Selenite: The Healing Crystal That Can Clear Your Mind When Used Correctly

These days, it's not unusual to be interested in the spiritual use of crystals. From rose quartz to citrine, there are stones purported to help with every issue and goal — including dozens of crystals to help you manifest the life you want. But when it comes to clarity and purification, no stone beats translucent selenite.

Named for Selene, the Greek goddess of the moon, selenite is a crystallized form of the mineral gypsum. But selenite itself has several aliases and sub-types, such as satin spar, desert rose, gypsum flower, angel wing selenite, and fishtail selenite. These crystals can range from perfectly transparent like glass to a beautiful, milky pearlescence in various earthy shades. And while some specimens of selenite may be sold as small, polished wands, others may come in fractured sticks, flower-like petal formations, or tall, geometric pillars. In fact, some of the world's largest crystals are made up of selenite, like those in the famous "Cave of the Crystals" in Naica, Mexico.

But no matter the incredible spectrum of color and shape that exists within the realm of selenite crystals, they all have one thing in common: They're considered incredibly useful tools in crystal healing. If you're interested in harnessing the metaphysical properties of selenite, here's everything you need to know about incorporating this special crystal into your spiritual practice.

First and foremost, selenite is known as a preeminent stone for cleansing energies. "From a healing perspective, it has the capacity to calm the mind, to bring the soul to peace, and to bring clarity to those who need it," crystal healer Samantha Jayne tells Healthline. "Selenite is a crystal that vibrates at a very fine vibration level. ...It's one of the most powerful crystals in the universe."

Because it is associated with purification and balance, selenite is also a preferred crystal for cleansing and opening the seven major chakras, which are said to impact various areas of your life. In particular, selenite is known to resonate with the energy point known as your crown chakra (via Crystal Allies). This chakra, which is located at the top of your head, relates to enlightenment, awareness, and connection to higher planes.

If you've been feeling bogged down in apathy, cynicism, or pettiness, working with selenite is considered one way to restore energy flow in your crown chakra and refocus your consciousness to serve its most noble purpose. To cleanse your crown chakra, try placing a piece of selenite directly on top of your head while you meditate or visualize your thoughts ascending in an aura of harmonious white light.

In addition to clearing your own energy and mindset, practitioners of crystal healing suggest that selenite can be used to cleanse toxic energy from your home and other spaces (per Tiny Rituals). Such negative energy — which can feel relentlessly weighty, depressing, and exhausting — is said to emanate from various sources, such as others' emotions, your own critical self-talk, or even stifling clutter and discomfort in your home (via WebMD).

Empaths, in particular, may find their own mood greatly impacted by negative vibrations and the attitudes of those around them. So if you tend to be very sensitive and reactive to the vibe in a room or group of people, you may be in need of selenite's purported ability to bring balance and energy purification.

To this effect, selenite can be placed strategically to absorb outside influences and protect the positivity of your environment. Consider placing beautiful selenite formations near the entryway of your home, on windowsills, or beside your bed to ward off negativity. At work, you might also like to keep selenite on your desk to create an oasis of calm and resist picking up unhelpful energies from your coworkers.

If you're a fan of meditation, you probably know that it's not as easy as simply closing your eyes and turning off your brain. Even those experienced in meditation can sometimes find it challenging to let go of stray thoughts, worries, and obligations. But as crystal therapist Ashley Leavy tells MindBodyGreen, selenite's cleansing properties are thought to ease your meditation practice by helping to clear your head.

As we mentioned before, selenite is affiliated with your crown chakra, which represents your open mind and spiritual connectedness. So it follows that this would be an ideal stone to cleanse away mental blockages, focus your metaphysical energies, and release wayward thoughts into the universe. To bring selenite's purifying aspect into your own meditation practice, try holding pieces of this luminous crystal in each hand or arrange them in a circle or grid around you. You can also incorporate selenite as you create your own spiritual altar at home, then use this safe space as a visual focus for your thoughts while meditating.

Sometimes, your meditation or visualization practice is not only a way to clear your mind, but also provides an avenue to get in touch with your intuition or spirit guides. If this is your goal, selenite may be the crystal for you. Regarding your own inner voice, selenite's association with clarity is said to help clear away distractions and mental clutter to help you connect with your metaphysical instincts.

