Amethyst Yoga and Healing with Kaye Oakley - Precious Gems Blog

Crystals for Calm

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 22:55:49 GMT

Crystal support to help you feel calm

Crystals for calm - a new series for the silly season (or any season where you want to feel calmer)!

I thought that it would be a good time to do a series on crystals that I love to use to support me to feel a bit more calm. I can't guarantee that it will make the silly season more serene, but I know that they help me!

And of course amethyst must lead the way.

1. Amethyst

Since all the way back to ancient Greece (in fact, the name itself comes from the Greek, essentially meaning “not intoxicated”. The ancient Greeks believed that it protected the user from drunkenness. I don’t recommend trying that), amethyst has been used as a stone of protection and healing at all levels – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

It can help us to feel a sense of calm in times of stress and help us connect to our inner resources. With its calming and soothing qualities, many of us place it under our pillow to help have a calm sleep and pleasant dreams. Banded amethyst, chevron amethyst or Thunder Bay amethyst in Canada also include white quartz – so this form of amethyst can be even more grounding, and is great for placing under your pillow too (I’ve given banded amethyst hearts to a few clients and friends for just this purpose).

It is a fantastic stone for meditation, intuition, and connecting to higher intention and spirit. If you use it this way, I suggest that you cleanse and charge it often so it’s at its best.

I hope that any amethyst in your life is helping you feel a little calmer today.

2. Amazonite

One of the things I’m trying to do with this series is to include photos of my own favourite stones that I feel help me to feel calm (among other things). This is a gorgeous bit of amazonite that I have had since during lockdown, which has been quietly helping me keep things together.

Amazonite is a beautiful stone and is believed to be associated with the heart and the throat chakras. In crystal healing, it is said to help to calm fear and anxiety, and to bring balance and harmony.

I also like it as a stone to help us to calmly but clearly speak our truth, and to help us remember what belongs to us, and what doesn’t; to help us have balanced but clear boundaries, while staying true to what’s in our hearts.

Do you like Amazonite? How do you like to use it?

3. Blue Calcite

The blue calcite in the image is one of my favourite things and lives next to my laptop. When I’m working, or if I’m online in a meeting, it’s close to hand. It fits beautifully into my palm and I can hold it to help me feel calmer and more collected.

Blue calcite is known as a stone of relaxation, restoration and support for pain relief. It is also a lovely stone for the throat chakra, helping us communicate in a way that is clear, calm and supports harmony.

And I just think it’s beautiful. If you have some, you might like to hold onto it when times feel rough and chaotic.

4. Aquamarine

I don’t own an aquamarine like the one in this photo, although I’m on the lookout for one. The ones I’ve been able to get my hands on have been more sort of pale greenish-blueish blobby type things and are less exciting to look at. But looks are less important than the energy of the thing.

I like aquamarine as a stone that helps us to trust ourselves and our knowing deeply. I see it as a stone that helps us to know what we know, as it were.

Aquamarine is known as a stone of courage with calm – it has even been used in ancient times as a talisman against drowning (this is before lifeboats and GPS locators).

It has been known to calm the mind by means of quietening it down to focus only on what matters. This can mean that we have a better understanding of the way forward, we can communicate it better, and we can close doors that are no longer ours to walk through.

5. Blue Lace Agate

In terms of calming stones, I think this is one of the most potent. It's blue lace agate, a form of agate with blue and white bands. The image here also has a druzy centre, which is kind of cool.

I see blue lace agate as being one of the gentlest of all stones energetically. It is calming, soothing, and a lovely stone if you're feeling stressed.

Like all blue stones, blue lace agate particularly resonates with the throat chakra. So it might be a stone to work with if you’re finding it difficult to express yourself or allow yourself to be heard.

Working gently (as agates tend to) it can help you to feel stable and slowly build your confidence, especially with public speaking.

Do you like blue lace agate? How do you use it?

6. Moonstone

Moonstone is another of those crystals that is actually a bunch of different stones – well, different in appearance, anyway. They can have wildly different appearances – rainbow moonstone, peach moonstone, black moonstone, regular moonstone and others. The ones in the picture above are (from top left to right - black moonstone, rainbow moonstone, regular moonstone, peach moonstone). What makes them all “moonstones” is that they are geologically what is known as orthoclase feldspars. They are quite common and can be found in the US, Canada, Switzerland, Norway – but they are most commonly found in Madagascar. Moonstones – especially the ones with a blue sheen – are also known as “adularia”. This is because they have been commonly found on Mount Adular, in Switzerland. This is also the source for the name of the sparkly sheen that you see, especially on blue or clear moonstones – it is known as “adularescence”, which is a truly fabulous word.

As the name suggests, these stones are associated with romance, intuition, divine feminine, empathy and dreaming. Moonstones are also known as a stone that can help you dream new dreams and bring new beginnings into your life.

Moonstone has been used to help develop clairvoyance (or clair-anything, really) and psychic abilities. It can help to balance masculine and feminine energies, but to ensure that the divine feminine is not neglected or forgotten.

It can help to calm emotional instability and to stabilise emotions when they are out of whack. It can help us to remember empathy and to look at things from the perspective of emotional intelligence, rather than purely from reason.

Most stones like a bit of a charge under the full moon, but moonstones in particularly really benefit from it. I feel like they get “tired” as the lunar cycle wanes, so they may need to be charged with reiki or white light at these times (or given a rest!).

Although I have a goofy habit of wearing moonstones around the full moon, some women may find that their energy is “too much” at this time – if you find yourself getting over emotional, or feeling the emotions of others, it might be time to swap out your moonstones for something more grounding.

What’s your favourite moonstone? How do you like to use it?

7. Chrysoprase

Just looking at this stone makes me feel calmer ��

Chrysoprase has a variety of colours, but mostly around a kind of apple green. It can be opaque or quite luminescent. Australia has some amazing chrysoprase – the image in the photo is one that I bought from a group based in Western Australia, and it’s even prettier in person.

It is a stone of connection with the divine and feeling into wholeness and oneness. It’s said to help us to learn how to be faithful to our own hearts, truth and all of our relationships.

It’s a beautiful calming stone supporting an ability to look at things from a different and more creative perspective. It helps us to live in alignment with our values rather than acting impulsively.

I find it a beautiful stone to support compassion and forgiveness – even of our very own selves.

Some have also found it to be a powerful stone for detoxification and support the liver – I haven’t used it that way (and prefer other stones for detoxification), but I would caution having it around the digestive organs too much if you have any sensitivities there. That said, in its elixir form it has been known to support stress-related stomach issues.

Chrysoprase has been used by many to help them get a restful night’s sleep, and also to help with nightmares.

And I just think it’s super pretty. Do you like chrysoprase? How do you like to use it?

8. Angelite

And with angelite we come to the end of this series. There are oodles and oodles of crystals that you could use to support calm, but I decided to limit myself to eight and angelite seems like a lovely place to end.

Angelite pretty much does what you would think it would do from the name. It is a fairly common stone, usually blue/white, occasionally with some red flecks (I’ve never seen that, but apparently it’s out there!).

It is a stone of peace, awareness and serenity. It is much loved as a stone to support connection to the higher realms (including the angelic realm, if that’s your jam) – but preventing you from floating so far off with the pixies that you’re unable to function like an earth-bound human being.

It has been used to help us to move beyond pain into wholeness and connection; and to connect with compassion both emotionally and carried through our words.

The stone in the picture is one of my favourite treasures and it is currently one of the stones living underneath my pillow.

I hope this series has given you some ideas for how to resource yourself with crystals to support calm. I’d love to hear about your adventures with the stones and how they have helped you.

Crystals for Grounding

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 10:28:03 GMT

Feeling stuck in your head? These crystals might help you come back to earth!

Whether it’s a windy season like Autumn, or just a bit of an unpredictable season in our own lives, grounding is a useful skill to have. There are many ways that we can ground – feeling into our bodies, breathing techniques, yoga, meditation or even drinking water. But if you love your crystals, you might turn to our crystal friends for help.

Here are sixteen crystals that I think are great for grounding. They are in no particular order. This is purely my opinion – others might choose other crystals – but here are some that I really like for grounding for different reasons.

I hope you find this useful!

1. Hematite

Hematite is a much-loved stone for grounding and protection. It is said to help us be more calm in times of stress by absorbing the negativity around us (so cleanse often!) and also by keeping us grounded.

It’s especially helpful to keep our feet on the earth when we’re trying to work on our spiritual development (so we don’t lose track of the real world!).

It is said to promote love and help us to be magnetic! It can also help us to find our inner strength and courage.

Hematite can contain a slight magnetic charge – so it probably isn’t a great choice if you have a pacemaker. The stones that we often see for sale called “magnetic hematite” actually aren’t hematite at all, and should definitely be avoided by those with pacemakers.

2. Black Tourmaline

Black tourmaline is another classic crystal for grounding and protection. Some have described black tourmaline as a stone that creates a shield around us, keeping negative energy out and helping to support a harmonious and safe environment.

You may find it to be such a useful stone if you feel like you need a bit of grounding, vitality, protection and also to help us to feel less anxious.

There are lots of different tourmalines, but black tourmaline is certainly the most common, and definitely one that it is good to have in your kit.

3. Leopardskin Jasper

A stone that I’m really drawn to for grounding is leopardskin jasper.

The late, great Judy Hall (author of The Crystal Bibles) describes jaspers as being the “supreme nurturer”. They all have a lovely grounding, nurturing, supportive energy. They are all known as being particularly supportive during times of stress. Some of the jaspers include – red jasper, mookaite, ocean jasper, yellow jasper, picture jasper and this little bit of yumminess, leopardskin jasper.

Leopardskin jasper has all those nurturing and grounding qualities, as well as being a real stabiliser of energy, insight and strength.

None of the books say this, but I’ve always been drawn to it as a stone that strengthens me to work towards my goals, kind of as a manifestation stone.

It’s super pretty stuff, and if you can get your hand on some, I hope that it helps you feel stronger, more confident, safer and able to stalk your dreams.

4. Obsidian

Obsidian is often known as the “wizard stone” – which right there is a great reason to go out and get yourself some, really. I love it for Autumn (or any time really) because it’s grounding and protective – great for a season of change.

More technically, it’s known as volcanic glass – because that’s where it comes from. It is glossy, usually opaque, and stunning to look at.

Historically it has been used to create weapons and tools (such as arrowheads) – and of course in magical practice since ancient times, as it is believe to enhance latent magical abilities (which is pretty cool).

But the most important use that most of us have for this stone in crystal healing is as a powerful, powerful protective stone. I think of it as sucking up negativity and hostility as well as defending against energetic vampires. For years I wore an obsidian bracelet every day, purely for that purpose – and you can bet I cleansed and charged it every night!

5. Tiger's Eye

Tiger’s eye is a stone that combines the grounded energy of the earth with the hopeful energy of the sun. It’s a great stone to support you to boost your confidence, courage and common sense.

During times when you feel a bit scattered or spacey, it can help you to become more grounded, coherent and down to earth . It’s a great stone to help you slow down and take grounded, inspired action towards your goals.

It is said to help lift a worried or melancholy mood, and to help us in times of fear and anxiety.

I think of it as the ultimate stone for pragmatists who want to feel inspired and connected to source, but with their feet firmly on the ground.

Different types of tiger’s eye have additional qualities. Red tiger’s eye is a stone to help us ramp things up – it is said to speed up metabolism, help fire up the flames of our sex drive, get motivated and put some heat into our creativity and passion.

Blue tiger’s eye has the qualities of regular tiger’s eye, but in a bit more of a calming and gentle way. It’s said to be particularly useful for stress and when we’re feeling a bit quick to anger. Unlike red tiger’s eye, blue tiger’s eye is said to slow the metabolism and cool down aspects of our behaviour that are a bit too fiery.

Gold tiger’s has the qualities of regular tiger’s eye but with a bit more of a focus on the finer details, helping us to act from a place of calm, rational decision-making rather than emotional reactivity.

Hawk’s Eye is yet another form of tiger’s eye (it’s kind of greenish, and super pretty). It has all the qualities of regular tiger’s eye but also helps us to have the hawk’s eye view – helping us to not only see the big picture, but helping us to lift our gaze to see with the eyes of our highest selves.

6. Bloodstone

Bloodstone is a fantastic stone associated with grounding, detoxifying and toning.

It is said to be a stone to support feeling calm and grounded, and also to feel vital and alive.

It’s a great stone for winter, as it is said to bring vitality when we’re feeling slow and sluggish, and help us to see what’s possible when we’re feeling a bit MEH.

Don’t let the name fool you – bloodstone is green rather than red – usually with some red flecks in it.

7. Red Jasper

Red jasper is a great stone to help us ground as the seasons change – especially when things are a bit unpredictable.

Red jasper is known as a gentle, healing stone that works slowly to help us feel grounded, connected to the earth, and move in an organic way into our own healing.

It is seen as a deeply nurturing stone, to help us feel stable, grounded and supported in times of upheaval, and reminds us that we are connected to the earth and to all the beings on it.

It can help us to feel stronger, and connect to our inner courage.

8. Smoky Quartz

If you’re interested in crystals, you definitely need some smoky quartz in your collection. It’s known as a stone that can not only help to banish your nightmares, but also to manifest your dreams.

It works well with all chakras, but is particularly useful for earth and base chakra work. It is a grounding and protection stone, but also help to bring a soothing, grounded energy to all the other energy centres. As an earth chakra stone, it helps us to feel more connected to the earth, and also helps us to want to take care of it.

It is a great grounding and protection stone, and is also said to help with elimination and detoxification. It helps to relieve fear and promote acceptance, and gently dissolves negative emotions.

Smokey quartz can help us to think pragmatically and in a positive way, and to communicate clearly – both with others and with ourselves in meditation.

It can support us to soothe stress and pain – even when it doesn’t dissolve stress or pain, it can help us to tolerate what we need to while we do what we need to do to move forward.

Due to smokey quartz’ popularity, there’s lots of artificially-created ones around. You can usually know which ones these are because they will be more or less black and non-transparent.

Do you like smokey quartz? Or smoky quartz?? I've no idea which it should be, but I'll take either. How do you like to use it?

9. Ocean Jasper

Like all jaspers, ocean jasper is grounding, and nourishing but it carries qualities of the water element as well as the earth.

To me, it’s the perfect stone to support me to go with the flow – but also to take responsibility for my own part in a situation.

It is said to support optimism, grounding, communication (helping it to flow!) and self-esteem.

And it’s good to just stare at the gorgeous stuff!

10. Orthoceras

If you've come to an in person crystal healing or reiki session with me in Chatswood, chances are you've seen me with one of these little pieces of awesomeness. I love them for serious grounding.

The picture shows an orthoceras. It's a fossil of an extinct species of underwater mollusc (a nautiloid cephalopod if you're interested in the scientific term). There were over 2,500 different types of these over a long period of time, so fossils of them are quite common. They were around during the Ordovician bit of the Paleozoic Era, which spanned 41.6 million years from around 484 million years ago. Such numbers boggle the mind.

So these things are ANCIENT.

In crystal healing, I will usually finish an in person session by running one of these up and down your spine to help you to ground and integrate the energies of the session in an embodied, earthbound kind of way. I might use them in a reiki session under your feet (either in person or virtually) to help you stay grounded during the session too.

And they are incredibly cool.

11. Septarian

It’s also known as dragon’s egg, and you can see why. It comes in these amazing looking geodes that look for all the world like they might hatch a dragon (sadly, they do not).

But they’re not completely devoid of ancient life, either. They form from volcanic eruptions which chemically bond dead sea life into a matrix which then forms into nodules or essentially balls of slimy mud. They have an outer grey limestone shell, brown lines made of aragonite (remember that stuff? It’s not just orange, as you’ll recall) and has a yellow calcite centre. Very, very cool.

As one would expect from something that looks like a dragon’s egg, it’s a great stone for giving you confidence, and helping you get focused attention.

It carries that sense of ancientness, helping us to remain patient and tolerant in the face of day-to-day irritations, and to stay calm and able to adapt emotionally as times change.

I bought a lovely piece of septarian at a crystal fair years ago from a sweet old bloke who told me that it was really great for connecting with your ancestors and feeling supported by them. That’s always really resonated with me for septarian. If you're seeking that connection, it might be a stone to support you in that journey.

12. Petrified Wood

Petrified wood is a fossil which is created when the organic matter of a dead tree is replaced over aeons by stone. It is really common stuff – I used to collect rocks as a little girl (yup, I’ve been crazy from an early age) and I was particularly drawn to a funny rock which my school teacher assured me was petrified wood. It is an amazing thing – to hold something in your hand which was once alive but has turned to stone over millennia is awe-inspiring and a bit humbling.

Unsurprisingly, for crystal healing fans, petrified wood is a great grounding stone. It contains the calm and perspective that you too would have if you were still for thousands of years and saw everything come and go and come around again.

It’s been used for calming and also for focus. Some find it helpful for supporting fears and anxieties.

13. Mookaite

Mookaite is really special stuff, and a lovely stone for grounding. From a crystal healing perspective, it’s a stone that can support you if you feel like you need to rebuild yourself from the ground up.

It’s been used to help build strength and feel regenerated, both inside and out. It can be a supportive stone if you need to make decisions and bring in some new ideas and ways of looking at an issue.

It can be grounding and soothing, but it doesn’t just help you keep your feet on the ground, it can be a lovely supportive stone for meditation too.

14. Agates (yup, all of them)

There are a zillion different types of agate (OK, that may not be mathematically accurate, but you get the idea) and they’re all brilliant. I love the energy of agates – they’re so nurturing, soothing, and grounding in their own different ways.

Moss agate, fire agate, crazy lace agate, blue lace agate, flower agate, orca agate, tree agate … the list goes on and on. Not a non-awesome thing among them, is there.

