A Beginner’s Guide to Owning Crystals
Whether you’ve just received your first crystal from Oceanair Himalayan Salt Cave, or you were amazed by the displays of mystical gemstones and geodes during your last visit, this is a guide to help you understand what to do with your first crystal or how to pick one out!
Choosing the Right Piece
Different crystals all operate on and emit various frequencies or vibrations which can transform or alter your energies and the space that you occupy physically. Depending on which crystal you were initially most drawn to, it’s important to figure out why that specific crystal was tuning in to your wavelength. For many people, it’s a gut feeling that they get when they first touch and pick up a specific gemstone or crystal that caught their eye. As if this specific piece belongs with you on your current life’s journey. Sometimes, it’s necessary to hold and feel every facet on a crystal to see if it vibes well with you. Try rolling around the piece that you’ve chosen and see if you like the way it feels, fits, and balances in one or both of your hands. Basically, when you know, you know!
A technique that some people use to find the right gemstone or crystal is to see if you fall forward or backward when holding it, but please be sure to use caution, as we don’t want you falling down or getting hurt! First, stand with you feet shoulder-width apart. Grasp the piece you are testing in your dominant hand and hold in front of the appropriate chakra. Now, close your eyes and loosen your body, allowing yourself to connect with the vibration of the crystal or gemstone. If you lean forward, you are drawn to the frequency of that piece and it can do well in your life. If you fall backwards, this is not the right piece and it will not serve you at this time. If you don’t have movement in either direction, you haven’t connected with this piece and either need to focus more or move on to test your next choice.
Inviting a New Crystal Into Your Life
Congratulations on finding or receiving this new beautiful addition to your world! Every time this piece was touched or handled by someone, it has absorbed some of their energy. Before you begin your journey with healing and connecting with this piece, you want to cleanse it and make sure that it will be able to best serve you and your needs. There are a few methods that you can use to accomplish this, and you want to pick the right one for the type of crystal or gemstone you are cleansing.
Running Water is a way to cleanse hard crystals such as Amethyst, Quartz, or Citrine. Do not use this method for brittle crystals or shedding stones like Tourmaline or Selenite. To do this method, natural occurring running water such as a river or stream is best, but you can use a faucet if that is what’s available to you. Run the crystal or gemstone under the water for about a minute while imagining all of the negative energy that the crystal may be holding onto being washed away. Be sure to dry off your crystal when finished!
Himalayan Salt has many natural healing properties for people and can work to cleanse your crystals as well. This method works for all types of crystals and gemstones. Simply fill a bowl with coarse Himalayan Salt or chunks of Himalayan Salt. Then place your crystal or gemstone on top of the salt. Let it sit for up to 48 hours to allow the salt to absorb and neutralize all the unwanted energy. The salt can be re-used to cleanse again, but dispose of it when you feel it is filled with negativity.
Sage can also be used to cleanse all types of crystals or gemstones. Because smudging require fire, be sure to take proper safety precautions. Always have a heat-proof bowl on hand to extinguish or hold the burning sage. This method is best done outdoors, but if you are unable to do so, be sure to open a window near your smudging area. You don’t want all the smoke filled with negative energy re-absorbing into your house! Once you have your smudge stick or loose bundle of sage lit in your heat-proof bowl, hold the piece you are cleansing directly in the smoke. Allow it to be completely surrounded by the smoke for at least 30 seconds and up to a minute.
Moonlight can be used to cleanse and recharge you crystals and gemstones in accordance with the lunar cycle. A full moon is the best time to cleanse and super-charge your pieces, but the light from the moon on any other night works too. Place your pieces you need to cleanse outside in the direct moonlight as the moon rises. You can place directly on to the earth for the most energy, but it will also work if you put them on a table, chair, or shelf that is exposed to the moonlight. If weather is inclement that night, you can also place in a windowsill indoors that moonlight shines into. Leave these pieces out for the night. Plan on bringing them indoors before noon the next day, as prolonged exposure to direct sunlight may have adverse effects on crystals that have vibrant colors or may damage more brittle stones, such as selenite.
Now that your new crystals and gemstones have been cleansed, it’s time to set your intentions. After a piece is cleansed and you pick it up again, close your eyes. Think about the properties of this piece and what it’s purpose will be in your life. Let’s use Citrine as an example. Citrine is a manifestation stone that is linked with wealth, prosperity, and success. It also helps to heighten intellect and self-expression. When you set your intention, think about how you want this piece of Citrine to help you in your life. Maybe you need a raise? Are you waiting to be offered a new position at work? Perhaps you need help figuring out the right way to express your needs to your partner? Whatever the case may be, this is the time to communicate to your Citrine how it can help you in your endeavors. This helps to create a bond between you and your crystal and builds your relationship with it.
If you don’t know exactly what you want or need from a specific crystal, don’t worry! Each crystal has it’s natural state where it’s energies and vibrations go to work for you, regardless of you “activating” it or not. The most important thing is to reflect on the areas in your life that need the most attention and recognizing what those issues may be. Your crystals will help you do the rest.
Place your crystal or gemstone in a place in your home that you feel it is best suited for. You can also carry a crystal with you in your pocket, purse, behind your ear, in your sock, or wherever you feel you need it! This may change day-to-day or it can remain in the same spot all month long.
Maintenance and Care
Your first month of being a crystal owner is drawing to a close. Your crystals and gemstones are probably getting pretty heavy with the energies they have been absorbing and are needing to be cleansed and charged again! You can use any of the methods we have talked about here. Many people use the lunar cycle and the full moon to do monthly cleansing and intention setting, but you can cleanse and recharge your crystals or gemstones whenever you feel it is necessary.
Dusting off your crystals and cherishing them for their beauty can be a powerful way to strengthen your relationship to your crystals and their healing powers. We’ll talk more about crystal healing in a future article, but for now, I hope you have a better understanding of what it means to bring these powerful little beauties into your life.
Good luck on your journey into the world of crystals, and come see us at the cave when you’re ready to pick out your next new addition!