On being the Light and the Salvation of the World

   I found myself nearly three weeks "behind" on my study in a Course in Miracles. Lessons #70 and #71 states the truth of being: "My salvation comes from me. It cannot come from anywhere else", and "Only God's plan for salvation will work." I realized that the timing was perfect and "on fleck" for my life today.
   Last night my husband mentioned that he noticed that the school across the street has been playing "Chandelier" by Sia on the P.A. system for the past week or so. I responded that I noticed it, too, and I was feeling some kind of way about it. Sure the song is catchy and her voice is heavenly in the upper register, but we both felt that this was not the best musical diet to be feeding young minds first thing in the morning (or anytime for that matter). Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE music. I sang in the elementary school chorus and learned to play the piano. In junior high I learn to play alto saxophone and was in one of the best marching and concert bands in the state in high school. I currently belly dance and I'm the music coordinator for our troupe. I have about 2000 songs on my ipod of nearly every genre imaginable. I am also trained in sound therapy and have an understanding of how music affects the mind and body.
   I love popular music as much as the next person, but as someone who compiles music for family-friendly shows and for mixed cultural audiences, I have become keenly sensitive to lyrics. I have to be mindful of the message and mood of a piece of music that I dance to, especially if it is not in English. Just because a piece of music is fast-paced doesn't mean it is a happy song.
   So I wondered to myself, "Are we the only ones that have noticed this and feel this way? Why hasn't someone said anything?" And then I realized that my mission this morning, should I choose to accept it, is to be that someone! Then the voices of the ego began... "Why should I say anything? My children have not attended this school in over 10 years." My husband was still home so I asked, "Honey, can you take these printed lyrics to the school for me?" He replied, "I'm sorry; I don't have time." "Come on; you're already running late. What's a few more minutes?" Then it struck me, "Dang it! If it's to be, it's up to me!" So I quickly brushed my teeth, threw on some clothes, and dashed out of the house sans coffee.
   I patiently waited in line at the main office while other parents checked in their tardy children. My first inclination was to blast the teacher with sarcasm saying, "Do you really think promoting alcohol as an escape is an appropriate message for young people?!" But I kept thinking "sugar, not vinegar". Then when it was my turn I calmly and sweetly presented my case. I told her that I appreciated the school's efforts to play upbeat, motivational music in the morning like "Happy", but I had concerns about "Chandelier", and that I respectfully request that you reconsider playing it, as I handed the teacher the lyrics printed in 14-point Verdana font.
   I left feeling a bit satisfied, although not knowing the outcome. Kevin said, "Thank you". Will the teachers, Principal, and Vice Principal even take the time to read the lyrics or will it end up in the proverbial round file? Would I just be considered a meddling community member? And even if they did read it, would they continue to play the song anyway? But that doesn't matter and that's not the point. The point is I was given a divinely inspired idea I was bold and courageous enough to take action on it. And that is all that any of us are called to do on a daily basis.
Lesson 71 contains a prayer that Oprah uses and that I have adopted in recent months. It asks God to reveal his plan to us saying: "What would you have me do? Where would you have me go? What would you have me say, and to whom? Perhaps you will make this your daily prayer. And by acting on the answer given you become the light and salvation of the world.
 

Crystal Support for Mercury Retrograde

    Ah, Mercury retrograde...It's a time we love to hate. It gets blamed for all the major and minor annoyances of our lives.  In case you are not into astrology (and I only know enough to be dangerous), a Mercury retrograde is when from our viewpoint on Earth the planet Mercury appears to be moving backwards in its orbit in the sky. (The same thing happens when you pass a car on the highway. The other car seems to move backwards in respect to your car.) Mercury retrograde occurs 3X a year, and lasts about 3 weeks, although its effects can be felt much longer. The planet Mercury rules both Gemini and Virgo. Mercury is known as the messenger of the gods. Thus Mercury rules the mind, mental processes, communication, travel, and commerce. So when Mercury is doing its little backwards dance, many have challenges in these areas which is often experienced as lost emails, faxes, or mail, travel delays or cancellations, computers telephones, and other electronics acting wonky, missed appointments, and miscommunication. And depending on the sign it is retrograde in (at the time of this writing it is in Pisces and will be going back into Aquarius), some may be more sensitive to its energies than others. Since Mercury is my sun sign's ruling planet sometimes I wish I could just remain in bed under the covers until it is over. But that is not practical or possible; life must go on. But instead of cussing and freaking out, look at this time as a gift of rest and healing. Just as tides come in and go out and seasons come and go, recognize this as just another energy cycle and learn to work with it. The keys words for Mercury retrograde begin with the prefix re: redo, review, reflect, repair, re-evaluate, regroup, etc. And there are various crystals and gemstones that can support you at this time. 

