How to Cleanse a Crystal

The magickal quality of crystals and stones is "memory".  Stones are believed to retain the memory of everything that occurs to them or in their presence. They are silent witnesses to history. Because stones are so different from us, it's sometimes hard to perceive them as "alive". They don't eat, drink, live or die as we, or plants and animals do.  They DO feel emotions and can communicate their knowledge to us if we learn to listen to them.

Long ago, there was great respect for the stones and minerals of the Earth.  Ancient peoples understood that stones were part of the living Mother Earth's body; literally her bones and teeth. Great care was taken when extracting stones from the Earth. Only certain people, using ritual, prayer and ritual cleansing were allowed to harvest and work with stones. Stones were removed with respect and offerings given to Earth.

Nowadays, you can be certain that the stones you acquire were not harvested with love and care. Your stone will probably be grouchy and resentful of the way it was treated before coming to you.  Your stone may have been witness to unwholesome human activities like diamonds, emeralds, or rubies extracted from the Earth amidst great human suffering. The emotions that they have witnessed will be carried in your stone. This is why it is so important to clear your stone of all the baneful energies, memories and feelings before you use it for magick, healing or ritual.

When you first obtain a crystal or stone bury it in a bowl (made of natural material, such as wood, clay or stone) filled with sea salt for one week.  If your stone cannot be buried in salt due to its fragile nature, you may substitute earth or herbs that banish unwanted energies. When you remove your stone cleanse it thoroughly in running water and charge it to your purpose immediately.  Once charged your stone should be kept where no other person can handle it.  Your stone will be attuned to you, but if someone else picks up your stone, their energy will be absorbed into the stone and it will have to be cleansed again.
After using your stones for magick, healing etc. you will sense that the stones have built up energies and are not "clear".  There are many quick and easy ways to clear your stones of unwanted energies after the initial one week cleanse:
 

• Place in a bowl made with natural materials and cover with flower petals and sea salt or brown rice overnight

• Take it to the ocean and put it in the waves

• Take it to a river, stream or waterfall and allow the water to rush over it

• Smudge with sage or sweet grass

• Soak in sea salt and water overnight then rinse with pure water (some crystals can't be submerged and will be dissolved in saltwater- check information on the crystal)

• Beam white light from your third eye; surround the crystal with light envisioning crystal being filled with pure white light

• Put your crystals out in the Full Moon overnight, bring them in before sunrise

• Put your crystals out in the sunlight for a day, no deeply pigmented crystals they may fade over time

• Bury crystals in the earth for a day

© Rowan Morgana