Agates are usually able to be identified because they’re kind of stripey or banded, like the one in the picture.

15. Serpentine

Serpentine is seen as a stone of protection against bad luck and negativity. It is said to help you to open up to greater possibilities in spiritual expansion and to help us to be fertile and a bit juicier – in terms of our creativity, sexuality and energy in general. As a green stone, it is said to resonate with the heart chakra, but I’ve always felt that it has a bit of an earthy energy too.

While serpentine isn't traditionally seen as a grounding stone, to me, it feels very grounding. If your intentions align with the other uses of serpentine and you want to ground, it might be a great stone for you!

16. Black Onyx

The final crystal in this series is onyx – well, specifically black onyx.

Onyx is a fantastic grounding stone and has also been used to help support endurance and strength.

This is my opinion and may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I see onyx as a great stone that kind of embodies Sacred Masculine energy. So the positive spiritual qualities that we might associate with the “masculine” (although I believe we all contain these qualities no matter what our gender is) -decisiveness, courage, strength, resilience, composure – to me, onyx supports all of that!

I’m also drawn to it as a stone that helps us move beyond the pain of the past and into a more positive future with intention.

I hope that you've drawn some good ideas from this list to help you feel a bit more grounded - although there's oodles of other stones that are great for grounding. I'd love to hear about your adventures with them!

Winter crystals I love

Thu, 20 Jun 2024 07:00:22 GMT

Crystals to warm you up and turn inwards

Winter is a time of year when we like to slow down, turn in and tune in. It's a great time for introspection and stillness - but that doesn't mean hibernation and dullness.

I believe that crystals can support us to honour our natural inclinations during the season while also helping us to take care of ourselves and move in the direction of our hearts and dreams. While I don't think that any crystal should only be used at a certain time of the year, here are some suggestions of crystals that I think are particularly useful in winter - and I hope you find them useful too.

Snowflake Obsidian

Snowflake obsidian is a form of obsidian which looks like it has little “snowflakes” in it. These are formed by bits of the mineral cristobalite. Unsurprisingly, it’s a favourite stone for winter.

Although we’re most familiar with the black form of obsidian, there are actually a number of different colours of obsidian available. Energetically, they all share the main qualities of obsidian – for a refresher on what those are, see here: https://www.amethystyogaandhealing.com.au/amethyst-crystal-library-obdisidan

I find snowflake obsidian a great stone for concentration and focus, as well as meditation. I’ve been known to give it to students to help them with their studies!

Like pure snow, it’s a stone which encourages us to release the mental impurities of unhelpful thinking and attachments. It can help us to feel more calm and in particular to cool anger and resentment.

It’s also known as a stone which can help with loneliness – helping us move from loneliness and isolation to solitude and surrender.

Like regular obsidian, the way that it might help you to release that unhelpful stuff is by bringing it up to the surface to be released – so that’s something to be ready for. Also like regular obsidian, it is a stone of grounding and protection, absorbing negativity. This means it’s important to cleanse and charge it regularly if you’re using it!

Amethyst

Is there any time of year when amethyst isn't awesome? There is not. It's a particularly good stone for intuition and insight, so ideal for winter.

It is a member of the quartz family, related to clear quartz and citrine – in fact, much of the citrine that is commercially available is actually the more common amethyst that has been heat-treated (it’s molecularly the same stuff as the natural citrine, and many crystal healers will happily use it in place of the real stuff, which is much more expensive and rare).

It is a fantastic stone for meditation, intuition, and connecting to higher intention and spirit. If you use it this way, I suggest that you cleanse and charge it often so it’s at its best.

Green Calcite

I think the main connection with green calcite for winter is that someone once thought it reminded them of a yule log. But it's a great stone at any time.

All the calcites can be thought of as accelerators - speeding up what you're supporting with them.

So in the case of green calcite, it supports the heart chakra; manifestation; trust and moving through times of change with peace and equanimity.

It helps us to maintain a sense of peace and calm while moving out of our comfort zone. This makes it a great stone for working with when your insight is telling you to move in a certain direction, but you're a bit nervous about taking that first step. Green calcite might be a useful support for moving into those new possibilities.

Snow Quartz

Is it just me, or does it look like you could ski on this stuff?

You can see why it's called snow quartz! And unsurprisingly, it's a particularly lovely stone for winter.

It has a lot of the qualities of clear quartz, but with a somewhat gentler, softer, more feminine energy.

It's also a stone that can help us to look at the world with a sense of innocence and child-like wonder - like walking outside in the morning when the first snow has fallen and everything seems pure, clean, fresh and like anything is possible.

Its gentle energy helps us to stay calm even during life's blizzards.

Bloodstone

People are often surprised to learn that bloodstone is in fact primarily green, usually with some red flecks in it. It's a great stone for winter because it is fortifying, purifying and detoxifying - helping to keep us going even when things are tough.

It is great for grounding negative energy around the body and transmuting it. It is also known for removing energetic blockages and supporting us to feel greater clarity even in times of confusion.

Optical Calcite (also known as Iceland Spar)

This stuff looks like ice, but is definitely more interesting. It's a great stone for winter when we may be drawn to turning inwards, and perhaps looking at things a little differently.

It’s also known as Iceland Spar, which is a very cool name and sounds like it belongs on a Viking ship.

Optical calcite is known for helping us see more clearly and perceive the deeper hidden meanings around you.

You may also like to use it to clear away the negative and amplify the positive, to amplify your intentions and clear away energy blockages. When used with other stones, it is said to double their healing impact.

If you’re having trouble seeing things clearly, optical calcite might be the stone for you.

And it also has this cool property of double refraction – so if you try to read something through it, you’ll see double!

Moonstone

Moonstones are a go to stone for crystal lovers wanting to connect to their insight, intuition and connect with the Divine Feminine. They're a great stone for wintry nights in meditation or ritual.

As you can see from the image, moonstone is one of those crystals that is actually a bunch of different stones – well, different in appearance, anyway. They can have wildly different appearances – rainbow moonstone, peach moonstone, black moonstone, regular moonstone and others. What makes them all “moonstones” is that they are geologically what is known as orthoclase feldspars. They are quite common and can be found in the US, Canada, Switzerland, Norway – but they are most commonly found in Madagascar. Moonstones – especially the ones with a blue sheen – are also known as “adularia”. This is because they have been commonly found on Mount Adular, in Switzerland. This is also the source for the name of the sparkly sheen that you see, especially on blue or clear moonstones – it is known as “adularescence”, which is a truly fabulous word.

Selenite

Again, there is never a bad time for selenite and you can never have too much of the stuff, in my humble opinion. Energetically, it keeps the wolves from the door on cold and dark nights.

It is pretty unique among crystals in that not only do you never need to cleanse or charge it, it can be used to cleanse and charge other crystals. I like to have a few selenite trinket bowls and plates to cleanse and charge stones overnight that I have used through the day.

Some people like to put their selenite out under the full moon for a bit of an extra charge – but I have heard others who have had it literally crack with all that energy!

It is a great stone to keep near your front door or on windowsills to keep out negativity and to act as a bit of a sentinel for protection.

It’s also a great stone for meditation, insight, peace, connecting with source and our purest and highest intentions.

Two cautions though – in the more raw forms it can be really splintery – so take care with it and probably keep it away from children (polished selenite is fine). I've heard that you shouldn't put it under water because it will dissolve, but these days people are starting to say that's nonsense. Am I taking the risk? No, I am not! I met a guy at a crystal fair once who had a theory that the reason no-one can find Atlantis is because when it sunk it was completely made of selenite, so it all dissolved … I’m not sure whether or not he was joking, but it’s a theory!

Garnet

Ah, here come the big guns.

Garnet is a fantastic stone for winter – well, all year round, actually!

Throughout history, gorgeous garnet has been used as a protective talisman for warriors; a stone of enlightenment for spiritual seekers; and as an ornament for those drawn to its warmth and beauty.

There are OODLES of different varieties of the stuff, but most of us will be familiar with the most common, translucent, red variety.

It is said to inspire love and devotion and also to bring balance to passion.

In winter, its brightness and spark can bring some light to dark places within and without.

It is a stone of willpower, courage and adaptation to change.

I like to think of it as a stone that doesn’t just help me tolerate change – but eat it for breakfast!!

And my FAVOURITE stone for winter, and the Solstice in particular is .... CITRINE

To me, citrine is such a wonderful stone for winter, and particularly for the Winter Solstice, when we have the darkest night, but the light is returning.

Citrine is a stone of sunshine.

It’s a great stone to have around in uncertain times when you feel like you need a bit more light.

You might be drawn to citrine when things are feeling a bit dark, or when you need some more courage.

In crystal healing it’s seen a stone that never needs cleansing or loses its charge – so for me, citrine is a light that never goes out.

I hope you find this little collection of crystals for winter useful - if you've got others you're drawn to at this time of year, I'd love to hear about it!

Crystals for Autumn

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 11:47:51 GMT

Cooling down, turning in, getting clear

Autumn is my favourite season of the year. It’s a time of change, and a time of drawing in, quietening down, and getting ready for the scarcity and stillness of winter.

Here’s some crystals I love for Autumn. Just my opinion – you may have your own!

1. Aragonite

Aragonite is fascinating stuff – it looks like a crystal from outer space (but isn’t!).

It is what is called an “orthorhombic” crystal. I have looked up a number of definitions for this term, and none of them made any sense to me whatsoever.

But what it comes down to is that when it’s in a cluster, it has what is known as a “Spudnik” form – and you can see why.

I think aragonite is a great stone for Autumn, which is a time of transition and change. While it is said to work with all of the chakras, it resonates very strongly with the earth-star and root chakras, so it’s excellent both for grounding and for enhancing our connection with the earth.

It’s great for helping you keep your feet on the ground if you have a tendency to have your head in the clouds. While you’re here on earth with the rest of us, it will help you get some useful stuff done.

If one of those useful things is study, then aragonite is said to help with concentration, focus, discipline and self-control.

It is a calming, stabilising and centring stone, helping us to stay patient and calm even when things are a bit windy and unpredictable.

As a grounding stone, it has been used to help with the kind of nervousness and stress that can leave us restless, twitchy and unable to sleep. It’s another stone that is good to have under your pillow to help you sleep (if you can find a specimen that isn’t too spiky!).

2. Hematite

It’s especially helpful to keep our feet on the earth when we’re trying to work on our spiritual development (so we don’t lose track of the real world!).

It is said to promote love and help us to be magnetic! It can also help us to find our inner strength and courage.

3. Polychrome Jasper

Polychrome jasper (also known as polychromatic jasper) is a stone I really love for Autumn (and the rest of the year, but it seems particularly good for Autumn to me!).

It’s a great grounding and centring stone, but also can charge us up a bit. This is a great combination for Autumn, when we need that sense of grounding to move through a time of change, but also a bit of a burst of energy to get things done in preparation for the quieter, more still energy of Winter.

It is said to help you stay calm in stressful times, and also maintain focus when things are a bit unsettled. Polychrome jasper is also said to help creativity, inspiration, and even finding new love (I’ve never tried it for that, but if you do, let me know how it goes!).

How I mostly use it both in my own practice and in healing sessions is as a grounding and centring stone, but with a bit of an extra quality. A crystal healing practitioner for whom I have great respect once described polychrome jasper to me as a stone that helps you ground and centre, but also supports you to reach out for help in appropriate ways when you need it. To me, that is one of its most important qualities and a quality that many of us need a bit of help with (and probably why that practitioner was convincing me to buy the stuff)!

Polychrome jasper comes in a bunch of different colours. It may not be the prettiest and shiniest of all stones, but I think it is pretty special in its own way.

4. Smoky Quartz

There’s no bad time of year for smoky quartz, it’s pretty essential. If you’re interested in crystals, you definitely need some smoky quartz in your collection. It’s known as a stone that can not only help to banish your nightmares, but also to manifest your dreams.

It is a great grounding and protection stone, and is also said to help with elimination and detoxification. It helps to relieve fear and promote acceptance, and gently dissolves negative emotions.

Smoky quartz can help us to think pragmatically and in a positive way, and to communicate clearly – both with others and with ourselves in meditation.

It can support us to soothe stress and pain – even when it doesn’t dissolve stress or pain, it can help us to tolerate what we need to while we do what we need to do to move forward.

Due to smoky quartz’ popularity, there’s lots of artificially-created ones around. You can usually know which ones these are because they will be more or less black and non-transparent.

5. Carnelian – my favourite crystal for Autumn!

Carnelian brings a bit of fire into your life!

It’s a great stone for firing up our creativity, positivity and lust for life (and well, lust in general, actually).

It’s a great stone for getting things done and for putting a fire under you. It can also help us to focus and concentrate while we’re trying to get those things done, too.

Even though it has that fiery aspect, it is still a stone to support calmness – especially around fears – and helps us to accept things as they are, and do what we can to change and control what we can.

It grounds us in reality, helping us to focus in meditation, to connect to our personal power – but not lose our compassion.

It’s one of my absolute favourite stones at any time of the year, but in Autumn it’s just brilliant.

I hope you’ve found this useful. Do you have any other crystals you like for Autumn? I decided to stop at five, but I could go on for years. I’d love to hear what you think!

Crystals for Manifestation

Sat, 30 Dec 2023 03:07:36 GMT

What stones are the best to help me bring my intentions into the world?

If you love crystals and are drawn to them energetically, using them to support yourself to help make your dreams a reality is a no-brainer. I believe that the different qualities of the stones can really support us with our goals, and give us a bit of an energetic kick in the right direction.

But even if you don’t believe in crystals (and I won’t pretend it’s remotely scientific to do so), having a pretty stone nearby that reminds you of your goals and helps you to feel less alone in accomplishing them can only be a good thing.

So I thought that I’d put together a list of stones that I think can help you with that. For the most part, this list is a more general list of stones that I believe are useful for manifestation. For those of you who want something a bit more tailored, please check out my free e-book “Crystallise your Intentions”, which is available here: https://www.amethystyogaandhealing.com.au/crystallise-your-intentions

If you google “crystals for manifestation” you will end up with a LOT of answers! So this is purely my take on stones that I think are great for this, and why. Some of the stones I’ve chosen aren’t specifically for manifestation, but for supporting the inner work that needs to be done to make it happen.

I hope you find it helpful!

The stones I’ve chosen are:

Moonstone
Amethyst
Rainbow fluorite
Unakite
Clear Quartz
Garnet
Citrine
Kyanite
Lodolite
Blue apatite
Rose quartz
Green aventurine
Labradorite

1. Moonstone

I’ve started with moonstone because this stone is associated with romance, intuition, divine feminine, empathy and dreaming. I see moonstone as a stone that can help you dream new dreams, and bring new beginnings into your life.

Moonstone is a great stone for manifestation because it helps us to dream the dreams of our hearts, and to make plans from a place of intuition and insight for the greater good rather than just what our rational minds want to impose on reality.

2. Amethyst

Is there anything that amethyst can’t help you with? I don’t think so!

Amethyst is another stone for insight, intuition and calm. It has also been used since ancient times as a stone of protection and healing at all levels – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

It is a fantastic stone for meditation, intuition, and connecting to higher intention and spirit. If you use it this way, I suggest that you cleanse and charge it often so it’s at its best.

So while amethyst might not be all about getting what you want – it can help you to see clearly WHAT you actually want, and to help you stay calm while you pursue it.

3. Rainbow Fluorite

Fluorite is a stone for when we need to bring order to chaos and clarity to confusion.

It is a stone for stabilisation and protection, and can assist with clearing stress. It works at the level of mind, body and spirit to bring order to anything that is disorganised within us – helping us to align with divine order. This can help us to get clear about what we want to bring into the world, and also see clearly how we might make that happen.

It is said to assist intuition, spiritual awakening, and the communication of spiritual insight to the earthly plane – with a helpful dose of common sense thrown in. In particular the clear version of fluorite is said to help us see clearly what is in the way of our next phase of evolution, while the yellow version can help us to harmonise our energy to bring our dreams into physical reality.

This is a very powerful stone! As it is also believed to defend us from negativity – from psychic manipulation to electromagnetic pollution – it’s a good idea to cleanse and charge it often if you are using it.

4. Unakite

Unakite is a great stone for integrating insight, moving on from the past and gently releasing blockages that are getting in the way of our growth.

It goes to the root cause of an issue, bringing it to the surface for healing and transformation.

It’s also said to be great for business partnerships and all of our relationships, healing and balancing the heart and mind.

It may not be the sparkliest, prettiest or shiniest of stones, but it’s a beautiful grounding, nurturing and healing stone. For manifestation, I feel like it’s a useful stone for supporting us to clear out some of the gunk that’s in the way of us moving in the direction of our dreams.

5. Clear Quartz

In crystal healing, clear quartz is known as the only truly programmable crystal. While we can certainly set intentions with any stone, with clear quartz, we can actually use our intention to program the stone to support us in certain ways.

It is known as the Master Healer in crystal healing. Although it is associated with the higher energy centres, it can be used to support all chakras and is said to bring balance and healing to all systems of the body. Containing all colours, it works on all levels to bring harmony, balance, stimulation when we are dull and calming when we are frazzled.

If you’re going to use clear quartz to support you with a goal, I recommend cleansing and charging it first. Then sit with it in meditation, and check inside to see that your intentions are right for you right now, and that the stone is in alignment with them. Then ask the stone to support you to reach that goal. Imagine that goal having come to fruition – what would it look like? How would it feel? The more detail, the better!

Once you’ve done that, make sure that you connect with that crystal frequently until that dream comes true (or you decide on a better dream). You might like to keep it by your computer if it’s work-related goal, or meditate with it every day.

It’s important to NOT cleanse or charge this crystal until it’s done its job, or you decide that the original goal doesn’t matter.

