Shopping for crystals on eBay

Look at her. Isn't she a beauty? This is the lepidolite encrusted watermelon tourmaline I was talking about. You know, the one I was trying to resist? When I was remind about the patience of stone? Yeah, that one. As you can see, I caved which was inevitable, really. I think I mentioned I was doomed? Yes, I was doomed all right. Nothing has more patience then a stone, and like I said, when I hear that phrase, I know that resistance is futile.

The energy of this stone is phenomenal. You hold her in your hand and pretty soon your hand starts to vibrate and you feel her energies coursing through your body, seeking out areas of blockages and imbalance. It's like being gently immersed in pure, crystal clear water; like entering the light of the sun and not getting burned. She balances and sooths, heals and guides, and does it so gently, you hardly notice the changes she's making. I dislike using the word "powerful" as it has all sorts of connotations that have no business on any one's light path, but this crystal is powerful. She wields it like a fine surgeon's hand while at the same time, wrapping you up in a warm, fuzzy blanket and telling you, "There, there."

The combination of lepidolite -- a soothing, calming stone that eases healing and transitions -- and watermelon tourmaline -- a stone of pure heart -- is remarkable. Truly a therapy stone, perfect for emotional or psychological dysfunction and her physical healing capabilities are nothing to sneeze at either.

So where did I find this beauty?

Ebay.

Yes, eBay. While I generally prefer to deal one on one in shops, that's not always possible when looking for a specific crystal. I like eBay because there are some protections in place whereas I don't know if some random website on the Internet is reputable or not. That's not to say you can't get ripped off on eBay, but with a little care, you can avoid those situations.

First, I always check the seller's positive review rating, generally sticking to those sellers who have 99-100% If it's something rare or difficult to find, I might go a little lower but not much and then only after I've checked the comments beforehand. The fact of the matter is a seller's rating can be downgraded simply because some tool gets his jollies at ruining a perfect record. One negative review in the past 6-12 month doesn't bother me. If it's half a dozen within a month or two, then I pass them by.

Second, I check the location. I do not buy from China. Partially this is because the Chinese on eBay do not have a good reputation. Very often, you'll see them selling an optically clear point for next to nothing and the odds are that's it's glass being sold as quartz. Natural crystals may be a safer bet, but that's no guarantee that a clever glass smith hasn't been able to fake an ajoite with skill. Another reason I avoid China is the shipping costs are just too prohibitive. Generally, I prefer to get my stuff from dealers who are in the same hemisphere as I. If they are in the same country, even better.

Third, I always scope the crystal out much in the same way I scope them out in a store. I feel their energy. How can that be possible over a computer? Simple. I place my palm over the picture and concentrate on the stone. It may not be as clear and direct as actually holding the stone, but it does give me enough an idea to determine whether or not it's really calling to me. Remember, they are rocks. The Earth is made of rocks and energy is not always contained by walls. All it takes is a bit of intent and concentration.

Fourth, if I have my doubts and/or I'm nervous because it's expensive, I put it on my watch list and let it stew for a few days if that's at all possible. If I keep going back to it, if it sticks in my head, generally that's a sign that it is meant to be.

Another benefit to eBay are the pictures. I like to copy them, throw them into Photoshop, mark them with their identity, place of origin and size, and store it in my own personal catalog. This is especially helpful with some of the more obscure stones. My memory is not very good, after all.

I bought this tourmaline-lepidolite from Dharma Rain Crystals (dharmarain on eBay) who kindly gave me permission to use one of their photographs as they are a lot better at it then I am. You should check them out, they've got some nice stuff.

Only half-serious

Dear Universe,

I am grateful for all the love and support you have shown me; I am incredibly blessed and thank you for that. That being said, I would like you to know that I wouldn't say no to a lotto jackpot. Do I sound like a whining child? I hope not as that is not my intention. Am I asking for money? Not really; my needs are met. No, what I am asking for is the means to further indulge my stone finding habit. I really enjoy stone finding; it gives me pleasure and besides which, it's a hell of a lot of fun. In another words, what I am asking for is the means to give away on a slightly grander scale. Grand, in this case, means more often. I like giving away. I want to give away. Please? Daddy? Can I give away? And still be able to pay my bills?

Love and Kisses,

Inyan Maka



PS - Hell, it worked for a horse, why not for stone finding?

Protection (pt. 2): Drawing a line in the sand

I have a tattoo on my right arm, a Celtic style band with the words "I Refuse" written above it. The day I decided to get this tattoo was the day I finally drew a line in the sand, when I said to the Universe, "Enough! No more!" I had been overwhelmed with the constant pulse of fear and hate bombarding us all from all sides. The lack of hope, the constant despair and the blatant irresponsibility of everyone (it seemed) towards their own lives, actions and words. Irrespective of the fact that I had decided to be no longer a victim back in 1992, I felt the need to reaffirm that decision in a form for all to see. No more hiding in the shadows! No more silence! Enough! I had it!

The day I walked out of the parlor, the tattoo newly etched onto my skin, it was as if the whole Universe had come to a standstill and taken note. It understood what I meant, and it backed my decision 100%. It was a very spiritual experience.

Since then, the various reactions I've gotten to this tattoo has been fascinating. It's run the gamut from my mother telling me that fear was necessary (which gave me a disturbing insight into her psyche, let me tell you!) to my brother's partner's reaction of reading "refuse" as a synonym for garbage. For the most part, it's been greeted by confusion, as if the concept of refusing to be a victim, of refusing to give into fear, refusing to go along with the tumultuous tide of the rest of the world had never occurred to them. Confusion, and yes, a sense of unease; the very idea disturbed them. Of all the people who have asked about my tattoo, only one person got it and that was a stranger, a woman in a gas station who I had never seen before nor since. Interesting, no?

