The crystals and stones need to be prepared for use. A dull, old, spent healing crystal isn't going to help anyone. A crystal or stone that has been surrounded by negative energy will be a poor conduit of the life force and make our grids ineffective. We need to follow the 3 Cs to prepare our crystals: clean, clear, and charge.
Cleaning
There are two basic ways to lightly clean crystals, stones, and crystal clusters: using water or finding a dry method for those crystals that might be harmed by water.
Light cleansing of crystals, crystal clusters, rocks, and gems is usually done with water. However, there are a few exceptions. Some minerals can be damaged by water, so another cleaning method is needed. Most common crystals can be safely cleaned with water. If you are just cleaning quartz crystals, don't worry, water is fine. But if you have some unusual crystals, consult a list of the water-soluble minerals on the Internet. Any crystals of these minerals should not be placed in water.
To clean a crystal or stone with water, get some distilled water and gently pour it over the crystal or stone. This will rinse off all but the hardest grime. If you have a very dirty stone, a small toothbrush and water should be enough to get it clean. If not, then the stone might not be suitable for a grid.
The second method to clean a crystal is to wipe it with a cloth or, if it is just dusty, dust it with a feather. This actually works well for most crystals. Unless your crystal has a lot of oil from handling, simple dusting or wiping with a soft cloth will clean it quickly.
Clearing
Simply put, spiritual cleansing, or clearing a crystal, is removing any excess negative energy from the crystal and returning the crystal to its natural energy balance. Crystals absorb energy, both positive and negative. When they have too much negative energy, they need to be cleared, or, as we call it, spiritually cleansed. Negative energy is the energy that powers destruction, sickness, worry, guilt, depression, ill will, impolite behaviours, antisocial behaviour, fear, anger, ridicule, feelings of loss, injury, pain, and all the negative elements of spiritual and physical life. Negative energy is a natural part of life but it is the unhealthy part. Crystals can absorb negative energy during use, just as we can. We use crystals to absorb and dissipate this energy, removing it from our bodies and spirits. The task then is to remove the negative energy from the crystal so we can reuse the crystal.
A crystal can pick up the energies, worries, and negative thoughts of people with whom it has come in contact. Spiritual cleansing returns the crystal to its balanced state using the fundamental elements of fire, water, air, and earth.
The process is one of returning to balance by immersion in the natural world once again.
THE WIND
The first method of clearing is to use the winds. Each of the four winds has a special use in clearing the negative energy from a crystal.
THE WEST WIND
The west wind blows from the west to the east. This is the gentlest of the winds, Zephyrus. It is the wind of spring, growth, and renewal. It is Persephone returned. It brings the energy of new blossoms, youth, and rebirth. The west wind is the one used most often for the spiritual cleansing of crystals. To use the west wind to cleanse crystals and stones, place them near flowering plants where the wind will first blow over the flowers and then over the crystals. Rotate the crystals every fifteen minutes or so. Leaving them for about an hour in the west wind will be sufficient. If the climate doesn't allow for flowering plants, use dried flowers. The west wind is the all-purpose wind and can be used to cleanse any crystals
THE NORTH WIND
The north wind is the wind that blows from north to south. This wind, known as Boreas, is the wind of winter's harshness. The north wind is rarely used in crystal cleansing. Use it if you know your crystal's negative balance was caused by exposure to the heat of strife and discord. To clear crystals of negative energy caused by arguments and fighting near them, place them in cold water in a location where the wind from the north can blow over the water. The crystals and stones do not need to be submerged. Usually only ten to fifteen minutes is required to "cool" a hot-tempered crystal or stone.
THE SOUTH WIND
The south wind is used to remove negative energy from a crystal that has been abused by a cold, aloof owner or an impersonal environment. Be aware that the south wind, known as Notus, is often considered a dry wind and can be a destructive force of late summer. Using the south wind to cleanse a crystal involves placing it in a sunny location where the south wind can blow over it and the sun can shine upon it. A couple of hours of gentle breezes and sunlight will revive the positive energy of the crystal or stone.