    One very helpful stone is Chinese fluorite. Fluorite is great for all mental processes: decision making, test taking, and organizing your thoughts.

    Although not a crystal, one amulet that I wear constantly is the Winged Liberty or Mercury dime, which is 90% silver. Silver is a soothing, cooling metal that is aligned with lunar, feminine energy. Silver is also very protective. In hoodoo, a silver dime is worn around the ankle on a thin chain for protection. if the chain breaks or the dime turns black, it indicates that there is spiritual work being done against you. Since silver turns black in the presence of sulfur, which is an ingredient in hot foot powder and goofer dust, it acts as a warning. 

    Blue lace agate is another calming stone that you can wear or carry for peace in stressful situations. Blue lace agate will also help you to communicate more clearly.

    Emerald is a heart chakra stone that is good for love, harmony, and healing. It also assists communication, intuition, and decision making. It is also very soothing for the eyes.

    Amazonite is a beautiful blue-green feldspar that helps you to tap into your inner warrior. It's color spans the throat and heart chakras, thus it helps you to speak your truth boldly but with love. 

    Malachite is a beautiful dark green stone with distinctive bands and circles that's good for protection against the evil eye. It also absorbs EMFs (electromagnetic frequencies), thus it is good to place around televisions, computers, and telephones. It can also be placed in the cash register to draw business. 

    Hematite with it's high iron content is one of the best grounding and protecting stones. It helps to stabilize you, deflect negativity, and aid mental clarity, focus, and concentration.

    Sodalite is a lovely dark blue stone with white veins. Sodalite is wonderful for grounding and stilling the mind. Sodalite can help with focus, concentration, and organizing one's thinking. Rest laying down with a piece of sodalite on your forehead after you come home from work to release the stress and tension of your day. You can also place it near televisions and computers to absorb EMFs.

    These are just a few of the gemstones that can be used to manage any stress you may experience during this time. 

New Year New Moons

    We are approaching the second new moon of the first month of 2014. The second new moon in a month is called a black moon (the 2nd full moon in a month is called a blue moon). For some, the black moon is considered to be a special time where any spiritual workings are seen as more powerful and effective. This new moon, as well as the new moon earlier this month, is also considered a supermoon. A supermoon is a new or full moon at perigee, or close to Earth. Since we cannot see a new moon, this doesn't seem to make the news as much as a full supermoon, which can be seen in all it's brilliance. But those living near the ocean may observe larger than usual tides, though. There will be three full supermoons in 2014: July, August, and September, with the one in August being the closest.

    This new moon will occur on Thursday, January 30, 2014, at 4:39 p.m. EST at approximately 11 degrees Aquarius. I also noticed that the date 1/30/2014 equals the master number 11. This new moon will be a great time to to truly begin to express youir authentic self and follow your intuitive hunches. This new moon also supports sharing your uniquely Divine intelligence with the world and using your special skills, gifts, talents and abilities for the upliftment of the energy of the planet. The moon's sextile to Uranus amps up and reinforces the lunar energy encouraging you to "let your freak flag fly", as astrologer Benjamin Bernstein likes to say.

