I think cleansing crystals is important to talk about due to both its importance as a process, and its involvement in a recent controversy among the experts. First, let's talk a little bit about cleansing, or "re - tuning" as the more scientifically - focused crystal healers like to call it, and why it's important to do.
It is likely that upon purchasing a crystal at any authentic New Age or Metaphysical shop, the person behind the register will offer a kind smile and remind you to cleanse your new little buddies, usually even suggesting salt water. It is important to cleanse your crystals because, while some crystals have more of a tendency to absorb energy than others, you want to rid these little babes of any energy - potentially negative - that they may have come across before reaching you. Once they have been energetically "set to neutral", they are ready to work with you for your highest good, the way Mama Earth intended. Periodic cleansings are necessary to give the crystals a little rest and recharge, as they are always coming into contact with more energy. I once heard a rumor that cleansing is especially important for those who work with tarot, do psychic readings, or practice any form of magic because, like people, crystals can act as little "hosts" for spirits to take refuge in if they want to hang out here on the physical plane. This is more true of some crystals than others, as some - fluorite, for example, and typically all black crystals - are psychic vacuums that absorb EVERYTHING. So yes, these babies need to be cleansed even more frequently, and I would agree that this is especially important for those who actively work with spirits in the same room where they keep their crystals.
Some popular crystal books (Judy Hall's, for instance) say that certain crystals - such as citrine - do not actually need to be cleansed. Crystal workers who operate more according to science than metaphysics pose this question: if citrine is nothing but heat - treated amethyst, and there is nothing scientifically different about its makeup that would indicate an ability to self - cleanse, how does this make sense? My response to this is first of all that citrine, energetically speaking, is ENTIRELY different from amethyst. Amethyst is a gentle, calming, lunar crystal, whereas citrine carries a very energizing, solar energy - so in this way, they are literally opposite in their energetic signatures. How does it make sense that two crystals that are quite physically similar differ so extensively at the energetic level, the only difference between them being a little natural heating? The best way I can answer this is that heating is energy, and whenever you add heat energy to anything, the result typically is quite transformational - for example, cooking. It seems to make sense that when a crystal is heated, its energy WOULD be drastically altered. My second reply to this question would be that, from my understanding, part of citrine's unique energetic signature is that it simply does not accept negative energy (whereas amethyst is a powerful absorber of it.) However, all of this being said, if you don't buy this idea that citrine has the ability to self - cleanse whereas other crystals don't, then by all means, cleanse away! Personally, my stand is safely somewhere in the middle. I think that every crystal is unique in the way that it energetically operates, and it makes sense to me that citrine, because it does not rapidly or effectively absorb large amounts of negative energy, may not necessarily need frequent cleansing. However, I love to cleanse my crystals, and I consider it a VERY important process. While I definitely buy that citrine probably needs LESS cleansing than a lot of crystals do, I still cleanse mine every now and then - these little babies LOVE solar energy, so leaving them out in the sun for the day will make them VERY happy, whether they "need" it or not. Basically, don't stress as much about cleansing your citrine as your fluorite or your amethyst, but if I were you, I would still cleanse mine every now and again. I side with both the person behind the register and Judy Hall on this one.
So now that you know WHY you're doing this, it's time to pick a method. There are many ways to cleanse your crystals. The most traditional way to do this is in SALT WATER; Himalayan pink salt, which can be easily acquired in a number of stores due to its importance in cooking, is the best to use. However, cleansing crystals in salt water is my LEAST FAVORITE WAY TO CLEANSE THEM. While many experienced witches and shamans would be shaking their heads with disapproval at that comment, let me first explain why.