THE EAST WIND
The east wind is Eurus. This wind is not used to remove negative energy-in fact, just the opposite. There are some cases when a crystal will actually have too little negative energy. If you determine that a crystal has somehow become too hot, too active, or too powerful and needs to cool down and rebalance, then a few minutes in the east wind can be beneficial. These are extremely rare conditions, but Eurus is there when needed. Now, you might think you need the cool north wind for this purpose, but that wind is used to remove negative energy from a crystal that is hot from discord. The east wind is used to remove positive energy that is unbalancing a crystal. This often occurs when a crystal is exposed to a highly stimulating but positive environment, such as a celebration. Usually, an hour or so is sufficient to clear the crystal if it is placed in a sheltered location where the wind can blow over it.
For most grid applications, the use of the air element found in wind is sufficient to clear any crystal.
Be aware that there are other methods that use the other three elements of earth, fire, and water.
Earth
A traditional method of spiritually cleansing a crystal is burying it directly in the earth. This can be done in a variety of ways, but generally, the crystal is wrapped in a natural organic cover, like a leaf or bundle of moss, and buried in a shallow trench or natural cave. I personally use coarse salt instead of earth, salt is a strong magnet for negative energies and manages to extract them from crystals. Although the time it takes to clean a burying crystal can vary significantly, one day and one night are generally sufficient.
Fire
The fire element is best applied to cleansing a crystal through smudging. Immersing the crystal in the smoke of white sage for about three minutes will clear the negativity from most crystals.
Water
Finally, the water element can be used to cleanse most crystals, but not all —some of the softer stones can be damaged by water. Clearing the negative energy from a crystal using the water element is best done with moving water. Hold the crystals or stones in clear, cool running water for about three to five minutes. Rotate the crystals frequently. Allow air-drying.
Charging
The process used to charge a crystal is actually quite simple. The key requirement is sunlight.
Beyond this requirement, you are free to experiment. To charge a crystal, once the negative energy has been removed from it and when its positive energy supply is low, place the crystal in bright sunlight for a period of time until its supply of universal life force has been replenished.
That brings up two questions: "Why do we charge crystals in the sun?" and "For how long?"
To answer the first question, the single largest source of the bounty of the universal life force in our part of the universe is the sun. It is the centre of our system and the centre of our lives. No wonder the sun has been worshipped as a god since time began. The sunbeams the life-giving energy we need to survive. How or from whom the sun got such power and energy is a subject of speculation on the part of philosophers, religious teachers, and everyday people. We cannot know. But we know that, regardless of its source, the sun is our local source of life.
Next, let's address the second question, "For how long do we charge a crystal or stone in the sun for use on a grid?" To find the answer, we need to look to nature and her cycles. We want to use the natural cycle of the sun as our guide because it is the natural cycle of life (for us on earth, anyway). The earth, as it circles the sun, brings us the natural cycle of the day. The earth's rotation brings the sun to the same position in the sky once per day (okay, a bit north or south depending on the earth's tilt and the season, but you. See the idea). A cycle is one day. So, to start, let's use that natural cycle. Now since the sunlight is blocked by the earth at night, we really only have from sunrise until sunset to get the direct rays of the sun and its nurturing life force into our crystals. So, for all but the most distressed crystals, a day in the sun should be sufficient to charge them.
Set intentions
Now that your crystals have been cleared, they are ready to receive your intentions and goals!
To do this, take the time to relax and slow your mind, and bring yourself into a meditative state, possibly in a quiet and undisturbed place. Take 3 slow, deep breaths, focusing on the cold sensation with each inhalation and the warm sensation with each exhalation.
With your eyes closed, hold the crystal in your hand and imagine all negativity being swept away from your intentions. Focus on the good you would like the crystal to do for you and send your intentions to the crystal with your mind.
Spend what you need in silence, attuning to your crystal friend. As soon as you feel the process is over, gently reopen your eyes and gradually re-enter your reality. You have now created a link between your energies and those of the crystal, adding your best intentions into the mix.
A good experiment to do is write your intentions on a piece of paper and keep it aside. keep the crystal with you for as long as possible for a couple of months then go back and re-read your notes and reflect on the subject. Have there been any major changes since you tuned in to your new crystal?
Remember that crystals and precious stones cannot be harmful, their purpose is to help us. There are no such things as cursed or charged crystals to harm but rather crystals to restore to their natural balance to allow them to bring good into our lives.
I hope you will surround yourself with lots of awesome new energy friends who will bring beneficial and very important changes to your overall well-being!
Light and Love
Reiki Master
Stefano P.