Photo Credit: Telahn

“Here, hold this in your hand and close your eyes.” I closed my eyes, letting the rock align itself within my palm, allowing my fingers to analyze its edges. The stone was a clouded pink, with dense, pointed edges. The surface was slick but familiar to rocks I’ve touched before.

“Make sure to breathe, dear.” I heard the woman’s voice in the background of my vibrating nerves. I let my deep breathing fall and rise naturally. I felt lighter. No, airier. I felt open as if the heaviness of anxiety within me had subsided.

After a few moment’s Ms. Cleo gently laid her hand on my arm, “open your eyes now.” After a moment of meditation, holding nothing but a rock in my hand, I was more clear and open – this was my first experience with crystals.

What is Crystal Healing?

Crystal Healing is an alternative medicine that involves using gemstones to bring balance to an individual’s life and mind. Judy Hall explains it best in her book: The Little Book of Crystals, that crystals “have a stable and uncharging energy pattern, each with a unique frequency and energy field, or resonance” that gives them unique properties. As a result, “they act like tuning forks,” helping bring “harmony” to the very “unstable energy field of the human body.”

The benefits of Crystals

You’ve probably heard people talking about and showing off their beautiful stones. Whether in raw form or more popular culture as jewelry, crystals promote good energy flow and help rid the body and mind of negative energy for physical and emotional health. Researchers have mentioned that we may have more power than we give ourselves credit for, an excellent assistant in healing ourselves.

I got to chat with Telahn owner Terica Johnson, about how her healing journey led her to learn about crystals, and creating a business for herself to help those around her. If you are looking for new jewelry to add to your collection or are interested in learning more about crystals to add to your rituals, continue reading.

Interview with Terica Johnson from Telahn

[V = Victoria Sockwell | T = Terica of Telahn]

Photo Credit: Telahn

How do you describe your brand?

For now, it’s mostly just like wearables to help people along their healing journey.

Speaking of healing journeys, tell me a little bit about your healing journey. How did you get here?

It’s definitely been a back and forth process, which I wouldn’t expect it to be any other way. But it started a while ago, of course, you know, it’s back and forth. I’ve struggled a lot with anxiety and depression most of my life. I basically started to look deeper into my spirituality and try to figure out exactly where the problems start and my triggers, things like that. I’m really into psychology, and once I started looking into myself, I started trying to figure out different tools and things to help me along the way.

So like I said, it’s been a back and forth process. Healing, you know, every healing journey is unique. So manifest in it as well, you know, writing it down and getting it out there on paper, even if you know, you get rid of the paper and just put it somewhere.I find little love notes that I left myself months ago, and I’d be surprised how things just came into fruition. It’s like, oh, my gosh, I wrote that down three months ago, and it’s happening now!

Is that how you kind of manifested your business now?

Okay, so when I first started, I saw an art therapist and talked about Zentangle; I wasn’t really into the Zentangle. So I asked her what it is about the Zentangle that calms people’s anxiety, and she said, “the repetitive motion.” So I went to Walmart, and I just started buying beads and stringing them; that was before I got into the crystals. When I was searching for beads, I saw Amethyst, and I was like, “Oh, I love Amethyst is purple. Purple’s my favorite color. This is so pretty.” That was before I started studying crystals and things like that. So I’m stringing the beads because that was helping with my anxiety. I went ahead and started wearing the Amethyst bracelet. I was surprised at how much peace it actually bought me; sounds like it’s got to be some truth.

I felt an overwhelming sense of peace just wearing this bracelet. I thought it was just me, but then family members started asking me to make them for them. I don’t know, it’s like a calling because it kind of just got thrown onto me; it wasn’t anything that I had done much research on. I fell back from it for a while, and then more recently, somebody had asked me about it, and I was like, “Oh, no, I don’t really do that anymore,” and they’re like, why not? So, I don’t know, I feel like it’s divine timing and everything happens when it’s supposed to.

I started rebranding because I had a different business name a couple of years ago, but I never did too much with it.

Do you choose the crystals based on a vibe?

I’m just kind of using my intuition. I don’t make any bracelets the same. If somebody sees one and they’re like, “I absolutely have to have that one in the picture,” I might make it, but I try to add a little something that makes it a little different. I try to make everybody’s bracelet unique. Also, I don’t want to make anything for anybody while my energy is off because I don’t want to transmit the energy to them.

My next question for you is that it kind of plays on what we’re talking about, but for some people, they feel like these crystals are only for people who practice a specific religion or spirituality. What’s your take?

I don’t think so. My grandmother is actually really religious. She used to be a minister in the church. When I first started my spiritual journey, she was the one that I was most afraid of expressing myself to but I don’t know why, she never judges me. But certain people have religious beliefs, and believe deeply in what they believe in, you know?

I’m pretty open, I will listen to anybody, and it’s not going to change how I feel about them or how I feel. Crystals were in the Bible. My grandmother was telling me that these crystals are in the Bible. And I was super excited about that because a lot of my family are Christians, you know, and I didn’t want to rub them the wrong way.

Do you have any advice for people who are starting out and their journeys or something that you’ve learned along the way, heard from other people?

You got to look inward; you got to journal, you got to do the work. There are no shortcuts. Even my bracelets, they are tools in that work. The bracelets support that work, they aren’t the solution. You have to put the work in. You have to figure out the things that bother you and trigger you. You have to figure out the things that have been holding you back; you got to heal your trauma.

And like I said, the crystals will help you, like having people that help support you. It’s nice to have support. Trust your own gut and your intuition, follow that.

What’s new for you and to Telahn? What can we expect?

I have a couple of different ideas that I’m playing with. I have a friend that actually has her own crystal shop down in Annapolis, Maryland. I’m going to try to get some crystals from her. I’d like to learn how to wrap them and make some necklaces. And I also have little crystal pieces. I’m still debating whether I want to put them in little mini jars on a necklace or if I want to put them in resin so that they’re sealed in.

I’d also like to experiment with some herbs. I make my own teas from a local herb shop. Everybody’s journey is unique. So it might not help other people, but if it could help one other person.

Have you ever thought about coming up with rings?.

I have the tools, I just have done much with it. I’m always holding myself back. So, I think that now that I’m coming into my divinity and feeling, you know, like the Empress out here, I want to go out there and experiment with some things.

Where can people connect with you if they want to?

The Telahn website is up now, and I’m on: Facebook, @Telahn Creations and on Instagram.

I can be reached by email: telahncreates@gmail.com. Feel free to reach out. I’m friendly and welcome messages.

Thank you so much for being here, sparing your time with me away from your kids.

Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity, of course.

Victoria Sockwell

Also known as LiteraryBlkGirl. I’m a Rockford, Illinois-born; Chicago-based writer, archivist, and community organizer oriented towards restorative justice, healing, and liberation. I started using cannabis in college as a way to be social. Now I use cannabis as a way to heal my body from the inside out. Through my writing, I hope to continue to advocate for the health and wellness of Black communities.Favorite Strain: It’s a tie between Girl Scout Cookies, Black Girl Magic OG, and King Louis

Written and Interviewed by: Victoria Sockwell

Edited (for clarity) by: Veronica Castillo