Cleansing, Charging, and Programming Crystals and Stones
Crystals pick up energy from their environments, often storing this energy for long periods of time which can have an impact on the next person who uses them. Crystals generally need to be cleansed and charged every month to every few months (or at the very least before introducing them to new energy). This gives them a good, clean start- like taking a deep breath for the next adventure! Using crystals that haven’t been cleansed and charged brings that old, stagnant energy into places it shouldn’t be- like your presence! It can result in useless, lackluster, or even broken stones. It’s not that the energy in the stones is good or bad, per se, it’s just a general backup of energy. Fortunately, cleansing, charging, and programming your crystals is easy and there are a lot of options to choose from. Knowing which route to go is pretty straightforward and you should always do what feels right. If you’re not sure, try a couple of different methods and see which one resonates with you.
*Side note: Stones purchased from Crystals & Creations are cleansed and charged before being shipped off to their new homes. However, this doesn’t ensure that they will arrive this way since many postal workers interact with the packages before they are delivered. It’s therefor not imperative that they be cleansed and charged immediately upon arrival but it is recommended before their first use.
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CLEANSING
Physically cleansing your crystals is different than energetically cleansing them. If your stones need to be physically cleansed, most can be wiped down with a cloth or even rinsed in water. Be sure to research your specific stones to ensure that they are able to withstand exposure to water as some do not have the hardness levels necessary not to begin breaking down in water. Selenite is a good example of a stone that should NOT be exposed to water. It is a 2 on the Moh's hardness scale and water will begin to break down its structure.
Energetic cleansing can be done in any of the following ways but this list is not all-inclusive. There are many many ways to cleanse your stones and if none of these feels right to you, research other ways or just follow your intuition and try something new.
- Sunlight/ Moonlight- leave your stones in natural sun or moonlight (especially the full moon) for several hours. This works great for most stones but quartz should not be left unattended in sunlight as it can act as an amplifier and be a fire risk (think magnifying glass plus sunlight)
- Running water- hold your crystals in natural running water (such as a creek or river) to cleanse them. Some people feel that faucets (ie unnaturally flowing water) works well also. Try both and see how they feel to you.
- Incense/ Sage- encourage the smoke from incense or sage to flow over your crystals. This method works really well if you have many stones and need to do a general energetic sweep. It is also one of my personal favorites.
- Earth- bury your stones in the ground and leave them there for 24 hours. This can
be tricky as some people say that if the stones aren’t meant for you, they will be reabsorbed into the Earth, resulting in you not being able to find your stones the next day. If you decide to go this route, it might be a good plan to mark their location very well and be prepared for the possibility that Mother Earth may take them back. - Other Crystals- Selenite and Clear Quartz are excellent for cleansing other stones. Clusters (like druzes or geodes) are also very cleansing. Resting your stones near or on these other stones is a good method to cleanse them.
- Meditation- Spending some time meditating with your stones and envisioning a cleansing white light clearing your crystals of old energy is not only good for them, but also good for you!
- Sound- If you have a Tibetan sound bowl, you can use it near your stones and the vibrational frequencies will clear the energies stored in the stones.
- Salt- Place your stones in a bowl of sea salt and allow them to remain their overnight. The salt absorbs the energy from the crystals so well that it is recommended that the salt be disposed of after each use.
CHARGING/PROGRAMMING
Once your stones have been cleansed, they will be ready for charging and programming. Each stone has several metaphysical associations and can be used in a wide variety of ways so charging and programming your stones is a way to hone in on a specific healing property or goal. Additionally, when you plan to use multiple stones for a common goal (such as a grid), programming encourages them to work together toward a common goal. Similar to cleansing, charging and programming can be done in many different ways and the ‘best’ way will be the method that resonates the most with you. Here are some popular ways to charge and program your crystals:
- Meditation- Quietly sitting with your stone(s) and focusing on the goal you want to accomplish. Do this for as long as you feel accomplishes the programming you desire.
- Crystal grids can serve a wide variety of purposes and programming is definitely one. Arrange your stones in an aesthetically pleasing geometric pattern (sacred geometry works great) while focusing on their intended purpose. Grids can be temporary or permanent, its up to you.
- Light- Sit and focus with your stones. Imagine a white light moving down from your crown Chakra (top of the head) and into your crystal, charging and programming it with your intended purpose. Envision the light enveloping the stone and preparing it for you.
Whatever method you choose to go with and however often you choose to cleanse, charge, or program your crystals, the best thing I recommend is to follow your intuition and do what feels right for you.
If you are looking for more step-by-step guidance on how to work with crystals, check out my digital workshop by clicking here. It's a lot more in depth than my blog posts and I walk you through ten methods to working with healing crystals over ten days. The lessons are yours to keep (sent each day via email).
Related Products (FREE Domestic Shipping on Orders Over $35!):
Beginner Crystal Healing Digital Workshop
Intuitively Chosen Crystal Set (Best Seller!)
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