Purifying semi-precious stones, crystals and minerals

Stone purification

What you may never have been told about the subject

How do I clean my semi-precious stones? How do I purify my minerals?

Should I put them under a full moon? In salt? In water? On a mass of quartz?

How often should I purify my stones? Do all stones discharge in the same way?
How do I recharge my crystals?

Why clean and recharge a stone?

How do I find my way through all the sometimes contradictory information I read in books or on the Internet on the subject?

How can I be sure I'm doing the right thing?

This article is here to answer all your questions on the subject and present you with simple and effective purification methods.

What is written here is not a "word of absolute truth", it is the fruit of my research, experience, reflections and testimonies received on the subject with the filter of my own sensitivity.

I believe that lithotherapy is a field where there is no room for "shoulds". What's right for one may not be right for another.

Why do we say it's necessary to purify a stone?

A stone is often hundreds of thousands or even millions of years old, and it and its sisters are the treasures of the earth, vibrating beneath the soil that carries us, enchanting waterways, forests and mountains since time immemorial.
They were born, like us and like all life, from the dance of the 5 elements.

The stones we use for our jewelry, skincare, rituals or collections have been extracted from their natural environment. Often, they have been broken into pieces, cut and polished.

Your stone may have been mounted on a piece of jewelry or left rough, it may have spent time in a warehouse, it may have traveled before being displayed in the store where you met and chose it.

She has been touched by many people, and has been immersed in different environments with different energies.

All these energies, whether "negative" or "positive", gradually mingled with his own.

When we say that a stone is charged, it means that it has stored too many so-called harmful energies, which take over from the stone's original energies. For example, it will no longer radiate the energy of calm and gentleness that enables you to fall asleep more easily. If it has been in a stressful environment, it may radiate these energies of tension, which won't make it easier for you to fall asleep.

You understand that in this case it's no longer possible to use it for therapeutic purposes, so purifying it may be necessary.

When a stone is loaded, it "wears out", its color can fade, it can crack and even break into several pieces.

To purify a stone means to make it pure, to free it of anything that doesn't belong to it, to allow its own energies to radiate.
Discharge means the same thing (used in this context) but the vibration of the word is different, that's the only nuance I can see.

In its natural environment, a stone doesn't need to be purified; it has rain, earth or sun, heat or water. It is surrounded by the energies that are optimal for it.

In fact, it's the same for us humans. If, for example, we lived in nature with only healthy food, harmonious social relationships, a rhythm of life in tune with our needs, spring water and a 100% natural habitat, we'd have everything we need in our direct environment to be in full possession of our vital energy.

On the other hand, if we spend our day in a cloud of electromagnetism in a tower of metal and cement wedged between a computer, a printer, a smartphone and a disrespectful parton. If we spend our night sleeping poorly in an apartment whose memory of the place is charged, that the only time our feet can touch the ground is perhaps at weekends through our synthetic soles in a park and well, if we're not careful to recharge our batteries sufficiently, we'll very quickly feel heavy, burdened, lacking in energy, tired and our vital energy is likely to be low.

Reloading a stone

If you now understand the importance of purifying a stone, you may be wondering why a stone needs to be recharged.

I must admit I'm wondering about that too.

I heard the alchemist Patrick Burensteinas, in one of his video lectures, explain that the life of a stone is around 300 million years, our life is not even a blink of an eye in the existence of minerals. According to him, once a stone has transmitted its energies to us (if it has any to transmit) it can't bring us anything more, so giving it back to the earth would be the best thing to do and there's no need to clean it, because "it's not like a battery that discharges and can be recharged."

In most lithotherapy books, it is often written that it is "essential to recharge the stones" in order to use them therapeutically. "Recharge" in the sense of giving them back energy, positive waves.

Personally, I don't think it's necessary to "recharge" a stone with "positive" energies that don't belong to it.

Charged, a stone always has the same composition and behind the spectrum of negative energy charges, always possesses its own energy just waiting to radiate. It is these charges that deplete a stone and diminish or cancel out its virtues.

All purification techniques cleanse and re-harmonize the stones' energies and therefore "recharge" them too.

Perhaps it's simply the choice of term. "Recharging" equals "putting a charge back on", but what charge? What may seem positive to one person is not necessarily positive to another, and the same goes for stones.

