How to Choose and Cleanse Crystals (Crystals Part 2)

by Chona Bernardo
(Please read the previous blog post on Crystals here before reading Crystals Part 2.)

CHOOSING

The best way to choose a crystal, gem or stone is by using your intuition. Sometimes we are drawn to its particular shape, color, transparency or texture.  Internally, we feel an energetic activation within ourselves when we gaze at it or hold it in our hands. That’s how you know you have an automatic connection to a stone. Once we have identified the type the stone it is, we can then look up its healing properties from a crystal book or find information online.

Sometimes crystals magically make their way to you.  Whether you are gifted a stone or if your eye catches the gem tucked away somewhere, you get the intuitive feeling that you were meant to discover them.  They are material manifestations that are here to assist you through your journey.  If, perhaps, you’re not exactly drawn to it, just let it sit for a while and see if you have a connection to it.  If time passes and still feel a disconnect, maybe it’s time for you to give it away and honor that you were the middle person to hand it to someone else that was meant to have it.

Perhaps you feel called for a crystal boost somehow but not exactly sure what type you need.  You can go into a crystal shop or a metaphysical shop and read the different crystal properties.  You might go through the descriptions of the gems and find one to be exactly what you need to help enhance your life.

Also, think about your intention for using these stones.  Is it something you’d want to carry with you on a daily basis?  If so, perhaps you can get a tumbled stone that’s polished, small and light that can be kept in your pocket or purse.  Perhaps you’d want it to be stationed in your work office, your home or altar?  Then you can choose one that can be bigger, heavier, or more delicate where it won’t be handled often and can hold space to give off its healing vibrations.

CLEANSING

After choosing a crystal, it is often necessary to energetically cleanse the crystal of any unwanted energies it may have.  Crystals absorb good energy and energy that may not be aligned to your energetic frequency. So it’s important to cleanse them on a regular basis- once a week, monthly, after someone else has touched them, or whenever you feel like it’s time to neutralize the stone.

You can place it in a bowl of rock salt or sea salt making sure it is completely covered.  Salt is made up of positive and negative charged ions.  Leave it for 24 hours, then you will have a completely neutralized crystal.  

Other ways of cleansing:

• Placing under running water 
• Placing it outside to absorb sun light, or the moonlight especially during the full moon
• Smudging it with sage, palo santo, or sweet grass

It’s good practice to set your intentions when you cleanse these gems.  You may chant simple words repeatedly as you cleanse them, such as “CLEAR”,  “PURIFY”, “NEUTRALIZE”, or “CLEANSE”.  Or say a prayer like, “Please be fully cleansed so you may assist me through my healing journey.”

The more you take care of your crystals and develop a connection with them, the greater the healing properties may affect your life for the better.  These practices are not set in stone (no pun intended), so it’s really up to your best judgement to use your intuition of what crystal or cleansing methods are best for you.  Hopefully you enjoy working with these beautiful allies and watch the magic unfold.

Join Chona and Janae for their next workshop - Sound Bath: Singing bowls, Reiki, and Meditation on Saturday, September 23rd from 7pm - 8:30pm. Register in advance at namastestudios.la/workshops

Chona is a crystal lover and a certified Usui/Holy Reiki Master. She offers Reiki sessions both at Namaste Highland Park and Namaste Downtown LA.  In the coming months she will be offering Reiki Level 1, and hold regular Reiki Circle Meetups for those interested in practicing and receiving Reiki in a group setting. For more info, visit www.HealingWithChona.com

photos by Dave Gezschman and Collective Evolution