High energetic quality, nice vibrations and energy purification
Salt lamps at home? We would say definitely “YES”!
My first contact with salt lamps was in 2009 when together with my husband Evangelos we were on vacations on Black Forest in Germany. We stayed in a village near Freiburg. On our daily excursions we enjoyed to find small bazaars and make selectively small acquisitions. In one of the bazaars I saw for the first time these magificent small pieces of orange salt crystal. It was love at first site! I bought two salt lamps 5-6 kg and four salt tealight holders. I didn’t know at the time why but I felt a big joy with my acquisitions. Of course I had to convince Evangelos to carry those to the car which was at the parking a little far …. from where we were.
What is a salt lamp?
Salt lamps are made from pieces of salt cut from salt caves. These pieces have been hollowed out at the base to allow a space for a light bulb which is 7 to 20 watts, lit by low-wattage bulbs and may have a dimmer. Mostly we find them in shades of orange or pink but not only. We can find them in several shapes. The most common shape is the one we call natural shape like the one we can see in the image. We can meet them also in ball, pyramid and even in bowl shape. Each lamp is original with its own distinctive shape and colors.
Salt chunks are mined traditionally from salt caves which afterwards are hand-carved. This way their translucent beauty and their therapeutic benefits are maximized.
Where the salt lamps come from?
At this point it is time to break a legend. The legend that salt lamps come from the Himalayans. This is half the truth because yes most of the lamps come from North Pakistan. The other half of the truth is that there are three big mines around the world from where these magnificent sculptures of salt are mined.
The first one is in Pakistan.
The known to us as ‘Himalayan salt lamps’ come from there. On the western edge of the Himalayan mountains at Khewra in North Pakistan at 1872 was created the first big mine which is still open. It is calculated that the salt reserves are about 600 million tons and the daily production reaches 1,200 to 1,500 metric tons of salt. So don’t worry. According to their calculations there are reserves for another 350 years.
The second one is in Poland.
From Asia we come to Eastern Europe. Near the town of Kralow there is the ancient Wieliczka Salt Mine where the Polish Salt lamps are mined.
In 1834 Dr. Feliks Boczkowski noticed that patients with respiratory problems experienced dramatic relief in the ionized air of Polish salt.
Polish salt lamps tend to have a deeper orange color than Himalayan salt lamps which are more rustic and colorful.
The third salt mine is in Iran (former Persia).
Persian Salt Lamps make the difference. You will not find the colors we meet in the salt lamps from the Himalayans and Poland but colors like purple, blue and generally darker shades. This distinctive coloration is obtained from the mineral Sylvin.
Unfortunately, these beautiful salt lamps are very rare and more expensive than all the others. Sometimes their price is 10 times up from the rest.
The Himalayan salt lamps
In this article we’ll give the relative information mostly for the Himalayan salt lamps for one and only reason. Because we can find them easily, there are in a variety of shapes and they are the most affordable.
When you have in your hands a Himalayan salt lamp, you are in fact in touch with the pristine past. They are actually pieces of an unrecorded history of at least 250 million years. Yes, they are so old and as a result they have a very high energetic quality, similar to any other crystal.
Himalayan salt lamps, are a beautiful light and “living” energy source. Each lamp is original with its own distinctive shape and colors. The colors come from trace mineral elements within the salt. These elements include iron, copper and magnesium which are responsible for the combinations of colors within the same salt formation. Himalayan salt lamps vary in color. They range from apricots to dark oranges to rare pearl white and smokey grey collections. Magnesium is responsible for the most yellow and iron for the most red or other times pink colors.
Also, according to scientists there are 84 mineral elements in the Himalayan salt exactly the same number as in the human body.
Health benefits attributed to Himalayan salt lamps
We have heard a lot about their benefits. But what is it true and what is not?
In general, I’ll say that most of them are true but with a dose of exaggeration. This means that although a Himalayan salt lamp produces negative ions, consider that a 2-3kg salt lamp is sufficient for a space of about 10m2 and a large 18-25kg salt lamp for a space of approximately 30m2. How many square meters is the space you would like to cover?
So if you want to properly cover your space with the benefits of a Himalayan salt lamp, you should consult the table below.
During my research for these pink pieces of salt I found out that in reality there is no scientific research and documentation of the benefits of Himalayan salt lamps. Insteand most of the conclusions relate to the observation of scientists or alternative researchers and to research and tradition on the properties of salt.
High energetic quality, nice vibrations and energy purification
This is true. From my observation I’ve realised that this sweet orange light especially in the evening without any other light, calms and relaxes me. This splendid tranquil glow and the ionized clean air create a balanced, calm, meditative atmosphere to sleep or relax.
Bioenergotherapists and homeopaths in Western Europe have recommended crystal salt lamps for a long time to support treatment of allergies, respiratory system and blood system diseases. Their soothing light helps neurotic persons and people suffering from insomnia. The lamps have also been appreciated by Feng Shui art connoisseurs.
