Crystal & Gemstone Care Guide

Cleaning, Cleansing, Bonding, & Programming your Crystals

Cleaning Your Crystals

The best way is often the easiest, so keep it simple. Water with a little salt is excellent, wash gently, and dry. Dish soap can be used but do not use dyed or strong chemicals because you run the chance of discoloring your crystal. Avoid scouring pads because it can scratch the surface. If you like your crystals super shiny the try polishing it with a jewelers cloth after washing it.

Cleansing Your Crystals

New crystals will have traveled far and been held by many people each contributing their vibrations to the crystal. These vibrations need to be neutralized thus restoring the crystal to its original clarity so that you can impress your own pure intentions upon it. It is recommended that you carry this out regularly especially if your crystals are used for healing. A crystal with imbalances or energetic static can be detected by a feeling of heaviness or unpleasantness.

There are many methods in use today for cleansing crystals and gemstones in order to increase the effects of their metaphysical energies. The cleansing method you choose should be based on the type of stone, how much time you have, and what tools are readily available to you at the time. Allow your intuition be your guide. Natural forces, such as the elements of nature (fire, water, earth, and air), the sun, the moon, and plants, are very effective in cleansing stones of negative energies. Stones respond to the intentions of their users, so it is important that while you are actively cleansing your stone, no matter which method you use, you hold in your mind the intention of carrying away unwanted energies to a place where they can do no harm, and your desire to re-energize the stone with positive energies.

Cleansing Methods:

Candlelight – Carefully pass your stone through the flame of a candle several times until you intuitively feel it has been cleared. The fire will burn away any negative energy.

Smudging – Carefully pass the stone through the smoke of a white sage smudge stick or incense several times until you intuitively feel it has been cleared. Sage is a very effective cleanser, neutralizing negative energy and transmuting it into positive energy. This method is an ancient tradition that utilizes the energy of fire (albeit smoldering) combined with the sacred scent of the smudge or incense.

Water – Rinse the stone in moving water. The water will wash away negative energy and return it to the Earth where it can be neutralized. This can be done by holding the stone in a river or brook for several minutes, holding it under the sink faucet for several minutes, or leaving it out in the rain for several hours. CAUTION: Do not use water on soft stones such as angelite, some calcites, howlite, aragonite, azurite, dolomite, malachite, selenite, and sulphur to name a few. Water may dissolve the stone to a greater or lesser degree.

Sea Salt – The most common method of cleansing stones is with water and sea salt. You can do this by placing the stone in a mesh bag and rinsing it in the ocean for several minutes, or by soaking the stone for several hours in a glass of water with a pinch of sea salt. CAUTION: Salt may damage the finish on some stones. Water may damage soft or friable stones. Placing a stone in dry sea salt without water may damage its electromagnetic field.

Earth – Bury the stone in the ground for one full day, placing a marker over it so you can find it later, or bury the stone in a pot of ground soil. (Do not use potting soil as it has been treated.) The soil will absorb negative energy, disperse it, and transmute it into positive energy.

Sunlight – Place a stone in bright sunlight, either outside or on a windowsill for at least an hour. Leaving your bracelet in the sun's rays can be very energizing, as well as energetically clearing. You can use this method to both clear and charge your crystals simultaneously. CAUTION: Solar energy may be too violent for some stones, having been formed within the Earth devoid of any light. Over time, sunlight may fade the color of some stones such as amethyst.

Moonlight – An alternative to the sunlight cleansing method is to place the stone on a moonlit windowsill for at least one night under a full moon, or longer if the moon is not full. Leaving your stone in the moonlight overnight can cleanse and charge the stone with the moon’s gentle energy.

Sound – Produce a tone using a bell, chime, singing bowl, or tuning fork. Repeat the sound until the stone's energies feel cleansed. A pure tone will reset a stone's vibration to one that cannot hold negative energy.

