How to cleanse crystals to make them more effective? Not a lot of people are aware that cleansing crystals are a necessary part of owning these precious stones. If you’re new to tapping into the power of crystals, here are some of the essential things you need to know.
The Healing Power of Crystals
When it comes to the use and benefits of crystals, more and more people are discovering its connection to self care. Over the past few years, it has significantly risen in popularity, even becoming mainstream. In fact, the existence of crystal shops and the overall availability of healing crystals have also greatly increased.
So, how do crystals work and can they really help?
Crystals act as conduits of the earth, allowing people to tap into and harness it’s healing energy. Each crystal is known to emit its own energy or frequency that can help uplift, soothe, and energize the owner when done correctly. Different crystals also serve different purposes. They can affect the mind and body in unique ways.
The use of crystals for healing isn’t a new concept. Humans have been tapping into the power of these stones for various purposes for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians used turquoise, lapis lazuli, and carnelian for protection and healing. The Chinese use it as alternative medicine. Sacred Indian texts describe the ways these crystals can be used to treat illness.
How to Use Crystals
Crystals are commonly used as an adornment. While Ancient Egyptians used to wear crystals to protect themselves from sickness and bad energy, they have used them as jewelry and ornaments, too.
Nowadays, methods of crystal healing borrow from the Hindu and Buddhist concept of chakras. During treatment, these crystals are placed on the body to align with the different chakra points. Amethyst, for example, is placed near the intestinal area, yellow topaz placed near the forehead for mental clarity, and green aventurine near the heart for the heart chakra.
These crystals also function as talismans or amulets, depending on the user. Some people prefer carrying them in their pockets or keeping them under their pillows. Proximity to the user is key here. The closer the crystal is to your body, the higher the vibration, and the better it will work.
Remember, constant use of crystals can deplete its energy. This is why it’s important to learn how to cleanse crystals.
The Science Behind Crystal Healing
To some, all these things might sound like New Age mumbo-jumbo. It is true that there are no scientific studies that back up the efficacy of crystals when it comes to healing. However, there is enough to suggest that it induces a placebo effect which creates positive results for those who use them.
What is a placebo effect, anyway? These are the effects that happen during treatment but are not directly caused by the treatment itself. Think of it as mind overcoming matter. So while it gets a bit of a bad rap, the placebo effect is very real and has research to back it up.
In fact, those who have been using crystals for a long time all say that they can boost confidence, positivity, and make them more focused on living with intention. So while it isn’t a magic cure-all, it can certainly create good changes in an individual’s life. It’s not surprising to see that many see it as an essential part of any self-care kit.
How to Choose Crystals
For beginners, choosing a crystal from the myriad of options can be a pretty daunting task. Before you learn how to cleanse crystals, you should pick one that fits your needs. Here’s a simple guide to help you get started.
- Know your needs. Are you looking to ease anxiety or improve your dreams? Different crystals can provide different benefits. Knowing exactly what you need it for will help you choose one accordingly.
- Choose what resonates with you. Some people often drop by a crystal shop and peruse different varieties until they “feel” one call to them. If you’re in tune with the energy in your environment and within yourself, this is a method worth trying as well.
How Do You Cleanse and Charge Crystals?
Purchasing the crystal is just the first step. Learning how to activate crystals in order to experience its full benefits is another. Aside from keeping your crystal clean, you would want to recharge them the right way. Here’s how:
- Let it sit by a sunny window, where the sun would be able to charge it. Alternatively, you can also do the same with moonlight. Keep it there for four hours or more.
- Setting an intention. This gives your crystal the power of your intentions and also “programs” it toward that task. To do this, hold the stones in your hands while focusing or visualizing your intentions. For example, if you want to attract love, picture yourself in a healthy and loving relationship. Be as specific as possible when setting intentions. This is no different from harnessing the power of manifestation.
Remember, learning how to recharge crystals is just as important as cleansing them. Always devote a bit of time so that you can do this process properly.
How to Cleanse Crystals
Over time and with constant use, your crystals will accumulate negative energy as well. These can hinder their efficacy so it’s best to cleanse them as needed. How often should you cleanse spiritual crystals? This depends on your use, though once or twice a month is enough. Some people opt to cleanse theirs after every use, but this isn’t necessary.
Here are some of the methods you can use.
Full Moon Cleansing
Full Moon Cleansing is one of the most popular methods since this particular moon phase is believed to bring the strongest powerful energy towards the Earth. It isn’t surprising that there are so many cultures that plan sacred rituals at this time. Here’s how to cleanse crystals during the full moon:
- Find a safe outdoor spot where you can leave your stones at night. It should be able to get ample moonlight so best to set it up on a tree branch or prepare a make-shift pedestal if possible.
- Set your crystals in place before sundown and leave them there overnight. You can bring them inside at around 11 am, ensuring that they’ll get a bit of sunlight as well. Those two energies combined are very effective for cleansing and charging the stones.
