the next step of running an instruction. Such devices are all over modern hospitals. It turns out crystals are used for healing after all, but for running electronic tools.
Crystals seem to have an effect. After watching the video i went out on the street and asked a guy where i can buy some crystal. He sold me some (for a lot less than $10,000!) and yeah, i feel fine now :D
Lol 🤣
I guess after half an hour you wanted more crystals
You cant explain away thousands of years of spiritual knowledge practice and experience in one video where your conclusion is the same one that every skeptic comes up with in about five seconds.
what happens if people sexually abuse crystals as part of paraphilias? do crystals get sick of the abuse and may zap people with some retributive energy or what?🤔
Thousands of years of “spiritual knowledge” can be explained by the placebo effect
@@reggiecactus2810 maybe .01% of it could be. There’s way more than your privy to.
I feel the draw to crystals like I feel the draw to music. I know they're not for everyone (like some instruments aren't for everyone) but for me, I can actually feel a difference when I hold some stones and crystals. Part of it is wonder, like wow Earth really grew this gorgeous specimen, I am in awe! And another part is symbolism. I'm an artist who enjoys working with color therapy and the meaning we assign things. I agree, they are tools, not replacements for other medicines we have access to. But dangerous? Maybe if you're bludgeoning someone to death with one yea!
In my opinion, some people are more sensitive to certain things. Just like I'm sensitive to guided meditation and hypnosis. Because I have ADHD, it took me years of practice to really fully experience the deepest levels, but it's definitely made a big difference in my life.
I like when science based content isn't bashing the believers. Thanks for keeping it civil and nice
Lolhahaha
Seriously so tired of always feeling on the defense about things I love just when I see someone is talking about the subject. Really sick of it.
There is a saying in germany: *who heals is right* - but seriously this is just a placebo treatment!
Vsauce had a grate video about placebo effects and how strong it can be in some cases (on of the mind field episodes)
How do you know for sure that it’s a placebo? Nothing you can see or measure so it’s automatically placebo.
@@maroo747 You know the great thing is I don´t have to prove it ... the merchands selling those crystals / treatments have to proove it, or they are limited to the small market of buyers.
@@solidwater4020 Yeah Vsauce and In a Nutshell are great sources as well ...
@@DomAviationChannel yeah fair, what’s also fair is the claim that it is not factual shouldn’t exist. You can say that there’s no scientific evidence or a study that supports it but you can’t call it factually incorrect.
Skeptic: I don't feel any different. Whatsoever.
Crystal people: It wasn't effective because you didn't believe in it.
Look up nocibo effect, works for medicine too
Just like... prayer. Another silly religion.
The problem I've found with crystals and other forms of pseudoscience is not the ideas, but the people themselves.
These kind of ideas are often fine in a vacuum, placebo affect is a thing and if it helps you then, what's wrong with it, right? But I've found the type of people who belive these things can often be extremely ignorant and toxic, willing to twist or believe anything to suit their own agenda and to ignore and reject any science or logic that disagrees with them. It breeds distrust in "mainstream science" and I routinely hear these people talk about being anti vax or my housemate for example that only believes in Covid when it suits her and thinks that lockdown is wrong because she can't go to her psytrance parties. That is just my (fairly extensive, I know a lot of hippies) experience. I think it's important to acknowledge that alternative therapies can be beneficial for some people, but more needs to be done to make the facts around these things clear. Also I live with a crystal healer and I can say that emotional benefits of crystal healing are definitely superficial and can be reached by doing anything else theraputic.
I think people turn to crystals for the same reason they turn to god. It's faith, it's an unknown quantity that you use as a cognitive tool to help you deal with life. I think the fact that it isn't very well researched makes it more alluring, like you have found some sort of secret life hack. All of this builds over time to make people anti science. That's my opinion based on my experience and I'll make it clear, I had no clue about all of this till I lived with a crystal healer, and I tried it with an open mind when going through bad periods with my mental health. Ultimately i decided it had 0 affect on me.
