Quick (kinda) Tip: Are Your Crystals Dirty??

Tomorrow is the full moon and a lunar eclipse! The full moon is a great time for meditation, spell work and ritual, but it's also a great time to cleanse your crystals (and anything else that needs a good cleansing). With the added umph we're getting from the eclipse, I decided it's a good time for a massive crystal cleansing. I've been meandering through the apartment for the last hour, digging out all my crystals, rocks and seashells. These guys are getting a good bath whether they like it or not! But first, there are a lot of different ways to cleanse crystals:

Earth Cleansing ~ If you're lucky enough to have a yard or a bit of earth that won't be disturbed dig a whole and bury your crystals. Once buried, visualize the old, stale, negative energy being drawn out and away from your crystals. Then visualize them being filled with new, positive energies. Leave them in the ground for at least 24 hours, allowing Mother Earth to cleanse and restore your crystals. This method is especially good for geodes. Just make sure you remember where you buried them!

Rain Water ~ Leaving crystals outside in the rain is a great way to cleanse them. Put them in a secure spot or in a bowl and just let them hang out in the rain. Spend some time visualizing the old energies dripping away from them. Don't be afraid to put them outside in a storm. Storm energy is a great cleanser but will also give crystals a powerful charge. Just make sure, if the storm is accompanied by strong winds, the crystals are secure and won't get blown over.

Running Water ~ Holding your crystals under lukewarm, running water is a quick way to cleanse them. If you have access to a body of water like a stream or lake, you can hold your crystals in the water (hold on tight!). Visualize the stagnate, old and negative energies flowing down the drain or down stream.

Smoke ~ Cleansing with smoke, or smudging, is another easy way to cleanse crystals. There are a variety of cleansing herbs and incenses that can be used but I stick with sage. Hold the crystal in the smoke and visualize the old energies being carried away in the smoke. If possible, have a window open so the smoke can travel out and away.

Full Moon & Sunlight ~ This is the method I use most often, especially when cleansing a lot of crystals (I'll discuss this method in greater detail below). Place your crystals on a windowsill or outside. Make sure they are in a spot where they will get full moonlight and sunlight. The full moon light will cleanse the crystals and the sunlight will recharge them. Allowing crystals to spend some time in sunlight is especially beneficial for clear quartz but can cause crystals, such as rose quartz and amethyst to fade over time.

My Crystal Cleansing Method

I'm a city girl and can't readily perform all the cleansing practices I mentioned above. I can't bury my crystals in the ground because I'm surrounded by concrete and the NYPD frowns upon burying things in Central Park. Holding crystals in a stream or river isn't a possibility either, putting my hand in water around here might send me to the doctor for a tetanus shot. Rain water is also a bit iffy, I'd rather not know what's dripping off the building along with the rain. That leaves me with smoke cleansing and Full Moon/Sunlight. Since I'm basically cleansing every crystal in the apartment, smoke cleansing is out the question. It will take too long and I'd like to avoid having to explain myself to the fire department (although, the firemen in my neighborhood are pretty cute, hmm...?). So, cleansing with Moon and Sun it is!! As long as the sun and moon are in the sky this method is pretty easy.

What will you need?

a bowl large enough to fit your crystals (the bowl should not be made of metal)
salt for cleansing (not required, just my personal preference)
rosemary (not required, just my personal preference)
water - I use filtered water but tap water is just fine.

Place the salt and rosemary on the bottom of the bowl

Why salt? Have you ever had a cyst, blister or sore throat? (I know it's gross but stick with me, there's a point, I swear.) What did your mom and grandmother tell you to do? Add salt to warm or hot water and gargle your throat or hold it on the cyst/blister with a clean cloth. Salt draws out the impurities. It helps purify and cleanse the crystal. A little salt is all you need, to much and it could scratch and alter the surface of the crystals. Rosemary is included when I cleanse crystals because it has the ability draw out the negative while simultaneously drawing in the positive.

Once the salt and rosemary are in the bowl you can begin placing the crystals in the bowl. If your a crystal hoarder like myself, you may need to use multiple bowls. When the sun sets I'll place the bowl holding the crystals, salt and rosemary outside on the fire escape. Next, I'll add the water (this should be the final step. Walking around with a bowl full of crystals and water is a bad and messy idea. Trust me!). Now the crystals can be left to their own devises until morning, allowing Mother Moon and Father Sun to do the rest. Or, once the moon has risen, you can spend some time focusing on the crystals. Visualize the energies that are no longer needed being pulled out of the crystals and drawn away from them. Leave them out for the entire night and the following morning. Transparent or brightly colored crystals (ie. rose quartz, amethyst, citrine) are at risk of fading from direct sunlight. Consider keeping them separate and bringing them in early to prevent fading. The next morning, drain the water out of the bowl and bring all the crystals inside. Rinse them off, removing the salt and rosemary. Dry them and place them back where they belong in your home. The energy should feel lighter and the crystals are now cleansed and charged.

No water for these guys (except the
coral in the middle.... oops!)

Placing crystals in water is not always necessary and sometimes should not be done. There are crystals that will dissolve when placed in water for extended periods of time. An easy way to remember this is 'ite'. Most water soluble crystals end in 'ite'. You can also do a scratch test with a steel knife. Try scratching a small area of the crystal, if the knife easily leaves a scratch avoid putting it in water. Selenite, calcite, fluorite, sodalite, gypsum and lapis lazuli are some crystals that are water soluble. Holding these crystals in running water for a short period of time is fine but they should not spend hours soaking in water. Research your crystals before placing them in water or leave out the water altogether. They will still be cleansed and recharged if placed outside without water.

This is the cleansing method I'm using today but remember there are multiply ways you can cleanse your crystals. Cleansing and recharging your crystals is vital to keeping them clear and working at their highest ability. Think about how you feel after a long shower or bath. You're cleansed, energized and ready to work and your crystals will feel the same after a good cleansing. Don't forget to include seashells, coral and other rocks you keep around. These guys carry energy too and also appreciate a good cleansing. Some crystals need to be treated like a Mogwai: no food after midnight and absolutely no water! Always cleanse a crystal when you first bring it home and before working with it in a healing capacity. Crystals hold memories and energies and we have no idea what they go through before they find their way to us. Clearing that energy and giving the crystal a clean slate is very important. Remember to use visualization and make sure your crystals get good and cleansed on a regular basis (whatever schedule works for you).

Happy crystal cleansing!

Bright Blessings,
~Amethyst~