How to Clean and Clear Your Crystals

We all love our Queen, Beyonce, but do you really need to charge your crystals in a full moon?

Together we’ll explore activating, cleaning, and clearing crystals. What’s the difference, what you need to know, and how to do it.

Before we dive into the information, it’s important to say that many of the modern-day rituals recommended for crystals are rooted in traditions and ceremonies sacred to specific peoples.  Those traditions are to be honored. The recommendations below are meant to be simple, straightforward, and are intended to be rooted in your own personal process while being informed by the knowledge that each suggestion has its own history. If you’re curious, we invite you to do some further exploration into the themes and practices you’re interested in. And, by all means, if your family lineage has specific crystals and cleansing traditions, please use those or combine them with what we have listed below. 

So, let’s get into it. 

How Do You Activate Crystals?

Sometimes known as programming, activating your crystals aligns them to your energy and you to theirs. 

You can take Beyonce’s advice and leave it outside under a full moon or leave it outside in the sun for a few hours. Some stones like amethyst are prone to fading, so be sure to bring them out of the sun when you feel they have been activated. 

 
If you have a selenite wand at home, you can set your crystal next to it for cleansing.

You can also bury it in the ground overnight, or you can burn incense, light a candle, or diffuse your favorite cleansing scent, including Palo Santo, nearby to activate its energy. 

How Do You Clean Crystals? 

Much like washing your fruit before you eat it, it’s essential to clean your crystals of any energy that may have traveled with them to arrive at you. Each person who has held them before you have imparted their energy into them. To make them truly your own, cleanse them. 

There’s nothing fancy required to clean your crystals. 

Visualization: To clean your crystals, you don’t need anything but a quiet space. Simply hold your crystal, take a deep breath, thank you all those involved in bringing it to you at this moment, and imagine clearing all past energy. 

Incense or a Candle: Use the visualization technique above while holding your crystal over the heat of a candle or incense. Be cautious not to place it directly in the flame. Consider using a purifying scent like sandalwood. You can also use the steam from your favorite diffuser with your favorite scent. Remember, this is your crystal, so you’re cleaning it your way. There’s no “wrong” scent or way to do it. 

Water and Sun: Immerse your crystals in filtered water, then lay them on a clean towel in the light of the sun (indoors or out) to dry. Note, do not leave them in the sun for too long, or you may experience some fading. Do not do this with selenite. It’s not meant to be immersed in water. 

How Do You Clear Crystals? 

What do you do with your cell phone each night? Charge it! 

And what do you feel when you return from a relaxing vacation? Recharged. 

Just like you, crystals are made of energy, and that energy needs to be cleaned, cleared and recharged. 

You can follow the same steps above to clear your crystals. You can do this at specific intervals, such as in alignment with the moon cycles or whenever you have had a particularly heavy “lift” of energy using one or all of your crystals. 

Do You Need to Activate, Clean, and Clear Your Crystals?

Your inner Missy Elliott wants to know, “is it worth it, let me work it.” Put your crystal down, flip it, and reverse it. 

Because here’s the truth…. 

You don’t have to do any of this. Or you can do it all. If it feels good to you to create a ritual around your metaphysical tools, we’re here for it. 

Take what works for you and your new crystal BFF, and leave the rest. And if you want to learn more about crystals before picking out a new one to try one (or all, or none!) of these methods with, check out our “Pairing Crystals with Essential Oils” blog. 

What’s your favorite crystal cleaning and clearing method?  Show us with the hashtag #MyBursera.

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^{Author: Bridgette Clare}