Gratitude

This is my gratitude crystal.  It is a nice flat piece of Carnelian - one of my favourite crystals!

I keep it by my bed to remind me of all that I have to be grateful for in my life.  I see it when I get up in the morning and when I go to bed and I am reminded how fortunate I am - for my lovely husband, my family, my friends, for my crystals, my customers, for being able to live in the New Forest, for the sunshine, perhaps something special I am doing/have done that day ...

Even if I think I have had a "bad" day, when I look at my Gratitude Crystal I am reminded of good things that happened that day that I am grateful for - the stranger who smiled at me, a door being held open for me, the birds singing, the nice wholesome food I ate, a text from a friend.  It makes me realise that my day wasn't as "bad" as I thought it was and "good" things did happen.

A gratitude crystal can be any type crystal of your choosing.  I personally like flat crystals as they are nice to hold when I want to be reminded of all that I have to be grateful for.

I have recently moved house - from a lovely rented house to a house that needs a lot of working doing to it. When our furniture arrived three weeks ago, virtually all the floorboards on the first floor were still raised so that new wiring and central heating pipes could be put in, so all our worldly goods were (are still mostly are!) piled floor to ceiling downstairs.

In those three weeks we have had a lot to be grateful for - the workmen who have been doing the necessary work so we now have power, hot water and lighting, our old neighbours who let us stay in their house when ours wasn't habitable and the support of our friends and family.

Last weekend we were able to make up a bedroom and clear some room in the lounge for a sofa and TV (essential to Barry to watch sport!).  This was something to be grateful for.

I chuckled to myself this morning when I was proudly showing the builder my  "kitchen" as I now have electricity in the kitchen and have a space to put a mini oven (gratefully lent to us),  an electric grill (gratefully won in a raffle) and a single ring to put a saucepan on.

So think of what you have to be grateful for in your life.  Choose a crystal to use as a Gratitude Crystal and look at it frequently to remind you of the good things to be grateful for in your life. Don't dwell on anything negative, (we all have that to varying degrees), but see how many positive things you do have to be grateful for.  Some people like to write down 5 or 10 things that they were grateful for at the end of each day in a nice little book, and this may also be something that appeals to you.

A recent 'quote of the day' from Brahma Kumaris said that "The quality of thought creates the quality of life", so if your thoughts reflect you gratitude, so will your life.

Hematite

Whilst going through the house-buying process with all its pitfalls and tribulations, I was drawn to use Hematite.

When I re-visited its properties I released what a good choice it was! 

 

Some of its wonderful properties are listed here :-

v  Hematite is from the Greek word “haematites” which means “blood-like”.  It was known as “bloodstone” during the middle ages.  The Egyptians used Hematite to staunch the flow of blood from wounds and for the formation of blood cells.

v  Hematite ranges in colour from grey to black with a shiny lustre.  Unpolished, Hematite has red tones.

v  Being traditionally associated with the blood, hematite can benefit blood disorders.

v  Hematite is used to treat anaemia (as it is composed of 70% iron itself), especially when there is a lack of vitality.

v  Hematite improves the quality of the red blood cells 

 

v  Hematite makes for better usage of iron in the diet.

v  Hematite has the ability to reduce blood pressure. 

v  Hematite aids circulatory problems and is especially useful for treating Reynaud’s Disease.

v  It is recommended for use during childbirth, partly to prevent excessive bleeding and partly to keep everyone calm, due to it’s calming effect on the nerves.

v  It is said to be the “stone of the mind” as it helps one to sort out things in one’s mind.  It is also useful for mental attunement.

v  Because of Hematite’s affinity with the base chakra, it is particularly good grounding crystal.  It helps those who feel heady and ungrounded, especially after therapeutic treatments.

v  As well as drawing negativity from the base chakra, Hematite will prevent you from absorbing the negativity of others.

v  It strengthens our connection with the earth, making us feel safe and secure.

v  Hematite is a calming stone that helps to soothe the nerves and is useful for alleviating stress and anxiety.

v  Hematite prevents negative energy from entering the aura.

v  Hematite gives us courage, strength, endurance and vitality.

v  Hematite has the ability to help you “keep your cool” – mentally as well as physically.  So place it on the forehead to reduce a fever or on any painful and inflamed area of the body to cool them.

v  Hematite is beneficial for arthritis sufferers due to the benefits above.

v  Hematite is beneficial for getting rid of leg cramps.

v  Hematite is useful for muscular-skeletal conditions.

v  Placing Hematite on the base of the spine or on an area if misalignment is said to help adjust the vertebrae.