It seems that Western culture has indoctrinated a sense in us that we cannot control our own fate. If someone wants to make a victim of us, there is nothing we can do to stop them and at best, we can hope to pick up the pieces later. Bad luck and nameless bogeymen dog our every step, and we're taught to pray to God to protect us and use God to hate and persecute anyone who does not agree with us. Hypocrisy, fear, hate -- it's all endemic, and the sad irony, it's totally unnecessary.

Remember, fear is the tool of those who wish to have total control of everyone else. Hate is its step child. Frustrated rage turns against us, and censorship is the prop that hold all in place. Silence gives permission for the status quo to endure.

I refuse to buy into that paradigm. I will not be its victim nor will I be the victim of anyone or anything else. I choose my path, and I choose it alone. No one else has permission to interfere in any way, shape or form. I will not go there. I will not give in. I refuse.

Life is about choices, and with choices, comes permission of what we will or will not encounter and learn from. Whenever a choice is presented, it is as if we are being faced with a fork in the road and what direction we then choose to take, leads to its own set of consequences. The outcome is entirely up to us.

Both permission and choice are difficult concepts to explain. Most people revolt at the very idea that they made a choice or gave permission for anything bad that might have happened in their lives. This is understandable. Who wants to admit that they made a mistake? Who wants bad things to happen to them? Plus, it seems to be a part of the human condition to seek out scapegoats for our problems and blame them on someone/something else rather then accept that we ourselves might have had a hand in the matter.

What we tend to forget is that we are here for a reason, to learn and to grow and that doesn't happen unless we are presented with challenges. The phrase is "That which does not kill us, makes us stronger" not "That which delights us makes us stronger." It's the roadblocks in life that accelerate the process, not the fun times.

Does that mean a Holocaust victim chose to die the way she did? In some respects, yes. A soul incarnates for a reason and if part of that reason is to die horrifically, then it is a choice. Perhaps it is to accelerate the discharging of Karmic debt or maybe to help teach the rest of us an important lesson on tolerance. Who knows? That's part of the challenge in life -- we never remember why we are here! Why? Because how else will whatever we came to learn be truly learned? Does the implied choice of that Holocaust victim make her suffering any less? Hell no! Indeed, it elevates her to the role of a Saint. Is she responsible for what was done to her? No, because those who tortured her also made a choice and their choice is their responsibility, not hers. After all, if their choices were different, she would not have been forced to make hers.

The Universe is all about intent and what we intend is what we get. Sometimes that intention can be insidious, even unconscious. If we feel we don't deserve something, guess what? We won't get it no matter how many affirmations we chant to the contrary. If we become stuck in a mind set that is contrary to our growth, people will come into our lives to teach us the consequences of that mind set and the longer we hold onto it, the worse it will get. If you feel that you don't deserve something, the best way to prevent it from coming into your life is to act like you don't deserve it, spiritually, mentally and emotionally. If you put out negativity, you will get negativity coming back to you in its turn. If you worry about something bad happening to you in spite of all the evidence to the contrary, it will happen. Do not buy into the fear. Reject it, and by rejecting it, give permission for only the light to come into your life.

Refuse to be a victim. Draw your line in the sand.




PS - A complex, complicated subject and I've only managed to scratch the surface. It will probably come up again in the future.

A bit of this and that

I have not forgotten Protection, pt 2. It's just that in the last few mornings, I've been in a bit of a fog and can't gather my thoughts enough to write anything coherent. Suspect this is what they call a "fibro flare-up"; the diagnosis and treatment is still too new for me to predict how this thing behaves. I lifted a 50 lb bag of Strongid C2X, a horse wormer, the wrong way and it has really messed me up. My apologies to anyone who's actually reading this thing.

In other news, I finally got the macro lens for my new camera and hopefully will have some more pitiful attempts at photographing crystals up on the blog. Illustrations are good, no?

A watermelon tourmaline with lepidolite clusters is calling to me. I keep crying out to the Universe that I can't afford this, that there are such things as budgets and fiscal responsibilities; it merely laughs at me and the rocks tell me, "That's all right, we have the patience of stone."

Think about that for a moment. "The patience of stone." Gives you chills, doesn't it? Not that they meant it that way, but it essentially tells me that I am doomed. Remember that image. It will probably come up later.

It's clear the one of the missions of this life is to trust. I have serious problems with being able to trust. Throwing my fate into the wind, so to speak, is out of character and yet, it is something that I feel I must learn how to do. After all, the Universe hasn't failed me yet, why can't I just give over? Because like a lot of people in this world, I have little control and strive to keep what I feel that I have. Never mind that control is illusion. At least what little they pretend to give us in western culture. There is a fine line between control, trust and foolishness. Perhaps the trick is not so much to learn how to trust, but how to walk that line without falling. Yes, the Universe provides but the Universe is also interested in seeing us grow, and like a good parent, will sometimes let us fall to get the point.

Something else to think about.

I've moved my Buddha from beside my front door to under the wisteria in one of the semi-neglected beds in the garden. He looks content there, but my front door feels naked. Thinking of getting a Kuan Yin or a Jizo for the spot. It's funny because I'm not a Buddhist and I know very little about Buddhism; I just like the aesthetics of the art. There is something very peaceful about a Buddha sitting beneath a wisteria. Anyway, here he is. Maybe I should remove that stick?

