Generally speaking, crystals absorb, and purify negative energy. After extensive use, traces of negative energy will remain within the crystal and its healing power will be diminished. Cleansing crystals ensures that no negative energy will leach from the crystal back into your environment. The cleansing process harnesses the healing powers of nature and your intention, to draw out negative energy and disperse it.
If you compare working with crystals to cooking, you can understand why you might need to cleanse them first – you wouldn’t cook with dirty utensils! The dirt and grease would mix with the fresh food. In this sense, crystals work the same way, but instead of food, you are dealing with energy. The stones that you keep with you and use on a regular basis will need to be cleansed more often than those that sit on the shelf. The more you use a stone, the more often it should be cleansed. Cleanse after each session if you have been doing chakra or reiki work.
Like with all things crystal, most of the connection is based on intuition so if you feel like your crystal needs a cleanse, you’re probably right! After your cleansing session, your stone should feel lighter. Again, intuition is always your best guide.
As soon as a crystal comes into your possession, or if someone else handles or uses your crystals, it’s a good idea to cleanse them of any unwanted energy they may have picked up. Whether you bought from a shop, online, or at a market or whether it was a gift from a friend, you want to make sure that any lingering energy from previous owners or other environments is gone before you use it.
Crystal work is all about connecting with your crystals. How you cleanse depends largely on your personal preferences and what resources you have available, but here are some options:
New Moon/Full moon
Crystals and moonlight go hand in hand. There’s just something about the energy of both a full moon and a new moon. The new and full moon are the key points of the lunar cycle, and we are all aware of lunar power - it affects much of the natural world – the tides, the behaviour of animals, our moods, and more.
On a clear night with a new or full moon, place your crystals somewhere safe where they can bathe in the moonlight. This can be anywhere from your bedroom windowsill to a peaceful spot in your garden. Wherever they are, make sure they won’t be damaged or interfered with by environmental hazards.
The moon cleanses crystals on a deep energetic level and this method has been practiced for centuries. The full moon will bring an energy of release, whereas a new moon offers an energy of growth. This method of cleansing is excellent for all stones, especially those that don’t like water (but don’t leave these in the garden if there is a risk of rain!
Running water/Salt Water
Water is the essence of life – it sustains us, nurtures us, and cleanses us. In the same way, it also cleanses and refreshes crystals. Ideally, you will want to use a natural body of water to cleanse your crystals. This is because they are (we hope) free of chemical additives and have natural origins – just like your crystals.
Flowing waters from rivers, streams, waterfalls or the ocean are perfectly suited to the task of cleansing crystals. Just make sure you secure your crystals in a permeable container that is anchored to you or the land before placing them in flowing water, you don’t want to lose them!
Tap water will still be ok, just purify it if possible, or add salt to the water. Leave your crystals fully submerged for at least 2-3 hours – no longer than 12 hours. After they’ve had a decent soak, remove them from the water and gently dry them.
Before using water to cleanse your crystals, make sure that the stones you are working with are compatible with water. Some softer, more porous crystals don’t react well to water and/or salt and should be cleansed using a different method. Crystals that contain metal or score less than 5 on the Mohs hardness scale are vulnerable to rust or structural damage when introduced to water.
While stones like amethyst and quartz will do well in water thanks to their hardier nature, softer and more porous stones like selenite, lepidolite, malachite, and angelite shouldn’t get wet.
Smoke/incense
Smoke is another age-old cleansing technique and often uses sage, cedar or lavender, but sage is the most popular choice as this herb has many healing properties. Herbs can be harvested and dried at home or purchased in ready-made bundles. If you’re making your own, make sure the herbs are completely dried and bound tightly using thin lengths of string.
This cleansing method involves using the smoke from smouldering medicinal herbs to neutralize negative energy. You’ll often hear this referred to as “smudging”. However, the term smudging is strongly linked to the traditional healers of indigenous cultures, and I’d never want to misappropriate others’ terms, so I generally refer to “smoke cleansing” rather than smudging.