Besides salt is excellent for clearing your environment of negative energy. Furthermore, salt Crystals vibrate at a frequency closer to the earth’s magnetic frequency known as the ‘Shuman resonance’ frequency so they can also help bring us back in balance.
Color and Light Therapy
Due to its beautiful and rich colors, salt lamps are also used in the color therapy, i.e. chromotherapy.
Physicians and other practitioners in the exploding field of complementary medicine use these lamps for Color Therapy (chromotherapy).
Countless Ayurvedic and Energy medical professionals have found color therapy to be useful in positively influencing our mood, mental state, and energy level.
Natural Ecological Ionization
We’ve all heard that in the atmosphere and in the air we breathe, there is electric charge, the so-called positive and negative ions. The beneficial ions for human beings are the negative ones. The salt from the Himalayan salt lamps releases when heated negative ions. Especially in enclosed spaces the operation of electrical and electronic devices (such as TV, PC, microwave, antennas, mobile), cigarette smoke, dust particles e.tc., increase the positive but harmful for us that entail negative effects on human wellbeing and health. In order to maintain the atmospheric balance, it must be enriched with negative ions. Mineral salt lamps do just it! Beyond beautiful aesthetics and beneficial due to their color at the same time and natural ionizers.
Moreover, salt crystal is naturally hygroscopic, absorbing water molecules from the air (humidity). It is a natural property of sodium chloride. They need a heat source (in this case, heat from an incandescent bulb) to accelerate evaporation.
Don’t make the same mistake we did using a led bulb for longer life. Led bulbs have cold light and do not release heat.
If a Himalayan salt lamp remains unlit for long periods of time, it will begin to ‘cry.’ The heat from a small light bulb keeps these beautiful crystals dry and in turn releases negative ions (the ones found in abundance in places like oceans, waterfalls, even your shower) into the air. In more humid regions, an unlit salt lamp will “cry” very soon even creating puddles of water at its base. For this reason, we advise to have it lit as much as possible.
These lamps also function as balancers in the humidity of the room by reducing any increased moisture, as the salt absorbs and the light dries it!
I have one of my Himalayan salt lamps in the bedroom. In this corner of the room that faces North, there used to be a lot of humidity. You could feel it and sometimes you could even see it. From the time we lit our salt lamp, we don’t have excessive humidity anymore. I admit I cannot keep myself for writing it “I love to pass through, outside the bedroom door and take a quick look inside towards the glowing lamp. I cannot describe it. It’s a very sweet feeling, it is a joy and a gratitude.
Back to benefits. So another benefit of Himalayan salt lamps is the effect they have against electric smog. The best and simplest method to reduce electric smog is to air rooms regularly. Especially in rooms where cigarettes are smoked the next most efficient way is to use air ionizers. A Himalayan salt lamp can be used as a natural ionizer. It will help you remove electric smog, it will enhance the number of negative ions in the room but don’t expect everything from your salt lamp. You have to do more to refresh the air in the room like opening the window.
Since we are constantly surrounded by modern day WIFI, CELL phone towers, Tv’s and other electrical appliances, these things give off a lot of Electro magnetic Radiation or EMFS for short.These EMF’s high in positive ions have been known to reduce our serotonin levels and can cause cancer, fatigue, lathery and a host of problems we face today. So we could have Salt crystal lamps since they have the ability to generate negative ions and neutralize these EMF’s .
In general and more scientifically speaking, the effect of air ionization by salt originates from physical and chemical properties of salt discovered many years ago. In salt lamps the ionization effect is additionally enhanced by heating the salt crystal with a bulb installed inside the lamp. As a result, the lamp improves the quality of our environment, and thus our well-being.
Locate one near your bed, computer, Digital TV, and wireless modem for starters to harmonize and neutralize all forms of harmful energy throughout your home.
An energy treatment area of 30 square meters, will certainly have less need for ionization than a 10m2 space, filled with electronic equipment and smokers. The luminaires are kept better and also act as ionizing ones more dynamically when they are on.
….. and I’ll write it again “Beside air ionization and negative ion production, these salt lamps, illuminated by a light bulb, produce a soft glow of pale orange to yellow to red shading. This wonderful peaceful glow and the ionized clean fresh air create a balanced, calm, meditative atmosphere to sleep or relax in”.
Personal review and advices for Himalayan Salt lamps
If they are off, they may become wet due to the moisture in the room and in rare cases of very high humidity can even run a little saline. To dry out, just light up. The majority of them meet European Union standards with their cables and carry wooden bases!
Buying a Himalayan Salt lamp
Himalayan salt lamps come in a multitude of sizes, ranging from 6 to 13 inches. Mostly they are measured by their weight. They have a specific crystal to room size ratio for how much air they can purify under normal circumstances. For better results, lamps should be used according to the size of the room. Moreover the larger the surface of the lamp the better. Here are some general sizing guidelines for picking the right lamp:
- For the average bedroom, a smaller lamp should provide adequate coverage.