    The Sabian symbol of 11 degrees Aquarius is "Man tete-a-tete with his imagination", from The Sabian Symbols and Psychologigical Analysis by Blaine Bovee, p.200. Tete-a-tete literally means "head to head". And this image symbolizes the experience of a person being inspired to higher wisdom or creativity. This is the great meeting of the minds-- the self with the Higher Self, a person having a heart-to-heart conversation with his soul. This is the inward experience of receiving divine inspiration, ideas, and flashes of insight. And these ideas are coming directly from the Light into the crown chakra. I love the wording of the Sabian symbol from the "This Week in Astrology" podcast: “During a silent hour, a man receives a new inspiration which may change his life.” So we have the opportunity during this time for for deep transformation, release, and healing if we ask for it. 

    This post would not be complete without discussing gemstones to help you tap into the energy of this lunation. The energy of Aquarius is revolutionary, unpredictable, intuitive, and unique. Aquarians tend to march to their own drumbeat. Even though Aquarius is the sign of the water bearer, it is actually an air sign. So here are a few stones to tap into the flow of the elements of air and water. Blue apatite helps us to connect to high levels of spiritual guidance. It helps open the throat chakra, aiding us in public speaking and group communication. Aquamarine is a calming stone that quiets the mind allowing one to hear the voice of the Divine. It also promote self expression and encourages service to humanity. Larimar is a stone that deepens meditation encourages spiritual evolution. It also fascilitates communication with other realms. Amethyst is a stone of spirituality and transformation. It is one of the best crystals for aiding meditation and dream recall. Chrysocolla is a lovely blue-green stone with a gentle, harmonious vibe. It helps strengthen communication and self-expression and opens psychic vision. Moonstone is a wonderful crystal for tapping into lunar energy. Its energy helps strengthen intuition and enhances creativity. And angelite, as its name suggests, is a powerful stone that helps us to communicate with the angelic kingdom. Its soothing energy also helps you to speak your truth in a gentle manner. So with these stone allies let us set the intention to grow into our greatness.

Crystals for Self Discovery

Many countries celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival on October 12, 1492, in the Americas, as an official holiday. It became a federal holiday in the United States in 1937, and as a child I always enjoyed having that day off school. As I got older and studied history, I began to question the cultural myth that surrounded this holiday. The first question to come up was, "Why do we celebrate Columbus' discovery of America when he never set foot on the North American continent? Shouldn't a day go to Amerigo Vespucci, who this country is named after?" The second question comes reading Ivan Van Sertima's book They Came Before Columbus: "How can someone claim to discover a new world that already has inhabitants and that the Africans and Norse had already visited. But at any rate, here we are and today I'd like to discuss a few stones that can help us on our voyage of self discovery.
   Moonstone is a beautiful stone connected to the moon, femininity, and intuition. Just as the moon has no light of its own, but reflects the light of the sun, moonstone causes us to be introspective and reflect. It calls us to go within and take a look at our emotional triggers and calms the mind and spirit.
   Malachite was once called the "midwife stone", so it can be a powerful ally in birthing the authentic Self. You can do this by gazing at the stone. Since malachite has many swirls, lines, and beautiful patterns, this stone helps us to bring our unconscious behavior patterns to the surface and dissolve those that no longere serve us. This stone shows you what is blocking your spiritual growth and helps you break unwanted habits.
   Another stone associated with the power of the moon is selenite. Selenite is named after the Greek moon goddess Selene and it does an excellent job of bringing pure light into the auric field. Like clear quartz it helps clear the mind and open up the crown chakra higher wisdom and guidance. Selenite is a great stone to use for meditation or spiritual work. And it has a strong cleansing and purifying energy.
   Next to clear quartz, amethyst is probably the most popular and versatile gemstone available. It is a wonderful comnpanion along life's spiritual journey. Amethyst helps to deepen meditation in order to gain insight and understanding. You can wear amethyst jewelry to improve memory, set realistic goals, and aid decision making. Derived from a Greek word meaning "not drunk", amethyst helps a person to maintain focus and take a sober look at his/her reality. It is also a good stone for dream work.
  Obsidian is an amorphous stone, meaning it has no definite shape. It is volcanic glass; lava that has cooled so quickly that it did not have time to crystalize. Thus it will help you to go beyond any of the boundaries that you have created for yourself. Obsidian combines the powers of both fire and earth energies. It acts like a magic mirror, uncovering what is hidden, exposing flaws, weaknesses and blockages. It reveals the truth about the self and supports you in making needed changes. I often tell people that it is best to use this stone in small doses: 3-7 days at a time, and work closely with a coach, theripist, or counselor. If you are brave enough to face your own shadow, this stone will give a deep soul healing.
  So there you have it; a few crystal tools to help you explore the depths of your soul  and mine the greatest treasure ever: knowledge of self.

