Crystals and stones have been popular since ancient times. When we open up the history books, we learn that crystals were used by the ancient Egyptians, Romans, Chinese, Japanese and Indians to encourage healing and enlightenment. Even today, various alternative health practitioners, such as Krista Mitchell, a spiritual teacher and author of the book Change Your Energy: Healing Crystals for Health, Wealth, Love & Luck, claim that crystals have metaphysical properties which can benefit health when used regularly.
Have you ever wondered how to clean your crystals or stones? In this post, we reveal the various different methods of cleansing crystals, including the method of cleansing crystals with a singing bowl. We also reveal a step-by-step guide for cleansing crystals and explain how cleansing and programming your crystals is believed by some alternative health practitioners to have the potential to support your overall wellness. Let's get started!
Why Crystals Need to be Cleansed
A crystal travels from source to seller before landing in your hand. During this journey, a lot of energy can become collected in the crystal. In fact, research conducted by Jyngyu Zhang from the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom UK has demonstrated that Crystals have the ability to store massive amounts of data infinitely. According to some alternative health practitioners, if you want to start fresh with your new crystal then the first step should be cleansing. This will help restore your crystal to its natural state.
Crystals have a strong and unchanging physical structure called a Crystal structure. In particular, crystals are built in a specific geometric pattern without any randomness. Because this geometric pattern is repeated in a crystal structure, crystals can produce a steady vibration which is commonly referred to as the dormant oscillatory rate. It is believed that when a crystal with these characteristics interacts with you, it brings a balance to your energy field which supports your well-being. But, when unwanted excess energy becomes stored in a crystal, the vibration (or the oscillatory rate) of that crystal becomes disturbed.
Some alternative health practitioners believe that crystals have the amazing ability to return to their dormant oscillatory rate on their own. However, it is believed that it takes a significant amount of time for a crystal to go back to its original state. By following the methods described below to properly clean your crystals, you can quickly restore your crystals to their dominant state.
Some alternative health practitioners also believe that if you are using your stones for any healing then they should be cleansed before and after every healing session. It is believed that healing crystals work on the theory of ‘vibrational healing’, during which they absorb and release energy. For this reason, it becomes important to remove any built-up negative energy. Put simply, it is believed that crystals work better when they are cleansed regularly.
There are many ways to cleanse your crystals. Most of the methods are therapeutic, not only for your crystals, but also potentially for yourself as well.
Methods to Cleanse Your Crystals
Some alternative health practitioners believe that Crystals can be cleanse in a variety of different ways depending on their nature, type and color.
For softer stones, you can use sunlight or moonlight. In general, a minimum of four hours of sun exposure is needed to cleanse most crystals, but certain stones can become faded through this method. While moonlight cleansing may therefore be preferred, that generally requires a significant period of time. Similarly, while crystals are sometimes cleansed by washing using water or salt water, this is not suitable for some crystals or stones which may dissolve or disintegrate in water or salt water.
One of the best methods for avoiding these and other common problems is cleansing using a sound bath. Each of the methods for cleansing crystals is discussed in more detail below. In general, you should aim to cleanse your crystal at least once per month, and more often if you feel that they have been affected by negative energy.
1. Running Water
It is believed that water can be a great neutralizer for all the negative energy which can become inadvertently stored in crystals. Place your crystals directly under tap water or natural rain, or in a stream, for approximately 4 to 5 minutes. This method is believed to be most helpful in cleansing strong stones like quartz, amethyst and turquoise.
2. Sunlight and Moonlight
One of the oldest methods of cleansing crystals is to use sun or moon energies. When your crystal becomes a bit dull in appearance or effectiveness, the best way to cleanse it is to return it to natural light. Place the crystal directly under sunlight or moonlight for at least four hours. Sunlight bathing works best with warm-colored crystals like yellow, red and orange crystals. Make sure not to expose them to the sun for a longer period of time, as they may become faded.
- For best results, cleanse your crystals during a full moon light or during a cloudless day.
- Some crystals respond better to moonlight, but it may be difficult to be certain of this without testing each method and evaluating the results.
- Continue the moonlight or sunlight cleansing for three days.
- Recharge your crystals using this process once a month.
Moonlight cleansing is a delicate method but can be especially effective during a full moon. When the moon is bright with full potential, it can help increase your crystal’s vibrational energy.
3. Cleansing with Quartz or Selenite
Some alternative health practitioners believe that quartz or selenite has a special ability to purify and cleanse other crystals. This method requires the following approach:
- Place your crystals on clear quartz or a selenite charging plate.
- You can also place your crystal in a bag with quartz.
- Leave them there for six hours, or overnight.
It is believed that, after following this method, your crystals will become cleansed of any unwanted energies.
4. Cleansing with Smudging
Smudging is an ancient cleansing method used in many cultures to cleanse items, rooms and other things of negative energy. Alternative health practitioners believe that surrounding crystals with smoke and letting the crystals pass through the smoke helps cleanse them.
This method, which is believed to work for all kinds of crystals, requires the following approach:
- Use a sage stick, sandalwood, cedar, palo santo or frankincense to create smoke.
- Allow the sacred smoke to surround your crystals.
- Smoke carries low or negative energies away from the crystal, which helps raise the vibrational energy of the crystal.
5. Cleansing with Saltwater
Some alternative health practitioners believe that saltwater can be a useful vehicle for absorbing unwanted energy. According to this method of cleansing, stones are soaked in saltwater overnight. It is believed to be ideal to use natural seawater for this purpose.
Afterwards, rinse your crystals with clean water. Please be warned that saltwater can damage or change the appearance of certain delicate stones, with the result that this method is not suitable for all crystals and stones.
6. Cleansing with Sound
If you are looking for a simple way to cleanse your crystals, then doing so with sound can be a great choice. Cleansing crystals with sound is one of the most effective cleansing methods available. Some alternative health practitioners believe that gentle vibration created by a tuning fork or a singing bowl can help clear negative energy quickly and effectively.
In particular, it is believed that the vibrations created with sound helps break up any stuck negative energy in the crystals, and that the musical frequency of the process restores the harmony of the crystal.
In essence, sound sends vibrations into the environment which penetrate the structure of the crystals. This method is particularly useful if you have a large collection of crystals and wish to cleanse them at the same time with minimal labour.
You can create cleansing sound in a number of ways. The most popular and effective way is to use a Tibetan singing bowl. While it is open to you to play a recording of a singing bowl, most alternative health practitioners believe that the cleansing will be most effective if used in the presence of a singing bowl.
Remember to hold the intent
Whichever option you choose, remember to hold the intention that all negativity is coming out of the crystal and the stone is being filled with positive energy.
How often should I cleanse crystals?
This really depends on personal preference, how much the crystal has been used, what type of crystal it is and many other factors. The best approach is to do a little bit of research on the particular crystal you want to cleanse and see whether it absorbs energy quickly.
Have a good look and feel of your crystal to see if it is getting tired. Does it appear lacklustre and dull? Is it a bit dusty or sticky? When you hold it, does it feel like it is giving off less energy than before?
It feels good to give them all some monthly attention, particularly at the new or full moon!.
So there you have it. Lots of ways to keep your crystals in tip-top condition and remove any stale energy.
Do you have a favourite way of cleansing your crystals that's not listed above? share with us via Instagram! we would love to learn from you :)