First of all, salt is very abrasive to a lot of crystals, especially the softer ones. So before submerging your new crystal into a bowl of salt water, you should at least do a little bit of research to get the hardness of your crystal on the Moh's scale and be sure it will not become damaged by the salt (as many will.) Additionally, some crystals don't like to get wet - celestite, selenite, and lapis, for example, do not appreciate water. So not only do you have to research and make sure your crystal is okay with salt, but that it won't be damaged by the water. If you are willing to do the research and be sure you won't inflict any physical damage to the crystal, then by all means, I agree that this is a very effective means to cleanse. Just do your homework first.
Another very common way, especially among witches, is to leave the crystals out under the light of the SUN or MOON. However, sometimes this is not practical for those who live in apartments (as I do) or areas where they aren't comfortable leaving out their stones or stone jewelry, which can be potentially expensive and rare (and therefore, heartbreaking to lose or have stolen.) This is also cumbersome when you get to the point where you have a very large crystal collection, and cannot transport all of them quite so easily. Another inconvenience is waiting around each month for the full moon, which does not always time appropriately with when your crystals need cleansing. However, if your living situation permits and this cleansing method strongly appeals to you, a little bit of research is once again required. First of all, many pigmented crystals will FADE IN SUNLIGHT - amethyst and rose quartz, for example, will both fade if subjected to prolonged contact with the sun. Additionally, clear quartz actually runs the risk of starting a FIRE if left in direct sunlight, so this is not a safe means to cleanse this crystal. In addition, some crystals energetically don't really vibe with the sun - amethyst, moonstone, rose quartz, lapis, and selenite are all examples of stones that should really NOT be cleansed in the sun. However, this is definitely the preferred method of cleansing for some stones - pyrite, citrine, carnelian and sunstone LOVE sunlight and cleanse VERY well by this method. Even placing them in a sunny window would be sufficient. With other crystals, just make sure you do a little research before leaving them out under the sun to make sure they will physically and energetically be able to handle the intensity.
Another way you can cleanse crystals is by burying them in uncooked RICE or DIRT - earthier crystals enjoy this method the most, like smoky quartz, green aventurine, amazonite, onyx, black tourmaline, garnet, hematite, and other black/dark stones that carry an earthy vibration.
Lastly are my personal go - to methods: the smoke of INCENSE/SMUDGE STICKS and SOUND. Usually, just for maximum potency, I combine both. These methods are my favorite for the practical reason that they DO NO PHYSICAL OR ENERGETIC HARM TO ANY CRYSTAL. They are both energetically and physically safe and do not compromise the crystals in any way. I either use a sage smudge stick or light a stick of incense - incense is fun to use because you can choose a scent that vibes especially well with the crystal you are trying to cleanse, if you work at all with aromatherapy. For example, if I'm cleansing my fluorite, I might use something energetically similar, such as lemongrass or lemon, which is very airy and mentally stimulating. If I'm cleansing my rose quartz to attract love, I might use jasmine or lavender - you get the point. Don't stress about this, but if you have the knowledge or the time to do the research, this is a fun thing to do (of course, something generic like Nag Champa is always great, too!) Watching the crystals in the smoke is really powerful for me, and really makes me feel that they are getting the cleansing they need - and you can pass the stone through as many time as you like, often feeling it become lighter. Then, I place the crystal on a plate and ring my altar bell over the specimen three times (though you can do it as many times as you like/feel is necessary.) Sound therapy works well on crystals because it quickly evicts any negative energy within the crystal and sets its vibration to neutral, which is what you want. Singing bowls and tingsha work wonderfully for cleansing crystals by sound, though as I said, any bell (which is what I use!) would work just as well. An added bonus to these methods of cleansing is that they take just a few short minutes and are no less effective than leaving a crystal outside all day or night.
So, now you have the tools that you need to pick your go - to method, and decide what is best for the specific crystal that you are trying to cleanse. If you have any questions on cleansing a specific crystal or a method that I haven't mentioned, please feel free to bring it up. Otherwise, happy cleansing :)
NOTE: Cleansing crystals is NOT the same thing as "programming" them. I have a post coming up in the near future about this topic, however.
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