How to Cleanse and Charge Your Obsidian
In crystal healing practice, stones get cleansed and then charged on a regular rhythm. Here, simply, is how to look after your obsidian's energy: the gentle methods, the right pace, and the mistakes worth avoiding.
Cleansing or charging: what's the difference?
They're two halves of the same habit. Cleansing is said to release whatever the stone has picked up; charging gives it energy back. You generally cleanse first, then charge, rather like emptying a glass before filling it with fresh water.
Neither should be confused with physically cleaning your jewellery, getting the dust off and bringing the shine back, which is a separate subject. I go through that in how to clean your obsidian.
Why cleanse your obsidian?
Since obsidian is so often described as a stone of protection, the tradition holds that it "works" hard and fills up quickly. That's why it gets cleansed:
- the day it arrives, after you buy it, to start from a neutral place;
- regularly, if you wear it often;
- after an intense stretch, or simply when it feels heavy to you.
When a new stone arrives at the studio, cleansing it is the very first thing I do. It's my way of really unwrapping it, closing the chapter on its journey and welcoming it before I start working with it.
How to cleanse your obsidian
Several gentle methods work, pick whichever speaks to you:
- smoke cleansing: pass the stone through the smoke of a herb or a natural incense;
- clear water: a brief pass under running water, then dry it well (never salt water);
- a quartz or amethyst cluster: rest the obsidian on it for a few hours;
- sound: a singing bowl or a tuning fork, whose vibrations are said to clear the stone.
Smoke and a quartz cluster are the gentlest of the four, and both suit obsidian particularly well.
One practical note, white sage and palo santo, the two things most often recommended for this, are both under real harvesting pressure, and white sage smudging is a ceremonial practice belonging to specific First Nations peoples rather than a generic technique. Rosemary, lavender, cedar or a simple natural incense do the job just as well, use what you can source honestly.
How to charge your obsidian
Once it's cleansed, you give the energy back. For obsidian, the favoured methods are:
- moonlight: leave it out overnight near a window or outside; the full moon is held to be ideal;
- an amethyst geode or a quartz cluster: said to cleanse and charge at the same time;
- contact with earth: in a plant pot or straight into the ground, fitting for such a grounding stone.
Steer clear of long sun exposure, though. Unlike some stones, obsidian charges perfectly well by moonlight, and hours in the sun aren't needed, which is just as well here, where an afternoon on a sunny windowsill is hard on settings and elastic cord.
On full moon nights I gather my stones by the window. I couldn't tell you whether the moon "does" anything; but that small monthly appointment with my obsidians does me a great deal of good.
How often?
There's no fixed rule. Plenty of people simply follow the rhythm of the full moon, roughly once a month, using that night to charge all their stones in one go.
Beyond the calendar, go by how it feels: cleanse it when you get it, then again whenever the stone seems tired to you or you've been wearing it constantly. Consistency matters more than frequency.
Mistakes to avoid
- salt and salt water: often recommended for other stones, but not for obsidian, they can damage it. Which also means no dunking it in the ocean;
- long sun exposure: unnecessary here, and hard on settings and cords;
- long soaks: a quick pass under water is always enough;
- skipping the cleanse when it arrives: the one step the tradition recommends most, right after you buy it.
What about physically cleaning it?
Cleansing a stone's energy and cleaning a piece of jewellery are two different things. To lift dust and skin oils and bring obsidian's deep black back, head to my guide on cleaning and caring for it. And to get to know the stone itself, the complete guide is waiting. If you find yourself wanting a new piece, have a browse through my obsidian bracelets, pendants, necklaces and rings.
Worth keeping in mind, cleansing and charging belong to wellbeing traditions and belief. They are not health claims: these practices treat no illness and are not a substitute for the advice of a health professional.
Frequently asked questions
Can you cleanse obsidian with water?
Can you cleanse obsidian with salt?
Can you charge obsidian in the sun?
How often should you cleanse obsidian?
Should you cleanse an obsidian as soon as you buy it?
Choose the obsidian that will keep you company
Bracelets, necklaces, pendants and rings in natural obsidian, handmade with care and posted to Australia.