Crystals

Choosing and caring for your crystal

Choosing your crystal I believe is far more important than many could imagine, purely because of the benefits that it could bring to you, you’re home and of course the crystal itself (I say this because if you are choosing a crystal with consideration you are more likely to look after it in the manor of which it deserves).

What I am about to tell you is the way in which I feel a crystal should be chosen and cared for. In no way should it be considered as saying that other methods are wrong. I see choosing and caring for something as a very personal thing and this is my way and I would like to share it with you.

The first thing I would do is decide why I am looking for a crystal, i.e. is it to help me with something that I am going through at the moment, or may be for a friend who is dealing with a particularly difficult time in their life. Is it to lift the energy in a particular place in my home, is it to use as one of my healing crystals (these are crystals that I use for helping others to heal) or am I just having one of my urges to buy a crystal and I don’t quite know why, what-ever the reason my intention for its use would normally be clear, but if I am not quite sure I would go with my feelings they will not usually guide me in the wrong direction unless I fail to trust them.

When I say be guided by my/your feelings remember they are triggered by many sources both physical and spiritual, by using as many of these sources as possible you are less likely to get it wrong. At this stage if you have a specific stone in mind (a clear image of it) then go and find it and don’t settle for second best, know that if you are meant to find it you will, remember this, if you have the urge to enter into conversation through your image then listen carefully to what is being said both by you and the person that you are conversing with, because the image may have been a way of getting you to this point in time and nothing more, but through it great things may follow.

This is how I advise people to find a crystal in my shop:

If you have no idea as to what you are looking for:
(a) Take a quick look around the table to register with yourself what is there, at this stage do not try to choose a crystal you are purely allowing your senses to do there job. TRUST THEM.
(b) Now move away from the table and take your line of vision away from it.
(c) Turn and look in the general direction of the table bringing your line of vision in to the table.
(d) Your line of vision will now be drawn to a pot of crystals, a single crystal or a point on the table.
(e) If it’s a single crystal then that’s the one.
(f) If it’s a pot of crystals then you must look into the pot and discover your crystal by moving them around with your fingers, if you pick one of them up then that is the one (The choice was taken out of your hands, this usually occurs when you try to ignore your feelings), otherwise you will find that you keep noticing the same crystal over and over, it may be through its unusual colour, its shape, its size, a crack in it, or its outstanding beauty, It may even be the one that you consider to be ugly, remember this process does not require you to like it, sometimes we encounter people or situations in life that we do not like but they are necessary.
(g) If your line of vision was drawn to a point on the table then stay focused there and move forward, as you do so your line of vision will be drawn to something that was out of view, if you then discover one of the previously mentioned sections then follow those instructions.
(h) If you find that your line of vision does not change from the table, this does not mean you require the table it simply means that the crystal you desire is not there.

If you would like to try this method on our replica table. Click HERE

Using or placing your crystal

Now that you have wisely chosen your crystal you need to place or use it in the desired way. This very much depends on the intention that you had for it when you chose it.

(a) If it was chosen to go in your home then you would most likely already know were it should be placed, trust your feelings they will guide you well. If at a later time you decide that it should be moved trust that it has done its job and that it now has a new task to do.
(b) If the crystal was chosen for personal use, then carry it on your possession one day at a time, be sure to remove it from your person every evening, placing it somewhere safe, be sure that if the crystal is needed for the next day, you will not forget it. Be aware that if you forget your crystal you do not need it, if you remember it whilst you are out, you are meant to manage without it for the moment, but remember to collect your crystal when the opportunity arises, but do not change your plans to do this.
(c) If you placed your crystal in a safe place and had no cause to use it for a number of days, finally noticing it when tidying up, then you should place it in a glass or wooden bowl and keep that bowl in a room were you relax not necessarily your bedroom, preferably somewhere where you read, listen to music or even watch the television. One day you will just be going about your every day business when you notice, that your attention is being drawn to the bowl, this will trigger your memory as to a particular crystal within the bowl. This I would take as a sign to start carrying it again.
(d) If you have chosen a crystal for a friend or loved one please pass on the knowledge that you have with regards to how it should be used.
(e) If a crystal has been chosen so that it can be used in aiding others with there healing process you will be fully aware of how to use and look after it.

Cleansing and caring for your crystal

Hopefully with so much thought going into choosing and using your crystals, you will have every intention of looking after and caring for it to the best of your ability.

Cleansing your crystal.
In my opinion this is a very simple process, the crystal simply requires a form of energy- flow that can help it to disperse or replace its imbalances. Allowing the crystal access to a form of flowing water, for a period of time, (I usually allow 10 –20 min) to carry this out. A beautiful mountain stream would be idyllic, but alas most of us are not this fortunate. So I revert to the good old domestic waterfall called the shower or tap, (remember to make sure the shower is on cold).

I can almost feel some of your cringes at this time, but remember it’s the flow of energy we need. If you are concerned about the impurities in tap water then use some mineral or distilled water for a few moments at the end of the crystals cleansing period, to clear the impurities that may gather through the tap water. Be aware that most of the impurities in this world can also be produced by nature itself, don’t underestimate nature’s power. If you are fortunate enough to take a trip to a place were there might be some fresh water streams, take your crystals and give them a treat. A word of caution place your crystals in a net bag because it is quite comical watching someone chasing their crystal down a mountain stream, although it is a great way to raise peoples spirits.

I have heard people say, and read books that suggest cleansing crystals in salt water, I can understand were this tradition comes from as many of our pagan rituals use salt as a way to cleanse and protect, but remember that salt is a corrosive substance, so if you use it be sure to wash the salt away afterwards or your beautiful crystals may be damaged. Don’t forget we need to wash the salt from our bodies after we have been swimming in the sea; otherwise it causes havoc with our skin. So please afford your crystals the same consideration.

After cleansing your crystals it is a great idea to allow them to gather energy from the sun or moon. I prefer the moonlight, as this is what I call gentle sunlight, after all it is the suns light being reflected along with the moons power. Consider the origin of many crystals they may not particularly like to much direct sunlight, especially if they do not have the ability to reflect light like clear quartz has, but when they are able to reflect light I would suggest they love direct sunlight.

Last but not least you can always return the crystals to their origin of birth, the ground. Just make sure that you have a way of knowing exactly where they are, when you return to dig them up, otherwise your garden will resemble the moons surface by the time you find them.