6. Garnet

Throughout history, gorgeous garnet has been used as a protective talisman for warriors; a stone of enlightenment for spiritual seekers; and as an ornament for those drawn to its warmth and beauty.

It is a stone of willpower, courage and adaptation to change.

I like to think of it as a stone that doesn’t just help me tolerate change – but eat it for breakfast!!

It’s a great stone to light a fire under you, to help you to connect to your passion and move in the direction of your dreams with courage and determination.

7. Citrine

Citrine is another of those stones that is pretty much always useful. If you feel like you need a bit of hope, sunshine and courage, then citrine may be able to help.

So if your dream scares you a bit, then you might like to use citrine to fortify yourself and to remind yourself of possibility and positivity.

It’s a great stone to have around in uncertain times when you feel like you need a bit more light. Some believe that it’s a stone that never loses its charge – so for me, citrine is a light that never goes out.

8. Blue Kyanite (or any kyanite, really)

Blue kyanite is pretty extraordinary looking stuff, as you can see from the image. It is made up of layers of thin, flat blades which can look like a fan or the leaves of a book. It can come in a variety of shades of blue including translucent (kyanite also comes in other colours too – black kyanite is very cool stuff and can look like a witch’s broom!).

Like other blue stones it works well with the throat chakra to support communication, supporting us to not only speak our truth, but to speak it in a way that can be clearly understood.

So if your goal involves speaking up, speaking out, or just communicating more clearly, blue kyanite could be a useful stone to have around.

It is also a great stone to support perseverance and mental stamina. It is a high vibration stone that is good for meditation and connecting to spirit, while also keeping us balanced and able to keep our feet on the ground moving forward.

9. Lodolite (garden quartz)

Lodolite is clear quartz with a bit of a kick from lots of lovely inclusions such as hematite, feldspar, chlorite and other minerals. So the inclusions can be in all kinds of colours – red, green, blue, brown, white, red … basically it’s a garden of possibilities.

The stone has all the healing qualities of the Master Healer clear quartz, with the properties of whatever the inclusions are – with the clear quartz giving those properties extra oomph. As a general rule, it’s a great stone to support spiritual growth, harmony, healing and evolution.

It is seen as a powerful manifestation crystal, but with a gentle, calming energy (which is a good combination if you’ve a tendency to overdo getting into your goals!). It can be programmed as per the instructions for clear quartz.

10. Blue Apatite

Blue apatite is a pretty unassuming sort of stone, but I find that it can be really powerful and supportive.

Apatite comes in a bunch of different colours, but I’m drawn back to the blue stuff again and again. It is said to help us connect with higher guidance, and can be a connector of the spiritual plane to the physical plane, helping us to manifest our higher purposes.

A stone to help inspire service to humanity, it can help us to hear and speak the truth of the heart.

It’s said to be supportive if you’re hoping to balance your metabolism or eat more healthfully. (Yellow apatite apparently is even better for this, but it’s harder to get and more expensive).

I love using blue apatite to connect with spirit and higher intention, and to help me bring that into the world.

11. Rose Quartz

Who doesn’t love a bit of rose quartz? This stone is all about the LURVE.

It’s pretty well known as a crystal that helps us bring that special someone into your life. I myself have had NO success with that whatsoever, but I’ve also had VERY LITTLE interest in trying, so that’s hardly indicative ��

But if that’s your jam this year, then I’ve been told that getting a piece of it and placing it under your pillow can help to draw the right person to you.

I will be honest – I tried it once years ago and I ended up replacing the rose quartz under my pillow with black obsidian IN MY SLEEP. So I felt that this probably wasn’t for me. And I had really, really crazy dreams (which was a pretty interesting result, actually).

Give it a go and let me know how it turns out!

12. Aventurine

Aventurine is well known as a stone of positivity and prosperity, especially the green stuff. It’s a great stone for business people! Putting some in your cash tin is said to help attract more money your way ��

But it’s not just about growing your bank balance. Green aventurine is also a great stone for personal growth. It helps us to learn about ourselves and our place in the universe, and even to help us to open up to love (even if we’ve defended ourself against it until late in life).

Green aventurine is also known as a stone of comfort for the heart and heart chakra. It helps our hearts to heal, to return to balance and harmony, and to help us to see the opportunities presented in even difficult situations (particularly those brought to us by other people).

So if abundance is part of your intentions for this year – but from a place of wholeheartedness – green aventurine might be a good stone to bring into your life.

13. Labradorite

Labradorite is a real favourite of crystal healing practitioners – and crystal lovers everywhere. It can be so varied – from a sort of greyish lump to something with lots of colours, especially in the light. Most of us are familiar with the blue flash that shows up in the light – but that flash can also be green, purple, yellow or even pink. There’s even another form of labradorite which is predominantly yellow and white, although that is pretty rare.

I find it to be a great stone for grounding and protection, but most especially for meditation and insight. A lot of stones are one of those, but not the other, so labradorite is pretty special.

It’s a wonderful stone for supporting change and transformation. I’m always drawn to it when I know that I’m ready to make some changes, and I’d like a bit of energetic support to start to make some shifts. Wearing a labradorite pendant or having a labradorite palm stone nearby (in your pocket if you’ve got one) can be really supportive when you’re really ready to do something different and show up in the world in a new way.

It can help us to access spiritual wisdom but to ground it in our physical bodies (where we can actually use it in the world!). It’s also a great stone for helping us to face our fears and insecurities, and start to release the pain of the past (even in past lives, apparently).

Labradorite can bring the light of creative insight too, bringing intuitive wisdom together with an energised (but grounded) imagination. It can help us to get to the root of an issue, as well as see it in a new light.

It is a true bringer of light, and a helper for times of change.

I could have listed soooo many more, but I think I’ll stop there.

I hope you’ve found this list useful and that it gives you some inspiration!

May you connect with the dreams of your heart, and may you give yourself all the support you need to bring them into the world.

Crystals to help you fire up for Summer!

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 05:50:19 GMT

Warm your heart, navigate the silly season and fire up your goals in the new year

Summer is nearly here! Time for long and languid days and (here in the Southern Hemisphere, anyway) festive nights. It’s the time when we have the most daylight as we approach the summer solstice, and many of us love getting out into nature and making the most of it.

All this partying and celebrating can take a bit of energy – and crystals are here to help. Here are some of my favourite crystals for the season, and how they might support you at this time of year. This list is particularly focused on summer in the Southern Hemisphere, where the summer holidays also include the festive season and the end of one year/beginning of the next.

As always, this is just my opinion – you’ll know what crystals are right for you. But if you’re looking for some ideas for crystals to help you navigate summer, I hope this gives you some great ideas.

1. Lodolite

Lodolite is also known as inclusion quartz or garden quartz, and you can see why – it often looks like it’s got a little garden, landscape or even seascape inside it. Essentially, it’s a form of clear quartz with extra goodies inside – these can be hematite, feldspar, chlorite and other minerals. So the inclusions can be in all kinds of colours – red, green, blue, brown, white, red … basically it’s a garden of possibilities.

It is seen as a powerful manifestation crystal, but with a gentle, calming energy (which is a good combination if you’ve a tendency to overdo getting into your goals!).

So if you’re looking for a stone to help you manifest good things into the new year, lodolite might be a great stone to try.

2. Tiger’s Eye

Feeling like it’s time to get things done moving into the new year? Maybe tiger’s eye can help.

Tiger’s eye is a stone that combines the grounded energy of the earth with the hopeful energy of the sun. It’s a great stone to support you to boost your confidence, courage and common sense.

During times when you feel a bit scattered or spacey (which may well describe your summer holidays!), it can help you to become more grounded, coherent and down to earth.

I think of it as the ultimate stone for pragmatists who want to feel inspired and connected to source, but with their feet firmly on the ground.

3. Chrysoprase

If you need a bit of crystal support being around family and friends this month, chrysoprase might be useful.

Chrysoprase has a variety of colours, but mostly around a kind of apple green. It can be opaque or quite luminescent.

It is a stone of connection with the divine and feeling into wholeness and oneness. It’s said to help us to learn how to be faithful to our own hearts, truth and all of our relationships.

I find it a beautiful stone to support compassion and forgiveness – even of our very own selves.

4. Ocean jasper

If you’re getting out into the ocean during your summer vacation and are drawn to embodying the qualities of flowing water, ocean jasper might be a good stone to spend some time with.

Like all jaspers, ocean jasper is grounding, and nourishing but it carries qualities of the water element as well as the earth.

To me, it’s the perfect stone to support me to go with the flow – but also to take responsibility for my own part in a situation.

It is said to support optimism, grounding, communication (helping it to flow!) and self-esteem.

And it’s good to just stare at the gorgeous stuff!

5. Unakite

Unakite is a great stone for the turning of the year, when we might be thinking about where we want to go, and what we need to leave behind.

Unakite can be lovely for integrating insight, moving on from the past and gently releasing blockages that are getting in the way of our growth.

It goes to the root cause of an issue, bringing it to the surface for healing and transformation.

It’s also said to be great for business partnerships and all of our relationships, healing and balancing the heart and mind.

It may not be the sparkliest, prettiest or shiniest of stones, but it’s a beautiful grounding, nurturing and healing stone.

6. Larimar

Larimar is another lovely watery stone for beachlovers and all the rest of us.

It is a gentle, supportive stone that reminds us to flow with what is in any situation, and is nurturing at all levels. It’s a stone that can help us to stop resisting change, and flow into new possibilities.

It is also a stone that can help us to calmly and clearly speak our truth – which can be an asset at times when we’re in potentially tricky social situations.

7. Rose quartz

There’s no time of year that’s not great for using rose quartz, let’s face it.

It’s probably one of the most-loved crystals because of its connection with the heart. It can help us to foster unconditional love for others – and even ourselves.

It has also been used traditionally to help us to find love which is in alignment with our best and highest good. I’ll be honest and say that this hasn’t happened for me, but frankly I haven’t been motivated to try very hard ��

If you find it hard to stay connected to your heart in all the craziness of the silly season, keeping some rose quartz around might be just the help you need.

8. Carnelian

I really love carnelian for Autumn too, but it’s a fiery stone that’s perfect for summer.

Carnelian is a great stone for firing up our creativity, positivity and lust for life (and well, lust in general, actually).

It’s a great stone for getting things done and for putting a fire under you. It can also help us to focus and concentrate while we’re trying to get those things done, too. So if you want to put a fire under yourself to get into some of your goals in the new year, carnelian could be a great choice.

9. Citrine

This is another stone that is incredibly useful at any time of the year. I LOVE around the Winter Solstice because it reminds us of light at the time when the days are the darkest. But many would say it’s even better in summer.

I love it all year round.

In summer, the energy of citrine is particularly resonant – it’s a stone of sunshine, hope and courage. As one of the few stones in crystal healing that doesn’t need cleansing or charging, it’s truly a light that never goes out.

10. Sunstone

Which leads us to the ultimate stone for summer – sunstone!

It may not be the most dramatic stone around, but it does what it says on the label ��

This stone is said to bring light and sunshine to our hearts and helps us see the way. It can be used to help us to lift our spirits and helps us to connect with hope when we feel a bit hopeless.

It has been used to help people who struggle to say “no”, to help them feel empowered and move away from codependency.

It can help us to reconnect with self-worth and our own personal power. This helps us to remember our own light, and that we are worthy to shine it out in the world.

I hope you’ve found this exploration of crystals for summer useful! This isn’t remotely exhaustive, so if you’ve got any suggestions, I’d love to hear them.

May your days be bright, your drinks cool, and your heart full of light this summer.

Amethyst Crystal Library - Spirit Quartz

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 03:42:32 GMT

Seriously high vibe stuff

All the quartzes are lovely, but Spirit Quartzes are something else again.

Spirit quartz is formed when very small quartz points grow outwards from a larger quartz point. They can be in a variety of colours but are most commonly white or purple (from clear quartz or amethyst). Spirit quartz is most commonly found in South Africa.

As the name suggests, these little chunks of gorgeousness are very high vibration stones. They resonate particularly well with the crown and higher crown chakras, although they can also work with the heart chakra.

Spirit quartzes are most often used when one is trying to evolve spiritually, connect to the spirit realm and even at times when we the soul is having to face the possibility of death.

It is said to support healing, balance and peace at all levels – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. It has even been used to help with healing in previous lifetimes or to assist souls to transition.

The different colours resonate with the same kinds of energy found in their more conventional quartz forms (such as amethyst, citrine, smoky quartz, etc).

Spirit quartz is also used to heal memory at the cellular level and can be supportive of detoxification and purification.

You might like to use it to ramp up the energy of a crystal grid or to hold and further activate gem or flower essences.

Or you can just stare at it in mesmerised wonder, which tends to be my approach.

Amethyst Crystal Library - Orthoceras

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 03:36:57 GMT

Ancient grounding support

If you've come to an in person crystal healing or reiki session with me in Chatswood, chances are you've seen me with one of these little pieces of awesomeness.

So these things are ANCIENT.

And they are incredibly cool.

Amethyst Crystal Library - K2

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 03:33:14 GMT

Insights from on high, grounded into usefulness

K2 is a less common stone, but I’m enjoying getting to know the little pieces of it that I have.

This stone is named after the mountain in the Himalayas near which it is found (K2, the second highest mountain in the world). It is made up of granite which hardens and then has droplets of azurite or occasionally malachite spotted through it as a secondary process, presumably over aeons. It boggles the mind.

K2 is also known as K2 jasper, K2 granite, Raindrop Azurite and ketonite.

It is a stone of balance and grounding – but also of the upper chakras, which is a pretty unusual combination.

It can help with enhancing psychic abilities and spiritual connection – as though helping us to “see” from a great height.

The granite brings the grounding, and some have called this a “guardian” stone, suggesting that it is protective and supports our strength.

K2 can be a stone of support in times of trial and hardship. Essentially, if you’ve got a big mountain to climb and you’re not sure you can do it, K2 might be a good stone to carry with you to support you to feel hopeful, courageous, and able to see clearly in the direction you’re supposed to go.

Do you like K2? Do you have one? How do you like to use it?

Amethyst Crystal Library - Snowflake Obsidian

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 03:29:56 GMT

Focus, concentration and a stone for loneliness in winter (or all year round)

I find snowflake obsidian a great stone for concentration and focus, as well as meditation. I’ve been known to give it to students to help them with their studies!

It’s also known as a stone which can help with loneliness – helping us move from loneliness and isolation to solitude and surrender.

Amethyst Crystal Library - Lemurian Quartz

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 03:20:13 GMT

Powerhouse crystals with possible messages from the ancients

Lemurian crystals are quartz crystals that have horizontal striations on their sides. Although we mostly see them in clear quartz form, you can find these striations on other forms of quartz as well, such as smoky quartz. If you’ve had a crystal healing session with me, you may have seen that I used two wands – one is a clear quartz wand and the other is a strawberry quartz lemurian, which is the wand that is doing the real work in the session.

The name is from the ancient mythical society of Lemuria, which like Atlantis, was hypothesised to have sunk beneath the ocean (but it is believed that the Lemurians were more spiritually developed and committed to peace). To some, Lemuria (or something like it) was the birthplace of humanity. In this framework, the striations (well, lines or grooves) on these crystals are encoding ancient information or messages from the ancient wisdom of Lemuria.

For these reasons, lemurian quartz stones are also known as Star Seed Quartz, Lemurian Seed Crystals or Lemurian Light Crystals.

Given modern understandings of tectonics and continental drift, I will admit that I find the concept of Lemuria somewhat unlikely – but I don’t know everything in the universe, so hey, it’s possible.

In any case, whether or not the ancient civilisations link resonates with you, most crystal lovers have found these to be pretty special stones. They are said to help us connect with divine purpose, ancient wisdom, and to kind of turbo boost spiritual development.

They are great for cleansing and charging the chakras (which is why they’re such an important part of a crystal healing practitioner’s toolbox). They promote healing and clearing energy blockages. Lemurians are also great for helping us to feel a connection to the all, and to the higher consciousness beyond our own little heads.

There is a legend that Lemurian crystals are placed in a crystal grid across the Earth (and even beyond), and so when we are connecting with one of these stones, we are connecting to all of the Earth, as well as the stars and even beyond.

Unlike regular clear quartz stones that you can program as desired, we don’t program Lemurians, but invite them to activate – to do their thing, to share their wisdom, and to help us and those we are in contact with to connect with deeper wisdom, insight and our highest vibration selves.

Whether or not they come from an ancient civilisation, these crystals are special and sacred. I believe we should treat them with respect, and work with them to bring about the highest good for not just ourselves, but for all.

Amethyst Crystal Library - Chrysoprase

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 03:12:23 GMT

Not to be confused with chrysocolla, chrysoprase is a heart stone connecting to wholeness

Chrysoprase has a variety of colours, but mostly around a kind of apple green. It can be opaque or quite luminescent. Australia has some amazing chrysoprase – the image in the photo above is one that I bought from a group based in Western Australia, and it’s even prettier in person.

It is a stone of connection with the divine and feeling into wholeness and oneness. It’s said to help us to learn how to be faithful to our own hearts, truth and all of our relationships.

I find it a beautiful stone to support compassion and forgiveness – even of our very own selves.

Chrysoprase has been used by many to help them get a restful night’s sleep, and also to help with nightmares.

And I just think it’s super pretty. Do you like chrysoprase? How do you like to use it?

Amethyst Crystal Library - Chrysocolla

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 03:06:38 GMT

Peace in the heart

Chrysocolla is a stone of heart healing, stability and peace.

Although it can work with all the chakras bringing them into divine alignment, it’s particularly useful for the solar plexus, throat and heart chakras.

At the solar plexus, it is said to help dissolve guilt, negativity and unhelpful conditioning and patterns.

