How do crystals work?

When we talk about crystals, we are really talking about minerals with a crystalline structure. These minerals have specific chemical compositions that result in an internal crystalline structure. In order to hold that structure, the elements that made up the mineral are joined forming bonds (chemical bonds).

The energy formed during the creation of these bonds give the mineral a specific vibration, which is constant for each piece of the same mineral (i.e: all rose quartz will have the same vibration). This vibration is the energy that we are referring to when we talk about crystal energy. 

We are also made of minerals held together by chemical bonds, and we also have a vibration. However, being complex beings with a number of energy layers to our energy field, our vibration is not constant. There are many external and internal factors that affect our energy: our feelings, emotions, energy levels, our nutrition, how much we sleep, the energy of those around us... all of these are factors that affect our vibration.

Crystal energy work involves the use crystals to balance our energy. By the law of resonance we understand that everything in the universe relate to one another through vibrations. When keeping crystals/minerals in our energy field, we can alter our own vibration. The understanding is that our own energy field will change to vibrate to the same frequency of the crystal we keep, or to a frequency nearer that of the crystal, given the time. 

However, in order for the vibration of the crystal to interact and change our vibration, we also have to create the energy and space to allow our vibration to change: meditation, intention setting, personal change and positive actions, a healthy clean environment, are also required in order to create the intended result. By this I mean that crystals/mineral are tools for transformation, but they are not the transformation themselves.