Once you acquire a new crystal, one of the first most important things to do is cleanse the crystal of previous energies that may have been picked up on its long journey to get to you. From being picked from the earth to reaching your hands, your crystal has come a long way and will hold residual energy of its previous journey until it’s cleansed.
It’s important to continue to cleanse your crystals regularly as the energy of the crystal can become dull and less powerful over time. Crystals easily absorb energies, almost like a sponge with water, and after a while the crystal will become overloaded. Regularly cleansing your crystals or having a cleansing routine or ritual will ensure you get the best energy when working with your crystal.
There are plenty of different methods of cleansing crystals and after some time you will find what works best. You may find that some methods work better than others, however there is no wrong way to cleanse a stone. It is important to be your own guide and see what methods work well for you and with your crystals.
Bring Your Crystals Back to Nature
Returning your crystal to nature and using nature elements to cleanse and charge your crystals is always effective and powerful because of the natural cleansing and pure energies nature has.
Moonlight and Sunlight
One of the best times to cleanse and charge crystals, is on the New Moon and Full Moon of every month. Moonlight and Sunlight at any time will cleanse and charge your crystals; however during the New Moon and Full Moon cycles, the moon and planetary energy is much more intense and amplified. This makes the cleanse very powerful.
Sunlight is an excellent way to take a dull, overloaded stone and make the energy vibrant again. Sun bathing is a convenient and easy way to cleanse as sunlight is easily accessible. Giving your crystal a sun bath will rid the crystal of excess residual energy and toxicity as well as charge the crystal so it is renewed, revitalized, and ready for use. Sunlight is great for cleansing and charging, however long exposure in the sun can begin to fade your crystals coloring. So it is best to be mindful of how long and how often you sunbathe your crystals when using this method.
Moonlight is a great way to cleanse crystals and stones and it is one of my personal favorite methods to use. Moonlight is a natural deep cleanser and is easily accessible to cleanse and charge your stones. As mentioned above, the energy is the most powerful during the new moon and full moon cycles so that is one of the best times to use this method.
Leave your crystals outside to bathe in the moon for at least 4 hours or overnight to achieve a deep cleansing and charging. All of the residual energy, negative energy, and toxicity the crystal has accumulated since your last cleansing will be released and purified so your crystal will be ready to work with its full potential.
If you are concerned with leaving crystals outdoors you can place crystals inside by a window or inside a car by the windshield so they can bathe in the moon or sun without the fear of getting the crystals wet, lost, or damaged by weather.
Grounding your Crystal
Another nature method is using the earth. Placing your crystal on or in the ground, or burying it in the dirt can have a powerful cleansing and energetic reset effect. Not only will the energy from the earth cleanse the crystal of energies it has absorbed and restore life back into the crystal, it also allows your crystal to connect to natural crystal grids in the earth and grounds those energies. It is recommended to leave your crystal in the ground or dirt for at least 4 hours, however you can leave it overnight, 24 hours, or however long you would like to cleanse and charge.
Bathing your Crystal
Natural bodies of water like waterfalls, rivers, lakes, streams, and the ocean have the powerful cleansing and purifying energies that will help return your crystal back to nature and revitalize. The water will wash away, remove, and purify any residual energies and toxicity that has been absorbed by your crystal leaving it clean and ready to be worked with.
You want to be mindful on whether or not your crystal is water safe for this method. Submerging your crystal in a natural body of water for a few minutes with the intention to purify in the mind will give the crystal a powerful natural cleanse. Perhaps you have a river or a stream nearby, or live close to the ocean that you can bring your crystals and stones to.
Cleansing Crystals with Other Crystals
Some crystals have the power to cleanse and charge other crystals of the energy it has accumulated. Selenite is one of the most popular crystals used to cleanse and charge other crystals and stones due to its powerful metaphysical properties and the ability to charge itself.
Another great crystal for cleansing other crystals is Quartz. Known as the master healer working with all chakras, Clear Quartz can raise energies to the highest frequencies and is a deep cleanser. You can charge and clear a crystal by placing a crystal in need of clearing on or nearby a Clear Quartz crystal. If you plan on charging with Clear Quartz, ensure you regularly cleanse your Clear Quartz crystal as it does not have the ability to charge itself like Selenite does.
Cleanse your Crystals with Smoke
White Sage smoke is a great tool to cleanse your crystals and their environment. You can hold the stones in a stream of the sage smoke, or simply hold a sage stick close to the crystal with the intention of cleansing it. You can also smudge the area the crystals are sitting so the air around them is full of the sacred cleansing smoke.
Palo Santo, also known as Holy Wood, is a mystical tree that grows on the coast of South America and is known for its energy cleansing and healing properties. It is great for cleansing your crystals, and bringing positive, and uplifting, energy into your space. If you prefer, you can also use smoke from Frankincense or Incense.
Once again, there are plenty of different methods of cleansing crystals and after some time you will find what works best. You may find that some methods work better than others, however there is no wrong way to cleanse a stone. It is important to be your own guide and see what methods work well for you and with your crystals. You may even find you have a favorite method to cleanse your crystals or over time develop a regular cleansing ritual or routine. This will ensure your crystals are regularly cleansed and not weighed down by heavy or negative energies.