Some people use palo santo wood smoke, but since this is becoming scarce through over-harvesting, I prefer more sustainable products.
When using smoke with your stones, make sure you are near an open window or outdoors so the smoke and negative energy has a place to go. Use a bowl or plate to catch any embers or ash from the smouldering herbs or incense. Take a few deep breaths to centre yourself, light the end of the herb bundle or incense, then blow out any active flames after a few seconds.
Hold each crystal in the path of the smoke for a few minutes, using your will and intention to drive any negative energy out of the stone. You can also cleanse yourself or your environment this way. One of the advantages of this method is that it is suitable for any crystal.
Sunlight
While the moon is ripe with feminine energy, the golden glaze of the sun brings a more masculine spirit and is all about vitality, energy, and life bringing potency. Wait for a beautiful day or a clear sky and set your stone out to warm in the light of the sun.
Be aware, though, that some crystals will fade and lose their vibrancy if left in direct sunlight, and no stone should be left sitting in sunlight too long. Darker stones like hematite and those red and orange stones like carnelian tend to work best in sunlight. Stones that should avoid the sun include ametrine, aquamarine, amethyst, calcite, beryl, and citrine among others, as they could lose their colour.
Sound
Another safe way of cleansing crystals is by using sound frequency to wash over your crystal. Fast and effective, this is a great method for cleansing multiple crystals that would take a long time to cleanse individually.
Whether you use chanting, tuning forks, singing bowls or bells, all that matters is that the sound is able to reach a vibration that resonates the stones. You can use this for any stone and the sound bath doesn’t need to take longer than five minutes. My favourite is my singing bowl!
Quartz and selenite
Quartz and selenite are widely used in the process of crystal cleansing as they themselves are self-regulating and require no manual cleansing. Clear quartz is known as the master healer and selenite is great at clearing negativity.
Simply rest other crystals on top of the larger stones or use a crystal cleansing plate or bowl. Leave them there to gradually cleanse, preferably overnight.
Visualisation/Meditation
You can cleanse crystals via visualisation and meditation, which can also be a great way of bonding with your crystals’ vibration prior to working with them. It is important that you are in a positive mental space, and that you ground and centre your energy before you begin.
Many people will have their own preferred methods for meditation and visualisation, but if you’re new to it, this is a good basic starter. Hold your stone in your dominant hand, take a few deep breaths, and ground your energy until you feel centred (imagine roots from your body going down into the earth holding you steady).
Visualize white light in your hands, surrounding the crystal and soaking into it. Focus on impurities and negative energy flowing out of your crystal and being replaced with pure and bright light. This process can take several minutes to complete and you should only do it with one stone at a time so you can focus your energy completely.
Bury in soil
Allow your crystals to reform their connection with the earth by burying them in soil overnight. Don’t worry if you don’t have a garden, because an indoor plant with soil can be just as powerful. Just be careful if the soil is damp, and remember the rules on crystals that don’t like water.
What is the difference between cleansing and charging a crystal?
Cleansing is about clearing any lingering negativity or “heaviness” the crystal may have picked up either before it got to you or through using it.
Some people believe they then need to “charge” the crystal in the sense of filling it with fresh energy. I don’t subscribe to this theory. The vibrational energy is in the geometrical crystalline formation and is constant. Once it is cleansed it is good to go.
However, I use the term “charging” in the sense of programming the crystal with my intention. Working with a crystal one-on-one or incorporating it into your personal space involves aligning your own energy to the stone.
In order to do this, take the crystal in your hand as you sit in peace and quiet. Take a few deep breaths to centre yourself, then focus on what you need the crystal to do. You might do this silently in your mind, or you might prefer to say the intention out loud.
For example, with a rose quartz you might say; “I charge this crystal with welcoming love into my life” or “I charge this crystal with supporting my sense of self-acceptance and self-love”. With black obsidian you might say “I charge this crystal with protecting me from negativity”. It makes sense to align your intention with the natural properties of the crystal. As you hold each one, really lean into these intentions and feel the outcome you are seeking as if it is already real.