Cleansing and Consecration of Your Crystals

[Dept of PMM Artists & things]

If your minerals are not professionally prepared specimens they may need physical cleaning. Always start by checking the properties of the mineral to help you determine the best way to clean them without injuring them.

Avoiding damaging the stone Do not place any of the following stones in the sun, or store them where they will be exposed to sunlight, they can fade: Amethyst, Rose Quartz, Aquamarine, Smoky Quartz, Kunzite, Hiddenite, Spodumene, and Fluorite. Do not place any of the following stones in water, they will dissolve or be damaged: Halite, sulfates such as Gypsum, Calcite, Borates. Soaking any mineral in any solution can cause the luster to disappear. When soaking a specimen, do it for only a few minutes at a time until you see how fast it is coming clean. The following minerals can be safely cleaned in water with a sturdy brush: Quartz, Garnet, Topaz, Beryl including Aquamarine, Morganite, Heliodor; Tourmaline, and Spodumenes including Hiddenite and Kunzite. Pyrite degrades when stored at high humidity. For the protection of the stone it should be stored in an airtight container, in areas of high humidity place silica drying gel in the container to absorb moisture and replace when necessary. Calcite, Gypsum, Limestone, Marble and some other stones will dissolve in acid solutions, even weak ones such as vinegar. A dilute acid solution is used to dip Calcite specimens in to get the smooth, glassy surface they generally have. Amber disolves in acetone which is contained in most nail polish remover. Quartz: Iron stains can be removed from quartz crystals and other similar materials using CLR or Lime Away. Be sure the mineral will not dissolve in the acid before using this method for materials other than quartz by testing on a hidden area. Be sure to wear rubber gloves, and apply with a soft cloth or scrub with an old toothbrush. Quartz group minerals are for all practical purposes stable in a normal household environment. They are not harmed by light, changes in temperature in the normal comfort range, or known to decompose. Quartz group specimens can be fragile and should be handled with care like any other mineral specimen. Quartz group minerals are not appreciably soluble in water. But ... this is a group of minerals, and all sorts of exceptions apply. You may wish to watch out for the following: Many Quartz crystals, including Amethyst, etc., contain small voids filled with water and gas, so-called 'enhydros'. Over time the water may evaporate, leaving just a void. You may believe it is 'sealed in,' but take my word for it, it isn't. Water vapor easily passes through Agate and Quartz. Such specimens may also be susceptible to damage if exposed to high temperatures or sun light. Keep them in the shade, and don't cry when the water is gone. Some Amethyst and some Rose Quartz is susceptible to fade, when exposed to sun light. The rule of thumb is, all Amethyst fades, but most of it fades slowly, and Rose Quartz colored due to phosphate (chiefly Rose Quartz crystals and material from a few Brazilian localities) fades rapidly, but Rose Quartz colored by Rutile does not fade. Many brightly colored Agates are dyed, and some dyes fade. Blame that on the processor, not the rock! Some natural colored Agate may fade too, though. Opal:The play of colors in precious Opal is due to the intergrowth of different crystalline and amorphous phases and to water. Consequently, the colors are often lost when the Opal 'dries out', which may be promoted, delayed, or even prevented, depending on storage conditions. Common Opal is subject to the same process, but the visual impact is rarely as profound, though specimens may literally crack. Garnets: These are stable in a normal household environment - it is one of the most stable and inert minerals known. They are not harmed by light, changes in temperature in the normal comfort range, or known to decompose. Garnets specimens can be fragile and should be handled with care like any other mineral specimen. Garnets are not appreciably soluble in water.

