Crystal Care
“Crystals are so pretty, but what do I do with them?”
“I have this gorgeous crystal pendant - how do I take care of it?”
“Are my crystals working? How do I make sure they are?”
“I bought this crystal … what now?”
These are questions I get from clients all the time. Crystals are a great energy healing tool that anyone can use. I use them in my practice, and I often prescribe them in Reiki sessions because they are so powerful and easy to incorporate - not to mention gorgeous!
So, where do we start?
There are two main considerations for taking care of your crystals, especially ones you wear:
1) cleansing
2) charging
Cleansing is about resetting the energy of your crystals and stones. It draws out any negative energy or stressors they have absorbed on your behalf so that they can continue to work well.
Here’s how to cleanse your crystals:
set them in the sun for 20 minutes, either in a window sill or outside
put them under running water for 5 minutes
place them with a naturally cleansing crystal called Selenite overnight
put them in any type of salt overnight
Note: Some crystals are vulnerable to fade and some are soluble in water. Go these places to see which crystals should be kept out of the sun or kept out of water.
My preference for jewelry and for stones that can be vulnerable to fade, like rose quartz and amethyst, is a box of salt. Grab a glass container and put enough salt in so that you could "submerge" your stone in it. I'm partial to chunky salt, but literally any kind of salt will do the trick. Then, you just place whatever needs cleansing in the salt for a few hours or overnight, and voila! It's energetically cleansed.
The frequency with which this needs to be done is variable. Basically, whenever it feels like it needs it or when your crystal doesn't seem to be doing its usual magic.
If you like a little more structure, every new moon is a great time.
Charging crystals is a matter of personal preference and is not always necessary. The idea is that you are giving that crystal a specific job or infusing it with specific intentions.
Here’s how to charge your crystals:
simply asking it (I treat mine like pets, so this is what I usually do)
meditating on the job or intention you'd like it to take on while holding it on your right hand
writing your intentions on a piece of paper and setting your crystal on the paper whenever you aren't wearing it
As I mentioned, charging your crystals is not always necessary. If your connection to the crystal is its natural energetic properties, then it's going to keep those and keep working no matter what. Although, you may want that protective tourmaline to protect you from something specific or that fluorite that helps you focus to help you focus on a specific task, in which case, charging your crystals with that in intention is a great idea!
If you want to charge your crystals, you'll do it right after you cleanse them.
The new moon is a perfect time to cleanse and charge your crystals.
The cleansing of your crystals, writing of your intentions or manifestation goals, and charging of your crystals makes for a great new moon practice every month!
You'll also hear folks talking about charging their crystals under the full moon. This is a great practice that infuses your crystals with universal high vibe energy. It's like crystal food! About once a season I lay ALL my crystals out on a blanket in my yard under the full moon. You could also place smaller stones on windowsills during the full moon.
Remember taking care of your crystals is not a practice of perfection, it's a practice of mindfulness, so just be intentional about it when you have the bandwidth to do so.
