Crystal Meditation: A Beginner's Guide

Crystal meditation has been practised by cultures around the world for thousands of years. It is believed that crystals can store energy and offer various healing benefits. Many people program crystals with their intentions, or simply attune their minds and bodies to the unique energy of each stone to vibe with their individual frequencies.

To get started, you'll need a crystal and a willingness to practise. Set the mood by finding a quiet place where you won't be disturbed, and adjust the lighting and temperature to create a relaxed atmosphere.

You can then incorporate your crystal into your meditation practice in a few different ways:

- Hold them in your hands

- Place them on your chakras

- Create a crystal grid or circle around you

Choosing crystals for meditation

Firstly, you can choose crystals based on your goals for the meditation session. For example, if you are seeking to boost your energy levels, you may want to opt for pyrite or citrine, whereas if you want to relax, flourite or kunzite could be a better choice. You can also choose crystals based on the colour of the chakra you want to focus on. For instance, pink and green crystals are associated with the heart, blue with the throat, and reds and oranges with the root chakra.

Alternatively, you can choose crystals intuitively, by simply picking the ones you are most drawn to. This can be done by holding them and emptying your mind, allowing yourself to feel how the crystal makes you feel.

If you are new to crystal meditation, clear quartz is a great place to start. It is a "master" crystal that can take on any energy you ascribe to it and can be used to aid focus and clarity. Amethyst is another good option, as it is a highly spiritual stone that aids the development of insight and self-awareness.

Before using your chosen crystals, it is important to cleanse them. This can be done by passing them through incense, exposing them to moonlight or sunlight, or setting them under running water, among other methods.

Programming crystals for meditation

Crystal meditation is about using crystals to help you achieve a specific outcome during meditation. While you can use any stone for this, quartz crystals are particularly powerful because they are silicon-based, which means they resonate further and can be easily programmed.

If you want to program your crystals for meditation, it's important to first cleanse them. Crystals can absorb negativity, so it's not beneficial to use them if they haven't been cleared. Here are some ways to cleanse your crystals:

• Pass them through incense, especially sage smoke.
• Use sound, like chanting or singing bowls.
• Expose them to sunlight or moonlight for several hours.
• Set them under running water.
• Immerse them in saltwater.
• Bury them in a bowl of brown rice.

Once your crystals are cleansed, you can program them for meditation. Here are some ways to do this:

• Hold the crystal and tell it what you want it to help you with. For example, you could say, "I program this crystal to bring me peace and calm."
• Hold the crystal and imagine it surrounded by white light. Then, say what you want the crystal to help you with.
• Place the programmed crystal in a prominent position or keep it with you.

Using Crystals for Meditation

Now that your crystals are programmed, you can use them to aid your meditation practice. Here are some ways to do this:

• Place them on your body, on the chakra that aligns with your intention.
• Create a crystal grid or circle around you or in front of you.
• Meditate with crystals in a hot bath (but not with selenite or calcite as they will dissolve).
• Simply hold your crystal in your hand while you meditate.

Placing crystals on your chakras

When meditating, you can place a crystal on the chakra that aligns with your intention. For example, if you want to focus on grounding yourself, you can place a crystal on your third-eye chakra, which is located on your forehead between your eyes.

• Clear quartz: This crystal is often seen as a "master" crystal that can take on any energy you ascribe to it. It is also believed to allow for altered states of consciousness and balance the chakras.
• Amethyst: Amethyst is said to possess strong healing energy and support blood circulation.
• Rose quartz: Known as the crystal of unconditional love, it boosts self-love and fosters loving relationships.
• Smoky quartz: This stone is considered a grounding crystal that may help you feel rooted and connected to the Earth. It is also believed to lift your mood and protect against negative energies.
• Selenite: Selenite is a high-vibration stone that activates the crown chakra, bringing light and healing to every cell in the body. It is beneficial for communication with your higher self and higher realms, helping you remember past lives and access sacred knowledge.

When placing crystals on your chakras, it is important to ensure that your crystals have been cleansed before use, as they can absorb negativity. Additionally, try to sit fairly upright during meditation to allow the flow of energy to move more easily down the spine and through all the chakras.