 Gemstones for the Workplace
    In the US, Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of their country. Labor day also has an added meaning for me since my son was born over Labor Day weekend but you'll have to wait for my upcoming book where I discuss crystals for fertility, healthy pregnancy, and labor). I want to talk about stones that support the following 5 key areas that lead success at work: motivation, cooperation, clear communication, creativity, and productivity. I'll also talk about which stones can be used to relieve stress at work, and also provide protection. You can boost your performance at work by either wearing these stones as jewelry, placing them in a small dish on your desk, or placing them between you and your computer monitor.
   You can use various red stones to help you with energy and motivation. Garnet is great to carry with you to help you overcome that mid-afternoon slump and gives you the energy to get you through to quitting time. According to the Crystal Bible v.1, square cut garnets are said to bring success in business matters, p. 136. Red and yellow jasper can help you to put your ideas into action. Fire agate helps to boost your energy, preventing burn-out. Pyrite, citrine, yellow calcite, and flourite are all stones that help stimulate creativity. Fluorite nalso helps with decision making and organization. And Tiger's eye with its combination of gold and brown helps you see your worth, increases the focus needed you to accomplish your golals, and manifests your will.
     Clusters are great to have around the office. Clusters have multiple points that grow out of a single base. They remind me of a family or community joined together by a common foundation, for a single purpose. A clusters are excellent stones for enhancing group energy, for team building or negotiations. They can radiate energy into an area and absorb harmful, unwanted energy. You can place a cluster in the center of a meeting table so that everyone works together harmoniously.
   Blue and blue-green stones are wonderful for clear communication. Wear a pendant with blue lace agate, chalcedony, ammazonite, or turquiose. You can also place these on or around the phone to encourage clients to call.
   The following stones can be used around your computer to help shield you from EMF, or electromagnetic frquencies: black tourmaline, malachite, rutilated quartz, smokey quartz, hematite, tourminalated quartz, and amethyst.
   Amethyst clusters are becoming a common site in the workplace. Amethyst is not only attractive, but is protective, and calming. Other calming stones to keep nearby are lepidolite, blue lace agate, and rose quartz.
   Various black stones such as black tourmaline, jet, onyx, and hematite are great protection stones to have on hand when you feel you are under attack by a boss or a co-worker. You can place these in a small dish on your desk to act as a shield or barrier. Or you can wear inexpensive hematite jewelry that is very popular as well as stylish. Hematite also helps with grounding, focus, clear thinking, and detail  & technical work. Ammonite, which is a fossil, is protective and absorbs negativity. Because of its sacred geometry, it is believed to bring order and stabilty to your life.
   Ocean jasper, larimar, aquamarine, coral, and shells bring in the calming, soothing energies of the sea. Place them in a break room  or a quiet spot in your office, along with a few nice plants, and it's like taking a mini tropical vacation!
  So there you have it: a wide variety of gemstones and crystals to choose from to improve your work environment as well as your performance. So spend your Labor Day in ease and flow.

