Crystals and minerals are highly efficient at storing and transmitting energy. A stone picks up and emits energy continually, so when you first receive your stone, it will contain a history of all that it has experienced to that point. Energies from this history are emitted by the stone, and while many of these energies are good, others might be unwelcome. The best way to tune into the best of your stone and have it adopt you as you have it, is to cleanse it when you receive it and then periodically when you feel the need.  There are many ways to do this, and simple effective suggestions are always welcomed by the Wizard Of Auz. The following methods cover most common techniques and can be applied from the poles to the deserts.

One widely accepted method is to submerge them in clean, fresh (without chlorine or fluoride) water, and leave them for a day in the fresh air, preferably exposed to moonlight. You can add small amounts of essential oils, flower essences, sacred water, etc to the bath if you feel the need.

Stones can of course be cleansed at any time, but the full moon is when it is most effective. The moon has such a huge impact upon everything on Earth and the full moon is the zenith of one of the most clearly visible cycles on Earth. From time immemorial, the full moon has been used to define cycles and seasons, and as always, with the passing of one a new begins. This is a good time for cleansing as the waning moon that follows is excellent for dissolving or banishing, and the breaking of negative bonds and stresses.

There are however better times for cleansing stones. You won’t do much better than cleansing through a solar eclipse which always happens on a dark moon. It is best simply because you are getting a natural harmony of energies from both the sun and moon combined. Solar eclipses also mark new path cycles, which your eclipse-cleansed stones will help you with. It is good to re-cleanse your stones two weeks after the eclipse on the full moon as this marks the end of the sun/moon conjunction.

On the same note, a lunar eclipse, which always happens on a full moon, is a great time for cleansing stones. It is the combined energies of the moon and Earth (who’s shadow you see) that is projected from the heavens onto the cleansing stone.

It is always important to apply intent and purpose to the cleansing process. Do it in the right mind. Missing the full moon is fine if you were a grouch when it came. Some people might say a little prayer or affirmation during the cleansing, or do it in a ritualized way. The important thing is that you believe unquestionably in what you are doing and give the process the will to succeed. The moon, nature, and stone have their own ancient relationships. The blocks will always be yours.

After the cleansing, the stone can be rinsed using new clean water, and left to dry. The sun is the best way to dry crystals after cleansing because it energises them with heat, light, and the creative forces that purify, recharge, invigorate, and motivate. It is better to allow natural processes to dry the stone rather than use a towel or cloth.

Some say that the soaking method is effective with salt water, but the Wizard’s advice is that with the exception of natural clean saline water which can be quickly rinsed off after, salt water should be kept off most stones, especially porous ones. Salt is corrosive or otherwise damaging to some stones, for example, it ruins Opals. If you feel intuitively that salt water is needed (and it is a good cleanser generally), place your stones in a bowl of fresh water which is then placed in a larger bowl of salt water. Then continue the process as above.

Another variant is using ice or snow. Bury your stones completely in ice making sure that there are no areas that will cool unevenly (which can cause cracks in the stone), and allow the ice to slowly melt around the crystals. Keep topping it up, with more ice or cold water, to make sure the stones stay submerged.

Better still, take your stones to a natural clean source of water, eg; a spring, a stream, a waterfall, or the ocean, and immerse them in the running water. Although this can be done at any time, moonlight always works wonders. Apply the same processes and principles as above. Always thoroughly rinse stones that have been in the sea in clean fresh water, and leave in the sun to dry. You might see salt residue at it dries and leaves powdery marks.

A very effective way to cleanse your stones is in earth or desert sand. Using the same principles and intent as with water cleansing, simply dig a hole and bury your crystal for at least one day. It doesn’t have to be very deep, and it can be slightly protruding from the ground if the cleansing is over the full moon or an eclipse. It is important that the ground is healthy and that there are not too many chemicals or other hard stones that can threaten your stone or the cleansing process. Pouring clean fresh water over the area with the stone buried adds nature’s easiest conductor to the process (and might help you locate where you buried it the next day!).

Fire cleanses crystals effectively although obviously you need a much more controlled environment. One simple and safe configuration is to get a tray or large pan and put a centimetre or two of clean fresh water into it. Place you stones in the middle and put tea-lights or candles held solidly upright around the edges with their bases (or stands) in the water. Be careful not to apply direct heat from these flames to the stones and make sure that you will not splash them with wax. You can pass most stones (not pearls, opals, shell, amber, jet, etc) through the flame as long as it is fast enough to prevent heat from building, or the candles don’t produce too much soot to dirty your stone. This is sometimes done as part of a cleansing ritual. The whole process should be done in a place where it can be left with no other external light (the moon is fine), and where, of course, you are not creating a fire hazard. Clean crystals and burnt forest is not good.

Further methods of cleansing include using flowers and leaves from nature, burning essential oils, smudging (which will cleanse most things), or cleansing by using other stones (if they are clean themselves), especially those still attached to the Earth. One friend claimed a day in the freezer before a thaw outside over the full moon was the best method. With each of these methods, the basic principles and processes outlined above should be observed. Whatever method you choose, it is you and your intent that will provide the secret to the cleansing process.

The ultimate way to cleanse your stones is purely through intent. All said and done with all the above, pure fresh uncontaminated conscious cleansing intent, along with care, respect, and the love of your stone will help keep it ‘crystal clear’ at all times.

We here at the Wizard Of Auz feel blessed that we are based in the Australian rainforest. We think our stones like it here too – lets face it, they come here on their way to you. We live in a very dynamic environment with a huge presence of sun, water, flora, fauna, and minerals; all the elements necessary to make sure our stones leave us cleansed, energized, and ready for their next adventure in life !