Harmonizing energies might be a better name.
In his book " La quintessence des pierres ", Gerard Cazals uses the term "dynamiser" rather than "recharger".

The subject raises its share of questions, and it's up to each of us to make our own experiments, relying on our own feelings.

How to purify a semi-precious stone?

The power of intention

There are many techniques and it's not always easy to find your way around.

I don't know if one method is more powerful than another, but what I am sure of is that the intention and awareness you put into the act of purification are of great importance.

In my opinion, there's no point in spending an hour burning your sage stick around your stones if, in the meantime, you're thinking of adding "chocolate and PQ" to your shopping list while telling yourself that the loud volume of your neighbor's TV isn't putting out a good vibe in your building.

Be clear about your approach

Purifying a stone means freeing it of all that does not belong to it, all the energies it has absorbed.

You can repeat as a mantra something like: "May this stone be purified, thank you", "May this stone be free of all that does not belong to it, thank you", "May this stone be relieved of all forms of negativity, thank you".

The different methods of purifying semi-precious stones

The 5 elements

Crystal formation stems from the alchemy of the 5 elements. While each stone needs all 5 elements to form, each one has one or more dominant elements in its composition.

The Earth

Earth is the element that "discharges", often referred to as "grounding". The earth absorbs negative energies and, like compost, transmutes them into positive energies.

Simply bury your crystals in the ground in a healthy, unpolluted environment and leave them there for at least 24 hours. You can even leave them for several weeks or months.

I like this ritual in the sense: Let die to be reborn. This ritual is like giving stones a second life.

If you want to bury your stones on your balcony, make sure the soil is untreated and don't use it for your vegetables.

The Fire

Fire is a great purifier, and a very interesting element to use in this sense.

To purify your stones with fire, light a candle or wood fire, set your intention and pass your stone just above the flames, visualizing the energy of the fire penetrating the stone and dissolving any undesirable elements.

I avoid using fire for stones with soft energies such as moonstone, selenite, rose quartz, blue calcite, blue chalcedony or mangano calcite, as well as for stones containing large quantities of water such as agates, quartz and turquoise.

Water

As the source of life, water purifies and energizes most minerals.

Running water:

Ideally, you should offer your stones a clear water bath in a stream, spring or fountain, as these are the places where the vibration of the water is highest.
Running tap water also works well, as you visualize the water carrying away all impurities.

Placing your stones in the rain can be a beautiful ritual.

Water container:

I've often read that it's advisable to let the stones soak overnight in a container of water. If you choose this method, make sure the water is not treated (with chlorine, for example).

Personally, I'm not sure that stagnant water in a small container is very effective (the water takes on the charges of the stone and the stone bathes in this water, which in turn becomes charged). On the other hand, adding unrefined salt and clay to the water seems more appropriate. I strongly advise against drinking this water.

Porous minerals such as selenite or halite should not be soaked in water, and minerals containing iron sulfides, iron oxides and copper should not be soaked in water, as they may oxidize.

The air

As we all know, getting fresh air does us good, and it's also what we naturally call on when we air a room.

Wind :

Place your stones outside on a windy day, with the intention that the wind will carry away all the weight.

Breath:

You can also simply blow consciously on your stone. This method has the advantage of being quick and easy.

Ether

Ether is present around and within every element, it is the "void" that binds and unites the elements. It is the link between all things and all life.

He is the source that makes alchemy possible.

To cleanse with ether is to use the power of intention. You can cleanse a stone of all its charges by using only the power of intention and subtle energies.

An example of purification with the element Ether :

Take your stone in the palm of your hand and place your second hand over the stone. For large minerals, place one hand on either side of the stone.

Take the time to feel the energy of the earth rising from your feet to your heart and the energy of the sky, of the source, flowing from the top of your skull to your heart. After a few deep breaths, when you feel the energy flowing into your heart, take another deep breath and breathe out the energy flowing through your arms and palms to the stone. Continue until you feel that your stone has been purified.

You can help your mind not to be invaded by parasitic thoughts by visualizing this flow of energy and or by reciting a mantra, an existing prayer or one you've created for the occasion. For example, the mantra Aum mani padme hum or Our Father or something like: "May the power of the 5 elements purify this stone in depth, thank you, I love us."

