A beginners guide to working with crystals
You’ve made the leap and have discovered crystals. Perhaps you’ve stumbled across them and you have found that they resonate with you and you’d like to buy your own or start a little collection. Or maybe you’ve had one bought as a present and you’re intrigued as to what to do with it now.
Cleansing
The first time you receive your crystal the most important thing is to cleanse.
We have a page dedicated to cleansing but sometimes we are just so excited to start working with our crystals and therefore there are some super quick methods to use until you have the time to focus on more ritualistic cleanse.
The fastest and easiest way to cleanse your crystal is to run under running water. Of course if you don’t have a river at the end of your garden, then tap water is fine. However, it must be said that not all crystals react well to this and so it is worth asking somebody who knows about cleansing first to see if you are safe. There is a general rule that if a crystal ends in -ite then it’s best not to soak in water. If you are still unsure then a good way to get around this is to use a damp cloth or a damp soft brush.
If you have an hour to spare and it’s a sunny day you could bathe your crystal in the warm glow of mother nature. Some crystals can fade in the sun and therefore they shouldn’t be left for long periods. But soaking it in the suns rays for an hour or so is generally fine for most crystals.
If you’re happy to leave your crystals overnight and it happens to be a Full or a New Moon, both are wonderful ways of cleansing. This is our favourite method. The New Moon is all about setting new intentions, whilst if you’re looking for ‘power’, then choose the Full Moon!
Any instrument will do and if you don’t have anything your voice works just as well. Using the universal sound of Om over your crystal will send out positive vibrations and will cleanse your crystal of any negativity.
Setting your intention
How do you want your crystal to work for you? As I’m a Reiki practitioner I sometimes use this in conjunction with the cleansing techniques above. The easiest way to set your intention is to visualise your crystal either surrounded by a bright white healing light or focus on the outer edges of the crystal and you may see it’s aura shining. Think about what you’d like your crystal to help you with, perhaps meditate for a little while. Whilst sitting hold the crystal in the palm of your non-dominant hand see if anything comes to mind and then let that intention rest within the crystal.
After you’ve set your intention, perhaps say a little thank you to the crystal, or to your protection angels or even to The Universe. Gratitude helps to seal the process.
When holding or meditating with a crystal, you may get thoughts or insights coming through. Journaling is a really useful tool for this, write them down, they may not make sense immediately but may become clearer later. Emotions may also surface, don’t fight them, let them come and just be the witness. Uncomfortable feelings or sensations may crop up, stick with them if you can, it is the energy healing working in you. Wait for it to pass, like a cloud in the sky. Sometimes you almost want to repel a crystal as it makes you feel uncomfortable, or sick. Stay with it.
Where to put your crystal
This all depends on the size of your crystal. If you have a small tumbled stone, it’s nice to keep them close to your person. Either in a pocket or somewhere where it can be next to your skin (in your bra ladies is a good option). Some people like to use their crystals as an aid to sleep, and so under your pillow or on a night stand is the perfect spot. We have crystals all over our home – but in particular in our office. Our work space is a mixture of computers and yoga and therefore the dynamics of the room regularly change. We choose crystals which remove negative energy to allow a peaceful and harmonious work area.
As your collection gets larger, and it will! You could consider a shelf or maybe even a cupboard to keep them. Anywhere where you can grab one when you need it is the perfect place for you.
What next?
It’s important to remember to regularly cleanse your crystals as, apart from a small selection which cleanse themselves, take on board plenty of negative and unwanted energy.
Many crystals have different energies and can help with different things. Generally crystals like amethyst and rose quartz are good all rounders to start off with. Or a chakra starter pack gives you 7 different small tumbled stones, giving you an instant chakra collection. Personally I feel that a crystal tells me what it is good for either physically or for clearing energies for example. However, there is a plethora of information available which helps you to understand crystals and their individual meanings.
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