A Guide To Cleansing Your Crystals

When you first get your hands on some crystals, or if you’ve had some for a while and they’ve been sitting on a shelf, they’ve already started to absorb energy. Not only from you but also from the environment and anyone else who may have handled them.

That’s why it’s important to cleanse your crystals as soon as you obtain them, and continue to do so on a regular basis so as to set your intentions and clear out any energy they may have been stored. Depending on how often you work with them, you can cleanse your crystals daily, weekly, or even monthly. I personally like to cleanse mine and reset my energies every week or two, and it always leaves me feeling much calmer and grounded. However, you may have received a crystal as a gift from someone and they may have programmed it specifically for you with special energies. If so, an initial cleanse is not necessary.

Cleansing, in this case, doesn’t mean scrubbing each crystal with soap and water, but instead, it is done to release any good or bad energies that have been stored within it, allowing it to be filled up all over again.

There are several methods that are recommended, they are:

1. Recaning, Saging + Smoke Cleansing:

This is one of the more popular methods of cleansing not only your crystals but also your home, and even yourself. Note that this is not the same as the Indigenous ritual of smudging. This is the Pagan/Heathen method of recaning (pronounced reek-N-ing) or smoke cleansing. This involves the burning of herb bundles, loose and dried herbs, incense, or palo santo sticks and holding the crystals in the smoke to cleanse them of their stored energies. Every herb has a different purpose when burned: sage is believed to drive out negative energy; sweetgrass to connect us with Earth and all it provides while attracting positive energy, beauty, femininity, and sweetness; cedar to fend off sickness; lavender for spiritual blessing; palo santo incense for repelling negative energy and attracting new positive energy. You can use a feather to fan the smoke over your crystals or space. A bowl of some kind can be used to hold the herb bundles, loose herbs or sticks. A little sand on the bottom of the bowl will help make sure the bottom never gets too hot, and you can safely extinguish them in it as well. This is definitely my preferred method of cleansing, as it allows me to cleanse my space as well as my crystals.

2. Dry Salt Non-Contact Burials:

I recommend the non-contact method because this is the safest way to cleanse with salt, and there are just so many crystals that won’t react well with salt, water, or salt water. Other methods can cause crystals to dull, crack, and rust, among other things.

First fill a glass bowl halfway with sea salt preferably, but table salt can be used in a pinch as well. Then bury at least half of a drinking glass or shallow glass container in the salt. Place your crystals directly inside the glass or container in order to start cleansing. Bear in mind that this non-contact method will take longer, and the stones should be left for at least a full day to fully rid them of their built up energy. You can cover the container or glass for extra protection against the adverse effects salt can have on certain crystals. Again, some say to put them in water but I’d still avoid that unless you’re working with quartz crystals that can withstand the salt and water.

Once you’re done cleansing, the salt used should be tossed and not used again, as it is full of the negative energies from your crystals.

3. Crystal Druzy Bed, Cluster or Geode:

Other crystals are an excellent way to clear out the energies in your stones. Clear Quartz, Amethyst, and Selenite are all fantastic choices. Crystal cluster formations (both Amethyst and Quartz) have the ability to absorb the energies contained within other crystals, neutralize, and then release good energy back into them, so they can effectively cleanse and energize at the same time. Selenite is great because it aligns your chakras, can help with physical pain, and never needs cleaning, but a smoke cleansing or moon bath every once in a while is okay. Simply place your crystals on top of the Selenite slab, Quartz or Amethyst cluster and leave them for 24 hours or overnight to give your crystals a good cleanse.

4. Visualization:

You can use visualization or 'thought energy' to cleanse crystals. While holding the crystal, focus on it, tap into your Third Eye, and visualize a bright white light enveloping the crystal, pulling out all of that stored energy and putting it into a seemingly black hole of white light. This white light transforms the negative into a positive, and the negativity is released from the universe. Repeat as needed until you are satisfied that it has flushed away everything once stored in your stone.

You can take this focused time to energize your crystal as well. Visualize a warm, golden light and intend that any negative energy is transformed into positive while setting your intentions for that stone. Remember that it’s important to maintain your focus and concentration when doing this.

5. Moonlight/Moon Bathing:

Many stones love to soak up those moonbeams! Just after sunset on a night with a full moon, you can set your crystals on a window sill that will get direct moonlight, or you may want to set them outside either directly on the soil or on another natural surface. As you place each crystal, you can say something you want to let go of. List a few things if you have a few crystals, but no more than 5 or so, as you don’t want to lower your vibrations. This is a practice that I find to be really helpful and supportive, as it prepares you to release these things with the full moon.

A little recharge from the sun is great as well. The general rule is to do this through sunrise. Some stones, such as amethyst, will fade when exposed to too much sunlight. The process to recharge them in sunlight is the same as cleansing in the moonlight. When you’ve brought them all back in, you can set your new intentions with each one.

6. Tibetan Singing Bowl/Sound Cleansing:

Tibetan Singing Bowls come with a cushion to rest them on and a wooden mallet. When they are struck, they emit a tone which is found to be both soothing and cleansing. There’s no need for a large bowl as a small one will suffice.

Place your crystals around the bowl. Do not put them inside as they could become damaged. Now, gently strike the side of the bowl with the mallet and slowly run it along the rim of the bowl clockwise several times. Repeat as necessary.

Programming Your Crystals:

After cleansing your crystals you may want to program them and set your new intentions. Be sure you’re quietly tucked away from external distractions and energies. Hold the crystal in your hand in front of you, clear your mind and focus on only it. Concentrate on the specific intention you want to program your crystal with and transmit it from your mind and thoughts directly into the crystal. Be clear and concise when doing this, as you don’t want to confuse your intentions. Focus and do this until you are happy that your thoughts and energies have been transmitted into the crystal.

Here are some examples of what I like to program my crystals with;

- Charging Rose Quartz with love for myself and to strengthen my relationships with my loved ones.
- Charging Smokey Quartz to keep me grounded and centred.
- Charging Citrine to keep me energized and focused on my professional goals.

Closing the Ritual:

I like to close out my ritual with a simple mantra that really speaks to me. This step is not required, but I find it’s a really good way to acknowledge the Universe, the Earth and the crystals we use daily for the support and energy they give to us. I say a simple thank you (you can also bow if you’d like), acknowledging that I am grateful for all they’ve provided for me.

What are some things that you do to cleanse and program your crystals at home? Let us know in the comments below.

Love and good vibes 🖤