After covid 19 hitting our business so hard, I start meditation and using crystals and meteorite stone for healing. Now I feel more calm when facing problems, firm than before if I need to make decisions. Many positive impact for me after using crystal and meditation.
Something I saw the other day was a meme that was
Scientist: you know it’s not real right. It’s just the placebo effect!
Witch: believing in something so much that it has actual physical effects? Sounds pretty magical to me
I love this!
Also, when they talk about placebo effect, when it came to my Moldavite, I didn’t even know it was going to happen to me. I just knew that it was a really powerful tektite and that it was supposed to help with making your life goals happen faster that problem was the sickness. I had no idea it was gonna happen. I didn’t even Google it first or check into it. I just knew what it was supposed to. Do you know like one of those little descriptions But I didn’t realize how powerful it was until I had it on the first week headaches heaviness in my chest I felt warm. I mean everything that you could imagine. I saw stars when I would take it off. It is very powerful and just recently I heard of someone getting the sweats from wearing it, you have to get used to Moldivite because it is the one tektite/Crystal as people might call it that you will feel something and if you don’t somethings wrong meaning your Moldavite is not real
Everyone needs to have something to believe in. What ever works for an individual should be accepted and not judged.
It's not the video we meet on, all pewdiepie fans go to their newest video not this one
Think again.
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait... So you're telling me I could built something out of a few shiny stones plus a few LEDs and an Arduino that people would buy for over 10.000 bucks!? Interesting...
This is why I think pseudoscience and other scams exists, so fool pay more than a premium for some smoke and mirrors, in this case LED+arduino and some nice rocks.
As someone who likes this shit, its just like my god why would someone do that. It feels like a scam. I use crystals to focus on myself, they aren't necessary and they dont do much but i like them. I feel like an 10000 charge is stupid for something that takes about twenty minutes and is absolutely free if you live in the right place (which i do)
Build that crystal bed!
Yes TMZwom, this is a thing, and you can do it exactly as you said. Those are all the component parts that you need. I want that 'bed' up by next Friday! (no sleeping on the job)
Kinda was digging Shannon honestly. She seemed very real.
Yeah, i don't mind people using crystals as a tool to relax. Just like a stress ball. She seems to be giving this message and that's ok as long as people understand that the crystal helps them relax because it's a habit.
I am a skeptic but A therapist asked me to hold my phone to my stomach then tested the strength of my arm. He then asked me to hold the phone AND a quartz crystal wrapped in copper wire. My strength was then much greater. That to me seems like an empirical test, and it was positive. And as a skeptic expecting things like this not to work, I wouldn't have thought I'd be vulnerable to the placebo effect in this case. So maybe there's some science there that we just have no way of measuring. I don't attach any spiritual belief whatsoever to crystals, and neither did the therapist, who was quite transparent about admitting that he had no idea how it worked.
Definetly more research needs to be done on Placebo and Nocebo effect. One of the things I find most outstanding is that even when patients are told that they are being given a placebo, they still experience a positive effect that its high enough (outside) of the margin of error. that's mind blowing!
I could see the chakra energy when we hold a crystal when doing aura photograph. That itself is proof. The energy flowing through crystal. The whole world use electricity and it is created from magnetic field. So is crystal.
I was using my Tiger Eye and Amethyst worry stones while I watched this and I couldn't help relate it to someone who smokes for the tactile sensation of it. For me, the physical action focuses my brain.
Not everyone has the same connection to crystals. I don't choose crystals for what they are said to do, I choose them based on the energy they feed me. When my hand tingles, I know the energy is right and I'll buy it if I'm looking for one. It's not just crystals. I'm also sensitive to other people's energy. Sometimes to the border of being empathic (no, I don't really want to relive the way someone's husband beat them last night). Not everyone is. People have gifts. I do astrology, tarot, Reiki, work with crystals, love crystal singing bowls but I don't do them as a profession. It's a friends and family thing and only when they ask.