Here Comes the Sun!
   Happy Summer Solstice to All! I was very blessed to wake up very early today to praise the Divine Creator and to be thankful for all the good things in my life. I am always amazed and in awe of how the Divine shows up in circumstances and the people that I meet. I had planned to take a little cat nap before getting ready for work, but the call of the sun was just too strong! I hopped out of bed to see that the light at 6:35 a.m. looked as radiant to me as the noonday sun! So to honor the sun at its height, on this longest day of the year, I would like to discuss a few stones that encapsulate and ground the energy of the sun to me. Many of the stone I'll be discussing have an affinity for the 3rd or solar plexus chakra. This chakra’s element is fire and its main color is yellow. This is the energy center that concerns the will, self-esteem, intellect, personal power, physical energy and vitality. The solar energy (sol=sun=soul) is the core of your being. Your sun sign is how you identify yourself, your dominant personality. There would be no life, no you, without the sun. When you are tapped into your sun, your Source, you literally light up the room with your presence! It's that "sunny disposition" that people talk about. You have an infinite reserve of creativity. I often tell people if they feel depressed wear something yellow. It is impossible to stay sad when you are rockin' bright yellow!
   You cannot talk about the sun without talking about sunstone. Sunstone is a feldspar; it is a member of the same family as its sister moonstone. Sunstone may be a little harder to find and a bit more expensive, but if you can get it, it is worth it! When the light hits it just right you can see the flashes of fire contained within it! Sunstone is linked to luck and good fortune. Sunstone instills good nature, heightens intuition and allows the real self to shine through happily.  It acts as an antidepressant, increases self-worth and confidence, and encourages optimism and enthusiasm. Believed to be a piece of the sun, sunstone was prized by ancient magicians, who used it to attract the strength of the sun and it's associated power and wealth.
   A golden, sunny favorite that I have been working a lot with lately is citrine. Citrine is a member of the quartz family whose color ranges from pale golden to brown. It gets its name from the French word for lemon. Natural citrine is somewhat rare. Most citrine on the market is heat-treated amethyst, but the properties are the same. Check out Hibiscus Moon's latest blog entitled "Is Your Citrine Real or Fake & Does it Matter?" to get a detailed explanation on citrine is formed. http://hibiscusmooncrystalacademy.com/citrine-real-fake/ Citrine is one of the few stones that never needs cleaning, since it is able to automatically transmute negative energy to positive. Citrine, like all yellow stones corresponds to the solar plexus chakra, and is assoc. with creativity, self-esteem, and optimism. Because of its golden color, citrine is also known as the merchant stone, said to bring a person wealth and success. Citrine is a great stone for detoxification. A gem elixir can help you to eliminate toxins and excess weight. It is also great to wear while clutter clearing. It helps you to release those things that you no longer need.
  Yellow or Golden Topaz is a stone to manifest your intentions in alignment with Divine Will. Topaz is one of the twelve breastplate stones of the High Priest of Israel referred to in the Book of Exodus. It sends out positive energy to yourself and to all who needs it around you. I once recommended this stone along with amber to a friend to wear so that she could have success in a court procedure. She came back a couple days later to ask, "What did you do to me? Ever since I've been wearing these bracelets, I cannot get mad! People cut me off in traffic and it doesn't bother me. My boyfriend will say or do something, and I get hot for a minute; but I cannot stay mad at him!" All I could do was look at her and smile. Golden or Imperial Topaz recharges your spiritual battery and increases your energy level.
   Another breastplate stone is Peridot, also known as Chrysolite, a variety of Olivine. It's lovely apple green color works on both the solar plexus and the heart chakra. Peridot is a powerful cleanser; it releases and neutralizes toxins.  It alleviates jealousy, that green-eyed monster, along with resentment, spite, bitterness, hatred and greed.   It is the birthstone of those summer babies born under the sign of Leo. It enhances confidence and assertion, motivating growth and change. But you can wear this stone to bring out your best whether it's your birthstone or not.
   Tiger's eye is another stone that shines with the light of the sun due to it's inclusion of asbestos. Tiger's eye is a stone of protection and manifestation. With it's combination of heavenly gold and earthy brown, it has the power to focus the mind, bringing the golden ideas of the divine onto the earth into form. Tiger's Eye is said to bring luck and money, but only if we ACT on the creative ideas that we get from Spirit. So "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." James 2:17 NIV. Tiger's eye helps to strengthen your courage, willpower, and confidence. The gold light from the crown chakra meets the brown light of the earth chakra at the center, at the heart chakra, helping you to feel more grounded, centered and balance, and less emotional.
   Next, orange calcite has strong energizing and cleansing properties. Orange Calcite can be used to get the positive energy of sexuality and creativity moving and flowing! It assists in moving stuck energy from the solar plexus. Orange Calcite offers protection, increases happiness and vitality. Placing this stone in a room, holding or wearing it as jewelry or placing it in your pocket, can help remove stagnant energy bringing light, joy and happiness into your life.
   These are just a few stones that can help you get in touch with the energy of the sun today. They'll have you, in the words of Jill Scott, "Living your life like it's golden"!