Purifying stones with the energies of the moon and the sun

The Moon

Once every 28 days, the moon becomes round, its energy at its peak.

A lunar ray bath can be very beneficial for crystals with feminine (Yin) energies, generally white, blue, pink or violet stones.

It's also an opportunity to be more attentive to the cycles of the moon and its influence on ourselves and all forms of life.

On the evenings of a full moon, I like to place a few of my crystals directly on the ground and sing a spontaneous song in honor of the moon, accompanied by the vibrations of a singing bowl or drum. I often take stock of this pivotal point in the lunar cycle and write a wish.

For me, the evenings of full moons are sacred and I invite my crystals to enter this healing space.

And I love finding my stones with new energy in the morning dew.

The sun

When we spend several days without the sun, we miss it. We need its warmth and light. It recharges and energizes us.

For stones, it's the same: the sun can do the most good to stones whose energies are masculine (yang), generally gold, orange, yellow or red crystals.

Place your stones in direct sunlight, preferably outdoors, for a few hours.

Visualize light particles penetrating the stone and dissolving all forms of negativity.

Purification through sound, words and symbols

Are you familiar with Dr. Emoto's work? This man studied water crystals and how they change according to different parameters.

For example, he observed that polluted water had "scrambled", misshapen crystals. By reciting a prayer to this water, he observed that the crystals became perfect. He also experimented with positive and negative words, different music and different symbols and images.

The results are surprising and highly revealing of the influence of "positive" and "negative" energy vibrations on all things and all life.

The sound

The vibrations of sound penetrate to the core of matter and can dissolve heavy loads.

Don't hesitate to use your drum, chime or singing bowl to purify your stones.

With tingsha (Tibetan cymbals):

Hold your tingsha above your stone, don't move your hands, don't give any impulse. Set the purification intention and they'll start to clash.

When the cleaning is done, they will slow down and stop.

With a singing bowl :

The vibrations of a singing bowl are extremely powerful. This ritual and healing instrument has the advantage of being directly designed to purify and harmonize energies.

Place one or more stones on a cloth directly inside the bowl and make it sing for as long as you feel the need.

If you have lots of stones, you can make a bowl sing over them. This is the method we use most for the hundreds of different kinds of stone we have on our stand and in our store.

The voice: songs, prayers, words

A song can be very powerful. Offering a song to your stones is a magnificent gift.

Words spoken with awareness and chosen with care have great healing and purifying power. You can take your stone in your hand and say several times: "I love us, thank you".

You can also recite a prayer to your stones, choose one that speaks to you according to your culture and beliefs, or create your own.

The purifying virtues of shape waves, symbols and sacred geometry

Some form waves have harmonizing, protective, healing or purifying properties.

The best-known mineral purification process is that generated by the St-Jacques shell. You can place your stones directly inside the shell for as long as you like.

Sacred" symbols are equally powerful.

You can simply place your stones on a symbol that speaks to you to purify them.

For example, the Ôm symbol, the Triskèle, the Tree of Life, the Infinite.

Sacred geometry generates powerful waves of form with different virtues.
The most common symbol in lithotherapy is the flower of life.

Simply print a flower of life and place your crystals directly on it.

Fumigation

Used for millennia in different cultures around the world for its purifying virtues, fumigation of various fragrances and a method suitable for all types of minerals.

Natural incense, sage, cedar, pine, rosemary, lavender etc. are all suitable. Paolo Santo wood is also very effective, but ecologically controversial. For fumigation, one option is to use mother-of-pearl shells, because of their high resistance to heat and the purifying symbolism associated with them.

If you pay close attention, you'll notice that the smoke first goes around your stones, then gradually "licks" the edges of your stones until it coats them completely.

Salt

Salt purification is a technique often recommended in lithotherapy manuals.

The principle is simple: simply place your crystals on a bed of unrefined coarse salt (sea salt discharges and Himalayan salt energizes), leave for around 10 hours, then discard the salt.

Be aware that salt is corrosive and can damage some stones.

Purifying a stone with a pendulum

To cleanse a stone with a pendulum, hold the pendulum over the stone without moving it, and set your cleansing intention.

The pendulum will start to turn counter-clockwise for as long as necessary to discharge the stone, then slow down and turn clockwise again to harmonize the stone's energies.