Protection (pt 1): Choice

How does one talk about protection?

We live in a world awash in negativity. Turn on the news or read any newspaper, and you will have your choice of stories designed to terrify you. The dominant culture thrives upon fear and hate. You never hear about any of the positive things in life; good news makes poor copy. Fear is a very powerful motivator, especially if your goal is power over others. Look what has happened in the United States in the past ten years. They chipped away out our rights, got us to tolerate government interference on a level never even conceived of before all because some whackaloons drove a plane into a building.

Now, I am not downplaying the seriousness of 9/11. Not at all! The world was unified that day in its collective horror, and we were given a choice of which path to choose: it could have unified us or divided us. Guess which one we chose?

Yes, we chose it. It wasn't chosen for us. We let our fear and horror overcome our sense of justice and ethical imperative; we surrendered our dearly held freedoms for the security of a government with a mandate to control our lives that much more than it had before. We get the government we deserve and the world we chose, and if that world is not to our liking, we have no one to blame but our self. The whackaloons won. They got us to change our beliefs. They taught us the oppression was okay in the name of security and safety. And those whose faint voices were raised in objection, that cried, "Stop! This isn't right!" were branded traitors and even worse.

Just as the voices that raised the warning about pollution, and global warming over thirty years ago, the difference being the charges against them were of insanity instead of treason.

Fear is our enemy. Hate stems from fear, and violence is their child. A frightened population is a controlled population, as any dictactor can tell you. Want to take someone's power? Want to direct their lives and make them do what you want and not what is right for them? Twist their morality, distort their ethics, manipulate them into accepting that which their own hearts tells them is dangerous and wrong? Make them fear. It's easy.

Gandhi was a brave man. He stood up to fear, and in the process, made those he was fighting against look like total fools. There is a lesson in that.

So how does one survive in a world governed by fear without giving into that paradigm? How does one keep the negativity at bay?

By making the conscious choice to reject it. By teaching the sub-conscious to reject it as well. By telling the Universe "I do not accept this! This is not who I am. My choice is mine alone, and I will not allow others to make it for me. Period."

Easier said then done, and yet, easier done then you might believe.

What is often talked about in metaphysical -- dare I say new age? -- circles is the natue of intent. It's a concept that is difficult to take in if you are raised in the dominant culture of fear and intimidation. How can it be possible? You can say you intend something until your blue in the face, and people can still come along and violate your intent at a whim. What matters is not the outcome, but the intention. If I give to a charity, and that donation is embezzled or used for a different purpose then I intended, it does not change the nature of my intent. I gave it for a specific reason. That it did not end end up that way is not my choice or my responsibility. If there is karma in the incident, it is not my karma to deal with but the karma of the person who diverted the funds.

Intention is important. How does one make an intention? By making a choice, and sticking to that choice come hell or high water. The Universe will test this choice. It will ask you, "Is this what you really want?" because if it is convinced that it is, it will give it to you. Then it will sit back and watch to see what you do with the outcome.

Inherent in both intention and choice, is permission and this is where it gets tricky, because permission can be granted sub-consciously as well as consciously. If deep inside yourself you believe that you are deserving of nothing good, you will get nothing good. You can do affirmations until you are blue in the face, but if your sub-conscious, which drives your motivations and actions without thought on your part, does not believe it, it won't work. You have to take intent, choice and permission sub-consciously as well as consciously. How to do this? By learning who you are, what you truly believe in and what you really want in your life.

Again - easier said then done. Takes actual work, and a bit of time, but hell, take a lesson from the stones for they have the patience of eons on their side. That is why they can be so helpful to us on our path. The energies they produce interacts with our own, and with their help, we can find our balance, ground our psyche and find the firm ground we need to make our conscious choices. It's not like the Universe leaves flapping in the breeze; the stones are only one tool and ally that our available to us. All we have to do is reach for them.

What is your choice?

Random

I'm worried about the plants. It's unnaturally cold for this time of year, especially at night. We should not be reaching freezing temperatures in May. Everything is flowering and there are young chicks in the nests out there; it's too cold. I've been offering up tobacco on their behalf for several days now. My front stoop is beginning to look like the floor of a Cuban cigar factory.

FYI

I am not a healer. I do not claim to be a healer, nor do I have any desire to be one. I do not regard myself as qualified to heal people.

Am I an expert? Hardly. I'm just an ordinary woman trying to find her way through life like anyone else. What I say here is what works for me, take from it what you will. I believe that, ultimately, we are each of us responsible for our own path. What works for some, does not always work for all, and that is true of anybody's teachings or opinions, including those of the guru and the so-called "expert". No one's truth works better then anyone else's. I often use the imagery of a road sign: think of me of just another road sign, pointing you in a direction that might work for you. The important thing is that you get there, not the how, where or when. I believe what I have to say may help you, but that doesn't mean that I'm always right.

Perhaps the hardest thing to accept in any life path is that the responsibility for our lives and our growth is our own. Especially in Western culture, where we are indoctrinated from birth not to trust ourselves, our own observations, experience and intuition. We are trained to fight against independent thought and let "experts' do our thinking for us. Why is that, have you ever wondered? I think it is because it makes us more easily manipulated and exploited; it makes stealing our power a simple thing. What is important is not how we get to our goal, but that we get there with our power and our sense of self intact. Claim your power. Walk your talk. Do not let others manipulate you into handing them control of your life. They don't have all the answers, no one does, least of all myself.

So what do I do?

