Crystals and gemstones are lovely to look at, and make valuable companions on the journey of life. When carried or worn with intention, they can be used for healing, protection, attraction, and so much more! When we come into contact with a crystal, its vibration interacts with the vibration of the cells and energies in our body, and raises our vibrations to match their own. Each type of crystal has its own unique vibration which can offer different types of supportive energy to living beings. For example: blue lace agate is known as a stone that can help with communication, labradorite enhances intuition, and amethyst is said to help the bearer overcome fears and cravings (learn more about specific crystals from our gemstone encyclopedia).
The power of crystals as healing tools lies in their natural vibration, but sometimes their energies get shifted through exposure to energies of higher amplitude than their own. This could be anything from the energy coming from emotional release during a crystal healing session, to EMF from a cell phone or other electronic device that’s been too near the stone. These energies can knock the crystal energy slightly “out of tune” and make it harder for it to receive and project its natural energy. In order to return these stones to their natural frequency where they can offer the most benefit, they need to be cleared and cleansed.
There are a number of ways to cleanse a crystal, and you should use your intuition to decide what method you should use for a given stone or time. For all of the following methods, have a clear intention to cleanse the crystal and take at least a moment to envision the crystal filling with white light to flush out negative energies. It is good also to envision a nearby receptacle of some kind filled with white light to absorb and transmute any of those energies that might be released, so they’re not just flying around your home. This receptacle might be a black hole filled with white light, a rainbow, a waterfall, or anything else that resonates with you. Because crystal energy is all about vibration, your thoughtful intentions will have the desired effect, even if you feel a little silly using your imagination in this way.
How to Cleanse A Crystal
How to clean a crystal with water
Hold your crystals under moving water from a sink, stream, lake, or ocean (except for those that are water soluble, including: angelite, celestite, desert rose, turquoise, rhodochrosite, fluorite, azurite, selenite, kyanite, tourmaline, and calcite) for about 5 minutes (or until you intuitively feel it is cleansed), while visualizing any negativity being washed away by the water. You can also leave the stones submerged in water for a few hours, if that feels right to you.
How to clear crystal energy with the earth
Bury them in the ground for as long as you feel comfortable, at least overnight. This is a particularly great technique for stones with grounding properties (like tiger’s eye, hematite, and smoky quartz) as it amplifies and supports those earthy energies. Be sure to mark the spot well!
How to clean your crystal with salt
Place your crystal(s) in a glass or earthenware container of sea salt, covering it completely. This method extracts negative energy from the crystals and traps it within the salt, so don’t eat the salt after! After the burying cleanse, you can even keep your stones sitting in ( or on top of) salt to prevent them from absorbing unwanted energy. Avoid using salt with water-averse stones like those listed above, as salt can liquify if it gets humid.
How to smudge your crystals
Using a smudge stick of cleansing herbs like sage, ignite the end of the herb bundle with a careful flame and then blow the flame out to create a stream of smoke. Hold your crystal in the smoke for as long as you intuitively feel is right. Have a dish, bowl, large seashell, or other receptacle nearby for catching ashes.
Using a stick of seasoned wood like palo santo, carefully light the end of the stick and then hold it downward, allowing the flame to lick up the wood before you blow it out. Hold your crystal in the smoke for as long as you intuitively feel is right. Have a dish, bowl, large seashell, or other receptacle nearby for catching ashes.
How to purify your crystals with sound healing
Singing bowls, bells, a gong, chanting, or even singing to a stone is a wonderful way to cleanse a stone and help it to “reset” to its natural vibration. You can use an instrument for each stone individually or for a group of crystals, but it is important that the sound waves pass over the stones, so you want your instrument to be as close to them as possible. A singing bowl is one of the best tools for sound cleansing, as it will resonate even after you have struck it, so with one of those you can pick up the stone and pass it directly through the sound waves over the bowl. If you choose to sing or chant to cleanse, sing or chant anything that feels good to you, being mindful of the words. Never underestimate the power of “Ohm” or even “Ahh”!
How to clean your crystal in sunlight
Full sunlight will cleanse your stones and also charge them with masculine energy. Set your stones either outside or indoors on a sunny windowsill at dawn, leaving them until dusk. Some crystals will fade in sunlight, so this method is not recommended for stones like amethyst, aventurine, beryl, colored calcite, aquamarine, fluorite, and citrine.
How to cleanse your crystal in the moonlight
Full moonlight will cleanse your stones and also charge them with feminine energy, as well as energies specific to that astrological full moon. You can also do this on a new moon. Set your crystals either outside or indoors on window that will face the moon and leave out until morning. Even if there are clouds and you can’t physically see the moon, the lunar energy will still shine through them.
Cleaning crystal energy with meditation
Hold your crystal between your palms with your hands in prayer position. Focus on your breath and try to feel the energies of the stone. Envision the crystal filling with white or pink healing light and ask that all negative energy be removed from the stone, either internally or out loud. See the light expand until it surrounds the stone and fills your hands. Imagine all the impurities wafting away or dissolving from the crystal, going into the transmuting receptacle you’ve envisioned or just transforming right there into healing white light. When you can visualize the crystal shining brightly and intuitively feel it has been cleared, it has.
All of these methods of crystal cleansing are effective and it is really up to you and your intuition as to which you choose. Whichever route you take, doing so on (or the day/night on either side of) a full or new moon can make the cleansing more powerful, and your own intuitive energies more potent. If you go with a method that doesn’t take all day/night, putting your cleansed crystals out in the moonlight will charge them up and amplify their energetic powers. There’s a Full Moon coming up this Thursday, January 12th, so stay tuned to learn what sort of astrological energies we’ll be dealing with this week!
Which of these methods resonates most with you? How do you like to cleanse your gemstones? What’s your favorite crystal?
