How to Use Crystals in Witchcraft
Updated: February 12, 2023
Crystals are a fantastic way to manifest our spiritual desires into the physical world. When we infuse them with our desires, hopes, dreams and intentions, they become a powerful symbol of that intention to improve our lives and selves.
If you’re new to crystals, this guide will help you find the information you need to know to get started. If you have like a hundred crystals already, but you need some new information and insight, this guide will help you expand your knowledge and understanding. Enjoy!
How to Cleanse Crystals
Cleansing crystals restores them to their natural state of energy and clarity to give them a fresh start.
Crystals take on the energy of their surroundings. This can be intentional, but often they could use a good energetic cleansing to reset them and remove any negative, unwanted energy. Below are some ways you can cleanse your crystals today.
WATER CLEANSING
Water is a favorite ways to cleanse crystals. Running water is naturally purifying and it carries with it oxygen as it spreads the nutrients of the earth far and wide.
Place your crystals in a stream, river, lake or simply under the running water of a faucet as you visualize the absolute purity of nature removing all unwanted energy.
SMOKE CLEANSING
Smoke is another fantastic way to cleanse your crystals from unwanted or stagnant energy. Since it represents the element of air, smoke creates a visual display of the unwanted energy being lifted high into the air as it is removed from your crystals.
To cleanse your crystals with smoke, you might want to use a bundle of sage, stick of incense or palo santo. Wash your hands and ground yourself as you hold the crystal in your hand. Hold the incense with the other hand and allow the smoke to rise through your fingers and cleanse the crystal.
SALT CLEANSING
Salt is a naturally purifying element that works well as a crystal cleanser as well.
Find a small bowl or dish and pour a mound of sea salt inside it. Use just enough to be able to cover your crystal. Place your crystal inside the mound of salt and let it remain there overnight, or for a duration that is meaningful to you.
After you have cleansed a crystal in salt, it’s usually a good idea to discard the salt.
How to Charge Crystals
Charging crystals is a great way to imbue them with your desired intention for any outcome in life.
While we can often work with the natural energy of each crystal we own, charging crystals gives us the opportunity to enhance that energy or infuse our own intentions for our life outcomes within them. Below are my favorite ways to charge crystals quickly and easily.
ENERGETIC CHARGING
Crystals are useful in our daily lives because we can hold them, admire their beauty, and draw inspiration and power from them. In essence, they become a symbol, and we can use this symbol to create real changes in our lives.
Symbols carry with them energy all their own, and they have the power to create massive changes in the world around us.
It is this symbolic energy within crystals that I find incredibly useful in my daily life, and you can use your crystals as symbols of change in your life as well.
CHOOSING YOUR ENERGY
So, what does this look like? Well, charging your crystals with certain energy requires you to first choose the energy that you’d like to have more of.
These energies reside in everything we could ever manifest in life, and it’s our job to choose one and focus on it intently.
Be creative! Choose ideas like love, abundance, peace, more opportunity, forgiveness, etc.
Then, once you’ve chosen your desired outcome, ground yourself in the moment through meditation or silence, hold your crystal in your hands, and meditate on your chosen energy.
Let your emotions raise that energy even higher as you feel and visualize exactly what it would be like to have that desire right now. Then, let that energy become attached to your crystal.
ELEMENTAL CHARGING
Another great way to charge your crystals is to use the natural elements that surround us at every moment.
Earth, Air, Fire and Water are present all around us and they bring with them natural energies and common associations that can help you focus your intentions to create harmonious outcomes in your life.
THE EARTH ELEMENT
To charge your crystal with the elements and energies of the earth, find a bit of earth to bury your crystal in overnight to allow it to absorb the deep and grounded qualities of the earth.
EARTH CORRESPONDENCES:
Comfort, Money, Home, Prosperity, Career, Grounding, Security & Safety
THE AIR ELEMENT
To charge your crystal with the elements and energies of the air, place your crystal in a meaningful area where the wind will blow over and through. Leave your crystal outside for 30 minutes to an hour while it charges.
AIR CORRESPONDENCES:
Clear Communication, Speech, Information, Learning & Studying, Relationships, Spiritual Connection
THE FIRE ELEMENT
To charge your crystal with the elements and energies of fire, allow them to take in the heat and smoke from a small campfire, or carefully pass them through the flame of a candle that is burning in a fire safe environment.
FIRE CORRESPONDENCES:
Personal passions, love, creative energy, bursts of energy, life force & “aliveness”
THE WATER ELEMENT
To charge your crystal with the elements and energies of water, place them in a river, stream, lake or bowl of water to let them absorb its energy.