I think a lot. I like thinking. I like figuring things out and seeing what drives me and other people. I observe. It's amazing what you can learn if you just shut up and watch what's going around you. Sometimes what I think about is simple, and at other times, it's so profound I believe it's beyond capability of the human brain to conceptualize. The nature of time, what exactly is Spirit -- the kind of thing that I can only take in small doses because, quite frankly, it makes my head hurt. That is how I have come to accept the reality of Mystery. There are some things that we are simply not meant to know, and that is okay. Is that faith? Perhaps, but I think it's more then that. Faith is a rather simplistic concept of the deep seating knowing we all have in our bones; it doesn't reside in the head, but in the heart, and it is a birthright that is least understood. There are not many people who have "faith", much less understand what it is or so I think. Their actions often belie their words.

What to I do with the crystals?

I meditate with them. I use them in grids, directed more at the Earth then at people. If I am a healer, I am a healer of the land. I don't know enough to understand the ills of human beings, but sometimes the Earth whispers to me, the energies trigger my nerves and slide up my bones, and instinct tells me what stone needs to go where for whatever reason. Half the time, I don't even know why and I don't need to know, but still struggle everyday with the Western idea of having to know instead of just acting out of trust. Balance, grounding and trust -- my personal Triumvirate.

There is also something called a stone-finder. What is that? To put it simply, it's the ability to find precisely the right kind of stone for a specific reason at the precise moment it is needed. Stones call to me and sometimes they tell me that the need to go to this person RIGHT NOW, thank you very much. This can become an expensive proposition because often, if the person cannot afford a stone, I'm expected to provide it. I don't mind doing this though it's not something I do for everybody. Instinct tells me that stone-finding has a limited application as it's based on personal relationships and friendships more then a job working with the general population. Most crystal workers have the potential for a stone-finder in their lives if they are in balance and not drive by Ego. The kind of worker that is of no interest of people like Robert Simmons because because they are not driven by money and therefore, have none. In another words, exactly the kind of worker you want to do a healing on you. It's the Universe's way of ensuring that those who need the stones most get the stones they need. I am sure I'm not the only stone-finder out there, but I don't doubt I'm one of the few who recognize what it is.

I have bought crystals for others, I've loaned them out. There are some in my collection that do not regard as strictly mine, that I am merely their keeper until I find the person they need to go to. In the meantime, they sit in my house, looking pretty and doing some pretty radical things to the local energy flows. I actually like stone-finding. Hell, I love it but I keep reminding the Universe that while I do not mind doing it, I have to have the means to do it. No, I'm not asking for money. Merely reminding the Universe of economic realities, the concept of which it has little understanding. As long as I can pay my bills, I am happy.

Camera woes and laser wands

First, let me take a slight detour and give you a demonstrate of what my stones do to the camera. Ta da!


Isn't that special?

Something tells me that Golden Azeztulite doesn't want its picture taken. Yes, there is a Golden Azeztulite in there or should I say, purportedly a Golden Azeztulite. It has some gold coloring...ff you squint a little...and maybe cock your head to the right. Golden or not, it is an Azeztulite. That's what the guy said anyway, and it certainly doesn't feel like an ordinary quartz.

Now, I could blame Golden Azeztulite until I'm blue in the face and hallucinating sparkly rainbow unicorns, but the truth is, it isn't the only stone that does it. Just tried to take a picture of a laser wand outside and it did the same thing. Either my crystals don't like this camera or my camera doesn't like these crystals unless they are inside and looking their worst.

Here, let me introduce you to Golden Azeztulite:



Everybody say Hi! He's a cheerful stone, likes people, long walks in the park, dislikes haters and is a Capricorn.

Just kidding.

Maybe.




Now, look at these puppies.




Yes, they are laser wands. Very big laser wands. First, is the Monster, who is approx. 16-20 inches long. As you might be able to see, he's had an accident in the past and had to be repaired, but it doesn't seem to affect him any.



Second is the smaller laser wand, and when I say smaller, I mean it in relative terms as she is about 12-14" long. Together, they are quite the pair, aren't they?

I got these laser wands a number of years ago when I was working on gathering together stones for an earth healing grid involving Golden healers, lasers and black tourmaline. Unfortunately, I never got a chance to set up the grid because I can't get another pair of laser wands like these two. Is it any wonder? I was lucky to find these! If I were to find them today, they would probably be way out of my price range. I was lucky. Hopefully, the Universe will give me a solution to this conundrum.

I wanted to show these laser wands because I've been thinking about this woman I saw at the show where I picked them up. Remember what I was saying about grounding and balance? This woman, poor soul, was the perfect example of someone who was anything but grounded and balanced.

I saw her when I was going into the building, a woman dressed in white from head to toe. What caught my attention was the almost two pounds of crystals she had woven in her hair with copper wire. I kid you not! She must've had a dozen stones in there at least, and they were not tiny stones. Laser wands about 2" long, herkimers, amethyst, possibly even some tourmalines and moldavites -- my memory is vague at this point. Thing is, not a single one of them was a stone that would work any energy center below the heart. Hell, I don't think she even went down that far! If there was a throat stone, I'd be surprised because I seem to remember they were all third eye and crown chakra crystals. In another words, this was a soul that didn't want to be here. At all. She wanted to live up in the astral and beyond, dance with the fairies and never come down again. At least, that was the impression she gave me.

