Setting Intentions with Crystals
However, if you’ve never used crystals before, they may seem a little intimidating at first.
But you don’t need to worry. Working with crystals is very easy. You don’t need any special powers to obtain the profound benefits of using crystals and gemstones; the most important power you already possess is the power of your intention.
Whether you want to manifest your dreams or protect your energy, you can program your intentions into your crystals and gemstones so that they can best serve your total well-being: mind, body, and soul.
Below, you’ll first learn how to cleanse your crystals in order to get rid of any leftover energy from before they found their home with you. Then, I’ll walk you through how to set intentions with crystals. I’ll also give you tips on how to use crystals in your daily life.
And finally, if you’re new to using crystals and gemstones, you’ll find lists at the bottom of this article with the best crystals for beginners as well as crystals to help you manifest your deepest dreams and desires.
For centuries, crystals have served as powerful tools for intention-setting and facilitating positive change.
Utilizing crystals in intention-setting provides a focused channel for your aspirations, akin to peering into a “crystal ball” that reveals the path toward your goals. When you hold or carry a crystal, it aids in keeping your thoughts clear and centered on what you wish to achieve. In this manner, the crystal becomes a tangible representation of your objective, serving as a constant reminder and motivating force to propel you forward.
Each crystal is believed to possess unique properties and vibrations, making it crucial to select the right crystal for your specific intention. If you are new to using crystals for this purpose, it can be beneficial to choose a crystal that resonates with you on a personal level. This means being naturally drawn to the crystal and experiencing a positive sensation when holding or interacting with it. Trusting your intuition plays a vital role in crystal selection – if a crystal feels right to you, it is likely to be aligned with your energy and intention.
The world of crystals offers an extensive variety, with different gemstones thought to be useful for various purposes. For instance, amethyst is associated with clarity and spiritual growth, while rose quartz is known for promoting love and self-compassion. The expansive array of crystals ensures that there is a suitable match for every intention and individual.
It is worth noting that while crystals are believed to hold powerful energetic properties, their effectiveness in intention-setting is a deeply personal experience. The true power lies within you and your unwavering belief in the crystal’s ability to support your journey. Treat your crystals with reverence and intention, utilizing them as allies and conduits for your aspirations.
Incorporating crystals into your intention-setting practice adds an element of symbolism and a tangible connection to the process. By selecting a crystal that resonates with your essence and trusting your intuition in the process, you invite a harmonious synergy between your intention and the energy of the crystal. This partnership between your conscious focus and the crystal’s energetic assistance creates a dynamic interplay that empowers and enhances your manifestation journey.
Cleansing Your Crystals
Before you set intentions with your crystals, it’s important to first take the time to cleanse your crystals. Why does this matter?
Think of it kind of like when you go travel somewhere far away. If you flew to your destination, you’ve gone through the process of checking in and going through security at the airport; you’ve also interacted with and/or have been surrounded by the energy of hundreds, possibly even thousands, of people.
After a full day of travel, when you get to your hotel room, you don’t immediately want to go out. First, you need time to shower, reset, and recharge–not just to cleanse yourself physically but to cleanse yourself mentally, emotionally, and spiritually as well.
Crystals are like us; they, too, possess energy. Before your crystal reaches you, it’s likely traveled a long way and touched many hands. The energy of all the people who have come in contact with your crystal still exists within it! So like you, it needs to reset its energy in order to start with a fresh, clean slate.
Taking the time to cleanse your crystals will purify them of the energy they’ve accumulated on their travels. This means that when you set your intentions, you’ll be starting with a clean slate.
So how exactly do you do this? Here are some methods for cleansing your crystals:
Water: For this method, I like to use clean, natural water like a creek, river, or stream, but it’s okay (and often easier) to use a faucet as well. Hold your stone beneath the surface or underneath the running water to cleanse. Just make sure this is safe for your chosen crystal, as you don’t want to put soft crystals like Selenite under water.
Use Selenite or Clear Quartz: Selenite and Clear Quartz are unique in that they’re able to cleanse and purify other crystals. Lay your crystal on a piece of Selenite or Clear Quartz for at least twenty-four hours. If you can’t place your crystals on top, you can also place them side-by-side with their edges touching.
Nature: Nature is a powerful healer, not just for humans but for crystals as well. Lay your crystals out in nature and let them experience the healing presence of the earth for a day. You can place crystals on the soil, on a tree branch, on a potted plant, among the blades of grass, in your garden, or anywhere else outside where you feel a sense of peace and harmony.
