Vol.2 Issue 1
March Equinox 2014
Crystal Resonance Magazine The Journal of Crystal Healing Modalities
Crystal Resonance Magazine info@crystalresonancemagazine.com
The first magazine for crystal healers, by crystal healers! Please contribute your learning so that your community can grow! Submissions:
Contents Volume 2: Issue 1 March Equinox 2014 Crystal Skulls - One of the World's Greatest Mysteries by Joshua Shapiro Crystal Skulls – Awakening to Self by Laurelle Shakti Gaia The Mystery of Crystal Skulls by Liz Hamilton
Discernment:
Parallel Life Layout for Releasing Vows of Poverty by Angie M. Yingst Choosing and Using Crystals for Complete Newbies by Toni Crotty Feminine Spiritual Activism Through Crystals by Wanda Krause Grounding Your Way to Better Health By Gina Skaggs Velkly My First Time (at the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show) by Leslie Didier-Paquin Tucson Tips by Naisha Ahsian
Directories
Cover Photo Š Jiri Vaclavek
Practitioner Directory Training Program Directory Please Note: Our directories are now live online. Clicking on a directory header above will take you to that directory on our website.
•From the Editor Our first year is now complete!
Naisha Ahsian
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When I began this project, it was with the intention to create a forum through which crystal healers of all paths, from around the world, could share their learning with one another and, by doing so, improve the modality. I did not know (nor does anyone, actually) how many crystal healers there are or if the magazine would even reach them. In the last year, this little e-magazine has reached over a quarter of a million readers, from countries around the world! Our community is coming together, and the sharing of our knowledge and experience has just begun! One particularly important aspect of this magazine is that it allows input and viewpoints from all paths of crystal healing. No matter who you have studied with (or haven't studied with), or what your beliefs and processes, this is a forum where all can and should share. Why is this sharing important? Our modality is very young. While most cultures around the world have, for aeons, used stones found locally or acquired through limited trade to help support their people's spiritual growth and healing, crystal healing as it is currently practiced has developed only in the last 40 years or so. It is truly in its infancy. It has only been in the past century that most of the stones we know and love have been identified, and only in the past 20 years have they become commonly available. Because our beloved modality is new, we have not truly come to know its depth or power. It is still developing and so are we as practitioners of this healing art. It is far too early in the game for dogma and division to limit its development and refinement, or its effectiveness. Belief systems are like eggs. Yes, they keep the tender young thing within protected so that it can grow, but they also quickly become limitations that must be cracked and escaped if further growth and maturity are to be achieved. By sharing the knowledge we have gained through experience and by exploring viewpoints other than our own, we become better healers and teachers— and better humans. In this coming year, I hope to continue to expand both the reach of the magazine and its content. In order to do this, I need you. Your community needs you. I hope that you will consider sharing some of your knowledge by contributing an article. Together, we can help one another crack our belief shells and emerge into a greater paradigm that will serve the world and our chosen healing art more effectively.
Aloha!
Crystal Skulls
One of the World's Greatest Mysteries by Joshua Shapiro © Joshua Shapiro. Used by permission.
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wenty or thirty years ago, if you started to talk about the crystal skulls with people they would say, “Hey, I have never heard about them." But that all changed in 2008, when the last Indiana Jones film came out. There was not only one crystal skull shown, but thirteen! The famous movie director team, Spielberg and Lucas, decided to include a crystal skull as the artifact that Indy was searching to find. Then, people noticed that the crystal skulls could be real. Now when I traveled through airports to do some presentations in different parts of the world, or continue the various types of research I do Ami, the amethyst crystal skull. linked with the crystal skulls, and my personal crystal skulls go through the x-ray at security, the people working there say, “You mean these are real? Can I see it?" So what is all the fuss about these crystal skulls? Why have there been a number of documentaries done since 2008 about them; either to say these artifacts are very real and have some type of special energy linked to them, which affects people and dramatically changes their lives, or there is nothin’ to them? Why did the popular television series Ancient Aliens do a show just on the crystal skulls last year? My life partner Katrina and I were also interviewed last year for a program for Russian and Japanese television.
Definition and Short History
A crystal skull, as the name implies, is a skull-like object made from a piece of quartz crystal. That sounds simple enough, but the skulls are far more complicated. Due to the recent craze, which is not just due to the Indiana Jones film but a sudden and spontaneous craving to have a personal skull by many people around the world, we have modern carvers (predominately in Brazil and China) starting to mass produce thousands upon thousands each year. Before this, a few very old skulls were found within or near ancient ruins in Mexico and Central America. Some were excavated in digs by archeologists and others have appeared in Mexico when people just kicked the dirt, or were digging into the ground to make a new building, and a skull would roll out. Within the crystal skull community, there are four classifications of crystal skulls discussed: “Ami," (pictured above) is an example of an ancient skull found in Mexico and made from amethyst. Ancient – Crystal skulls manufactured between 1,000 or 2,000 years ago, or from a time in our far past, that are of a superior design and which could be linked to legendary Atlantis, Lemuria or a link with Extraterrestrials bringing them to the Earth or even the Inner Terrestrials (the Inner Earth theory).
Old – Crystal Skulls created between 100 – 1000 years ago (but we have no exact scientific method to date a quartz crystal and know when a skull was made, thus we can only guess at its age) which might be linked to various mesoamerican cultures in Mexico and Central America. This seems to be possible, as when we speak to the current descendants of the Mayans, Aztecs, Toltecs, etc., they know about the skulls. Also non-quartz, non-human type skulls have been coming out of China, Tibet and Nepal; which many believe could be quite old and are being called either Mongolian or Tibetan Skulls. The bottom line is that a lot of old and ancient skulls have been surfacing recently. Contemporary – Crystal skulls made by modern carvers using all types of tools that will allow quartz (which, by the way, is a very hard substance) to be carved. These really require a carver that knows what he or she is doing. Diamond tipped saws and wheels are generally used to make the modern skulls. Plus, the definition of crystal skulls has changed to include any skull shaped stone, from any type of gemstone (not just from quartz); even skulls that are animal or ET shaped. Apported – This is a new category that we have added, because we worked for a time with a spiritual medium who had two crystal skulls manifest: one clear quartz, about 4 or 5 lbs., which came through a dimension hole in his bedroom; and a small opalite skull which came through an energy vortex created inside of his mouth, that came out with about 40 other objects (jewelry and gemstones) during a séance. We have now heard of other crystal skulls coming from, seemingly, nowhere. So, our "spirit friends" are now sending us these powerful gifts. Now for a brief history of when our modern society first heard about the crystal skulls. This is not including the legends which various indigenous cultures have about the skulls, like some Native American tribes or the Maya, who we believe to have been protecting various crystal skulls secretly for hundreds if not thousands of years. Around the 1860’s there were various crystal skulls discovered in Mexico – some of these skulls (small ones) are now in a museum in Mexico City. Some were found by local peasants who sold them to foreigners and two such skulls went to museums in Europe – the Paris Museum near the Eifel tower has one and the British Museum in London, another. Both skulls are carved from clear quartz, with the Paris skull perhaps the size of a child’s skull, and the British Museum crystal skull is human size.
