CLEANSING YOUR CRYSTALS 

 

 

The ability to retain energy means that crystals are also subject to picking up surrounding energies. From the time that it is mined, transported, perhaps polished and sold to you, a crystal has absorbed and been subjected to a number of unwanted and harsh energies.  Also when you work with a crystal, and hold it, not only does it impart its energies to you, but it also cleanses your unwanted energies. This is why it is essential to give your stones a good bath - whether energetically or physically. 

You need to cleanse them before you reprogram and set new intentions. 

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There are a number of ways to cleanse your crystals. The easiest and quickest being to hold it under running water. However some crystals like selenite dissolve in water, and can be cleansed energetically or with incense/sage.

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Salt water is also wonderful, as salt has the additional ability to draw out negative energy. This is not suitable for all crystals as the salt can cause harm to the crystal.

 

Usually all crystals ending in -ITE are damaged by salt.

 

Below are the methods, the dos and don'ts of cleansing your crystals.

 

 

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SALT WATER 

 

For a good, thorough cleanse, a salt water soak is wonderful ! Most crystals can be cleansed this way. Be aware that this method must be avoided for certain crystals as it can have an adverse effect on them, and even change their appearance and properties. Stones that should not be soaked in salt water include crystals that are porous, contain metal or have and water content.

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Usually Crystals whose names end with -ite eg. Hiddenite, Angelite, Selenite cannot be put in salt water. Stones and minerals that should be kept away from salt include Pyrite, Lapis Lazuli, Opal, Hematite and so on.

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To start, use good sea salt, rock salt or himalayan salt. ​Fill a glass (not metal!) bowl with clean water so that it is about one third to half full. Add salt. Ensure the salt has dissolved in the water before you put in the crystals so that softer crystals do not get scratched. It is alright to put multiple crystals together, as long as there is enough space so they do not damage each other.

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Gently place your crystals in the bowl so that they are fully submerged in the salt water. Leave for anywhere between 1 to 24 hours. Many people leave their crystals in salt water overnight but a crystal that needs a much deeper and more thorough cleansing can be left for up to 1 week. 

 

You should thoroughly rinse your crystals in cool, running water after their salt salt water soak to remove any salt residue. The used salt water should be thrown, and the container cleaned before reusing.

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DRY SALT ​

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Another method is to half-fill a glass (again, not metal!) bowl with sea salt and place your crystals directly into the salt. Either bury them into the dry salt or leave them on the surface.  They can be left in the salt for several hours, overnight or for several days. Your crystals should then be rinsed thoroughly under cool running water to remove any salt residue. After use, the salt must be thrown away and never reused because it will have absorbed negative and unwanted energies.

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Again, take care when placing your crystals directly onto dry salt as the salt can have an adverse effect on certain crystals, as explained above.

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NON-CONTACT SALT 

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This is considered the safest salt-cleansing method and should be used where the crystals may otherwise be damaged by direct contact with salt.  This is also a good method if you are cleansing gem stones found in jewellery or gems surrounded by metal.

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First, fill a glass bowl half to two thirds full with dry sea salt .

Then place a smaller glass container or shallow drinking glass and half-bury this glass into the salt. You can then place your crystals directly into the empty glass which is sitting half buried in the dry salt. The salt will still be able to draw out the stored energies within the stones but this method will take longer to work than direct contact with salt. 

 

You may also pour just enough water (preferably pure, distilled or mineral water) into the smaller glass container, just enough to cover the crystals.  This will protect them and prevent direct 'salt exposure' or 'salty air' from causing any corrosion or adverse effects to any metals or other fittings that may surround the gems.

 

Also, bear in mind that certain crystals should not be left to soak in water.

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CRYSTAL BED, GEODE OR CLUSTER

 

All crystals can be cleansed safely by placing them inside an Amethyst Geode Cave overnight or for 24-48 hours. An Amethyst Druse, Cluster, or Bed can also be used in the same way.  A Clear Quartz Geode, Bed or Cluster provides a faster cleansing process than Amethyst, but both methods are equally as effective.  Simply place no more than a few crystals onto the crystal points and leave for anything up to 24-48 hours. 

 

These crystal cluster formations (both Amethyst and Quartz) have the ability to absorb the energies contained within crystals, neutralise the energies and then release 'good' energy from the cluster back into the crystals being cleansed, so they can effectively cleanse and energise at the same time.

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SMUDGING

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Another popular method of cleansing crystals is by 'Smudging'.  This involves burning either Smudge Sticks or Incense Sticks and holding the crystals in the smoke to cleanse the stored energies. Several types of incense are specifically recommended for this because, when burned, they release certain elements into the air via the smoke which can effectively remove unwanted energies.  A feather can be used to fan the smoke across the crystals and this only needs to be done for a short amount of time. 20 to 30 seconds should be long enough.  

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The following incense sticks are particularly recommended for effective smudging: Sage and Sweetgrass, Sandalwood or Cedar-wood (Available at our online store).

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ENERGETIC CLEANSING or VISUALIZATION

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You can also use visualisation or 'thought energy' to cleanse crystals. Simply hold the crystal, focus on it, and visualise a bright white light surrounding the crystal, followed by a beam of white light coming down through the stone, passing all the way through the stone, taking away stored energy within the stone. 

 

Do this until you feel happy that the white light has done its job and flushed away the stored energies.  The 'thought energy' generated by you will be transmitted to the stone and this cleansing energy will do the job of clearing the stone of its stored energies.

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