Taking care of your crystals, so they will take care of you.
Crystals have the natural ability to absorb and release energy. They absorb energy from everyone who has handled them, from their surrounding environment and from our bodies when we use them for healing. Crystals also release energies which calm our mind, heal our body and enlighten and attune our spirit. They enhance meditation, attract abundance and offer protection. This is all done by their ability to vibrate at different frequencies.
In order to maintain a healthy vibration from our crystals, we must cleanse away these absorbed energies. Failing to do so will leave your crystals less effective and may pass on unpleasant energies or imbalances. If you are using crystals for their healing properties, the already absorbed energies will act as a barricade, not allowing the healing vibrations to be released.
Crystals need cleansing regularly, preferably after each use if used for healing. If they are used for a decorative function, you can clean then weekly or monthly. A good indication of when a crystal needs cleansing is when they have lost their sparkle or brightness. After a while you will also ‘feel’ when your crystals need cleansing, as they will intuitively let you know. Newly purchased crystals must always be cleansed prior to your use, as they have an energetic imprint from everyone who has handle them.
Once you have cleansed a new crystal you can then dedicate it. Dedication is the conscious ‘willing’ for the crystal to be used for the highest good. Simply hold it in your hand and clearly state that this crystal will only be used in love and light, for the highest good. This process focuses the intention that the crystal will be used positively.
After the dedication, you can them move on to programming your crystal. Programming tunes the crystal into your own vibration, plus clearly identifies what you will be using that particular crystal for. Spend some quiet time connecting with your crystal through all of your senses (except taste as some crystals are toxic). Gaze into it, notice how the light hits it, what colors are within the crystal. Hold it, how does it feel in your hands, against your skin. Now close your eyes and feel it. Hold it to your ear, can you hear its vibrations?
Once you feel connected to your new crystals, you can then clearly state what it is you would like the crystal to do. Use precise intentions to avoid confusion and keep your mind focused. Imagine this going deep within your crystal. Continue for 5 to 10 minutes, or until you feel that the programming is complete. This process can be repeated over the next few weeks to re-enforce your connection with the crystal and its programming.
How to cleanse your crystals
There are many different ways to cleanse your newly purchased crystals or one you have had for a while. However, it is important to know that not all methods are suitable for every crystal. Some crystals break down in water, lose their luster from salt, or dull in the sun. Which ever method you use, it is important to hold the thought that the old, stagnant energies are being removed. The following are different methods which can be used to cleanse your crystals. You do not need to use all of them at the same time, however trying each method allows you to find the one best suited for your crystals, and your preference.
Running Water
Securely hold your crystal under running water for a few minutes. You can use the kitchen sink, or a fresh water stream. This method is also good for removing dust and dirt, but not recommended for soft or water-soluble stones. Allow your crystals to dry naturally in sunlight.
Sunlight
Place crystals in the sunlight for 30 minutes. Taking a precaution that quartz can magnify the sun’s rays and can be a fire hazard. Light colored crystals, such as Amethyst and Citrine will fade in prolonged periods of sunlight.
Moonlight
Place crystals in the light of the full moon, either on a windowsill or outside. Some people use the moonlight from the day prior through to the day after a full moon.
Smudging with White Sage
The smoke from sage is believed to drive away negative thoughts, energies, spirits and influences. In theory, the smoke attaches itself to negative/unwanted energies and as the smoke clears it takes the energies with it, releasing it into another space where it will be regenerated into positive energy. Carefully light some sage, let burn for a few seconds then blow out. Pass your crystal over the smoke several times. Extinguish smoldering sage in water.
Sea Salt
Place some sea salt in a bowl then bury your crystals into the salt for 24 hours. This method is suitable for soft crystals, but is not recommended for polished crystals as the salt will scratch the surface. Alternatively, you can make a mixture of sea salt and water to submerge your crystals in for 24 hours. Rinse afterward to remove the salt residue. This method is not recommended for soft or water-soluble stones.
Crystals
There are several crystals that have the ability to cleanse other crystals. You can place a crystal on an Amethyst or Clear Quartz cluster or geode. Citrine and Carnelian also have the ability to remove unwanted energies from other crystals. Keep in mind though that the crystals you use to cleanse other crystals will need cleansing themselves. With one of these methods
Earth
You can also bury your crystals in earth and leave there for a complete cycle of the moon. Bury on the full moon, unearth on the new moon.
Breath
Hold your crystal in your hands and gently blow on it while holding the thought that your breath is blowing away any and all energies that have been absorbed.
Re-Energizing
After you have cleansed your crystals, you will need to re-energize them. This can be done by placing them in sunlight for 30 minutes or in the light of the full moon, or on a Clear Quartz cluster. It is also helpful to spend a few minutes re-enforcing your program for that crystal.
Crystal Cleansing Kits
I have a number of Cleansing Kits to suit your needs, and they are availabe in the Curiosity Shop.
Cleansing Booklet $5
Written description of the above information, printed on lovely paper and hand bound. The size is 4.25X5.5 inches, it included color photos and a Notes section.
Cleansing Mat $15
Hand tatted mat with Citrine, Carnelian, and Clear quartz to rest your crystals upon. The beads in the mat will cleanse away the energies that your crystals have absorbed. This mat measures approximately 4″ across and has a total of 10 Citrine, 10 Clear Quartz and 20 Carnelian.
Basic Cleansing Package $18
The Basic Cleansing Package included the Cleasing Booklet and Mat, as seen above. A savings of $2.