© Joshua Shapiro with permission from Bill Homann. Bill Homann is the guardian of the famous Mitchell-Hedges Crystal Skull. Here we are at a high school in Indiana, just finished testing thisskull how it’s energy affects people with a Meridian Stress Test System for a show on the Syfy Channel.
The World was rocked in the 1920’s with the discovery of a human size skull with a removable jaw made of clear quartz crystal that was discovered in the ancient Mayan city of Lubaatun (which means the city of fallen stones) by an expedition led by F. A. Mitchell-Hedges. The Mitchell-Hedges Skull is an almost exact likeness to a human skull and after Mitchell-Hedges died in 1959, this skull went to his adopted daughter Anna Mitchell-Hedges. When Anna died in 2007, her friend Bill Homann, who helped and supported her in her last years, became the latest guardian. In 2008-2009, Mr. Homann did a great deal of traveling around the world to share the skull, but now works with it quietly. If anyone would like to know more about this crystal skull, we interviewed Bill Homann on an on-line radio show listed at the end of this article. This skull weighs between 11 and 12 lbs. From the 1990’s there were quite a number of other crystal skulls which surfaced in various circumstances that we do not have space to go into in full detail. To summarize some of the other key skulls, which are believed to be ancient, this would include:
“Max” (held by Joann Parks of Texas): Purportedly discovered in Guatemala, carved as a single piece of quartz crystal, and larger than human size; “Ami”: a teenager’s size skull made from amethyst brought out of Mexico by a Mayan Priest. This priest first went a group of business men in 1983 and received a loan, but did not repay it, so in 2009 this skull was sold to a private collector (unknown). “Synergy” is a larger than human size clear quartz skull that doesn’t quite look human, which is now with Sherry Whitfield in Arizona. This skull was with a family in the northern part of South America who gave this skull to a European man traveling through this area searching for minerals. Then in the early 1990’s, when this businessman met Sherry at a crystal fair in Arizona, the skull was passed on to her (these special skulls have a way to find their true guardians.) And finally, there is another skull known as “ET”, which is a human-sized, smoky quartz skull that is slightly pointed at the head and the lower jaw. It was uncovered by a Mayan family in Guatemala while digging into the ground of their property around 1905. The family needed money in 1991 and sold it to a Belgium gemstone dealer. Prior to this, the dealer was called by Joke van Dieten, living in Costa Rica, who found this dealer’s name listed in my first crystal skull book (co-authored with Bowen and Nocerino, called Mysteries of the Crystal Skulls Revealed, currently out of print). Van Dieten told him he would receive a human size skull soon, which he did. So this is how Ms. Van Dieten and her family acquired this skull. Because of its distinctive features, when Ms. Van Dieten first saw this crystal skull in southern California in 1990 (I was there with her as well), she felt its name was “ET," and this is the name by which the world knows this skull today. Afterwards, Ms. Van Dieten was diagnosed with a huge brain tumor. After two major brain surgeries to remove the tumor, she returned to full health. This quick recovery is attributed to the healing energy of “ET".
“Rosalita” – an example of a contemporary crystal skull by a master carver in China, gifted to the crystal skull explorers in 2011. This skull is two pieces with the lower jaw separated from the top part of the skull.
We do not have space in this article to cover all the theories within the Crystal Skull community, or how these skulls mentioned, and many others, were made; but they each have a strong presence and energy surrounding them. However, after being involved with crystal skulls over 30 years (I first saw and visited with “Ami” in April of 1983) and having over twenty personal crystal skulls, which I share with my partner Katrina, I will say that there is a living intelligence that uses the crystal skulls as a dimensional door into our reality. They use this portal to contact the people these skulls meet, as the skull’s guardian(s) allows people to have their own experiences. We have direct contact with our own skulls (and others) using our unique spiritual gifts, and they seemingly take on a personality with human characteristics, so that we can understand their messages and teachings.
To conclude, it is our belief that the many crystal skulls which are reemerging (hundreds and hundreds) were hidden for many years.They are a tool to help humanity to wake up and remember that we are each a divine child of God, or Creator, if you will. We each have a God-spark inside of us, and if we touch our spiritual essence (which is immortal), we can work together as the Family of Man and create a paradise on our world. Further, within some of the indigenous cultures, there is a prophecy of a special set of 13, very powerful and sophisticatedly made skulls (which probably are not even from our world), that may have once been in the temples of Atlantis but were separated and hidden, waiting for a future time when they would come back together.
The purpose of gathering these together would be that, through their combined energy, they would act as a catalyst to lift our world into higher frequencies of consciousness. Whether this legend is true or not, only time will tell. But, I have observed for over 30 years how the crystal skulls have touched many peoples' lives and brought more harmony and peace to each individual. Now would you like to have an experience with an activated crystal skull that has its own living consciousness? Joshua Shapiro and Katrina Head have been actively working together to study the crystal skulls since meeting in Atlanta in 2009. They now have over 20 personal crystal skulls and have organized two on-line conferences, plus published two books on their experiences. If you wish to learn more about the crystal skulls, feel free to visit their very extensive websites at www.crystalskullexplorers.com or www. whatarecrystalskulls.com. You can email them at: crystalskullexplorers@gmail.com To listen to the radio interview conduct by Joshua and Katrina with the guardian of the MitchellHedges Crystal Skulls in June of 2012, click here. We do a world peace meditation with the crystal skulls on the 13th of each month, you do not need to have a crystal skull to join but can work with one of your personal crystals. Click here for more information. To get our free e-book on the crystal skulls click here. To become a member of our free on-line newsletter called "Unfolding of the Crystal Skulls", click here.
Crystal Skulls – Awakening to Self by Laurelle Shanti Gaia © Laurelle Shanti Gaia. Used by permission.
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ome people consider crystal lovers to be rather odd people. However, most people are unaware of the vastness of our daily interactions with crystals. Those of us who work and play with crystals are aware of the many ways in which they assist us in life. Through the science of crystallography we find that crystals help us scientifically, medically, artistically, environmentally and spiritually.
energy healing.
The very device upon which you are reading this article has been made possible through the use of crystals. The computer industry, and large corporations like General Electric, use fine silicon quartz crystal bowls to create pure computer chips. Crystals are used to create windows, lasers, paints, cosmetics, medicines, solar panels, in biodynamic farming, and of course they are used in medicines and
When crystals and gemstones are carved into the form of a skull, they are believed to possess many helpful qualities. I personally was very skeptical that a crystal carved into a skull could add any depth to the way a person might connect with the crystal. However, one day curiosity led me to a crystal skull gallery at Crystal Enlightenment on the Creek in Sedona, Arizona. I very hesitantly viewed and held several different skulls hoping for a “sign” that one might be meant for me. Then, I sat quietly among the many skulls that were gathered in the gallery. I noticed one woman who was looking for a piece of healing jewelry in the shop. As she peered into the glass case to view pendants she noticed a rather small crystal skull resting on top of the case. She appeared to be startled by it, and quickly walked to another area in the shop. However, I noticed that she kept walking around and seemed to deliberately walk by the skull multiple times. Finally she paused in front of the skull and, very tentatively, reached out toward it. She gently placed her hand on it, and tears immediately began to flow down her cheeks. She was so moved by what she described to be “pure love, so strong it is nearly overwhelming”. Over the years I have noticed people connect with skulls in very similar ways. People who had no awareness or interest in crystal skulls are often “chosen” by a skull through the frequencies of love, peace, joy, or compassion, etc. which they emit. Both ancient and contemporary stone skulls can be helpful in our understanding of self, and accessing higher consciousness. Some cultures view skulls as something to fear. However, in others they represent transcendence, protection, wisdom, divinity, power, unity and pure consciousness.