Gardening with Crystals

  June is here and many people now have their gardens up and running. The spring blossoms have started to give way to a hearty, vibrant green as we gear up for summer. Ah, those long hot days which are needed for many of the fruits and vegetables we will be harvesting in the fall. I am looking forward to restarting my square foot garden, something I haven’t done since I left my home in Norfolk, VA, back in the year 2000. Crystals and stones are gifts of the earth so it is natural that they have a place in the garden. They can be utilized not only to beautify and create boundaries, but also to support the growth of healthy plants. Here are just a few that you can use in the yard or garden to make it a sacred space.

   Tree agate is a very useful for healing the environment and supporting the growth of trees and plants of all kinds. You can tell that just by looking at it. It is a beautiful white stone with green branches throughout it. You can place it around the garden area to encourage germination and growth. This stone also increases your connection with the earth, and deepens your rapport with all living things. You can keep a piece in your pocket while hiking in the woods for protection as well.

  Similarly, Moss Agate is another gemstone for enhancing your connection with nature.  Moss Agate is associated with healing, new beginnings, and abundance. This gentle, nurturing stone encourages you to appreciate and enjoy time spent outdoors, and assists the planet in its healing as well. Wear a piece of moss agate while gardening to help you tune into the energies of your garden. Put Moss Agate around plants in the ground or a plant pot to encourage growth and a healthy harvest. Moss Agate can be used to send healing energy to the Earth or the healing energy of the Earth to others. Moss agate is often used to attract prosperity and abundance.

  Another crystal useful in the garden is Green Calcite. Green Calcite is a pale, somewhat waxy green stone that is said to belong to the small earth spirits of the woods and meadows. Offering a small stone with thanks to these elementals can result in a lush and beautiful garden. Green calcite is also a healing stone. You can place green calcite in a flowerpots or around trees to bring peace and calm to the area.

   Malachite is another green stone that is useful in the garden. Malachite is considered a “birthing” stone that can assist midwives in their work. With its patterns of swirls and lines Malachite helps to release old habits and promote forgiveness. The Ancient Egyptians used malachite as a fertility symbol and it was associated with vegetation, agriculture and healthy crops. Its rich green color makes Malachite is a stone of balance, abundance, and healing. It is also a protective stone, absorbing the negative energies of electromagnetic frequencies emitted from power lines, TVs, phones, and computers. Placing this stone in the garden as well as around the house will help protect your home from these influences.

     Jade also helps us connect to earth energies. Jade is a sacred stone of China, but it is known worldwide as a stone of wealth, wisdom, health, long life, and overall good luck. It has been carved into various animal images, Buddhas and other deities. Wear jade while gardening or bury pieces around the border of the garden to help plants to grow strong and healthy. Jade will bring peace, love, tranquility and serenity to your garden space.

   Green Aventurine is another stone for abundance, good luck, healing and growth. It helps to brings balance to the heart and body. It can be used to attract wealth and abundance when carried in a pouch. Wear it while gardening to help you attune to the spirits of nature, or place in the garden as an offering to them.

   Green tourmaline also helps to strengthen our physical bodies as well as our connection to the planet. Tourmaline is known for its ability to absorb large amounts of harmful energy from those who wear it as well as the environment. Therefore, it is very protective. Like many green stones green tourmaline is healing and allows us to live in greater harmony with the environment. Its green color is attuned to the heart chakra center, deepening our relationship with the natural world. It can also be used to attract money and success.

    If you are an artsy, creative type, you can string crystals to make sun catchers or agate slices to make wind chimes and hang them from trees. I wish you much success in creating the garden of your dreams.