Spiritual queen or rational-minded sceptic – take our quiz to find out
Crystal healing, sound and forest baths, reading the runes… Wellness therapies have boomed in recent years and the industry is now worth £12.4 billion in the UK alone. But one person’s mindful meditation is another’s mumbo jumbo. Where are you on the woo-woo scale?
REIKI
Translated as ‘spiritually guided life-force energy’, this is a Japanese technique for stress reduction, relaxation and healing. It’s based on the premise that an unseen energy flows through us. When it’s low, we are more likely to get ill or feel stressed. To alleviate blockages and promote wellbeing, practitioners will guide healthy energy by placing the palms of their hands either lightly on, or just above, the body. Some will use crystals and wands to enable healing of chakras (energy points) or protect a home from negative energy. The jury’s out over whether it has benefits. Some say the deep relaxation is beneficial, while others point to a lack of scientific evidence that it does any good.
A LOL
B I’m open to trying it
C I’d be thrilled – it’s one of my go-to therapies
CRYSTALS
The idea is that coloured crystals and gemstones hold healing powers. For example, rose quartz helps to encourage love, amethyst reduces anxiety and aids sleep, while orange citrine rids us of negativity and boosts our sense of personal power. Crystals may be worn as jewellery, placed around your home, or placed on the body by therapists to unblock and focus energy. Sceptics say it’s harmless, but useless. Devotees report easing of tense muscles, lowering of stress levels and an increased sense of inner peace.
A I’d rather have diamonds
B They’re quite pretty, I guess
C I’m never parted from my onyx
MANIFESTATION
A self-help exercise where, through visualisation and meditation, you focus on a desired outcome to make it real. In 2017, a study* found that when tennis players pictured improving their performance and winning a match, they were more successful. Experts say it can help us develop coping skills, and a goal-orientated mindset may yield results. The downside is you may be more set on a goal than the action needed to reach it.
A Only if it made me a millionaire
B Can you manifest a belief in manifestation?
C I’m manifesting my quiz results right now
TAROT & RUNES
A tarot deck is made up of the Major Arcana (22 cards) and the Minor Arcana (56 cards). Like playing cards, the Minors have four suits, but these are associated with your mind, energy, emotional and physical self. The Majors relate to beginnings, endings, discoveries and losses – this is where you find the well-known Lovers and the
Hanged Man. Tarot readings reveal