There are crystal skull peace meditations that take place around the planet on a regular basis. Jaap van Etten, PhD is a well-known crystal skull meditator, researcher and author. In his book Crystal Skulls: Interacting with a Phenomenon he writes of five characteristics (reflector, refractor, transmitter, attuning, store information) of crystals and therefore crystal skulls. After reading his book and also attending his crystal skull meditation, I found my interactions with crystal skulls were greatly enhanced, and I began to more clearly understand each of the five characteristics. 1. The first characteristic is that of a reflector. When we work with a crystal skull as a physical representative of pure consciousness, we can delve very deeply into self. In this application we often find our shadow, as well as the pure light that we are, reflected to us from the crystal skull. 2. The second quality is as a refractor. Working with a crystal skull can help us discover multiple frequencies, which are a part of our personal whole. Just as a prism disperses white light into multiple colors, a crystal skull can help us experience different aspects of our total being; i.e., past, parallel, or future lives; or awareness of other dimensions. 3. The third quality is that of transmitter which can receive and send energy. In healing sessions the practitioner may intentionally program their crystal skull to send healing energy to their client. World Peace crystal grids may incorporate a crystal or gemstone skull to assist in accessing and anchoring the peace ray.
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4. The fourth attribute is that of attuning. One may wish to “attune to” divine consciousness, pets, angels, the earth, oceans, a star, a tree, or the moon, etc. When we attune to something we are simply matching our vibrational frequency with that of the intended object or being. Crystals help us transition from waking consciousness to very deep states, which help us access universal wisdom. 5. The fifth trait is the ability to store information. In September of 1994, Newsweek magazine reported that a group of Stanford scientists successfully imbedded a three dimensional image of the Mona Lisa into a quartz crystal and later were able to retrieve it. When a crystal is carved into the shape of a skull, we are reminded of wisdom, awareness and consciousness. I have found that working with crystal skulls have enhanced my experiences in meditation, as well as my spiritual healing practice. Many people are fearful of skulls because they may feel that skulls symbolize death. However, death is simply the departure from one level of consciousness to another. When one is open to meeting their inner shadow, and develop a keener awareness of their true spirit, they often find new, loving friends in crystal skulls. Working with crystal skulls can assist you in expanding your awareness and experiencing a deep connection with universal wisdom. Laurelle Shanti Gaia is a mystic, visionary and spiritual/energy healing teacher and facilitator. Laurelle serves as the Director of the ICRT Licensed Professional Reiki Master Teacher Licensing Program. She has been teaching Reiki and energy healing worldwide for 25 years. Laurelle is a member of Sound Healer’s Assoc; author of The Book on Karuna Reiki…advanced healing energy for our evolving world. She can be reached via email at laurelle@reikiclasses.com
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Mystery of the Crystal Skulls by Liz Hamilton Š Liz Hamilton. Used by permission.
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rystal skulls are a mystery! They were kept secret in most ancient cultures as part of special initiations that enabled seekers to experience the eternal aspect of their being. Crystal skulls represent rebirth. I have found that crystal skulls can connect us with knowledge that is beneficial for our spiritual development. They can act as a powerful focus of consciousness in meditation, connecting us with our higher self as well as with guides, angels and our star lineage; thus they can link us to the memories of our true origins. Personally, I’ve experienced that crystal skulls have greatly accelerated my psychic skills. Crystal skulls link into a collective cosmic consciousness and what is known as the Christ consciousness of unconditional love. I already knew the human skull that we all possess is a very sacred form; in my youth I studied with a medical doctor from Holland who taught me about the secrets of the skeleton. Our own skull manifests the cosmic shape of a round dome, as do the receiving concave formation of the eyes and the movable jaw for speaking and creating with our words. A little known insight is that every bone in the body metamorphoses into the formation of the skull. So a crystal skull can relate to every part of the body for healing. The skull holds the spiritual organs of the pineal and pituitary glands for cosmic awareness. It’s become clear to me that the skull form is a divine blueprint, a sacred container vessel for our spirit. Crystals carved into the shape of the human skull therefore bring purity into this sacred geometric form. Crystal amplifies, transmits, mirrors and receives cosmic information. The crystalline skull can assist our personal development, which is needed for the future shift and evolution of consciousness. This is why crystal skulls are appearing more openly and more widely in our modern time. Crystal skulls are beacons of light and can only be accessed by love. Breathe love into your crystal skull and you will witness how you open and expand your spiritual awareness with more ease. With each breath, expand the crystalline skull in your hands until you can step inside a cathedral of your own
pure heart space. Crystal skulls are, ironically, not about the head at all; they actually develop a “heart seeing” that unites the third eye with the heart. I wrote about my initial journey of discovery with crystal skulls in my book Collective Cosmic Consciousness of the Crystal Skulls: Experiences of the Mysteries of Initiation which is available for sale at www.alasenmat.com A second book is in progress about mylatest experiences and will contain volumes of information given about the mysterious stone star-being skulls from the Himalayas in ancient Tibet and the holy men who worked with them. Our healing centre, called "Alasenmat", contains 144 crystalline skulls in a separate meditation room that assist connection to each person’s higher self and to the collective cosmic consciousness. Together these skulls create a beacon of light and a powerful energetic portal, enabling the spiritual work to be amplified. Some of the crystal skulls at Alasenmat Healing Centre have travelled from different cultures around the world -- from holy communities in the Himalayas of western Tibet, the highlands of Peru, and the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. Old jade from China is also represented, including a jade skeleton for healing. If visiting clients like crystal skulls, they can be included in their healing sessions. The Alasenmat Healing Centre also is home to many large museum-sized crystals, creating a beautiful temple space in a healing room, for crystal and sound energy healing. This is a selenite seat in front of a special angelic cathedral crystal altar for clients to connect with their higher self to make clear intentions before a healing session. The healing bed is like a large wooden sound box, so quartz crystal singing bowls played upon the edges reverberate strongly through it. The client lies down on the healing bed with their chosen crystals placed upon their body. I conduct a sound session with tuned harmonic chimes for chakra clearing, angelic fifths, and with special intervals sounded upon the joints of the body called “The 13 Tones of Creation”. I add other instruments such as tubular bells, lyre, drone flute, whale harp, angelic chimes, etc. I perform intuitive sounds toning with my voice and etheric movements in forms unique for each individual. Cosmic Radiance Energy transmits the sacred ascension flames and geometries of light to hold the many layers of being within
an energetic golden cocoon. After the session, the client sits in a grounding chair adjacent to a huge black tourmaline crystal, holding a powerful smoky cathedral crystal from Tamil Nadu that has the function of energetically grounding, right down into the earth star chakra below their feet. Liz Hamilton is an energy healer using crystal and sound. She teaches spiritual subjects and meditation at her healing centre in the beautiful Blue Mountains in Australia. Her healing centre is called "Alasenmat" which is a Native American word meaning "Walk around with light." Liz developed a healing modality called Cosmic Radiance which she received through her experiences with crystal skulls. She also offers Star Attunements and her husband, Patrick McDonald, gives spiritual readings which can be received by email or in person. E-mail alasenmat1@iinet.net.au for more information. www.alasemat.com Liz Hamilton was born in Massachusetts, in the USA, and came to Australia at the age of 16, where she embarked upon her spiritual studies. For more than 35 years she was a Steiner Curative teacher for children with intellectual disabilities. She also studied various therapeutic arts, such as speech and drama, etheric movement and sacred sound as well as different energy healing modalities and took many crystal courses with Naisha Ahsian. (Naisha visited her Blue Mountains centre when she was in Australia.)
