stones are blown up, smashed and hacked out of their nice little caves, chucked in crates and sent off around the world to be sold. They may be cleaned with acids, drilled, cut, tumbled and polished. They may pass through the hands of people who are just interested in making a profit before they finally get into the hands of somebody who will take them home. If you were to use a crystal in this state for healing you could get more depressed and shattered than they are!

Often people are attracted to the look of a crystal or have read about its' metaphysical properties and purchase one hoping to have these properties tranfer to them or their home. Many times a crystal is placed like an ornament and subsequently left to gather dust. Its' energy level gets lower and lower. Eventually it becomes depressed and neglected like a dead house plant.

When a crystal is 'adopted' by you and separated from its' species, it's like taking a puppy from its' mother. YOU become its' link to the rest of the world. You've got the legs to move it about and the hands to hold it.

So, how can you help your crystals? Firstly, a newly acquired crystal, or one that's been neglected needs to have a good clean and blessing. I also suggest this for crystals used regularly so they don't accumulate negative energy and by way of blessing and thanking their species - putting some chi back. Then on a regular basis give your crystals a re-charge.

CLEANING YOUR CRYSTALS

For a good clean I recommend salt. Salt will help to dissipate negative accumulated energy from your crystals. Choose a non-metal container (like glass or wood) and fill it with enough rock salt to bury your crystals. Hard minerals like quartz or amethyst can also be immersed in a salt solution - thereby needing less salt. However, soft minerals may disintegrate or lose their shine if left in water too long. If in doubt, anything ending in 'ite' is usually a soft mineral. If you are unable to ask the crystal if it's clean, leave for 24 hours, rinse under clean water and place on the earth in the sun to dry.

You could also clean most minerals under running water for a few minutes asking them to release all accumulated negative energy and pain and visualising this happening. Then place on the earth in the sun.

If you are able to channel vibrations through your hands you can ask for the vibrations of ultra-violet to re-charge the crystal if you don't have access to the sun. A crystal may also enjoy being under the moonlight to re-charge. If you can't get outdoors you can place it in a pot plant after cleaning and blessing. There are also some flower essences available in crystal shops to clean your crystals - a few drops in some water.

Ask the earth, water, air and sun (fire) to assist the crystal clearing out all non-resonant programming, pain and non-resonant energy from the crystals while helping it to re-charge.

Talk to your crystals (using muscle testing or pendulum) and you'll know how they like to be cleaned, how long to leave them in water or sun, when they're ready for use or ready for cleaning.

For a recharge, ask if they want a rinse in water or not, then put them out on the grass in the sun. Some of the terminated ones like to be 'planted' in a little hole so they stand upright.

[Tip: Don't leave amethyst in the sun too long as the colour will fade. Don't leave crystals out all day in extreme temperatures.]

BLESSING YOUR CRYSTALS

As an ascending initiate you may already have learned about blessing your food to thank the kingdoms who have provided it. This blessing puts chi back into those species to allow more to be born or to grow.

You can also bless your crystals thereby energising them and their species and creating a closer bond and working relationship between you.

After cleaning, hold your crystals. Centre and ground* yourself. Invite your soul down into your heart. Connect your energy to the earth. Allow loving energy to flow from your heart and hands to the crystals. Say whatever your heart feels to your crystals. Here is just a suggestion...

"I bless and thank you for coming into my life. I invite your soul/s to join us, so we can all work, grow and learn together. I send my blessing out to your species and the entire Mineral Kingdom. I thank you."

At this point you could also meditate with your crystal/s. Choose one at a time. Close your eyes. Hold it, touch it, rub it with your fingers, hold it to your heart or third eye. Just use your intuition as to what feels good. Invite it to share with you stories and information it is holding. Visualise a big blank screen with your inner eye and ask the crystal to project its' images there. Take note of feelings, emotions, colours as well.

Don't try to analyse your impressions while you are having them. Just make a mental note and enjoy them. You could make a little crystal diary to record the different sessions with each crystal. They have lots of information to share so you can have regular meditations with each one.

Blessing, touching, and sharing information, you will soon start to feel your crystals are more than just ornaments. They will become friends and allies in your spiritual journey.

ASCENDING CRYSTALS

As one of earth's kingdoms, the Mineral Kingdom is ascending, along with the nature kingdoms, animals, plants, elements, dolphins and whales - and some humans. Like the plants and animals who are separated off from the rest of their species and not ascending (like in zoos and factory farms), crystals in captivity are often not ascending.

However, if you are ascending and work with your crystals in a loving way you can invite them to also ascend with you, and they will at least reach the level you do. You will be able to support each other. Initiates who have reached a certain level (1800) can make and program a Synthesis Altar to assist them, or have different minerals hold the Language of Light tones.

If you are not ascending to this level, you can still clean, bless and love the crystals that you have in your possession. Ask your crystals where they would like to sit. They may hate being on that electrical TV set and much prefer the window sill! They may like to sit with a plant and they can support each other. You could also make a nice little crystal garden and place them outside where they can connect to the elements. This could be an ideal place to meditate.

If you feel a crystal no longer needs to be with you, ask who it wants to go to, or whether it may like to be buried or put in the ocean - it is then free to continue its' evolution.

So let's empower our crystals today and honour them with the respect they deserve as an ascending species!"

from http://www.newage.com.au/articles/linda/crystals.html

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------