Avoiding damaging you Never heat cinnabar, realgar, or stibnite. They produce poisonous gases. Wash your hands after handling them and do not eat or smoke whilw working with them. The types of stones that are toxic to ingest are minerals/ metals containing copper, lead, arsenic, cadmium, aluminum, barium, mercury, and zinc. These substances are often what gives a stone its characteristic coloring or shape. Adamite - zinc, copper Amazonite - copper Amber - toxic dust, fumes, possible ingestive toxicity Angelite - lead, sulphur Aragonite Atacamite - copper Auricalcite - zinc and copper Azurite - copper Boji-stones/Kansas Pop Rocks (may contain sulphur) Bronchantite - copper Cerrusite - sulphur, molybdenum Chalcantite (aka "blue shit") - copper Chalcopyrite (Peacock Stone, Peacock Ore) - copper and sulphur Chrysacolla (Chrysocolla) - copper Cinnabar - mercury Cobaltocalcite (Pink Cobalt Calcite) - cobalt Conicalcite - copper Copper - copper Coral - organic, may contain bacteria as well as pollutants from toxic materials in the water it forms in Cuprite - copper Diopside - copper Dioptase - copper Eliat Stone - copper Emerald - aluminum Garnet - aluminum Gem Silica - copper Galena/ Galenite - lead Garnierite (Genthite, Falcondoite) - nickel Hiddenite - aluminum Iolite - aluminum Kansas Pop Rocks - may contain sulphur Kunzite - aluminum Kyanite - aluminum Labradorite - aluminum Lapis Lazuli - may contain copper, sulphur Marcasite (Markasite) - sulphur Magnetite (Lodestone) - iron in large quantities Malachite - copper Meteorite - may contain many toxic substances Mohawkite - copper, arsenic Moldavite - aluminum Molybdenum - molybdenum Moonstone - may contain aluminum or other toxic substances Mother of Pearl - organic, may contain bacteria as well as pollutants from toxic materials in the water it forms in Opal - toxic dust for inhalation Pearl - organic, may contain bacteria as well as pollutants from toxic materials in the water it forms in Psiomelane - barium Pyrite (Fool's Gold, Inca Gold) - sulphur Quartz (all types) - toxic dust for inhalation Realgar - sulfur, arsenic Rhodocrosite (Rhodochrosite) - lead Ruby - aluminum Sapphire - aluminum Sodalite - aluminum Spinel - may contain aluminum, zinc Stibnite - lead, antimony Smithsonite (Galmei, Zinc spar)- zinc, may contain copper Sulphur - sulphur Tiger's Eye Topaz Tourmaline, Watermelon - aluminum Turquoise - copper Uranium - radioactive mineral Vanadanite - lead Variscite - aluminum Wulfenite - lead, molybdenum Avoid and do not make conventional gem elixirs, gem waters, massage oils, or other consumables with these stones. The general rules below can help you and those you know stay safe. Do not make conventional gemstone elixirs, gem waters, massage oils of any stone containing metal (lead, copper, etc.) Polished stones are less likely to allow elixirs, etc. to leach any potentially hazardous materials. Rough stones are most likely. In general, almost all blue and green stones, especially brightly colored ones, contain copper and are unsafe to use for gem elixirs, etc. Shiny, metallic stones should be avoided. Don't handle stones containing arsenic, such as realgar, or mercury, such as cinnabar without protective gloves. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling them. These stones are extremely toxic. Do not eat, drink, or smoke while handling potentially toxic stones. Keep all potentially harmful stones (including small, bite-sized stones that aren't necessarily toxic!) out of reach of children for safety. Radioactive minerals: Precautions for storing radioactive minerals are as follows: Handle the specimen as little as possible. A good strategy is to place the specimen in a transparent container which is sealed. Wash your hands after handling the specimen. Do not smoke, eat, or sleep near the specimens. Limit the specimen size since exposure is related to the amount of mineral present. Secure the specimen from children or curious adults. Alpha and beta radiation is absorbed by a couple of feet of air or by a glass cabinet window. Gamma radiation is not. The main environmental exposure hazard from radioactive minerals comes from the buildup of Radon gas emitted by Uranium- and Thorium- bearing minerals. Museums who display large radioactive specimens provide vents to the outside. A good strategy for personal collectors is to place a cheap aquarium pump inside a closed mineral cabinet. Route the output of the pump to the outside.