We all have different tools we use for everyday things in life. I've seen documentaries of people getting their brain activity mapped when they use their psychic gifts. Somethings happening there, it shows. What it is we don't yet know. I don't go to gem shows any more due to financial constraints, but even if I did I doubt there's a machine that can scientifically register what I'm feeling from a crystal. Especially since I will take a crystal out of a box of crystals and be able to tell the energy difference between them. The same way you didn't feel anything from the crystal bed, it's quite likely I wouldn't either if it wasn't for me to do. There is no blanket generalization when it comes to such things.
I don't need to know why anything does anything. It's nice when science can explain it and I search such proof out, but it's not going to change my mind about the tools I use in my life. My experiences change my mind. I knew my son didn't have the same gifts I did so I didn't share my use of crystals or tarot or Reiki with him. He's a scientist. He loves proving things. He graduated with an EP degree and it suits him well. As a parent it was my responsibility to help him realize his gifts and find a way to use them as a career.
Bottom line, just because one thing didn't work for one person, doesn't mean it doesn't work at all just because others can't feel it. If I could wish for science to prove something it would be that. Why do some people notice the energy of things that exist and others do not and why do those things make their energy noticeable to begin with? I suspect there's something we may find about the nature of spirituality (not religion, spirituality) when we evolve in the future. After all, we called Star Trek communicators props until we made cell phones. Now everyone has them. =)
You took the words right out of my mouth. Well said!
"We tolerate too much pseudo science" is such a good point to make. A reflective mind is such a huge skill but should not be in reality.
Why is it so hard for so many people to be scientific but still believe?
People : crystals dont work
Technology and computers : crystals are needed or well diiiieeeeeeee
Biology : crystals are in your eyes bones and platlets
People are strange. They don’t believe the use of crystals and it’s “magic” abilities yet big companies have been using it for years in our mobile phone devices to help. That’s just one example.
I think the author should’ve delved deeper to learn more of crystal use.
So on that note, as the author here suggests
“Remember to seek the truth”
Wow, I came in thinking how insane this whole thing is but interested in the people who believe, but hearing Shannon talk about it, I think there might be something here. Not physically, but as a therapy technique. When I was little, a therapist gave me a magic rock to help me feel strong through tough things. And it worked! It was just a painted rock but it made me feel better. I think this whole “use this pretty, significant-feeling object as a stand in for emotions and other abstract things in your life” might be really effective in some circumstances :)
Thank you for making this video and helping me be less judgmental towards others
I am prone to being skeptical about all this hocus pocus, but I swear, every time I grab my quartz crystal, I feel a surge of energy running from it and up my arm. It’s the craziest thing and never fails. It’s mostly with quartz though. There’s so much we don’t know yet.
Exactly. The key for humanity is to stop thinking we know everything. Even science improves upon itself as more information is learned. I can't even wear my tiger's eye pendant because the energy is too much, it creates almost an anxious feeling for me. I didn't even know what tiger's eye did so, therefore, I didn't mentally attribute anything to it. There's no ignoring that.
@@FreeSpirit1111 Utter nonsense. You do not feel any energy. It is not giving off any energy.. Just utter nonsense.
@@FreeSpirit1111 Umm, we don't think we know everything? That is the point and drive of science. "Even science improves itself" is a nonsense statement; you don't actually understand what science is or what it means. Literally all of science is the process of improving knowledge through rigorous experimentation and observation, that is just the scientific process full-stop. There are "superseded theories" dating back centuries, like geocentrism, the humoral model of disease, or Newtonian Physics. If we knew everything, we could stop doing science. If anything, it is the spiritual who think they know everything (or that there must exist unknowable things because it feels to you like there should be) and that science searching for actionable explanations for phenomena is "crass materialism."
Your Tiger's Eye anecdote is also just an anecdote. For making broad claims it is literally meaningless. There's nothing to ignore, personal subjective perceptual experiences (qualia) are so monumentally prone to error they typically can't be considered evidence in a court of law, let alone in science.
Me thinking about Starcraft:
"You must construct additional crystal pylons"
Hahahaha as a nay-sayer hater and a gamer...you win.
POV: You came looking for Pewdiepie comments.
