Dissatisfaction demands Change
In our daily lives it’s easy to lose a sense of connection to the people and environment that surround us, especially with the constant availability of digital entertainment like Youtube, Podcasts, Tik Tok.
Personally, crystals don’t play such a big part in my everyday life as much as some of the people I have met online and offline. I don’t feel drawn to the pure aesthetic beauty of crystals - although I have seen a great many very pretty stones; and at this moment, I don’t feel drawn to reciting affirmations, crystal healing or crystal meditation. Rather, what I appreciate about crystals is crystal rituals, and the way they provide a connection to life and the real world around you.
So, what am I talking about?
I would like to share some thoughts on crystals and their value in daily life for people who aren’t directly interested in treating them as metaphysical tools, that is, people like me.
Not Scepticism, But Insight and Personal Understanding
First of all, let me assure anyone that may be reading that I DO NOT wish to be dismissive or condescending in any way towards crystal healing. I see friends and family that use crystals for metaphysical purposes, and I would consider them to only be beneficial - one example comes from a certain drug use and addiction case of a family member.. but that’s a story for another day. So no, I am not a sceptic. Rather, I want to share a little insight into just a small part of how these things we call crystals can make life more interesting, and create opportunities for change and development.
A Story About Full Moon Crystal Cleansing
There are a ton of rituals in the world of crystals, but the one that captured my attention is so simple that I hesitate to even call it a ritual. I’m talking about Crystal Cleansing, specifically that done by the full moon.
Before I say any more -
I wonder if anyone reading has any inklings about what I’m going to say? Take a moment and take note of what you’re thinking, and if you feel compelled, leave a comment sharing the direction of your thoughts! I love the way different minds weave their webs of thought.
Starting the Adventure
Something interesting happens naturally when you make the decision to cleanse crystal under a full moon.
First of all, you find yourself googling “when is the next full moon” for your town or region. You find lunar phase charts. You find that there are things called “micro” full moons and “super” full moons. You see that they become full at different times, and so on and so forth. Once you know when the moon occurs and set your target date, you find yourself planning - marking calendars and setting reminders for that date.
Note that: at this point you’re already behaving differently. Just an intention to make this thing happen - that is, align yourself and a certain action of yours with a full moon. In this way, you’re already a step closer to a kind of synchronization with the greater rhythms of your environment. The movement of the sun and moon - their rise, their fall, and their light.
But wait, it goes further. I started to do specific things differently.
Now, I don’t know about everyone else, but if I'm taking the time to cleanse my moonstone under moonlight, I’m going to select a place fitting to the activity. In my mind, the right place was either a high rooftop, the top of some type of electrical tower or water tower, or the right hill. With this, I started to pay attention when driving or riding around - on the way to work, or when going places with friends. I started exploring, looking for paths to new places and rooftops, etc. All just to have a place to lay out some Dragon’s Blood beads. (if anyone has thoughts on if/how the beads influenced my actions, please do share!)
So, my second point is: this simple goal of finding the right place to conduct my crystal cleansing led to a bunch of new discoveries, backroads, stairwells and hideouts that I would never have found otherwise. In other words, this Moonlight Cleansing ritual resulted in me becoming more connected to my specific environment.
Of course, good things are often better with company. On the 14th of July, I invited a certain family member I mentioned briefly above to join me on top of my moonbathing spot - the city water tanks. No rain, no clouds, just a full moon, crystals, and us. (this type of connection is another way that crystals connect - through community and ritual events. Again, that’s a separate blog post!)
A Point on the Ritual of Crystal Cleansing
There’s also something I've noticed about crystal cleansing that I think is nice. To finish up, I'd like to share it with y’all.
Now, from what I hear there are a few different ways to cleanse and charge crystals and the energies which they may contain. Some examples are using salt baths, salt or ocean water, herbs and herb smoke, larger crystals, and so on. Each has their lore, reasoning, benefits and cautions.
Whatever the method, what I find most striking and important about crystal cleansing is the intention of care, and directing one’s attention outside of oneself and onto another, in a real, tangible and positive way. In my mind, the real power of crystals comes from this.
A Quick, Related Point on Rituals
To my mind, this instinct to care for things and people outside of oneself, and hope for their sustained wellness IS a source of healing - not only to the target of the healing, but to the sender of those intentions.
Anyway, that’s just what was in my head. Hope it’s of interest to someone out there.
Thanks to Crescent Cast Crystals for the Dragon’s Blood Beaded Bracelet!
Until later,
Rhys