Breath – Hold the stone to your heart while inhaling. Then bring the stone to your mouth and exhale your breath onto it. Repeat several times, always keeping in mind your intention of cleansing the stone of all negative energies. Your breath (the Breath of Life), combined with your intention, is a powerful enough force to cleanse a stone of negative energy. Your intuition will tell you when the cleansing is complete.

Visualization – Visualize a column of pure white or golden light coming down and surrounding the stone. Imagine it cleansing and transmuting the stone's negative energies into positive ones. Visualization combined with intention is another force powerful enough to cleanse stones. Again, listen to your intuition.

Crystals – Amethyst and Citrine geodes or clusters can be used to cleanse crystals. Place your crystals in/on the geode/cluster for a few hours and they will emerge completely energized. Alternatively, Selenite, Kyanite or Apopphilite have natural cleansing properties.

Bonding With Your Crystals

Bonding with a crystal attunes it to your mind, making the crystal a part of your psyche. Bonding is very important and should be carried out with every crystal whether it be a large expensive specimen or an inexpensive tumbled gemstone.

Bonding Method:

1. Find a quiet place and hold the crystal in your hand. With your eyes closed, try to feel the stone with your mind's eye; it’s touch, subtle vibrations, energies, etc.
2. After a few minutes open your eyes and visually explore your crystal, delve deep inside noting its color, shape, flaws, inclusions, and imperfections. Become familiar with every angle of the crystal. This process creates a permanent image of the crystal in your mind.

That’s it, now you are one. It only takes a few minutes and you should do this with every crystal you obtain. From here you can go on to programming your crystal if you have an intention ready, or you can save it for programming at a later date.

Programming Your Crystals

Here is where you put the most powerful energy in the universe to work, your mind. You give the crystal or gemstone your intention which becomes its purpose. An intention is the form and structure of something that you wish to have. Your thoughts originate it, your emotions amplify it, and your actions increase its momentum. We need to align our thoughts and our actions with positive feelings and emotions. This progression is called vibrational alignment and can have a dramatic effect on the outcome of our intentions. In metaphysical terms, programming a crystal is storing an intention or energy pattern into it. You can assign it any intention, purpose or desire that you have and it then becomes your icon which represents the intention you want it to hold. It is your intermediary to the universal machine which enables all thought to become physical reality.

Always remember that Loveis the highest of all vibrations. In order to manifest what is in your heart, you must first give yourself permission to feel and experience love. The vibration of love will allow you to manifest anything you desire. Your energy must also be so focused on your intention, that it leaves no doubt to the universe that you will indeed create it.

We are going to teach you one way to energetically program a crystal so that you or someone else can benefit later from the intention or energy pattern programmed into it. There are many ways to energetically program your crystals, and you should choose the method(s) that best suit you.

Programming Method:

1. Start by cleansing your crystal with whichever method you prefer.
2. Sit down with the crystal at your personal altar or in a place that you're not likely to be disturbed. Clear your mind of unrelated thoughts.
3. Hold the crystal in both hands as you gaze into it.
4. Start breathing with slow, deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling forcefully through your mouth.
5. Now start to focus on your intention. As you inhale, see a visual image of what you want and imagine how it feels to have it. With each exhale, send your desires into the crystal. 
6. Repeat step 5 until it feels as though the vibrations have sunk into the crystal or until you can clearly visualize your intention.

Tips:

• Have a clear intent; know what you want to program the bracelet to do.  Visualization and emotion are they keys to manifestation!
• This method is one fluid and focused action; read the instructions first, and then practice after.

Once you can clearly visualize that which you desire, your intention is then programmed into the crystal. This vibration or energy pattern will be stored there until you replace it with a new intention.

NOTE:

Results are the sole responsibility of the wearer.  Metaphysical crystal properties are spiritual supports to alternative healing and are not prescriptions or healthcare information.  These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.  Should you have any medical conditions, please consult a licensed practitioner.