Sun: Many crystals love the bright energy and light of the sun. Just make sure first that this is safe for your stone. Some stones, like Amethyst, shouldn’t be placed directly in the sun for too long.
Moon: You can place your crystals outside overnight anytime, but this is especially powerful during the Full Moon when the moonlight is brightest.
How To Set Intentions With Crystals
To set intentions with crystals, it’s important that your mind, body, and soul are in alignment with your highest self. Don’t try to do this when you’re feeling stressed, worried, or overwhelmed. It might help you to do a breathing exercise like alternate nostril breathing first.
To start, find a quiet spot where you’ll be free from outside noise and external distractions. You may want to light candles or cleanse your space before you begin. Do what feels most comfortable for you.
Once you’re in an energetically harmonious state, begin thinking about the intentions you want to set.
It helps to come up with a couple of sentences that clearly state your intention.
For instance, if you’re using Rose Quartz, you might want to set the intention to open your heart and invite more love into your life. Your intention might be, “My heart is open, loving, and pure. I give and receive love effortlessly and unconditionally. Love finds me everywhere I look.”
With Black Tourmaline, you might say, “I am protected from negative energy. All of the energy that flows within and around me supports my highest good and total well-being.”
Now, to begin programming your crystal, hold your crystal within your palm and close your eyes. Visualize your intentions coming to life.
For instance, to manifest love, visualize what it looks like when love fills your life. See yourself giving and receiving love openly and effortlessly. Feel love flowing to, through, and from you without conditions. Continue your visualization until you feel that the crystal has been programmed with your intention. (This will simply be an inner knowing.)
Some people like to begin by raising their crystal to their lips and gently blowing on the crystal. As you breathe, internally state your intention, repeating this for several minutes. If this feels good to you, you might try this practice as well.
Using Your Crystals
After you’ve set intentions with your crystals, you can begin to use them in your daily life.
Here are some ways in which you might use your crystals:
- Wear your crystals and gemstones as jewelry.
- Meditate holding your crystals in your hands (or, if you’re lying down, lay them on top of you).
- Keep them in your bedroom, office, car, and any other space where you spend a lot of time. You can also keep them in your purse or carry them around with you.
- Create a sacred space with crystals, essential oils, candles, flowers, herbs, manifestation oils, plants, pillows, books, and any other items that feel good energetically.
- Create a crystal grid that corresponds with the intention you’ve set.
Additionally, as you’re using your crystals, make sure to cleanse them regularly, as they’re continually picking up energy from the outside world. Whenever you cleanse your crystals, take the time to set new intentions or reaffirm old ones.
Selecting Crystals
Finally, if you need help picking out crystals, I’ve listed some of the best ones to start with below. However, don’t be afraid to follow your intuition when selecting crystals and gemstones. If you walk into a crystal shop and a certain one calls to you, trust your inner knowing. My personal favorites are always the ones that call to me unexpectedly.
Best Crystals for Beginners
- Clear Quartz: Clarity, Manifestation, Healing, Spiritual Growth
- Selenite: Purity, Peace, Light, Clarity, Consciousness
- Amethyst: Peace, Spirituality, Intuition, Calmness, Wisdom
- Rose Quartz: Love, Compassion, Peace, Friendship
- Citrine: Joy, Abundance, Prosperity, Energy
- Black Tourmaline: Energy Protection, Grounding
Crystals for Manifestation
- Manifest Abundance: Citrine, Pyrite, Clear Quartz, Tiger’s Eye
- Manifest Love: Rose Quartz, Rhodonite, Pink Topaz, Emerald
- Manifest Friendship: Pink Opal, Citrine
- Manifest Health: Garnet, Bloodstone, Clear Quartz, Selenite
- Manifest Creativity: Carnelian, Citrine, Amethyst
These listed below are my favorites:
Agate: Agates are a common but very grounding stone that can help stabilize and balance energies. Agate is clarifying and capable of improving concentration. It creates a sense of safety and security that is super beneficial on the days when you may be feeling far too spacey for your good.
Petrified Wood: Petrified Wood works with the Root and Third-Eye Chakras to assist in grounding, stabilizing, and connecting you to nature and the earth. It is a refreshingly grounding stone that brings patience and emotional healing into the mix.
Picasso Jasper: Picasso Jasper has strong grounding and calming qualities that help improve inner strength and self-discipline. It also has warm, optimistic, energy that reminds you to enjoy life and pay attention to the day.
Smoky Quartz: Smoky Quartz is a very positive grounding and insightful stone. It can increase concentration and provide a calming energy to help you focus on the here and now.