Sad. Really sad. I wanted to tell her that she needed to ground herself. That she needed to take those rocks out of her hair, and look at why she didn't want to be here. That she needed to find her center, her balance and she certainly wasn't going to do that off in Never Never Land. Whatever it was that made her want to permanently leave the Earth was not going to be worked out or resolved until she found that center and looked at it with a clear eye. Distracting oneself with the high only serves to keep us stuck wherever that might be. It might feel good, even exciting, but we are all here for a purpose, we all chose to be here and we all have a job to do. While I can understand trying to escape -- hell, I've told the universe after this lifetime, I want a vacation! -- it ultimately serves no purpose but to prolong the pain. Avoidance never works, and judging from this woman's outfit, she had a become an professional at it. It was almost tragic.

I encountered her directly when I was first handling these laser wands. I had them in my hands, was talking with the dealer when I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I turned around and there she was. "Will you adopt me?" she pleaded, and I laughed as if it was a joke. Maybe it was. Maybe I shouldn't have laughed. Maybe that was my opportunity to tell her to take those stones out of hair, and be in her body for a change. To get herself some hematite shoes, for cripe's sake. I didn't. Probably because I was startled. I had these two huge laser wands in my hands, strong enough to cut someone in half and I was only grateful that I'm not the sort to strike first and ask questions later. Besides which, I didn't need someone who was that...lost...in my life at the moment. I never answered her and now I'm wondering if maybe I should have.

Poor soul. I hope that whatever it was, she worked it out.

Why do we always complicate things?

Not too long ago, I sat in Unchi's living room, and read her the section on Azeztulite in Robert Simmons' The Book of Stones. As I'm reading, I'm beginning to get a little annoyed with his detailed explanations, and what I interpreted as an ego stroking hard sell. Just as I'm getting towards the end, Grandfather, Unchi's principle guide, suddenly says to me, "White people. You always have to complicate things."

And I busted out laughing.

Grandfather doesn't usually speak to anyone but Unchi. If he had something to say to me or anyone else, he usually does it through her. I don't know why he chose to speak to me that evening. Granted, Unchi and I have known each other almost twenty years, but that doesn't signify much of anything. While he has shown himself to a number of select people, I cannot remember a single instance where he actually spoke to them directly. And yet, he spoke to me that night. Perhaps he said it to make me laugh, or maybe it said it to make me see the humor in what I was reading. Maybe both or maybe more then that. I get the impression that Grandfather rarely does anything without a complex list of reasons.

Then again, does Grandfather need to reason or explain anything? Because what he said to me was true: white people have to complicate the most simplest of things. It doesn't seem to be in our racial/cultural make up to simply accept things as they are, that we have to justify and analyze, rationalize and argue and over think everything that does not have an expert on hand to tell us how to think. We've been trained by our culture to distrust not only our own experience, but our own intuition. That what we see, feel and know in our hearts is to be treated with suspicion unless it has been Officially Approved by someone with a Piece of Paper that tell us he or she is an "expert."

What is an expert? Precisely? Someone who has received an education and has a document to prove that fact. Why does that make them always right? Becasue they're educated? What is educated? In some respects, it's indoctrination. Students go into a university and successfully repeat back what the professor teaches them. Sometimes, if they are especially talented and even lucky, they might even learn to think for themselves but only insofar as it's acceptable to the academic Powers That Be. In many ways, it teaches them to be discerning, to use their natural talents in socially acceptable ways and to be close minded to anything that is outside the "acceptable" frame of reference. To the point where they won't even bother investigating what makes them uncomfortable or even acknowledging the possibility that they simply don't know how to study it.

Now, I'm not discounting educaton. I approve of education. I like education. I think an education is a good thing, but like anything else, it's subject to human faults and foibles. The bottom line is, all you need to get a good education is the ability to read, the desire to learn and the ability to think and observe. Any good library can provide you with the same education as many of our finest universities. The only difference is you won't get that Official Piece of Paper granting you official status as an "expert."

And "experts" can not only be wrong on occassion, but frequently are.

So why are their observations and experiences of matters that cannot be measured by present day technology and explained by present day theory considered more valid then our own? It doesn't mean that such matters can never be measured. When I was a student in high school, a science teacher once told us that an atom can never be photographed and never will. Well, guess what has since been photographed? What is that old saying? Yesterday's magic is today's science? Sometiems all it takes is an open mind.

Grandfather reminded me that there is Mystery and there's always going to be Mystery, that we're not always going to understand and don't need to. And this is a good thing as it's a part of what make Life so fascinating. That trying to analyze and justify it only keeps us spinning in circles without changing a damn thing, so why bother? Why not just acknowledge it and move on? You can't complete your journey if you get stuck mezmerized by a road sign.

Who came up with the Synergy Twelve?

Who came up with the Synergy Twelve stones? By this, I mean who first introduced the concept, what does it mean, what is the basis for designating twelve, very expensive, crystals as the penultimate of healing stones? The first time I came across the idea was in The Book of Stones by Robert Simmons and Naisha Ahsian. There was no explanation beyond what they were, no background information about exactly what it meant or where their information came from. Oh, but when it came to describing the history of Azeztulite, Simmons was almost poetic in his enthusiasm. The Synergy Twelve stones? Absolutely nothing. Nada. Zip. Not one word beyond a list and some brief claim for human spiritual upliftment. How, exactly? They don't say. A search in Google has led to nothing but merchants wanting to sell them to me, and no information beyond what was in the book.

I have the Synergy Twelve stones; I have finally gathered together my set to find out exactly what this is about. The stones themselves are pretty potent; group a few of them together, and they make me go "Wheeeeeeee!" FYI, I'm the kind of woman who can wear a string of moldavite beads topped with a huge moldavite crystal around her neck and still drive without incident. It takes a lot to make me go "Wheeeeeee!" Put Azeztulite, Danburite, and Brookite together, and I'm flying! So, the stones do have energy and they can send you to the astral without a return ticket if you're not careful.

