Cleansing vs Charging Crystals: What Each One Is For

Cleansing and charging get used as if they were the same thing. They are not. One clears a stone, the other gives it a job. Doing both, in that order, is how I prepare every crystal that goes on my table.

What is the difference?

How do I cleanse a crystal?

• Smoke. Pass the stone through the smoke of rosemary, bay or incense. I use rosemary smoke from my iron cauldron. It is safe for every stone because nothing touches the surface.
• Sound. Ring a bell or strike a singing bowl beside the stone. Safe for every stone.
• Salt beside it. Set the stone next to a small bowl of salt overnight. Do not bury it in salt: salt scratches soft stones and draws moisture into porous ones.
• Earth. Bury a hard, sturdy stone in a pot of soil for a night or two. Skip this for anything delicate.
• Water. Only for hard stones like clear quartz, and only briefly. Many stones should never sit in water.

How do I charge a crystal?

1. Hold it and speak. Hold the cleansed stone in your hand and say what it is for, in one sentence: "You help me speak up at work." This is the simplest and most reliable method.
2. Moonlight. Leave it on a windowsill on the night of the full moon. Clouds do not matter.
3. A candle working. Place the stone at the base of a candle in the colour of your intention while the candle burns.

Which methods damage which stones?

The gemmological guidance behind these notes is linked in the crystals table, with care notes for each stone.

How often should I cleanse?

When you first bring a stone home, after it has been part of a heavy working, and whenever it simply feels dull to you. Many people cleanse their everyday stones at each full moon, which is an easy rhythm to remember. You do not need to cleanse a stone every day.

Do the crystals in your spells get cleansed?

Yes. Every stone that goes on my table for a customer is cleansed in rosemary smoke first, then set at the base of the candle where it takes its part in the working. If you add a physical keepsake to your order, you also receive a natural stone with a personal intention card, posted separately.