Ok, so you have a crystal, crystal skull or another stone.
You may be asking yourself, what comes next?
Here are a few simple things you can do to get started.

Clearing your Crystals, Crystal Skulls and other Stones

I clear all of my stones before I send them out, however, crystals easily absorb different kinds of vibrations, both positive and negative. The crystal or stone that you choose may have been in contact with many other personalities and energies so it is often recommended that you use some kind of cleansing method to restore your stone to a pure and energized state.

One of these methods will usually work for clearing most 'normal' negative, or stray energies. However...
If you feel that you have something more going on than the 'normal' iccky energy in your crystal, you may wish to consult someone who works with subtle energies and knows other methods. I do have a FAQ page on protection available, just ask.

There are several methods you can use that are easy for anyone to try. Here are a few:

Salt Water Soak: One method that I like is to immerse the stones in salt water for several minutes or even hours. Most stones like this and it is very cleansing and energizing. Use a glass container, or if one is not available, use plastic, rather than metal. Metal has it's own vibrations. This will clear most stray energy.

Running water: You may wish to hold the stone under running water for a few minutes or even hours. Outside in a garnd pond or even a creek is excellent.

Affirmations and Prayers: Some people like to hold their stones and repeat a short phrase or
prayer like “I ask that this stone be self cleansing and filled with love”  or "I ask the protection of the Angels and MAsters for this crystal."

Smudging or Incense: You may prefer to smudge the stones with sage and/or cedar - or your favorite incense. Smudge sticks or bundles are sold on eBay, as well in local metaphysical stores. You light the smidge stick or incense and let the smoke flow over the stones and/or crystals. The premise is that the smoke will take any energetic impurities out and allow them to float away. Some people also prefer to store or display their stones with sage and/or cedar. This method is not that effective for heavy duty negativity.

Sunlight or Moonlight: Crystals often look brighter and more vibrant after being laid in the rays of
the sun or moon.  The sun or moon will often clear energy that salt will not. You can use the salt water and sun or moonlight in conjunction with one another to be more effective.
Time in the sun is usually about 20 minutes to several hours.
Time in the moonlight may be the whole night or a month!

A note of warning: Crystals that will fade in the sunlight should not be placed in the sun!
These are crystals such as Amethyst, Smokey Quartz, Fluorite, etc.
Research the stone before you put it into bright light!


Programming and Working with Your Crystals, Crystal Skulls and Stones

Many people wish to work with a crystal skull or other stone in the hopes of bringing about or reinforcing positive change in their lives.  Programming your crystal sounds kind of strange, but it’s really just a simple way to ask it to
be your partner. It is stating what your expectations and wishes for the partnership are, both to the crystal or stone and to yourself.

That doesn’t mean that you need to know or think of anything and everything that could possibly happen or that you will want. It's is more of an introduction to the two of you. 
You may not get exactly what you expect or wish for – you might actually get a lot more!  This is just a place to start.

One way of programming a crystal involves putting the energy of our thoughts, feelings and subtle energies into a crystal or stone, so that it can intensify them and be a constant reminder to us.

Programming may be done by holding the crystal with both hands, gazing into it, and visualizing, or pretending that you are already achieving your goals or hopes. I like to make a short list and take some time to think about it, so that what I really want is clear in my mind.

For example, you may wish to reinforce the thought vibration to yourself that you will be more open to positive influences in your life. First, use your intellect to be a little more precise about what that means to you.
What would a positive influence 'look like' in your life?

This could include answering such things as:

Where will you be when "it" happens?

Who will you be with, if anyone when it happens?

How will you feel when it is happening?

What would it take to know for certain that it is happening?

While you do this, breath deeply and slowly and imagine that you are sending the vibrations into the crystal.

You can also use a more complicated ritual with verbal affirmations, if desired.

After you feel you know what it is that you want to work with, hold your skull firmly in both hands - or just one, if the skull fits more comfortably in just one hand.

Keep the thought of what you wish to work with in mind, as clearly as possible.

One idea of how this works that the skull (or crystal) receives the energies via the physical body as well as the subtle body or Aura, of the person holding it. The crystal absorbs the vibrations, then amplifies them and re-broadcasts them outwards and/or back to the person holding the crystal.

 The subtle body or Aura is an electromagnetic energy field around each of us. It’s not visible to most people, but it is instinctively sensed or experienced by others.  The aura is often shaped somewhat like an eggshell, with colors and clouds swirling around inside. This energy field extends beyond your fingertips and expands or contracts, depending on what you are doing and how you are feeling. This energy field is also thought to hold information, emotions, and other vibrations.

The crystal (or crystal skull) receives the thoughts and feelings from the person, and then amplifies them. The amplifications from the crystal are then received by the chakras (or energy receptors) in the hand and in other areas for the body, and relayed to the brain, possibly to a gland called the hypothalamus and or the limbic system. This is thought to impress the vibrations on the sub-conscious mind.
The energy then continues on in a loop, reinforcing itself.

The skull shape is thought to be especially effective in this process, as the inside back of the skull seems to act as a kind of 'satellite dish' or mirror, broadcasting the vibrations of the person using it. After you have this 'loop' set up, you can set the crystal or skull near you, and it will continue broadcasting the 'message' until you change it, by doing the process over again.

The premise of this is that when the stone is worn on the body, or it is within the energy field, (normally about three feet away from you) then it broadcasts its 'program' to you continually.

Cultivate balance in your life, and in your work with the crystals and stones and crystal skulls. Emotional and Spiritual balance will bring you to the next layers of your crystals - and your spiritual unfoldment.
 

The "Best Way" to work with Crystals and Stones

I think that the ‘best way’ to feel the energy of various crystals and stone and to discover more about them is to throw out all the “how-to” articles and simply get some stones and do whatever you feel like doing with them!

Just sitting and looking at your stones may be perfect for you. Articles, books and such are a starting point. How you interact with your crystals and stones will be different for everyone and is perfect for each of you. Hold them, talk to them, put them in patterns, carry them around, display them on shelves, wear them, give them away, etc.  Do what feels natural and appropriate to you.

Whether you love the ‘rough’ (natural unpolished specimens) or are drawn to the smoothly polished stones, is a matter of personal taste. Above all, enjoy and love your crystals and stones!  You will receive far more from them than you ever realized you could, if you are open to the possibilities.
I hope there has been something a bit helpful here for you!