The question often comes up: "Where it is acceptable to find and purchase (adopt) quartz crystal?". I'm not talking about where it comes from in the Earth, but what are acceptable sources available for a person to gather their working collection/family of crystals.

If you live too far away to dig your own, there are plenty of great options available. Even if you are in a town that (gasp!) doesn't have a store with gemstones. Among the options are the obvious, such as; gemstone stores and shops, gem and mineral shows, spirit fairs and festivals. Other not-so-obvious places where I have found crystals are craft stores (often drilled, for beads), flea markets, antique stores, garage/tag/estate or yard sales, second-hand stores and roadside vendors.

Another perfectly acceptable way to look for your crystal is online. Lots of people over the years have written to me at my online store, Arkansas Crystal Works, asking if it is acceptable to find and adopt crystals from websites such as eBay or other auction sites.  In my opinion, it is the connection with the CRYSTAL that is more important than the connection with the vendor. Don't misunderstand me here; Obviously you want to adopt from a person you trust, and you need to do your homework to know that you aren't paying more for an item than its fair market value. You need to be sure that the crystal is authentic and that it is what it is billed to be. Sometimes these questions are difficult to answer if you are new to crystals (and in some cases, even if you are a seasoned collector!). In cases such as these, it might be wise to start with a person or website who you can trust or comes well recommended (most especially if the crystal you are adopting is an expensive one). Once you are more familiar with crystals and you can answer all of these questions to your own satisfaction, I wouldn't hesitate to place an order for a crystal online if I felt a connection with it. You might be surprised to find that if you take the time to connect, you can actually feel that connection to a crystal through photographs of it, and without being able to hold it in your hand.

I recommend that you ask your friends where they obtained their crystals. Were they happy with the transaction? Did the crystals arrive to their door respectfully (properly wrapped and safely cushioned)? Did the crystal look as if it was loved and cared for in the shipping process? Was the shop owner respectful, both to your friend (the customer) and also to the crystal they ultimately adopted?

I suggest you take some time and read the bio and “about me” info on websites. Trust your gut. If a website gives you a good (or conversely a bad) feeling, trust that. Learning to hear the call from our crystal friends should be easier for you now that you know how to listen. If you are being called by a crystal, you may feel a pull when you see a picture online. Alternately a crystal might call to you in a dream. Crystals can appear to us in the most unexpected places. Be open and ready to answer the call. I have made more (human) friends and reunited with more soul family than I can count whom I never would have met if it weren't for the Crystal People leading me to them. Be open to the new relationships to which the Crystal People lead you.

I hope this blog post has sparked some different ideas for you to continue your search for Crystal Friends.

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