Looking for a little creative boost? Carnelian’s got you! All it asks in return for its positive energies is that you cleanse and charge it regularly. In today’s post we’ll answer the question whether it is safe to charge carnelian via sunlight, as well as other methods to charge and cleanse the crystal.
Carnelian can be in the sun. This is a great way to charge your stone, but don’t leave it for more than 4 hours. You can also charge it via moonlight, sound, brown rice, burying it or using selenite.
Continue reading if you want to know more about how to charge the stone using sunlight, as well as the alternative methods of cleansing and recharging. At the bottom of this page, you’ll find a quick overview of the carnelian traits, such as element, chakra, zodiac, and benefits.
Want more help or information? If you have any more questions after reading this blog post or want a personal answer for your specific situation, join the free Facebook group! We promise you’ll get an answer from either our team members or a community member.
Also Read: Can Carnelian Go In Water?
Can Carnelian Be In The Sun? (Explained)
This stone loves a bit of sun, just like most other orange crystals. As a result, charging your stone with sunlight will work perfectly.
I would personally still be careful though. It is never a guarantee that your stone will not fade or change color, and the best way to avoid it, is to simply not leave it for too long. Up to four hours in morning sun is plenty to leave your stone happy & charged, whilst avoiding damage.
Additionally, I recommend keeping an eye on it and checking occasionally. Not every carnelian stone is the same and there are many factors that can make your crystal fade quicker or slower, or even leave it broken.
- Also Read: What Chakra Is Carnelian?
Though the orange color makes that carnelian is generally fine to be left in the sun, it also causes a risk. This lovely stone gets its color from the high iron content. As iron is a metal, it heats up rather quickly. The result is that it can cause a fire if left in the sun for too long.
If you choose to charge your carnelian using sunlight, don’t leave it on wood, paper, or otherwise flammable material, and keep an eye on it. Please also be careful when picking up the stone, we don’t want you burning your fingerprints off! Lastly, make sure there aren’t any animals near that could get hurt.
If you have a carnelian ring, earrings or other piece of jewelry, you can safely wear it during sunny days. Yes, the stone heats up, but that will take a little while. Personally, I would take it off during sunbathing though, so you don’t start cooking your skin. It also prevents you from getting strange tan lines 🙂
If it’s cloudy, you live in an area where there aren’t many sunny days, or are just generally a careful person, there are other ways to charge your carnelian.
How Long Should I Leave Carnelian In The Sun For?
You can leave your carnelian in the sun for up to four hours. You could technically leave it for longer, but you would risk the stone changing color, breaking, or you know – catching fire. A few hours are plenty and minimizes risks.
- Also Read: Can Carnelian Go In Salt?
Other Ways To Charge Carnelian
There are many other ways of charging your carnelian without risking fires. Below I’ll outline how to do this using the following methods:
- Moonlight (my favorite!)
- Burying the crystal
- Brown rice
- Sound bath
- Selenite
Before charging it, make sure your carnelian is already cleansed. This makes sure you have removed all the negative vibrations, before charging it with positive energy. If you’re not sure how to do this, I’ve outlined a few examples on the bottom of this page!
Moonlight
To me, this is the ultimate way of charging crystals – no need to worry about discoloration, fading or breaking while still using some of that powerful sunlight. After all, moonlight is just a reflection of the sun’s rays on the moon. This leaves it less powerful and thus safer to use.
If you want to charge your carnelian using moonlight, just leave it on the ground on the evening before, during or after a full moon. You could leave it outside on any given night, but the moon’s energy is strongest during these days. Leave it there all night and take them back inside in the morning. About 7 hours total will do the trick.
Bury it
Like I said, I am guilty of neglecting my carnelian and at some point, even forgetting I had one. By the time I remembered and dusted it off its energy felt so heavy I knew I couldn’t use it. I tried charging it via moonlight but after 2 nights outside I still didn’t feel its (normally) energizing vibrations. To save it, I just buried it in the garden for a week or two.
This ended up being the perfect place to recharge – it’s where crystals come from after all. I left mine for a few weeks but depending on your stone you might want to leave it for a few days or maybe even months.
Before burying it, it is a good idea to set an intention for this crystal: why are you burying it? What would you like to get out of it once you dig it back up again?
Don’t forget to mark where you put the crystal, so you can actually dig it back up when you feel it’s ready.
Also, this isn’t the ideal solution for all stones. If your stone is sensitive to water and it rains you may not have a crystal to dig back up.