Cleansing Crystals in Water
Another method you can use is water cleansing which requires a water and salt solution. However, not all crystals can be cleansed using this method. Some crystals can actually dissolve in water! With that in mind, DON’T cleanse the following crystals using this method: hematite, fluorite, malachite, pyrite, selenite, halite, labradorite, celestite, gypsum, turquoise, opal, azurite, apophyllite, tangerine quartz, lepidolite, ulexite.
To use this method on your other stones, collect seawater or prepare a saltwater solution in a jar. Submerge your crystals in it for 24 to 48 hours. Running water can also be used to cleanse crystals. Simply hold your stones under the tap or a water can for about a minute each!
Using Sound to Cleanse Crystals
While sound isn’t as commonly used, it is just as effective as the others. In fact, there are many benefits to using it. Aside from helping you avoid any damage to your crystals, it also makes cleansing a sizable collection much easier. After all, not everyone has the time to do it individually.
For this, you’ll need any instrument that creates a resonating vibration. Some great options you have include the tuning fork, singing bowl, bells, or even your own voice. Allow the vibration to spread all over the crystals. Keep doing it for around ten minutes, though you can certainly opt to do it longer. Some people even use this time for meditation!
Cleansing Crystals with Incense
If you want to learn how to effectively cleanse crystals, this is a foolproof method. Any type of incense would work and all you need to do is hold the stones right where the smoke flows. As an option, you can place the stones in a box-style holder and add the incense inside. Make sure it has small holes to allow the smoke to escape. Recommended incense varieties are dragon’s blood, white sage, amber, and patchouli.
Brown Rice Crystal Cleanse
How to cleanse black tourmaline? This is one of the best methods! Using brown rice is particularly effective for keeping your crystal clean. These tend to collect negative energy, which brown rice can draw out.
To start, just fill a bowl with brown rice and bury your stones under the grains. Leave it there for a day and throw rice out after. You wouldn’t want to eat these as it has absorbed all the bad stuff you want to get rid of.
Breath Cleanse
Our breath carries powerful energy with it and as such, it can be used to cleanse your crystals as well. To do this, take your stone and hold it in your dominant hand. Follow this with focusing your intention as you relax your breathing. Once you feel ready, simply exhale onto the stone. You can make it as forceful or as smooth as you want. Repeat this for about 30 seconds per crystal.
Smudging Crystals
Are you familiar with smudging? This makes use of sacred herbs that have been dried, then burned to purify a space or an object. You can also use this for cleansing crystals, especially if you have a big collection. Given the potent scent, these can give off, make sure you perform the cleansing in a well-ventilated space.
Using Visualization
How to cleanse crystals through visualization? This might seem like an advanced technique, but you can learn it through practice. The more in tune you are with yourself, the easier it should be.
To start, ground yourself and relax any tense nerves. Once you feel ready, take your crystal in your hands and visualize radiant, white light enveloping it. Imagine its warmth and glow. Then, picture any negativity and impurity leaving the stone until it’s shining brighter than before. A minute per stone should be enough.
Using Other Stones for Cleansing Crystals
Stones such as hematite, carnelian, and clear quartz are all known to have a cleansing effect. As such, they can be used on your other crystals. To do this, simply place them into a bowl and set the stone you’re cleaning on top. Leave it there for 24 hours and you’re done!
Himalayan Salt for Healing Stones
For healing stones, a Himalayan salt is a great option for cleansing. It is well-known for its ability to get rid of negative energy and imbue crystals with positive vibrations as well. Experts suggest getting a Himalayan salt bed for your crystals and placing them there whenever they are not in use. This way, they will be constantly cleansed and recharged.
Cleansing Crystals Using Natural White Light
While certain types of ritual crystal cleansing usually require following important lunar or solar cycles, you can always use natural light for cleansing and recharging. A great tip here is to set your crystals directly onto the earth. Doing so would boost its vibrations and cleanse it more effectively. Leave it there for 10 to 12 hours and make sure you clean any debris before storage. Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight as this can damage the crystals.
Using Moon Water for Cleansing Crystals
As the name suggests, this is water that has been charged with the energy of the moon. You can soak your crystals in it for a few hours to thoroughly cleanse them. Aside from this, moon water can also be used in a variety of recharging and purifying ways. Here’s an easy guide on how to make your own moon water.
Cleansing Crystals in Nature
Did you know that crystals also benefit from being in nature? In the same way that nature can heal our mind and body, it can also cleanse your crystals. This is because they absorb the positive vibrations in the environment. Some people opt to bury them in the earth for a few minutes, but simply holding them in your hand while you walk is just as good!
Starlight Crystal Cleanse
In the same way you can use moonlight and sunlight to cleanse your crystals, you can also turn to starlight. This is particularly useful, especially on moonless nights. Different heavenly bodies all emit energy that can both cleanse and recharge your crystals. For this method, you can couple it with guided meditation to further amplify its effects. To start, find a cozy spot where you can see the stars. Hold the crystal in your hands, while you meditate. Do this for five to ten minutes, though you can continue for much longer.
