Crystal Cleansing & Charging

Why should I cleanse my crystals? 

Crystals absorb energy from everyone and everything around them.  Think about all the people who have touched your crystal before it arrives to you.  When it’s extracted from the mines, then cleaned and packaged for shipping, airline handling, customs etc, then they may have been picked over by many people in the warehouse waiting to be purchased by sellers.

Crystals should be cleansed to release any negative energy they have picked up. All crystals are handpicked by me and they are cleansed once I bring them home and before they are sent out to their new homes.  Feel free to cleanse them once they arrive to you to start your fresh journey with your new crystals. 

How often should I cleanse my crystals?  

It is generally recommended that you cleanse your crystals at least once every 30 days and every time you program your crystal or set a new intention.  Using these methods will ensure your crystals are ready to be recharged full of positive new energy.  If you are using specific crystals more often, they may need to be cleansed more regularly so they are at their vibrational best and ready to work for you.

How do I cleanse my crystals? 

There are many ways to cleanse your crystals.   Before we explore the various methods of cleansing your crystals, it’s an important time to set your intention for cleansing.  This is an important step and is as important as the cleansing process itself.  Think of your intention – what you are doing and why.  Hold it in your mind as you cleanse your crystals, focus your thoughts on your intention.

Moonlight and Sunlight Spa – Cleanse and charge your crystal by placing them outside under the moonlight and leave them overnight to let the early morning sun touch and energize them – don’t leave them in the sun too long, remember to bring them in shortly after sunrise.  Some vibrant coloured crystals can fade in direct sunlight, crystals like Amethyst and Rose quart. Most people choose to use the full moon to cleanse their crystals for a more powerful charge.  If you can, place your crystals directly on the earth for extra cleansing/charging.  If there is a chance of rain, make sure your crystals are water-safe before leaving them to get wet. 

Water – Water is a gentle yet powerful way to both cleanse and energize your (water-safe) crystals.  Holding them under a flowing stream if you have access to one or you can simply hold it under a running tap or submerge them in a vessel and let the water flow over them for a minute or so, that’s all they need.  Make sure you identify your water-safe crystals before using this cleansing method.  Don’t use water for soft brittle crystals like Kyanite, Selenite/Satin Spar, Halite, Lepidolite, Celestite, pretty much all the ones that end in “ite”.   There are also hard crystals with iron ore/oxide that should also be kept out of water as they can rust, such as Hematite and Tangerine Quartz.

Most Quartz (apart from Tangerine Quartz as noted above) are safe for water; Clear Quartz, Rose Quartz, Smokey Quartz, Amethyst, Citrine and Snow Quartz.  Other water-safe hard crystals are Agate, Aventurine, Jasper and Tiger’s Eye.

 A really great reference to help identify your crystals is The Crystal Bible

Salt – Place your crystals in a bowl of water with tablespoon of salt 1-4 hours – again making sure they are water-safe.  You can rinse off any salt residue with fresh water.

If you don’t want to use saltwater, you can place your crystals on top of a plate of salt – leave for 1-24 hours.  Again, do your research for your particular crystal to make sure your cleansing method is safe and suitable.  Salt can damage some stones like Pyrite and Hematite.

Try our Pink Himalayan Fine Salt is great with water or try Himalayan Salt Granules for using dry cleansing method.

Smoke – Burning sage smudge sticks, incense or Palo Santo under and around your crystals will cleanse and energize them.  Just expose them to the smoke for around 30-60 seconds and you’ll be sure they have been cleansed.   This method of cleansing if particular useful when cleansing larger, hard to pick up crystals.   Sage emits negative ions and our aura holds positive ions.   Not just used for cleansing crystals, through the smudging process we can neutralise our aura or the energy of other spaces and objects to cleanse and renew.

When smudging with sage, make sure you have a fire safe bowl that can safely hold your sage stick like a cast iron cauldron.

Or an abalone shell like we have in this Smudge Pack.  If smudging indoors, make sure the windows are open to allow the negative energy and smoke to disperse.

If you want to learn more about smudging and cleansing in general, not just for cleansing crystals then take a look at this popular book Sacred Smoke.

Sound – Sound frequency breaks up any stored or stuck energy and help restore harmony. You can use music, tuning fork, Tongue drum or singing bowls, bells, cymbals or chanting. It doesn’t really matter what key the sound is as long as it is emitted loud enough for the sound vibration to encompass the crystal.  This method can be useful for large collections of crystals that are not easily moved for other methods of cleansing.

This gorgeous purple Crown Chakra Brass Signing Bowl emits the most beautiful sounds.  Perfect for cleansing your crystals and space.

Tongue Drums are another musical instrument used for clearing your space and your crystals.  Such a soothing sound.

Touch – It is Native American belief that your own energy field can be used to recharge crystals.  Start by holding the crystal in your hands and allow all your positive thoughts and energy to flow and transfer to the crystal.  Or rub them together in your palms and they will naturally energize themselves.

Earth – Take your crystals back to Mother Nature – bury them in the ground (make sure you mark your spot!) and leave them buried for 24 hours or so.  Again, be careful with non-water-safe crystals in case of moist soil or rain whilst buried.  A full moon is a great time to bury crystals for cleansing.  You can even bury them in your pot plants if you don’t have any yard to bury them.  Trust Mother Nature will be happy for their return, if only for a brief time.

Crystals – Some crystals have the power to cleanse, purify and recharge the energy of other crystals without taking away their own energy.  Crystals such as Selenite / Satin Spa, Amethyst or Quartz Geodes.  Place your crystals on top or next to your Selenite and leave for 6 - 24 hours.  If you have an Amethyst or Quartz Geode, you can place your crystals inside for 24 hours.   Carnelian is another one, keep a Carnelian in a bag with your other tumbles to be cleansed.

 A selenite bowl is a perfect place to charge your tumblestones or even your jewellery.

How to I recharge my crystal after cleansing?

If you’ve used a cleansing method that also recharges your crystals, the work has been done for you.  As mentioned above, Water will cleanse and recharge as will the Moonlight or Sunlight Spa and Touch.

 How do I program my crystal?

Once you have cleansed and recharged your crystal, you can program your crystal, a bit like giving it a job.  Consider what you want it to do for you, the purpose of what you are using your crystal for.  Be clear with want you want when programming.  Setting clear intentions with your crystals is important.  Hold it in your hands for a few minutes and focus on enhancing the power in the crystal.  You can also say your programming or intention setting mantra aloud.  I will delve into this a bit deeply in an upcoming blog.  Stay tuned.

A final reminder:- Remember to research your crystals for their suitability before exposing them to a cleansing method that could cause them damage.  

Crystal Karma by Trina