At the throat chakra, it can help us to communicate more clearly and skilfully – and also to know when to keep our mouths shut!

I like it best of all for the heart. For this chakra, it’s a great stone for when our hearts are feeling sore or broken, to help us to heal and to help us to love again.

It’s a great stone for when we’re making changes – whether planned or otherwise – to help us feel more calm and to support us to understand relationships that need healing. In relationships where we find it difficult to understand each other, it helps us to release anger, blame and guilt and move towards forgiveness and love.

Do you like chrysocolla? How do you like to use it?

Amethyst Crystal Library - Unakite

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 03:03:59 GMT

Integration and removal of blockages

Is it green with some pink, or pink with some green? I’m not sure, but unakite is wonderful stuff.

Unakite is a great stone for integrating insight, moving on from the past and gently releasing blockages that are getting in the way of our growth.

It goes to the root cause of an issue, bringing it to the surface for healing and transformation.

It’s also said to be great for business partnerships and all of our relationships, healing and balancing the heart and mind.

It may not be the sparkliest, prettiest or shiniest of stones, but it’s a beautiful grounding, nurturing and healing stone.

Do you like unakite? How do you use it?

Amethyst Crystal Library - Moonstone

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 02:59:43 GMT

Arise, inner goddess!

Moonstone is another of those crystals (like fluorite) that is actually a bunch of different stones – well, different in appearance, anyway. They can have wildly different appearances – rainbow moonstone, peach moonstone, black moonstone, regular moonstone and others. What makes them all “moonstones” is that they are geologically what is known as orthoclase feldspars. They are quite common and can be found in the US, Canada, Switzerland, Norway – but they are most commonly found in Madagascar. Moonstones – especially the ones with a blue sheen – are also known as “adularia”. This is because they have been commonly found on Mount Adular, in Switzerland. This is also the source for the name of the sparkly sheen that you see, especially on blue or clear moonstones – it is known as “adularescence”, which is a truly fabulous word.

What’s your favourite moonstone? How do you like to use it?

Amethyst Crystal Library - Green Aventurine

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 02:54:58 GMT

A stone of good fortune and good heart

Aventurine comes in a variety of colours – blue, red, brown, peach – but I am especially fond of the green stuff.

Aventurine is well known as a stone of positivity and prosperity. It’s a great stone for business people! Putting some in your cash tin is said to help attract more money your way ��

But it’s not just about growing your bank balance. Green aventurine is also a great stone for personal growth. It helps us to learn about ourselves and our place in the university, and to even help us to open up to love (even if we’ve defended ourself against it until late in life).

I like green aventurine (and also green calcite) for its anti-inflammatory properties – although obviously it shouldn’t be used as a substitute for appropriate care by a health professional.

Do you like green aventurine? How do you like to use it?

Amethyst Crystal Library - Fluorite

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 02:54:55 GMT

Order from chaos, clarity from confusion

Fluorite is a stone for when we need to bring order to chaos and clarity to confusion.

Fluorite comes in a bunch of different varieties – clear, blue, green, purple, yellow and brown – but my favourite type is known as “rainbow fluorite” – which has a blend of all the possible fluorite colours – and hence has the qualities of all of them in one stone.

Fluorite is often found in cool cubic kind of forms or clusters.

Do you like rainbow fluorite? How do you like to use it?

Amethyst Crystal Library - Smoky Quartz

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 02:47:06 GMT

Is it smokey quartz or is it smoky quartz? I have no idea

If you’re interested in crystals, you definitely need some smokey quartz in your collection. It’s known as a stone that can not only help to banish your nightmares, but also to manifest your dreams.

It is a great grounding and protection stone, and is also said to help with elimination and detoxification. It helps to relieve fear and promote acceptance, and gently dissolves negative emotions.

Smokey quartz can help us to think pragmatically and in a positive way, and to communicate clearly – both with others and with ourselves in meditation.

It can support us to soothe stress and pain – even when it doesn’t dissolve stress or pain, it can help us to tolerate what we need to while we do what we need to do to move forward.

Due to smokey quartz’ popularity, there’s lots of artificially-created ones around. You can usually know which ones these are because they will be more or less black and non-transparent.

Do you like smokey quartz? Or smoky quartz?? How do you like to use it?

Amethyst Crystal Library - Lapis Lazuli

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 02:43:29 GMT

A beautiful defender since ancient times

Lapis lazuli is a stone that has been loved for its beauty and its power since ancient times.

It is said to be so protective against negative and psychic attack that it will not only block it, but return it to its source (that’ll show ‘em!).

Lapis lazuli has been used to help us when we need to know and speak our truth, and to take charge of our lives. It helps us to fully understand who we are and to express it clearly and skilfully from a place of honest, courage, compassion and integrity.

And it’s absolutely gorgeous.

How do you use it?

Do you like lapis lazuli?

Amethyst Crystal Library - Blue Apatite

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 02:34:40 GMT

Speak your truth, digest life

Blue apatite is a pretty unassuming sort of stone, but it can be really powerful and supportive.

A stone to help inspire service to humanity, it can help us to hear and speak the truth of the heart.

It’s said to be supportive if you’re hoping to balance your metabolism or eat more healthfully. (Yellow apatite is even better for this, but it’s harder to get and more expensive).

Do you like blue apatite? How do you use it?

Lots of different crystal shapes and why they're all awesome

Fri, 19 May 2023 07:03:35 GMT

For if you've ever wondered what the different crystal shapes mean!

All the types of shapes described in this blog are below, but you can see examples of them in this gallery - hover over the image to find out what they are, and then scroll below the gallery to find out more!

If you go into a crystal shop or look online, you’ll notice that there’s not just oodles of crystals, but oodles of options for different types of crystal shapes too. Ultimately the most useful crystal for you is probably the one that’s calling to you at the time! But if you’re interested in using crystals for a specific purpose, it can be good to know what different shapes might be able to do for you. This collection is not remotely exhaustive - but it is intended as a useful start!

Pyramids

Some crystals naturally occur in a pyramid shape (such as apophyllite) but most of the pyramid crystals that you’ll see have been artificially-shaped. In either case, pyramids are lovely because they amplify and focus the energy of the crystal. Pyramids are believed to be particularly good at drawing off negative energies and helping with energy blockages. I keep a shungite pyramid next to my bed to draw off any nasties and to make up for the fact that I insist on reading books on my phone in bed before I go to sleep!

Double Terminators

Double terminated crystals can also be naturally occurring (particularly for clear quartz or Herkimer diamonds) or artificially-shaped. They’re particularly useful in crystal healing to act as kind of a bridge between two stones, helping energies move. Due to their shape, they are drawing in energy and sending it out at the same time – so if you come to a crystal healing session, you’ll see me using them A LOT! I find that even if I just use double terminators on their own, they just seem to be a bit more supercharged than other shapes. I’m a big fan!

Towers

Crystal towers focus energy in a single direction to amplify intention and intensify energy flow. These may also be called generators, but this refers to towers which have six equal sides culminating in a single point.

Towers are really useful in crystal healing layouts or to help with space clearing. And they look really cool.

Spheres (or balls)

Spheres or balls are almost always shaped from larger crystals. As well as being beautiful to look at, they’re excellent at radiating the stone’s healing energy in all directions.

Traditionally, crystal balls have been used in scrying too. I’ve no experience with that, but obviously there’s a long history of them being used in this way.

Another lovely way to use a crystal sphere is as a massage tool – much nicer than a spiky ball, although it’s best done gently and with a bit of caution.

Tumbled stones

Tumbled stones are probably the most affordable of all the crystal types, as they can be quite small and lumpy.

Tumbled stones are a great way to get to know a crystal or to build up your collection. Although we might love the big, amazing clusters or shapes, energetically size doesn’t matter (really). Each crystal has its own energy and personality and is fun to get to know for its own self.

The only trouble with tumbled stones is that because they’re round, they can be hard to place on your body (or during a crystal healing session). They tend to fall all over the place. But for grids, meditation, to keep in your pocket handbag or bra, or if you’re lying very, very still – they’re a great option.

Cluster

A cluster is a natural crystal formation where many points are embedded into a solid base. These can come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, from tiny little things to entire caves. Due to the nature of their shape, clusters are able to radiate their beautiful energy to the space around it; they can even absorb negative energies in a space. You can also use them to cleanse and charge other crystals. Some people think that clusters and geodes don’t need cleansing or charging, but I like to cleanse them and charge them with a moon bath from time to time.

Geodes

Geodes are also a natural formation. They are basically an outer form (sometimes they even look like a rock ball) but when they are opened you see all these lovely crystals inside, all pointing inwards. They’re like a miniature crystal cave. Like clusters, these are naturally high vibration forms. Due to their shape and the way that the crystals are essentially radiating energy at each other, they are continuously amplifying, diffusing and radiating energy – but in a way that is not overpowering. This makes them particularly useful for situations where you need ongoing support. These tend to be kind of expensive – I only have one of these! As for clusters, some people think that these kinds of formations do not require cleansing or charging, but I like to show mine a bit of moon bath love once in a while, especially if I feel like it’s been working hard.

Wands

Crystal wands can be naturally-occuring long points or crystals that have been carved into a wand-like shape. Both have their own charm.

If you’ve been to a crystal healing session with me, you’ll notice that I use three wands. One lemurian quartz wand, which I use to do the main work around each energy centre, another clear quartz wand to transmit energy to or away from the area where I’m working, and a third, natural selenite wand, which I use to create a selenite shield towards the end of the session to seal in all the goodies and keep our all the nasties.

So wands are really handy! They are great for transmitting energy in different directions – either towards or away from you, depending on where you are using it, how you are using it, and what your intention is.

I also think they’re great for if you’re casting circles – say for magick or ritual, or just to create a sacred space.

Points

Crystal points can be natural (usually in the quartzes – clear quartz, citrine, amethyst, etc) or they can be carved into a pointed shape. They are little super chargers! We used them in crystal healing layouts or grids to charge up and amplify the energy of the stones they surround, and also to help to move energy in a particular direction.

Pendulum

Pendulums are a crystal at the end of some kind of thread – whether that be a chain, cord, or rope. The crystal is usually shaped so that it is wider at the top and more narrow at the bottom – essentially like a giant tear shape.

Pendulums aren’t for everyone, but some of us find them very useful indeed. Some crystal healing practitioners use them to feel into a client’s energy field – slowly waving the pendulum over their body to see if they receive any messages about their energy. I personally just use my hands for that, but some people fine pendulums give them very clear information.

What I really like to use a pendulum for is to try to access higher wisdom when making decisions. You can program a pendulum to tell you when the answer to a question is yes/no/wait/it’s not for you to know, etc based on its movement after you ask the question. I’ve got mine just programmed to yes/no to keep things simple, because life is complicated enough.

Historically pendulums have been used in clocks, dowsing for water, and in many other ways.

If you would like to use a pendulum, you might also choose a stone that resonates with the kinds of purposes for which you might use it. I use an amethyst pendulum (as you can see in my profile picture) because I want to connect with higher knowing, with an intention of healing for myself, others and the world.

Twin

Twin crystals - also called twin flames - is a crystal that has two terminations that have come from a single base. Sometimes it will look like two crystals that have kind of melded themselves together, and sometimes it will look like one has sprouted from the other (which is probably the case, over the centuries).

There is also another type of twin crystal - tantric twin. These are still two crystals that are joined together from the base but in this case they are both clearly from the same base (not like the one in the first picture, where it's branched) and they are close to being identical in length. These are very rare - the second picture has what I think is one, but some crystal healing practitioners might not think this qualifies as sufficiently identical.

I'm also not really sure they should be called "tantric" anyway. (Tantra is an area of yogic philosophy with rich traditions in both Hinduism and Buddhism, and really isn't what we think it is for the most part in the west.)

Nomenclature aside, these crystals are pretty special.

Some believe that these stones can be especially supportive when you need harmony and are in "two minds", as it were.

They're a favourite for using either to help harmonise a relationship or call in a partner (or call back your twin flame). I'll admit that I gave this a crack once. It certainly didn't "call my twin flame back" but I'm pretty sure that it helped me to realise that the bloke probably wasn't worth my focus and it was time to pursue other adventures. So a great result :)

Palm Stones

There is something deeply comforting about palm stones.

As the name suggests, these are crystals that are carved and polished into a shape which fits rather nicely into the palm of one’s hand. They’re also a pretty convenient size to place under your pillow (although you obviously need to be mindful about which stones you choose for that or you might not sleep!). They’re also often a good non-rolly choice to use on your body in a crystal healing layout (or I like to place them on my body during relaxation, sound healing or even savasana).

But I think the best way to use palm stones is by simply holding them in your hand. If you find a crystal that really resonates with you or with an issue you’re facing, having a palm stone that you can simply hold for a while is a great way to both access its healing energy and to give yourself a tactile, tangible reminder of what you’re working to heal (and that you’re on the path to doing so). I have a few on my desk next to my computer to help with calmness, creativity and insight, firing up what needs to be fired up, and speaking my truth. And they’re also super pretty.

Raw

Raw crystals – or even specimens with part of them left raw (i.e. not polished) can be amazing – or frankly, they can just look like a dull lump of rock.

Some stones or forms of stones look fantastic in their natural format – the pyrrhotite in the picture is a fine example. This photo is also a lovely example of how nature isn’t quite as clear cut in how it expresses these energies. We might think of different crystals as being different things, with different energetic qualities – but nature can habitually put certain types of stones together (you’ll often see azurite and malachite in the same specimen, or pyrrhotite with quartz as in the photo), and it can also surprise you, with odd combinations and permutations.

Raw crystals tend to be better as pieces for a room or at key points in your home, with a specific job to do. Handling them can be problematic, as not being polished, particles can be rubbed away from the main specimen with handling – and some stones are toxic, so this can be dangerous. For the same reason, they’re also much easier to damage.

So raw crystals are extraordinary, but need to be handled with a bit of care and awareness.

I hope you've found this useful! What's your favourite crystal shape?

If you’re interested in crystals but not sure how to take care of them, check out my blog: https://www.amethystyogaandhealing.com.au/how-to-keep-your-crystals-happy

If you’d like to use crystals to support your higher intentions this year, I’ve written a free ebook to help you! Get your free copy here: https://www.amethystyogaandhealing.com.au/crystallise-your-intentions

If I hear “New Year, New You!” one more freakin’ time ...

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 02:12:11 GMT

If guilt and shame were effective strategies for change, we'd all be billionaire supermodels

At this time of year, it seems that every second ad on TV or post on social media says something along the lines of “New Year, New You!”

And it makes sense – the beginning of the year is certainly a great time to take stock of what’s working in our lives, what isn’t, and how we want to change.

But so often it feels like those messages are coming from a place of telling us that we’re not good enough the way that we are – and if we just pulled up our socks, buckled down and paid them a ton of money – we could finally be better, acceptable people.

Shame sells.

Let’s face it though – if guilt and shame were effective strategies for change, everyone would be a billionaire supermodel.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting we all give up on ever making positive changes in our lives and lie on the couch eating ice cream (unless that really makes you happy).

So what’s the alternative? I’m fond of this quote by the late Zen Buddhist monk Shunryu Suzuki:

“Each of you is perfect the way you are ... and you can use a little improvement.”

The wisdom traditions of Buddhism and yoga have a very different perspective about our essential nature and its worth than the one that many of us grew up with in western society (original sin, anyone?). Rather than seeing us as broken things that need to be fixed, but as something beautiful that might have been covered over with gunk that’s not actually who we are. So rather than fixing something broken or inherently bad, a positive way for us to make changes is to see them as lovingly polishing something precious to bring it back to the beauty and shininess that it was always meant to have.

That’s not just a philosophical nuance, it’s actually hugely practical.

If I’m trying to make changes in my life – say, to eat better or to move more – then my attitude towards myself can make a really big difference in terms of how those changes land and stick. Here’s an example. If I’m trying to eat more healthfully this year, and so forcing myself to eat celery every day because I think it’s something “good”, healthy people eat even though I HATE it (and I do!), then each time I eat celery I am quietly giving myself the following kinds of messages:

· I don’t deserve to enjoy my food

· Being healthy is painful and horrible

· I’m destined to always be unhealthy because I don’t intrinsically like celery

· I’m somehow broken and bad because I can’t force myself to like celery

If these are the kinds of messages that you are telling yourself, then rebelling against them isn’t a lack of willpower – it’s actually a form of liberating yourself from a cruel tyrant!

[I have nothing against celery per se, by the way, I’ve just hated it since I was a kid, so it seemed like a good example.]

Depriving ourselves of what we enjoy and forcing ourselves to consume/do things we hate is not a long-term strategy – or if it is long-term, then it’s a pretty miserable time (trust me, I know).

What if this year we loved ourselves and treated ourselves with kindness instead? IF you want to make changes – wouldn’t it be better to come from a place of treating ourselves as someone worthy of kindness, love and even pleasure? This approach is very different from what a lot of us might have done in the past. It involves getting to know ourselves well – our likes, dislikes, the things that we enjoy, the things we really don’t – and being willing to treat those preferences as being worth listening to. This might be really difficult if you’ve spent years disregarding yourself and putting your own wishes, desires and needs at the end of the line behind those of everyone else. So this might be a slow path of compassion and exploration.

To continue from the example above, if you were trying to eat more healthfully this year, rather than forcing yourself to subsist in a perpetual state of misery on celery and lettuce leaves, perhaps you could ask yourself the following questions:

· What foods do I actually like?

· What foods make me feel good when I eat them? What foods don’t?

· How conscious am I when I’m eating? Am I really paying attention?

· What stories am I telling myself about different types of food, what it means if I eat them, and are they still valid?

· How would I feed me if I thought I was someone important and deserving of love?

In some ways it would be easier to force yourself to eat celery and lettuce leaves than to ask yourself some of these questions.