Your blend of skepticism and empathy is incredibly refreshing. Keep doing what you're doing!
people who refer to themselves as a "scientist" usually consider science a dogma not a process. They are devotees to the "religion of science".
People don't believe they have the power to change or improve. So placing this power on something else is how the brain gets around of it. Crystals are not at all the only objects used for it.
Interesting topic and I thought it was fun that the sponsor was for a music video. Then I was thinking how interesting it was that music is able to effect us and influence our operating emotional state. And then I was thinking how weird it was some abstract construct such as music had such power over people. And then I realized that it didn't seem so weird people would let a physical object have that kind of impact on their feelings and beliefs.
Can the “vibrations” of music cure every known malady? Crystal power nuts think crystals can.
PewDiePie is coming to take u down!
For many people, stones and crystals hold as much value as wearing a tiny cross. As a Christian if wearing a cross helps them and they will all say yes. Why? It's just small piece of metal, how can that help? It's all about the symbolism, what the rocks stand for. They are imbued with power just like religious items are. People who don't fully support a religion but still want to believe in something bigger than themselves. My approach is, if it works, use it.
To paraphrase Miss Jean Brodie's blatant tautology: "For those who believe that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing they believe."
I absolutely, positively felt a dranatic emotional healing for myself within 10 minutes on one of these beds in Deland, Florida about 8 years ago. I went back and the woman's store had closed. :(
This video is phenomenal! 🙌🏼 it’s basically a whole thesis in science communication. I have a little hypothesis: I’m currently doing some mindfulness-based meditation and one of the early lessons has been naming the feeling so we can acknowledge it and let it go rather than let our amygdala run with it on overdrive... made me think that perhaps the act of figuring out which crystal you “need” is a way to guide identifying the feelings so that you can then meditate on it and move on. I’ve always thought of astrology as a similar tool: it’s a starting point for reflection, so even if the astrology isn’t evidence-based, the importance of that reflection that follows is! Super neat to see you take us through that so beautifully - at the end of the day crystals are so pretty so I’m in 😂
(Also interesting preliminary findings! Might’ve even expected the crystal group to report more anxiety because they’d perhaps be more aware of feelings, and that maybe crystal practise reduces positive illusory bias?).... ok I’m done now I just really enjoyed this video and thinking about science that isn’t about Covid for once 😭 thank you for this gift !
I like your hypothesis, Sam! It's how I feel about things like astrology and tarot. I don't necessarily believe in the spiritual aspects (although I have heard of evidence-based benefits to spirituality even if the beliefs themselves aren't evidence-based!), but I do think they can be useful tools that guide self-reflection! One thing that the video doesn't mention however is that there is a lot of human/environmental exploitation in crystal mining, so that's one reason I personally go for tools that have less impact.
(PS I came to this video from your story on IG, thanks for sharing!)
Hope no big youtuber flam on you but much loves.
Came here straight from Tom Scott's channel and I love it! Also, as a psych majors who has a professor stating crystal therapist on their LinkedIn, very interesting video!!
I LOVE this video! It's a great exploration into the human psyche in relation to crystals. I've collected mineral specimens since I was 4 years old. In my teens, I found the "metaphysical" side of minerals. As an adult, I've melded the "woo woo" stuff with the science. I use the metaphysical representations of the minerals as physical reminders of my personal goals in relation to whatever they represent. For instance, I have a snowflake Obsidian keychain as a reminder to drive safely ans stay alert because it's a stone for safe travels. It's been a fun way to incorporate my collection into my daily life by using it to be more mindful.
That was really good. Thanks. As a Micrsocopist, I look at rocks all the time. Quartz is everywhere. There is rarely a sample I get from nature that does not have quartz in it. So if quartz does have a healing property then why disease and mental problems still exist? The answer is quartz doesn't have power on its own. We can make radios, lasers, and time crystals because we put energy into them but not by just thinking about it. What people are experiencing is just the positive reinforcement of meditation and good for them.
Why can’t I just be a crystal cluster lover collector without all the mumbo-jumbo!!