Sound
Us humans are super susceptible to the healing sounds of singing bowls and tuning forks, so why wouldn’t our stones be? Sound can cleanse and charge your stone at the same time. The vibrations drain your stone from negative energies, whilst filling it with positive ones at the same time.
Though a super safe way to replenish your stones, it also takes some effort. For this reason it isn’t the method I often use myself. However, if you do, you’ll find it doesn’t just leave your stones recharged, but you’ll feel a lot lighter yourself as well. Thus, it’s perfect if you want to take care of your stones and yourself at the same time.
If I haven’t cleansed my crystal before charging it with sound, I like setting two different intentions and using two different sounds & intentions. However, always do what works for you – you might find one sound and intention works just fine!
Apart from the time this takes, I also find singing bowls can get quite expensive, so you might just want to buy a tuning fork if you’re just trying this out. The cheapest option is to use YouTube videos meant to cleanse and charge crystals. I’ll link my favorite down below!
Just let the sound fill the room and make sure your energy light. When you’re in a comfortable position you can set your intention for the crystal by saying it out loud. Meditate with the stone until you feel it is ready. If you want to go a step further, light some candles and incense.
Brown Rice
Another super safe method is by using brown rice. The soft grains will not damage your stone and are great at absorbing negative energies.
Simply place your carnelian in a bowl of brown rice and make sure it is fully covered. As brown rice cannot harm you stone, it is safe to leave it for as long as you would like. A few hours always does the trick for me, but it is best to check in with your stone and see how it feels. If it’s energies still feel heavy, just put it back for a little while.
Make sure to throw the rice out afterwards as it is now filled with the negative energies that were previously in your stone. We don’t want to absorb all of that by eating it.
Selenite
Some crystals have so much positive energy they don’t mind sharing. Selenite is one of those generous stones. All you must do is place your carnelian on a selenite slab or plate and leave it for about 24 hours.
If you don’t have a plate, you can just use a selenite crystal instead. This only works if the selenite is larger than your carnelian stone – the more contact your carnelian has with the selenite, to faster and more thoroughly it will charge it. If you use a tiny selenite it won’t have a lot to share with your other crystal.
How To Cleanse Carnelian
Charging is done to give your crystal new positive energy, but you first need to remove the negative energy. This is where cleansing your carnelian is helpful.
Whereas I personally charge my crystals once a month during a full moon, I cleanse the stones I regularly use every week.
Apart from the weekly cleanse, it is also a good idea to cleanse your carnelian after you first get it. This is to remove the energies of all the other people that have handled the crystal before it found you. After all, you don’t want their energy to get mixed with yours.
Running Water
The easiest way of cleansing your carnelian is by holding it under running water. The water will wash away the negative energies and leave you with a clean crystal, ready to be recharged. Unlike some other stones (looking at you, Selenite) Carnelian won’t be affected by water. If you want, you can add a little mild soap. Dry the crystal with a soft cloth.
I would not add any salt to the water or submerge it in salt water. Carnelian is very sensitive to this, which means it can leave your crystal dull or cracked.
Smoke Cleansing
Smoke cleansing is generally used to cleanse a person’s energy field, rooms or objects (like crystals!). It effectively removes negative energy and leaves you with a nice clean space or crystal.
Just like with any other type of cleansing and recharging setting an intention is essential. Ensure your energy is light by thinking positively and making sure your desires are clear.
For smoke cleansing you need herbs of your choice. Simply light them and blow out the fire. Then, take a deep breath and state your intention out loud. Now you can waft the smoke over the crystals you want to cleanse, or lift the crystals over the smoke for however long you feel like.
I always recommend opening a window so the smoke can leave the room and take all the negative energies with it.
NOTE: Beware that using the term ‘smudging’ and the practice of burning white sage/palo santo is commonly used in the spiritual community. This is a specific type of smoke cleansing used by Native Americans, and which was illegal up until about 40 years ago. We recommend using a form of smoke cleansing that is appropriate for you and your culture.
Carnelian Overview
Chakra: Sacral
Element: Fire
Zodiac: Leo | Cancer
Benefits: Grounding | Sexual Energy | Creativity | Energy Boost | Self Esteem
If you’re feeling a bit lethargic or need a pick-me-up, this orange-colored stone is your savior! It is filled with fire-y energy and is happy to share some of that with you. Meditation with this stone can help you raise your self-esteem, (sexual) energy and boost creativity. As it is associated with the sacral chakra, this stone can also help us feel more grounded in the world.
7 Comments