Crystal Magic – How to Use Crystals in your Rituals and Spells

Across time, the sparkles, vales, and rainbows found in quartz points, calcites, and other crystals always captivated the mind and attention of humanity. Similarly, the swirls and fanciful patterns found in agates, jaspers, and other stones can easily help a person shift from the mundane into the spiritual realms. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that those with a talent for spell casting use crystals and minerals to help store energy, attract positive vibrations, and gain a suitable mind frame for spell casting.

Aside from providing us with a home, this beautiful earth and the stones provide us with all the necessities of living. Regardless of whether we fashion stones into arrows, figurines, plates, or bricks for housing, each stone also has its own sentience. While the consciousness within a crystal may express itself differently than a plant, animal, or human, we must always respect the energy within stones just as we would any other being.

Regardless of its origin or current purpose, every crystal can serve as a tool for crystal magic and magical workings. As you become more attuned to the voices and inspirations of the stone beings, you may even find that some of your strongest allies may vary from pebbles found on the side of the road to crystals bought in a magic shop. 

Introduction to Crystal Magic

Crystals absorb and transmit energy—that is their application in our devices, and so it is within magic as well. Many kinds of crystals exist in nature, from the common quartz crystal to the highly expensive and rare diamond. Contrary to what some beginners believe, an expensive crystal is no better for the purposes of charging and using energy than an inexpensive one. Nor does the size of the crystal necessarily help beyond a certain point. Energies gathered over a certain level are lost.

How to Use Crystals in Spells and Crystal Magic

What is more important is the way you cleanse and charge the crystal, as well as your own intuitive sense. Never doubt the influence of destiny as well. If you come across a crystal, especially when not looking for one, you are meant to have it. A crystal like that is more valuable than any you could buy in a store. Attuning to such a crystal is a simple process that requires no training—simply feel it out and probe it with your mind and heart.

Therefore, explore it with your hands, paying close attention to the emotions and ambient energy that comes from the crystal. Monitor the emotions you feel. Try repeatedly, on different days, and keep a record of the sensations you feel from the crystal. Once you feel you understand the crystal’s inner workings, you are ready to cleanse the crystal of impure energy and charge it yourself for your use in crystal magic.

Crystals listed by Magical Powers and Intent

How to Cleanse Energy from a Crystal

Even though a crystal may feel very energetic and vibrant when it first comes to you, eventually, you will notice some changes. This may include reduced shine, a feeling of dryness on the surface, and perhaps a “gunky” feeling each time you look at the stone or handle it. These and many other feelings indicate that it would be good to cleanse and re-energize the stones. Without question, if you place them in grids and use them to hold energy from spells or affirmation meditation sessions, eventually, they will need some pampering. This is especially true of stones that you use to manage weak areas in your life, as well as ones used for protection.

While there is no hard and fast rule for when stones will need cleaning, you should make it a point to clean special project stones on the winter solstice and then let them rest in earth until the spring equinox.   From there, you can use solar and moon charging until the summer solstice and then store the stones until you are ready to use them.

Cleansing energy from the crystal is a more technical process, but one of the best ways to do this is also the most simple. Exposing the crystal to one of the four elements rids the crystal of any impurities and negative energy it picks up and allows you to charge it with your own pure energy for use in crystal magic and spells.

Salt and Earth Clearing

Before you use salt water to cleanse crystals, you should ensure that the stone will not be damaged. For example, Angelite, calcites, and several other stones may lose their shiny surface or dissolve in saltwater. This goes for preparations that you make from sea salt as well as ones gathered naturally from the sea. In general, you will always be better off by simply rinsing crystals in running water and then drying them off before packing in dry salt for three days. From there, rinse in the water again, and let sit in the earth for 30 days. If you do a special solstice cleaning, the stones can stay underground until the spring solstice.

Solar and Moon Charging

You should avoid leaving blue, purple, and most other intensely colored stones in the sunlight. Aside from fading, too much sunlight can build up heat, leading to cracking. That said, an hour or two in the early morning will be good for just about any stone, especially if it is placed in the grass or some other natural setting.

Moon charging is safe for all crystals and largely preferred for moonstones and others used for intuition and spiritual development. To harness the moon for energizing, simply leave stones on a windowsill or other area where they are in direct view of the moon. If you have a garden or a different safe outdoor setting, it can also be used for charging purposes.

Cleanse the Crystal in Air

To wash the crystal in Air, place it in an open, breezy place, facing the rising sun, and leave it for three days. You can also burn incense next to the crystal to smoke out the impurities that the crystal collects. For deep cleansing, smudging is recommended.

To smudge the crystal, you will need to light incense sticks or smudge sticks and let the smoke gently wash your crystals. This is a very gentle cleansing technique and especially well suited for delicate stones. The smoke will cleanse the stone of any stored energies, negative energies, energy built-up, and impurities. For best effects, it is recommended to either use sage, cedarwood, or sandalwood.

• Duration: 30-40 minutes
• Best for the following stones: Any stone, best method for delicate stones.

Cleanse the Crystal with Water

To cleanse the crystal with water, take it to a clear, unpolluted lake or stream to wash it for 1-3 minutes—or if none are available due to distance, submerge it in a clay bowl filled with pure water. Face the west while doing so. Let it soak for 24 hours. Water neutralizes the negative energy stored within the stone. The water will then send the negative energy back to earth. For brand new crystals that require deep cleansing, adding some sea salt to the water is also recommended. This will remove any unwanted energy and banish negativity. After each cleansing, pat dry the stone with a clean cloth.

