In partnership with the Ajoite Consciousness, we're answering your crystal questions, including how to get started with stones, how to clear them, and why yours may need healing.
Over the past two years, I've received a number of questions about crystals. We answered several questions last year, but the stones have decided that now is the time for a few more. Today we're focusing on how to get started with crystals and ways to deepen your connection to them, as well as how—and when—to clear and heal your stones.
The following information is a combination of my own experience and a light channel from the Ajoite Consciousness. (A relatively rare blue crystal, ajoite is often found in quartz. Its consciousness is strongly connected to Gaia and goddess energy.)
Have a question about crystals or how our reality works? Use the form at the bottom of this page to send it in. We'll try to answer it in a future post.
What are the best starter stones for a newbie to get?
If you are new to crystals, amethyst, selenite, and rose quartz are a great place to start. These crystals are gentle, loving, inexpensive, and widely available.
The Moonstone Consciousness wants to suggest moonstone as well. Moonstone is a wonderful ally for connecting to guidance, and it also helps strengthen reception.
Is there a specific process to find the stones that would like to speak to us?
The crystals want to work with you. All you have to do is pay attention.
Take note of odd thoughts of crystals—maybe the name of a stone jumps into your head, or you hear a crystal mentioned multiple times, or you see a specific crystal over and over. Perhaps you walk into a crystal store and notice a certain crystal right away. Or you see a stone or piece of jewelry and you can't take your eyes off of it.
That’s the universe letting you know that that stone may be a good partner for you right now. Just trust yourself and your inner knowing.
How can I develop a sensitivity to stones? I place my hand on a stone but feel nothing.
First, don’t imagine there is anything wrong with you. Everyone is different. I don’t feel the energy of a stone, either. Instead, I see pictures, hear words, or just feel a small "ping" on my awareness.
If you are attracted to crystals but don’t physically feel anything from them, you may take in information from the energy field in a different way. Try meditating with a stone in your non-dominant hand—after 10 or so minutes of meditation, ask the stone a question, and see what you get. You might feel an emotion, you may see a picture, you may hear a word, or just have a sense of “knowing." Want help? Our 10-minute guided meditation is designed to help you connect to your stone.
Understanding how you receive information from the energy field can help you practice your own unique gifts. Intuition is like a muscle: The more you exercise it, the stronger it is.
Do we need to clear our crystals? If so, what's the best way to do that?
All stones need clearing from time to time. They get toast crumbs in their auras just like we do. Moonlight is one good way to clear stones. It doesn't have to be a full or new moon, but I understand that those are times when the moon's energy is at a peak.
There are many other ways to clear stones: reiki; smoke; sound; burying them in salt or placing them in running water (for stones that are not damaged by salt or water); and burying them in the earth. Do your homework: Not all stones take to all forms of clearing.
Some people advocate a selenite plate for clearing stones, but my own selenite plates have told me that they get tired. So, while I do keep some stones (including my skull) on selenite plates, I also put the plates in the sun for a few days every so often to let them recharge.
Note that charging is different from clearing. Not all stones like sunlight. I use sunlight for selenite, but I don't tend to charge many of my stones because I find they don't need it if they are healthy, they are in an environment that supports their energy and mission, and they are in a network with other stones.
How often should we clear our stones?
Stones will need different levels and schedules of clearing, depending on the kind of stone, the work it is doing, and what it has experienced. For example, if you are wearing or working with black tourmaline daily, clear it daily.
If you are sensitive to their energy, clear your stones as often as you think they need it. If you're not sure, clearing your stones once a week is a good habit to get into.
Do stones need healing?
Yes, many stones need healing. It's important to realize that a lot of stones are mined in areas that are experiencing environmental, political, social, or economic stress.
I once asked one of my stones what it wanted to say to me. It showed me an image of crying mothers and sick children. I was quite taken aback. Then it showed me elephants and gazelles, and I heard "temple." So, I started researching. Elephants, gazelles, and temples can all be found in India. And there are three mines for that particular stone in India. Two of those mines are near Bhopal, where the world's worst industrial disaster occurred, permanently affecting the health of everyone in the region.
This is what our stones are experiencing. Imagine the negative energy you would absorb in such a place, and you'll understand why some stones need healing.
How can we know if a stone needs healing?
The stones want me to say that you should take special care to clear and heal any new crystal you bring into your home.
If you’ve had a stone for a while, pay attention to how you feel when you look at it or hold it. Perhaps something will feel “off,” or you might feel a bit tired or dispirited, or there’s just a nagging sense of wrongness. All of these cases are a stone that needs a little TLC.
Sometimes, when I try to connect to a stone, I come up against what feels like a blank wall. That’s when I know the stone needs some intensive healing.
How should we try to heal a stone?
I find palo santo smoke works best for me. I put the stone into a pot, place an incense cone of palo santo in the center, light the cone to get a good plume of smoke, then close the lid and let the stone smoke for a few hours. After this deep cleansing, I allow the stone to sit in my home and align with my energy for some weeks before I try to work with it. My skull and other stones, as well as my own energy, will generally help the stone to heal.
If you have followed these steps and the stone still doesn't feel “right” to you, don’t question your intuition. Bury the stone in the earth for at least a couple of months, if not longer. Then you can try again.
What can I do each day for a stronger connection to my crystals?
Actively work with your stones. (I don’t find that simply wearing a stone equals working with it.) Here are simple ways to work with your crystals:
Intuitively choose a stone, then hold it in your non-dominant hand and meditate. You can simply quiet your mind, or you can journey, or just ask your stone what it has to say to you. If you wish, you can use this meditation to connect to your stone.
Alternatively, choose one small stone for each chakra, then lie down and place each stone on its related chakra and meditate for a short period of time. This is a beautiful practice for Sunday afternoons.
My teacher, Krista Mitchell, also advocates taking a healing bath in crystal energy. This is a rather more advanced practice, so if you are interested in working with the stones in a deeper way, head over to Krista’s site to learn more.
One last note: If you think you can’t meditate, think again. Anyone can do a 5- or 10-minute guided meditation. Great Meditation on YouTube has some lovely short ones to explore. If you want to improve your intuition, you may be glad you did.
.