Caring for Magickal Crystals

You may find that the crystals you receive from your favorite new age shop or rock shop, don't have the "mystical" powers that you were hoping for... All is not lost. Be proactive and recharge!

Your new crystals have a history. Quite a long history compared to your time on this planet. Who knows who were their last couple of hundred owners over the last couple of eons have been? These stones are yours now. You need to personalize them and make them your tools. First, cleanse them:

You have some choices. You will feel when what you are doing is right and working. Most crystals do well in moving water; a stream, repeated plunging into hot water, or just holding under the faucet with the crystal points down. Feel free to pick off any debris or rub off any fingerprints. These are your gemstones, now. Care for them.

Next, you want to remove any unwanted programming or negative energies.

Some people that are a little more technologically gifted, offer that you can use a bulk tape eraser at this point in the process. Hold the eraser close, but not touching the crystals and turn it on -- 30 seconds, same as for tapes, will do the trick.

Another option is to "ground" the crystals. This is accomplished by burying the stones in the Earth. Much in the same way that a Witch must ground her/himself after working, a crystal can be grounded. Put them in contact with the Earth, or better yet, bury them for a complete cycle of the moon. I have seen a crystal grounding pot: a large hole, dug in the Earth, lined with stones and a very large stone for the cover. My wiccan friend stores her new-found crystals there until she has the time to properly care for them.

Once you are happy that the gemstones are neutral, it is time to begin to add your own energies to the stones. I usually put the gemstones out on a bench in my garden where they will get full sun for a couple of days. When the moon is full works nicely because the stones get the daytime energy of the Sun and the Moon's workings at night. This gives the stones a nice balance and continuous charging.

Finally, once the Heavens have offered their energies, you must provide some of your own! Take each stone in your hands, hold it tightly between your palms with your fingers up, toward your chin. (This is the same posture that was seen by the early Xtians, as people praying to their god.) But we are charging crystals. Inhale sharply, and then breathe, slowly, upon your crystal, through the space above your thumb-tips. Concentrate carefully on your desires. This is the most important step in the procedure. This is what will make your crystals truly yours and give them the power to do what you need!