v  It assists the healing of fractures

v  Hematite is a good kidney cleanser.

v  Hematite is beneficial for insomnia sufferers.

v  Hematite harmonises the body, mind and spirit. 

v  Hematite has a strong yang element, redressing yin imbalances.  It also balances the meridians

v  Hematite is beneficial for legal situations.

v  Psychologically, Hematite gives strength.  It boosts self-esteem and imparts confidence.

v  Hematite is especially beneficial for timid women.

v  Hematite boosts willpower.  Especially useful for those who over-eat, smoke or generally over-indulge and want to do something about it. 

v  Hematite helps you come to terms with your mistakes and to accept them as learning experiences rather than disasters.

v  Mentally, Hematite stimulates concentration and focus.  It enhances memory and original thought.

v  Hematite is especially useful for the study of mathematical and technical subjects.

v  It brings the mind’s attention to basic survival needs and helps to sort out problems of all kind.

v  Hematite is conducive to enabling one to entering into a loving relationship and is said to attract “kind” love.

Using Hematite

Carry Hematite in your pocket to protect you from the negativity of others.

Use as an elixir for fevers.

Hematite is very grounding and is the main crystal to activate the Earth Star chakra.

Animal Healing

Benefits animals in transit

Calming for groups of animals, where agitation can spark off a reaction.

Useful for shocks to the system.

Crystals for these Changing Times

Happy New Year!

Over the past year or so, I have been reading more about Astrology. I am very much a beginner as it seems to me to be a vast and complex subject!

However, when I have faced challenging times of late, friends have pointed me in the direction of Astrology books and blogs showing me that these challenging times have often coincided with planetary changes.
 

I have been reading with interest that the next 6 months are going to be times of change. My first blog written in 2011 was entitled “the times they are a changing” and it seems that this is still the case!

So to help us face the coming months, I am focusing on a couple of crystals that can help us cope with change.

The first crystal I have chosen is Labradorite.

Labradorite is a useful companion through change, imparting strength and perseverance. It is a stone of transformation and helps to advance through the cycles of progression. Labradorite also provides vitality for transition.

 Labradorite banishes fears and insecurities and the psychic debris from previous disappointments, including those experienced in previous lives. Labradorite strengthens faith in the self and trust in the universe.

Labradorite helps to relieve stress.

I also read that extra protection may be needed through this period of change and Labradorite is a highly protective crystal.

It protects the aura and helps to keep the aura clear, balanced and free from energy leaks. Labradorite also deflects unwanted energy from the aura.

Labradorite calms an overactive mind.

Labradorite energises the imagination, bringing up new ideas.

Labradorite helps analysis and rationality to be balanced with inner sight.

Labradorite brings contemplation and introspection.

Synthesizing intellectual thought with intuitive wisdom, Labradorite is an excellent dispeller of illusions, going to the root of the matter and showing the real intention behind thoughts and action.

The second crystal I am focusing on to help with change is Moonstone.

Moonstone is a “stone of new beginnings”. As its name suggests, it is strongly connected to the moon and to the intuition. Like the moon, the stone is reflective and reminds us that, as the moon “waxes and wanes”, so everything is part of a cycle of change. (New beginnings are in effect the fruition of each” end”).

The energy of Moonstone is balancing, introspective, reflective and lunar. It is capable of helping with the changing structure of life on the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual level.

Moonstone as an affinity with our “emotional body” and its most powerful property is that of calming the emotions.

Moonstone calms over-reactions to situations and to emotional triggers.

Moonstone soothes emotional instability and stress and helps to stabilise the emotions.

Due to its favourable effect on the emotions, Moonstone is beneficial to the sacral chakra, (which is a focus for emotional tension).

Placed on the solar plexus, it draws out old emotional patterns so it can be understood and then dissolved. It can also help here where emotional stress disrupts the nervous system and digestion of food.

Moonstone provides deep emotional healing and heals disorders of the upper digestive tract that are related to emotional stress.

Moonstone promotes inner reflection and inner growth.

Moonstone helps to diminish obstacles on the path leading to ones progression and fulfilment of destiny. It facilitates the attainment of end-results.

The energy of Moonstone can help to replace physical energy in our bodies, especially when we feel depleted.

Moonstone is helpful in cases of insomnia.

As Francois de La Rochefoucauld is quoted as saying “the only thing constant in life is change” so go with it, work through it and allow it to help you live the authentic life your were born to live.

Enjoy using your crystals - hold them, meditate with them or make a crystal elixir.

Wishing you a joyful 2014

Julie