Now that you’ve chosen a special piece of jewelry that resonates with your body, mind and spirit, you want to take the best care of it, right? Of course! Crystals and stones are rather resilient (like us!), though like most natural elements, they are susceptible to damage so there are a few best care practices to be aware of. For instance, some love water and others do not handle a sprinkling all that well. Some fade with exposure to sunlight. Almost all run the risk of sustaining chips and fractures so it is best to always keep your jewelry in a protected pouch or jewelry box when not in use.
Here are several helpful tips when caring for your new “friends.” If you’re looking for a comprehensive book on stones and crystals, I recommend The Book of Stones: Who They Are and What They Teach Us.
- Avoid contact with water and stones or crystals that contain iron and/or ending in “ite” (i.e. selenite, pyrite, kyanite, Desert Rose which is gypsum or baryte, halite, malachite, etc. ).
- It is generally a good idea to keep most stones out of direct sunlight for any extended period of time. I let my stones absorb the glow of the moon which is completely safe for every element (including us!). Especially avoid direct sunlight with amethyst, aquamarine, celestite, citrine, fluorite, kunzite, opal, rose quartz, smoky quartz, topaz, and turquoise. Also keep clear quartz away from any direct sunlight especially in the home as it can act as a transmitter and start a fire, as this is how sacred fires were started to honor gods and goddesses. I’m all for lighting a contained sacred fire with clear quartz and sunlight, but certainly not by accident in your house or the woods.
- You may polish metal with a soft cloth free of any cleansing agents. Stones and crystals like to be rubbed with a soft cloth too, but remember to keep this cloth free of cleansing agents when polishing your stones and crystals.
Cleansing your stones and crystals
Moonlight
A safe way to cleanse (and program–see below) stones and crystals is by moonlight. Place your pieces on a windowsill to absorb the moonlight through the window, or you may leave your stones and crystals outside overnight to catch the glow from the moon.
Rainwater
If the stones and crystals (and metal, if any, they are encased in) are safe in water, one of my favorite ways to cleanse them is with rainwater. I place them in a colander and let the rainwater wash over them, which gives them a lovely bath and keeps them out of the water for too long. Some stones and crystals are treated with a finish that can fade in water, especially if they are left standing in water, so just give them (and you!) a refreshing rainwater treat and then dry.
Selenite
Another safe method of cleansing is using selenite, a mineral that cleanses other stones, crystals and minerals by simply placing those elements on or near it. In addition to its own properties (see below), selenite has the ability to cleanse and compliment all other elements. You may leave a stone or crystal on or near selenite until you feel it has been cleansed. You may also program your stone or crystal with selenite (see below).
Programming crystal jewelry
A traditional way to use stones and crystals is for energetic balancing of the body, mind and spirit. You may wish to set an intention for your stone and crystal so that every time you wear it or work with it in meditation, you are supported in this intention. Here is an introduction to some of the well-known properties of stones and crystals and their energetic “expertise.”
- African Turquoise: a form of jasper, this stone supports spiritual evolution
- Agate: versatile properties with many color variations: blue lace agate for public speaking; fire agate for vitality; moss agate for earth keeper work (i.e. plants, gardening, environmental conservation)
- Amethyst: spiritual evolution; protection during dreamwork
- Andalusite: cross natural appears in the stone; associated with “as above so below;” retrieving ancient information; grounding
- Bloodstone: unconditional love; noble sacrifice; courage in adversity; encourages right action; red drops associated with Christ’s blood
- Calcite: versatile properties with many color variations: blue for soothing emotions; green for connecting with the heart; optical calcite or Iceland Spar for clarity and clearing fear-based emotions; orange for creativity and productivity
- Carnelian: sensuality; courage; protection
- Celestite: angelic, honest communication; connection with the Divine
- Chrysocolla: expression of the sacred; goddess energies; female empowerment; teaches that genuine power best expresses itself through gentleness
- Chrysoprase: great healer of heartache; compassion; forgiveness; works to blend one’s will with the urgings of the heart to support the good of all
- Citrine: abundance; manifestation; creativity; clarity
- Emerald: powerful love stone; compassion; healing; abundance
- Hematite: grounding; encourages useful action
- Iolite: shamanic journeying; inner vision; healing of old wounds
- Jasper: versatile properties with many color variations: dalmation jasper (aka dalmation stone) instills playfulness while helping you find your true purpose; red for grounding; rainforest for connection with nature; unakite for release of bad habits; ocean jasper for celebration of the Self and your true nature
- Kunzite: activation of the heart’s knowing; Divine Love
- Kyanite: psychic ability; telepathy; past life recall; empathy; never needs to be cleansed
- Labradorite: magic; protection; dissolves perceived duality (reminds us that “we are one.”)
- Lapis Lazuli: intuition; stimulates the third eye; steadfast aid on your deep inner journey
- Lepidolite: soothes anxiety; serenity; helps dissolve over-attachment to one’s Ego
- Moldavite: one of the most powerful elements to use for rapid transformation and spiritual evolution; associated with the Holy Grail
- Moonstone: mystery; intuition; goddess energy
- Morganite: Divine, cosmic love; amplifier of compassion and heart energy
- Obsidian: protection; grounding; cleansing of negativity
- Peridot: “springtime” in a stone; enjoyment of life; prosperity
- Prehnite: a stone to “heal the healer;” great friend of the wounded warrior; heart-centered connection to the world at large
- Pyrite: masculine energy; willpower; confidence
- Quartz: versatile properties with many color variations: clear quartz for overall balance and amplification; rose quartz for supporting one in all things love-related; rutilated quartz for expanding awareness and the effects of programming can be strengthened; smokey quartz for grounding and transmutation of negative energies
- Rhodochrosite: brings relief to a broken heart; helps one remember their own inner strength; reclaim lost power due to emotional trauma
- Rhodonite: love directed at others; compassion; altruism
- Selenite: communication with the higher self; cleanses other stones and never needs to be cleansed itself; combines synergistically with almost any other stone
- Sunstone: divine masculine energy; the stone of “doing;” personal power; works beautifully with its divine feminine counterpart Moonstone
- Tektite: connection with ET’s; increases the vibration of one’s auric field; helps one “see through the veil” of the physical world
- Topaz: versatile properties with many color variations: clear or white topaz for mental clarity; blue topaz for clear communication of your spiritual truth;
- Tourmaline: black tourmaline for protection and purification; pink tourmaline for love and emotional healing; rubellite or red tourmaline for rekindling one’s passion for life; green tourmaline for self-healing and wholeness; watermelon tourmaline for marriage of body and heart’s desires (earthly and heart-held existence); tourmalined quartz for recovery from negative influences
Working with stones and crystals can never take the place of medical attention, and this list of healing properties by no means outweighs or over-rides the advice of your physician. Earth medicine such as stones and crystals can supplement your physician-approved health care regimen and can be a wonderfully supportive element to include in meditation, dreamwork and chakra balancing practices such as reiki, yoga and martial arts.