But the penultimate? What can they do that an ordinary rock found in your garden cannot? Not a hell of a lot. It's kind of like gem quality vs industrial diamonds. Industrial diamonds have the same energy as the gems, they can do exactly what the gems do, the only difference may be that they need to be much larger to do the same thing in the same amount of time. Regular rocks may not be as organized as their crystalline brethren, but that doesn't mean they are energetically dead. Quite the contrary. Some of them can pack quite a punch. Don't believe me? Go to Europe and put your hand on one of the standing stones in places such as Avebury. Then tell me that ordinary rocks can't zap you as much as a crystal. Hell, I've charged crystals at Avebury! Glastonbury, too.

Speaking of standing stones, the last time I was at Stonehenge, it told me it was too noisy. It remembered a quieter time and it missed those days. The place was packed with tourists.

So who did come up with the idea of the Synergy Twelve stones, and what is their argument supporting the idea that they are the penultimate? I would really like to know.

Rose Quartz in the Garden (pt.2): Conclusion

It all started with a magnolia petal.

As I mentioned before, I have down times on my spiritual path when I put such things aside and develop other interests. This last one had gone on for a long time -- at least two years -- while I tried to cope with a debilitating physical condition that I felt, but had no idea that I had. Back in February, 2010, I was finally diagnosed with fibromyalgia. How that came about is a long story but suffice it say, I got sick and tired of being sick and tired, took a Vicodin left over from a bout with ear problems, and discovered how I felt everyday was not normal. Disturbed at the thought of getting relief from addictive narcotics, I finally bit the bullet and went to the doctor. I'm now on enough medication, the number of which makes me feel like I'm 350,000 thousand years old, to feel like my old self. The worst part of it all was the enervation and lack of concentration; I could deal with the pain, but the energy and the feeling of being brain dead was horrific to endure. Someday, perhaps, I will be able to manage my fibro without medication. For the moment, I'm having too much fun living again to even consider addressing that issue.

I had the opportunity to attend to what I will call a "retreat" in the middle of April. I thought long and hard about this as getting the energy up to do anything before my diagnosis was difficult, but in the end, feeling better, I decided to go. I wont go into detail -- I'm not qualified to discuss it, nor do I have permission and out of respect for what happened and the people who were there, I won't discuss it -- suffice it to say, ceremony was involved. It was...phenomenal. That's all I can say. A true blessing and a honor to attend. I was worked on while I was there, given messages that I can hardly articulate and received healing, the extent of which I can't even begin to comprehend at the moment. Like everything else in life, that too is a process.

The ceremony was on a Friday. The following Saturday, I arrived home, and as I was unlocking my front door, a flash of pink caught my eye. I glanced over and thought, "What a lovely piece of rose quartz!" Then my thoughts came to a screeching halt: rose quartz? What rose quartz? There's no rose quartz in the garden! A second look informed me that what I had seen was a single magnolia petal that had fallen among the leaves of yellow flowering plant. The contrast of pink blush with bright Spring green and buttercup yellow with the dark browns and chocolates of the soil was so beautiful, I couldn't get it out of my mind. No rose quartz in the garden? And why ever not? What could be better then having love surround my house?

After that, there was no going back. I became obsessed with getting rose quartz to put in the few landscaped beds that I have. All of them are close to my house. Filled with herbs and flowers, shrubs and evergreens, I envisioned a scattering of rose quartz flashing in the sun from beneath green leaves. Surrounding my house with rose quartz energy. Fusing with the vortex my house has become with all the rocks it contains. Going out into a world that badly needs love at the moment. I chose to interpret this "obsession" as being directed to do this. One of the things I had asked at the ceremony was what to do with the light I keep seeing in my mind's eye. It was obvious that it was not just meant for me; to keep it would be the height of greed and selfishness.

I think I got my answer. Or at least part of it. Rose quartz in the garden.

The following Monday was the day I discovered that this negative creature from my past was attempting to re-enter my life. It was raining that day, I remember. Not a heavy rain, but a kind of drizzle mixed with an occassional shower that made it questionable whether or not I should go to the barn and visit my horse. The rain was not hard enough to prevent turn out, and if they came in wet, there was very little we could do with them. I went to Connecticut anyway, hooked up with my sister, Unchi, and discussed the weather situation and what we could do if the horses were out. I told her the story about the rose quartz, and said that if the horses were wet, that I'd like to go to Mother Earth, a crystal store in Brookfield. Unchi agreed.

How ironic that we made those plans! Of all the places to retreat to in a time a stress, Mother Earth could not be more perfect! It was at the barn where both of us received the shock of our lives, that this creature was coming into our place of peace and tranquility. The horses were wet, of course, and off we went to commune with stones, check out Azeztulite, and perhaps find a bit of balance.

We checked out the Azeztulite, and found that in spite of our doubts, it may be what it is claimed to be. Unchi got claimed by a hematite speckled tibetan quartz. I decided that I needed to investigate this Azeztulite matter a little more closely, and aquired a piece along with a another trademarked stone called Rosophia. As for the rose quartz -- I did not find the chunks I was looking for. I needed to find pieces that were roughly 2-3", and Leslie had very few pieces that large. Strange, that. Chunk rose quartz is not uncommon or expensive, and yet, it's proving more difficult to locate then I expected.