Quartz cluster, quartz bed or amethyst geode

Quartz clusters or beds of small pieces of rock crystal are often used to "recharge" stones. This is an interesting method, provided your quartz geode has been purified beforehand.

Rock crystal is suitable for all stones, but amethyst geodes are not.

Amethyst vibrates in veryand energiesand works mainly on the 6ᵉ and 7ᵉ chakra. Placing an anchor stone on an amethyst doesn't really make sense unless you want to try to make a toumaline hover.

This list of different methods is not exhaustive, there are others like essential oils (mixed with alcohol in a spray bottle), reiki, mother-of-pearl shells, with nature spirits... those you can create etc...
the most important thing is that you use the one that speaks to you and that you work consciously with your heart.

Purifying semi-precious stone jewelry

Make sure that the purification method you choose does not damage the elastic, wire or metal used to make the jewel.

Frequently asked questions :

How often should I purify my stones?

After you've bought it, I think it's important to purify your stone 1ʳᵉ time and then, after that, as often as you feel the need.

If you use your stones for lithotherapy, it's advisable to purify them after each treatment or meditation.

Some stones charge more quickly than others, and these are often stones of low hardness that absorb energies very easily, such as labradorite.

Other stones, such as tourmaline, charge more slowly. It all depends on the stone's crystalline system.

Your environment, your state of health and your emotional state also play a role.

Do the stones charge when I'm not using them?

It all depends on where they're stored. If they're on a chest of drawers in your living room, where you often argue with your partner, yes, they will.

On the other hand, if they are carefully stored in a neutral location (free from geobiological disturbances), they are unlikely to be charged, if at all.

How do I know if my stone is overloaded?

You'll know when you say to yourself, "Well, maybe it's time to purify my stone" - that's intuition.
If you notice that it's starting to crack or tarnish, it's really time to purify it before it breaks.

How can I be sure that my stone has been purified?

Here's a simple clair sensing technique you can use in a variety of situations:

Place both hands over your stone. Palms about 20 cm apart.

Ask the question: "Are you perfectly purified? If the answer is yes, the energy in your hands will grow and your hands will be pushed further apart. If the answer is no and your hands will come closer together.

You can do the same with the question: "Do you need cleansing?" or "Are you the stone that can help me sleep?" for example.

Your question should always be clear and precise. The more you practice this exercise and the greater your perceptions will become.

Can a stone be dead?

I don't know, I'm still thinking about it. It's true that I've often read and heard that a stone can exhaust all its energies, in which case it's said to be dead and should be returned to the earth.

I think it's a beautiful act to return it to the earth, but I don't know if a mineral can really die like a plant.

What I've noticed is that some stones no longer "want" to work with us, either because we no longer need their energies and they can no longer bring us anything, or because they have a role to play elsewhere.

I've also noticed that stones can be empty of energy and that it's not, or no longer, their role to accompany us therapeutically.

When I feel this way about a stone, I thank it for what it is and for what it has given me and I take it to a lake, a forest or underground. I've also left some beautiful ones in playgrounds or on public benches.

If my stone breaks, can I still use it?

Some say yes, because they keep the same composition and , in any case, this stone is already a fragment of a larger stone, so it makes no difference. Others say that it should be returned to the earth and that it no longer has any energetic value.

I don't think a stone ever breaks by chance, it's up to you to decide whether its company can still bring you something or not.

Why is my stone tarnishing or losing its color?

There are several possible reasons. If this stone is in direct contact with your skin, it may be due to the acidity of perspiration.

Some stones, like amethyst, lose their color in direct sunlight. Or your stone may need a purification session.

Stone purification: a matter of intention and feeling

Experiment, explore, create. Remember that the intention, the respect and awareness you put into the act are what count above all, far more than the method.

What's your favorite purification method? Do you have another? Did this article give you some insight?

Share your experiences in comments.

Author: Aurore Jossevel for Kûrma. MamaArt

Click here: Find the different stones and minerals of Kûrma

This way: The complete guide to the properties of lithotherapy stones

Source

• Dictionnaire de la lithothérapie | Boschiero Reynald Georges | Ambre éditions 2005
• The message of water | Masuro Emoto | Emoto Peace Project 2008
• Precious stones | Walter Schumann | Guide Delachaux 2015
• Mindat | www.mindat.org
• Gemdat | www.gemdat.org