Parallel Life Layout
For Releasing Vows of Poverty by Angie M. Yingst Š Angie M. Yingst. Used by permission.
T
hrough my work as an intuitive coach and crystal healer, I have had many clients come to me with persistent blockages. Even the most unrelenting blockages can usually be dissipated with a long term crystal healing plan, but every once in a while, the blockage or challenge just won't budge. One of the most stubborn issues tend to pop up around money, abundance, and prosperity. Often, the messages I receive for my clients orbit around this idea of vows of poverty taken in past lives. A vow is a sacred commitment taken with such determination and resignation that it lasts until it is rescinded. Often, these vows, particularly taken by those in religious orders, remain solemn promises even when that experience of religious life is centuries in the past. These past life vows can have deleterious effects on people's present life. A few weeks ago, one of the crystal healing and tarot clients, Jane, came to me after a session with another practitioner. This practitioner gave her the same message I had been receiving for her--she needed to release the vow of poverty she had taken in a past life. Through a past life regression, she was told that she had once been a nun, and had not only taken a vow of poverty, but also worked with the destitute. Not only was her vow blocking her success, but also her unconscious past life prejudices about the injustice of wealth and the wealthy. When you meet Jane, most people are immediately taken with her radiant heart and healing energy. Though Jane is a Reiki II practitioner and energy worker, she has resisted moving into full-time healing work for fear of not making enough money to survive. To make ends meet, Jane cleans home. Through praying, releasing ceremonies, Reiki sessions, Shamanic journeying work, Diamond Bar Past life therapy, she hoped to release this vow, and thus "know" the right time to move into work as a healer. But she never felt fully confident enough to release her cleaning work. This frustrating pattern took a turn for the worse this summer, when her current cleaning clients began telling her they no longer needed her services. The feedback about her work has all been positive. Discouraged, she contacted me and asked if we could work with crystal healing to help her release this vow of poverty and strengthen her confidence to move forward. The concept of Parallel Work, which removes the linear time veil and opens dimensions, is something Katrina Raphaell talks about in her book Crystal Healing. She writes, "We have been conditioned and programmed to view time as a linear event with a beginning, a duration and an end." (pg. 49) Through advanced third eye layouts, crystal healers can guide our clients into the perception of time as non-
linear, so they can tap into the eternal Self. When we help our client dissolve the illusion of time, so they can experience the ever-present "Now". Raphaell goes on to say that, "As we learn to time travel in this way, it will be possible to integrate the lessons of each life experience and create a bridge that will link our parallel existences and fragmented aspects of identify into one unified sense of self." (pg. 50) In bridging abundance and parallel work, I sought to guide Jane into this ever-present "Now" where she could successfully release all her attachments to poverty and judgments about wealth. Raphaell notes that "in crystal healings past-future life recall does not occur unless the present life is being affected by something specific in another existence that needs to be cleared up and learned from in order to gain knowledge or complete a cycle in this lifetime." (pg. 52) I worked up an abundance and past life layout to help assist this client in session with this release. In addition, I created a third eye opening crystal grid geared toward past life work to hold the energy in the session, which included Blue Apatite and Clear Quartz. After activating the Sushumna, or light column, and performing a thorough chakra balancing and grounding, I performed an advanced abundance layout, utilizing Citrine at the Crown and Solar Plexus, Aventurine at heart center, in the palms, and at the shoulders. I reinforced her sacral with Carnelian and root with Smoky Quartz. In addition to the Black Tourmaline at the Earth Star, I used Pyrite with a double terminated Quartz to ground her with her money issues. On her third eye, I placed Azurite in the center brow with two double terminated clear quartz points, and an Amethyst point With a Lemurian wand, I manually opened her third eye, praying and holding the intention we set prior to our work together. Before the crystal healing session, we worked together extensively on what this parallel life work would be like for her, how she would handle this journey, and on the words she would say to release her vows.
"I release any vows of poverty I have taken, ever, in any time, space, place or dimension, in any lifetime I have ever lived. With gratitude, I acknowledge that this Vow has offered me lessons on many level. I have learned and accepted all the lessons associated with this vow in all dimensions and time spaces." We also discussed whether or not she wanted me to guide her through a meditation/journeying experience. As someone experienced in meditation and journeying, she felt comfortable taking this journey by herself. I simply watched and supported. During her session, I did the Distance Reiki symbol for doing Reiki outside of this dimension as well as linear time, and simply held her in Reiki, being a conduit for that deep healing work. I created a warm ambiance and played the Third Eye bijas to help gently move her into this parallel life state. Nearly a month after our work together, I checked in with her. "Since we worked together many shifts have been happening. I am not as worried about money as I have been in the past, I feel that everything is going to work out. I feel more in control in my life, not as concerned about others opinions of me. I also feel more confident in my abilities to move forward as a healer and I am actually painting and rearranging my meditation room. Taking the steps to begin assisting others as a lightworker. I am overall much happier, and enjoying life more." Citations: Raphaell, Katrina. Crystal Healing: The Therapeutic Application of Crystals and Stones, Volume 2. Santa Fe, NM: Aurora Press, Inc., 1987. Angie Yingst is the owner of the Moon + Stone Healing. She is a Usui Level II Reiki practitioner, and a Certified Crystal Healer through Hibiscus Moon Academy, currently pursuing her Advanced Crystal Master certification. She has been reading Tarot for over twenty years, and utilizes crystal healing, Reiki, and intuitive counseling through tarot and oracle cards, gentle hands-on healing techniques, earth-based medicine crafting, and her psychic gifts to bring body, spirit, and mind back into alignment. Angie is also an accomplished writer and artist, currently working on an oracle deck. Angie received her Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Temple University in Philadelphia.
The Primus Activation Healing Technique
TM
Certification Training Workshop with Naisha Ahsian
The Primus Activation Healing Technique is a profound energy healing modality that allows both beginner and advanced healing practitioners from all modalities to utilize the power of the heart's energetic field in both healing and the current evolution of humanity. The technique is based upon sound scientific theory that teaches us the basic physics of energy and energy transference, the physiology of the human body and how the body processes energy; as well as the proper energetic, emotional and physiological state for a healer to maintain to ensure effective energy transference.
Upcoming Certification Workshops
The Primus Activation Healing Technique utilizes specific techniques to synchronize the brain and heart, creating a powerful energetic field to emanate from the PAHT facilitator. This field is then transferred to the recipient through the physical law of resonance, using meditative techniques and progressive hands-on healing positions. The Primus Activation Healing Technique was designed to be used as a stand-alone healing modality, but it can also be combined with any other healing technique to enhance their effectiveness. Many of our graduates are Reiki Masters and Teachers, who use Primus to increase the power of their Reiki sessions. Primus is also the foundation for effective Crystal Healing.