Now here is the interesting part: When I told Leslie what I was going to use it for, she mentioned another customer had come in for the same reason. In a later visit, she told me several people had come in looking for garden quartz. Another friend of mine mentioned she had the urge to put it in her plants after I told her about it; this was spontaneous on her part. She did not get the idea from me. An aquaintance was also intrigued by the idea. In another words, the urge to put Rose Quartz in the garden has suddenly hit a diverse number of people around the same time and independantly of each other! Coincidence? I don't believe in coincidence. I do believe that the ways of the Universe can be very, very subtle.

On hearing this story play out, Unchi said, "The Earth is asking for Love."

Asking for love? Using her own bones to give it to her? It seemed odd to me, but I figured out. It's not the rose quartz acting on the Earth that is important, but how it acts on the people who see it. That is why it's critical they stay on the surface, that they are large enough not to sink into the ground when it rains. People have to see it, respond to it and because it contains love energy, it is the response to that energy that the Earth needs. Love. From people. From Rose Quartz sitting in the garden among flowers, shrubs and trees. Sanctuaries of light, of love, scattered here and there, sending that energy into the Earth and healing her broken heart. Think about it. Do it.

The Wakinyan decided to take the power last night. They let it come back but Grandfather is hiding behind the clouds, and though the birds are singing in spite of the gloom, this disrupts my plans for Rose Quartz in the Garden (pt 2). I had planned to exercise my pitiful photography skills and take a picture of a rose quartz lying under my weigela bush. Oh well! Got to wait until better weather comes along.

I'm gazing out of my window, listening to bird song and seeing a thousands different shades of green in a thousand different textures. The greys, buffs and taupes of rock and bark, the flash of a snap dragon, the golden yellow of the dandelion. My garden may be full of weeds by most people's lights, but it is also organic and full of life. How often have I seen deer crossing my lawn, heard the cry of a hawk? Watched the turkeys show their babies where food can be found, seen the flash of red as a fox dove into the bush? They come here because it's peaceful and because there is life where Nature hasn't been forced into a rigid, structured order. I garden the beds around two sides of my house, and leave the rest to Mother Earth. I have milkweed at the edge of my property to feed the butterflies, wild blackberries, wild strawberries and wild roses, all volunteers and all welcome. I love it, and I feel so blessed.

The other day, as I smudged a smokey on my front stoop (fire alarms prevents me from doing it inside), a chickadee came to watch from a vantage point in my weigela. He stayed the entire time, brave, bold, fellow. If I had reached out, I could've touched him, he was that close. When the smudging was done, he flew away. It was almost as if he was bearing witness. A magical moment. If only we could clear our eyes to see.

Rose Quartz in the Garden (pt. 1): Balance

I go through periods of intense spiritual study and long periods of down time when I did little, if any, spiritual work at all. I used to beat myself up about this, telling myself that I was a faker, a dilenttant, that it was just another symptom of my inability to stay focused for very long.

That was a lie. Or at least it was that destructive voice we all have in western culture, that constantly tells us that we know nothing, that our observations and experience in life mean nothing, that only experts are to be trusted with any kind of thought, opinion or knowledge. Now, having said that, when it comes to things I don't know, I will listen to the experts, especially on matters that are based on concrete fact and not necessarily on faith or intuition. If it confirms that faith or intuition, all the better. But there is another kind of knowledge, the kind of knowledge we all have, a knowledge that is dismissed and vilified by Western thought as being unrelieable and therefore false. This is the knowledge of the heart, the knowing and sensing on subtle levels that are almost impossible to pin down. The knowledge of the Spirit, that we were born knowing how to connect, based on instinct and intuition, the quiet voices of the Universe that whisper in our hearts. That knowledge is just as valid, but because we are taught to distrust it, vilify it, mock it, few of us have learned to hear it, much less follow it as completely as we should.

Does that mean that science is invalid? That personal truths should outweigh concrete fact? That we should replace concrete fact, change them even, because we dislike them or their implications? No. That would be as living out of balance as ignoring that inner voice of the heart. And that's the point, really. Balance. As humans we tend to go from exteme to extreme with little thought that sometimes things are more grey, then black and white. History is a long tale of thought and backlash, back to thought, leaving chaos and bloodshed in its wake. Very little done in any kind of society is completely new. We repeat ourselves like a broken record, failing to look at History and the warnings its story contains. Like a broken record, over and over and over again. Isn't that a sign that what we are doing isn't working?

Is the present chaos created by religious fanatics proof enough that replacing concrete fact with personal truth to the exclusion of all other data is equally dangerous and destructive?

Balance.

If you take your cues from Nature, you will notice two things: diversity and balance are both widely prevalent. There is not just one kind of tree, one kind of stone, only one flower. How boring life would be if there was! There's not just one kind of horse or one kind of big cat or even one kind of human being. Life can only thrive in diversity, and it coexists in a delicate balance. The cat kills the mouse, the mouse breeds hundreds of babies in order to ensure that at least one survives. If the cat is killed, the mouse quickly overwhelms the system and widespread destruction occurs. Balance. It takes male and female to create life. Without one, the other cannot reproduce. Whether it is a plant, insect, animal or human, it takes both to ensure survival.

Differences are to be celebrated. Diversity is to be striven for. A balance of contrasting energies produces harmony and ensures growth. It is sameness that brings Chaos. It is sameness that prevents growth and the only thing that does grow is dead. Is that what we really want?

Personal truths should never be imposed on another under any circumstance. Discuss them, debate them, go to town but never, ever force them on someone else. It is up to each person to decide whether or not someone else's personal truth has any application to his or herself. We each of us have our own path to follow and while having companions on that path is nice, ultimately, we all have to walk it alone.

