So you just received an order of crystals in the mail and rip through the packaging. There lies the most gorgeous amethyst you’ve ever seen. There’s also a zebra jasper palm stone crying to be held. Your brand new crystals should be ready to use, right? Wrong! Spiritually purifying any new stone or crystal is a must. Here we explain why it’s important to cleanse your crystals and provide 7 EASY ways to cleanse crystals and stones. PLUS list the crystals and stones that are high vibrational and self-cleansing.

Why It’s Important to Cleanse Crystals and Stones

Manufactured crystals and stones have gone through mining AND processing. This includes passing through machinery, buildings, transportation, and dozens (possibly hundreds) of different hands and energies. Crystals give off their own energy and vibrations, but they can also absorb energy from their environment. Just like us! So it’s critical to cleanse your crystals and stones when they’ve come from a manufacturer or shop of any kind. Purifying your new crystals strips it of negative energy and frees it for you to experience its unique vibrations.

Even if the crystal has been in your possession, you’ll need to cleanse it from time to time. Has it been sitting around soaking up energy from your home? Sitting at the bottom of your purse? Crystals and stones can absorb energy from their environment. In addition, if you’re wearing a crystal every day, it’s absorbing energy from you and likely the environment too. So, cleansing your crystals and stones is indeed important. The only exception is with high vibrational crystals that cleanse themselves like selenite.

Cleanse Crystals with the Elements

Use the four elements to cleanse your crystals and stones. This is the simplest and most effective way, in my humble opinion.

1. Earth

Cleansing crystals with the earth element can be done in a few ways. Bury your new crystals or stones in your garden or in a flower pot. Leave them there over-night or whenever you feel they’re ready. Cover them in a bowl of sea salt for thorough purification. Salt has been used for centuries in many rituals and practices, and it is just as useful in cleansing crystals. Keep in mind, sometimes salt alters certain crystals and stones. So do your research before using this method of crystal cleansing.

2. Air / Smoke

Cleansing crystals with the element of air is usually done by using the smoke of burning sage, cedar, or some other type of cleansing herb or incense. Take the crystal or stone and wave it through the smoke. Visualize the smoke cleansing the stone of residual energies and filling it with white light, positive energy. Another fun way to cleanse your crystals with smoke – place the crystal in a glass jar. Then wave or blow smoke from your herbs/incense into the jar. Quickly put the lid/cap on the jar and watch as the smoke purifies your stone. After a minute, you can open the jar and allow the smoke to escape.

3. Fire & Body Heat

Sometimes its appropriate to cleanse crystals by fire or flame. Many stones change or are damaged in heat, so do your research before exposing your crystals to flames. If you do choose to go this route, I recommend holding the crystal above a candle flame for just a second. Essentially, you’re passing the stone through the heat/light of the flame quickly and safely. If you’d like to use your body’s warmth as an alternative to fire, simply hold the stone in your projective hand (the hand you write with) until you feel heat from your body pushing into the stone. Once you let the stone go, it will be very hot. This is when you know your body heat has purified the crystal.

4. Water

To cleanse crystals with water, take them to a local creek, river, spring, lake or ocean. Keep them in your hands or set them in a bowl and let the water wash over and surround them. Imagine all negative energy running out into the water, leaving them clean and clear. You can also use holy water, moon water, or herbal infusions to cleanse your crystals and stones. Simply pour it over the stones or soak the crystals in the water. Take them out when you feel they have been cleansed.

Please Note: some crystals and stones dissolve or dim in the water. Selenite is one example of a crystal that literally dissolves/sloughs off when soaked in water. There are others that give off toxic chemicals when exposed to water. Do your research before exposing your crystals to water for long periods of time!

Cleansing & Charging Crystals by Solar and Lunar Light

If you prefer, solar and lunar light are also cleansing and charging natural sources. So, if you leave your crystals in the moonlight, not only does it cleanse them, it charges them with lunar vibrations. Same with the sun.

