Obtaining Crystals

I appologize in advance if there is already a thread on this. I tried searching for one, but I couldn't seem to find one, but I might have just missed a thread. In any case, my question is where do you guys go about buying crystals? I live in a very small area that doesn't have any metaphysical stores. Also, what are your thoughts on crystals from flea markets? I'm just starting to learn about crystals, any advice would be much appreciated.
Thanks
xxx

I am not an expert by any means, but the advice I've been given and have found to be helpful, is to choose what feels good, not just what looks good. In other words, pick it up and feel the energy- you'll know if it feels good or bad. You can have two crystals for the same price, but one will feel like it belongs to you- and maybe will flash a rainbow at you to get your attention- and another will just feel cold, or not for you.

Thanks. I just I guess, I'm a little concerned about getting something that might have a bad history. I should just trust my intuition, I think I have a pretty good intuition.

If you pick it up and just can't seem to put it down..chances are it's yours I view crystals like I view people. Everything has a history of how it came to cross your path. You may see something of interest, feel something, or hear something.

You'll know

Personally I do not buy them at metaphysical stores very often. I go to rock-hound stores: Twice the selection, much larger crystals and half the price.

Sonic, your new avatar is beautiful.

Ditto what TheCrownedOne said. Look in the phone book for lapidary or rock shops. My folks were rock hounds and brought all kinds of stuff back they found in Illinois.

Be prepared though, if you find a good one just give them your bank account... Beautiful stones and crystals are actually fairly reasonable, but there are just so many!

Perhaps you could find some in nature if you research your area. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Our local Metaphysical shop now gets their stones from a rockhound so we have much more variety, and the pieces are larger and less expensive. Of course, I basically want everything I see and have to spend a lot of time narrowing it down or there won't be any room for me at this computer, but it is fun to see the variety and find the exact stone/crystal that is meant to be mine!

The crowned one changed his clothes in the last 1/2 hour...confused me! Not too hard to do, I'll admit.

AJ-Thank you it was inspired by something Milfoil posted. I am coming to realize this animal speaks to me more than others.

On the same note-before I came to the forum just now I started searching for stone availability and resources here in IL, if I find anything good I will certainly share it. I just picked up my rock tumbler this morning.

To expand this one step further-the lawyer in my office is headed to Aruba in a week and knows im a rock enthusiast [turning into one], and said he'd bring me back a nice size piece of obsidian and others!

..so geeked