How To Charge Crystal Jewelry
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We tend to fall into one of two camps when it comes to crystals – those who wear and use them because they steadfastly believe in their powerful properties, and those who admire their beauty but remain ardent non-believers. For those who do have faith in their energetic abilities, whether to manifest luck, soothe the spirit or inspire mental fortitude, learning how to charge crystals can become an important part of self-care.
Andrea Fohrman, an LA-based fine-jewelry designer, is a firm believer in crystal charging. “I like to charge my crystals during a full moon, as it is a reminder of new beginnings and signifies the cleansing of the previous month,” she explains. Fohrman lines up her crystals in her backyard, setting her intentions for the new month, and lets the moon set to work on cleansing their properties, repeating her intentions when she collects them the next morning. Celestial and cosmic motifs also weave their way throughout Fohrman’s designs, with myriad gemstones that delight and surprise – opals, rhodolite garnets, labradorite and moonstones are adorned with 14-karat miniature gold stars, providing lashings of vivid color and ethereal splendor.
Chani Nicholas, founder of the cult-hit astrology app, Chani, performs her crystal rituals at an altar within her home. For each new and full moon, the app provides altar-ritual suggestions, as Nicholas believes this designated space reminds body, mind and self that we deserve a little time out – time to reflect and reconnect with ourselves and our intuition. “Creating an altar and placing crystals on it is a very simple act and first step to ‘charging’, or better yet, building a relationship with the crystals in your home,” she explains. Nicholas regards her crystals as conduits and protective tools, able to receive and emanate our intentions. “Crystals are part of the earth – how they get to us, how they are sourced, where they come from, how we work with them is all part of understanding our relationship with the planet,” she adds.
Jacquie Aiche, another Los Angeles jeweler, similarly harnesses a range of remarkable gems, combining them with spiritual symbols to conjure multi-nuanced creations. Strings of chrysoprase, amazonite and lapis lazuli are adorned with hand-carved thunderbirds, a symbol of power and strength as well as a nod to the designer’s Native American heritage. Meanwhile, Sorellina, a New York maison renowned for its tarot-card-inspired designs, also creates collections full of ‘chargeable’ gems. Some of their signature pieces are adorned with a crescent-moon motif too – perhaps a nod to lunar cleansing, which is ideal for those not yet considering conducting a moonlit ceremony.
“This is a personal process and one that I will not preach to anyone else,” says Fohrman. “I believe in energy from crystals and gemstones because they are from the earth, but there is no wrong way or right way to go about this,” she adds. “If you feel you need to connect more with yourself, Mother Nature or your intentions, I think this is a nice way to go about it. If you want to try and it doesn’t suit you, that’s OK too.”