- For open spaces like a living room, you’ll want to use a larger lamp
- In general, the recommendation is the following: 0,5kg of salt to every 1,5m2 of surface coverage:
Instead of a large enough lamp for your intended location, you can use multiple lamps spread out around the space to achieve the same effect.
You can also try a Himalayan salt tealight holder instead. They’re pretty and boast all of the same benefits (albeit on a smaller scale).
Tip: Himalayan pink salt products are heavy and of a fragile material. So make sure that the vendor offers flexible and convenient return policies.
Usage and care of Himalayan salt lamps
Sweating:
Himalayan pink salt lamps remove contaminants from the air by absorbing the microscopic water droplets which carry them. The hot salt crystal then evaporates clean water back out into its surroundings while keeping any absorbed particulate trapped inside. This process – called hygroscopy – means that sometimes a Himalayan salt lamp is going to sweat.
In drier climates, this sweating effect will happen only very rarely if at all. However, if you live in a very humid area, your lamp will absorb more moisture from the air and the crystal will exude a greater volume of water (so you must take precautions for your furniture).
Tips: You could leave your lamp turned on 24/7. Salt lamps don’t use much energy, so you won’t have to worry about running your electric bill up or hurting the environment by doing so.
“Surrounded by artificial products of the civilization, we all need a unique product, a natural salt lamp.”
You may also want to try using a higher-wattage bulb which will generate more heat and help the water trapped inside the crystal to evaporate faster. Just remember not to exceed the manufacturer’s specifications for maximum bulb strength which should be stamped somewhere on the bulb housing.
To prevent any accidents which may occur as a result of the excessive moisture, use a coaster or saucer underneath your lamp.
You could leave the lamp running 24/7 to evaporate as much of the water from inside the crystal as possible.
Use a dry, lint-free cloth to pat the salt crystal dry whenever you notice a large build-up of moisture on the outside.
Furthermore, just remember that if your lamp tended to sweat due to humidity, a tea light holder will probably do the same. You’ll still want to keep a saucer underneath it to protect your furniture!
Bulb replacement:
The bulb will need to be replaced often especially if you keep your Himalayan salt lamp lit 24/7. Make sure you have spare ones.
If the bulb in the lamp burns out too frequently:
If you’ve had a steady stream of burned out bulbs over too short a period of time, here are some troubleshooting pointers to help you identify the problem:
Make sure that the light bulbs you are using do not exceed the maximum wattage for your lamp.
If your frequent burned out bulbs have a smokey white appearance when you remove them, make certain that the next bulb you install doesn’t touching the inside surface of the salt crystal (due to wrong size or length). If water from the crystal runs down onto the hot bulb, it can cause the glass to crack and the filament inside to oxidize which causes the white smoke effect on the glass.
If you move your lamp around very often, it is possible that the bulb is getting jostled around and cracked against the inside of the lamp. Again, this could result in broken glass, an oxidized filament and a white smokey appearance on the burnt out bulb.
If your lamp flickers on and off while running:
The first thing to check is the bulb. Turn your lamp off, let it cool down, then replace the bulb with a new one. Be sure not to exceed the manufacturer guidelines for acceptable bulb strength (which should be stamped inside the bulb housing as can be seen in the image)
If flickering persists, it may be a case of a broken wire or loose contact somewhere inside the cord or bulb housing. Turn your lamp off, let it cool down, then inspect the electrical components for corrosion, loose contacts or any other visible damage. If you either cannot find or can’t fix the problem with the bulb housing, you may simply need to replace the cord assembly.
If the flickering is accompanied by excessive sweating, this may be indicative of moisture build-up or corrosion inside the bulb housing. In this case, leave your lamp on more time and even 24/7 or use a higher-wattage bulb to encourage faster evaporation. If the problem insists again replace the cord assembly
If you want to keep your Himalayan pink salt lamp in the bedroom,
but it’s too bright for you to sleep with the lamp on, here are a few options which might work for you:
dim the light as low as possible
in case your lamp didn’t come with a dimmer switch, you may want to purchase one of these and swap it out for the old non-dimmable cord assembly. (Alternatively, if you haven’t purchased your salt lamp yet then you may want to purchase a salt lamp that comes with the capability to dim the light, such as this one)
you could turn it off while you sleep and turn it on again when you wake up. I simply turn it off when I go to sleep while I leave lit 24/7 the other one in the living room.
If your Himalayan salt lamp has been attracting dust cleaning is easy:
Turn off your lamp, unplug it and allow the salt to cool down to room temperature. Then simply moisten a cloth or sponge so the material is damp, but not wet. (A good general rule is to squeeze out as much water as you can before touching cloth or sponge to salt.) Gently wipe away debris from the surface of the crystal and pat dry with a lint-free cloth. Then set your lamp back in its home, plug in and turn it on. Once fully heated, the rejuvenated salt crystal will naturally evaporate off any water left over from its bath.
“The salt of Mother Earth in a wide range of lamps and candle holders is a gift that everyone likes and ideal for every room!”