As for my spiritual downtimes, I realized that I needed those times to integrate the energies and knowledge I learned into my subconsious. Let it worm it's way into my heart to be accepted or rejected as I deemed fit. If I had to do that consciously, I would have no time to deal with what we call "real life". The Universe knows what it's doing, it's time we all recognize that, including myself.

Maintenence update and things to come

I just switched comments access from registered users to anyone with a Google account. I didn't want to go anonymous because that only encourages trolls, and quite honestly, I'm tired of the Stupid prevalent on the Internet. Also, I didn't want to go with members of this blog only, because that seemed a bit exclusive and I want this blog to be inclusive, not reserved for some kind of elite. Unfortunately, forcing people to register with Blogger was a bit much for my taste and that left only one other option. Oh well. It is what it is, and learning to accept that prevents the unnecessary burning of a lot of energy.

This is subject to change without notice. The Stones of Mother Earth is an experiment, and I will adapt as the experiment plays out.

PLEASE NOTE: I reserve the right to publish any emails sent to me via this blog or related to it in any way, shape or form. If you don't want what you have to say to be public, then don't say it in private. It's that simple.

Still waiting on the shipment of crystals to further my exploration of the so-called Synergy Twelve stones. So far, this has been a very expensive investigation, which is one of my issues with the whole idea. More on that later. The one stone I have not been able to secure is the so-called Satyaloka Quartz. Partially because I'm going to be damned if I'm going to pay nose bleed prices for what looks like a plain piece of quartz hardly longer then the first joint of my thumb. The investigation might have to continue without the Satyaloka.

I have secured several pieces of Azeztulite, one white, two gold, and one pink as well as a piece of the so-called Rosophia stone. I tried to take a picture of them so I could remember what they are as sometimes I do forget the names of some of the more obscure stones in my collection. What was interesting is that all the pictures came out a solid white. Never had that happen with a digital camera before. A definite "hmmm" moment, especially since I tested the camera on one of my cats and the picture came out fine. I will try again later.

Another interesting occurrence: it was the Rosophia stone that inspired the start of this blog. I was handling it when a phrase came to me that was rather startling considering the history of Rosophia. When I'm ready to start talking about Azeztulite and the Synergy Twelve stones, it will probably be the first sentence of the blog.

I would also like to discuss the nature of Faith and the power of the human mind at some point, except I'm not too sure how to approach it. Who can define Faith? It's the kind of thing I know what is is when I see it but putting it into left brain, logic center, written words is not so easy. I just know this: True Faith doesn't make you prove it exists. It just is. If you have to prove it? You don't have it. The human mind can convince itself of anything: that is its greatest gift and its greatest fault. Treat what it tells you with extreme care. Listen to your heart and the quiet voice deep inside of you, the vague sense of Right driving you to do one thing in spite of what your "logical" mind tells you. If you have to explain or justify your actions, chances are it's an illusion of your mind, not your heart.

The importance of grounding

When the acorn sprouts, one of the first things it does is to put down roots. As the young oak grows to maturity, the roots spread and dig deeper into the earth to support the weight and life of the tree. In this way, it stays grounded, facing wind, flood and storm without falling. It takes a lot to fell a fully established oak tree. Not even lighting can guarantee success, and if it is cut with a chainsaw, sometimes it will grow again, a new tree fed and supported by an established root system. Only if the roots are destroyed, will the tree be truly killed. Without the roots, it cannot live and thrive.

Ever try to jump floating in the middle of a pool? You can't do it beyond a pathetic little bob in the water. Why is that? Have you ever wondered? It's because your legs have no purchase. Without being able to push off from the ground, you get nowhere. Like the oak tree, you need a firm foundation on which to stand before you even hope to reach for the sky.

Grounding. It's a word we hear a lot when dealing with crystals. The importance of grounding. How to ground. Why, whatfor and wherefor? And yet, so few people seem to understand the importance, method and feel of being grounded; even fewer actually engage in it. Why is that? Why is it that most expensive crystals out there, described as powerful, spiritually advanced and enlightening, are also somehow associated with upper chakras and shooting off to never-never land? While the humble hematite remains affordable and forgotten?

There is such a thing as a crystal high. I once said, "Who needs drugs when we have moldavite?" I was joking, but there is a certain amount of truth to that. Who does need drugs when they have moldavite? If all you are looking for is that high, you don't need to go further then that. If you want more? Well, then, it's a little more complicated.

Everybody wants the high. Everybody wants to go flying in the astral, speak with their guides, seek the Masters, leave the Earth and never come back. Everybody might as well be fluff floating in the wind. Their deluding themselves that they are reaching spiritual growth or they get frustrated with a lack of progress. It's too hard! This doesn't work! It's all smoke and mirrors, scams and pixie dust!

They haven't grounded.

You can't take off and fly without having something to push off from. You can't truly achieve the astral, etc without first reaching down deep into the Earth and establishing a strong connection. Indeed, you're playing with fire if you don't. You might find yourself stuck somewhere without the ability to come back and I suspect, this is why it is a lot harder and less comprehensive to attempt anything with crystals without first grounding yourself. I believe there is a kind of safety net involved. Oh, you might get a taste, you might even be allowed some success without grounding -- it would be a good way to encourage what you are doing -- but you'll never truly achieve full success until you learn to plant yourself first. Like the oak tree whose roots stretch deep into our Mother.

Like the crystals that form deep within Her heart. What? Did you think the pretty rocks were born in the clouds?