How to Work with Crystals
Before You Begin – Cleansing Your Crystals
Cleansing is the first, and most important step in working with crystals. Human energy is powerful, and can leave an impression on anything and anyone around it, including crystals. Crystals absorb energy from the people who use them, and are imprinted with their intent. If a crystal was used for a love spell, for healing, or for coping with grief, that energy will remain within the crystal, and can be transferred to anyone who uses the crystal later. When you use a crystal for magical purposes, you want only your energy and intent; anything else could interfere and produce unintended, unwanted effects. Before you use crystals for any purpose, cleanse them to give you a clean slate to work with. The most popular methods for crystal cleansing incorporate the natural elements of earth, air, fire or water.
Earth Cleansing
Place the crystal in a small sack made of natural material such as cotton or silk. Attach a stake to the sack, and with the sack still attached, pound the stake into the ground. Next, dig a small hole next to the stake and bury the sack, leaving it in the ground for at least 24 hours. This method “grounds” the crystal, re-connecting it to the healing forces of the Earth and cleansing it of any energy it has absorbed from previous owners or rituals.
Air Cleansing
Light a stick of incense, in whatever scent feels the most comfortable to you, and wave the smoke back and forth over the crystal. Say a few words of blessing as you do this, from something as simple as “I cleanse this crystal and make it my own,” to more involved blessings invoking gods or goddesses and dedicating the crystal to the forces of good. The specific words don’t matter – your intent and how you convey it is far more important. Say whatever feels natural to you, and that expresses your desire to clear the crystal of any pre-existing energy.
Fire Cleansing
This is one of the simplest methods, requiring only the sun’s inherent cleansing energy. In fact, with its light and heat, sunlight is one of the most potent cleansing tools available. To use fire cleansing, leave the crystal out in the sun for a few days, fully exposed where it can soak up the sun’s rays. This method works best during solstices and equinoxes.
Water Cleansing
Place the crystal in a cloth bag, attached to a stake by a thin, long rope or wire. Place the stake in the ground near a running body of water like a stream or river, and allow the bag to float in the water. Leave the crystal in the water for at least 24 hours. Natural sources of water work best, but any water source will do, even holding the crystal underneath a running faucet.
How Crystals Can Be Used
The power of crystals lies in their versatility; they can be used for anything from performing spells to providing protection. Crystals can help with concentration and focus, enabling the user to direct their energy during magical rituals. Because each kind of crystal possesses its own specific qualities, they can also be used to attract anything from love to prosperity. Crystals are most frequently used as charms, in jewelry or as magical tools.
Charms
Charms are worn or carried, and can be used both for attraction and protection. Charms need not be elaborate, and can be made simply by visualizing what you want the crystal to do for you, projecting that result onto the crystal, and then carrying that crystal with you. Rituals can also be used for creating charms, and you can use herbs, incense, and invocations of gods or goddesses to bless your crystals and endow them with specific powers. By placing the crystals in a bag and carrying them in your purse, in your pocket, around your neck, or on your belt, you can access these powers at any time. You can also keep the bag in your desk drawer.
Jewelry
Incorporating crystals into jewelry is an effective way to deal with problems that require long-term or intensive work. Because the crystals are worn close to the body, they become closely connected to the person wearing them. The crystal’s powers are enhanced, and can provide a constant source of strength and energy. A person needing more self-confidence, for example, could wear a diamond necklace to increase their self-esteem and help them be more outgoing.
Magical Tools
Because crystals have inherent energy, they help enhance magic when used for magical tools. Wands and chalices help channel energy, and when endowed with crystals, their power is even stronger. One of the most popular tools is the personal wand, often made of a branch of sacred wood such as willow or oak, and adorned with seven different stones to correspond the seven chakras in the human body. The wand will help you focus your energy, making your magic more effective.
In Conclusion
Crystal work is one of the accessible and potent methods used for creating magic, and even the most simplified versions are effective. And because they’re so powerful, crystals are an asset to both novices and advanced practitioners. However, proper preparation is essential, so anyone working with crystals needs to learn how to select, cleanse, and use them. If they do, their magic may produce even better results than they had anticipated.
