Cleansing Crystals

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Crystals hold a considerable amount of data indefinitely. A crystal’s vibrational storage bin can be programmed or formatted by the intentions of others, consciously or unconsciously, creating a resonance that may not be conducive (might even oppose) to your purpose for that crystal. Fortunately, crystals can be cleansed or relieved of toxic energy by exposing the crystals to a variety of appropriate cleansing methods. Occasionally cleansing the crystals you use daily can help your crystals retain their integrity as well. It is best not to let other people ever touch your crystals. A cleansed crystal reformatted to a new owner/user, can amplify the new owner’s thoughts and visualizations more accurately. 

The elemental makeups of the crystal you wish to cleanse should be considered first when cleansing a crystal. Every crystal has resonance with one or more of Earth’s five elemental energetic vibrations:

• Air
• Earth
• Fire
• Water
• Metal

Cleansing your crystals using the crystal’s Earth element connection is a good way to start cleaning your crystals. For example, an air element stone, such as blue lace agate or purple fluorite, would do well to be cleansed using the scent of burning incense or sage smudging. Pass a “fire” crystal, such as cinnabar or sunstone, through a candle flame or expose the crystal to the Sun. It is best to limit Sun exposure when Sun cleansing a crystal. Avoid excessive Sun exposure to no more than four hours when cleaning any crystal. Beware that the two months after the spring equinox (March 21-May 20) are when the Sun’s energies are at their peak. Bury a crystal with an Earth element archetype, such as any jasper or black spinel for example, in the ground for three days. A water element crystal cleanses well in pure water. Cleanse metal element crystals, such as pyrite, yellow apatite or green tourmaline under the Moon during one of the four Moon phases you would like to format your crystal with:

• Full - manifest desires
• Waning - release old patterns, relationships, ideas, etc. 
• New - divination (seeking new knowledge)
• Waxing - incite creativity

Leave the cleansing crystal where it will be under the Moon for the night for at least three days.

Other methods of crystal cleansing are:

• Place a crystal(s) in a container before a lightning storm. The crystal will not only cleanse but will absorb the lighting’s electrical energy.
• Bury crystal in a covered bowl of sea salt for between thirty minutes and 24 hours.
• Bury crystal in rice for 48 hours. Discard rice when done.
• Cleanse crystals (especially metal element crystals) using sound vibrations from a singing bowl or a tuning fork. Place the crystals on a soft clean black cloth around the singing bowl and gently strike the bowl with a mallet, moving the mallet clockwise for ten minutes. When using a tuning fork, place the crystal(s) you want cleansed on a clean black cloth and strike the turning fork above them at least ten times. 
• You can also wash most crystal(s) with cool water especially by placing your crystal(s) in a clean, well flowing stream for 10-20 minutes. Beware! Water will damage some crystals (such as calcite, halite and selenite).
• Use a quartz or selenite charging plate by placing the crystals on the quartz or selenite for a minimum of six hours. A cloth bag with quartz crystals can replace a charging plate.

Once your crystal is clean it is best to reformat your cleansed crystal towards your intention as soon as possible after the cleansing process is complete. Set an intention by first using your imagination to see any negativity being released out of the crystal. Using the following affirmation or create one of your own affirmations to begin your intention setting process: 

“This crystal is filled with pure light and ready to receive my clear intentions.”