Remember, there is no scientific evidence that crystals can aid in healing or meditation. However, many people believe in their healing powers and historical evidence suggests that crystals have been used for healing and spiritual purposes for centuries.

Creating a crystal circle or grid

• Set your intentions: Journal, visualize, or otherwise settle on a specific desire, stated in the positive and present. For example, "I am lighthearted and enjoy my own company" is a great mantra for rose quartz and self-love.
• Gather your stones or crystals: Each crystal possesses unique properties that resonate with different aspects of life. When creating your crystal grid, make sure you gather stones that support your intentions. For instance, use citrine for prosperity or pyrite for luck. Clear quartz is great for additional amplification.
• Prepare your sacred space: After clearing your chosen spot of clutter, rid any negativity by smudging or another preferred method.
• Begin placing your stones: With your intention in mind, place the anchor stone in the centre of the crystal grid. Your anchor stone can correspond to your main focus, intention, or clear quartz point. For extra energy, you can place a paper with your intention written on it, a photo, or even a crisp $20 bill under your anchor or centre stone. Place the remaining stones or crystals around your anchor stone in your desired sacred geometry shape while keeping your intention in mind.
• Activate your crystal grid: Connect with your grid by sitting nearby and meditating on your intention. Remember to keep focused as you are sitting inside the energy field of your grid. Some additional activation techniques include sound activation and moonlight cleansing.
• Take it down or keep it going: Once your intentions are set, you can take down your crystal grid or keep it for whatever length of time feels right for you. If you keep it, revisit it every few days to meditate, visualize, and reset it with your intentions and soak in the energy you want to manifest.

Some additional tips for creating a crystal circle or grid:

• You can use any number of crystals, from three upwards.
• The effect can be amplified by "activating" the circle. If you are used to energy work, you can channel energy and visualize it joining the circle together in a clockwise direction. Alternatively, use a wand or control crystal to do this.
• It is useful to combine crystals as well. For example, rose quartz is very gentle and loving, prehnite and new jade are detoxifying, honey calcite can aid meditation, and black tourmaline can help you feel protected.
• Smaller crystals are preferable, but this is not a rule.

Cleansing crystals before use

Crystals can absorb negative energy, so it is important to cleanse them before use. Here are some ways to do so:

Water

Place your crystal under running water or submerge it in a bowl of water. Ensure that your crystal is completely submerged. This method is said to neutralise any negative energy and return it to the earth. However, do not use this method for brittle or soft stones such as selenite, kyanite, and halite.

Saltwater

Salt has been used throughout history to absorb unwanted energy. Fill a bowl with saltwater (either from the ocean or by mixing sea, rock, or table salt with water) and submerge your crystal for a few hours to a few days. Rinse and pat dry when complete. Do not use this method for soft, porous, or trace-metal-containing stones such as malachite, selenite, halite, calcite, lepidolite, and angelite.

Brown Rice

Fill a bowl with dry brown rice and bury your crystal beneath it. Dispose of the rice after cleansing, as it is believed to have absorbed the negative energy. This method can be used for any type of crystal.

Moonlight and Sunlight

Set your crystal outside before nightfall and bring it in before 11 am the next morning. This will allow it to be exposed to both moonlight and sunlight, which will cleanse and recharge it. Be careful not to leave your crystal in direct sunlight for too long, as it may weather the stone's surface.

Incense or Sage Smoke

Pass your crystal through incense or sage smoke. This is believed to clear inharmonious vibrations and restore the crystal's natural energy.

Sound

Use sound to cleanse your crystal, such as chanting, singing bowls, or tuning forks. This method is said to bring the crystal into the same vibration as the tone.

Larger Crystals

Place your crystal on or inside a larger crystal, such as a quartz cluster, amethyst geode, or selenite slab. It is believed that the larger crystal's vibrations will remove any negative energies from the smaller crystal.

Smaller Crystals

Place your crystal in a bowl with smaller clearing stones such as carnelian, clear quartz, or hematite.

Breathwork

Hold the crystal in your dominant hand and exhale short, forceful breaths onto it. This method is believed to bring the crystal to its highest vibration.

Visualisation

Visualise your hands filling with white, radiant light, and see this light surrounding and purifying the crystal.

Frequently asked questions