How To Cleanse Your Crystals Without Palo Santo

On your crystal healing journey, you’ll no doubt learn how to cleanse crystals and stones. When you bring crystals into your space, you need to ensure they are completely available to you and your intentions. That way, when you set an intention for the crystal it can best serve you. There are many practices for cleansing crystals — from salt to water to herbs and incense.In this article, we’re providing alternative ways to cleanse your crystals without Palo Santo. Why?

We don’t recommend using Palo Santo for your crystals because it compromises indigenous communities, depletes their supply of this sacred material, and it’s not sustainable.

Can you cleanse your crystals without Palo Santo? Absolutely! There are plenty of alternatives available, and we’ll walk you through how to use each one. But first, a little more insight on crystal cleansing.

What is Crystal Cleansing?

Cleansing and charging crystals is like hitting a reset button. Your crystal may be new, but it’s had a long life before you bought it. As such, each crystal carries the energy and intentions from its former life.

That’s why it’s important to cleanse your crystals before you use them. Traditionally crystals are cleansed under running water or on a full moon. This is when the crystals are at their highest vibration.

Like all objects and beings, healing crystals harbor energy — and it can either be positive or negative. Everything around you (including you!) pulsates on a vibrational energy field. When crystals work for you, they flow positive energy all around you. In turn, you’ll experience major transformation.

How can you cleanse your crystals? Many people use Palo Santo smudging sticks, but we don’t encourage it.

What Is Palo Santo?

In South America, there is a sacred tree called Palo Santo that indigenous communities depend on for healing, medicine, and spirituality. Palo Santo grows in Argentina, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay.

The tree’s wood and oil serve as healing conduits for traditional ceremonies, in which communities cleanse and ward off evil energy and spirits.

Many people use Palo Santo in a practice called smudging. Burning Palo Santo or herbs releases smoke that you can wave your crystals through to cleanse them. Smudging is highly popular because it smells delightful and bestows the crystal with sacred energy.

However, as we mentioned, Palo Santo is a rare material and many Western societies have adopted the practice. When you buy commercial Palo Santo online, you might not be directly supporting the indigenous communities that depend on it.

Fortunately, there are many alternatives to cleansing crystals without Palo Santo! Let’s explore.

Method of Cleansing Without Palo Santo

It’s easy to see why people like to smudge crystals with Palo Santo, but if you love the woodsy aroma, there are plenty of other options for you. Let’s have a look at popular choices.

Cleanse Crystals With Sage

You can still smudge your crystals without Palo Santo, and sage is a great alternative! Here’s what you’ll need:

A sage stick
Lighter or candle
Metal bowl
Feather or fan

First, grab a metal bowl. Then, light your sage stick with a lighter or candle flame. The flame will ignite across the top of the sage stick, but don’t worry, you’ll blow it out. Then, the sage will release smoke continuously. From there, use the feather to fan the smoke toward the crystal while you set your intentions for it.

Cleanse Crystals With Incense

Another alternative to Palo Santo is to cleanse your crystals with incense! It’ll smell lovely and fill your home with a warm, cozy aroma. Like cleansing with sage, smoke from the incense sticks can reprogram your crystal with your intentions. It’ll also help to deplete low vibrations of negative or stressful energy.

Why does it work? Because incense is made of the same popular materials people use for crystal smudging. That’s right, each incense stick has herbs, resins, and even woods that emit healing smoke. Unlike smudging, using incense for your crystals is called “smoke cleansing,” but it works in the same way.

You’ll even get the chance to customize the process by choosing your favorite smelling scents. Simply choose your incense, light them, and pass the crystals through the smoke as you set an intention.

Cleansing Crystals With Rice

Ok, this crystal cleansing method isn’t going to seduce your nose, but it’s easy to use nonetheless. Rice is a great cleanser because it clears the crystals of negative energy. All you have to do is place your crystals atop a bowl of rice. Let the crystals sit overnight, or for about eight hours, and then set your intention and start using them!

Himalayan Salt and Water

Another alternative to Palo Santo is to cleanse crystals with Himalayan sea salt! The process is straightforward but pretty fun, and you can repeat it every couple of weeks to keep your crystals cleansed.

There are two options:

Place crystals in a jar filled with Himalayan salt and let them cleanse for 24 hours. Afterward, take the crystals out and brush away the salt. Then, place your crystals outside for a day to let the sun further cleanse them.
Run cold water over the crystals and set an intention. Then sprinkle sea salt over them and gently massage them. Finally, rinse the crystals and dry them.

Sunlight Crystal Cleansing

Lastly, you can easily cleanse your crystals by placing them outside for 24 hours. During the day, the warm energy of the sun will minimize negativity. Come nightfall, the moon and stars will bestow your crystals with celestial energy and healing properties. Be sure to set an intention before you start using your newly-cleansed crystals!

Crystal Cleansing Without Palo Santo

There are many exciting ways to cleanse your crystals without Palo Santo. In doing so, you’ll ensure that you’ve done your part to protect the sacred traditions and materials that indigenous communities depend on. It’s understandable to love the smell of Palo Santo, but with these sustainable alternatives, you have options.

You can even infuse your space with fragrant essential oils to further the sensorial stimulation.

Cleansing your crystals ensures that the energy they vibrate will fully serve you and give the crystals the ability to absorb your intnetions. Play around with different cleansing methods to find one that suits you best. Whichever you choose, we’re sure that your crystals will grace you with abundant positivity and wellness!