For more information or to register, please visit
ww.naisha.com
Choosing & Using Crystals For Complete Newbies by Toni Crotty © Toni Crotty. Used by permission.
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s a crystal keeper, perhaps for many lifetimes, my perspective is that crystals can be a wonderful addition to any lifestyle. So I take every opportunity to demystify crystals for beginners and share ways to integrate them in daily life. Students often ask me how to begin. Striving to remember beginner’s mind, I laugh when I remember how I began. After being intrigued by stones I purchased in a lovely shop on vacation, I delved eagerly into a book about crystals. Although there were no photos, the descriptions of the properties made each stone sound as if it would be a wonderful ally. So I read another book, with pictures, and became even more enchanted. I quickly vowed to purchase one of each stone. Then a friend bought me more books. I realized that there were so many more stones. There went my dream of collecting one of each. I “got it” that these beautiful treasures were among the innumerable mineral gifts of the earth. So I continued to buy or collect stones I felt drawn to. And that is where I recommend a newbie begin. Before reading any crystal books, I somehow felt drawn to crystals and intuitively knew that each stone had a spirit. After reading many books, studying crystals in a two year Shamanic Apprenticeship, and becoming a Certified Crystal Resonance Therapist (CRTh), I still rely on my intuitive approach of letting the stones call me, then opening to a relationship with that crystal spirit. For a beginner, the call may be an attraction to a particular color, texture, or shape. One may sense certain energy, or feel a particular emotion. I have had stones “call” me from across a crowded room full of crystals. No matter how many other crystals I looked at, I could not forget the one that “called” me and tugged at my heart. So I let that crystal choose me. I always hold a stone in my hand before deciding if it is for me. Do I feel any sensations, pulsations, or do any thoughts, colors, or images come up for me? Do I feel happy, or light, or unexplainably drawn, or repulsed? I always listen to instincts and intuition. If I am deciding between two stones, I hold one in each hand and ask if either one of them is meant to come with me. What I sense or feel may be subtle, though if I sense or feel nothing, I likely will put them back.
Once you have chosen your crystals, clear their energy with intention and the sound of a singing bowl or bells, or by holding them under running water, or by placing them in salt, or in the earth, or by smudging them. Then the fun begins. Other articles have detailed how to connect with crystal spirits, so I will focus on integrating crystals into your daily life. I wear crystals as inexpensive jewelry. A $4 Red Jasper fish called to me, though at the time I did not see it as potential jewelry. Later I paid $10 to have some copper spirals attach it to a leather cord necklace. It’s now a favorite necklace and crystal ally. I have crystals in every room of my home, in fountains, and outdoors on my property. Sometimes I put them in my bed, or in the bath. I carry them in pockets and sometimes tuck them in my bra. I have taped stones to casts of clients healing from broken bones. I have crystals in my car and I carry crystals with me when I travel. I suggest that you incorporate crystals into your current interests. A friend interested in gardening, has beautiful stones in her garden to promote the health and growth of her plants. Those interested in astrology could easily download a free astrology chart and check the elements of the signs the planets were in on their birth chart. This was helpful to me because I discovered that I have no earth element in my birth chart. I was delighted to discover that wearing earth element crystal jewelry is very grounding for me. Those interested in Feng Shui can add crystals as cures to harmonize energy in specific areas. Although you can find books to suggest certain stones, I prefer asking which crystals want to be used for this purpose. You might see an image of a stone, or see or hear its name, or have a stone call your attention to it. Stones can be taken to work and placed on one’s desk or near the door to one’s office. If visible stones are not appropriate in a work environment, I discovered a digital option for enjoying crystals. My favorite crystal ally is this beautiful Golden Healer, pictured here. Gazing on it is mesmerizing and great for relaxing meditation. Though it weighs over a pound and is bigger than I can comfortably hold in my hand. Having light reflect through it brings out its beauty, so I experimented with photographing it with my iPhone G3 and my Canon Power Shot SD1300. Neither camera could capture the full beauty, see the light, or feel the energy of this magnificent crystal. Then a friend brought her Digital SLR camera on a walk. The photos she took of flowers were breathtaking. So I asked if she would photograph some of my crystals. The photos you see here beautifully reflect my Golden Healer. I am so excited that the stone really shines and shares its energy digitally.
This opens up a whole new world for communing with crystals. So I now encourage students to use high quality photos of crystals on computer desktops, cell phone wallpaper, as screen savers and in digital photo frames. The ways to enjoy crystals are innumerable and ever expanding. The key word is enjoy. I wish you crystal joy and blessings. Toni Crotty: Crystal allies enrich the daily life and work of Toni Crotty, MA, CAMT, CRTh, a Transformational Coach, Holistic Teacher, Energy Healer, and founder of Be Well and Wise and Energized! Toni shepherds clients and students on the path to vital health, peace of mind, personal power, and spiritual wholeness. After being certified in Acupressure, and Jin Shin Jyutsu, and trained in Flower Essence Therapy, Toni was captivated exploring the power of crystals in a two year Shamanic Apprenticeship. Blessed to study with the world renowned, Naisha Ahsian, Toni is certified in Primus Activation Healing Technique and Crystal Resonance Therapy. Proud to be the first to bring CRTh to the West Coast, Toni has been offering compassion, humor, healing hands, and a healing heart to clients in the Francisco Bay Area for nearly two decades. Learn more at www.bewellandwise.com
Crystal Immersion Walking the Path of the Crystal Initiate A 2-day workshop with Naisha Ahsian May 31 & June 1, 2014 Johannesburg, South Africa
www.CrystalisInstitute.com/immersion
Feminine Spiritual Activism Through Crystal Healing by Wanda Krause Š Wanda Krause. Used by permission.
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n the world of politics we have very little understanding of how to heal. Despite all the evolving theories on conflict and peace, I believe we are witnessing an increase. The deeper aspects of conflict and therefore the enduring means to solving conflicts are still missing. We continue to focus on the external features or forms of conflict to the neglect of the internal aspects to discord, disharmony, discontent and therefore greed and hate expressed. The way forward, I suggest, is reviving the feminine aspect that resides in all of us and one of the most critical ways in doing so is through crystal healing. Whether we are male or female, we draw upon either male or female aspects and their related properties. While I would like to believe that women have greater capacity to draw upon their feminine energies, I also know that many of us women still need to learn how to and that I have witnessed male colleagues and examples often surpassing us in the development of nurturing, accepting and diplomatic capacities. Feminine spiritual activism is therefore not specific to women and in fact must be exercised by both men and women becoming conscious of the longings of their soul. The soul nudges us to embrace our divine feminine capacities for nurturing, patiently allowing, creating with wisdom and guidance, birthing the new from within and actively bringing these into form in the exterior world. The dynamics of emerging conflicts are largely those, which are contextualized by domination, hierarchy and control. The intended response is compliance and, if not, revolt. Resistance to domination or threats to our way of life must be addressed not by anti-terrorism laws or pre-emptive strikes. Resistance to authoritarian governance and practices cannot be contained, either for long or sustainably. Conflict, however it may have come into existence or legitimized, can only be successfully dealt with through a feminine spiritual activism. This activism takes shape and form on several levels, beginning with the individual. When we practice feminine spiritual activism as daily practice we can most effectively deal with conflict in our personal lives. In turn, we become capable instruments within the institutions for peace building and capacity building, within government and all representative bodies upholding world peace. Active reverence of our own longings and that of all life is the most sustainable means to creating harmony and therefore peace.
