One of the most important things to remember about all minerals is that they are fragile. Like fine antique chine they can chip, crack and break from the mildest bump. The term hardness used by mineralogists is just a handy way of categorizing how hard one mineral is in relation to another, usually on what is called the Mohs scale. It has nothing whatsoever to do with how unbreakable or durable a stone is. Hardness in this context simply means that a stone registering 10 will scratch a 9; a 5 will scratch a 4, etc. The following list contains some basic dos and don’ts of crystal care:
Do’s and Don’ts of Crystal Care One of the most important things to remember about all minerals is that they are fragile. Like fine antique chine they can chip, crack and break from the mildest bump. The term hardness used by mineralogists is just a handy way of categorizing how hard one mineral is in relation to another, usually on what is called the Mohs scale. It has nothing whatsoever to do with how unbreakable or durable a stone is. Hardness in this context simply means that a stone registering 10 will scratch a 9; a 5 will scratch a 4, etc. The following list contains some basic dos and don’ts of crystal care:
Do not touch someone else’s crystals without their permission. Just because a crystal is in a highly visible place does not necessarily mean that it’s okay to touch or handle it — always ask first. In general, do not let others handle the crystals you find yourself using most often, your ‘personal’ crystals. When working with a crystal for a specific reason, it is important that both you and its frequencies interact and stay in harmony with as little other human frequencies intruding as possible.
Never expose Amethyst quartz crystals to direct sunlight for extended periods of time. The iron in Amethyst is unstable and the wonderful purple of Amethyst will fade and cannot be brought back.
Do not expose your crystals to artificial lighting for long periods, particularly fluorescent lighting. The bending effects of unnatural light frequencies can damage the molecular structure of crystals. Keep changing stones used decoratively in your home or office if they are exposed to fluorescent lighting, unless you can also regularly expose them to natural light. Sticking them in an office window will not work because most commercial glass in windows today purposely filters out ultraviolet rays. You will most likely find yourself naturally drawn to different crystals at different times anyway, so switching them around once in a while works well on several levels and keeps everyone happy and healthy.
Do not ever place crystals on or near magnetic surfaces of any kind. Just like your computer floppies, your crystal’s natural programs will be erased.
Do not reuse any salt used in cleansing and recharging your crystals. The salt literally holds onto the old frequencies and will release them back into any new crystal or stone placed in the sale. Please refer to the ‘Cleansing Crystals’ section below for information on the use of salt as a crystal cleanser.
Do not leave your crystals exposed to the sun in your car or other places, especially in the summer. Not only are they likely to shatter or explode, they can start a fire from the concentrated sunlight magnified through the crystals.
Do not leave your crystals where they can freeze. Any trapped air, water, gasses, or other inclusions will often freeze and contract before the surrounding quartz, and your crystal may crack or even shatter.
Wrap crystals in soft material when moving them.
Note – I never use my own personal crystals on other people — family, friends, or clients. My personal crystals at home are kept in a small cubbie that is filled with cleansing herbs. In my case, I use a mixture of lavender, lemon verbena, sage, and saffron.
My personal crystals for travel are kept in my medicine bag. My medicine bag was handcrafted for me by Native American artist, Toni Cardenas. We carry Toni’s medicine bags at HolEssence. Each handcrafted medicine bag contains a scroll that contains an explanation, followed by a description of what that specific bag was made with (i.e., tan nubuck leather, metal dangles, horse hair tassels, and Mojave turquoise stone).
