Working with Crystals and Crystal Bracelets

In the past, I've largely focused on the "what" of crystals (what is a rock vs. mineral, what to look for when spotting counterfeit crystals, etc), but with this blog I'd like to focus on the "how" and "why" -- how to work with crystals and crystal bracelets, and why I focus on bracelets so much in my business and my personal practice.

Working with Crystals 101

This could likely be an entire blog post on its own, but here is a quick primer on working with crystals energetically for those who may not have the background knowledge:

Crystals aren't a "magic pill" 

Crystals are simply energetic tools to encourage you and guide you, to support your intentions. Despite what you may have heard on WitchTok (witchy TikTok), simply having a piece of Carnelian or Moldavite will not overhaul your entire life in the matter of 24 hours, crystals just don't work like that.

Trust your intuition

Humans have been working with crystals as energetic talismans for millennia. You are your own expert, and you know what works best for you and your personal spiritual/energetic practice, so trust your gut. A spiritual mentor is one thing, but you don't need a "guru" or "expert" to tell you how to practice. So always use discernment, and if someone you are learning from is consistently tapping into fear or shame or guilt, then reconsider.

Crystals won't hurt you (energetically)

Don't buy into any fear mongering you see online about wearing two crystals together at the same time, or working with a particular crystal. A lot of online "experts" (especially on TikTok, but in other spaces too) will caution against certain stones or spread fear for the sake of engagement or control; it's emotional manipulation. We are surrounded by minerals inside and on the surface of the Earth's crust at all times, they will not hurt us.

Safety first

Crystals won't hurt us energetically, but they can hurt us physically if we don't take proper safety precautions. Crystals are porous and can contain micro fractures that can harbor bacteria, so they cannot be properly sanitized. They can also contain heavy metals and are typically coated in polishing compound. Don't ever ingest or put crystals in your body (looking at you, crystal water bottles and crystal sex toys).

General Guide by Crystal Color

Many of the energetic correspondences we attribute to various crystals are tied to their color. I believe that this color correspondence is largely due to the Chakra system-based practices we see in a lot of New Age spirituality (whether Chakras are accurately/faithfully conveyed in these practices is a whole other conversation and beyond my scope). Chakras are not a part of my cultural heritage, so I am not qualified to teach about them or practice with them, but I'd be remiss not to acknowledge the likely source of the crystal "color code".

Each crystal has unique energetic properties beyond this basic color-based guide, but this general guide is a good place to start when you aren't sure why you are drawn to a certain color of stone, etc. 

Please note: any energetic characteristics that are given for various crystals are simply a person's (or some people's) own personal experience with that specific stone. You can have a unique connection to a stone that completely bucks any published correspondence. As I mentioned previously, trust your intuition -- you are your own expert.

Working with Crystal Bracelets

One of my favorite ways to work with the energy of crystals is by wearing crystal bracelets. As a low-energy practitioner, this is an accessible daily ritual that I can look forward to every morning (especially before I leave the house).

Wear with Intention

What's one of the easiest ways to work with crystals? Wear them on your wrist!

Left Wrist: "Receiving Side"

Wear crystal bracelets on your left side to take in their benefits. The left side is recommended for when you want to let that energy flow into your body.

Right Wrist: "Giving Side"

Wear crystal bracelets on your right side to release/let go, or project that energy into the environment. The right side is recommended for an outward flow of energy.

Important note: As I mentioned above, you are your own expert. Your practice is your personal, so if this doesn't resonate with you -- that's completely fine! Personally, I wear all of my crystal bracelets on my left wrist behind my watch because of sensory sensitivities.

Charging Your Bracelet

When you hear folks in spiritual spaces talking about "charging" crystals or crystal jewelry, this simply refers to imbuing your crystals with intention. It essentially boils down to revisiting your focus, your "why" behind working with that specific crystal/crystal combo.

There are two main ways that I teach folks to charge their crystal bracelets:

Charging with Crystals

You can "charge" your bracelet with the energy of other crystals by putting it beside those crystals. If you have a crystal dish or bowl, you can place your bracelet inside. If you have a crystal slab, you can place it on top. If you have a larger crystal, you can drape your bracelet on it or place your bracelet beside it. If you have tumbles, you can place them beside or inside of your bracelet.

This can imbue your crystal bracelet with the energy and intention of another crystal. An example: I'm wearing a Red Jasper bracelet for courage and strength, and I choose to charge it on a piece of Black Tourmaline overnight while I'm sleeping for extra protection.

Charging with Affirmations

You can "charge" your bracelet with your intention by saying it aloud as you put it on. This can also be baked into a ritual that's significant to you. 

Example #1: I am a bit anxious about traveling and need some extra support, so before I leave for the airport I layer on a stack of bracelets and speak affirmations as I do so. "I am protected" as I place an Obsidian bracelet on, "I am courageous" as I place a Tiger's Eye on, and "the stress will melt away" as I place a Lepidolite bracelet on.

Example #2: Each day before I leave for work I put on the same bracelet and say, "I am patient, I am capable, and I am protected".

Example #3: After I put on my skincare in the morning, I put on my bracelet-of-the-day and say while looking in the mirror, "I am supported" or "you got this" or "you're doing a great job", etc.

Once again, you are your own expert. If this resonates with you and your personal practice -- great. Charging your crystal bracelets is a nice mindfulness exercise and daily ritual if it supports you in your practice. If not, no worries, you don't need to charge your crystals.

Cleansing your Bracelet

Energetic Cleansing

Crystals don't need to be cleansed (energetically), but if cleansing your crystals is part of your practice then here are a few ideas:

• Place your bracelet in a Selenite bowl or on a Selenite slab. Selenite has cleansing properties.
• You can smoke cleanse your bracelet by (safely) waving it through smoke created by incense or a smoke wand/burning herb or resin.
• You can sound cleanse your bracelet with a tuning fork, with your voice, or with music.

I would caution against water cleansing your bracelet because the elastic can be damaged by repeated exposure to water over time, and some crystals themselves can also be damaged by water.

Physical Cleansing

As I just mentioned -- water, soap and alcohol-based cleansers can damage the elastic over time and even some of the crystals themselves.

If your bracelet gets dirty, I would recommend gently wiping it with a dry cloth. If the dry cloth isn't enough, you could VERY GENTLY wipe it with a slightly damp cloth and then dry it with a dry cloth. IMPORTANT: there are some more sensitive crystals that could be damaged by the wet cloth!! If you aren't sure how to clean your bracelet/crystal please reach out to me.

For more detailed Bracelet Care Info, check out this page.

I hope that this blog post gives you a starting point while working with crystal bracelets. I'm happy to elaborate more, so if you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out! Shop Crystal Bracelets

This blog was not written with AI. I am vehemently anti-generative AI and have never used it to write my blogs or create any aspect of my website or social media content. This is entirely written with my brain - grammatical errors and all.