WATER CORRESPONDENCES:
Emotions, healing, the subconscious mind, maturity, going with life’s flow
PLANETARY CHARGING
Using the classical model of the cosmos, (Astrology practiced in the western world prior to about 1700) we can neatly lump all of the celestial bodies into one category.
This just means using the Sun, Moon and planets to charge our crystals. The Sun and Moon are obvious choices, so to charge our crystals, simply let them soak in the aspect of each that you are attracted to.
As an example, when the moon is becoming full, it brings with it building energy of creative energy that can be used to manifest in our life.
Using celestial events is a great way to charge your crystals. Just be creative and don’t forget to be intentional about what you are charging your crystals with!
Types of Crystals and Their Meanings
Crystals are unique tools that we can use as witches to focus and store energy, strengthen connections with the earth, and are incredibly useful in a whole host of unique ways.
And there are so many different types of crystals to choose from, each with unique properties and meanings. In this guide, we’ve listed our favorite crystal types for witchcraft, and gone into detail on each.
Use this guide to empower yourself with as you draw your own conclusions about what each of these crystals means to you.
Amethyst
Amethyst is a royal stone that can help you stay calm and control your day-to-day life. Its soothing qualities will aid you in meditation, sleep, focus and in general, lift your vibration to help you see things clearly.
Citrine
Citrine is another calming crystal that helps you stay calm under pressure as you focus on your ambitions. Many use Citrine as a way to draw more wealth and abundance into their lives, since this beautiful crystal is associated with the Goddess Demeter.
Clear Quartz
Clear Quartz is a fantastic crystal for anyone who needs a general-purpose amplifier of energy. Many choose to use this stone in meditation, as it provides clarity of mind and body and removes negative thoughts and energies naturally.
Selenite
Selenite soothes the energy in your space and provides you with a fantastic tool to work with moon magic. If you need a lift in all areas of your life, Selenite is a powerful tool.
Labradorite
Labradorite aids us in raising consciousness in general and reduces the parts of ourselves that are less than desirable, making room for us to live as our best selves.
Rose Quartz
Rose quartz reminds us that love is the most important aspect of many parts of our lives. If you need to love yourself more, kindle deep friendships, or start a new relationship, this crystal is a wonderful choice.
Carnelian
Carnelian is a fiery crystal that delivers courage, stability and action to those who work with its energy. It’s a stone that inspires these aspects and is a powerful ally when you need confidence and strength.
Smoky Quartz
Smoky quartz offers new ways of thinking and clear mindsets to those who work with its energy. It’s a very primal stone, that lends strength and insights of essential action required to improve your situation.
Obsidian
A stone of hidden secrets that is ready to reveal itself to you in many different ways, Obsidian engages truth and honor while helping you to facilitate change in your life.
Tiger’s Eye
Tiger’s Eye is a superior stone for grounding and centering yourself before meditation and ritual. It’s a protective ally that enables you to create the life you desire while keeping negativity at bay.
Bloodstone
Bloodstone is a powerful stone that offers protection, healing and power. It’s a great ally to help you enhance your personal power and create change for the better in your life.
Moonstone
A stone of wisdom and purity, Moonstone offers these insights and more. If you need a boost in intuition or psychic ability, this crystal is a perfect choice.
Hematite
Hematite is a stone that grounds us to the earth and helps to attract the things that will enhance our stability in life. It’s deeply connected to the earth, which means that it brings stability, energy and clarity to many who work with it.
Black Tourmaline
Black tourmaline is a crystal that offers protection and grounding. It’s deeply detoxifying by its nature, so look to use it when things are feeling toxic and too much to bear.
Unakite
Unakite is a defender of the spirit and works with you as you endeavor to balance your emotions and live as your highest self. If you need a shot of clarity, work with Unakite during your next meditation and spell.
Crystals and Their Colors
Color can evoke emotional responses and it’s often a determining factor when a crystal is chosen. It’s no accident that you are drawn to a certain color of crystal–let it be a meaningful part of your process!
Below are the most common crystal color associations and their meanings to help you choose the best crystals for your collection.
Green Crystals
Green Aventurine
Green Aventurine is a crystal for fertility and abundance. It is also considered to be a magnet for opportunities. In fact, the crystal’s name “Aventurine” comes from the Italian term “Aventura” which means “chance”. Green Aventurine is the best crystal to use if you are expecting to conceive or if you are a fresh graduate looking for career opportunities.
Malachite
Although its association with the heart chakra, Malachite is considered to be a protective stone that wards off unwanted energies that can distort your perspective of the truth. This crystal is best kept by people who are trying to recover from a breakup or a traumatic event.
