Caring for crystals 101
There are things can do to keep your precious gems in tip-top shape. Here’s how to get started.
For thousands of years, people have been using crystal healing as a wonderful way to relieve stress, find love, and embrace a more positive outlook on life. With countless perks ranging from headache relief to discovering an expanded sense of creativity, it’s a no-brainer that a crystal healing practice is a good way to improve your self-care regime. In order to have your crystals operating at their best, though, it’s crucial to take good care of your gems in between uses. Because crystals can hold both positive and negative energy, you’ll want to be sure you’re taking the proper steps to reap their full benefits.
There are three important things to remember when getting ready to use your crystal. First, you must clean your stone to get it ready for its new owner – you! Next, you’ll need to program your stone, meaning you set an intention for it based on your own personal desires. Last, it’s vital that your crystal is properly stored when not in use, so its effects will last for years.
How to clean your stone
Cleaning your crystal clears it so that it’s prepped for you – and you alone. Before you owned it, it is likely that the stone may have been handled by multiple people with different energies that could clash with yours. Luckily, there are some simple and low cost ways to ensure your gem is cleared. Different crystals do need to be taken care of in slightly different ways, so you’ll want to decide which is the right technique for you and your stone.
Your stone can be charged anytime in sunlight or moonlight. Because moonlight isn’t as bright, charging may take longer, but placing it under a full moon is a great way to cleanse your crystal. Whether you’re leaving your gem in the sun or under the moon, make sure to wash it gently first and leave it there for at least 24 hours (but no longer than a week).
If you have a stone that won’t crumble easily or isn’t particularly brittle, you can give your crystal a bath of sea salt and water overnight. Lavender, basil, or sage can be added to amplify the purification.
Regular running water can clear your stone, and it’s a great idea to set an intention for your stone as you do so. You can also set an intention while you smudge, which is traditionally purifying a room with sacred herbs. When applying the same technique to a stone, you use the smoke to clear it of any bad energies.
A crystal cleaner can also be used, especially when handling brittle stones such as topaz, rose quartz, and emerald.
Crystals should be cleaned when they become cloudy or gather dirt (this is especially important when they’re a part of your jewelry), and they need to be cleared when you’d like to change their intention.
Setting an intention for your crystal
You’ll need to indicate what the stone’s purpose to you is, whether it’s to help gather more love in life or decrease an anxiety. It’s best to set an intention for your crystal very soon after you’ve cleared it. By holding the crystal in your hands in pure light (indoors or out) and saying aloud what you’d like it to do for you, you affirm its purpose. Some say holding it close to the left side of your body is even more powerful because it’s your receiving side – your heart.
Storing your gems
Keeping your crystals safe and energized is easy as long as you treat them with care. All you have to do is keep them out of sunlight in a small bag, or wrapped in a silk scarf, when not in use. Every Ayana product comes in a velvet pouch perfect for simple storage.