To return our connection to our soul and hear its longings is through connecting to all forces that support our being, first of which is mother earth. Mother earth’s core offering comprises the mineral kingdom. By embracing her offering through harmonizing with the numerous vibrations that this kingdom holds, we can create an energetic frequency that transmutes energies upon which the dynamics of conflict evolve. An approach that invests upon attuning to the vibrations of love, giving, nurturing, supporting, cooperating, tolerating, trusting, reciprocating or enduring becomes your most vital tool in solving the roots of conflict. You are working with energetic frequencies that are higher and lighter than those of hate and greed. Harmonizing with crystalline frequencies provides these essential means. The beauty of mother earth’s crystalline energies is that they can be accessed from any stone or crystal. Although searching a crystal book index for stones with feminine properties can be useful, all stones will aid in accessing feminine energies. All stones will serve because mother earth supports nurturing, giving, loving, creating and birthing from all her being. Her soul permeates the entire mineral kingdom. All stones and crystals therefore have facets of this being and related properties. To know which crystals or stones to work with for a particular situation and time, tap into your intuition. One of my favorite methods to access specific feminine energies and raise my ability for spiritual activism is by doing an intuitive reading using a chosen set of crystal cards. Either for myself, or a client who is struggling with some aspect of activism (personal or political), or in the case that we intend to be the tool for these energies to heal a particular conflict situation or catastrophe, I simply make the intention to work with the feminine and ask what crystal would best assist for the context. I could intend this healing to be personal, ecological, environmental, economic, political – whichever level will add cumulatively to the whole, as all these are essentially political. You are transforming the dynamics of harm, conflict or control and hopefully you, your client or perhaps many others, are learning the lessons meant from these situations. Draw your card(s) and then focus on the feminine aspect of the crystal that appears in your draw or layout or the aspect to which you are most drawn. Renew the intention to heal before beginning work with the crystal(s) corresponding to your reading in way of a crystal grid, meditation or whatever method that helps you resonate with the crystalline frequency. Once you have made that intention your chosen method will allow the crystals to powerfully aid you in harmonizing and healing. Doing such exercises regularly is of enormous consequence to world peace. Through such practice you are thereby facilitating the feminine energies so needed at this time to turn the manifestations of conflict into peace, according to Divine plan and Divine timing. It is my hope that many more will be called to changing politics through deep understanding, intuition, and healing practices. It is my hope that this understanding becomes a core part of various initiatives, above all peace building. May you be the solution. May you be an integral spiritual activist for peace. Wanda Krause, PhD., resides in Whitehorse, Yukon Canada with her children. She is a registered crystal therapist (ACHO, UK) and an Usui reiki master, teacher and student. She has numerous book and journal publications, her newest book: Spiritual Activism, which represents the activism of individuals in different countries. Wanda has also taught politics at universities in the UK, Canada and the Middle East, is a global ambassador for KOSMOS – Journal for Global Citizens Creating the New Civilization, USA, and trainee under James O’Dea’s Peace Ambassador Program.
Grounding
Your Way to Better Health by Gina Skaggs Velkly © Gina Skaggs Velkly. Used by permission.
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eeling nauseated, achy, and out of sorts? You might want to skip the medicine cabinet and head outdoors instead. Studies show that that many ailments are caused by our disconnection to Mother Earth. Humans, like animals, have always had a strong connection to the soil. Primitive man walked barefoot upon the Earth, which kept him in tune with the Earth’s changing climates and allowed him to sense changes in weather days in advance of the storm. It also kept man healthier and better able to resist germs. By donning shoes for comfort and taking refuge indoors, we lost most of those instinctual perceptions. We also began experiencing dizziness, headaches, and other issues. Luckily, recent research and alternative healing modalities have discovered simple ways of “grounding” ourselves and bringing our bodies back into sync.
“Grounding” sounds more like it would fall into an electrician’s line of work. We’re familiar with lightning rods being positioned atop houses, with an attached wire running down into the ground to absorb any electrical current generated from a lightning strike during a storm. The human body actually functions like a battery. If not kept charged and grounded, we become sick and can experience adverse reactions to the electro-magnetic frequencies generated from planetary and atmospheric changes happening around us on a daily basis. Meteors and comets, microwaves, cell phones, and computers all give off frequencies that can affect our bodies in a negative way. How does this grounding interaction work? Humans are energy beings. Sometimes we have too much energy. This can come from environmental sources, and even people we come into contact with. Have you ever been feeling on top of the world and then come into contact with someone who is very ill or depressed, and suddenly you’re feeling like you’ve hit rock bottom? You’ve absorbed some of their energy, which created an excess that caused your own energy to react in a similar way. So it is important to rid our bodies of this excess energy and that’s where Mother Earth comes into play. The Earth holds negatively charged antioxidant electrons. When these enter the body through contact with the soil, the positively-charged free radicals are neutralized, providing a myriad of health benefits.
According to the Earthing Institute - an organization that began researching the Earth’s impact on human physiology in the 1990s - going barefoot outside or having bare skin contact with indoor conductive systems as you sleep, relax, or work profoundly affects your health. Its website states that people around the world are experiencing better sleep, less pain and stress, and faster recovery from trauma, simply by reconnecting with the Earth. Many of us live in apartments or urban concrete jungles and are unable to step outside to connect with Mother Nature. With that in mind, the Institute has developed conductive bed sheets and Earthing mats to help us reconnect the circuitry between ourselves and the Earth. For more information, go to www.earthinginstitute.net.
Benefits of grounding: 1. Increased relaxation 2. Better sleep patterns 3. Fewer physical ailments 4. Better concentration 5. More alert 6. Increased feelings of security
Crystals are another way to get grounded. Born of Nature itself, these portable beauties offer a quick and easy solution for rebooting that circuit of electrical exchange. Since the human body is basically a solid form of vibrating energy, the vibrational properties within the crystals work to reset your personal vibrational frequency. Smokey quartz, hematite, and black tourmaline are the go-to stones for getting rid of the sometimes debilitating symptoms that result from not being grounded. Just carrying one of these crystals on or near your body, such as in your pocket or purse, helps keep you grounded.