And eating healthfully is just one example – this kind of thinking can apply to any changes we want to make – whether it be about our food, movement, lifestyle – whatever behaviour that we want to change.

It's about looking at yourself as something beautiful that is waiting to be polished up so you can shine, rather than something broken that needs to be fixed.

So none of this “New Year, New You!” nonsense. The you that is already here is perfect just as you are. But you might like to give yourself a bit of a polish this year so that you can really shine in all your perfection.

If you’d like a little help with that, get in touch.

Introvert’s Survival Guide for the Holidays

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 04:30:11 GMT

How to keep your introvert self sane without becoming a social pariah

Deck the halls with boughs of holly…

‘Tis the season to be completely overwhelmed and exhausted by humans and all their associated people-ness

OK, OK, I know that’s not how the carol goes. But all the introverts reading this are now probably nodding their heads going “YES YES YES that’s how it feels!!!!” This article is for you (all you extroverts can just get together and commiserate loudly or something).

Not sure which category you fall into? Well, introverts are people who tend to prefer calm, quiet environments and tend to relate to the world from the inside out – that is, we process things internally before expressing them, often over time. We can feel really drained and exhausted by socialising with people and tend to feel like we can only recharge our batteries while we’re alone. Extroverts are just the opposite – they’re energised by spending time with other people, and often are best able to process their thoughts and feelings through engaging with others. Neither of these are good or bad – any more than having blue eyes or brown eyes is good or bad – they just are. Obviously, these traits can be seen as being on a continuum and are independent of things like intelligence, empathy and even shyness. There’s some suggestion that there is a genetic, biological component to introversion/extroversion – but I’m pretty sure the jury is still well and truly out on that.

One way you might figure out that you are an introvert is if the thought of attending a bunch of end of year parties fills you with dread, and you suffer total and complete exhaustion in the aftermath. If that’s you - read on!

To an introvert, it can feel like our society and culture is basically designed for extroverts, and we introverts just have to suck it up. And maybe that’s true! But if you are an introvert, how can you support yourself to get through the holidays without draining yourself completely or offending half of your friends and relatives?

To say that I’m wildly social and a total social success would be a bald-faced lie. But I do have some ideas on how introverts (or shy people) might be able to make life a little easier for themselves at parties.

Please note : These ideas are for introverts, not those with a diagnosable condition such as social anxiety disorder. For those living with such conditions, treatment and recovery is absolutely possible, and help is available from your family physician and/or a clinical psychologist.

But if you’re just a garden-variety introvert, here’s some thoughts from my introverted brain to yours for how to survive the silly season.

1. Find yourself a job

Unstructured conversation in group settings can be a terrifying prospect for an introvert. So get yourself some structure! If you know the host of the party, offer to help out in some way, especially if you have some useful expertise. Hilariously, I often find myself in the kitchen cutting up foods that I frankly wouldn’t know how to cook or prepare or would ever eat – but if you can peel a vegetable or wipe a dish, you can serve a useful function. And being with other people when you share a task gives you a shared point of reference to help make conversation easier (or something to concentrate on to avoid conversation if you prefer). If you’re not one for the kitchen, then cleaning, serving, helping out with music or even being an unofficial meet-and-greet person (actually quite useful for professional functions where people may not know their way around your function area) – there’s lots of things that you can grab hold of to avoid standing around feeling like a goose.

2. Find the kids (or pets)

Let’s face it, most of the time children are much more fun to be around than grownups. Hanging out watching cartoons with small people or comparing your favourite super powers is not only much more fun, it’s usually a lot less socially demanding. As an added advantage, as long as you’re a reasonably responsible adult, you are helping your host by providing free supervision. The only problem with this option is that if you do it well and the kids like you, you’re going to be invited back to every function for the rest of your life. Dogs and cats are also very undemanding in terms of conversation.

3. Read newspapers and think about your potential audience

Keeping informed of current events is useful for so many reasons, but one is that it gives you something to talk to strangers about. I once had to meet the new girlfriend of an ex-fiancé in an emotionally difficult situation, and was a bit nervous about it. I knew that she was doing a PhD on a certain topic and read some articles in The Economist that week about it. I then thought of one single question that I could ask her relating to current events that were relevant to her PhD topic. Well. She spoke about it almost constantly for the next two hours (and had some really fascinating things to say). Needless to say, it was all much less awkward than I thought and much more interesting. This was a very unusual situation, but the general principle is still sound.

4. Set yourself a time limit

This is probably the most useful idea I’ve found. If I’m nervous about going to a function (and I’m always nervous about going to functions) I internally set myself a time limit, after which time I will give myself permission to leave. Especially if it’s an event where I don’t know many people but feel that I must go, having a deadline in mind can really help me to feel safe – rather than just feeling that I have to stay there for hours and hours and hours and feel miserable and uncomfortable. Sometimes when I’m feeling tired, I know I won’t get much past one hour, and that’s OK. I set myself a time limit and then thank the host, saying I have to go now (rarely do you need to explain further than that). Often just knowing that I am giving myself permission to leave after a certain time makes me sufficiently comfortable that I’ll stay longer, if I’m feeling OK or even (wonder of wonders) enjoying myself.

5. Make sure you have your own transport

So you can leave without depending on anyone else’s inclinations!

6. Discretion is the better part of valour

Sometimes you just need to accept that you are the way you are, and that some events are not going to be fun for you. In those situations, you can choose to go along and do your duty if it feels like that’s going to be in your best interest – and sometimes, you might have to admit to yourself that you just can’t face it, and decline. It’s really important to RSVP as early as possible and let people know that you can’t make it – that’s simple courtesy, and it’s easy to forget in this busy day and age. But beyond saying “I’m sorry, I can’t make it that night – I hope you all have a wonderful time!”, most people won’t actually need or want the full details of why you can’t make it. It’s none of their business (and most people have more important things going on in their lives than wondering about your social life!).

I hope these ideas are useful for my fellow introverts. The holidays can be a really tough time of year for a lot of people, and it’s tough for introverts in its own way. There’s nothing wrong with being who you are, the way you are – and there’s often things that we can do to help support us to do what we need to do. Happy holidays – and if you’ve got more ideas, I’d love to hear them!

Crystals to help you flourish and flower in Spring

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 03:50:23 GMT

Crystals to help you grow this Spring

Spring is such an amazing season – a time when nature comes back to life after the quiet and cold of winter. It’s a great time to start new projects, get some Spring cleaning done, and to connect with our sense of being vital, alive, and ready to grow.

If you’re drawn to crystals to support you on your path, then here’s some thoughts for great crystals for Spring. This is just my opinion! But I think these are really great crystals to support us in growing, feeling vital, and flowing with the newness and possibility of this season.

Lepidolite

Lepidolite is a great stone for getting “unstuck”, and for helping us move beyond the past. It is a stone of rebirth, bringing calm and relaxation at times of stress and transition. To me, it supports hope, relief, self-love, patience, self-forgiveness and opening up to the potential that lies within us. It’s also a great stone for meditation – I have a flat slab of it that I often place under my shin when I’m meditating to help me connect within in a grounded way.

Moss Agate

Moss agate is lovely at any time, and it’s particularly lovely in Spring. Moss agate is a gorgeous stone with a gentle, nurturing energy. It’s traditionally associated with supporting midwives and gardeners (I have a few hidden through my courtyard, and I swear it’s making the weeds grow really well). It’s a great stone when you’re looking for a new start, and releasing the limitations of the past. It is also said to be helpful for improving self-confidence, supporting self-expression and reconnecting with strength and hope from a place of calm.

Flower Agate

Flower agate is another lovely stone for Spring and has a gentle feminine energy that wants to help you blossom and bloom! It is said to help support growth and personal evolution, and to help us to focus our mind to bring forth into the world the things we are ready to sprout!

Green Aventurine

Green aventurine is pretty well known for being a stone of good luck, prosperity and abundance. It can also be helpful for giving us a bit of a gentle kick up the butt to get going, and to make good choices. It can help our creativity sprout, grow and manifest in the world.

Labradorite

I don’t think there’s any time of year when having some labradorite around isn’t a good idea. It’s particularly useful in times of change and transformation – and Spring is about as big a transformation as the natural world gives! It’s a great stone for grounding and protection, but also for meditation and insight. A lot of stones are one of those, but not the other, so labradorite is pretty special. Wearing a labradorite pendant or having a labradorite palm stone nearby (in your pocket if you’ve got one) can be really supportive when you’re really ready to do something different and show up in the world in a new way. It’s a great stone to promote growth, while keeping you grounded and protected.

Green Calcite

All the calcites are great, but I’m particularly fond of green calcite, and I think it’s a great stone for Spring. It is said to help us to balance mind, body and spirit and get in touch with our hearts. It’s also a great stone for gardeners, and those who are planting intentions and wanting them to sprout. All the calcites are known as “accelerators” – so speeding up growth where you need it – but green calcite is also known for supporting motivation and the transformation of the negative into positive. Definitely a personal growth accelerator!

There are plenty more! But these are the ones I particularly like for this time of year. I hope this gives you some useful ideas!

If you’ve got any crystals that you’re particularly drawn to for Spring, I’d love to hear about them. Or if you’d like to chat about how crystals or crystal healing might be able to support you, please get in touch.

Amethyst Crystal Library - Obdisidan

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 00:49:37 GMT

Obsidian - the wizard stone

I can’t believe that I haven’t featured obsidian before, it’s one of my favourites.

It’s often known as the “wizard stone” – which right there is a great reason to go out and get yourself some, really.

More technically, it’s known as volcanic glass – because that’s where it comes from. It is glossy, usually opaque, and stunning to look at.

Do you like this wizard’s stone? How do you use it?

Amethyst Crystal Library - Garnet

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 00:45:29 GMT

Fire up with garnet

Garnet is a fantastic stone for winter – well, all year round, actually!

Throughout history, gorgeous garnet has been used as a protective talisman for warriors; a stone of enlightenment for spiritual seekers; and as an ornament for those drawn to its warmth and beauty.

There are OODLES of different varieties of the stuff, but most of us will be familiar with the most common, translucent, red variety.

It is said to inspire love and devotion and also to bring balance to passion.

In winter, its brightness and spark can bring some light to dark places within and without.

It is a stone of willpower, courage and adaptation to change.

I like to think of it as a stone that doesn’t just help me tolerate change – but eat it for breakfast!!

Do you like garnet, and how do you use its fire to light you up?

Tapping into your truth

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 02:31:26 GMT

When the mind doesn't have all the answers, listen to the body

Sometimes when you’ve got an issue you’re facing in your life, you can turn it over and over again in your mind and just not get anywhere. You know how it goes – it’s like your thoughts go around and around in circles, but you can’t find any resolution.

When this happens, it might be time to give the mind a bit of a break and let the body speak. There’s lots of ways to do that – yoga practitioners and practitioners of other mindful movement modalities will no doubt have had the experience of going into a class or practice session with a problem, forgetting about it completely, and yet walking out with an insight, or even a solution.

One way of bringing the power of your mind as well as the insights of the body to an issue is Emotional Freedom Technique – more commonly known as “Tapping”.

Tapping has been called an “energy psychology” technique, as it was originally designed by Gary Craig in the 1990s. Gary Craig was not a psychologist, he was an engineer, but he came up with a technique that is now used by counsellors and psychologists around the world.

To be absolutely honest with you, it’s weird. The technique involves tapping on your face in certain points (which very roughly correspond with meridian acupoints), which discussing a certain issue. As well as talking, we also pay attention to the felt sense in the body, how it changes over time, and what it might be trying to tell us.

Since it was developed in the 1990s, there has been a lot of research done into its efficacy. This has included around 70 randomised controlled trials, published in peer-reviewed journals (which is the gold standard for medical research). It is a recognised modality by the Australian Counselling Association and the American Psychological Association. Although Craig felt that the way it worked was due to meridians and acupoints, the research suggests other possible mechanisms of action – tapping may “deactivate” certain neural mechanisms that trigger stress responses or behaviours, while “activating” parts of the brain associated with executive function[1].

I don’t pretend to be an expert on neuroscience and I am aware that tapping is not accepted by all psychologists or counsellors.

But there have been positive results for tapping in studies involving anxiety, depression, PTSD, phobias, food cravings and eating disorders. And it is a tool that anyone can learn to use for themselves to reduce stress or get to the root of an issue that’s bothering them.

As an holistic counsellor and yoga teacher, I am a big fan of tapping as a way to bring the body and the mind together in a powerful way. I have seen tapping help people connect with their own truth, identify and regulate emotions, and support themselves in their own wellbeing.

If you’ve got an issue that keeps coming up for you, but you can’t get your head around it; if you have a behaviour that stubbornly refuses to change; or if you’d like to learn how to listen to the messages of your body and heart – tapping might be able to help.

If you’re ready to tap into your truth, get in touch today for a chat to discover if tapping might be for you.

REFERENCE

1. Church D, Stapleton P, Yang A, Gallo F. Is Tapping on Acupuncture Points an Active Ingredient in Emotional Freedom Techniques? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Comparative Studies. J Nerv Ment Dis 2018; 206: 783-793.

Amethyst Crystal Library - Selenite

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 03:37:40 GMT

Protection, insight - and a supercharge

Ahhh, selenite. I am firmly of the belief that you cannot have too much of this stuff.

Some people like to put their selenite out under the full moon for a bit of an extra charge – but I have heard others who have had it literally crack with all that energy!

It is a great stone to keep near your front door or on windowsills to keep out negativity and to act as a bit of a sentinel for protection.

It’s also a great stone for meditation, insight, peace, connecting with source and our purest and highest intentions.

Two cautions though – in the more raw forms it can be really splintery – so take care with it and probably keep it away from children (polished selenite is fine). And NEVER put it under water – it will dissolve! I met a guy at a crystal fair once who had a theory that the reason no-one can find Atlantis is because when it sunk it was completely made of selenite, so it all dissolved … I’m not sure whether or not he was joking, but it’s a theory!

Do you like selenite? How do you like to use it?

If you’re interested in crystals but not sure how to take care of them, check out my blog: https://www.amethystyogaandhealing.com.au/how-to-keep-your-crystals-happy

And if you’d like to chat about how crystals might support your wellbeing, get in touch!

Amethyst Crystal Library - Rhodonite

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 03:33:48 GMT

Forgiveness and unconditional love - even for our very own selves

Rhodonite is a gorgeous stone for soothing our hearts. It is associated with unconditional love, healing our hearts and forgiveness.

It is said to help us to live from our hearts, and I like it as a stone to help us to bring unconditional love not only into the world, but to forgive ourselves for our flaws (actual or perceived) and learn to look at ourselves through the lens of compassion and unconditional self-love.

You might be drawn to this stone when you are looking to feel your connection with others, and also with yourself – all from a place of unconditional love.

Do you like rhodonite? How do you like to use it?

If you’re interested in how crystals might be a part of your journey, you might like to check out a blog post I wrote about crystal healing: https://www.amethystyogaandhealing.com.au/what-is-crystal-healing-is-it-for-me

Amethyst Crystal Library - Red Jasper

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 03:30:18 GMT

Support from the earth

Red jasper is a great stone to help us ground as the seasons change – especially when things are a bit unpredictable.

Red jasper is known as a gentle, healing stone that works slowly to help us feel grounded, connected to the earth, and move in an organic way into our own healing.

It is seen as a deeply nurturing stone, to help us feel stable, grounded and supported in times of upheaval, and reminds us that we are connected to the earth and to all the beings on it.

Do you like red jasper? How do you like to use it?

If you’re interested in crystals but not sure how to take care of them, check out my blog: https://www.amethystyogaandhealing.com.au/how-to-keep-your-crystals-happy

Amethyst Crystal Library - Pyrite

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 03:26:55 GMT

More than fool's gold

Also known as Fool’s Gold, pyrite is a stone to call in abundance and prosperity.

It is said to protect and defend against negativity and all that does not constitute our highest good.

It is a stone to support leadership – whether that be leadership of the self or others – and also to help us stay committed to our path, and true to our ambitions and goals.

It has been used by many as a good luck stone, and to attract wealth, prosperity, abundance and the creativity to bring one’s dreams into reality.

Pyrite is also said to give us that little bit of extra oomph when we feel like we’re running low on energy to do what we need to do, and can also be a good stone to have if you’re recovering from an illness.

Its gorgeous metallic, golden luster is pretty irresistible and it can also come in fantastic natural cube shapes – it’s cool stuff.

As we come into winter and need that bit of extra stamina to get us through darker, colder days, maybe pyrite can give you that bit of extra energy to keep on shining!

Amethyst Crystal Library - Ocean Jasper

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 03:20:25 GMT

Flow with what is, but own what's yours

I’m in love with ocean jasper at the moment – so many colours, so much yumminess ��

Like all jaspers, ocean jasper is grounding, and nourishing but it carries qualities of the water element as well as the earth.

To me, it’s the perfect stone to support me to go with the flow – but also to take responsibility for my own part in a situation.

It is said to support optimism, grounding, communication (helping it to flow!) and self-esteem.

And it’s good to just stare at the gorgeous stuff!

Do you like ocean jasper? How do you like to use it?

Amethyst Crystal Library - Malachite

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 03:16:40 GMT

With great power comes great responsibility - and a pretty shade of green

Malachite is a powerful stone – and should be handled with respect and care. It is said to ramp up both positive and negative energies, but is particularly known as a protection stone. In crystal healing, it is thought to absorb spiritual and environmental nasties – so it is important to cleanse it before and after you use it.

It’s a great stone for adventurers – said to help those with fear of flying, and also a stone to support taking appropriate risks and being open to change.

It is said to shine a bright (sometimes harsh) light on the areas where we’re hiding, where we need to grow. It can bring into the light old wounds and traumas that are ready to heal. It helps us get to the root of a problem, so we can see what we need to do to heal it.