Tourmalinated Quartz: Black Tourmaline is a very grounding stone, but when mixed with Quartz, there is a perfect energetic balance. This stone is grounding without being too grounding and allows for clarity and purification.
Citrine: It serves as a powerful ally in setting intentions that revolve around financial prosperity, abundance, and the creation of a life filled with ease and luxury. By setting intentions with citrine, you invite the manifestation of your deepest desires, envisioning a reality of abundance, comfort, and indulgence. Allow the golden radiance of citrine to ignite your imagination, inspire your actions, and magnetize the abundant life you envision.
Amethyst: This one is one of my favorites ♥ To harness the power of amethyst in intention-setting, it is beneficial to engage in intentional practices such as meditation, visualization, or simply holding the stone in your hand while setting your intentions. Allow yourself to enter a state of receptivity and connection with the stone’s energy, as you infuse it with your heartfelt desires and aspirations. As with any crystal or gemstone, developing a personal relationship with amethyst is key. Each amethyst crystal possesses its unique energetic signature, so trust your intuition when choosing the specific piece that resonates with you. Whether it is a vibrant cluster, a polished palm stone, or a delicate pendant, the energy of amethyst aligns with your intention to guide you on your journey toward clarity, spiritual growth, and inner peace.
The stones below are some of my Honorable Mentions when it comes to grounding crystals.
Black Tourmaline: As mentioned above, this crystal is an extremely grounding and protective crystal that can also clear negative energies around you. It is a very strong stone that is beneficial for anyone who has a really hard time staying grounded.
Bloodstone: Bloodstone is a grounding, protective, stone associated with the Root Chakra. It can reduce impatience, and irritability, and helps calm and revitalize the mind which is perfect on the days when you may be feeling too spacey.
Hematite: Hematite is another grounding stone that works with the Root Chakra. It helps raise self-esteem, willpower, and reliability so that you can easily overcome a bad case of spacey brain fog.
Tiger’s Eye: Tiger’s eye is another grounding and protective stone that can help promote mental clarity, courage, and self-esteem. This crystal resonates with the Solar Plexus Chakra and is said to bring some good luck to the holder.
To harness the power of crystals for intention-setting, embark on a journey of connection and focus, and every grounding stone works differently for people.
Begin by selecting a crystal that resonates with your intention and holds the energy you wish to amplify. Hold the crystal in your hand, feeling its weight, texture, and subtle vibrations. Close your eyes, take deep breaths to center yourself, and enter a state of focused awareness.
As mentioned above, as you hold the crystal, direct your thoughts and intentions towards what you want to achieve. Visualize your desire as vividly as possible, immersing yourself in the experience of already having manifested it. Allow yourself to feel the emotions associated with your intention—joy, gratitude, excitement, or whatever resonates with you. As you engage in this visualization, feel the crystal’s energy merging with your intention, amplifying and empowering your thoughts and emotions.
Take your time in this process, ensuring that you have fully imbued the crystal with the energy of your intention. Once you feel ready, find a special place for the crystal where you will see it often—a sacred space, an altar, or even your bedside table. This serves as a visual reminder of your intention and establishes a connection between your conscious mind and the crystal’s energy.
Daily engagement with your crystal and intention is key to the manifestation process. Set aside dedicated time each day to focus on your intention while in the presence of the crystal. You may choose to hold the crystal again, close your eyes, and reaffirm your desires. Visualize your intention, allowing the crystal’s energy to support and amplify your thoughts. Feel the emotions associated with the manifestation of your intention, letting them wash over you with certainty and belief.
Beyond visualization, you can also engage with your crystal through other practices such as journaling, affirmations, or meditation. Write down your intention and any insights or inspirations that arise during your interactions with the crystal. Recite affirmations that affirm the fulfillment of your desire. Meditate with the crystal, allowing its energy to deepen your connection with your intention and align your vibration with the frequency of manifestation.
Throughout this journey, trust in the process and remain open to the unfolding of your intention. Crystals serve as powerful tools that assist in the manifestation process, but they work in harmony with your own energy and actions. Pay attention to synchronicities, signs, and opportunities that arise along the way, as they may be stepping stones toward the realization of your intention.
Remember that the process of manifestation takes time and patience. Continue to nurture your intention, remaining consistent in your focus and engagement with the crystal. Over time, you may find that the crystal’s energy aligns with your intention, helping to manifest your desires into reality. Embrace the journey, stay aligned with your vision, and trust in the transformative power of crystals as you navigate the path of intention-setting ♥
Image credits: Canva