• Duration: 1-3 minutes per stone (natural water source) or 24 hours (soaking).
• Best for the following stones: Hard stones, Agate, Amethyst, Aventurine, Citrine, Clear Quartz, Red Jasper, Rose Quartz, Smokey Quartz, Snow Quartz, Tiger’s Eye.
• Warning: Do not cleanse any stone that contains metal or water (Opal, Hematite, Pyrite, Lapis Lazuli), and do not cleanse Brittle, soft, or porous stones with water.

Coven Tip: If you want to use the earth’s natural balance to cleanse your crystal with water, leave it outside in a secure spot overnight and let the rain wash and cleanse your stone.

Cleanse the Crystal with Fire

To cleanse the crystal with fire, face the south and pass the crystal quickly through an open flame or candle. Direct fire will quickly burn away any impurities and negative energy from your crystal. This powerful cleansing method is only recommended for sturdy stones. Fire cleansing is highly recommended when your magical goals involve building up power, passion, or strength.

• Duration: 1-3 minutes
• Best used for the following stones: Sturdy stones.
• Warning: Safety first, please use tongs so that you do not burn your fingertips!

Coven Tip: Leave the stone out for the noonday sun after the fire cleansing.

Cleanse the Crystal with Earth

To cleanse the crystal with earth, bury it in soil or sand. You can either take your stone to a sacred space and bury it there; or collect the soil, put it in your cauldron, and bury the stone in it. Keep your stones buried for at least 24 hours. This gives it enough time to remove any impurities and negative energies, for the crystal to find the earth it was made of, and to bring it closer to its natural source.

• Duration: 24 hours
• Best used for the following stones: Sturdy stones.

Coven Tip: Bury the crystals on a full moon and retrieve them on the next new moon. This method is especially beneficial when you need the crystal for promoting growth, expansion, or grounding.

Smudging for Routine Cleansing

Individuals looking to cleanse a functioning grid or cleanse new stones quickly can smudge them with sage grass. You may also want to use incense combinations specifically made for clearing negativity if the stone feels heavy or grungy. While smudging stones, you should also make it a point to cleanse the area where they are kept.

Some people will tell you that stones require little more than an occasional rinse under tap water to remove dust. On the other hand, when you use stones for complex purposes, they are bound to pick up energy that should be removed so that you can gain the most benefit. That said, if you constantly feel that stones need complex cleansing without good reason, then you may need to take a careful look at your magical workings to see if they are indeed the best for your goals, as well as if they are in alignment with the highest good.

Charging of Crystals

Finally, charging the crystal and resetting the intention is simple as well.

Direct your thoughts and your positive energy to the crystal. Imagine it filled with your positive energy and intention. If it helps you concentrate, use a chant to focus your positive feelings. Talk directly to the crystal and tell it your intention what you want it to help you with.

Finally, your crystal is now ready to be used in crystal magic.

Coven Tip: For extra potency, let your crystal sit in a sunny spot on a window sill to charge it with the sun. Or in the full moonlight to take advantage of the lunar energies.

Using the Consciousness within the Stone for your Spells

When it comes to casting spells, working with the consciousness within the stone will help you to get better results. For example, if you are casting a spell for money luck, you can temporarily wire wrap the stone and append it from a cord to use as a pendulum. If you have a naturally strong and well-developed sense of the stone spirits, you may also be able to determine their willingness to work with you. This willingness is based on sudden temperature changes when you hold them, vibrations, sparkles, and direct visual or auditory insights. Once you begin asking questions about what the stone can willingly be used for, you will find that working with them during spell casting will be much easier.

Energy in Stones, Crystals, and Herbs

Today, many people use crystals and herbs interchangeably. While each form of medicine may offer a solution to community or personal problems, you should always be aware of how the nature of each entity will affect your magical workings. Among other things, you may use both herbs and stones in elixirs, poultices, and other direct forms of treatment for the tangible symptoms of any problem. On the other hand, you will usually find that crystals excel when it comes to storing energy and then faithfully sending it out at every level of existence and being after the spell is cast. Since all problems start at the unseen levels, a stone can easily address these levels and make appropriate modifications.

Using Stones for the Highest Good

Even though our species has made all kinds of advances in medicine, food production, and the development of safe housing, none of it would be possible without the help of stone beings that allow us to organize and modify them. In fact, we would not exist without the sacrifice of stone beings as they are broken down by erosion into soil that our bodies are essentially formed from. As our species continues to define itself as separate and superior to everything else on the planet, the ability to interact with the stones for the highest good becomes much more complex.

Fortunately, many people today who truly need the help of the consciousness found in everything from pebbles to boulders are regaining access to methods that help them communicate reliably and usefully with the crystalline consciousness. Our sincere hope is that you will find many good and uplifting ways to work with crystals in conjunction with other magical resources to create a life for yourself filled with beauty, wellness, and abundance. While we have our own ideas, thoughts, and experiences to share with you, please be aware that each person will also have their own unique experiences with the stone beings. As with anything else, let your intuition be your ultimate guide and source of creative inspiration.

Crystals and Science

Modern science has recently confirmed what mankind has known for eons: crystals and gemstones are important and unique objects. Their atomic makeup aligns the underlying structure of the crystal in a fashion unique within the infinite varieties of nature. As a result of these structures, crystals are used in many modern devices, such as radios and computers. Quartz crystals are naturally six-sided prisms. Even if you break or fracture a crystal of quartz, a pure crystal will break along the same lines, into similar six-sided prisms aligned in the same way as the parent crystal. Yet the patterns of crystals and crystal formation are not explainable only with science. Science does not tell us why we have been so entranced by them as soon as we discovered them—why they are as beautiful as there are.