When you first obtain crystals or have been using them for some time, or even if they have been left sitting around somewhere, they will have absorbed a range of different energies that they will have been exposed to by yourself and others who may have handled them and transferred various energies and emotions into them.
Therefore, it’s important to ‘cleanse’ your crystals as soon as you obtain them, and on a regular basis (daily, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, depending on use) however, you may have been given a crystal as a gift from someone who may have programmed it specially for you with specific energies. In this case the stone may not need this initial cleansing.
This cleansing process isn’t a ‘physical’ cleaning with soap and water, but intended to cleanse the stone of its stored energies, both good and bad, which can be released again by the stone at any time and once it becomes loaded with energy. Crystals used specifically for healing should be cleansed before and after use.
Smoke
Use your choice of incense, sage, palo santo and herbs (like rosemary or lavender) to light up and direct the smoke around the crystal. A feather can be used to fan the smoke across the crystals and this only needs to be done for a short amount of time. 20 to 30 seconds should be long enough.
Visualization
You can also use visualization or ‘thought energy’ to cleanse crystals. Simply hold the crystal, focus on it, and visualize a bright white light surrounding the crystal, followed by a beam of white light coming down through the stone, passing all the way through the stone, taking away stored energy within the stone. Â Do this until you feel happy that the white light has done its job and flushed away the stored energies. Â The ‘thought energy’ generated by you will be transmitted to the stone and this cleansing energy will do the job of clearing the stone of its stored energies.
Water
Rinse crystals with water and visualize the negative energies washing away. You can use tap water, river water, moon or rainwater, but we wary of water soluble crystals.
Sunlight & Moonlight
The natural energies transmitted by the Sun and Moon can also energize your crystals with natural energies. Â The Sun provides a stronger energy, whereas the Moon has a more gentle energy. Â
When leaving crystals in Sunlight, please be aware that some colored stones may fade over a period of time if left in strong sunlight too often. This can happen with Amethyst, for example. In this case, try not to leave your crystals in strong sun for more than an hour or so. To be on the safe side, place in sunlight during sunrise and/or sunset because the sun’s rays won’t be as strong during these times of the day.
Salt
Place crystals in a tray filled with sea salt to soak up negative energies. They should be left in the salt for several hours, overnight or for several days. Â Your crystals should then be rinsed thoroughly under cool running water to remove any remaining salt. Â After use, the salt must be thrown away and never re-used because it will have absorbed negative and unwanted energies. Stones and minerals that should be kept away from salt include Pyrite, Lapis Lazuli, Opal, Hematite, etc.
Non-Contact Salt
This is considered the safest salt-cleansing method and should be used where the crystals may otherwise be damaged by direct contact with salt. Â This is also a good method if you are cleansing gem stones found in jewellery or gems surrounded by metal.
First, fill a glass bowl half to two thirds full with dry sea salt (or cooking salt). Then place a smaller glass container or shallow drinking glass and half-bury this glass into the salt. You can then place your crystals directly into the empty glass which is sitting half buried in the dry salt. The salt will still be able to draw out the stored energies within the stones but this method will take longer to work than direct contact with salt. You may also pour just enough water (preferably pure, distilled or mineral water) into the smaller glass container, just enough to cover the crystals. This will protect them and prevent direct ‘salt exposure’ or ‘salty air’ from causing any corrosion or adverse effects to any metals or other fittings that may surround the gems. Also, bear in mind that certain crystals should not be left to soak in water.
The used salt should be thrown away and never re-used.
Sound
Use bells, singing bowls or music to shake of the negative energies of crystals.
Crystals
Place a crystal you want to charge on top of a crystal cluster, geode or slab. Selenite and clear quartz work best.