You can see why cleansing it often might be a good idea!

In the non-polished form, it is important to be very careful to avoid breathing in its dust and if you are using it to make crystal water or crystal elixirs, it is important to use indirect methods (i.e. don’t put it in water that you plan to drink!).

Do you like malachite? How do you like to use it?

Amethyst Crystal Library - Hematite

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 03:12:52 GMT

Grounding and protection with a bit of bling

It’s especially helpful to keep our feet on the earth when we’re trying to work on our spiritual development (so we don’t lose track of the real world!).

It is said to promote love and help us to be magnetic! It can also help us to find our inner strength and courage.

Amethyst Crystal Library - Clear Quartz

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 03:09:18 GMT

Clear Quartz - the master healer

Clear quartz is known as the Master Healer in crystal healing. Although it is associated with the higher energy centres, it can be used to support all chakras and is said to bring balance and healing to all systems of the body. Containing all colours, it works on all levels to bring harmony, balance, stimulation when we are dull and calming when we are frazzled.

If you’re at all interested in crystals, you definitely need some of this stuff!

In crystal healing, clear quartz is known as the only truly programmable crystal. While we can certainly set intentions with any stone, with clear quartz, we can actually use intention to program the stone to support us in certain ways.

Clear quartz points are used in crystal healing to charge up the other stones that we are using, and to amplify their effects – you can use them in grids this way, too.

I love that it is probably the most common, frequently unprepossessing, and often the least expensive of all the crystals – and yet it can be considered the most powerful of them all.

Do you like clear quartz? How do you like to use it?

If you’re interested in crystal healing and would like to know a bit more about it, check out a blog I wrote recently: https://www.amethystyogaandhealing.com.au/what-is-crystal-healing-is-it-for-me

Amethyst Crystal Library - Carnelian

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 03:04:59 GMT

Bring the fire with carnelian

Carnelian brings a bit of fire into your life!

It’s a great stone for firing up our creativity, positivity and lust for life (and well, lust in general, actually).

It’s a great stone for getting things done and for putting a fire under you. It can also help us to focus and concentrate while we’re trying to get those things done, too.

Do you like carnelian? How do you use it?

If you’re interested in crystals but not sure how to take care of them, check out my blog: https://www.amethystyogaandhealing.com.au/how-to-keep-your-crystals-happy

And if you’d like to chat about how crystals might support your wellbeing, get in touch!

Amethyst Crystal Library - Amethyst!

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 03:01:30 GMT

Inspiration, healing, beauty - amethyst has it all

Who doesn’t love amethyst???? It’s such a wonderful stone!!!

Since all the way back to ancient Greece, amethyst has been used as a stone of protection and healing at all levels – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

It can help us to feel a sense of calm in times of stress and help us connect to our inner resources.

It is a fantastic stone for meditation, intuition, and connecting to higher intention and spirit.

I can’t get enough of the stuff. Do you like amethyst? How do you like to use it?

If you’re interested in crystals but not sure how to take care of them, check out my blog: https://www.amethystyogaandhealing.com.au/how-to-keep-your-crystals-happy

Amethyst Crystal Library - Amazonite

Sun, 03 Jul 2022 02:56:59 GMT

Amazonite - for harmony and balance

Do you like Amazonite? How do you like to use it?

If you’re interested in crystals and would like to know more about how to look after them, you might like to check out a blog I wrote: https://www.amethystyogaandhealing.com.au/how-to-keep-your-crystals-happy

The Best Crystals to Have for Every Room in Your Home, According to the Pros

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 03:04:01 GMT

We recently had the opportunity to make a small contribution to an article for Re dfin - here's the whole thing for you to enjoy!

The Best Crystals to Have for Every Room in Your Home, According to the Pros

Looking for a way to improve the energy of a room while also elevating its design? Look no further than using crystals to adorn your home. Crystals have been used for years as both decorative items and to cleanse and rejuvenate a space, but how do you use them beyond their natural beauty?

With the help of experts, we put together a room-by-room guide on the best crystals to have in your home. Whether you're looking to cleanse your new Chicago, IL , apartment before moving in or manifesting a more peaceful space in your ornate Victorian-style home , read on to find out how to utilize these crystals in your home design.

Best crystals for a living area

Lapis lazuli
Amazonite
Himalayan salt
Blue calcite
Clear and rose quartz
Moss agate

My top two crystals for the living room are lapis lazuli (throat chakra) and amazonite (heart chakra). Lapiz lazuli encourages you to communicate freely with others, and it also adds a layer of protective vibes. Amazonite is another useful crystal to balance the Yin and Yang energies in a room, and it's also a stress reducer. The living room is usually dedicated to family gatherings, so having crystals sprawled around that can cater to crowds or a faithful few is a must. Both crystals can be placed in a small container on a table; however, make sure small hands can't reach them. - Healthy Living Journey

The easiest way to integrate crystals into your home is to install a Himalayan salt lamp. These lamps are a large orange chunk of Himalayan salt that has been bored out to accommodate a light bulb. These lights emit beneficial negative ions into the room to provide a soothing effect. - Emerald Energy Healing

Place a bowl of blue calcite crystals in any high socialized area such as a family room, kitchen, or workspace. Blue calcite is the perfect stone to promote harmonious communication and balance between parties. To keep your fruit from decaying quickly, add a few tumbled clear quartz crystals to the basket, which will amplify their vitality longer. Consider adding tumbled moss agate to your plant pots to prepare for spring as this will help them in their growth. - Crystal Reiki Center

The best crystal for your living room space would be a beautiful piece of rose quartz. The living room space is where you entertain and have close family and friends, and rose quartz is a stone that exudes calming, loving, and positive energies for those close to it. I would even go as far as pairing it with a piece of clear quartz to amplify those loving energies. - Remember Love Healing

Best crystals for the entryway

Black tourmaline
Smokey, clear, and rose quartz
Selenite
Citrine
Jade
Amethyst
Obsidian

Crystals and gemstones can be placed in the entryway to enhance fortuitous opportunities to come into your life. When customers ask me what stones to suggest for their healing journey, I ask what they hope to call into their lives. The same principle applies to placing crystals in your home, especially the front entrance as it's considered a "portal of energy" according to feng shui. I suggest placing a large black tourmaline or smokey quartz either outside your front door or inside your entryway for energetic protection and grounding. Clear quartz and selenite are also helpful for protection and raising the vibrations in your home.

If you desire to attract love or create more harmony with your significant other, placing a rose quartz at your entrance will create a loving and compassionate atmosphere. For attracting wealth, place citrine or jade in a fountain in front of your door (with the water flowing toward your house). To create a serene vibe, place amethyst as a focal point at your entrance or on the coffee table in the living room. - Gemma Rose Jewelry

My favorite crystal combination for an entryway is selenite and rose quartz. Selenite is known as a natural energy shifter and helps clear any negative energy from entering your home. Once inside, I have rose quartz, also known as “The Heart Stone,” which carries an aura of compassion, peace, and warmth to welcome in my guests. - Blossom & Stone

Using crystals to keep the energy in your entryway clean, clear, and high-vibe sets the tone for your entire home. The entryway of your home is so many things: the gateway for energy and guests to enter, a welcoming committee to you and your family, and most importantly, a signal for you to leave the outside world and settle into your sanctuary. To create a welcoming and energetically clean experience when entering your home, place a selenite lamp in this space to clear heavy, dense, or negative energies and pair it with a black tourmaline over the doorway to add a wonderful layer of protective energy. - Sara Bryki Co.

We recommend placing a black tourmaline crystal in your entryway due to its protective properties, which cleanses negative energy and provides a peaceful welcome home. Alternatively, we recommend a clear quartz or amethyst crystal for a neutral decor style to create a relaxing and calm ambiance. - Kiara Crystal

Use citrine for happiness and prosperity, obsidian for stability, smokey quartz to deflect negative energy, and selenite to encourage peaceful, light, clean energy. Polished or raw, they can be placed freestanding inside or outside the front door, at the base of a pot plant, on window ledges, or as beautiful ornaments in any room of the home. Cleanse your crystals using light energy from the sun or moon, water, incense and oils, sound bowls and music, fire, or earth (but remember that some stones are sensitive to light and water). To connect with your crystals as you enter your home, just lightly touch them as you walk past to activate and enjoy their wonderful energy and presence. - Rocky Road Mineral

Best crystals for the bedroom

Amethyst
Rose quartz
Selenite
Tourmaline

My favorite crystals to keep in the bedroom are amethyst (under the pillow or next to the bed) and rose quartz (next to the bed), selenite (over a doorway or on the four bed corners), and tourmaline (end of bed or next to the bed). Amethyst brings in calm and allows for sleep, while rose quartz is a mother nurturer stone for self-love and releasing anxiety. Selenite is an amplifier, a protection stone, and a bringer of white light and tourmaline is used for protection and grounding. - Your Reiki Girl

We recommend blue lace agate and amethyst for a tranquil and calming environment. For restful sleep, you can try adding selenite under your bed or howlite under your pillow. You can add rose quartz and ruby on your nightstand for increased romance. - Strawberry Moon

Best crystals for the kitchen

Amethyst
Clear and rose quartz
Selenite
Carnelian
Citrine
Black tourmaline
Black onyx
Shungite

We love having clear quartz crystals in our kitchen, either in clusters or towers. Our kitchen windows are filled with plants, and they absolutely adore the energy of clear quartz, rose quartz, and amethyst (which is also quartz-based), and they thrive around them. Selenite is also fabulous in the kitchen as it helps keep the energy clean, clear, and filled with light. Just be sure not to place any plants near or on top of selenite as it seems to stunt their growth and lifeforce. - The Sound Of Ashana

Create a joyful ambiance in your kitchen with carnelian and citrine. These are great stones to inspire creativity in the kitchen because it delivers confidence, boosts creativity, stimulates motivation, and increases stamina to make great food. These pieces shine bright in the middle of a kitchen and work great together or separately. Stones that will offer protection against negative influences and help you maintain a pure environment where you cook and enjoy your meals are black tourmaline, black onyx, and shungite. We recommend putting this in a position closest to the entrance of a kitchen where there’s the most foot traffic. - Amethyst Goddess

Best crystals for a home office

Tourmaline
Black onyx
Lapis lazuli
Amethyst
Blue lace agate

Black onyx is a stone of mental discernment, grounding, self-control, and discipline. Place this healing crystal on the desk or nearby shelf where it will be glanced at often. Having a piece of black onyx in the work/study area or home office helps with logical thinking and completing tasks. Plus, it helps you feel centered and focused. - Natural Healing Gems

We love tourmaline as it's a great stone for removing negativity from any place in your house. While studying, working, or even sleeping, it's important not to be influenced by negative energy. - Gemstone Wisdom

Have a series of palm stones that you love near your computer so that you can hold one while you're working – perhaps a lapis lazuli palm stone for tricky conversations, amethyst for inspiration and creativity, or blue lace agate for keeping your cool. For the home, selenite is an excellent stone to place near the front door or on window sills to act as a protective shield, inviting positivity and calm and encouraging negativity to stay outside. - Amethyst Yoga And Healing

Best crystals for the garden

Quartz
Green aventurine
Labradorite
Obsidian

Quartz is like the grandfather of crystals because they help clear obstacles away and are great for keeping pests from your flower beds. Tumbled green aventurine is also a great addition to help keep your garden growing and flourishing because of its prosperous energy. Lastly, raw labradorite, with its organic kaleidoscope of colors, may help your garden embrace different outdoor conditions so they don't wither away at the first sign of seasonal changes. And to get these crystals activated to start protecting your garden, simply give them a gentle cleaning with mild soap and water. Then set your intentions for the crystals with a brief but meaningful prayer or meditation, and place them in your gardens wherever your heart desires. - Sacredite Crystal Jewelry

Crystals choose you, so go with the crystal you are drawn to the most when picking the best crystals for your home. That crystal will be exactly what you need at that moment and may be sending you a message. But if you can't choose, obsidian is a great protective stone to have in the garden and will suck up negative emotions before you enter the home. If you have a collection of crystals, we'd recommend doing a few nights in the garden every so often to keep them charged. - Llio

Green aventurine is an excellent crystal to place in your garden as it carries a powerful energy of growth and renewal. Try placing it near struggling plants as it helps to overcome depletion by bringing a great flow of life force and vitality. There's also a bonus that comes with having green aventurine nearby; it's known as the stone of good luck and can also bring prosperity. - Crystal Calm Living

Originally published by Redfin

Your mindfulness needs heartfulness

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 23:41:48 GMT

Mindfulness is great, but it's not the whole story

Mindfulness is fairly well known as a great tool to help us to stay calm, grounded and on an even keel. Over 5,000 research papers have been published in the peer-reviewed literature on how mindfulness can be useful for a huge variety of conditions and situations from chronic pain, depression and anxiety, eating disorders, loneliness in the elderly, and even fear of COVID.

But in the wisdom traditions from which it was drawn, mindfulness is not used in isolation. It’s seen as being a very useful tool to have in your kit, but not the entire toolkit.

Self-esteem only takes you so far

Another popular and well-known tool or concept for mental health and wellbeing is the concept of self-esteem. Self esteem is how you see yourself – when we don’t think much of ourselves, we’re unlikely to treat ourselves well, or to trust people who do.

Having a good opinion of ourselves is great – but what about when things go wrong? We can’t be perfect all the time, and there are times when we genuinely do mess up, when we make mistakes, when we don’t live up to our own values or standards. Self-esteem can feel like a bit of a brittle concept when we life knocks us up against the walls of our own vulnerabilities, imperfections and flaws.

So what can help? Heartfulness!

What is heartfulness?

Heartfulness is a term I’m using to describe a bunch of concepts from Buddhist traditions including loving-kindness, compassion and self-compassion.

But what do those terms actually mean?

Buddhist teacher Jack Kornfield describes loving-kindness as “seeing the original innocence, dignity, and beauty of another”. Compassion can be seen as a deep awareness of suffering that others are experiencing, accompanied by a deep wish to be part of relieving it.

Self-compassion includes it all

One of the best-known researchers into the importance of self-compassion is Dr Kristin Neff. She describes it as involving the same feelings of compassion towards another, but focused in on ourselves. In her definition, it involves three elements:

· Mindfulness;

· Common humanity; and

· Self-kindness

So it involves mindfulness, compassion and loving-kindness – but all turned towards ourselves.

Self-compassion may be more useful than self-esteem because it can’t be battered by our flaws, failings and imperfections – on the contrary, an awareness of these things gives us more to turn towards by giving us a greater understanding of our own suffering, and how we’re just like every other person who has ever gone through the same thing and is deserving of our kindness and compassion.

And research is suggesting that self-compassion doesn’t just feel good, it can improve our resilience to stress and even trauma.

So how do we cultivate self-compassion?

This might sound like a big project, but we can start on our journey to self-compassion in some simple, practical ways.

Look at yourself through the eyes of a friend: We can start to cultivate self-compassion by looking at how we talk to ourselves. If we really sit down and think about it, many of us realise that if we spoke to a friend the way we speak to ourselves …. well, they wouldn’t be our friend anymore!

So start to notice how you’re talking to yourself. If it’s overly critical, you might ask yourself – how would someone who really cared about me see this? Can I play around with seeing things that way too?

Meet “failure” with kindness: When we don’t live up to our own expectations, we can remind ourselves that we don’t have to be perfect to be valuable. Do you know any perfect people, or people who haven’t ever made a mistake? I suspect not (and if you did, they’d probably be really annoying anyway). Learning to treat ourselves with gentleness when we’re our inevitably flawed, human selves is a great way to start to feel greater compassion for ourselves (and others too).

Treat yourself as though you matter: What does your day look like? Is it full of things you “should” do, putting yourself last? What can you bring into your day to treat yourself as though you are important and worth caring for? This doesn’t have to be a week at a yoga retreat, it can start with something as simple as putting in time to prepare a nutritious lunch for yourself. Without creating extra stress for yourself, can you think of small ways take care of yourself a bit better? Each time you take an action – no matter how small – that shows yourself that you are important and worth your own time and energy, you’re learning how to exercise greater self-compassion.

Practice! If you like to meditate, or are interested in self-compassion as part of your spiritual practice, a quick internet search on topics like “self-compassion meditation” or “loving-kindness meditation” will show you that this is a rich area of meditation practice in a range of traditions. Alternatively, get in touch , and we can work with you to create a practice that works for you.

Want to know more?

Building your self-compassion muscles is a great way to support yourself to improved well-being and resilience. For more ideas on how to bring it into your life, click here to get a free self-compassion mini-guide.

How do you bring self-compassion into your life? And what has it brought you?

I hope you find these ideas useful and that they help you to treat yourself as the unique and precious being that you are.

Reiki is the energy of unconditional love

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 06:54:08 GMT

What is reiki, anyway?

What is reiki?

Simply put, it’s the energy of unconditional love.

Reiki is an energy healing modality where the practitioner channels universal life force energy to the client. This energy can be transferred either in person by laying hands on or near the body, or over distance. Energy is energy, so both are effective!

In an in-person reiki session, you lie down on a massage table and get comfortable, and your practitioner will gently lay their hands on or near you (as you prefer). Practitioners are attuned to this energy, so that they are able to request that it pass through them into individuals, animals, and even situations. It can never do harm.

Reiki can also be given over a distance – you can either experience this in real time from the comfort of your couch (I like to do this via Zoom), or a practitioner can “program” the reiki to be received by you while you sleep. Both can work really well.

I love reiki as a modality because you can take it anywhere and use it anytime – as a practitioner, all you need are your hands and your intention! I also love it because as long as you have been attuned, anyone can channel reiki – you don’t need to be some enlightened being, this energy is available to anyone.

