Hey Guys, Vince here!
Yesterday on my way to work I stopped in at my normal coffee shop. Jim, the owner, had put in there a large crystal cave since I was in last week. I asked him how it was working for him, and he complained of having no end of problems since he brought it into the café. I asked if he had cleansed it and his answer about dusting showed he didn’t know the importance of cleansing of crystals. Cleaning crystals is very important when welcoming new crystals into your home or place of work. Crystals are sourced from all over the world and depending on the crystal, they travel a long way to get to you. Through that process there are many people that handle and touch the crystals which, in doing so, effect the energies and power of the stone/crystal. This is not necessarily in a negative way but can sometimes be chaotic and can inflict that within your home. Cleaning your crystals can remove these energies to their purest powers and so when using them, you are only channelling the pure power of the crystal and your own.
There are multiple ways you can cleanse your crystals and what works individually for the user is a matter of choice. Here are five common cleansing methods that crystal lovers use:
Full Moon
Personally, I have found that for me, cleansing crystals under the full moon has been the most powerful and efficient method.
The first step to cleanse your crystals is to wash them. As many people have handled your crystals before you have obtained them, washing them is a physical action which helps to remove other people’s presence from the crystal and wash away their energies. To do this you will want running water, tap water is fine for this however place them under the faucet, don’t soak them in still water. Washing your crystals in a river or ocean water is ideal, but only when easy and accessible.
Note: Only wash hard stones! DO NOT wash soft crystals that can easily break or damage in water. Skip the washing step if cleaning delicate crystals and stones.
The next step is to place your crystals out under the full moon. To do this I place the crystal or crystals on a tray (sometimes lined with silk) and position it either on the grass or a table outside. If placing them outside is not a good idea, placing them on the window ledge can work too. As you place the crystals outside, I recommend that you name something that you would like to let go of or change, one for each crystal you place. This can be vocal or internal but prepares you and the crystals for the next steps of charging your crystals. Once done, you may now leave them to cleanse overnight.
The next morning it is time to remove your crystals. When doing this, you may keep the crystals outside through sunrise, but it is not recommended to keeping them in the sun for too long. Once removed this is when the charging process begins. The charging process is important as you want your crystals to obtain your energy so that they power you. To do this, you can either hold the crystals individually or visualize your energy surrounding them as a group. When holding them individually you can now charge them to focus on specific things, such as aiding support, love, focus, healing and grounding on a particular topic. You can really focus your crystals on anything you want, but in doing this I recommend that you do not let others touch and hold your crystals unless you are using the crystal to directly heal or focus on them. If you are doing this, I recommend that after that you cleanse them again to make sure they maintain one person’s energy and focus.
Once this is done, you have then cleansed your crystals and may now use them as you wish.
Sage
Another well-known method for cleansing Is using sage also known as smudge sticks with your crystals.
Note: I recommend that you smudge your crystals in an open and ventilated area such as outside or in a space that is safe. Smudge sticks can set off fire alarms so make sure they are not around where you are cleansing.
If you have never used smudge sticks before, they are dry sage leaves that have been wrapped in string for easy use. You light one end of the smudge stick which sets alight for around 15 seconds before it dies, releasing a smoke until the smudge stick runs out.
To prepare for this cleansing, firstly collect the crystals you wish to cleanse and place them on a tray or table in a ventilated area. Light your smudge stick and then slowly move around your crystals, immersing your crystals in the smoke of the sage. The best way to do this is to walk around your crystals in a circular motion, moving the sage stick in a way that spreads the smoke in all directions.
When doing this I tend to utilize the smudge stick by then smudging the whole area I’m in. Smudging also cleanses and purifies the energies within a space, driving out negative energies and so I tend to do this throughout the whole house when cleaning my crystals with sage. Sage has a strong smell and so I recommend opening your windows and doors if smudging in an enclosed area such as a room in a house.
You can also use loose dry sage leaves by placing them in a tea light holder and burning 4 to 5 at a time. Whichever is easiest and preferable to you.
It doesn’t take long to cleanse your crystals this way, and there isn’t a set amount of time to continue this for. I usually just continue the method until I feel that all the energy in the crystals and area has been purified and cleansed.
Water
As mentioned in the first step of cleansing under a full moon, running water can be quite powerful when cleansing crystals as it is the most physical and active form of cleaning you can do.
As warned above, the method of using water can only be used for hard crystals and stones that are not delicate!
This process is quite simple. Firstly, ensure that your crystals are safe in the water, block your drain if using small crystals. Then place each crystal under running water individually for a minute of so. When doing this, use your fingers to rub against the stone and visualize your fingers flicking the negative and unwanted energy away from the crystal. Tap water from your sink is perfectly fine for this method.
If you wish to be more traditional, ocean water and river water is known to be more powerful and effective in cleaning crystals as it centers the crystals in a nature surrounding. As with the tap water, make sure the water is running and never still. When doing this make sure the stone is completely submerged in the water and ensure that you are safe when cleansing. You can place your crystals in a mesh breathable bag if cleaning smaller crystals to ensure they are not lost in the process.
Once you have finished cleansing your crystals which you do for as long as you feel necessary, at least a minute for each crystal or more, you must dry them. If cleansing them in salt water I do recommend you then rinse them in fresh water, before gently patting them dry with a towel.
Sound
Cleaning crystals with sound may sound odd but is quite a common and well used method. Sound healing is the process of using a tone or pitch to immerse an area. In doing so, this brings that area into the same vibration as the tone. This process can be used for cleansing a large area, a person and crystals.
Sound healing can be used with singing bowls (metal and crystal), tuning instruments, chanting, singing and bells. The tone/pitch that you use does not matter, as long as it is one that resinates with you and you are comfortable with. The idea is to emit this sound around your crystal so that it encompasses and radiates through your crystal.
You may use this method for any crystal you have, and I recommend that you do this process for at least 5 to 10 minutes. Sound healing does not have to be done for each stone individually, grouping your crystals is often done with this method.
Using Other Crystals & Stones
If none of the above methods appeal to you, you can use your already cleansed crystals to aid in cleansing your new crystals. This can be done by placing your new crystals next to larger cleaned crystals for 24 hours. Crystals tend to share energies with each other and so sometimes this simple process can be enough to remove any negative and unwanted energies from your new crystals.
Once this is done, I do recommend that you touch and hold your crystals after this to get the crystal used to your energy and the energy of your home.
I hope this has helped you in deciding what method works best for cleansing your own crystals.
Happy Monday Everyone!
Stay Balanced and Powerful
