Crystals need to be cleansed and charged regularly to keep their energies functioning at their best. While there are many ways to accomplish each, a beloved way to do both is to use the restorative power of the moon.
For those new to this work, we will give you a bit of background and a couple of easy steps and tips to help you safely reboot your healing crystals with moonlight.
Cleansing vs. Charging Crystals
Crystal cleansing, or clearing, is removing any unwanted energies that have accumulated on your healing crystal. This can be energy from your healing work, its past experiences, its traumas (like dropping it), and its environment.
Crystal charging is replacing or reactivating the energy within the crystal that has been depleted. Your crystal may lose or dampen its energy from healing work or naturally diminish over time. Charging also helps realign the healing energy of the crystal back to its natural vibration, similar to rebooting your computer or phone to its default settings.
Both processes are imperative.
Think of your crystals like a car. For your car to be working its best, it needs fuel and its engine needs to be clean and functioning. Without these, you’re left with nothing but a broken-down vehicle.
Charging is the fuel and cleansing is the clean engine for your crystal.
When to Cleanse and Charge
There are two components to figuring out when to cleanse stones or charge them. You can always do either process more; this is just the minimum recommendation. The two components are:
- Is the crystal ready for rebooting?
- Is the phase of the moon conducive for cleansing and charging?
How to Know When Your Crystal Needs Cleansing and Clearing
In general, it’s good to have a schedule for cleansing and charging crystals. At the least, it should be done quarterly. But monthly, or even weekly, may be best for your needs.
Sometimes, you’ll need extra clearing or charging outside of regular maintenance (such as after intense healing work, healing of others, or the crystal was dropped or fell over). To check on your crystal’s energy, tap into your intuitive connection with the crystal by hovering your hand over the crystal, staring deeply at it, or whatever method you use to connect.
Hold your crystal and see if you feel:
- a dullness or exhaustion to the energy
- a shift in the energy you’ve experienced with this crystal
- a lack of responsiveness to your connection attempts
Any of these experiences will key you in that your crystal needs realignment or to be cleared of negative energy.
What Moon Phase is Best?
You can charge in any phase, lunar event or astrological moon season, whether it’s a lunar eclipse, harvest moon, or cold moon. Just understand each phase, event, and season has its unique energy that will affect the reboot. You can add specific intentions based on the astrology of the particular moon.
- The Full Moon casts the strongest light and is great for releasing energy and charging up moon-loving crystals like moonstone. You might find that you’re best able to cleanse crystals with the full moon energy, as well.
- The New Moon is great for imparting the energy of new beginnings and growth.
How to Do Your Own Moon Ritual
Follow these basic steps and tips for clearing and charging your healing crystals with moonlight.
- Figure out the moon phase. You can either schedule your ritual for a specific moon phase (recommended). If you’re in need of a reboot now, adjust your intention-setting to whatever phase is occurring. We like to have a moon phase chart on hand or you can use an online chart like the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
- Scope out a safe place to expose the crystals to moonlight. Take into consideration the weather, how much moonlight the location will get, and any security concerns (if you’re leaving them outside):
- If going outside, check the weather. Your crystals can fracture if exposed to the cold, which many of us are experiencing. Also, make sure it’s a secure location if you’re leaving crystals unattended.
- The safest location is always inside – usually a window sill or within the cast of the moon through your window. Note: a drafty window sill may get chilly too, so still be careful not to get your crystals too cold.
- Try to put them in the window facing the side of the moon, which will allow maximum moonlight throughout the night.
- Place your crystals in your location. If you have a lot of crystals, place them in a basket lined with a towel (a laundry basket is perfect!). You can nestle your crystals in, making it easier to move them outside or chase the moonlight cast from your window.
- Clear yourself and then your crystals. Using holy smoke, a “smudge” spray, or sound (singing bowl, clapping, etc.), clear the energy off yourself and your crystals. The moonlight cleanses too, but this extra step cleanses you and makes this into a deep clean for your crystals.
- Set your intention. Create a theme for your moon ritual, informed by the phase of the moon. Quiet your mind, clear your energy, meditate on what you’re letting go of and asking for at this time, set your intention, and announce it as you start to recharge your crystals.
- Leave the crystals in the moonlight. The crystals need at least two or three hours of moonlight, but overnight is ideal.
Consider a Full Moon Circle Ceremony
Full moon circles are powerful rituals to enhance the cleansing and charging experience for you and your healing crystals. Moon circles are, at their simplest, a sacred moment of releasing unwanted energy or intentions. They can be performed alone or within a group.
When done collectively, you can join your energy and intention with others — to stand witness and support each other’s release and setting of intentions. It’s a beautiful experience!
Full moon circles can also include spiritual or witchcraft elements. If joining a circle with others, we recommend discussing with the ceremony leader what elements or practices the person incorporates into the circle.