Jet Lag is one of the most recognized symptoms of the lack of 7. More comfortable with grounding. It is a direct result of the person being too far from the people and our surroundings Earth’s surface for too long a period of time. Anyone experiencing jet lag should, immediately upon landing, take off their shoes, put their feet on the ground in their new location, and lay a piece of Hematite between their feet. Staying in this position for just five minutes will begin to stabilize their energies and ease those uncomfortable symptoms. Other stones helpful in grounding are: Blizzard Stone, Lodestone, Pyrite, Apache Tears, Black Obsidian, Jet, Magnetite, and Copper. Most are very affordable and easy to find. Crystals are an important part of a practicioner’s healing arsenal. These are used in advanced body layouts, which vastly increase the grounding abilities of the stones. Some require only a few stones strategically placed upon the body, while others implement intricate, full-body layouts to bring about the desired results. There are schools that teach these layouts and strategies, and also several books on the market that provide some guidance in using these techniques. However, these advanced healing therapies are best suited for use by a professional healer. Some of the stones, like Black Obsidian, are very powerful and can overwhelm if used incorrectly or for too long a period of time. Working on your Root Chakra can make a huge difference in staying grounded. Located at the base of the spine, this chakra is associated with your physical health, stability, grounding, prosperity and
Simple Grounding Options 1. Walk barefoot outdoors 2. Hug a tree 3. Go swimming in a lake, pond, or ocean 4. Practice daily meditation 5. Epsom Salt baths 6. Drink spring water 7. Essential oils – White Fir, Vetiver, Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Rosemary, Juniper, Pine, Ylang Ylang, Frankincense, and Spruce. Use singly as a topical application in conjunction with a carrier oil, or blend a few together and use in a room diffuser. Prevention/Health & Healing.
abundance. Unbalanced, it can manifest illnesses, such as obesity, constipation, sciatica, anorexia, and bone disorders, but it can also derail your financial health. Commonly used stones for balancing this chakra are garnet, red jasper, hematite, and bloodstone. Meditation is very effective in grounding, especially when done outdoors. Using sound therapy, taking mineral baths and supplements, and implementing the use of essential oils are other methods that aid in bringing oneself back in tune with the Earth. The importance of grounding cannot be understated. A new movie is devoted to the subject. Grounded is the work of Dr. Laura Koniver, and documents the true story of people in a small Alaskan town who experienced almost miraculous recovery from a variety of maladies simply through barefoot contact with the Earth. “The earth knew what the people needed,” said one of the citizens regarding the results experienced by those healed from ailments such as knee and back pain. Several books have also been written to promote the healing effects of grounding. Dr. Koniver’s website, www.intuition-physician.com, offers a free eBook on the subject. The Earthing Institute has published Earthing: The Most Important Health Discovery Ever? This book was the 2011 Nautilus Silver Award Winner in the category of Wellness/
With all the evidence pointing toward a natural and free remedy for many of today’s ailments, one must ask the question, “Why aren’t more people taking advantage of such a free and an abundant resource?” Gina Skaggs Velkly is an Advanced Crystal Master, certified through the Hibiscus Moon Crystal Academy in Florida. She is also a Reiki Master and owner of Crystal Energies Reiki, located in Cave City, Kentucky.
My First Time
At the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show by Leslie Didier-Paquin © Leslie Didier-Paquin. Used by permission.
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decided to attend the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show approximately 4 months ago. I was discussing it with a local crystal shop owner and trying to decide if it was too late in the game to make plans to attend. As I left the shop, an older gentleman was out for a stroll. He nodded to me and went on his way. He had a military cap on with the name of a ship (very common in San Diego as we are a military town). What was the name of the ship you may ask? It was the USS Tucson. Who am I to argue with the messages of the Universe? With the decision to attend made, I switched gears to planning. I set the intention that this would be a learning experience and I would shop for a few clients and anything else would be “bonus”. I was hoping to stay in our timeshare but it was already booked at this late date. I went through Expedia and ended up with barely satisfactory accommodations but it just motivated me to be better organized for next year! Speaking to a few of the local hotel employees, they recommend booking about 9-12 months in advance if you are able. You will also get a much better deal if you are a bit outside of the main areas/hotels that host shows: Howard Johnson’s, Clarion, etc. During the planning stage, I researched the show online and obtained all the information I could about the participants. I watched all of Hibiscus Moon’s videos from her trip last year. I created a spreadsheet with all of my clients’ orders and price constraints to easily reference while shopping. I had two and a half days available for actual shopping and knew I’d have to be disciplined to accomplish all I hoped. We decided to drive to more easily and affordably transport our purchases home and I’m glad we did. We didn’t have to pay potentially expensive shipping fees or deal with the airlines inspecting each and every crystal. The next challenge to be addressed was going from show to show without access to a vehicle. My husband accompanied me to Tucson but he was determined to off-road and not spend much time gem shopping. I used the city of Tucson’s service, Gem Ride, and it was pretty efficient and free. It was a great way to meet other gem hunters and get some tips from locals. The drivers were all pretty burned out but maybe they’re more helpful during the beginning of the show. We were only there for the last weekend.
I began at the Convention Center and quickly realized that I wasn’t exactly prepared to use my time as efficiently as possible. I got caught up in the excitement and beautiful displays and before I knew it, 30 minutes had passed. I grabbed a Show Map and sat down with a pen and my shopping list to have a plan of attack. Since the show is open to the public as well as wholesalers, there were quite a few families with small children and many, many strollers. Once I had a plan, I was able to quickly navigate the different vendors quickly and efficiently. I more than made up for the time at the beginning of the day. I then looked through the different show catalogs that were available while having a quick bite to eat. (There were kiosks with a decent variety of food at every show). I Googled the vendors that sounded interesting to me to verify they were selling what I needed most (rough and tumbled crystals mostly). From there I traveled to many different shows over the course of the weekend. I learned that not all vendors are willing to negotiate even though it was the last weekend. Some vendors keep storage units in and around Tucson to minimize the back and forth shipping costs. Speaking Spanish is useful and helpful. Only having two and a half days to shop is not ideal. I felt too rushed and will allow myself more time next year to really enjoy the whole experience. Meditating, grounding and being hydrated is critical for those who are particularly sensitive to energy (another local shop owner had advised on the hydration and it really made a difference). Overall, I feel my experience was a good one. I learned some key points in planning for the show and will book earlier, stay longer and take more time to enjoy the energy of the show and get to know some of the vendors better when possible. I may not allow pre-ordering for next year but trust my intuition more on what my clients need and want. Everyone interested in crystals should have the opportunity to attend at least once. It was amazing. Leslie Didier-Paquin can be found at onthepath.me and https://www.etsy.com/shop/ OnthePathCrystals where she offers Reiki, Crystal Healing and various products to help you live your most grateful, abundant life. Leslie holds Masters degrees in Psychology and Education, is Level II Reiki Certified in the Usui Tradition and is a Certified Crystal Healer. She lives in San Diego with her husband, 4 dogs, cat and hundreds of crystals.
The Tucson Show
The Woodstock of Rocks! by Naisha Ahsian Š Naisha Ahsian. Used by permission.