What is a reiki session like? Usually, clients find it a deeply relaxing and very calming experience. Sometimes during sessions, clients may have insights about their lives and any issues that they may be facing. Reiki energy is believed to be able to support healing at all levels – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. The energy will work in the way that constitutes the best and highest good of the one receiving it at that time. For this reason, although you may come to a reiki session with an outcome in mind, it’s best to be open to all kinds of possibilities! The universe may have a better plan than what you could dream up for yourself!

On a personal level, I have been drawn to reiki sessions when I’ve been at a crossroads in my life due to physical or emotional issues and have needed support – but haven’t been sure what I needed. Reiki is great in this kind of situation, because it’s the universe giving you what you need, even when you don’t know what that is.

As with all energy healing modalities, reiki should not be used as a substitute for professional medical or psychological care.

If you’d like to find out more about reiki or book a session, get in touch at kaye@amethystyogaandhealing.com.au .

And get yourself some reiki unconditional love energy!

How to keep your crystals happy!

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 04:57:00 GMT

More and m ore of us are getting drawn to crystals – and for good reasons! Not only are they beautiful, but across times and cultures, many have felt that the energetic qualities of crystals can support them in their day-to-day lives and wellness.

But once you get one, what do you do with it? Lots of people talk about cleansing, charging, attuning their crystals – what does it all mean and how do you do it? I imagine there are as many responses to this question as there are people who work with crystals, but for what it’s worth, here’s my approach.

Cleansing

When I first get a new stone, I like to cleanse it. The idea of cleansing a stone is to release any negative energy that it may have absorbed before it got to you. There’s a few different ways of doing this.

Smudging – This is where you get some white sage, lavender, palo santo, eucalyptus leaves, sweet grass (or another aromatic dried plant!), light it, and then move your stone through the smoke. You can purchase smudging sticks for this purpose from health food stores or crystal stores, or make your own. You can also use incense, if you prefer. The concept is that by moving the stone through the smoke, the smoke attracts the negativity and draws it away from the stone itself. It’s a good idea to have a window or door open when you do this (or the air conditioner at a pinch) to draw the smoke away so you’re not just wafting it around your home! The great advantage of smudging is that it is really quick – and will make your home smell nice! I really enjoy the ritual of it, too.

Moonlight – This can cleanse a stone and also charge it up! Placing a stone on a window sill or outside during the full moon will cleanse it and charge it. This is particularly great for more “feminine” stones such as moonstone, amethyst, rose quartz, blue lace agate and rhodonite. For more about the phases of the moon and when to put out your crystals, see my recent blog: https://www.amethystyogaandhealing.com.au/precious-gems-blog/a-quick-and-dirty-guide-to-phases-of-the-moon-and-when-to-put-out-your-crystals

Sunlight – Sunlight can also cleanse and charge stones, but should be used more moderately. Some stones may fade if exposed for direct sunlight for too long, and some will refract light and potentially cause fires. So putting your stones in indirect sunlight for an hour or so will do the trick.

Earth – A lovely way to cleanse stones is to place them in a bag made of natural fabric (cotton, silk, hemp) and bury them in the earth for a day or so. Obviously, you need to take note of where you put them! I also like to place them in pot plants from time to time. The stones are from the earth, and the idea is that they love to go back to it for a visit.

Water – Some people use spring water, ocean water or running water to cleanse crystals. Again, this can be problematic. Some stones can dissolve in water or be otherwise impacted by it – this isn’t my favourite method (although it’s as quick as smudging), but for stones like the quartzes (including amethyst, rose quartz, citrine), it will work.

Selenite, Citrine, Clear Quartz – These stones are said to be free of any negative energy and can be used to cleanse other stones. Selenite in particular is great for this – and also is great for charging your stones (more on this later). Leave your stones on a selenite plate or citrine or clear quartz cluster for a few hours, and they will be good to go.

Reiki – If you are a reiki practitioner, crystals LOVE reiki. You can use reiki to cleanse and charge them, but this is most powerful if you are attuned to Level 2 or above (if this is you, and you’d like to know more about reiki for crystals, get in touch).

Sound – Sound is a GREAT way to cleanse stones. If you have a singing bowl, tuning fork, or chant, this is a fantastic way to cleanse stones, and also a great option for the fragrance sensitive. Just play your bowl near the stone you wish to cleanse, and let the vibrations do the work!

Salt – burying crystals in natural salt for a few hours is a great cleansing method. You can’t use the salt to cook afterwards, though! You need to throw it out. And you need to be careful with rock salt or Himalayan sea salt that it doesn’t scratch your stones.

Stones that don’t need cleansing (or charging) include: selenite, citrine, clear quartz and kyanite. That said, you may enjoy cleansing or charging them – I certainly do – but be careful that really high vibration stones such as selenite have been known to crack when they have too much energy from a charging! So go easy with the selenite under the full moon!

How often should you cleanse your crystals?

Definitely when you first bring them into your home, if you can. Thereafter, it’s up to you! If you feel like its energy is getting “tired”, or it’s been doing a lot of work for you, then it’s a good time to give it a cleanse. Protective stones like malachite, turquoise, black tourmaline, hematite, obsidian, jet and onyx are said to do a lot of energetic heavy lifting – so it’s a good idea to cleanse them quite often. I have a black obsidian bracelet and a black onyx ring that I wear most days – and I smudge them most evenings, to release any negativity they’ve been absorbing on my behalf.

Charging

As mentioned above, sometimes stones will feel a bit “tired” energetically, especially if they’ve been working hard for you! Then it’s time to give them a bit of a charge.

My favourite way of doing this is moonlight. As above, place your stones under a window sill or outside if you can during a full moon, and they will get a serious boost! I leave many of my stones in front of an east-facing window during the full moon – it is worth the time to do it each month, as they really feel much happier! This is particularly useful for moonstones – if you don’t have time to put out any other stones under the full moon, at least try to put out your moonstones. As above, some people have had selenites explode under the full moon – and they are perpetually charged (and charging), so you don’t really need to expose them to moonlight – unless you particularly get the urge to.

Also mentioned above, another method is sunlight . Again, just an hour or two of solar energy can be great – especially if you’re concerned about your stones fading (this can happen to rose quartz in particular, which is a pity). Some people say that only coloured or fake stones will fade in sunlight – and other people I respect say otherwise. I have no idea, but I’m not keen to risk it! Indirect sunlight is fine, however. I feel like sunlight is great for more “masculine” stones – onyx, shivalingams and mookaite – but this is completely subjective – you might feel something completely different.

Reiki is great for charging stones if you have been attuned to Level 2 or above and have the appropriate symbols.

For me, the absolute easiest method for charging stones is selenite. You can buy selenite plates and bowls which are perfect for this. I like to smudge my stones and then leave them on a selenite plate to charge for a few hours.

How often should you charge your crystals?

Again, I don’t think there’s a hard and fast rule about this – just when you feel like they are “tired” and need a bit of a boost, or when they’ve been working hard for you. Stones that you are using for protection are best cleansed and charged more frequently. With the exception of selenite, or if you felt like a stone was naturally extremely high in vibration, having a monthly ritual of charging your stones under moonlight is a lovely habit to get into, and will keep your stones at their best.

Attuning, Programming and Intention Setting

Once you’ve cleansed and charged your stone, it’s a good idea to spend some time getting to know it – attuning to it. All stones have their own qualities (like a personality!), above and beyond those traditionally associated with the type of stone it is.

A great way to do this is to sit quietly with your stone, and to take a few breaths to enter a mindful and open state. Use your senses of sight and touch to engage with the stone, to see what it is like, and then go a little deeper, opening yourself up to awareness of its energetic qualities, and how it makes you feel – also how it might like to work with you. At the end of such a session, it’s a lovely idea to “thank” the stone for being with you and for all that it is doing for you.

You may also like to meditate with your crystal as a way of getting to know it better and attune with it. Crystals are great to meditate with in any case, but in particular when we’re first getting to know a new stone, it can be lovely to open up to it in a meditative state of awareness.

Clear quartz stones are said to be the only truly programmable stones – that is, after attuning with it, you can set an intention for the stone to support you in a certain way. If you use a clear quartz in this way, it’s important not to cleanse it or charge it again until you feel like it has accomplished its task – the cleansing is wiping the slate clean, as it were.

Although only clear quartz stones are programmable with intentions, you may feel drawn to use stones whose energetic qualities are in line with a certain intention you might have for your life to support your hopes and goals. If so, a great way to use a crystal might be to sit with it in a meditative state, and after attuning with it (checking that it can support you in the way you wish), you might say to yourself something like:

“With this crystal, I set an intention that ….. May this stone support me as I move forward with this intention, in alignment with the highest good and greatest joy of all concerned. So be it, and so it is.”

Please note that crystals should never be used as a substitute for appropriate, qualified medical and/or psychological care.

I hope you have found this blog useful, and may you and your crystals be healthy and happy! This is from my perspective - other crystal healing practitioners might have different perspectives - and you might too. You'll find your own way with stones, and I hope this helps you to do so.

If you’re interested in working with crystals more deeply, a crystal healing session might be for you – if so, find out more at Amethyst Yoga and Healing.

A quick and dirty guide to phases of the moon – and when to put out your crystals!

Thu, 20 May 2021 04:06:00 GMT

One of things I get asked about most is what the different phases of the moon “mean”, and when is the best time to put out your crystals to make them happy! So here’s a quick and dirty guide to the phases of the moon – what they’re called, how you might work with them, and when your crystals might like to get a little moonlight.

Like most things, there are many different ways of seeing moon phases – but here’s the concepts that I have found most useful – and I hope you will too.

The New Moon

This is the time when you start to see the first sliver of the moon in the sky. This is a great time to connect with new intentions – digging deep to connect with what wants to come forth into the light. In your yoga practice, it’s a great time to turn inwards with more lunar or meditative practices, but with the intention of using this new, "begin again" energy to put it into what it's time to bring into form.

This is when the seeds of intention that you’ve planted during the new moon might start to feel like they’re starting to germinate! It’s called “waxing” because the visible moon is getting bigger. This is a time when there can be a feeling of feeling committed to the new intentions that you have set, and there’s some energy behind them. You can use this energy to start to really fire yourself up and support yourself to be determined and courageous.

Now things are getting serious! Although it’s called a first quarter, it actually looks like a half. This can be the time when we are really feeling like it’s time to take visible action in the world, and may even start to feel a bit antsy if we don’t! At Amethyst Yoga and Healing , our newsletter comes out on the First Quarter of the moon, to help us to use that energy to start to make our intentions conscious and alive in the world. So in your yoga practice, you might like to continue to build some heat with practices like sun salutations, to support your determination and ability and willingness to take action.

The Oxford English Dictionary (let’s face it, the authority on such things) says that the word “gibbous” means “convex, rounded, protuberant”. So, basically like a pregnant belly sticking out – and in fact, that’s what this energy is about. It’s a time when things feel like they’re coming towards fruition, and we’re just getting ready to give birth to something new.

This is the time when we can feel so full of energy that we’re at our peak creativity – but also our peak emotionality, our peak level of insight or clarity – and for some of us, our peak inability to sleep! It’s a great time to surrender that which no longer serves, or to let go of what isn’t working.

– I like to put out my crystals for the three night of the full moon – usually the night before it’s actually at its peak, the night thereof, and the following evening. If you can keep them on the windowsill or outside during the day as well, then they can get some solar energy too (although some crystals fade if left in full sunlight for long periods, so you may prefer to go easy on the sunlight, especially for the quartzes).

In some yogic traditions, they don’t do any physical practice during the three nights of the full moon, believing that it’s best to rest during this time. You may prefer to do yin or restorative yoga practices, or I love to do moon salutations during this time. Physical practices which are more cooling, fluid, support introspection and surrender are soothing to potentially frazzled nerves at this time.

Hopefully this is a time when we can harvest the fruits of our intentions and share them with the world.

The moon is said to be “waning” when what we see in the sky is getting smaller. This is a good time to clean up loose ends of projects, and to start to evaluate our progress – with a view to turning inward again.

This is a time start to turn inwards again, to start to open up to the fertile darkness that is returning. It can be a great time to do shadow work (if you are drawn to this), and to integrate, restore, rejuvenate and open up to insight, vision and intuition. This is a great time to use restorative or yin yoga practices to rest and reset – and create space for learning, dreaming, and the possibilities that might start to emerge as we move back to the next lunar cycle.

The Dark Moon

This is when you can't see the moon in the sky at all - the night before the new moon. It's a time for introspection, meditation, erst and quiet. It's also a great time for shadow work, if that is calling you.

This is just my take on the phases of the moon – and I hope that it is useful! How do you like to observe the phases of the moon? I’d love to hear from you!

Why knowing what matters … really matters

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 21:30:00 GMT

Many of us will remember the part of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland where Alice asks the Cheshire cat for directions at a crossroads. As Alice doesn’t know where she’s going, the cat points out that it doesn’t actually matter which road she takes to get there. This doesn’t just apply to little girls lost in Wonderland.

Whenever you’re trying to make changes in your life, and especially if you’re working with a coach, it’s really important to take time to find out why you want to make those changes. What is actually important to you? And it’s useful to dive deep to find out what is really motivating you to behave in ways that you want to change.

If we don’t drill down deep to find out what’s really motivating us, what we really care about, and look at how those needs can be met, then we’ll find ourselves hitting walls again and again as we try to make a change.

An example of this is wanting to eat more healthfully, but noticing again and again that instead of cooking a healthy dinner for ourselves, we get takeout. Hitting yourself over the head about this is unlikely to help – and yet we act as though judging ourselves will somehow magically make us change (when it’s never worked before).

In the example above, it might be useful to have a think about what’s going on in those situations where you behave in ways that you want to stop. Assuming that you’re weak, or lacking in willpower, or lazy or whatever is unlikely to help – or else you would have changed already. So what’s really going on?

Perhaps you’re so exhausted at the end of the day that the additional task of cooking just feels like too much.

Perhaps you’re bored with eating “healthy” food.

Perhaps you feel sad, lonely, bored, angry, (INSERT OTHER YUKKY FEELING HERE), and feel like the takeaway is a “treat” that you deserve to feel better.

These all speak to legitimate needs and desires. If you’re feeling absolutely knackered, it makes sense that you would want to make your life a little easier. If you don’t like the food that you think you “should” be eating, why would you eat it? If food has been used as a treat or a way to “fix” unwanted emotions in your life – and it’s worked, at least in the short term – then why on earth would you not use a tried and true strategy?

In the situations above, simply telling yourself to “pull your socks up”, “be more disciplined”, “just do it” or any other language that we use to try to force ourselves to do something that deep down, we really don’t want to, is not going to work. We’ll find ourselves returning to the old behaviours again and again.

So finding out what really matters to you can help – and can show you the way.

If you’re finding yourself frustrated when trying to make some changes, it might be useful to have a think about what need is being met by the way you’re doing things right now? The behaviours you want to change didn’t develop in a vacuum – we do these things (or at least we begin to) to meet a legitimate need or longing.

If we really want to change our behaviours and make those changes stick, we will probably need to find alternative ways to meet those needs and longings. In the situation mentioned above, it might be a need to have more time to yourself and fewer responsibilities; or a wish to eat satisfying food; or having a way to soothe ourselves when we’re feeling certain emotions. Force-feeding yourself lettuce is unlikely to meet any of those needs.

Having worked out what’s really motivating us when we do the things we want to stop doing, we can make different choices. We can ask ourselves – how can I meet that need in a different way? When I feel like going back to the old behaviours, how can I show myself some compassion and give myself the support I need to make these changes?

Asking ourselves questions about how we can give ourselves loving support to meet those underlying needs, while also caring enough for ourselves to make changes in the direction of our dreams seems like a kinder, more sustainable approach to me.

More broadly, knowing what motivates you in terms of your core values can act as a compass to show you the way forward in different situations.

Have you ever thought about what your core values might be? What are the things that you really care about? Some of these might include:

Clearly, there’s oodles of them (fun fact – you can find lists of them online too). Once you identify the ones that are really important for you (I think about five is a good guide), then it becomes easier to make choices about how we behave, the things we choose to do – or don’t do. For example, if I value fun, then I’m going to make different choices about how I spend my time than someone who values service above all else. When we come to a crossroads, knowing what really matters in terms of our core values can help us make choices that we know we’ll feel good about not just today, but years from now. Knowing our values can also help us to walk away from activities (or even relationships in extreme cases) that don’t align with what matters to us – with more equanimity and serenity than we might otherwise feel.

If we’re feeling dissatisfied or lost, then having a look at the core values we’ve identified can help us to see why that might be. If none of our day-to-day activities are in support of the things we care about, then it makes sense that we’re not satisfied. Then we can have a look at how we can bring things into our life that will help us to feel more aligned with what we care about.

Of course, not everything we do every day needs to be in alignment with a core value – I’m not sure where vacuuming or laundry would fit in with mine, but they certainly need to be done! But these core values can help us keep on track to live a life on purpose (and not by accident).

Sometimes it can be hard to tease these things out on our own. If you’d like some support around connecting with what really matters so that you can make changes – holistic wellness coaching might be for you.

Have you found that knowing what matters … really matters? I’d love to hear from you!

The many-faceted jewel of busyness

Fri, 26 Mar 2021 07:30:00 GMT

Decades ago, I was in one of those workplace courses on how to become a more effective and efficient employee. One of our Executives spoke about how he used to literally run through the corridors to get from meeting to meeting, because he was so incredibly busy. He wasn’t proud of this. He had had the insight to see that he was using that sense of being stressed, that sense of being so incredibly busy, to make himself feel important. This was a stunning thing for him to say, because in that organisation he really was important – and yet, he’d felt the need to remind himself in this way. The point of his telling this story and being so open was to encourage us to look at the way we did things, and to ask ourselves whether we were creating a sense of busyness in our work to bolster our own egos.