Cleansing new crystals

All crystals should be cleansed before use. There are many ways to do this, including the following. Crystals may be: smudged with sage, sweetgrass or cedar - Smudge the crystal with Frankincense and Myrrh, Benzoin, Sage, Sweetgrass, Cedar, Thyme or Juniper. Pass the crystal through the smoke of the smoldering herb or resin several times, placed in running water for two days - Place the crystal to be cleansed in flowing or standing water such as a river, ocean, creek, or lake (or a non metallic bowl of tap or spring water). Take the crystal to the body of water and place stones in a mesh bag, allowing the water to "wash" over it. Water is the universal cleanser and is effective in cleansing undesirable energies from all physical forms. It is also the universal solvent though, so be sure your mineral won't be damaged by water before you dunk it., cleansed ritually with the four elements - At your altar expose the stone to each of the four elements. EARTH - sprinkle (salt, dirt, sand) on the stone. AIR - pass the stone through incense smoke, breath, or fan with feather,) FIRE - pass over or through flame. WATER - sprinkle with water. You do each of these twice the first is to remove any negativity the second is to replace it with positive energy., buried in flowers or herbs over night - Bury the crystal in flowers or herbs, example: Rose petals, Orange blossoms, Honeysuckle, Hyssop, Rue, Bay, Mugwort, Yarrow, Rosemary, Sage, Angelica, Basil, Juniper, etc. for 24 hours the plant material disolves away negativity and cleanses the stones while the purity and the energy of the flower or herb is transmitted to the stone, buried in a bowl of salt overnight - Fill a non metallic bowl with sea salt, and bury the stones in the salt, allowing to rest overnight. When removing, rinse with water to remove any salt, and place in sun for 3 days to charge, removing them at night. This method not recommended for high luster stones, as salt will dull their appearance. Also can't be used for stones set in silver jewelry, exposed to the full moon overnight - Place the crystal or crystals to be cleansed on a plate or tray and place it outdoors at sundown on the night of the full moon in a place where it will receive the light of the moon. Take the stones in in the morning, cleansed by using quartz crystals - They can also be charged by surrounding them in a circle of quartz points that have been charged by the sun, with the points of the crystals facing inward toward the stones being charged. The stone should be left in it's ring of crystals for three days, placed in the sun for a week - Place the mineral on a plate or tray and place it outdoors at dawn where it will be exposed to the sun for the longest period of the day. Take the stone inside each night when the sun goes down. The stone should be exposed to the sun for seven days, buried in the earth for three days - take the crystal outside and find a place where it will not be disturbed. Dig a hole at least twice the depth of the stone and bury it. Retrieve it in three days and rinse quickly in water, cleansed with a kyanite scepter - place on top of a kyanite blade for a week, the kyanite absorbs any negativity and destroys it so the kyanite never needs to be cleansed, purified in salt water - In a nonmetallic bowl, mix spring water and sea salt, or use sea water, and soak stones for several hours, preferably overnight. Be sure that this will not damage the crystal by checking it's properties, Choose the method that feels right to you. It makes no difference if the stone is mounted in jewelry or simply a loose stone, faceted or rough. If it is mounted in silver jewelry however, do not bury it in salt or place in salt water to purify it, salt corrodes silver. Use one of the other methods instead. Also, check your crystal properties to be sure it won't be harmed by the method you choose. The crystals should also be ritually charged for the purpose you intend to put them to. Basically this entails a very minimal ritual in which you call upon the stone to benefit you in the ways you intend to use it, one or all of it's purposes, and bless it to that purpose. A simple chant such as the following may be used. Stone of Beauty, fine to see, Be consecrated now to me, Partners now in growth and life, Helping well in time of strife. Tensions strong you take from me, Bring good luck effectively, Great Stone for me you'll be, And as my will, so mote it be! After this the stone is ready to use. It may be carried, worn, placed in the home, put on the altar, or used in an amulet bag depending upon which works best for the purpose desired.

© Galadriel