T
ucson Rocks! What Woodstock was to rock n' roll, what Burning Man is to artists, the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show is to crystal lovers. While the shows are now over for this year, it's never too early to start planning to attend this crazy circus of crystal lovers that convenes in the desert city of Tucson, Arizona each February. Not only is it the source of most of the crystals and stones supplied to stores and dealers, but it is the largest trade show of any type, anywhere in the world! In fact, the "Tucson show" is not a single gem and mineral show, but is actually around 40 individually organized shows that occur simultaneously during the first two weeks of every February. The actual number of shows changes periodically, as some show promoters create new shows and other shows fold. It is also not only in one location. In addition to the shows at the convention center, many hotels in Tucson convert to "show-tels", with the normal sleeping rooms transforming into the showrooms of the dealers who return to this Mecca to sell the stones they've gathered throughout the previous year. Many of those dealers also use the rooms as sleeping quarters, so it's not unusual to wander into a room to find a dealer watching television in his underwear and eating his breakfast; his bed strewn with cheap paper plates filled with fabulous stones and gem rough from around the world. Other show-tel rooms are transformed into slick and shiny display galleries, with high-tech lighting and sparkling glass cases and shelving. No beds or televisions in these rooms! All furniture has been removed in the metamorphosis from dingy hotel room to high-end showroom. This is where the high-roller dealers and buyers do serious business, with hundreds of thousands of dollars changing hands in a single transaction. It's not unheard of for a buyer to walk into a dealer's room and drop millions to purchase the dealer's entire stock. This is the stuff of which dealers' dreams are made. In addition to the show-tels and convention center, tent shows pop up in empty lots and parking lots as well, offering everything from stones to beads, art and other wares. "Stone Gypsies" sell out of their backpacks
on the curb, or out of the trunks of cars. Giant crystals spring up outside of hotels and in parking lots, where gem dealers don't need to fear someone walking away with a two ton crystal. Here, amethyst geodes large enough to sit inside and clear quartz crystals taller than a man sit outside in the hot Tucson sun, radiating their vibes throughout the city. And what vibes they are! Hundreds of thousands of tons of minerals of every type, from everywhere in the world, all concentrated in one place. It's a weird, wonderful and wild energy that can easily affect your physical, emotional and spiritual bodies; and not always in a comfortable way. I began attending the Tucson show over 20 years ago, and have returned as a worker bee, a dealer, a buyer or just to network, almost every year since. I've seen it transform through good economic times and bad, and have made lasting connections and friendships with those I have met there. I've also learned a thing or two about navigating the shows and the shadow side of this amazing gathering of dealers, healers and stealers. If you're dreaming of Tucson, here are some tips to consider. 1. Know what you're looking for. Make a list of what you need, followed by a list of what you want, then a wish list of what-you-thought-you-would-never-ever-be-able-to-find. You could easily drop more money than you will ever see in your lifetime within the first hour of being at the show. Without a list, it's difficult to prioritize all of the amazing goodies you'll find. 2. Book at least three days at the show-- which is the absolute minimum for effective shopping, networking and enjoyment. A week is better, especially if you want to familiarize yourself with the whole scene and begin planning for the next year's buying trip. Keep in mind that the longer you stay at the show, the more intensely the stone energies will affect you. 3. Scout it out. Day 1 of your trip should be spent purely on scouting. Prepare to spend the entire day on a small portion of the show that is most aligned with what you're looking for on your "need" and "want" lists. For instance, if you're looking for rough stones for healing, it doesn't make sense to start in an area where most of the dealers have beads. Once you know who has what, and at which price, you can then spend Day 2 returning to the vendors you've found and purchasing your stones. Prices vary wildly from dealer to dealer, so you really do want to shop, or you could find yourself with buyer's regret within about 100 yards of making your purchase. Remember, dealers buy their stones from each other at the shows too, so it's best to find the source. That is usually the dealer with the lowest price on that material. By making lists and sticking to them, you'll also be less tempted to spend your budget in moments of wild elation or an energy high.
How can you know who has what? I suggest you get a copy of the Lapidary Journal Guide to the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show. While this guide is free at almost every show location, it would behoove you to have a copy before you arrive, or at least to visit the Lapidary Journal website. This resource is the most comprehenisive listing of all of the shows, the dealers within each show, and what is available where. Familiarize yourself with the different shows and plan accordingly. 4. Bring an empty, rolling, carry-on size suitcase and a backpack. Parking is a pain-in-the-butt, and you will find yourself walking alot. As you begin accumulating rocks, you're going to find they get very heavy, very quickly. It can be hot in Tucson, even in February. A rolly really helps with cutting the weight you have to carry and it allows you to transport your mother-load back to you hotel room or car more comfortably. Keep your backpack for your personal items such as water, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a light jacket; as well as those items you don't want to lose-- such as your wallet or purse. Unfortunately, theft does happen at the show. It's much more difficult for pick-pockets and purse snatchers to grab a backpack that is securely on your body, than a purse on your arm or a wallet in your back pocket. Dragging a rolly around also tells dealers "I'm buying alot." Trust me, they will be friendlier. 5. Remember that most dealers at the shows are not metaphysically oriented. Leave your long, flowing white robes at home and wear clothing that is a bit more on the "normal" side while shopping. Crying out, "Oh my God! This stone has such incredible energy!" while shopping will not only earn you lots of rolling eyeballs, but will translate directly to "Ka-ching!" in dealer-speak. This is not a purely metaphysical show. In fact, most of the dealers are not metaphysical. Approach your shopping as a mineral collector or dealer and you'll be treated with more respect by many dealers. That doesn't mean you need to hide your passion for crystal energies, but coming out as a full-scale, healy-feely-woowoo-crystal-licker can be a detriment in some circumstances. Of course, there are metaphysical dealers and crystal-healing-friendly dealers, but why limit yourself? You'll often find amazing deals and little known materials in the booths of dealers or miners who are not necessarily appreciative of crystal energies or crystal healing. Just don't assume that everyone at the show is as in love with crystal energies as you may be. 6. Don't act upon any major life decisions during the show. Really. The energy of all of the stones in one place can be disorienting and euphoria inducing. This is not the time to decide to quit your day job and become a rodeo clown. It is definitely not the time to call your boss and tell them that you are quitting your job and becoming a rodeo clown. I'm serious. Shop for stones. Make contacts. Leave. Act upon any inspired decisions once you've come down from the energy-- which can take up to a week
or more after physically leaving Tucson, depending upon how long you've stayed there. This can be an amazing opportunity to use all of that stone energy to break out of old paradigms and to shift into a new life. I liken the energy to the Storm element. Yes, it is invigorating and amazing. It can create spiritual breakthroughs and realizations that are life changing. But, it is also going to bring up within you what is most in need of balance. Being inspired to make life-altering decisions under that influence is almost unavoidable. Acting on those decisions without taking the time to integrate, however, is not adviseable. 7. Bring a lot of business cards, copies of your resale tax license, and collect a lot of cards while there. If you are going to purchase as a wholesale customer (meaning that you are planning on reselling your stones), these pieces of paper are going to be very important. Remember that purchasing wholesale can mean savings of anywhere from 20-50% on the retail cost of the stone. There are often minimum purchase requirements for wholesale buying, though, so don't plan on picking up one little piece of a material and paying wholesale. And, you'll often need to give the dealer a photocopy of your tax ID and a business card. Have lots of these. This is also the best opportunity to make connections with dealers-some of whom may become old friends over the years. Many of the dealers and miners at the show don't have internet sites. So, it's very important to take a card and write on the back the material that the dealer specializes in. It doesn't hurt to note prices for those materials. Then, when you wish to purchase during the year, you'll have your contacts and an idea of what the stones will cost you. 8. Enjoy yourself! When I was working or showing at Tucson I would often spend almost a month immersed in the wild energy of the show. In many ways it has been one of the formative experiences of my life. Even though I no longer show at Tucson as a dealer, or sell stones for a living, I still love attending the show. With a little forethought and common sense, it can be an amazing experience-- or even a lifechanging one! Naisha Ahsian's website is www.Naisha.com