How To Charge Your Crystals: 9 Methods & Tips, From Experts

To get the most out of your crystals, it's important to charge them periodically, and there are a number of ways to do so. Here are nine different crystal charging methods to try, plus tips to remember as you go, according to experts.

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Crystals tend to hold on to the energy they're exposed to—which isn't always a good thing. As modern mystic Imani Quinn explains to mbg, if you're using a crystal for protection energy, for example, that stone is absorbing the energy it's protecting you from.

That's why it's important to get rid of any negative energy your crystal has accumulated as needed. "It needs to be refueled, just like our energy needs to be refueled by sleeping every night," Quinn adds.

Part of charging your crystal is clearing its energetic slate—hence why some people refer to charging crystals as "clearing" them. From there, it's about filling your crystal back up, often with grounding energy that comes from places in nature: the moon, the soil, water, etc.

There's no shortage of crystal charging methods, so how can you know which to use for a particular crystal? According to Quinn, your best bet is to follow your intuition.

"I think building an intuitive relationship is really important because there's an intimacy with your crystals," she says, adding that it's all about "empowering yourself to have that unique relationship."

No charging method is better than another. Just be mindful of your specific crystal and whether it does OK in water or salt, as some will not take well to those. (More on that later.)

The full moon is a powerful point in the lunar cycle, and it works wonders for clearing and charging your favorite crystals, too.

All you have to do is "place the crystal outside on the ground, overnight on the night of the full moon, to charge it with lunar energy," Ashley Leavy, founder and educational director of the Love and Light School of Crystal Therapy previously told mbg. Even a windowsill inside that gets moonlight will do!

For another moon-related crystal charging option, Quinn suggests making your own moon water. You can place your crystals in this lunar-powered water for around an hour, or pour the moon water over your crystal. Again, be sure to only do this with stones that can tolerate getting wet.

Leavy also suggests burying your crystals to help clear and charge them: "Dig a small hole where you would like to bury your stone, placing the soil you have removed into an earthenware pot or jar," she previously told mbg.

"Bury the crystal in the soil within the pot or jar. Then, lower the pot into the hole and cover it with the remaining soil. Mark your crystal with a flag or some other marker, and leave the stone buried for at least one week." This will help charge your stone with the powerful properties of the ground it came from.

Sound can be a powerful tool when it comes to shifting frequencies, and as such, it's a favorite of Karen Frazier's, author of Crystals for Healing. "I like to place them in a singing bowl and ring it," she previously told mbg.

Frazier is also a fan of charging crystals with herbs or incense, as is Leavy. "To cleanse your stones by burning sacred herbs, pass your stones through the smoke (such as sage, sweetgrass, Palo Santo, or cedar) or incense (such as sandalwood, lavender, or jasmine) for approximately two to three minutes," Leavy previously told mbg.

Quinn says you can also use salt (preferably sea salt) for charging your crystals. Simply place your stone in salt and let it sit overnight. You'll want to avoid this method with softer stones like turquoise, opal, and calcite, which can scratch easily.

Your breath can also be used for clearing crystals, Leavy previously told mbg. "To clear a stone using your breath, you must first clear your mind of any outside thoughts," she noted. "Then, hold the crystal in one hand and breathe out forcefully while quickly waving your other hand over the crystal."

If you work with any spiritual guides or deities, you can connect your crystals with them, Quinn explains. Whether through prayer or meditation, you can take a moment to ask your guides to connect to your crystals and your intention for them.

And lastly, Leavy previously suggested using a visualization technique to charge your stone: Picture universal, healing light filling your crystal up until all the old energy has been dissolved.

"See the light expand until it surrounds the stone and fills your hands. Intend that all negativity be removed from the stone and dissolved," she instructs. "When you intuitively feel that the stone has been cleared, you may stop the visualization."

Charging crystals doesn't have to be a complicated business, but if you're just getting started, here are some tips to keep in mind:

There's really no surefire answer to this question, as it depends on what the crystals have been exposed to at a given time. As Quinn puts it, you may not take a shower on a day when you didn't do much, but if you worked out and broke a sweat, you want to take a shower. The same goes for crystals.

With that being said, you definitely want to give a new crystal a good clearing when you first get it. And from there, it's about gauging how much you've been using it, whether it's been exposed to negative energy, and so on. It's certainly never a bad idea to give it a quick charge after you've been using it often.

If they're not on display and you want to keep them somewhere safe, you can place your crystals in a small soft pouch. That way, they'll avoid getting scratched or dusty. Be particularly mindful of any sharp edges, as pieces can break off if knocked around.

From giving you a new perspective mood to fueling your creativity, there's a crystal to help out. But the longer we have crystals in our possession, the more energy they can get bogged down with. To make sure your stones are not holding on to any lingering negativity, clear them as needed. You may very well feel the difference afterward.

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Sarah Regan is a Spirituality & Relationships Editor, a registered yoga instructor, and an avid astrologer and tarot reader. She received her bachelor's in broadcasting and mass communication from State University of New York at Oswego, and lives in Buffalo, New York.