Secrets of the Stones
How To Cleanse, Charge, Care for,
and Store Healing Stones
When you bring your new Healing stones home, the first thing you will want to do is cleanse and charge them. While they may have had quite the “buzz” in the shop when you bought them, or may have arrived at your home with a “buzz” of energy, they will still need to be cleansed and re-charged. It is always important to cleanse your stones to remove the energies of other people who have handled them, the energies of transport, and so on. Giving your stones a bath is a wonderful way to welcome them into your home and family.
The method we recommend for cleansing and charging stones is the water and sun process. This method is the most natural and the one closest to Nature. This is a very easy process to do. Simply hold your stone(s) in your hand under cool running water for ten seconds or more. Be sure to let the water cover all areas of the stone(s). The running water you use can be tap water or a stream, creek, or river. If no other water can be found, you can pour water over the stones for a bath. If you are using a natural running water source, such as a river, use extreme caution when putting the stones in the water. They will become very slippery very quickly, and sometimes will literally jump out of your hands and disappear in the sand at the water’s edge. If this happens and you cannot retrieve them, know that this is the wish of the stone and that it thanks you for returning it to a place it feels is home.
Once you have washed your stones, it is important to dry them – very carefully. It is best to use a clean, soft, natural fiber cloth to gently pat them dry as much as you can. For some stones, such as crystal clusters, you cannot dry in the cracks and crevices. For these stones, place them upside down on a cloth to drain and dry.
Remember that some stones - such as Calcite, Galena, and a number of others - are water-soluble. So, if you expose them to too much water, or cleanse them too often, they will dissolve. For these stones, we usually give them a very quick dash under the running water and immediately pat them dry very gently with a soft cloth.
There are other methods for cleansing stones that do not involve the use of water. Smudging with sage, sweet grass, and/or cedar is also a very good way of cleansing crystals and other Healing stones. This method works well for a quick cleanse between uses. It is also possible to cleanse stones with the use of sound. We have found that the “Om” works bests for this method.
We have seen that there are many people out there who are still using the sea salt methods to cleanse stones. We absolutely do not recommend any of these methods for cleansing. The Healing stones evolved beyond these methods more than 20 years ago. At this point in their evolution, using sea salt for cleansing them is actually very painful and harmful to them. Please do not expose your stones to sea salt, unless it is in the course of cleansing them at the edge of an ocean. Even then, do not keep them in the water for very long. If you can hear the stones speak, you will hear them expressing their pain if they are exposed for too long or to too much!
Once you have washed your stones, it is important to dry them – very carefully. It is best to use a clean, soft, natural fiber cloth to gently pat them dry as much as you can. For some stones, such as crystal clusters, you cannot dry in the cracks and crevices. For these stones, place them upside down on a cloth to drain and dry.
Remember that some stones - such as Calcite, Galena, and a number of others - are water-soluble. So, if you expose them to too much water, or cleanse them too often, they will dissolve. For these stones, we usually give them a very quick dash under the running water and immediately pat them dry very gently with a soft cloth.
There are other methods for cleansing stones that do not involve the use of water. Smudging with sage, sweet grass, and/or cedar is also a very good way of cleansing crystals and other Healing stones. This method works well for a quick cleanse between uses. It is also possible to cleanse stones with the use of sound. We have found that the “Om” works bests for this method.
We have seen that there are many people out there who are still using the sea salt methods to cleanse stones. We absolutely do not recommend any of these methods for cleansing. The Healing stones evolved beyond these methods more than 20 years ago. At this point in their evolution, using sea salt for cleansing them is actually very painful and harmful to them. Please do not expose your stones to sea salt, unless it is in the course of cleansing them at the edge of an ocean. Even then, do not keep them in the water for very long. If you can hear the stones speak, you will hear them expressing their pain if they are exposed for too long or to too much!
After your stones are dry, you can charge them simply by placing them in direct sunlight for at least an hour. We like to charge our stones for 2-3 hours as a minimum. This can be in a sunlit place in your home, or outside right on the ground. The stones prefer the outside on the ground method, but any sunlight will suffice to charge them - although it may take longer if the light is not very strong.
As there are some stones that do not do well with washing often or for too long, so there are also some stones that do not do well with too much sunlight. Amethyst is one such stone. Leaving Amethyst in direct sunlight for too long or too often will result in the lovely violet color fading out. Some feel that the best way to charge sun-sensitive stones is with moonlight. We do not feel that it the best way to charge them, but it is certainly a good option. Moonlight is another wonderful light source for charging stones. The light of a full moon is the best to use. If you choose this method for charging your stones, plan on leaving them in the moonlight all night long for a good charge. There are some stones that are associated with the energies of the moon, and they do charge better with moonlight than they do with sunlight.
As there are some stones that do not do well with washing often or for too long, so there are also some stones that do not do well with too much sunlight. Amethyst is one such stone. Leaving Amethyst in direct sunlight for too long or too often will result in the lovely violet color fading out. Some feel that the best way to charge sun-sensitive stones is with moonlight. We do not feel that it the best way to charge them, but it is certainly a good option. Moonlight is another wonderful light source for charging stones. The light of a full moon is the best to use. If you choose this method for charging your stones, plan on leaving them in the moonlight all night long for a good charge. There are some stones that are associated with the energies of the moon, and they do charge better with moonlight than they do with sunlight.
There are other ways to charge your Healing stones. You can share your energy with them through meditation and ask your Guidance to assist you in charging your stones. If you do Reiki, One Heart Touch™, or another method of energy work, you can put this energy directly into the stones. Crystal clusters are also good for charging other stones, especially if they have been overused or injured. It is possible to charge Healing stones with sound, too, but this requires a much longer period of time. If you choose to try this method, we suggest using the “Om”.
After your stones are cleansed and charged, you will need to put them somewhere safe. If your stones are meant to become “house crystals”, find a solid, out-of-the-way place for them where they will not accidentally be knocked to the floor – and where they cannot mysteriously slip off a shelf, table, etc. to the floor. Some stones do seem to have a will of their own!
For stones that are meant to serve in Healing or meditation practices, you will want to keep them in or on a natural substance. Open objects made of stone, clay, wood, or natural fiber (unbleached cotton, hemp, natural fleece, silk) make good choices to house your stones. This would include bowls, baskets, cloths, pillows, stands, and so on. You can store your stones in glass or lead crystal containers, however, you must be very careful in ensuring that the glass or crystal is very thick and not restrictive to the energies of the stones housed within. The energies of crystals and other Healing stones will shatter glass. We have experienced this Truth first-hand. We learned this lesson the hard way in experiencing the explosion of a beautiful glass pitcher into which we had placed several stones in preparation for making a gem elixir!
As you use your Healing stones or enjoy them in your home, keep an eye on their color, clarity, and feel. When clear stones begin to cloud, opaque stones become dull, or when the stones just don’t have their usual “buzz” of energy, it is time to give them a bath - with water and sunlight or moonlight. If you treat your stones with respect and Love, they will reward you with a lifetime of friendship and nurturing!
As you use your Healing stones or enjoy them in your home, keep an eye on their color, clarity, and feel. When clear stones begin to cloud, opaque stones become dull, or when the stones just don’t have their usual “buzz” of energy, it is time to give them a bath - with water and sunlight or moonlight. If you treat your stones with respect and Love, they will reward you with a lifetime of friendship and nurturing!
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