5. Solar Cleanse

To use solar light in cleansing your crystals, leave your stones and crystals in a bowl outside where it will be untouched by human hands but directly in the sunlight. Leave them there for a day or however long you feel it takes to remove the stones’ residual energies. Be careful! Some stones will lose their color if exposed to extreme temperatures/sunlight for too long, for example black tourmaline. Again, research is key.

6. Lunar Cleanse

To use lunar light to cleanse crystals, leave the crystals outside be bathed in full moonlight or put them in a windowsill to be touched by the moon light. Full moon light is best when performing a lunar cleansing of crystals. It also charges the crystals while purifying them. I also enjoy charging my amulets, talismans and tools in the full moonlight.

Hagstone ~ Holeystone from the GULF of Mexico ~ Sea Witch Amulet

$5.55

Listing is for ONE Hagstone / Holeystone / Faerie Stone hand collected by Otherworldly Oracle from the Gulf of Mexico. Can be hung or carried as a protective amulet. Also useful to “see” the spirit world and potent in divination. SEE THE FAERIE REALM when you look through the hole!

Hagstone ~ Holeystone from the GULF of Mexico ~ Sea Witch Amulet quantity

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Category: Stones

Tags: protection, stones

7. Eclipses Cleanse Crystals, Too!

If you are lucky enough to experience an eclipse (solar or lunar), this is the most powerful way to cleanse & charge your crystals and stones. Leave them out in a bowl so they soak up the eclipse energy and be cleansed of all residual energy simultaneously. I know this method is a little more controversial in the metaphysical community. So if you feel using an eclipse to cleanse your stones is wrong, don’t do it! If you feel drawn to try it, try it out. I’m not here to tell you one way is wrong or right. Spiritual practice is unique unto the individual.

EXCEPTION: the only exception I’ve found when it comes to initially cleansing crystals and stones is finding a stone or rock in nature. I.E. a rock in a creek, a crystal stuck in the side of a mountain, etc. If you feel it could have been touched or discarded by someone else, it’s still important to cleanse.

How Often to Re-Purify Your Crystals

Maybe you’ve had a crystal for a while and don’t know when to cleanse it again. Do you ever have to cleanse it again? The answer is typically, yes. All crystals absorb energy and need help having that energy eradicated. So if you’ve had a crystal that’s been sitting on your nightstand for 6 months and you haven’t re-cleansed it. It’s time. In addition, if you’ve used a crystal or stone in a spell, ritual, meditation, etc. you’ll want to cleanse it after each use. Unless it’s a high vibrational crystal…in which case, these special babies cleanse themselves!

Self-Cleansing Crystals and Stones

Yes, you read that right. There are certain high-vibrational stones and crystals that don’t need much cleansing after the initial cleanse. These crystals vibe so high and take on very little negative energy, plus most cleanse themselves with their own divine frequency. Here’s a few stones you don’t have to cleanse (unless you feel the need to, of course):

• Selenite
• Carnelian
• Lemurian Seed Crystals
• Ouro Verde Quartz
• Shift Crystal
• Spirit Quartz
• Phantom Quartz
• Herkimer Diamond
• Apophyllite Pyramids
• Azeztulite
• Novaculite
• Clear Phenacite
• Petalite
• Yellow Kunzite
• Danburite
• Pink Crackle Quartz
• Rose Aura Quartz

How to Charge with Divinity

Charging with universal energy is as easy as this – setting your crystals and stones on your altar or shrine. Then asking your god, goddess, ancestors, angels, etc. to imbue your stones with their energy. I typically leave my stones and crystals on my altar for a full 24 hours. Some witches will leave them for an entire moon cycle. The choice is yours. After you feel they’ve charged with divine energy, take them off the altar. Hold it in your palm and you’ll feel the energy pulsating. It’s ready to be used in your spells, rituals, charms, meditations, etc.

Read More About Cleansing:

• Spiritual Cleansing: Your Guide to Cleansing Rituals and Methods
• House Cleansing, Blessing and Spiritual Protection Step-by-Step Tutorials
• How to Remove Negative Energy from Office Spaces