-Gonzalez
Well I found a 40 lb cluster of quartz and brought it home, left it by the rocks on the side of the house. The next day there were animals coming to it. I saw toads hide under it, a rabbit sat next to it and later saw a robin sitting on top of it. Not only that, but if you point a terminated quartz at your body, you can feel a tingling sensation. Well the cluster I picked up was a druzy quartz
Utter silliness.
Damn thought she was gonna smoke 10k in crystal meth.
Whatever helps one reach a meditative state. As long as it's not overpriced, of course!
P. S. That powerful Vanessa Hill + Tom Scott Upload Combo.
You mean the Vanessa Hill + Vanessa Hill Upload Combo 💁🏻♀️
@@braincraft True! :)
Who the hell is this Tom Scott guy?
You look like wonder women in thumbnail
This is possibly the greatest compliment I have ever received
She is one of the Wonder Women!
2:02 history
5:54 power of suggestion
6:06 placebo?
7:09 THEE questionarre...
11:30 -ish little bit of magical thinking can make you anti-science
11:48 -ish should never replace medical care
14:46 magical thinking aside... shoutout to BrainCraft's first Patron (sp?) Patrick Olsen (sp?)
Jesus Christ, Marie! They're Minerals!
2:48 Damn it Marie, they are not rocks, they are Minerals!
Opal is a healing gem I know I mine it here in Australia and it heals the bills ,true story
Lol
It actually worked for me. I felt it dramatically and it did work to help me get over a traumatic experience within 10 minutes. For real. I was a skeptic and I was shocked. I had no intention of healing anything.
I like crystals because they make rainbows in my house.
That sounds really nice, however just be careful cause I believe that crystals can be a fire hazard when left in sunlight
Really??? That’s sooo kool!!
To me it only becomes concerning when it comes to, as you said, leaning away from science. But also can be concerning when individuals spend an outrageous amount of money on this stuff when they can't afford it.
This is a great point.
The latter half is most of the people using this stuff, many of them are being taken advantage of and are actually sick people with no current definitive diagnosis or maybe very few treatment options or the medical options are too expensive. You'll find far more woo woo practitioners in the US for this reason, as a comparison to population. The issue I have is that they are selling "nothing", as you could buy most of these crystals for pretty much the same price as gravel rock if this didn't exist, they simply inflate the value of normal worthless crystal rocks by adding the "mystical power" to them. Wouldn't be surprised if you could trace this back to some guy who owned a mine full of worthless crystals for any other purpose.
@@rdizzy1 I agree, pseudoscience can be a money making scheme. I think there's a lot of that at play here.
@@Tockrellman I think the PRIMARY reason for almost all pseudoscience is money making. Fake viral marketing to convince people they were cured by X product or people being paid to lie end up brainwashing normal people and they buy the product and then suffer from sunken cost fallacies and will not admit they were duped, so they get sucked even further into conspiracy and pseudoscience.
luigis mansionnnn
An absolute gem
@@braincraft I was expecting a reference to Pokémon Crystal, my favourite Pokémon game. Luigi's was an almost good enough second place.
As a practicing witch I use crystals, candles, and other objects as focusing tools. I've come to the conclusion, as I am a total science nerd too, that the power to heal or change things isn't in the object at all but in the mind. We know that the placebo effect is real and can effect real measurable changes in the body. Like everything else I use in my practice it's a tool, but as a screwdriver doesn't do the work for you but helps you focus the energy of your muscles to turn a screw so do crystals help one focus other types of energy to perform a task. However I am infuriated by those who attempt to mislead others in this type of practice for profit. Yes pretty crystals are easier for us to focus on and thus through, but any object can be used just as easily. There's absolutely no reason to pay a ton of money for something you only need a bit of knowledge to do.
I think its dope that the placebo effect can help people so much ..
Although , how much $$$ that goes into buying all these crystals and sessions to know how to use them , ETC
Pretty damn shady
Crystals have been around longer than the human mind so i trust them more.
check your crystal bed with a Geiger counter first.