Over the past few years, I’ve seen and read lots of stories in spiritual blogs and publications that have a title along the lines of “Busyness is laziness”. They suggest that we often use our busyness to either make ourselves feel important (when we don’t think we really are) or to distract ourselves from being aware of things we don’t want to see or face. The recommendation is often to take a look at our lives, slow down, do yoga and meditate, and resource ourselves so that we can face the things we’re hiding from.

All sage advice, and as a yoga and meditation teacher, I’m totally in favour of more yoga and meditation! Of course, I’d throw in some crystal healing sessions or reiki, but clearly I’m biased.

However, sometimes I think there’s something different going on.

So many people – and especially women, I think – feel busy because they are. They are the ones who are working stressful jobs, doing the lion’s share of the housework and emotional labour at home, looking after kids, caring for ageing relatives … And we live in a society where it seems like the expectation at work is that they would behave as though they had no children; and then in the rest of society, the expectation is that they care for their children and others as though they had no day job. There’s no way to pull that off.

And for many people in our society, they are also busy because they need to have multiple jobs, and to hustle-hustle-hustle just to make ends meet, to keep a roof over their heads and feed their families.

Adding to the to-do list of these people by telling them they need to do more yoga, or take up a meditation practice, doesn’t feel right to me. This is definitely a kind of “crazy busy” – but I don’t think the crazy is in the heads of those living through it. The crazy is in the society that enables it.

No yoga or meditation practice is going to “fix” a situation that’s caused outside of us. Perhaps I am cynical, but I sometimes wonder if the trend in some large corporations towards having wellness programs (including yoga and meditation) is not only to help employees’ wellbeing, but also to keep people calmly able to tolerate the intolerable.

I suspect that it is possible for these kinds of busyness to co-exist – that we can be running ourselves ragged to make ourselves feel like we’re valuable AND because the expectations that are placed on us are enormous and unrelenting.

And no doubt there are lots of other shades of busy out there too.

Why busyness can be a jewel

A well-cut gemstone has many facets, reflects and refracts light in many different ways, and is beautiful from many different angles. An uncut gemstone is … well, it’s a rock with potential.

The sensations in our bodies when we feel like we’re crazy busy, overwhelmed, stressed out, etc, aren’t just horrible sensations and feelings, they’re messages from our own body that something needs to change. Like an uncut gem, there’s treasure there waiting to be revealed.

It doesn’t necessarily take a week-long yoga retreat or an eight week meditation course to start polishing that gemstone to see clearly what’s going on (but if you’ve got the time and resources, that would be great, obviously). It can start with a few conscious breaths.

Perhaps next time you notice thoughts about being busy, take a couple of breaths and notice what you’re feeling in your body. Where do you feel the stress and tension? What is it like? If you had to describe its colour and shape, what would it be? If it could speak, what would it want you to know? What does it need?

Now, if your body tells you that you need a week in the Bahamas, that may not be possible for you right at this moment. And if your body is telling you that your boss needs to change, your partner needs to do more around the house, etc etc… then that may not be something over which you have any control, either. If these are the kinds of answers you get, perhaps thank yourself for that insight, and go on with your day until the next time you have a moment to take a couple of breaths to check in with yourself.

Over time, we get to know ourselves, breath by breath. Over time, we get to trust ourselves, breath by breath. Over time, we can learn to listen to ourselves with kind attention, and to trust ourselves to hear what we really need, and what we can do for ourselves to meet those needs.

Perhaps you don’t head off for a week in the Bahamas, but you can create a little bit of space for yourself by disciplining yourself to leave work at 6:30 pm instead of 7pm one night per week. Maybe you don’t go for a week-long yoga retreat, but you take time to do a couple of neck stretches at your desk every few hours. Perhaps you realise that you’re using your busyness to avoid looking at something really scary, and you make an appointment with a professional you trust to talk about it. Maybe you reach out to other women who are run as ragged as you are, and see if you can find ways to help each other out (or create a group campaign to lobby your local member about better support services in your area so you don’t have to do so damn much).

Learning to listen to yourself and give yourself as much of what you need as you can, and to forgive yourself for not being perfect all the time (especially in a culture which makes that pretty much impossible) can be the hidden jewel of busyness.

When you’re feeling crazy busy, how do you look after yourself? May we polish the jewel that is the hidden parts of ourselves, and learn how to treat ourselves with kind attention.

Yoga as a mind-reading tool

Fri, 12 Mar 2021 20:00:00 GMT

Have you ever felt like your mind was spinning so fast, that you just couldn’t think in a straight line? Or felt so confused about something really important to you, that you literally didn’t know what you thought about it?
Have you had a time when you had to make a really important decision, and you just couldn’t figure out what you really wanted?

It might seem like a weird thing to say, but in these kinds of situations, a skilful yoga practice can help you to sort through all the crazy thoughts and get in touch with what you really care about.

One of the most respected ancient texts about yoga, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, gives a definition of yoga which may not be what you expect. Although in our culture, you could be forgiven for thinking that yoga is a physical activity designed to help you turn into a human pretzel, Patanjali’s take was quite different. The definition given in the Yoga Sutras is:

Yoga is the calming of the waves of the mind into stillness.

That’s what its job is – not that there’s anything wrong with being a human pretzel if that’s what you want, but yoga was designed to do something else.

So how can we use yoga to read our own minds?

Have you ever been nutting away at a problem trying to figure out the solution, given up in disgust, and then gone away and done something else – only to have the answer come to you in a flash? Sometimes when we get our conscious mind out of the way, the other parts of our brain can get to work finding a solution.

In yogic philosophy, “mind” is actually a big concept. There are a whole bunch of words and ideas around what “mind” even is. But in a nutshell, the practices of yoga are designed to quiet the busy, surface level of the mind, so that we can access the wiser, less reactive parts of ourselves. It’s as though that surface level of the mind is a radio that’s turned up so loud that it’s smothering the sounds of what’s really happening around us. Yogic practices help us to turn down the volume of that noise.

So that’s the theory – how can we use it?

If you’ve been practicing yoga for a while, you’ve probably noticed that you come out of a class feeling a lot different from how you went in. You’ll probably have also noticed that most classes start with an awareness of the breath. Once we start paying attention to the breath (or the sensations in the body, if breath doesn’t do it for you) most of us find that we start to find ourselves more firmly in the present moment. The mind doesn’t necessarily calm down completely, but we can look at it more objectively, with a little more distance from it.

If you haven’t noticed that before, you might like to experiment next time you go to a yoga class – what do you feel if you give as much attention to the breath as you can? How does that feel different to how you might have done yoga before?

For many of us, paying more attention to the breath will help us to feel more calm, more centred, and take us out of that busy loud-radio kind of mind.

Once you’re comfortable with that kind of awareness in your yoga practice, you might try to experiment even further. Often a yoga teacher will give you time at the beginning of a class to connect to your intentions for the practice – they may also have their own suggestions about that, which you can feel free to take or leave as you wish. If you’ve got an issue that you’re facing, you might like to dedicate your practice that day to creating space for an answer to arise – and then just letting go of thinking about it completely for the next hour or so.

This approach works particularly well in more intentionally mindful yoga classes such as restorative, yin or slower classes. But with time we can learn to have this kind of mindful approach in any kind of yoga practice (and off the mat as well).

If we ask ourselves powerful questions, and then create space for the answers to arise without grasping for them, it can be amazing what comes up!

Any meditators who are reading this might recognise that their experience on the meditation cushion can also create space for answers and insights, just as a yoga practice can. This is absolutely correct, of course. The lines between the physical practice of yoga and the more explicitly mental practices of meditation can be much, much thinner once we bring greater awareness to our breath and movement on and off the mat.

Have you tried using yoga in this way? What was it like? If not - don’t take my word for it – try it and see if you can read your own mind! I’d love to hear about it if you do!

Photo by Vlad Tchompalov on Unsplash
Photo by Amauri Mejía on Unsplash

Meditation is like a TARDIS. No, really

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 21:00:00 GMT

There is a TARDIS outside a tube station in London. Of course I went there and stood smiling like an idiot at it and took a bunch of photos in 2015. You're welcome.

I once heard a teacher describe meditation as like being locked inside a telephone booth with a madman. It makes sense! It can totally feel like that sometimes!

Many of us have this idea that to meditate we have to completely still our minds and enter this trance-like state where all is peace, calmness and bliss. And then we try it and rather than bliss and peace what we might end up with is this weaving, random internal monologue that goes something like:

Am I doing this right? What am I supposed to be doing anyway? Actually, did I hang out the laundry? Is it wet in the washing machine? Oh no, it’s going to start to smell bad. I’ll have no clothes and I’ll smell bad. Wait a minute – what am I wearing today? What am I DOING today? Oh no, I forgot to finish up that thing at work last night, everyone will be seriously miffed. Not that I care what so-and-so thinks …. Oh, wait a minute, I’m supposed to be meditating. CALM mind. MIND CALM. CALM MIND NOW…

You get the idea. And then the buzzer goes off, and you realise you have just spent a whole bunch of time on your meditation cushion rambling at yourself like a lunatic.

My first meditation teacher was a lovely lady with a long Sanskrit name. She told us all that we should practice every day. After about a week of feeling like I wasn’t getting it at all, I complained to her that I was trying really hard, but I felt like I only had a split second of calmness at a time.

“How wonderful!”, she said, “You have the benefit of a split second of meditation!”

This was an attitude I have tried to take to heart. We think that the point of meditation is to calm our mind and to still it – well, good luck with that. Minds like to wander – this is what they do.

The mind is a bit like a time machine. It re-hashes the past, it projects into the future – but hanging around in the present? Not so much. This is where we practice.

So the point of meditation isn’t that we stop that crazy dialogue from happening, but that we get to practice noticing it. We pay kind attention to our own minds, get to know them. Notice where they like to wander off, the mental ruts we get stuck in. When we notice that the mind has wandered off again, rather than beating ourselves over the head about it, we just notice. And come back to the moment that we’re in, perhaps with a little smile at ourselves for our own humanness.

It’s that moment where we bring ourselves back that builds our mental mindfulness muscles, as it were. A truly powerful practice isn’t necessarily the one where we are like a Zen monk the whole time, but where we can start to notice more quickly when we’ve wandered off, and playfully and compassionately bring ourselves back to the present moment.

And over time, those moments of presence and stillness become longer. And our attachment to doing it “right” reduces too.

So meditation might be like being locked in a telephone booth or a time machine with a lunatic. But with practice, our sense of spacious connection to ourselves becomes bigger on the inside, like a TARDIS.

And like a TARDIS, it holds infinite possibilities.

Reboot your life ~ Live on purpose with holistic wellness coaching

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 04:05:00 GMT

There are times when you know you need to a change. Whether it’s getting fitter, changing body weight, eating more healthfully or trying to live in a more balanced way. And there are plenty of diet and exercise plans out there to help you do just that.

But many of them have a “one-size-fits-all”, “cookie-cutter” approach – and what if that just doesn’t work for you?

And let’s face it – often we already know what we need to be doing, we just haven’t been able to do it on our own.

With holistic wellness coaching, YOU are in the driver’s seat all the way. You get to work out what’s important to you, what really matters, what you truly want to change. And most importantly, you get to connect with WHY you want to change.

Why does that matter? Because it’s knowing WHY you want to make changes that will actually help you put in place the day-to-day actions that will help you get where you want to go. Knowing your WHY will help you get up when the alarm goes off to do your yoga practice rather than hit the snooze button. Knowing your WHY will help you put in the time and effort it takes to make sure you truly nourish yourself rather than pick up whatever junk food is quick and available.

An holistic wellness coach will also help you get in touch with all of you – not just focus on how you move and what you eat. So it’s not about encouraging you to eat more salad, but to look at how you are feeding your spirit? How are you nourishing your mind and heart? How are you sustaining the relationships that are important to you?

Holistic wellness coaching creates an unconditionally supportive playground where you can explore what really matters and work towards finding a way to reach your goals which works with your lifestyle and your values. It’s a playground where nonjudgmental accountability helps you to get where you want to go without feeling guilty or ashamed if you don’t follow some specific set of rigid instructions that week.

At Amethyst Yoga and Healing, our holistic wellness coaching incorporates tools from positive psychology as well as yoga and meditation to help you really get in touch with what matters, and chart your own course to get there. Holistic wellness coaching can be combined with movement and/or energy healing sessions so you can really nurture yourself into the changes you want to make.
Are you ready to reboot your life and live on purpose?
#liveonpurpose
#livewithintention
#wellnesscoaching
#holisticwellnesscoaching

Photo by the Bialons on Unsplash

What is crystal healing? Is it for me?

Thu, 28 Jan 2021 03:04:00 GMT

Everything in the universe vibrates, and has a frequency – even things that are apparently still, like rocks, footpaths and buildings. In fact, matter itself is a function of vibration. And these vibrations can change – if you’ve ever played a stringed instrument such as a guitar, you’ll have noticed that when you pluck one string (i.e. make it vibrate), the others also vibrate, although to a lesser extent. This is called resonance.

Like everything else in the universe, crystals vibrate, but because of their repetitive molecular structure, their vibrational frequency remains constant – this is why we use quartz crystals in watches, etc.

According to crystal healing theory, these stones have positive, healing qualities, often associated with their colour or other qualities. For example, amethyst has calming qualities, and rose quartz is associated with unconditional love and forgiveness. (There are large books on which crystals are associated with what qualities, so it’s beyond the scope of this blog to go into it!). So we can use the positive vibrations of the stones and resonance to bring ourselves more into alignment with these positive qualities.

Well, I can only describe how I do it! After I chat with you about what your intentions are for the session, you will lie down on a massage table and get comfy with a fluffy blanket over you. I’ll lead you in a guided relaxation and then place stones around the parts of the body associated with certain energy centres, and then encourage those energy centres to be as healthy as possible, and for energy to flow freely. In a transpersonal crystal healing session, I might tailor the stones more specifically to your intentions, and also bring in guided visualisation, movement or other work to support your goals.

Basically, you’ll lie on a massage table under a fluffy blanket and get seriously relaxed, while the stones do the work!

Many people find that crystal healing sessions can help them to relax and also to gain insight around issues in their lives, and to experience greater wellbeing at the level of body, mind and spirit.

Obviously, crystal healing should never be used as a substitute for medical or psychological advice or treatment.

But if it resonates with you (see what I did there), you may wish to use crystals or crystal healing sessions as a support for other allopathic treatment – and the great thing about crystals is that unless you do something really weird with them, they will not interact with any medication you have been prescribed.

Amethyst Yoga and Healing with Kaye Oakley - Precious Gems Blog

Crystals for Calm

Crystal support to help you feel calm

Crystals for Grounding

Feeling stuck in your head? These crystals might help you come back to earth!

Winter crystals I love

Crystals to warm you up and turn inwards

Crystals for Autumn

Cooling down, turning in, getting clear

Crystals for Manifestation

What stones are the best to help me bring my intentions into the world?

1. Moonstone

2. Amethyst

3. Rainbow Fluorite

4. Unakite

5. Clear Quartz

6. Garnet

7. Citrine

8. Blue Kyanite (or any kyanite, really)

9. Lodolite (garden quartz)

10. Blue Apatite

11. Rose Quartz

12. Aventurine

13. Labradorite

Crystals to help you fire up for Summer!

Warm your heart, navigate the silly season and fire up your goals in the new year

Amethyst Crystal Library - Spirit Quartz

Seriously high vibe stuff

Amethyst Crystal Library - Orthoceras

Ancient grounding support

Amethyst Crystal Library - K2

Insights from on high, grounded into usefulness

Amethyst Crystal Library - Snowflake Obsidian

Focus, concentration and a stone for loneliness in winter (or all year round)

Amethyst Crystal Library - Lemurian Quartz

Powerhouse crystals with possible messages from the ancients

Amethyst Crystal Library - Chrysoprase

Not to be confused with chrysocolla, chrysoprase is a heart stone connecting to wholeness

Amethyst Crystal Library - Chrysocolla

Peace in the heart

Amethyst Crystal Library - Unakite

Integration and removal of blockages

Amethyst Crystal Library - Moonstone

Arise, inner goddess!

Amethyst Crystal Library - Green Aventurine

A stone of good fortune and good heart

Amethyst Crystal Library - Fluorite

Order from chaos, clarity from confusion

Amethyst Crystal Library - Smoky Quartz

Is it smokey quartz or is it smoky quartz? I have no idea

Amethyst Crystal Library - Lapis Lazuli

A beautiful defender since ancient times ﻿

Amethyst Crystal Library - Blue Apatite

Speak your truth, digest life

Lots of different crystal shapes and why they're all awesome

For if you've ever wondered what the different crystal shapes mean!

If I hear “New Year, New You!” one more freakin’ time ...

If guilt and shame were effective strategies for change, we'd all be billionaire supermodels

Introvert’s Survival Guide for the Holidays

How to keep your introvert self sane without becoming a social pariah

Crystals to help you flourish and flower in Spring

Crystals to help you grow this Spring

Lepidolite

﻿ Moss Agate

Flower Agate

﻿ Green Aventurine

Labradorite

Green Calcite

Amethyst Crystal Library - Obdisidan

Obsidian - the wizard stone

Amethyst Crystal Library - Garnet

Fire up with garnet

Tapping into your truth

When the mind doesn't have all the answers, listen to the body

Amethyst Crystal Library - Selenite

Protection, insight - and a supercharge

Amethyst Crystal Library - Rhodonite

Forgiveness and unconditional love - even for our very own selves

Amethyst Crystal Library - Red Jasper

Support from the earth

A beautiful defender since ancient times

Moss Agate

Green Aventurine

We recently had the opportunity to make a small contribution to an article for Re dfin - here's the whole thing for you to enjoy!