Cleansing Crystals in the Rain
If rainy weather usually brings you down, turn it into a healing experience by using it to cleanse your crystals. You can either collect rainwater or choose the more fun option, which is sitting in the downpour yourself. Remember, your crystals will also absorb the positive energy you give off so you’ll be charging them at the same time. Just avoid bringing your water-sensitive crystals with you as rain can also damage them.
How to Cleanse Crystals – Specific Varieties
Some crystal varieties tend to require a bit more care than others. Often, it is because they’re more fragile and aren’t suited to the more common cleansing methods. Here are some examples:
How to Cleanse Hematite
Hematite is a popular grounding and protective stone. We have established that it cannot be cleansed using water, so what option do you have? The most recommended method is using other cleansing stones that you have at home. Black tourmaline and selenite are two of the best crystals for this purpose. These will help recharge your hematite at the same time! Leave your crystal on top of these two for six to ten hours and that should be enough to get rid of any negative energy in it.
How to Cleanse Selenite
After using it to cleanse your other stones, you also need to purge the negative energy from your selenite. Fortunately, doing so doesn’t require much work. After all, selenite is a self-cleansing crystal that is also powerful enough to charge any other crystals within its vibratory field. It can even purify a room and the environment it is placed in. One thing you have to be careful of is its proximity to water. Putting selenite in water will disintegrate it within just a few minutes.
How to Cleanse Rose Quartz
Rose quartz is one of the most popular crystals given its power to attract or amplify love in a person’s life. Similar to the energy it exudes, rose quartz requires gentle care when being cleansed or recharged. The most recommended method is smudging or using incense. Rose quartz can also benefit greatly from moonlight so you can use that to recharge it. We suggest setting your intentions whenever you do both!
How to Cleanse Amethyst
You might think that light can be used for every crystal, but this is not the case. One such stone is the amethyst. This powerful stone helps enhance a person’s natural psychic abilities and helps with stress relief. Instead of using light to purify and recharge it, however, it benefits the most from being close to the earth. This is why people usually bury them in the ground for 24 hours, allowing them to reconnect with their energy roots.
How to Cleanse Labradorite
The most preferred way of cleansing this crystal is through saltwater. If you wear it as an accessory, you don’t have to remove it if you’re going for a swim in the sea or ocean. However, you can also make do with a saltwater solution at home and it will provide the same results. You can leave it submerged for up to 48 hours.
How to Cleanse Sunstone
Given its name, you might think that sunstones are best cleansed and recharged under sunlight. However, this isn’t the case. One of the best ways to cleanse your sunstone, especially if it has been used for physical treatment, is through smudging with sweetgrass or sage. It can also benefit from a few hours in sunlight, but leaving it out during a waning moon is the most efficient way of cleansing it. A bit of moon water to finish it up helps seal the deal.
How to Cleanse Citrine
Citrine can actually fracture if you expose it to any sudden temperature changes. This is why sunlight must be avoided. In fact, prolonged sun exposure can begin to fade its color. Instead, cleanse it using the Himalayan salt method. If you tend to wear this crystal as jewelry, make sure you cleanse it once a week.
How to Cleanse Clear Quartz
Among the different crystals, the clear quartz is one of the most versatile. Aside from having a variety of properties, it also has powerful benefits when it comes to treating physical pain. If this is what you’re using your clear quartz for, regular cleansing is a must. You can do this by using water, sunlight, and moonlight! Alternatively, it is also responsive to sound cleansing so this is another good option to try.
How to Cleanse Black Tourmaline
Because it acts as a protection stone, shielding the wearer from negative energy, it needs to be cleaned regularly. Did you know that it can even protect you from radiation produced by your gadgets? Aside from being a psychic shield, it can also protect you from the bad vibrations in your environment.
The best bit is that it is quite easy to clean. You can soak it in a saltwater solution overnight then allow it to soak up a few hours of sunlight after. This way, you’ll be cleansing and recharging it at the same time.
How to Cleanse Opals
These stones tend to be sensitive to sudden temperature changes. As such, it is best to avoid cleansing and recharging it using sunlight. Instead, these can be cleansed in running tap water of freshwater. You can bring it with you during nature walks so you can cleanse them in a flowing stream as well. In such a way, you’re also charging it effectively. Aside from water, smudging, or using incense to cleanse it works as well.
How to Store Crystals Safely
What do you do with your crystals after cleansing? Storage is important to maintaining their structure and efficacy. Some of them can degrade if left exposed to sunlight or sudden temperature changes. To prevent this, wrap them securely in a pouch or silk scarf.
Learn How to Cleanse Crystals Properly
If you plan on adding crystals to your self-care kit, you must know how to maintain them well. After all, authentic crystals don’t come cheap either! Remember, the better you care for your crystals, the more effective they will be at their job.