It's Crystal Clear to me that Vanessa Hill is a Jewel, the Gem with the highest value
3:20 no benefits?? Ok you take a look at my $700 bismuth crystal and tell me you aren't healed by the pure aesthetic~
Thank you for this video, it is nice that you were friendly this whole video.
I don’t have any crystals but I think I get it. I have like stuffed animals or clothing items or a smooth shell I found on the beach that touching or holding or wearing or smelling can make me feel more calm or safe or confident or focused. Crystals seem like a reasonable object to use for this type of thing. They’re “natural” and pretty and solid and they can be small and smooth and easy to hold.
10:32 This made me laugh so much it probably did more to make me feel good than an entire life of crystal therapy would have
Actual horseshit might have the same effects as the crystals. If you convince yourself that it does. And you cannot reason anyone out of a position they fooled themselves into.
Loved this video, very well balanced presentation. It's important to remember we can be open to magical thinking (I am) and still know science is a bedrock to build on.
crystals is a different field of psychology
I happen to know a little bit about this stuff.
The foundation is: pretty rock = special.
After that it's mostly confirmation bias and placebo effect but what I want to draw attention to is that, while they're all just rocks the boring looking ones are somehow never magic, they have to be pretty to be magical.
I am curious to know how they figured out which rocks have which effect.
After I was meditating with crystals I went to the my church and I wasn't expecting anything but I saw a ghost/ person in spirit who brushed past me then disappeared. This was a real surprise. I had never had this experience before. It just seemed really funny that it happened after I had been deep in meditation with quartz crystals.
This is why i hate being skeptical. I wish this type of stuff worked for me.
Me too. When i was younger i 100% believed they would help and they seriously did, but now that I've gotten older I've started thinking more skeptically and... Now things like this don't work as powerfully anymore :(
I love this kind of content from you! The trope would be "investigator gets involved", and you are very genuine while doing it.
Let's compare two of my favorite Engineering YT channels (I'm an engineer too): Real Engineering (RE) and Tech Ingredients (TI). RE does exhaustive research, elaborate visuals, and careful script development. TI describes a thing, makes or does the thing, then reviews the thing, where the "thing" is a stunning engineering or science project. TI projects are thoroughly prepared, though the presentation is mentally organized, but otherwise seems improvised. I doubt TI does too many retakes.
Many of your videos have been RE-like, and enormously informative and engaging. This video is more like TI, where you not just say, but also do. A very welcome addition to your channel!
Crystals are fascinating. Just think how the natural facetting is a direct reflection of the arrangement of atoms in the lattice.
As to the healing properties...yeah, whatever makes your placebo.
1:45 it's called animism and it's likely to be the oldest form of religion/spirituality that humans ever developed. Definitely not a new concept, and it's always been a cornerstone of most spiritual philosophies so it's not really a modern resurgence either
So Shannon's idea of using a crystal as a focus for meditation is a perfectly fine concept. People have been using mantras, icons, crucifixes, and other similar items for the same reason for thousands of years. But the idea that crystals have some kind of physical effect due to their nature is not scientific. Thanks for the video.
I love my crystals. I want to start there.
I believe Critical Thinking and Logic are SO important. I believe if everyone was required to be fluent in Critical Thinking, Logic, and basic Human Psychology, the world would be a MUCH better place. I also believe "Magical Thinking" is just as important. I feel it is the other side of the same coin (the human brain). I feel like so many scientific leaps started with "what if... " magical thinking.
I love this quote from The Hogfather by Terry Pratchett. Death is talking to his adopted granddaughter, Susan.
Death: "No, humans need fantasy to be human. To be the place where the falling angel meets the rising ape.
Susan: "With Tooth Fairies, Hogfathers...
D: "Yes, as practice, you need to start out believing the little lies,
S: "so we can believe the big ones.
D: "Yes, Justice, Mercy, Duty, that sort of thing.
S: "They're not the same at all.
D: "You think so? Then take the universe and grind it down to the finest powder and sieve it through the finest sieve and show me one atom of justice one molecule of mercy. And yet, you try to act as if there is some ideal order in the world as if there is some rightness in the universe by which it may be judged... ... you need to believe in things that are not true. How else can they become.