Deluxe Cleansing Kit $40
This Kit comes with the Booklet, hand tatted Cleansing Mat, a pouch of sea salt, a pouch of sage, and a beautiful Abalone shell, all securely packaged in a wooden box, ready for you to personalize.
Custom Pieces ~ please send an email to inquiry
A very dear friend of mine, and huge supporter of my work, asked me to make her a cleansing mat that she could use to cleanse multiple stones at the same time. It was an honor to make a piece, and also an opporunity to make my own pattern.
The following photograph is an example of a custom cleansing piece, however this particular one was a one of a kind. This piece took between 40 and 50 hours to complete. It measures approx. 8.5″ across, tatting in a vintage ercu thread, with 378 citrine, carnelian, and clear quartz beads ~ all have the natural ability to absorb and transmute negative energy, and to re-energize. This mat was designed to cleanse a large number of crystals at one time. The centre doily can accomodate a large crystal, and there are 12 smaller surrounding it for smaller crystals.
I am very thankful to this topic because it really gives great information “”‘
I recently purchased a large (nearly 4″ x 2″ x 1/2″) flat piece of Carnelian to cleanse other stones. No book or website ever says how long it takes! Is one hour enough? Or must it be overnight? If an hour or less is enough, that would be useful during a healing so that one could use, say, a smokey quartz or bloodstone until it was “full”, place on carnelian for a few minutes (while using another crystal), then use the cleansed crystal again. How long? Thnx.
Thank you very much for your question, and for reading my post. It is so important for us to take care of our crystalline friends, that I just can’t stress it enough, especially to new comers to the wonderful energies from crystals. From what you wrote, I am under the impression that you are familiar with crystals and cleansing :O) And I think your idea of the carnelian slab for cleansing while during a healing session is fabulous.
I totally agree with you…no book or website specifically says HOW LONG. But, what I have found were recommendations, and that most authors agreed that you will intuitively know once everything is cleansed. Judy Hall, The Crystal Bible, recommends sunlight cleansing and charging for 2 to 3 hours, less for light colored stones which can fade in sunlight. She also recommends overnight moonlight charging.
Melody, Love is in the Earth, has several specific suggestions, plus some generalized ones.
~Seasalt soak(dry, no water) for 7 to 24 hours. I mainly use this method, and have safely left some stones in for days, mainly because they really needed a good cleansing. I also use this method when I buy new pieces for myself, or beads for the lace work. I like the salt because it also cleanses it physically, like any little germs or whatnots. Must use caution with this method because the salt can scratch softer surfaces, like lapis lazuli, selenite, desert rose, etc. The cleansing will still take place if you put a softer stone inside a bag, or wrapped in a piece of fabric.
~ Cleansing with other crystals for 12 to 24 hours
~Saltwater soak for up to 7 days, with bowl placed in sunlight. Again, take caution with water soluble stones, and light colored stones for they don’t fade.
~Rice Soak for 24 hours.
My favorite method for an immediate cleanse is my breath and my good intentions. I hold my stones in cupped hands and gentle blow over them, imagining all energies being blown away. I do this when I begin my work with stones or beads, and once I have finished. Sometimes I can ‘feel’ if they need another blow or not.
Unfortunately I can not give you an exact time for a smoky quartz, or sodalite, or amethyst, for example. It will be something that you will develop as you work more with your stones. Eventually you will get a ‘feeling’ of when each stone needs cleansing, which method it prefers(not all like the same method), and when it is cleansed. I’ve salt soaked several stones in the same dish and removed them all at different times.
My suggestion would be to program your carnelian slab just for cleansing and have it nearby when doing your healing work. If you need to cleanse a stone while you are working, try the breathe technique, and then place your stone on the slab. This will use two cleansing methods, which will surely do the trick. If, when you pick that stone up again, it still ‘feels’ like it needs more cleansing, blow on it again. If you start off with a cleansed stone, you are most likely to be able to continue using it for the duration of the healing session…their capacity is immensble. I would also recommend cleansing the Carnelian slab once a month and charging it in sunlight of the full moon, just to ‘freshen’ it up.
I hope I have managed to answer your question. If you need more information, or have other questions, please feel free to ask.
Namaste,
Karen
In general, once a crystal is programmed, can you clean it, or will cleaning it wipe the programming away? In other words, what’s the difference between cleaning your crystal and clearing it of programming? Is there a difference? (if you were to do this with Lemurians, why do Lemurian crystals not lose their programming?)
Hello ladychrysanthemum,
In response to your questions above . . .
Cleaning a crystal does not de-program it. You would have to intentionally program it to delete the previous program. A phrase that could be used when doing this could simply be “Wipe All”. During the visualisation process – visualise that the program is leaving the crystal and the energies are returning to the Original Source.
Its important to regularly clean and cleanse your crystals so they may work at optimum effeciency. This ensures that the crystal’s energies and vibrations are at their purest. This is also good if a crystal has absorbed a lot of negative energies from an environment or from a person using/wearing it. A good cleanse every now and again is good for them! After all, not only do they emanate and vibrate energies – but they have tendencies to absorb energies as well. There is a multitude of ways of cleansing crystals. Allow your intuition to guide you – however please note – for those methods that use water, ensure the crystal is not going to be adversely affected by water.
Its also important to charge them on a regular basis for as they work for us their energy becomes depleted. Something as simple as leaving them in the energy of a full moon, or burying them in potting soil will do the trick.
Remember, a technique doesn’t need to be complicated to be effective.
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