My favorite foolproof ways to cleanse, charge and program crystals

4 minute read

These methods are simply the safest and the easiest ones that I like to use. It is not a complete list of every possible way. So please do your research before trying out something new. 

🧿 Cleansing Crystals

🌀REIKI

A Reiki practitioner can cleanse and charge your crystals using their symbols. If you are not attuned to this healing modality, here are more ways you can try.

🪶 SMUDGING 

White sage takes a crystal back to zero. All previous programming, set intentions are completely cleared. Use sage if you have bought a new crystal or want to use a previously programmed crystal for brand new goals. 

🤍 Simply hold the crystal in the smoke for a minute or two. Waft it around all your stones while visualizing your intention of releasing all energies it has absorbed. It will feel lighter. 

💦 If you are allergic to smoke, you can use smudge sprays instead. The spray evaporates quickly and is safe to use on all crystals. 

🌿 Please keep in mind that these smudging plants are endangered so I try to use it for only for special occasions and for serious cleansing of negative energies.

🔔 SOUND THERAPY

If you have singing bowls or tibetan chimes, place your crystals around a tibetan singing bowl. Sound the bowl 3 times. Never place the crystals inside the bowl!

🌈 VISUALIZATION

Simply hold your crystals and visualize pure white light surrounding them and cleansing them of all negative energies. Easy and powerful! The intention is what matters most.

💎 This is by no means a comprehensive list. There are so many other ways like washing in water, immersing in salt water, burying in soil, etc. but unless you know which crystals are safe to be put in water, earth or sunlight, it is best not to risk ruining your precious stones. 

💎 Some like Lapis lazuli and Pyrite will rust  as they contain iron. Malachite has a chemical reaction with water. Selenite would dissolve. Simple way to remember is that most stones that end in -ite are not compatible with water. 

🌞 Sunlight affects some stones like Amethyst. It will lose its gorgeous purple and turn into citrine in sunlight. Many others fade. If you have many different crystals, and don’t always remember what is safe for which stone, the above are the foolproof methods I prefer. 

🧿 Charging crystals

🌚 MOONLIGHT

Put out your crystals by a window on the night of a full moon. Don’t crowd them all together in a bowl. Let them breathe. I do this every full moon. They don’t have to be directly in the moonlight for this to work. It works come rain or cloudy skies. Bring them in the following morning ideally before the sun is too high in the sky to avoid any sun/heat sensitive crystals being adversely affected.

🕯CANDLELIGHT

Can’t wait till your next full moon. Use candlelight. Light some candles by your crystal and keep it lit for at least 15 min. You can charge them longer if you use your stones for more meditative practices.

🔥 PALO SANTO

If you want to only raise the vibration, without clearing any set intentions, use palo santo, NOT sage. Sage will clear all set programming, palo santo will only recharge.

🤍 SELENITE

Place your crystals on a piece of selenite. They come in slabs, bowls and various shapes to facilitate this. Selenite is the one crystal that never needs cleansing or charging. 

🌟 GOOD TO KNOW

✨ Dark crystals need recharging more often than lighter colored ones. 

✨ Sage erases all intentions previously set while Palo Santo charges crystals without removing programming so it is perfect to use when making crystal grids or using your stones for long term goals. 

🧿 Programming Crystals

I like to write down my intentions for the crystal I’m programming. Helps me get clear focus on what I am hoping to achieve. The Universe loves specifics so don’t be vague.

💎 Hold your stone while thinking of the intentions. You can meditate with it for a few minutes. Or simply read your goals out loud while visualizing them as already taken place and in your life right now.

🪴It’s really more about working with the energy of the crystals and what properties they have that can energize your intentions and nudge them in the direction of your goals, rather than telling the crystal what you want it to do.