This also reinforces the idea of thought forms... creation through belief, will power, or mind over matter (how ever you want to label it). Maybe the Placebo Effect is the correct scientific term for this. I'm not sure.
Again... Critical Thinking is SO important, but so is the belief in something more. Just my 2¢. YMMV
I mean, I'm not a huge believer in crystal healing, but lets remove quartz and crystals from everything we use day to day and see how we get on xD
Thank you!
I prefer my crystals inside my PC... where God intended them to be. ;)
Also, "Hi, Vanessa from Phoenix. Sorry you're stuck in Sedona. It's pretty, but.... yeah."
I have watched this vid through a liquid-crystal display, orchestrated by a dance of electrons on intricate metal-and-insulator paintings made on ultra-pure silicon crystals, and backlit by gallium-nitride crystals buried in photoluminescent ooze, over wireless connection to the cloud.
When it comes to crystals, I feel as though it works for some people, and it doesn’t work for others. But they should rarely be used for physical healing. Crystals are more of a mental tool to help you find yourself and your peace. And people who don’t believe in it or dislike the practice, that’s perfectly fine. But there’s no need to hold so much negativity and anger towards those who use crystals. Just because it doesn’t mean anything to you, doesn’t mean you have to take out your anger on people that value crystals.
Did anyone else get sent here by Tom Scott?
Who is this guy?
Having never used a crystal I'm using pure guesswork, I would assume its is a form of meditation using the crystal as a grounding object. Having a natural object that has no real links to whatever is going on in life so that you don't find your thought straying back to what is causing anxiety may be helpful for some people. And as you said it only becomes a problem if they then reject scientific medical rather than combining.
It is fascinating to still see people that do not understand the power of placebo effect. And they just attribute it to magic.
Crystals are in computers and other electronics, without it, it won't function.
Like any form of placebo, the crystals aren't the source of magic, but are a mirror to the magic of the psyche.
My main concern about crystal healing is that it could increase unethically sourced minerals/rocks. In the same vein of crystals, I've seen articles about how Native Americans are concerned about commercial harvesting of white sage.
A billion dollar a year fraud, ripping off poor, sick women... and you’re worried about unethical sourcing... ok.
breaking news: person who makes a living with X says X works
The Placebo Effect is a hell of a thing
I started out believing that crystals were magical and that everyone should be using them. I now believe that it's all about the power we give them. They represent what we seek so they remind us of what we need. Does that make sense?
Also, very interesting video. I appreciate the fact that you never make fun of others and try to understand without much bias.
Great topic, and I'm a complete skeptic for crystal power, and I love crystals! They make me feel OK. I collect them, I'm an avid rock hound. The science is solid, cyrstals have power... in clocks, radios, oscillators,... yeah but there is no magic. The placebo effect is powerful and sometimes better than an actual drug. Hey, if people want to delude themselves and play with $15K beds of whatever more power to them. But you are right about the dangers, crystals won't stop your brain aneurism... nor will religion, chickenhearts... etc... THANKS FOR LUCIDITY
As for the questionnaire, I think that any of the people who use crystals to "calm themselves" are never going to answer a question by saying that they're not calm at the moment. Because then they'd be suggesting that the crystals don't work. And this would mean they're wasting their time. So even if they're not outright lying, they might be convincing themselves that they're calmer than they actually are.
A hippy friend of mine game me a crystal to put under my pillow a few years ago, and I did it just to be nice.
But of course it didn't make a bit of difference to anything, and it broke after a day or two.
I must have some bad mumbo-jumbo going on!
As a Legend of Zelda fan, I like to believe that rubies hold the power of fire, and sapphires the power of water. Do I *seriously* believe that? Nah, they're just rocks. But we're also a sack of flesh and liquid, yet we still make cool things.
Crystals are also pretty. I can listen to someone talking about pretty rocks, either because they believe they're magical or because they know how old they are or what kind of wacky things happened to make those rocks. As sceptical as I am, I can at least offer that starting point to comprehend crystal healing.