Vanessa Cuccia used to be a web order fulfillment clerk for a well-known sex toy shop, but she wasn't satisfied with what was on the market. While these products provided physical pleasure, they didn't address all the emotions people have around sexuality, like shame, trauma, and love. Then, while studying with a spiritual teacher, Cuccia developed an interest in crystals. Their spiritual properties seemed to be what sex toys were lacking. In 2011, Cuccia created Chakrubs — sex toys made of different stones for different spiritual uses. Indigo is said to open the throat chakra to improve communication for couples, while rose quartz is said to have a peaceful energy that helps users heal, for example. She encourages women to develop an intimate relationship with their Chakrubs by sleeping with them under their pillows, holding them against their bodies to pick up their energy, and leaving them on the windowsill under a full moon to "charge." We talked to Cuccia about where sex and spirituality overlap, and how we can get something more meaningful out of sex toys and masturbation."I observed sexuality from a unique standpoint: all these people, wanting to feel pleasure, taking classes, reading books, buying movies, trying new fetishes. Some people coming into the store would shop as if they were shopping for antiques — as if sex was a hobby, an interest — while others, they would have nervous laughter or have shame written all over their faces. "Everyone had different needs and different ways of satisfying these needs with various products — just none of the products I felt dealt with the underlying need that I think we all have: to feel connected. "What I understood was that, for me, sexuality was more than about getting off. Sex is a symbol, a metaphor for how we relate to ourselves and to our spirituality. We carried a wide range of products, from cheap to high-end. No matter how high-end a product was, though, silicon, plastic, steel, and glass weren't materials that would turn me on or help me tune in to myself and experience true intimacy.""Crystals were a way for me to feel I was figuring something out about myself. They were a way for me to feel emotionally supported. The first Chakrub I created and used was rose quartz, now called The Heart Chakrub. I didn't want to hide it away in my dresser drawer after pleasuring myself with it. I wanted to hold it near my heart, give myself emotional support, [and] set intentions for remaining open to love, even though I felt like closing myself off due to facing heartbreak after heartbreak.""We don't need anything outside of us. We have the ability to alter our states of mind. But as humans, we have an affinity for objects, for tools. Crystals, being that they are formed from the earth, hold a certain kind of consciousness. There is a connection to nature when you hold a crystal. You can easily observe the earth's magic simply by looking at the way it has formed these gorgeous specimens. Then, there's a story to each of them. Every crystal is said to have various metaphysical properties that have been passed down for centuries. There are thousands of stories about crystals, each one special, and all with a purpose of relieving us of any emotional, spiritual, or physical pain."