Crystals and gemstones have been used for decoration, healing and spiritual growth. They not only bring beauty into your home, they have also been used to promote emotional healing and meditation. To maximize your experience with your crystals, you should periodically cleanse them from both dust and energy that they tend to accumulate.
When should crystals be cleansed?
- When you first purchase them
- After using them in healing or cleansing rituals
- If they’re collecting dust
Related article: Smudging: An Ancient Answer To Modern Problems
Here are the most common ways to cleanse crystals:
- Wash tumbled and non-delicate stones in water that has been infused with cleansing herbs like lavender, rosemary, mint, or sage. You can add a pinch of salt to this water for extra cleansing power. If you add salt, don’t leave the crystal in the water for too long, just long enough for it to have a nice bath. Afterward, rinse the crystal and let it dry. Delicate crystals can be rinsed in plain water. Certain types of crystals (halite, hanksite, and selenite) will actually dissolve in water, so learn as much as you can about your stone first.
- Smudge crystals with the smoke from sage, juniper, cedar, lavender, or sweetgrass. Small stones can be held over the smoke. For larger specimens, you can fan the smoke over the surface of the crystal. Smudging works well with stones that cannot be cleansed with water.
- Place your crystal outside in the moonlight. Set it directly on the earth if possible. Crystals come from deep within the earth, so this is a great way to reenergize your crystal.
- Some crystals fade in the sunlight, but clear quartz and other non-delicate stones can be placed outside in the sunlight to absorb the healing light and warmth of the sun. People who use crystals for healing might find this to be helpful, as the light of the sun burns away negativity.
- Crystal clusters and geodes can collect dust. Periodically I put my larger specimens in the sink under running water, occasionally with a little dish soap. This gives them a proper bath. I let them drip dry on a towel after their bath.
- What about crystals that don’t need to be cleansed? Certain stones have a reputation for being “self-cleaning”. If you have one of these, you don’t have to cleanse them. I still do if they’re dusty, or if I just feel like cleansing them. Use your judgment and intuition.
You can see a short video on how to cleanse crystals here.
Read also: Do Crystals Actually Work?
If your crystal has been dedicated for use in healing, you can store your cleansed crystals in silk, velvet, or a pouch made from natural materials.
Here are some creative ways to display your crystals:
- Place them in a window to catch the light
- Wrap them with cord or wire and hang them, singly, or in groups
- Large pieces can be arranged in the garden
- Place them in planters with your houseplants
- Arrange crystals in a water fountain
- Keep them near photographs of loved ones
- Keep gemstones near work areas with computers and other electronic devices
- Create a display in a meditation area
- Keep a few in the kitchen to uplift your energy while you cook
- Keep calming and protective stones in a child’s room
Do you love crystals? Let us know what YOU think!
~Kita