Green Jade
Jade is a fairly popular crystal in the eastern practices because of its ability to purify and heal. The crystal is also believed to bless the people who touch or wear it, making Jade a similarly popular crystal for bringing good luck.
Blue Crystals
Lapis Lazuli
Green Aventurine is a crystal for fertility and abundance. It is also considered to be a magnet for opportunities. In fact, the crystal’s name “Aventurine” comes from the Italian term “Aventura” which means “chance”. Green Aventurine is the best crystal to use if you are expecting to conceive or if you are a fresh graduate looking for career opportunities.
Aquamarine
A stone that activates intellectual reasoning and improves the rapid response-ability, Aquamarine bestows discipline, and perseverance and develops compromise and negotiations to avoid conflict in any circumstances. This gives healing and gentle energy that keeps you compassionate and tolerant to people and various situations.
Azurite
Azurite has a powerful vibration that makes it exceptional in spurring psychic development. With its ability to develop your intuition, it strengthens your creative gifts and calms you in situations that may incur stress and anxiety. Azurite elevates your spiritual mind leading you to a deeper understanding of yourself.
Black Crystals
Shungite
Shungite is particularly known for its great potential to purify. This crystal is best for cleansing your aura and healing physical and emotional illnesses. Because of the high vibrations comprising the crystal, Shungite is also considered to be an essential stone for cleansing water and recharging it with beneficial properties.
Black Tourmaline
Black Tourmaline is a crystal used to protect from negative energies, toxic behaviors, and negative emotions that can disturb you on a journey. It is also known for its ability to shield you from destructive forces and spirits that may sometimes pretend to be your guide.
Obsidian
Black Obsidian is popular for its ability to drive you away from cunning beliefs and thought patterns that can block you from connecting with your intuition. This crystal is described as “The Stone of Prophecy”, bringing you a powerful gravitational pull away from your inner demons and insecurities.
Pink Crystals
Rose Quartz
A stone of universal love, Rose Quartz reestablishes trust and unconditional love in every relationship you find yourself into. This crystal is used as a love token during ancient times. It carries soothing feminine energy that boosts nourishment, comfort, and tenderness to oneself and others.
Thulite
Thulite encourages acceptance and clemency through your interactions in various circumstances in your private and professional life. This is a brilliant crystal that carries ecstatic and cheery energy to the emotional body, eliminating thoughts of negativity and providing your mind and body the comfort they need.
Purple Crystals
Amethyst
Amethyst is the most common crystal used for meditation and divination practices to enhance intuition. It is also believed to create a spiritual light within the body to protect from negative forces that can block the chakras.
Fluorite
Fluorite is a protective stone that can shield you from negative vibrations and toxic thought patterns. This crystal is also known as “The Stone of Dreams” because of its ability to protect you from nightmares and bad dreams that can occur during your sleep.
Grape Agate
Grape Agate is the crystal of royalty. It is believed to inspire maturity, calmness, firmness, and self-confidence. This crystal is ideally kept close during business negotiations, family disputes, or times of insecurity. Grape Agate calms the aura by inviting peace to serve as the foundation for your actions.
Red Crystals
Ruby
Ruby has a very tantalizing exterior that brings a surge of sharp energy and intense concentration. It invokes the awareness and courage required to conquer adversities. These shielding crystals are excellent protection against psychic attacks and are recommended to be worn at night to ensure safety.
Red Garnet
These life-enhancing crystals carry a healing power that dispels chaos and confusion in life. Red Garnet heightens endurance and placing a small piece of this crystal attracts abundance and vitality at home and workplace. It helps in balancing and soothing your emotions to calm you during overwhelming situations.
Red Coral
Red Coral is endowed with energy that dissuades negative thoughts and inspires you to have a better and more positive outlook in life despite the occurrence of unfavorable events. This gemstone promotes passion, optimism, and truthfulness in every relationship or endeavor.
Orange Crystals
Carnelian
Carnelian is the perfect crystal to keep close to boost your creativity and courage to pursue your dreams. This crystal wards off any self-limiting beliefs that may be affecting the quality of your decisions. Carnelian is for art students, young entrepreneurs, and corporate workers who wish to shift to a creative career.
Orange Calcite
Orange Calcite is a crystal believed to enhance one’s current gifts. This crystal aligns your thoughts and accelerates your overall development and growth. Orange Calcite is also a crystal that can put a halt in addictive behaviors that cloud your progress.
Sunstone
Sunstone is the stone of bliss. This crystal restores positivity, joy, and warmth in your life. It brings back to wonder and curiosity in your life, allowing creativity to freely flow and enter into every cell in your body. Sunstone is the stone that delivers miraculous sunshine into your career and personal relationships.