Cleansing Crystals

I just got finished with a complete cleansing all of my crystals and I thought I'd share the methods that I use. So I wrote this article, enjoy!
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Crystals are used for a variety of meta-physical and New Age purposes such as healing, magnification and channeling of energy. Crystals are also placed in rooms in arrangements designed to improve the flow of energy in the room.

Despite the nature of these uses of crystals many people who own crystals concern themselves only with the physical cleaning required to keep crystals looking shiny and pleasing to the eye. Others, however, feel that crystals' innate ability to soak up and channel energy also puts the crystals at risk from contamination by stagnant and negative energy. Thus, they take additional measures designed to spiritually cleanse the stones to clear away the negative energy that can diminish the crystals' power.

A complete cleansing of crystals can be a lengthy process so cleansing all of your crystals at once will save you time.

The first step taken is also the simplest. Begin by using a soft cloth to remove any dust from the crystals surfaces. Next take a small handful of crystals and hold them in cupped hands under cool, running water. This helps strengthen the flow of energy through the crystals and washes away some of the dark energy that could have accumulated in them. Keep the stones under the running water for about one minute. As the water flows over the stones imagine that any negativity that may have built up in the crystals is also flowing out, over and then away from them.

Once you finish rinsing all of the crystals do not dry them, instead place them on a flat tray or sheet pan. Make sure that tray is large enough for you to spread all of the crystals out. If possible place the tray outside in a sunny spot. If you are unable to do this you can also place the tray indoors near a window the allows a lot of light to come in.

If it is winter or just overcast you can substitute sunlight with a lamp that has a full spectrum light bulb in it. Once you place the tray in the light look at the water drops on the crystals surfaces and visualize that the drops are trapped negativity emerging from the crystal only to be dissipated b the sun's light and heat. Do this for a few minutes and then leave the tray in its location until nightfall.

As with the sun cleansing try to do the next step outside, if at all possible. If you cannot leave the tray outside unattended you can just stand outside with the tray. This is beneficial even if you only do it for a few minutes. You will need to do this on an evening that you can clearly see the Moon and in a space that has excellent moonlight.

After you have found the right area face the moon while holding the tray up in the moonlight. As you do so imagine the moonlight flowing into the crystals infusing them with luminescence before flowing out taking the last of the crystals stagnant energy with it. You may then go inside and place the tray on a windowsill where moonlight shines in. Leave the tray there until morning so the stones can be empowered by the moonlight.

How often you will need to cleanse the stones varies based on how often and what you use the crystals for. Rarely used or stored stones will only require cleansing every few months. Stones used to direct energy flow in rooms require more cleansing. Cleansing them once a month should keep them in top shape.

Stones used for massage and healing require the most cleansing because they are used in such close proximity to tension, pain and illness. For best results partially cleanse the stones with flowing water and smudge with incense smoke immediately after use. If you use them for this purpose often perform an additional, complete cleansing every two weeks.

When storing you stones sprinkle a small amount of powdered or finely cut rose petals in your storage containers to help keep negative energies out. Properly cleansed crystals are more effective at their purpose of channeling and magnifying energy.

By,
A. Kairi

Interfaith Relationships

I wrote this article because of my experience with inter-faith relationships. I've always had alternative views. Unlike most pagans I was not Christian first so every relationship that I have had has been an inter-faith one. With the exception of one relationship where my then fiance was Pagan when we first got together, several years in he abruptly became Christian. He also took a very strict line and was suddenly incredibly intolerant. It, among other things, was a major factor in the ending of our relationship. Hopefully this article will help others know what is worth fighting for and what is a waste of time.
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Interfaith relationships can make things difficult even for the most well-suited couples. Sadly, for some couples differences in faith can sound the death knell of their relationship. Others manage to make it work mainly by applying large doses of tolerance in conjunction with increasing their ability to compromise.

The faiths involved also help determine the difficulty the couple will have in working out their differences. This is because some religions are more tolerant than others and because there are many different religious sects that while technically separate share a lot of commonalities. On the other hand, some religions are like oil and water naturally repelling each other.

Wicca, generally the most well known neo-pagan religion, and Christianity are examples of religions that naturally repel one another. This makes an interfaith relationship between members a difficult compromise indeed. Of course its not impossible for a Christian and a Pagan to overcome their differences in the name of love. However, this is rare because there are many points of opposition between Christianity and Paganism.

Christians are frequently, though certainly not always, wary of and sometimes outright angered by those that do not share their faith. This problem is exacerbated sometimes by Pagans that make the mistake of being secretive and possessive of their faith. They are often too quick to assume that their partner won't approve or understand their faith and may unfairly shut their partner out.

So how can you tell if you and your honey have what it takes to make it? You will never know for sure but taking the time to ask yourself the following questions will let you know if you have a shot.

1) How willing are you to try?I list this question first because it is in many ways the most important one. There are couple who have overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles simply because of their overwhelming desire to be together. If you and your partner want nothing else greater than just being together then that may be enough. If your relationship is already rocky you need to ask yourself if it is worth the effort you will need to expend to get past differences in faith.

2) Do you have an open, honest and sharing relationship with your partner?If you do that is a good sign. Finding common ground with someone who has different religious beliefs will require honesty and it will require both of you to share your beliefs. If your relationship is a closed one and the two of you do not share very much then navigating the issue of religion will be difficult.

3) Do you plan on having children?Please note that this is not a question to ask too early in a relationship. It may be better to surreptitiously go about this one if its still early. Perhaps talking about a friend that is raising his/her children the way you would want to raise yours will give you an opportunity to see your partners attitude towards that kind of upbringing. What to teach the children is often a major issue to those in an interfaith relationship.

This is one bridge that you should not wait to cross when you come to it. While you don't want to ask too early and send your mate running for the hills, you also can not let this one go until after a child is born. It is a potential deal breaker if a compromise can not be reached. So addressing this issue is a good idea. If the two of you can compromise about what to teach the children or if you do not plan on having any at all then you have a better chance at remaining together.

4) How tolerant is your partner...and how tolerant are you?This is where openness, honesty and sharing pays off. Sharing your faith in all its aspects such as rituals,services,spells with your partner will let you quickly figure out how well (or how badly) your partner will tolerate your religious practices. People are surprising you may find that your partner is interested rather than wary. Or you may discover that your partner is very intolerant toward or upset by your religious activities.

Keep in mind that it is not good to change yourself to please another (at least not drastically, mutual compromise is still a good thing). Doing so may cause you to feel unhappy and resentful. To make it work you have to know what you need and want and then decide if your partner is capable of providing it. No one is perfect but there are base things that everyone needs.

Odds are good that by the time you follow the advice in this article and discover the answer to the listed questions you'll have a good idea of the likelihood of your relationship surviving. Many relationships end due to differences in faith. However, these obstacles are not insurmountable if you keep the lines of communication open and you and your partner treat each other with love, tolerance and respect.

By,
A. Kairi