Crystals can be powerful spiritual tools to work with and they look gorgeous too, but like any tool they need to be looked after properly.
A big mistake many people make is forgetting to cleanse their crystals. Now you wouldn't buy a car and not top it up with oil, petrol or coolant now would you? Well crystals need a little of their own maintenance too, and the good news is that it's easy and you can do it yourself...
Why do I need to cleanse my crystals?
Crystals are incredible to work with. They have so many uses! They can absorb negative energy, calm the emotions and help clear blockages in your chakras and aura too. But as a result of that, they can get clogged up with bad energy, negativity and with other less than desirable things that they've been helping to flush out of your life.
Over time this can reduce their effectiveness so it's really important to cleanse your crystals if you want them to work properly. For example, amethyst is a big favourite for many of us. It's calming, soothing and also absorbs negativity - but what happens to all the bad stuff that it absorbs? Well, unfortunately it stays in the stone until you cleanse it. Or worse it could even start letting that negative energy it out again, which really defeats the object!
How do I know if my crystals need cleansing?
Do you remember how your crystal made you feel when you first bought it and held it in your hands? It may have given you feelings of joy, peace, helped rid you of unhelpful thoughts or even made your hand tingle!
If your crystals don't seem to be helping you in the way you expect them to any more, then they may need a little servicing!
When you hold the crystal in your left hand and energy feels flat, or doesn't make you feel like it did the first time you held it, then chances are it needs cleansing.
So how to I cleanse my crystals?
There are many ways to cleanse, clear and purify your crystals, and the great news is that it doesn't have to be difficult or expensive.
Here are my top 3 easy ways to cleanse your crystals:
1. Cleansing with Water
Now before I explain how this works, I do need to add the caveat that not all crystals can be cleansed with water! Most can, but there are a few that react badly to water and can absorb it or actually dissolve! So be sure to use a different technique for crystals such a selenite and opal!
I like to use cold running water to cleanse most my crystals. You can do this under a tap (faucet) in the sink, in a stream or in the sea if you're lucky enough to be able to get to a natural body of water, sacred wells are rather lovely for this too.
Don't use hot water for this technique. A key point to remember is that from an energetic point of view, cold water cleanses, and hot water binds (also true for getting blood out of clothes, but I digress...) This is a cleansing ritual, so cold water is what you need to use.
The technique is the same, no matter whether it's a pure mountain stream or the wash basin in your en-suite.
Run the cold water, and hold the crystal you wish to cleanse in the stream of running water. Out loud, affirm "I cleanse this crystal of all negativity. The water washes away any negative energy from this crystal, and charges this crystal with positivity." or words to that effect, several times over. You might like to make it more poetic.
When your intuition tells you that the crystal has been sufficiently cleansed, turn off the water and dry the crystal with a towel.
Do be careful if you're doing this in a ceramic basin. I recommend putting a cloth in the basin in case you accidentally drop the crystal, or even better find a metal or plastic sink to use, or a bowl, as they are much less likely to be damaged if you drop one of your crystals.
If you're handling small crystals, then do also put the plug in so they don't wash away down the drain!
2. Cleansing your crystals by the Full Moon
The full moonlight is really wonderful for crystals, and I do recommend doing this as a matter of course every moon cycle if you remember!
On the night of the full moon, simply place the crystals you want to cleanse and charge on a windowsill or in your garden, where they will be able to safely bathe in the moonlight all night. Be discerning where you choose to put them. Water soluble selenite wont like being outside in damp air, or if it starts to rain!
The moon's rays will clear and cleanse the crystals and charge them up with energy ready to do their best work. This is great for really maximising the efficacity of your crystals.
In the morning, remember to carefully put them away again. Not all crystals do well in the sunshine, and some of them can fade and lose their colour. Moon good, sun bad!
3. Cleansing your crystals with Clear Quartz crystal
This is a very easy way to keep your crystals cleansed, and a nice lazy way of doing it too!
Clear quartz is a very powerful cleansing stone that never actually needs cleansing itself - it will pull negative energy out of other crystals around it and cleanse them too!
I do recommend investing in a nice big piece of Clear Quartz. It's easy to obtain and cheap too. A clear quartz nice point is ideal for this.
Simply place the crystal you want to cleanse next to the clear quartz and leave it to work its magic.
If you have a particular crystal you work with a lot that needs cleansing regularly, you could even store it with a piece of clear quartz to keep if clear and clean. Do be careful not to let the stones scrape or scratch each other, and ensure that the crystal is compatible with clear quartz. Not all crystals play well together!
How can I tell when my crystals are cleansed?
You may be able to literally feel the difference in your crystals when they have been cleansed of any negative energy, but even if you're not very sensitive to that sort of thing, you can rest assured that using any of the techniques above will definitely do something positive to help clear their energy.
Which technique should I use?
Well, in an ideal world, I'd say ALL OF THEM! But any or a combination is absolutely fine too! It depends on how much time you have and what works best for you.
Some cleansing is definitely better than no cleansing, so use whichever techniques you can easily do.
There are of course many other ways to cleanse your crystals and this is a far from exhaustive list.
What is your favourite ways to clear the energy of your crystals?