In addition to following their own intuition, many spiritualists also seek support from spirit guides, angels, or other benevolent spirits. Selenite is cited as one of the best crystals for connecting with these higher beings for guidance and wisdom (per Mystic Crystal Imports). Certain types of selenite like angel wing and fishtail selenite are considered especially well-suited for this use and can be incorporated into whatever form of meditation, prayer, or ritual you prefer to bridge the gap to your guide's plane of being.

Meditation isn't the only time that busy or overwhelming thought patterns can interrupt your peace of mind. Similarly, insomnia is often characterized by a sense that your brain just won't quiet down. As a result, you may be left lying awake, replaying conversations from your day or agonizing over mistakes made years ago.

Fortunately, proponents of crystal healing believe that selenite may help soothe this endless loop of self-recrimination and sleeplessness. Much like selenite is said to clear your thoughts for better meditation, it is also suggested as a way to calm your mind at bedtime and promote more restful slumber (via #Legend). Try placing a small, smooth selenite crystal beneath your pillow to activate your crown chakra and soothe your thoughts.

Externally, many spiritualists think that negative energy in your sleep environment can also play a role (per Somnus Therapy). You deserve a bedroom that's a sanctuary of serenity and peace, so consider cleansing it of oppressive energies with selenite. You can utilize this crystal by placing selenite in an elevated space in your bedroom, such as on your nightstand, dresser, or atop your headboard, where it will purportedly draw away negativity and leave you to sleep soundly.

It may surprise you to realize that energy tools like crystals need to be cleansed, but it's a bit like rinsing out a sponge or cleansing cloth. Crystal workers believe that as you use your collection of stones for spiritual practices, they'll retain some of the energy that passes through or around them. This buildup, especially if it holds a lot of negativity, is said to block the effectiveness of your crystals over time (via Inspire Me Naturally). This may be especially true of stones used for protection, as they are intended to draw in negative energy to clear the space around them.

With its reputation as a powerful cleansing crystal, selenite is the perfect choice to purify the rest of your healing stones. Try placing any stones that feel blocked in the center of a selenite crystal grid. Or, you can even buy selenite discs or bowls to use as crystal purifying stations. Don't forget to take this step with any newly acquired stones, which may have absorbed unwelcome energies before they arrived in your home.

All that said, you'll occasionally want to purify the selenite itself. While it may be the quintessential crystal for energetic cleansing, you don't want to let bad vibes linger within. So what's the best way to refresh it? Because selenite has a delicate mineral structure, it's not well-suited to cleansing methods like running water, salt water, or being placed outdoors. Instead, allow your selenite to absorb natural sunlight or moonlight from inside by placing it safely on a windowsill. You can also smudge the air around your stone with sage, bury your selenite in brown rice for 24 hours, or cleanse it with sound vibrations from a singing bowl (via Healthline).

While anyone can use this translucent crystal in their metaphysical work, it's said that selenite has a particular affiliation with the zodiac signs Taurus and Cancer — so practitioners with these sun signs may find selenite particularly useful (per Village Rock Shop). For Taurians, selenite is purported to provide internal peace, a sense of calm, and mental clarity. This can be very helpful for headstrong bulls, who are slow to anger but also explosive when pushed over the line. If you're a Taurus struggling to control your temper or see a situation clearly, meditating on the issue with a piece of selenite may help.

Cancers, meanwhile, may find that selenite improves their intuition and self-understanding while keeping negativity at bay. Because those born under the sign of Cancer tend to be viciously self-critical, this kind of positive insight and awareness can be crucial. If your sun sign is Cancer, instead of beating yourself up after a perceived mistake, undertake a soul-searching exercise with selenite in hand. Use your error not for self-judgment, but for self-growth — and try to forgive yourself along the way. Remember: You're only human.

Though this seems less common, some sources also tie selenite to the sign Gemini, the social butterfly of the zodiac. At their best, Geminis tend to be charming and witty, but they can also be fickle, easily bored, and quick to argue. Because selenite is calming and purifying, it's suggested that this crystal may help Gemini suns embrace internal balance and soothe their impatient natures. If you're a Gemini who tends to get frustrated when things are slow or dull, try holding selenite while you go through a few deep-breathing exercises to center yourself and calm both your physical and mental responses.